by Lilly Atlas
Copper was the brains behind the entire operation. About fourteen years ago, when he was voted in as prez, the club was a fuckin mess. Drugs and weapons trafficking were the main sources of income, and for a time, it looked like the club wasn’t going to survive. Cops were sniffing around. Wars with other MCs and a local gang over turf almost destroyed the entire operation.
Copper hauled the club away from that shit. He opened a few legitimate businesses, a garage, a bar, a strip club, and eventually Zach’s gym. One of the guys even owned a private security gig. Of course, as an outlaw MC, they didn’t do everything on the shiny side of the law. Loan sharking, money laundering, and a fair amount of muscle for hire kept the club lubed with plenty of cash.
Done with his work for the evening, Zach stuffed the bat in his saddle bag and mounted his bike. The warm night was still young. Most of his brothers would be at the club’s bar, the Double H. After drinking for a few hours and collecting women, the party would move to the clubhouse where it would become much more R and even X-rated in some cases.
Zach wasn’t one to pass up an opportunity to drink with his brothers and find a willing woman to kill a few hours with, but tonight he pointed his Harley toward his house. An uncomfortable restlessness crawled through him. Maybe it was letting Bill off with little more than a whack and a warning. Zach hadn’t had time to work out that day, either, too busy helping Prez with a problem.
Someone had roughed up a few of their strippers after hours behind the strip club, which was what had tied up most of Zach’s day. He’d worked to coordinate increased security while Copper and Maverick worked to discover who it was. Man, Zach wouldn’t want to be those assholes when the Hell’s Handlers caught up to them. And they would. Maverick could follow a trail better than a bloodhound.
When he was about five minutes out from his house, his Bluetooth chirped in his helmet. He tapped the button on the outside of the helmet, activating the phone. “Hey, brother, where the fuck are you?” Speak of the devil. Maverick’s voice filled his helmet. They’d prospected together for a about ten months until Maverick was voted in. He’d joined the club about a year before Zach.
“I just left Bill’s.”
Maverick laughed. “You leave any of his bones intact?”
With a snort, Zach hit the throttle and flew toward a yellow light. It switched to red about one second before his wheel hit the intersection. Eh, close enough. “Yeah he’s fine. Louie gave him a warning shot and I offered up some friendly advice. Dude can’t take much of a hit though. He was down and sniveling after just a love tap from Louie.”
“Sounds about right. That man’s softer than your mama’s tits. You meeting us at the Double H?” Maverick’s slurred voice sounded distracted. “Hold your fucking horses,” he whispered.
A feminine whine had Zach laughing. “What the hell do you need me there for? Sounds like you got yourself a plaything for the night.”
“Eh, she’s all right. A bit clingy, but, man, what an ass. We’re about to take off. Just wanted to let you know I wouldn’t be here in case you came ’round.”
“Thanks, brother. I’m heading home, anyway. Feel like I need to beat on the bag for a while, get some tension out. And watch out for the clinger. You might wake up tomorrow handcuffed to the bed with a marriage license waiting for your signature.”
Maverick snorted. “Like I’d stay till morning. You know, pounding pussy is better stress relief than pounding on a heavy bag, right?”
Most of the time Zach would agree, but for the past few weeks he’d been edgy. Bored, maybe. Suffering from same shit, different day syndrome. Sure, the pussy and tits might be new, but the air between their ears was the same. And it was getting routine. Maybe skipping a few nights of partying would get him back on track.
Or at least have him horny enough not to give a shit if he was bored.
“Not tonight, bro. You go enjoy your new toy. I’ll catch you tomorrow.” Zach coasted to a stop in his driveway. A man and woman were just climbing out of a car in the driveway next door. Dressed in a pair of tiny cutoffs and a fitted tank top that hugged her generous breasts and the gentle swell of her stomach, the woman shut her door and waited for the man to lock the car. Had to be the daughter of his next-door neighbors. Or former neighbors. They’d died in a wreck a few days ago.
“Your loss, brother.” Maverick disconnect the call.
Zach’s gaze drifted back to the neighbor. What was her name. Trisha? Tori? Something along those lines. They’d grown up next door to each other, but seeing as she was a handful of years younger, they weren’t exactly pals. He’d left for the army before she’d even been in high school, if he recalled correctly.
One thing was for certain, she’d sure grown up to be a looker. Big round eyes, the color of emeralds, had watched him coming and going a few times over the past week.
What he knew of her was based on a few flinty memories. She’d often sat in the bay window at the front of her parents’ house watching him and his friends make jackasses of themselves in high school.
Both her parents were prejudiced assholes who rarely let their daughter out of the house to have any fun. She was either at school, home, or working at the diner. Those green eyes had captivated him, even as a kid, but for a different reason than he was drawn to her now.
Back then, they held sadness and longing. Poor kid was probably starved for affection and friendship. Now, they made him imagine her down on her knees gazing up at him while his cock disappeared between her full lips.
One time, when he was home on deployment, he recalled his mother talking about the wild girl next door who’d gone into full-on rebellion mode in her teens. No surprise there. Most animals didn’t like to be kept in captivity and would tear their chains off for a bit of freedom.
She hadn’t made a move to walk up to the house yet but spoke in the driveway with the guy who’d driven her home.
Boyfriend? Husband? Who knew? What Zach did know, was that the guy looked like a giant snooze fest. He wore a perfectly pressed suit and had posture that spoke of money and a proper upbringing.
Snore.
The pair climbed the three steps up to the porch with the suit’s hand resting on her lower back. What a waste. If she were Zach’s woman, he certainly wouldn’t be taking a slow journey into the house, lightly touching her back. No, he’d have her thrown over his shoulder while he rushed them to the bed. Or better yet, he’d hold on to her ass while she wrapped her legs around his waist. Then they wouldn’t even have to make it to the bed; he could prop her right there against the front door and make her shatter the quiet night with her screams.
Damn, maybe he should have gone to the bar.
Trisha/Tori glanced over her shoulder as the dud unlocked the door. After scanning across her property, her gaze locked with Zach’s. Maybe she’d sensed his attention.
Even from yards away, the connection was like a punch to the gut. A little taste of what he’d given Bill a short time ago. She didn’t turn away, and his cock hardened under her watchful stare. Damn those intoxicating eyes. The rest of her made for an enticing package as well. Her hair was brown, or maybe blonde, he wasn’t sure. Maybe brown with blonde streaks, highlights or whatever chicks called that shit.
She wasn’t tiny, perhaps a smidge under five and a half feet, but at six one, he’d still tower over her. He’d always liked being with women significantly smaller than him. She wasn’t a twig, nor was she overweight. Just kind of soft and feminine. The kind of soft that would absorb a hard fucking very well.
Zach yanked his helmet off and hung it from the handlebar. He wanted her to know he was staring at her. Wanted to see her reaction when she realized where his mind had gone.
It didn’t disappoint. If she’d sensed his original gaze, she also sensed that his interest turned toward the erotic, because those beautiful cat eyes flared and she jerked her attention away.
As he dismounted his bike, Zach smiled. Suddenly, he didn’t feel so restless. But h
e did feel hot and bothered. Instead of spending time with the bag, it looked like he’d be hitting the shower for a little hand-to-cock action.
Maybe the neighbor girl would stick around for a while. She may have a boyfriend, but at the very least, she’d fuel some damn good fantasies.
Chapter Three
A dull throb bloomed directly behind Toni’s eyes as she stared at the fifteen people she was now responsible for paying. Their livelihoods depended upon her ability to keep the diner afloat. Successful. If she failed, they wouldn’t be compensated. They wouldn’t be able to pay their bills. Clothe their children…
Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic considering the diner pretty much ran itself like a well-oiled machine. Her parents hadn’t marketed in years. Just wasn’t necessary. Regulars and tourists flocked to the joint. Top it off with the fact that she still planned to sell the place, and she only had to keep it running a few weeks. Long enough to find a buyer.
Actually, not even that long. Next week she had two applicants for a general manager position coming in for interviews. So, one week. She had to keep her head above water for one week before she could hopefully pass the torch to someone better qualified and more willing.
As she looked into the faces of her parents’—her—employees, the magnitude of what had changed in her life finally hit.
Both parents gone in one terrible instant.
Never would their family have the chance to reconcile their differences and forgive each other. Wiped out in the blink of an eye. Viewing their differences from an altered position, from hindsight, made them seem less significant than they’d been all those years.
Falling into a pit of regret and shame would be easy. But Toni wouldn’t allow that. She’d atoned for the mistakes of her past. With Uncle Mark’s help, she’d pulled herself from the gutter and made something of her life. Years ago, she’d asked for forgiveness, but her parents wouldn’t grant it. They were unyielding in their disapproval. Didn’t matter that she’d worked her ass off to become a better person. Lucy and Roger weren’t fans of forgiveness.
So, she could spend the next few years questioning whether or not she did all she could to mend their relationship, or she could accept life for what it was. A series of tests and hurdles with the newest upon her. She didn’t have time to bemoan the past and wish she could fix situations that were no longer changeable. Because she was now a homeowner, a business owner, and an employer. Not to mention, all of these new roles existed states away from her real life, where she had an apartment, job, boyfriend, even a betta fish being watched by a neighbor’s kid.
Geez. One could easily collapse under the sudden weight of such heavy newly acquired responsibility.
“Everyone’s here now, Miz Jennings,” a high school senior named Danny announced in his slight southern twang. From what Toni had observed so far, he was a great kid. A hard worker who bussed tables on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Supposedly saving up for a “sweet ride.”
“Holy hell, please call me Toni,” she said, then smiled as the group chuckled. “I’m not old enough for a Miz, or a ma’am, or anything besides Toni. Except maybe Your Highness. That would be okay.” Everyone laughed again and warmth stole through Toni.
They liked her. She’d wondered how they’d feel, considering she was the daughter who had nothing to do with the place or her parents. She had to admit, part of her assumed her folks would have poisoned their employees against her. Especially the few who knew her way back when.
Michelle, the last to arrive, dropped into a vacant seat and shoved her untidy hair out of her eyes. A year or two younger than Toni, the busy mother had faint circles under her eyes, some kind of stain near the collar of her uniform top, and a messy bun with loose tendrils tumbling out in all directions.
Toni had only met the server for the first time at the funeral, but if she had to describe Michelle in one word, it’d be exhausted. Rumor had it, she lived alone with her three-year-old daughter and worked her ass off at two jobs to provide for the kiddo. Hopefully, Toni could find a few minutes to chat with Michelle at some point throughout the day. She seemed friendly, outgoing, and kind. Toni could sure use a female friend, especially if she was planning to stick around until the end of the summer.
Wait.
What?
Where the hell had that thought come from? Damn Uncle Mark and his advice. She had no plans to stay in Tennessee. None whatsoever.
“So sorry I’m late,” Michelle said in a breathless voice. “My mother had some car trouble and was late to come babysit.”
Toni waved the woman’s concern away. “Please, don’t worry about it. It’s just six now. You’re right on time.” She addressed the group seated in booths along the front windows. “Okay guys, thanks so much for getting up crazy early on a Saturday morning to indulge me. Especially those of you who don’t normally work Saturdays. But I wanted to chat with you all before we re-open at seven.”
Murmurs of “no big deal” rose up from the team.
“Let me ease your minds by first saying that you all still have jobs and I do not plan on that changing. Since I don’t live here, I’m going to be looking for a buyer for the diner with the stipulation that everyone remains on staff, barring any issues. And I don’t anticipate any issues because I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about you guys from pretty much anyone I’ve talked to since I’ve been here.”
Smiles popped up on each and every face. Huh, look at that. She was rocking her first staff meeting.
“Are we going to stay open until you find a buyer?” Ernesto, the head cook, asked. He was quite the head-turner. Time had been good to him. Fifty-something, dark hair speckled with gray, dark eyes, trim build, bit of an accent. Toni remembered customers swooning over him back in the day. She’d been thrilled to find out he still worked there.
“Yes, absolutely. I have a few interviews for a general manager to handle the day to day until it’s sold, since I have to go back to Chicago.”
You don’t have to go.
Ugh. Why the hell was her inner voice getting all sassy now?
She heard at least four sighs of relief, and a wave of guilt washed over her. “Oh gosh, I’m sorry guys. I should have met with you all earlier to ease your worries.”
Michelle’s face showed the most relief. Must be a tremendous challenge having to provide for yourself and a child without any assistance from the father. “None of us expected that, Toni. You were planning a funeral for crying out loud. We’re all just glad to still be employed.”
Toni chatted with her new team for a few minutes, getting caught up on any changes in the diner since she’d last been there, years ago. Turned out, much was exactly as she remembered, which would make slipping into her role as owner a breeze.
“Okay, last thing before those of you not working today can head out and those on schedule can get ready to open. I’m going to make a few changes around here. Changes I hope will be positive.”
Fifteen pairs of eyes blinked at her, waiting for the news.
“Does this have anything to do with the sign not being in the window this morning?” Michelle asked. After speaking, she pressed her lips together and twisted the hem of her shirt around her hands.
Interesting. Was she hoping the answer would be yes or no?
“Yes, but I’ll get to that one in a minute. First is the dress code. The khaki skirts and pants my parents had you wear are gone. The T-shirts will stay for now, maybe we’ll rework the logo or something in the future, but you guys can wear jeans or shorts if you’d like.”
“Oh my God, really?” Danny bounced in his seat. “No offense to your parents, but we all hate wearing the khakis. This town is so casual no one will ever care if we’re wearing denim.”
Nods and whispered assent had Toni grinning.
First managerial decision was a success.
“No offense taken, Danny. I hated them too, when I worked here, and I’m much more laid back, so let’s ditch the Dockers. And to ad
dress Michelle’s question, yes. The sign is gone as are any restrictions on who we will serve. It was discriminatory, and I won’t tolerate that kind of thing. So, anyone and everyone may eat here…bikers included.”
“That’s great.” A hard swallow moved through Michelle’s throat and her face blanched, in direct contrast with her agreeable statement.
Very interesting. Hopefully, Michelle didn’t have some kind of issue serving the men of the MC. Toni would hate to lose her. But her decision was final and firm. As long as no trouble was caused, anyone could patronize the diner.
“One last thing. For real this time. I’d like to open myself up to any suggestions you guys have for updates or improvements. You know this place far better than I do, and I’m sure there are some things you’d all like to see change. And I mean anything from décor, to menu ideas, to scheduling. My door and my ears are always open.”
Well that last part was straight out of a Hallmark movie, but her declaration was met with happy faces and nods, so at least they didn’t seem to mind her cheesiness.
After the meeting concluded, the staff got busy prepping the diner to open. Ernesto came over to her before making his way to the kitchen. “Proud of you, chica,” he said, using the nickname he’d called her when she was eight. “You’ve really stepped up to the plate here.”
Toni shrugged. “Not sure if they’d be so proud of me.”
“Eh, I worked with them for over twenty years. Knew how they were and what they did to you. They weren’t the type to wax on about being proud.” He patted her shoulder. “Always thought you’d be good for this place. Like that you’re letting the bikers in. My nephew’s in the MC. They’re good guys. See? You’re already rocking it, chica.”