Chapter 33

 

Jayce

 

 

CANDI WAS LOOKING hot, especially in that dress. Although she had more covering than usual, it was still very sexy and very distracting. Especially for someone who needed to keep a clear head. My other one apparently had a mind of it’s own. The moment she put her hands around my waist, I wanted them under my zipper.

Fuck, I need to get laid.

Fortunately, I calmed down during the ride and kept my mind on the conversation I’d had with Tarot earlier. I still couldn’t believe Candi had insinuated that I’d told her about Blade.

Where in the fuck had that come from, and how did she even know that shit about Blade to begin with?

I hoped she wasn’t FBI. They’d been trying to pin his murder on the Gold Vipers for a long time, although when it came to Blade’s death, there’d been a fairly tight alibi. Yeah, Tarot had killed him, but Peyton’s neighbor had shot the bastard afterward, because even he knew the guy had deserved to die. Even better, he’d been willing to take the blame so Tarot wouldn’t end up in jail. The psychopath had gotten what he’d deserved.

When we arrived at the party, there were already a lot of people there.

I parked my bike at the end of a long row of motorcycles and shut off the engine. Old time rock-n-roll music drifted through the air, along with the smell of barbecue.

“I feel like I’m at some roughneck, bad boy biker festival. Is this what Sturgis is like?” Candi asked.

I chuckled. “No, this is nothing compared to Sturgis. This is much tamer, although it will get pretty rowdy after dark, I’m sure.”

We got off of the bike and started walking down the gravel driveway.

“Hey,” I said, holding my hand out. “You’d better take it. I want people to know we’re together so they don’t mess with you.”

Her eyebrow raised. “Mess with me?”

“Whenever you mix alcohol, testosterone, and pretty women, it’s asking for trouble. Especially in this setting.”

“Point taken.” She took my hand.

We began walking again and then suddenly, she stopped abruptly. “Damn, I forgot my purse.”

“I’ll get it.” I turned around and jogged back to my motorcycle. I unbuttoned the saddlebag and pulled it out, thinking again that her purse felt damn heavy. Unfortunately, she was watching me like a hawk, so I didn’t have a chance to peek inside. I wrapped the strap around it and jogged back to Candi. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” She took it from me and hung it over her shoulder.

“No problem. Ready to have some fun?”

She nodded.

I took her hand again and we walked around the farmhouse to the backyard, where two large canopies were set up. Underneath were long picnic tables where people were eating and drinking. On the other side of the canopies was a stage where guys from the band were setting up the equipment.

“Live music, huh?” Candi said. “Cool.”

“Yeah. Have you heard of Crow Magnum?”

“No. Can’t say I have.”

I explained that they were a cover band. “They’re good. Hopefully you’ll like them. They play a lot of heavy metal and rock.”

“Cool. I like rock. I can’t wait to hear them.”

“You want a beer?” 

“Sure.”

We headed toward the barn, exchanging greetings as we walked by the others. I noticed some of the guys were already eyeballing Candi, which I’d expected. She stood out in the sundress, especially since most of the other chicks wore the usual Harley tanks, leather halter tops, and ripped denim. It was just… different, and that was always sexier in my book.

“Hey, long time no talk,” said Tarot, who was filling up a red Solo cup with beer as we approached. He poured out some of the foam on top and added more to top it off. “You two just get here?”

“Yeah,” I said, grabbing two cups from a plastic bag sitting next to the keg. “It’s busy already.”

He handed me the beer faucet. “I know. Tank and his group are already here. Bastard is also with them.”

“No shit?” I replied, surprised. Bastard founded the Gold Vipers. He didn’t make many appearances, so this was a big deal. I met him once, after the thing with Blade. He’d paid us a visit and had complimented me about putting my life on the line for Tarot’s fiancé, Peyton. I’d confronted Blade when he’d been trying to break into her place. Unfortunately, he got away that time, but it all worked out in the end.

“Yeah. He’s playing horseshoes on the other side of the stage,” Tarot replied.

“Cool. I’ll go say hi.” I began filling Candi’s beer. “I didn’t know Bastard was coming. That’s pretty cool.”

“Neither did I. Anyway, you two have fun now,” he said before winking and walking away.

“You, too,” I replied.

I handed Candi a cup and then filled the other one. “You hungry?”

She nodded. “Yeah, a little.”

“I’m starving. Let’s go and say hi to the others and then grab some food.”

“Sounds good. Who are Bastard and Tank, by the way?”

“Tank is the president of the Jensen chapter. He’s the one who patched our club over when they were Steel Bandits. Bastard is the president of our mother chapter. He founded the Gold Vipers. ”  

“Cool.”

I took her hand again and we headed over to the area where the guys were playing horseshoes. I recognized Bastard, Tank, and Raptor right away. There were a couple other guys who looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite remember their names. Noticing us approach, Bastard smiled.

“Hey, Hollywood.” He looked down at my cut. “They haven’t patched you yet?” he asked, shaking my hand.

“Not yet,” I replied.

“I’m sure it won’t be long. Who’s this pretty lady?” he asked, smiling at Candi.

I introduced him to her.

“Where’s April?” I asked. She was his Old Lady, a real looker about half his age. He told everyone she kept him young, which I didn’t doubt. The old geezer still had a spring in his step.

“Back in Sacramento. She’s pregnant,” he replied.

Shocked that he was having a kid when he had to be well past fifty, I congratulated him.

“Thanks.” He looked beyond us toward another group of people. “Oh. A friend of mine just showed up. You two have fun now. It was nice seeing you, Hollywood, and meeting you, Candi.”

“You, too,” I said, fist-bumping him.

“Same here,” Candi answered.

When he was out of earshot, Candi turned to me asked about April.

“That’s his Old Lady.”

“And she’s pregnant?” Candi replied, looking surprised. “He looks so old to be fathering a baby. No offense.”

I chuckled. “April is young enough for him to be her father. Anyway, they love each other, so what the hell. I’m sure she’ll be the one chasing after the kids anyway. Or he’ll have prospects doing it.”

“You guys babysit, too?” Candi said, looking surprised.

“I’ve never had to do it, thank God.”

She smirked. “Lucky you.”

“No, more like lucky them. I wouldn’t know what to do with a kid.”

“Me neither,” she said with a wry smile.

We watched Tank and Raptor play horseshoes for a while, and when they took a beer break, I brought Candi over to meet them.

“Hey, Hollywood,” Tank said, shaking my hand. He was a powerhouse of a guy, towering over us at six-foot-five, with bulging muscles that rippled down from his shoulders and chest. As intimidating as he was, Tank was warm-hearted and would give you the shirt off his back if he though you needed it. “It’s been a while. They haven’t patched you yet?”

“Nope. I guess they’re having too much fun ordering me around.”

“You behaving?” he asked with a grin.

“Behaving?” I chuckled. “Hell yeah. Maybe that’s the problem?”

“Could be. I was always a hell-raiser, even as a prospect. My old man used to get so pissed off. I was young, though, and cocky. I didn’t care if I was fully patched or not. I just wanted to be part of the club.”

Tank’s old man, Slammer, had been the previous president of the Jensen chapter. Just like our club’s prior president, he’d been murdered by a rival club. At least that’s the presumption. There was a lot of speculation and rumors going around. The fact was, nobody knew for sure because the other clubs never took credit or boasted about being responsible for Slammer’s death. Which, was odd, considering many of our enemies loved to brag.

“I’m sure.” I put my arm around Candi’s shoulders and introduced her.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, looking nervous.

“You, too.” He looked at me and then back to her. “Anyone ever tell you that you look like that actress who’s was in that movie, the Fantastic Four? And Spy Kids?”

She smiled. “Jessica Alba? Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

“You watch Spy Kids?” Raptor asked, chuckling as he approached us with two full beers. “I guess that makes sense.”

Raptor was Tank’s V.P and best friend.

“Billy loves it,” he replied as Raptor handed him a beer. “I bet Sammy has watched it.”

From what I understood, Billy was Tank’s stepson, and he also had a toddler named Grace. Raptor had a son name Sammy and a set of twin girls.

“I’ve heard him mention it before. Hey, Hollywood, how’s it going?” Raptor asked, holding out his hand. He was somewhere in his early thirties, with blond hair and a goatee. We were the same height, which was a little over six feet. 

I shook it. “Not bad. What about yourself?”

We shot the shit for a minute, and then of course, I introduced him to Candi, who seemed like she was finally relaxing under my arm. When I’d first pulled her close, she’d been as stiff as a board. Unfortunately, it had slipped my mind that she was squeamish about guys touching her. I felt like an idiot afterward and reminded myself to apologize later.

“We’d better finish up this game,” Tank said after taking another sip of beer. “Catch you later?”

“Of course,” I replied.

After a few more words, they went back to playing horseshoes and Candi and I headed toward the barn again, where the food was. As we walked, I released my arm and apologized.

“It’s okay,” she replied. “I know why you did it.”

We were just about to enter the barn when I grabbed her hand and pulled around the corner, where there was some privacy.

“What are we doing?” she asked, looking up at me in surprise.