by Wilder, L.
“Well, your hunch was right. It’s my first time.”
I could hear the surprise in his voice when he asked, “You never went to a Sinner’s party?”
“No. I’ve never actually been to their clubhouse at all. Clay was there some, but I never had a reason to go. Viper always came to us.” I shrugged. “I guess I never really had a reason to go.”
“What do you think of it?”
“The party or the clubhouse?”
He chuckled. “Both.”
“Neither are at all what I was expecting, but I think they’re both great.”
“What exactly were you expecting?”
“Honestly…I was expecting to be a little rowdier.” I should’ve thought before I spoke, especially considering that T-Bone was one of the very guys I was talking about, but for some reason, I didn’t feel the need to hold back. “Guys cussing, fightin’, and chugging back beers… You know, basically a Frat party with big, scary, badass bikers that just as soon kill you as buy you a beer.”
T-Bone didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he just sat there staring at me with a blank expression, making me worried that I’d said too much, but then, his lips slowly started to curl into a smile. When he started to roar in laughter, I laughed right along with him. “Scary, badass bikers, huh?”
“Well, you all are pretty badass, but I’ve come to see that you all aren’t as scary as I thought you’d be, especially you.” My eyes skirted to the ground as I admitted, “When I first saw you, I was a little intimidated, especially when you asked me to have a drink, but after talking to you, I see that I had nothing to worry about.”
“Well, I’m glad you took a chance.”
“Me, too.”
He looked over to me, and suddenly, an awkward silence settled between us. I wasn’t sure what he had on his mind, but it was clear from his expression that he was deep in thought. After several moments, he finally said, “You mentioned earlier that you got that culinary internship at the Peabody, so that’s gotta mean you graduated from college or something, right?”
“I did.”
“So, you’re what… twenty-three…twenty four?”
“No.” I chuckled as I told him, “The culinary program I was in was just two years, so technically, I’m twenty-one. I’ll be twenty-two next month.”
“Damn. Never would’ve guessed that you were that young.”
“Oh, really? Why’s that?”
“It’s hard to say.” He studied me for a moment before he continued, “You know that saying, wise beyond your years?” I nodded. “Well, it’s partly that. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, know where you’ve been and where you wanna go, but there’s more to it than that.”
“How so?”
“Well, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’d been dealt a hard hand, a really hard hand, but you haven’t let it beat ya. Instead, you’re doing what you can to play that hand as well as you can.”
“You’ve known me all of what… an hour or so, and you’ve managed to come up with all that?”
“What can I say?” A smile crossed his face as he leaned towards me. “You make a hell of a first impression.”
I giggled as I said, “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not?”
“It’s definitely a compliment. Nothing better than a girl who’s willing to fight for what she wants.”
“Well, thank you. I’m glad you think so.”
I couldn’t remember a time when I’d enjoyed a man’s company as much as I did his, and I didn’t want the night to end. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. My time with T-Bone came to an abrupt end when Clay came outside to tell me that Mom was ready to go to the hotel. I was certain that it was just an excuse to get me away from his brother, but I knew better than to argue. Besides, I had a feeling I would be seeing T-Bone again. I just didn’t realize that it would be sooner than later. The next afternoon, Viper was driving us all back to Nashville when I got a text message from a number I didn’t recognize. I opened it up, and as soon as I read it, a big smile swept across my face.
T-Bone: I think I’ve found you a place to live.
Me: Seriously? That was fast.
T-Bone: Nothing to it. Just made a few calls. I’ve actually got a couple for you to check out.
Me: That’s awesome. When can I see them?
T-Bone: That’s up to you. When will you be back in town?
Me: I was actually planning to come down on Tuesday. Would that work?
T-Bone: Absolutely. I’ll see you then.
CHAPTER 3
T-Bone
“Why do you need her number?” Hyde asked, sounding troubled by the thought.
“Awe, damn.” Blaze chuckled as he looked across the kitchen table and said, “T-Bone’s got a thing for Hyde’s little sister.”
“You might be moving a little fast there, brother,” Riggs warned. “You just met the girl last night.”
I watched as Hyde’s back stiffened and his jaw locked. It was then that I knew without a doubt that Hyde wasn’t exactly keen on the idea of me hooking up with his sister. I couldn’t blame him. I already knew all the reasons why it wouldn’t be a good idea to hook up with Alyssa. I’ll admit it stung a little. I liked Alyssa, and if the situation was different, I might’ve taken a chance with her—even if I was too old and had a terrible track record with women. Who knows? Maybe things would’ve worked out. Regardless, I wasn’t going to take that chance—not with so much laying on the line. I could’ve eased Hyde’s mind, let him and the rest of the brothers know that I had no intention of pursuing her, but I decided to give my new brother a little hell. “What can I say? There’s no speed limit on the highway to love.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone at the table started laughing—everyone except Hyde. When the roar of laughter started to die down, Hyde turned to me and growled, “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Come on, Hyde. You’re a smart guy. If you had to guess, why do you think I’d want her number?” A smirk crossed my face as I told him, “I’m sure you can figure this one out.”
“Fuck you, smartass.” He crossed his arms as he glared at me. “You know damn well that’s not what I was asking.”
I could’ve fucked with him even more, really make him think I was going to make a play for his sister, but I figured he’d had enough. “Brother, you’ve got nothing to worry about when it comes to me and your sister. I’m not going to make a play for your little sister. Don’t get me wrong. She’s a fucking hot and any guy would be lucky to have her, but I know better than to go down that road.”
“Um-hmm. So, what’s with wanting her number?”
“She mentioned last night that she was looking for a place here, so I made a few calls.”
“And?”
“I think I might’ve found her a couple of places in Midtown that she might wanna check out.”
“Really?” he asked with surprise. “That’s awesome, brother. Thanks.”
“Just trying to do what I can to help out.” I waited a moment, then asked, “So, are you going to give me her number or what?”
“Yeah. Hold on.” He reached into his pocket for his phone, and after he gave me the number, he said, “She’s already on her way back to Nashville, but I think she was planning on coming back early next week to look around and see if she could find a place.”
“Good deal. I’ll message her and let her know I have a few places to check out while she’s here.”
“Thanks, brother.” Hyde thought for a moment, then said, “Hey… Make sure it’s a nice place. One that’s safe and something she can be proud of. I don’t care what it costs. I’ll pay whatever she can’t.”
“You got it.”
After we’d finished lunch, I messaged Alyssa about the places I’d found, then followed Blaze and Murphy over to the garage. We usually didn’t go in to work on the weekends, but Blaze hoped it would give us the time we needed to finish the 1958 Chevy NAPCO 4x4 we’d been working on. It w
as in pretty rough shape when it arrived, covered in rust with torn, worn-out seats and an engine that was non-existent. We’d been at it for over a week, and there was still a shit-ton of stuff that needed to be completed by the end of the week. Blaze was in charge of running things at the garage, managing the orders on remodels and all the various repairs, and he took his job seriously. We all did. With all the different orders coming in and out, it provided us with the means to launder the money we’d make from gun trafficking without any unwanted suspicion. Considering how much money we were moving, it was important for us to maintain our reputation as being the best restoration garages in the area.
When we pulled up, I wasn’t surprised to see that Rider and Darcy were already there. Darcy was our custom painter, and damn. The chick was a real go-getter—always blowing us away with each and every job she completed. I had no doubt that same would hold true for the Chevy. As soon as we were inside, I went over and started sandblasting the passenger side door, while Murphy and Blaze worked with Rider to get the engine up and going. I hadn’t been working long, when Blaze walked over to me with a curious expression. “So, Big T. What’s really up with you and the little sister?”
“Already told ya. Just trying to help her out.”
“Umhmm. I saw you two together last night.” He crossed his arms as he leaned back against the frame of the truck. “You can’t tell me you weren’t interested.”
“Didn’t say I wasn’t.” I turned to look at him as I said, “I like her… Hell, I like her way more than I should, but come on, brother. We both know it could never work.”
“Never say never.” Blaze chuckled as he said, “Hyde might not be thrilled about the idea, but he knows you’re a good man and eventually, he’d come around.”
“Maybe, but I’ve done complicated before. It never once worked out in my favor.”
“Who knows? This chick might just surprise you.”
“Maybe, but …” I shrugged. “Best to leave things simple. I’ll show her around, help her find a place, and leave it at that.”
“Well, if you’re sure that’s the way you wanna play it, I won’t try and talk you out of it.” He shook his head as he started back towards his office. “But, just so you know, I think you’re fucking up.”
As I went back to work, I thought about what Blaze had said. He might’ve been right. I might’ve been fucking up by not perusing Alyssa, but my gut told me differently. Besides, there was too much shit going on with the club for me to be distracted with a girl I could never have. With a newfound resolve, I turned my attention back to my work, and I kept that focus over the next few days. I was doing pretty good, until the day Alyssa came back to town to look at apartments. I was just wrapping up an engine install, when she texted to let me know she was waiting for me over at Hyde’s place. I quickly finished up and drove over to meet up with her.
The second I knocked on the door, Duchess started barking, and I could hear Landry tying to wrangle him in. Once Landry had the dog settled, she opened the door with a big smile. “Hey, T-Bone. How’s it going?”
“I can’t complain.” As I stepped inside, I asked, “What about you?”
“I’m great. I was just about to head into the office. I’ve got a new case to look into.” Landry worked with child services, and living in Memphis, she had a hell of a job on her hands. “But, I wanted to make sure you and Lyssa were all set before I left.”
“Well, I’m here and ready whenever she is.” Just as the words left my mouth, Alyssa appeared in the entryway with a bright smile. The sight of her nearly took my breath away. I’d gone there with the mindset that I was just helping out a friend, but seeing her that little, denim mini-skirt and fitted, yellow t-shirt, had me wondering if I’d been wrong to think I could keep things simple. Knowing I had no other choice, I inhaled a deep breath, then smiled and said, “Hey there, freckles.”
“Hey, T-Bone.” I didn’t miss the excitement in her voice when she said, “I’m really looking forward to today. I can’t wait to see what you’ve found.”
“Well, let’s get to it then.”
“Great.”
She grabbed her purse, then followed me out to my truck. Once we were both settled inside, I started towards our first destination. “I’ve got four places for you to check out. I just need to know which one you want to see first—the one I think will be your favorite, or the one I think will be your least favorite?”
“Hmm.” Her brows furrowed as she thought for a moment. “Let’s go with the one you think I’ll like least.”
“You got it.”
We started towards downtown, and I couldn’t help but notice the way Alyssa was fidgeting with the strap of her purse. She was nervous—really fucking nervous. I wanted to set her mind at ease, let her know she didn’t have anything to be nervous about, but I had no idea how to do that. Hoping to put an end to the awkwardness that was settling between us, I turned to her and asked, “Have you ever been downtown to the Pyramid?”
“No, but I’ve heard the Bass Pro Shop they just put in is incredible.”
“It is. You’ll have to check it out sometime.”
She glanced over to look at me as she said, “Maybe you could take me sometime… You know. After I get moved and everything.”
“Yeah. I could definitely do that.” If I hadn’t known better, I might’ve thought she was actually asking me out, but I let that thought quickly skirt away as I pulled into the parking lot of our first destination. Once we were parked in front of the apartment complex, I motioned my hand towards the building and said, “This is it.”
“It’s incredible!” She leaned forward to get a better look at the large pond that was centered in the middle of the various apartments. I had to admit, the place did look pretty good, especially with all the crepe myrtles full bloom and the colorful flowers they’d planted around each sidewalk. Alyssa’s eyes were wide with excitement, “This is the place I’m supposed to like least?”
“Yeah. You’ll have to see the others to see why.” I smiled as I opened my door and said, “Hold tight. I’ve gotta run in and get the keys.”
“Sure.”
Alyssa got out to look around while I went into the main office and got the keys from the manager. Once I had them, I went back out and motioned for her to follow me over to the apartment. Like a kid about to open a Christmas present, she rushed over to me with a bright smile on her face. Hell, she was practically busting at the seams as she waited for me to unlock the door. As we finally stepped inside, I told her, “It’s a two bedroom with a bath and a half…”
“It’s amazing!” she gasped, cutting me off before I could finish telling all the accommodations. Not that it matter. In two seconds flat, she’d scoped out the entire place. She was checking out the master’s closet when I asked, “What do you think?”
“I think it’s great.” Her expression quickly grew somber as she said, “But I could never afford a place like this.”
“It’s not as bad as you might think, besides… Hyde has already said that he wants you to have a nice place.”
“I want something nice, too, but it has to be something that I can actually afford.”
“You don’t have to worry about the money, Alyssa. Your brother wants to have the place that you want, no matter what the cost.”
“Well, that’s easy for him to say. He’s not the one paying for it.”
“Actually… he will be. At least, some of it.”
“What?”
“He’ll pay for whatever you can’t.” I could tell from her expression that she didn’t like the idea of her brother taking up her slack, so I tried to smooth things over by saying, “He’s just looking out for his little sister. I’d do the same if I was in his shoes.”
“That’s just it. Clay has been looking out for me since I was kid, even more so after my dad died. I don’t want him thinking that he’s gotta take care of me.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “I want to be able to take care of myself.”
“And you will. It’s just gonna take a little time for you to get on your feet.” I had the feeling that she wasn’t convinced, so I said, “How about this… Let’s look at the other places, and then, you can decide what you want to do from there.”
“Okay.” A look of relief crossed her face as she replied, “Thanks, T-Bone.”
“No problem.”
After she took another quick look around, we headed over to the second apartment complex. I tried to keep my focus on the road, but ever so often, my eyes would drift over to her long, tan legs and I’d find myself wishing that mini-skirt was a little shorter. I knew I needed to get a fucking grip, but damn. I was just a man, and having a woman as beautiful as Alyssa sitting just a few inches from me was just too fucking tempting. Thankfully, she was so focused on figuring out her apartment situation that she didn’t seem to notice my struggle.
When we pulled up to the next complex, I ran into the manager’s office to get the keys, then took her for a quick tour of the grounds. I thought she’d like the fact that it was a little bigger and had a full fitness center and swimming pool, but she didn’t seem all that enthused as she followed inside the apartment. She didn’t say a word as she strolled through the two different bedrooms and the living room with a large fireplace. Confused by her silence, I asked, “You don’t like it?”
“Are you kidding?” she scoffed. “It’s even more incredible than the last place.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“I’m just worried.”
“About?”
“Clay.” She walked into the kitchen and opened the pantry. “He’s starting his new life with Landry, and they’ve got their own bills to pay. I don’t want to burden him with…”
Before she could finish her thought, I said, “Hold on, Alyssa. If you’re worried about Hyde being able to afford it, you don’t have to. He can pay for this place and more.”
“But how? He’s a mechanic at the garage.”
“He’s more than a mechanic and the garage does damn well, so you can rest easy there. Besides, you might be able to afford it on your own.”