by Sam Crescent
“I’m pleased to hear you had fun.”
“I applied for a couple of positions as well. That should be fun.”
“Positions?” The only thing going through his mind was having her on her knees, or flat on her back with him riding her pussy hard.
“You know, jobs. I’ve applied at a couple of places in town. I’m really excited about it. Of course, I didn’t find a place to rent, but that’s no problem. I’ll keep looking.”
“You want to move out of the clubhouse?”
“I can’t stay here forever, and I don’t feel comfortable here all the time. You guys are amazing, and have been very nice to me, and I appreciate it. Just all the partying, and the sex. It takes some time for a girl to get used to.”
“You know all the women that are being fucked are there because they want to be, right?”
“I know. I’ve never been good with the whole personal stuff. There’s nothing wrong with it. I’m just a bit weird that way. No biggie.” She stepped out of her room, and he offered her his arm.
“Shall we?”
“I’d love to. I am starving. The club seems a bit quiet tonight.”
“A lot of us descend onto the diner. Teri is usually swamped.”
“Well, I can jump in and help if the need arises. I don’t mind doing that.” She held onto his arm. “Leo told me what happened between you and Stacey. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. Neither of us really wanted her. I see that now.”
“He said the same thing. That the two of you hadn’t been clear on what you wanted, and that had been your downfall. It must suck. I know what it’s like to want something, and to be taken advantage of.”
He patted her hand. “Don’t you worry about me. I’m a big man. I don’t hurt easily.”
She smiled at him, and it took his breath away. She dazzled him.
Paul wondered if this was what Leo felt when he was with her.
They left the clubhouse and started walking toward the diner. He saw how busy it was, and with the warm weather, the diner had tables outside.
Daniel was there, serving. They had all agreed that he was going to be a patched in member, but that hadn’t happened yet. With the drama from Dane, and just life in general, they hadn’t been able to find any available time to party.
Also, Daniel’s leather jacket wasn’t ready yet.
He saw Lucy and her crew of devils were there along with Ryan. Dane was there, as was Lewis.
“Be warned, babe, tonight could hold a little drama. I think you should sit between me and Leo to keep you safe.”
“Okay. I don’t mind. You’re both sweet, and have been so kind to me.”
She rested her head against his shoulder, and Paul couldn’t believe how much that meant to him.
Get your shit together.
Entering the diner, noise filled the air. Laughter, a child’s scream and giggles, chatter, and just a humming of energy.
Leo had saved them two seats, and what fun, they were going to be near the drama. James was there along with Cora, Pixie, and the guys. Joseph was sitting with Drake and Grace. Pixie had his arm across Suzy’s chair, her stomach showing her pregnancy.
Paul looked at Skylar, and damn it, she would look so perfect swollen with his kid. Such a tidal wave of arousal rushed through him that it was a relief to finally sit down. He needed to get his head back in the game. First, he and Leo needed to talk.
“Hey, Skylar,” Lucy said.
“Hello. Did you have a good day?” Skylar asked.
Lucy glared at Dane, but nodded. “It was fine.”
“You’re not moving my kids out of that house, and that’s final,” Dane said.
“Let’s not do this here. There are kids, and other people present,” Lewis said.
“Shouldn’t you be shoveling shit or something?”
Lucy slammed her hand down on the table. “Enough!”
Lewis glared at Dane, and vice versa.
Skylar let out a little breath. “Hey, Leo.”
“Hey, princess. How are you?”
“I’m doing great, you know.”
“You look stunning,” Leo said.
“So anyone going to talk to me?” Paul asked, turning his back on Dane, and smiling at the woman he wanted, and at his best friend.
“I’m so sorry you couldn’t join us today,” Skylar said. “We didn’t really do much. Went shopping, had some lunch, and stuff like that.”
“Anyone called you back yet?” Leo asked.
“Nope, no one. I’m hoping for the job at the library. I love being around books. They make me feel happy.” She glanced around the room, and Paul watched as she bit her lip. “I’ll be right back.”
She got up, leaving the seat empty behind her.
“Have you noticed that she always seems to need to work?” Leo asked.
Paul watched her leave, and when he glanced over at his friend, he saw Leo was doing exactly the same. “Yes. I had noticed that.”
“It’s like she’s afraid to relax, and that I don’t like.”
“Dad, stop,” Ryan said, drawing Paul’s attention. Ryan was a good kid, but if the club wasn’t careful, he would spiral out of control, and it would all be because of his idiot father.
“You think you’re cut out to be a rancher’s woman. Is that it? You think you can take care of her.”
“You know what, I’ve had enough of this,” Lewis said, standing up.
Dane smirked.
“Outside!” Lewis rested his hands on the table, and leaned across, glaring at Dane. “Let’s settle this like men. Outside!”
Lewis didn’t wait around, and from the look of James, their Prez, he wasn’t impressed either.
“Seriously? Couldn’t you wait to piss off the locals until after we eat?” James asked. “Let’s go outside.”
Paul wasn’t about to miss the fight, and he and Leo were the first ones outside.
Lewis was already rolling up his shirtsleeves.
“What do you think? Get his ass kicked?” Leo asked, looking at Lewis.
“Not a chance. He’s a rancher. I’ve seen him in action. Lewis is a tough guy, and I think Dane’s fucking stupid if he thinks for a second that he can take him,” Paul said. Ranch work was not easy. It was long hours, hard labor, and not for the faint-hearted.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” James asked, going toward Lewis.
“I’ve had enough of his filthy talk. He has a son present, and yet he’s treating Lucy appallingly. He can say whatever he wants about me, I don’t give a fuck. To my woman, that I will not stand for.” Lewis was focused on the door.
James patted his stomach. “Okay then. Be warned, he’s one hell of a fighter.”
“I don’t wear a leather cut, nor am I a member, but don’t for a second think I can’t take this.”
“He’s going to kick Dane’s ass,” Paul said.
“Pretty much a guarantee. He’s not doing it for himself. He’s doing it for Lucy.”
Paul stood beside Leo as Dane waltzed out. Whatever had happened to their friend? The cocky bastard before them did nothing but disgust him.
There was a time Dane had been like Lewis, and then one day, he’d gotten so sick and tired of responsibility that he’d left it all behind, screwing his way around the world, from what they had been told.
Oh well, Paul for one was looking forward to watching this.
****
“I cannot believe Dane would do this. He’s been such a prick since he got back, but this is just stupid.”
“He wasn’t being very nice to Lucy at the table,” Skylar said.
Everyone was standing at the doors and windows to watch the fight. Even Teri had rushed toward the kitchen window and flung it open to watch.
“Why are you watching?” she asked.
Teri shrugged. “This is my club, Sky. Believe me, I want to see what happens so I can help deal with the fallout. Also, this is my fucking diner. I want to see who c
aused the damage.”
Unable to resist, Skylar walked up toward the window beside her sister. Dane, looking really fucking cocky, approached Lewis. “Just looking at him makes me want to see him lose,” she said.
“You’ve got no idea. Lewis is a good guy. He has taken on Dane’s kids even when he didn’t have to. Ryan needs a good father figure right now more than ever,” Teri said.
Skylar winced as Dane threw the first punch. What surprised her was that Lewis didn’t go down, and he didn’t show signs of it even hurting. That one punch started it all.
Lewis slammed his fist into Dane’s gut, and then cut him beneath the chin. Dane elbowed Lewis, then threw a punch to Lewis’s face. Lewis moved away, grabbed Dane’s arm as it came in for another strike, and twisted it behind his back.
She saw and heard Dane’s yell.
“You apologize right now,” Lewis said.
“Fuck you!”
Lewis shoved him to the ground.
Skylar expected Lewis to hit Dane when he was down, but he didn’t. He stepped back, and waited.
Dane got to his feet, and charged at Lewis, sending him down to the ground.
Teri grunted. “Great, now I cannot see.”
“You really do enjoy watching two men fighting.”
“It’s nothing personal, but, I don’t know. Dane deserves it.” Teri jumped up, trying to see, and then she didn’t need to worry as both Lewis and Dane stood.
What Skylar saw in Dane’s hand, which glinted in the light, was in fact a knife.
“Holy shit, the cheating fucker. He’s got a knife.”
Before Teri could call out a warning, James was there. Dane went to stab Lewis, but James entered the fight and caught Dane’s arm, holding it away from Lewis.
Skylar gasped. “Oh, my God. Has he been hurt?”
Teri rushed out of the kitchen and pushed her way toward the center of the circle. Skylar followed her, needing to know that everyone was fine.
James had the knife. “Everyone back inside now. The fun is over.”
When no one moved, James yelled the order, and they all started moving. Only a couple of the Dirty Fuckers remained. Leo and Paul moved toward Skylar. They stood behind her, and she loved having them both close. They were two kind men.
“James, what the fuck?” Dane asked.
“Lewis, I cannot apologize enough. Please, go on inside, and take care of Lucy and the kids.”
Biting her lip, Skylar watched as James then turned to Dane.
“You are a disgrace to the name of our club.” James held up the knife, and shook his head. “How fucking dare you?”
“He’s after my woman!”
James shook his head. “You lost her, Dane. You went and screwed your way across the fucking planet, leaving her to fend for herself. The fact you’re even allowed near her is a fucking miracle. I suggest you get out of my fucking sight, and you do it now before I end you in this parking lot, and I will, Dane. I will.”
Skylar tensed up, and Leo and Paul led her back into the diner.
Taking their seats, she watched as the entire diner was tense.
“You okay?” Paul asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Is that what normally happens?” Skylar asked. Teri had told her that she was to sit her ass down, enjoy her meal, and that they would talk about her working. Until then, Teri wouldn’t hire her, if she couldn’t even follow simple instructions. Her sister was a hard ass at times.
“No, it’s not always like that. Dane’s special,” Leo said.
“There’s a history there that is going to take more than one dinner to understand. Let’s not talk about him anymore,” Paul said. He took a sip of his water. “So, you’re hoping to stay in Greater Falls.”
“I am. I’m really looking forward to it. Do you like it here?” she asked, curious about the two men. She found herself looking between them. Leo and Paul both leaned on the table, smiling at her, and she leaned back in her chair so she was able to look at them.
“We do now,” Leo said. “At first, we didn’t know if we’d be able to stick it out, did we?”
“Nope. We’ve not been known for sticking to one place for a long time.”
“What about Ned Walker?” Leo said. “He has to be the longest we’ve stayed in the same place.”
“What’s Ned Walker?” Skylar asked.
“Only the biggest, deadliest motherfucker around,” Paul said. “He commands the underground fighting ring in Las Vegas. No one knows him, and yet everyone who is anyone does. He’s got a reputation, but he’s a fair man. He’s also old as fucking sin.”
Leo pressed a finger to his mouth. “Sh, he doesn’t like anyone speaking shit about him.”
She giggled. “He sounds … interesting.”
“He’s a ladies’ man, or at least he was the last time we saw him a few years back. He’s connected to another MC through marriage though, and you do not want to mess with them,” Paul said. “They’re a good bunch though. They just seem to attract drama like a soap opera, and that is not our scene.”
“Who is this other group?” she asked, intrigued, but she just wanted to keep them talking.
“The Skulls. They are badass, and believe me, they know how to set fires under pretty much everything,” Leo said.
“I’ve never heard of them.” She shrugged. “You’re the only MC that I’ve known of.”
“Yeah, well, hopefully we can tempt you to stick to just us.” Paul winked at her and placed a hand on her knee.
Pleasure rushed through her at that single touch. She looked at his hand, and bit her lip.
It’s not like that.
Pushing any thoughts of something more intimate to the back of her mind, she looked at the two men. They could be friends. That was clearly what they wanted.
Someone clearing their throat had Paul pulling his hand away. Looking up, Skylar saw the other woman that they had both spoken of, Stacey.
“Well, well, well, you’re the flavor of the month right now. I should have known really. It’s fun while it lasts, but believe me, honey, you don’t want to be the laughingstock of the town with you just moving here and all,” Stacey said, hand on her hip.
The sound of a chair pushing out had Skylar watching as Cora approached. “You’ve got no right talking to the club like that. Get gone, Stacey.”
Skylar was further embarrassed as Teri came out, wiping her hands on the cloth.
“Run along, Stacey,” Paul said. “You’re here to cause trouble, and we’re not in the mood.”
“They are still not over me. If you think for a second that they are, you’re wrong. They both want me, and they are so upset that I didn’t want them.”
Cora grabbed Stacey’s arm, and gave it a tug. “Don’t for a second think you can test me.”
“I thought I was your friend,” said Stacey.
“Friends don’t try to get other friends fired, and they also don’t try to tear apart their marriage.” Cora shoved her away. “You’re no friend of mine.”
“Get out,” Teri said, raising her voice.
This was just getting even more mortifying as the minutes passed.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I got rid of your ass before, and then you decided to come on back—well now I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want your skank ass, or your custom. Anyone else got a problem with me throwing the trash out, you can leave right along with her,” Teri said. “This is my diner. They are my family, and that is my sister. Try me, bitch, and let’s see how far you can really be pushed.” Teri stepped right up to Stacey.
Skylar had seen her sister fight before, and no one had ever bested her. Personally, she hated violence, and would do everything she could to avoid it.
Stacey stepped down, and walked away.
Wow, two dramas in one night. Smiling at Paul and Leo, she saw they looked worried, and she didn’t understand why.
Chapter Five
Dane couldn’t believe what he had fucking done.
Never in all of his life had he played dirty like that. The moment Lewis had called him outside, he had been ready to fucking kill the bastard. If he was being honest with himself, he had truly believed that it would be an easy fight as well.
Lewis was a damn rancher. There was no way he’d be able to win, but his punches were fucking hard, and Dane had been losing. In the back of his mind he had thought for a second that he could win back his wife.
You lost that when you fucked the first woman that wasn’t her.
Lighting up a cigarette, he stared up at the sky. He had completely fucked up, and it was all his fault.
His kids, his wife, the club he loved more than anything were different, and it was all his fault.
“Dane,” Lucy said.
He turned to find her standing with her hands locked together in front of her. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and the black dress she wore molded to every curve of her body. He had spent so many hours kissing her body, loving every inch of her. There was a time he’d have had her laughing, and crying out his name right before he took possession of her, claiming her all for himself.
She folded her arms, and he saw the disappointment in her eyes, and that hurt more than anything.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You pulled a knife. Not only that, but your disrespect. How could you do that?”
“I wasn’t thinking.”
“For crying out loud, Dane. Our kids were there. Ryan was there.”
“He fucking hates me.”
“And whose fault is that? Mine? I’m not the one that walked away. I’m not the one that decided being a damn grownup was too much for him.”
“You didn’t exactly wait around for me.”
“Oh, you fucking asshole.” Before he knew what had happened, she had reached down and grabbed a stone, launching it at him. “How dare you? I waited years for you, Dane. I stayed up late at night, and got up early in the morning, hoping that you would walk through the damn door. I was scared that you had died. We have kids, Dane. Responsibilities. Bills, debts, you name it, we had it, and you walked away. Ryan, he would come home and look through every single room. He even went to the cops for them to put a search out for you. You didn’t wait for me. You left me.” Tears were shining in her eyes, and he had been the monster to put them there.