CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Blaze
“You may be alone in bed, but you’re smiling, so I guess that’s all right.”
I opened one eye to glare at Matteo, who leaned casually against my open bedroom door, before burrowing my face in the pillow.
“I don’t remember inviting you in here.”
“Brought you some coffee.”
The aroma filling the air backed up his words. Rising up on my elbows, I looked over my shoulder, and seeing the steaming mug, I flipped around and stuffed a couple of pillows behind my back.
“Mm. Delicious,” I said after taking a sip.
“You’re welcome.” Matteo sat down at the foot of the bed. “Thought you were gonna sleep all day.”
I looked at the clock on the table. “It’s barely nine o’clock.”
“I’ve been up since six.”
“I couldn’t go to sleep last night.”
“Enjoy your date with Lake?” Matteo batted his eyelashes.
“Like I’d tell you.” I took another sip of coffee and sighed. “This is really good. You should make it every day. Ax’s coffee tastes like sludge, and mine’s not much better.”
“I’ve long suspected you mess it up on purpose, so you won’t have to be the one to make it. I ain’t fallin’ for that.”
I chuckled. “Man, I’d never mess up something as important as morning coffee.”
Matteo lay down and stared at the ceiling. “I’ve been talking to Tony.”
My smile faded. “He fill you in?”
“Yeah. Ax has gone to the prison to see what he can find out. Got any ideas?”
“Not unless we get rid of Spoons. He’s the one who wants Morgan dead.”
“Turk might not like it if we kill off his partner.”
I made a face. “Please. Eugene Lawrence can’t lend anything to a drug business except muscle. He’s fucking crazy and also dumb as dirt. No wonder Vanessa chose J over him.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard you speak about Van and J together in a positive way.”
“I’m not being positive. J should have stayed away from her. But no woman in their right mind would enjoy Spoons’s company.”
“I’m still not convinced it wasn’t all a set up. Van could have been trying to find something out.”
“Like what? It’s not like we have any big club secrets. Shit, we’re a bunch of guys who like Harleys. End of story.”
“They don’t know that. To the rest of the world, the Hedonists are a mystery.”
I sighed and drank my coffee. Matteo was only being partially facetious. Tim had been really good at keeping other MCs wondering what our club was up to. I struggled to follow in his footsteps, but some days were harder than others.
“I’m not willing to commit murder unless it’s self-defense,” I said.
“I don’t think Zeke’s going to have that problem if Spoons comes after Morgan.”
“Maybe Sniper will come through for us,” I said and took another sip of coffee. “We’ll see what Ax finds out tonight.”
“He’s going straight to work from the prison.”
I swung my legs off the bed and put my cup on the table. “That works for me. I was planning on going to the Banana tonight anyway.”
“Any particular reason?” He winked at me. “Don’t answer that, cuz I already know. I’ll go with you.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him not to. I didn’t want Lake to be uncomfortable.
Matteo must have read my mind. “I talked with Lake before he left. We’re cool.”
I zipped up my jeans. “Okay, but I’m not sure he can help how he reacts to you. Just…give him some space.”
I hoped Khan could get Lake to talk to Stephen. If Lake had something buried so deep it could take him unaware like it had, it might really put him in danger someday.
***
Few things turned me on in my life as much as watching Lake pole dance. He moved like water—silky-smooth and fluid. He could turn his body and balance with his upper half like it was nothing, and when he opened those long legs, I had to press my palm against my hard cock to keep it from bursting.
“Sexy as fuck,” Matteo said in my ear, the pounding music and raucous crowd making it impossible to hear otherwise.
“Yeah, well, keep your hands to yourself,” I returned loudly.
Matteo grinned. “Hey, Ax isn’t here yet,” he said a moment later.
I looked back at the bar and then at my watch. “He’s late.”
“Yeah. And the guy he’s supposed to relieve looks irritated.”
“I’ll cover for him.” I stood and made my way to the bar. “Hey, man,” I said to the guy pouring a beer. “I’m a friend of Axel’s. He called and said he’s stuck in traffic. I’ll take over until he gets here.”
The guy looked me over. “You know what you’re doing?”
“Sure.”
The bartender finished his order and handed the apron to me, rattling off a few things before escaping.
I hadn’t completely lied; I knew how to mix a few drinks. I figured whatever I didn’t know, I would fake and add in extra alcohol to make up for it.
“What the hell?”
I looked up from pouring a drink to see Lake standing on the other side of the bar looking perplexed.
“Hey, there. What can I get you?”
“Where’s Axel?”
“He’ll be here in a minute.” I fucking hoped.
“Uh…a whiskey sour and Sex on a Beach.”
I smiled slowly. “Lead me to the beach, baby.”
The smile on Lake’s lips was my reward. “Peach schnapps, orange juice, and vodka.”
“Yuck.”
He watched me fix the drinks. “I didn’t know you could tend bar,” he said.
“Neither did I.” I winked at him and placed the glasses on his tray where Lake looked dubiously at them.
“Okay, but if people complain, I don’t know you.”
Turning to head back into the crowd, he shot me a concerned look over his shoulder. “Is everything okay with Axel?”
“Hope so.”
I’d just lost sight of Lake when Ax rushed to the bar from the other direction.
“Thank fuck,” he said. “Figured I’d lost my job.”
I took off the apron and gave it to him.
“Thanks for covering for me, man,” Ax said, tying it on.
“What took you?” I asked, but Ax was immediately swallowed up in work, and every time I started to approach him, another wave of customers overtook the bar.
After driving Lake to Khan’s on the back of my bike and kissing the breath out of him before asking him to have dinner with me the following night, I waited up for Ax at the clubhouse.
He came in around two A.M., threw his large frame into the largest chair in the living room, propped his big feet on the ottoman, and yawned.
“Christ, what a day.” He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.
Figuring he was as ready for bed as I was, if not more, I cut to the chase. “You find anything out at the prison?”
“When I got there, I was told Sniper couldn’t have visitors because he was in the infirmary. I was able to get some time with my snitch, though, who said there’d been an attempt to off Sniper that morning. Fortunately, Sniper’d been on the lookout and the razor blade didn’t go in too deep. The guy who did it’s in solitary. Sniper got confirmation the hit came from Turk and is out for blood.”
Relieved, I said, “Maybe Sniper taking out Turk will be enough to keep Spoons in line.” I’d been worried Sniper had been killed and all our leverage was lost.
“Spoons might be crazy, but even he won’t want Sniper after him,” Ax agreed.
I stood. “Get some sleep, man.”
“I will here in a minute.”
Before I got to the hallway, I heard Ax snoring from his chair.
I closed the door to my room and took out my phone.
Me: What are you doing?
It took a minute for a reply. In the meantime, I kicked off my boots and discarded my leather jacket.
Lake: Sleeping. Like normal humans are doing at this time of night.
I smiled.
Me: I’m normal.
Lake: Then why aren’t you sleeping?
Me: Had to wait for Ax to get home, so I could talk to him. Thinking of me?
Lake: I am now you woke me up.
My smile got wider. He could be such a grouch.
Me: I’m definitely thinking of you.
Lake: Are you sexting me?
I pulled off my shirt, took a picture of my bare chest, and sent it.
Lake: I guess that’s a yes.
He sent back a picture of himself in a rumpled bed, with the sheet pulled halfway over his head. I groaned and adjusted myself.
Me: God, why can’t you be here next to me?
Lake: Lol. That was not a sexy picture.
Me: It was to me.
Lake: I have a question.
Me: Shoot.
There was a long pause, and I thought I would go crazy waiting.
Lake: Will you go ice skating with me tomorrow night? I’m off work.
A slow smile spread over my face. I couldn’t believe it; he was asking me out.
Me: Yes. I have to warn you though. I will skate circles around you.
Lake’s answer was immediate.
Lake: You’re on.