by Amelia Shea
“So, he hasn’t been with the hang arounds?”
Meg shrugged and gazed across the lot. “Not to my knowledge. Mick always said Saint was the internal opposite of every biker stereotype.” She cocked a brow and turned back to the table. “Until you piss him off. The quietest ones are usually the deadliest.”
What? Deadly was not appealing at all. However, she hadn’t gotten a deadly killer vibe from Saint. Quiet, reserved, and mysterious? Yes. Gorgeous and sexy? Hell yeah, but dangerous? No. Then again, she wasn’t the best judge of anyone’s character. Roll up those sleeves and let’s see how good you are at detecting danger. She pulled her shirt at her wrist, to cuff it around her palm.
“I’ll get to the bottom of this.” Macy sat up in her chair and waved to someone across the yard. All the women jerked around, including Bailey, to see Nadia smile and saunter toward them. Not walking, not strolling, the woman sauntered. And she did it effortlessly with her hips swaying.
“Get to the bottom of what?” Cheyenne asked.
Macy rolled her eyes. “If Saint is a closet man-whore, Nadia would know.”
Bailey slouched in her seat. The other women seemed to be amused by Macy’s comment. Not her. Confirmation of him being like the others, mainly Dobbs, would have been disappointing.
“What’s up, pretty girls?” Nadia smiled and glanced around the table.
“We need insider information.” Macy leaned across the table and smirked. “On a member,” she lowered her voice, “and his member.” She wiggled her brows, evoking a burst of laughter from the entire table, this time, Bailey included. I love her.
Nadia raised her brows, clearly amused by Macy. “Who?”
“Saint.” Macy paused, glancing over at Bailey then back to Nadia. “Is he a secret slut behind the clubhouse walls?”
Bailey watched Nadia’s reaction. The corners of her mouth curved up, and she grinned, then licked her lips. Bailey noticed the teasing sparkle in her eyes. She was more than happy to play into Macy’s antics.
“This stays between us.”
Macy inched up. “Yeah, definitely. Now tell us.”
Nadia glanced over her shoulder then slowly leaned closer to the group. Even Bailey shifted forward, waiting on her response. Nadia eyed all the women, one by one, ending with Bailey, who she stared at when she answered with a smile.
“No. Saint, to my knowledge, and trust me, I would know, has never, and I mean ever, dabbled with club pussy.”
“Huh,” Macy said, leaning back in her chair. “So, he’s never showed interest in anyone around here?”
Nadia settled back on her feet. “Hmmm…showed any interest in a woman around here?” She slowly drifted her gaze to Bailey. “I didn’t say that.” Nadia winked at Bailey and started back toward the clubhouse.
Bailey darted her gaze to the table and bowed her head slightly in hopes of shielding her face. The bright shade of pink on her cheeks would be impossible to hide. Was Nadia referring to me?
The subject quickly changed courtesy of Marissa, who asked about Cheyenne’s new home and the shop. It was a perfect diversion.
As Bailey had told the residents, a bigger population would benefit the town. A few club members had bought property and were building. Others had renovated and moved into existing homes, which were on the verge of being condemned. Ghosttown was starting to emerge into a real town.
The businesses were also making a difference. Trax and Rourke had opened up a garage. The club was working on a parts store, Chey and Macy were almost ready for the grand opening of their shop. Main Street had gone from deserted to having most of the storefronts filled.
Bailey was half listening to Macy tease Cheyenne about something Trax did. Cheyenne simply rolled her eyes then laughed. Her sight behind her sunglasses was set on the only person who distracted her.
Saint was standing with Trax and Rourke in a circle. Whatever was being discussed seemed serious, not even the bikini-clad, fake breasted woman vying for Saint’s attention all day could distract him. The knowledge he didn’t randomly hook up with the club girls had Bailey a bit too relieved. Not that he’d ever take an interest in her. Or did he?
In the past few months, as the club settled into Ghosttown, she’d only seen him a handful of times. The most memorable was on Main Street when he’d come over during a verbal beatdown from Mr. Collins. She’d done her best to be friendly to the club as a whole, but there was a draw she had to Saint. She took any chance she got to interact with him. However, it was limited. And while he seemed to stare at her an awful lot, he didn’t engage in conversation.
She crossed her legs, clasped her hands, and stared at Saint. He was too handsome. Bailey briefly heard one of the women say something about his eyes. She remained focused, staring at Saint. His dark hair was cut short, unlike the others, who always appeared in need of a haircut. She smiled, thinking of his eyes. His gaze went right through her that day on Main Street. It had been forever since she gotten revved up by just a look from a man. Even Dobbs, as flirty as he was, was no match for Saint’s silent gaze.
“His little girl has got em’, too.” Meg snickered. “Saint’s in trouble with his daughter, a little stunner, and the sweetest.” Meg turned her head, grabbing her beer. “Reminds me of our Bailey here. Soft-spoken, pretty smile, and too damn sweet.”
What? Saint was a dad? She glanced over to him.
“Saint has a child?” Marissa asked in pure shock, similar to how Bailey was feeling.
“Mhmm…think she’s eight or nine now. He doesn’t bring her by much, and when he does, she’s stuck to his side like glue. Though believe it or not, she’s pretty tight with Kase. Kinda sweet to see Kase with a little girl. Reminds ya the hardass is human.”
Bailey looked over at Cheyenne when she started laughing. “Just another thing to like about Saint, huh, Bailey?” Cheyenne winked. “Single dads are sexy, ask Riss.”
“Very sexy,” Marissa said, referencing her husband Caden.
Bailey tightened her lips at the teasing. It apparently was no secret to anyone, except maybe Meg, Bailey was harboring a little crush on Saint. A million questions raced through her mind, but she didn’t have it in her to ask any of them. Thankfully, Marissa did.
“How long has he been divorced?”
Meg shook her head. “He’s not, him and Tara never married. Decided to wait on the nuptials, which was good, ’cause things fizzled after Cia was born. Good friends though still, he spends the holidays with her family. She married Denny and they got two little boys. They’ve come to some barbeques in the past.” She sat up and stretched her neck, then shouted, “Saint!”
Bailey jerked her head and saw Saint glance over his shoulder and then start their way, followed by Rourke. He was a few steps away from the table across from Bailey when he stopped. His gaze shifted to her, and she smiled. He dipped his chin. He always did that, rarely speaking to her though he seemed the same way with everyone.
“Just telling the girls about your baby, what is she eight, nine?”
“Turned nine last month.”
Meg smiled. “You don’t bring her around enough. Gotta get my fix spoiling some kids since these lazy bitches can’t seem to get knocked up.” Meg turned to Marissa. “Except you, Riss.”
The group laughed, and Bailey joined in. Macy turned to Saint. “Got a picture?”
Saint didn’t answer, and he seemed to hesitate before reaching for his back pocket and pulling out his phone. He must have pulled a picture because he turned the screen to Macy, who leaned in. She smiled and reached out, swiping the screen two more times and then looked at Saint. “Oh wow, she’s beautiful, Saint.”
“Let me see,” Cheyenne said. When he angled the phone toward her, she grabbed it from his hands. His mouth tightened, but he didn’t grab it back or say a word. He definitely wasn’t happy with her move. She smiled and complimented her and then passed it to Meg.
Meg laughed. “You’re screwed, Saint. She’s a beauty, gonna be fighting off th
e boys in a few years.” Meg turned and offered Bailey the phone. She could feel his eyes on her, and she wasn’t sure if he would be happy if she took it. This would probably be the only opportunity she’d get to see his daughter, and it was too good to pass up.
She grabbed the phone with a shaky hand. Bailey’s lips turned up, and she smiled. The little girl was beautiful. Dark long wavy hair, which was half in a ponytail and half out. Her nose scrunched up and she was laughing. Her eyes were squinting, but she could definitely make out the purple eyes just like Saint’s.
“Bails, scroll to the one before, it’s adorable,” Macy said.
Bailey didn’t even bother checking to see if it was okay, she slid her finger across the screen and her heart skipped then pumped hard. Someone must have taken it. It was Saint crouched down next to his daughter, her arms hugging him close around his shoulders. It was a sweet father and daughter picture. It wasn’t the pose that had her mouth twitch and her belly warm. It was the smile. His. The one he shared with his little girl. She was a tiny beautiful version of Saint, and her smile was just as magnificent as his.
For all the times she’d seen him, watched him when he wasn’t looking, she never saw his smile. It was worth the wait.
“A real beauty, right?” Marissa whispered next to her.
Bailey jerked almost forgetting she was sitting with a group which included Saint. She peered up, not at Marissa but Saint whose steely gaze was locked on her. If her heart pumped any faster, she might be concerned about a heart attack. She scooted her seat and rose up to her feet walking around Cheyenne and reached out to Saint, extending his phone.
“She’s beautiful, especially her smile.” Bailey licked her lips and then blurted out, “Just like yours.”
His hand stopped in mid-reach and she swore she heard a rumble. A soft growl. Sexy as hell. She smiled, and he sucked in a harsh breath. She refused to look away. She couldn’t. This was the most she’d ever gotten from him, and she wanted more.
With the worst timing ever, Kase shouted, “Saint, Rourke, let’s go.”
Both men jerked around. Rourke walked to Macy and kissed her. Saint tucked his phone in his pocket and followed Rourke. Everyone seemed to be stuck in silence. Bailey walked back to her seat, feeling the eyes of the women on her. She sat and peeked over at the house. The second she did, a small gasp passed through her lips. Saint stood at the door about to walk in, and he was staring at her. Even from far away she knew his heated gaze was on her and no one else.
She smiled.
A second passed before the corner of his mouth lifted at the same time as one brow. Too sexy. He disappeared into the clubhouse, and with a wave of disappointment, the small moment was over. She glanced back at the group who were openly gawking at her.
“What?” she said, feeling the heat rise from her chest to her face.
Macy burst out laughing. “What? You tell us. I almost felt like a voyeur watching the two of you.” She grinned. “Hot as hell, though. When you bang him, I want details.” Macy smirked and wiggled her brows. “Explicit details.”
Cheyenne threw a napkin at Macy. “You’re such an ass, leave her alone.” Cheyenne turned to Bailey and giggled. “Can I be a bridesmaid when you guys get hitched?”
Bailey knew the teasing would continue. Whatever just happened between them did not go unnoticed. She shook her head trying to play it off. She was failing. The heat tingling her cheeks was a dead giveaway. She was blushing.
“Stop, the two of you. Ignore them, Bailey,” Meg said.
Bailey glanced over and smiled.
“Forget what I said about Dobbs. Promise me you’ll let me babysit when you and Saint make lots of babies.”
All the women howled in laughter, and Bailey shrunk in her seat. Marissa reached out from next to her, patting her arm. It was meant to ease some of her embarrassment. It had been a long time since she’d been teased about a man. Knowing the whole table was privy to her blushing as a result of Saint was new territory. This is what girlfriends do.
This was another long time coming. Ghosttown’s average age was fifty-five. Not exactly prime connections for a twenty-five-year-old. It provided the solitude she was so desperate for, a few years ago. Now, she realized it had left her out of touch with people her own age.
Fortunately, they spared her any more teasing and moved onto something new. It wasn’t long after that they all began saying their goodbyes. Each woman gave her a hug and reminded her of a small get together at Cheyenne’s new house next weekend. It seemed Bailey was being taken in the fold. They parted ways at the clubhouse entrance, and Bailey started out to the lot where everyone had parked.
“Leaving, little Mayor?”
Bailey snickered, knowing the voice from behind. She stopped in front of her car and turned, watching Dobbs beeline for her. He stopped a foot away. He grinned and wiggled his brows.
“Coming back tonight?”
“Uh…” She fumbled her words. Tonight, as in for the real party? “I don’t think so.”
Dobbs stepped in closer. He really had a gorgeous face, very sexy. She’d never been partial to facial hair. On Dobbs, it worked. “Why not? It’s gonna be fun, some dancing, we got a live band. You should come.”
“I don’t…” She didn’t get a chance to finish. Dobbs softly gripped her waist, tugging her body against his. His head lowered, leaving just an inch between them.
Whoa! She had not seen it coming and braced her hands on his arms. She liked Dobbs. However, his approach seemed aggressive.
“I want you to come, Bailey.” He lowered his lips and brushed them sweetly against hers. It felt nice and soft, and it triggered her heart to skip a beat. It had been so long since she’d been kissed. She stood frozen with her eyes wide, watching him. Dobbs pulled away and kept his hands on her waist.
“You’ll come?” he asked.
Okay?
She merely nodded, still in a shocked state. He eyed her suspiciously with the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. He must have thought she was nuts. He nodded and let go of her, stepping back.
“Nine.”
She nodded then forced herself to speak. “Okay.” She licked her lips, turning away and unlocking her door. Bailey didn’t look back at him again until she settled into her seat and started her car. He was at one of the tables with his arm wrapped around the shoulder of a woman. They were amongst a group of people. Dobbs never shied away from a woman’s affection when she’d seen him in the past.
What the hell just happened?
He was a flirt, she knew that, but kissing her seemed to be coming on a bit strong. Had she given him the wrong impression? Aside from light banter, she hadn’t spent any time with him alone. Why did he kiss her? She glanced over again, catching his hand gripped dangerously low on the woman’s hip. Had she been out of the game so long she didn’t know the rules anymore? Was it customary to kiss one woman, and then walk away and immediately fondle another? Maybe it was.
She didn’t have any interest in him romantically, but something about his offer to hang out intrigued her.
Dobbs would serve as a desperately needed distraction. Bailey had promised herself she wouldn’t let Adam ruin her day. A promise she was able to keep until a minute ago. Between Adam’s release, and receiving two letters in the past week, she was an anxious mess. Her stress level hit an all-time high yesterday when she received a call from him. It wasn’t the first time he tried to reach out over the phone, though it had been awhile. She rolled her shoulders and breathed deeply. She turned her focus back to the present moment and made her decision.
Why shouldn’t she go back tonight? She was a normal twenty-five-year-old, even though most days she felt older. It would be fun to have a drink, maybe listen to some music and flirt a little. She smirked with a sharp nod. “I’m going.”
She pulled out of her spot and drove down the long drive. For once, she wouldn’t overthink. She was coming back tonight. If anything, maybe Saint would be there, and she�
��d get her fill while hanging with the girls again.
It had been a long time coming. She was finally starting to feel like a normal twenty-five-year-old.
****
Their meeting had ended twenty minutes ago. Saint had stayed, working the details for the next delivery with Kase. As VP, he was on the planning end of this job. They had finally gone ninety-five percent legit. With the parts business, deliveries, and the extra income from the real estate, the club was sitting on a lot of cash, which was finally, after five long years, being distributed to the members.
Personally, Saint was almost a full-time resident of the small town. He’d finally be able to bring himself back to where it all started. As the heat grew a long while back, Saint separated himself a bit. Years ago, he even approached Kase with wanting out. It was a hard decision; it wasn’t just about him. He had his little girl to think about. It took him years to grow up and see the big picture, which did not include a stint in prison and being separated from his daughter. Kase fought him on it. They’d been tight for years, and as Kase’s most trusted brother, he didn’t want anyone but Saint next to him.
Then the plan was born. Five years ago, Kase approached Saint with a vision. Together, unbeknownst to the brothers, they worked to have their vision become a reality. Saint didn’t need any recognition for his part. He’d leave it for Kase. He was just happy to be on the straight and narrow.
Saint had enough claim to fame with his tattoo shops. Saint had hooked up with an old friend a few years back, opened a tattoo shop, and had tripled profits in the second year. They opened another and another until they had five well profiting shops. It was a fucking goldmine with Marco, his lead artist, at the helm. Saint’s investment had been smart, and with him running everything behind the scenes, the money flowed in.
Kase pushed a document in front of Saint, and he glanced down. He shook his head and smiled. He was out of his goddamn mind.
“It’ll never fly in Ghosttown, brother.”
Kase lit his smoke and settled into his chair at the head of the table. “Why the fuck not? Townspeople gotta drink and eat, right? Show me a man who doesn’t like hot wings and cold beer while watching a pair of tits shaking in his face, and I’ll show you a man with no balls.”