Hmm, I have a feeling she’s trying to respectfully tell me she’s slept with Z at some point. Since it’s obviously in the past and she’s not a bitch about it, I really don’t care. Nor do I want details.
“You’ve been part of the club, for a while, right?”
Her smile turns a little more wry. “I’m sure you’ve noticed they don’t have female members.”
I laugh because I remember having this discussion with Z years ago. Damn, I like this chick. “I mean, you’ve been hanging out at the clubhouse for a couple of years, right?”
“I take care of the house. Cook for the guys.” Her cheeks turn pink. “I dance at Crystal Ball too, but I’m trying to retire.”
“Been there. It’s not easy to give it up when you’re making good money.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, I didn’t realize. That’s not how you and Z met though, right?” She hands me a bowl of macaroni salad and picks up her a tray, motioning for me to follow her outside.
“My dancing days were long over by then.” At least it’s not awkward talking about this with her. “I met him when Rock and Hope first hooked up.”
“Aw.” She sighs. “That’s sweet.”
“Hope says you teach yoga too, right?” I ask after we set everything out on the table.
Finally, her nervousness seems to vanish. She straightens up and gives me a more genuine smile. “Yup. Most MCs would make me keep dancing until my nipples were at my knees, you know?”
“Uh, I guess.”
“I mean, Z says he doesn’t want me to leave and Dex gives me a hard time about abandoning the club, but they also give me whatever time off I need and paid for my training.”
“That’s sweet.”
“Wrath added yoga classes to Furious too. He said he always planned to have them, but he gave me first dibs on teaching and setting up the schedule.”
“You’re the one interviewing any other teachers from what I’ve heard too,” Trinity adds, joining us.
“I have someone in mind who’s moving here from Texas. I’m hoping winter time doesn’t scare her away. She’s really good.”
“You’re the one I’m supposed to talk to about yoga,” a dark-haired girl I haven’t met yet says to Swan.
“Sorry. My best friend has no manners.” Charlotte turns her friend in my direction. “Mercy, this is Lilly. Lilly, my friend, Mercy. You’ve met Trinity. And, yes, this is Swan, our yoga guru.”
The girl actually looks familiar, but I can’t quite place her
Swan blushes again. “I don’t know about guru, but yes, I teach.”
“Excellent.” Mercy rubs her hands together. “Charlotte swears it will improve my sex life.”
“Sweet Jesus, that’s not what I said.” Charlotte rolls her eyes.
As if they have radar for the word sex, some of Z’s brothers focus on us. “What’s that one pose you do that’s so hot, Swan?” Ravage asks.
Swan rolls her eyes and laughs. “Cat-cow?”
“No, the one that should be called dick-in-pussy.”
Z slaps him. “Can you stop creeping on our old ladies, please.”
“Before I’m forced to murder you,” Rock adds.
“Not the old ladies.” Rav frowns. “Did you know they put a lock on our champagne room door?”
“Yes,” Wrath answers in a bored tone.
Ignoring him, Rav continues. “Swan was giving lessons at Crystal Ball.” He throws his arms wide. “Like dying and waking up in heaven.”
“Because the naked dancers at the strip club aren’t enough?” Charlotte asks.
“No, that’s hot too—”
“Just stop,” Dex says. He sits up and reaches for Swan, pulling her into his lap and tucking her hair behind her ear. “Stop reminding me that we’re losing our best dancer.” He glares at Rav. “And stop harassing our employees, you fuckwit.”
“Not my fault a brother poached our best dancer,” Rav mutters, grinning at Wrath.
“He didn’t poach me,” Swan says, struggling to sit upright.
“I offered her an opportunity,” Wrath corrects with a shit-eating grin. “Trinity says Swan is the best and if I’m going to be forced to offer classes, I want the best.”
Murphy snorts. “Forced. As if anyone can force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
The guys continue to joke around and harass each other. Swan finally wiggles her way out of Dex’s lap. I lose sight of her for a few minutes but end up bumping into her in the kitchen again.
“You and Dex looked…cozy,” I say as tactfully as possible because now I’m curious.
The sadness in her expression makes me wish I’d kept my mouth shut. “He’s a good boss,” she finally says without elaborating on anything more personal. “I’ll miss working for him.”
“Well, yeah. I imagine Wrath will take some getting used to.”
She chuckles. “I’ll probably deal with Murphy and Jake more.”
“Well, congratulations. It sounds like a great career switch. I’ll definitely stop in for a class.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. Hope, Trinity, and I have a session a couple times a week at the clubhouse. You’re always welcomed to join us. Charlotte and Heidi come too when they can.”
“Thank you. I’m not sure when we’ll be moving back but I’ll definitely take you up on that.”
Her mouth twists down. “You think Z will be moving back?” she asks in a voice barely above a whisper.
“I…” Huh. “I always assumed the president job down there was temporary.”
She shrugs. “No one tells me anything. I just figured…you know, Z’s a hard worker. He’s earned it, cleaning up after Sway and all.”
“I guess.” Uncomfortable talking about club politics with her, I shrug. “I’m more than happy to go wherever he goes.”
She rests her hand on my arm for a brief second. “That’s good, Lilly. With everything going on in the club right now, he needs that.”
Again, I can’t help wondering how close she and Z are. Although, I guess if she works with him at Crystal Ball and knows him from the club, they might be friendly. She seems genuine in her concern for him which makes me like her even more. “Thanks.”
The guys have moved on to discussing the benefits of cryotherapy when we return. Ravage shakes his head and wraps his arms around his middle. “Are you fucking insane? If a cold shower shrivels my dick, what the hell would subzero temps for a few minutes do?”
“One of the benefits is increased testosterone,” Murphy says.
“For the sake of our hoo-has.” Hope waves her hands in the air. “None of you need that.” She snuggles up closer to Rock and mutters, “You certainly don’t.”
“What’d we say about that, Mom and Dad?” Murphy jokes.
Rock stretches his leg and presses the sole of his boot into Murphy’s side, pushing him off the stump he was perched on.
Unharmed, and apparently amused, Murphy rolls around in the grass for a few minutes before pulling Heidi down with him.
Z sneaks up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. “Maybe I’ll try that out so I can knock your ass up.”
Seems Z isn’t going to let this one go. “I’m pretty sure your swimmers are just fine.” I pat his arm. “Ease up, caveman.”
“I want to add to our family before he gets much older,” he says, turning us in Chance’s direction.
“He seems content hanging out with Alexa.”
“True.” He turns me so I’m facing him. “You want more kids, right?”
Why is my skin warming up? This conversation shouldn’t be turning me on. “Yes, but let me get settled into this role first.”
“What’s that?”
“Your…ol’ lady.” I pat his cut. “The president’s wife.”
He growls an unhappy noise. “You’ll still be happy being a VP’s wife, I hope.”
I raise up on tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “Being your wife will make me happy. No matter what patch you’r
e wearing.”
Even though Teller’s property is far enough away from the main road that we can’t see it, the rumble of what sounds like dozens of motorcycles still reaches us.
“Must be other brothers headed to the clubhouse,” Z says. He lifts his chin at Rock. “Should we head up there?”
“Yeah.”
“Am I allowed to join you?” Mercy asks Charlotte.
Charlotte turns to Teller who shrugs.
“You have to go blindfolded,” Ravage says with such a straight face, it’s impossible to tell if he’s joking.
“I’m up for that.” She bats her lashes.
“Oh boy,” Charlotte mutters.
“How are you still single, Mercy?” Winter asks.
“I’m really not interested.” She yanks her cell phone out of her pocket and taps the screen. “You should see some of the bullshit I get sent on Plenty of Studs,” Mercy says. “Doesn’t give a single girl much incentive to get married.”
“Plenty of Studs?” Hope asks.
Charlotte rolls her eyes. “It’s a dating app for those seeking one-night stands.”
“Why do you know this?” Teller asks.
“From her!” Charlotte pokes Mercy in the side. “She never shuts up about it.” She nuzzles up to him and kisses his cheek. “You’re already too much stud for me.”
“Is there a bucket I can barf in around here?” Carter mutters. “And Mercy, you must’ve passed on my profile because I’ve never seen you on there.”
“Thank God I’m too old for dating apps,” I mutter.
Z squeezes my ass, making me miss part of the conversation. “Too what?”
“Taken. I meant too taken.” I grin and kiss his cheek. “You know what I mean.”
“Real men,” Sparky pounds his fist against his chest, “should be able to find a woman without a computer.”
“Yeah, by hitting on their club’s employees,” Stash snarks, shoving Sparky and making Willow’s cheeks turn red.
“Look at this,” Mercy announces, holding up her phone. “I’ll treat you like a queen, baby. Like the princess you were born to be. Ugh, gross.”
“A good man doesn’t say he’ll treat you like a queen, he just does it.” Charlotte bumps her shoulder against Teller’s arm.
“Ugh, you two are sickening.” Mercy points at Charlotte. “Dicknotized.”
The guys whoop it up at that one. “Z calls it dick-whipped, but I like your version better,” Ravage says.
“You do, huh?” I glance back at Z, who’s glaring at Rav. I elbow in the side to get his attention and lean up on tiptoes to whisper in his ear, “You can whip me with that monster in your pants whenever you want.”
“I’ll hold you to that, Siren.”
“Anyway, Charlotte’s right,” I add, turning to face the group again. “Any guy who spouts off that nonsense wouldn’t know what to do with you, Mercy.” Because spending an afternoon around Mercy has already told me she’s a fireball of fun and a lot of woman to handle.
“A-fucking-men.” She raises both palms toward the sky.
Trinity snickers. “Of course, if a woman wants to be treated like a queen, she should probably act like one.”
“Very true, Mrs. Wrath,” Stash says, winking at her.
“See that’s just it,” Mercy says. “I don’t need to be treated like a queen.” She flashes her phone again. “Nowhere in my profile does it say that.” She taps the phone screen. “Don’t live with your parents. Have a job. Be able to find a clit on your own. My requirements are painfully simple.”
When everyone’s laughter dies down, Ravage sticks out his hand. “I’m Ravage, by the way. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”
Carter snorts. “Good luck with that, Rav. She’s lying.”
“Not be related to my best friend or be like my little brother. Didn’t think I needed to add those to my dating profile, Carter.” Mercy grins and hugs him to her side, taking the sting out of her words.
Charlotte turns and whispers something in Teller’s ear and he shakes his head.
“What?” Mercy pokes Charlotte’s side. “You wish you’d never invited me now, don’t you?”
“Noooo, I didn’t say that.”
Teller points his beer bottle at Mercy, then Ravage. “She bet Rav couldn’t find your clit with a flashlight and a roadmap.”
Charlotte smacks him and bursts into giggles. “That’s not what I said.”
“I’m hurt, guys.” Ravage turns his sad puppy eyes on Charlotte. “Truly. Hurt.”
Jigsaw steps up with his hand in the air. “Challenge accepted.” He pulls a mini-flashlight out of his pocket, flicks it on and points it at Mercy’s crotch. “I’m prepared for this quest.”
Mercy covers her face with her hands and shakes with laughter.
“Back off,” Teller says, pushing Jigsaw away from Mercy.
“Cockblocker,” Heidi mutters.
“You be quiet,” Teller says.
Laughing, Jigsaw high-fives Heidi.
I tip my head back, resting it on Z’s chest. “I feel like we’re at the kid’s table.”
“No fucking kidding,” he grumbles, kissing my forehead. “You want to go home?” He clears his throat. “I mean up to the clubhouse.”
“You really miss it up here, huh?”
He shrugs and looks around at his brothers, scattered around Teller’s backyard, still laughing and joking around with Mercy. “Yes and no. It’s been home for a long time. But it’s really more about the brothers.” His mouth quirks into a smile. “As long as I see these assholes on a regular basis, I can live anywhere.”
“Aw, I feel the love, bro,” Murphy says. “Deep inside.”
Z leans closer to Murphy. “Don’t tell anyone, but you’re my favorite asshole.”
Murphy roars with laughter and claps Z on the back. “Same, asshole. Same.”
“So glad you two bonded in jail,” Teller says.
“Don’t be jealous.” Murphy taps his chest. “You’re still number one in here.”
Heidi pulls Murphy’s solo cup out of his hands and takes a sniff. “What is this? Jet fuel?”
“Why you so quiet, Prez?” Sparky shouts to Rock.
Rock pulls Hope against his chest. “Nothing to add to this conversation. Got my queen right here.”
“Aww,” Mercy sighs.
Hope snuggles up against him. “And, as Charlotte says, Rock’s never told me he’ll treat me like a queen. He just does.”
“Man of action, our prez is.” Stash tips his beer bottle their way. “We all are,” he adds, tossing a wink at Mercy.
“Eh.” Hope wiggles her fingers at Stash. “Some of you are more talk than others.”
“Not helping, First Lady.”
“Wasn’t trying to.”
Rock buries his face in her hair and rumbles with laughter.
“Ignore her. She loves me,” Stash says to Mercy.
“I do,” Hope agrees before turning to Mercy. “Now, what are your goals, Mercy? One night? Stash is your man. More than that? Not so much.”
“Exactly,” Stash agrees. “Thank you, Hope.”
“One hour is more like it,” Ravage mumbles.
“Fifteen minutes, tops,” Jigsaw adds, getting a high-five from Sparky.
“Guys, can we please not fight over my best friend like she’s a bone and you’re a bunch of starving pit bulls?” Charlotte says.
Mercy’s laughing and doesn’t seem shocked or offended. I lean back. “I think she can handle herself fine,” I whisper to Z.
“They’re just messing around. No one will bother her.”
“I didn’t think so, Z.”
He shrugs. “After what happened with Shadow, I wouldn’t blame you if you were—”
“Z, I know he didn’t represent the whole club or your brothers.” I turn and press my palms against his cheeks. “All the guys here stepped up and helped out when…I always felt safe and looked after.”
“That means
everything to me, Lilly.” His gaze lands on Rock who nods at us. “That’s what we always wanted to build with this club. Not that I want you to go through that,” he hurries to add.
“I understand what you’re trying to say.”
For the first time, I feel part of a family.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lilly
“This is my friend, Bronze. He’s been doing the club’s ink for years.” Z squeezes my hand. “I told him you had questions about some designs you were interested in.”
I blink and my heart skips. It seems like forever ago that Z and I had that conversation. I’m touched he remembers. “I, uh,” I mumble, unsure of what to say.
“Nice to finally meet the woman capable of taming this beast,” Bronze jokes, slapping Z’s shoulder and putting me at ease.
Finally, I smile. “Oh, I can imagine.”
Z guides us into a quieter part of Teller and Charlotte’s house. While we walk, I slide off my bracelets and stuff them in my back pocket.
“What’d you have in mind, sweetheart?” Unlike the sarcastic way I’ve heard some of the bikers use sweetheart to address the club girls, Bronze uses the endearment with kindness so I’m not offended. Z seems to bristle though, which makes the corners of my mouth twitch. Always a caveman.
“Well, I don’t know what Z told you. It’s a little embarrassing.”
The guys share a look. “Nothing to be embarrassed about. Any decent artist has seen everything,” Bronze says.
“Bronze is one of the best.” Z slaps his friend’s arm. “I wouldn’t let him near you otherwise.”
“Gee, thanks, bro.”
Z must trust him if he lets Bronze get away with calling him bro.
I hold out my forearms, scars up. “Something to cover these.” The words come out fast and blunt.
“Ahh,” he breathes out, gently taking my right arm in his hands and smoothing his fingers from my pulse point to my inner elbow. It tickles but I’m too choked up to laugh. He moves us closer to the overhead lights and twists my arm from side to side. Then checks my left arm.
“Have you worked on scars before?” I ask to fill the prolonged silence while he studies me.
“I have.” He flicks his gaze toward Z. “A lot, actually. It feels good to help someone put something beautiful over something painful they’ve overcome.”
Zero Apologies Page 14