CHAPTER FIVE
Loch
I lay there all night thinking of how shitty the evening had gone. I knew I wasn’t being the most pleasant person to Reagan. I left her alone half the night knowing she would be bored out of her mind. I sat in my office convincing myself that I had paperwork to do, but I didn’t. I didn’t have a damn thing to do. I spent most of the time watching the door, wondering what she was doing and if she was going to knock or not. I half expected her to blow in the door, catch me doing absolutely nothing, and unleash her fury on me.
And fucking Bocca. I wanted to bash in his fucking face. I knew he knew what the fuck he was doing. Everyone noticed her, but even Diesel didn’t try anything. That was saying a lot. I said she was off limits, though I had no right to, and I meant it. Bocca knew better. Still, he pushed buttons.
I didn’t know what upset me more, the fact that he flirted with her or that it seemed like she was flirting back. She looked genuinely at ease around him and I wished she was like that around me. I knew I hadn’t made it easy, though. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I was being an ass. Now that I had started, I wasn’t sure how to stop. I had never felt the way I felt when I was around her. Like I want to lay her down and forget the outside world. Like I wanted to tell her everything I kept hidden deep down. It wasn’t good, and I sure as hell didn’t know how to deal with it.
I won’t lie, I felt her body respond to me on my bike. I heard her breath catch when I put my hands on her. Sure, I didn’t need to put my hands on her, and it was a real asshole move to grab that close to her nearly exposed ass. But I didn’t regret it for a second. Her bare skin was soft and smooth against my rough hands. Her body radiated a burning heat against my back. Her hands were dangerously close to my impossibly hard dick. Fuck! That ride was way too short.
I had too many things coming up. I didn’t need a distraction. And that’s what she was, a big distraction. On top of how she was driving me crazy on the inside, there was still that pesky thing about what she was hiding. I had a feeling it was something big. I needed to know. I didn’t like surprises and I despised secrets. Whatever it was, she was keeping it locked up tight and I hated the thought that someone might be after her. A surprise I needed to be prepared for.
The next morning I decided to stop by the bar before I headed to the clubhouse. I counted the money in the register. Considering we hadn’t made any money the night before, the till should have been an even two hundred dollars. I had pulled out the deposit yesterday before I opened and put it in the safe. So, I was surprised to find an extra five hundred and change in there. I knew it was Reagan. It must have been what she had left over from the money I’d given her to get clothes. A smile spread on my lips and I shook my head. Damn that girl. I had a feeling that she was going to be determined to pay the rest back. I didn’t want her to, but I also knew she wouldn’t hear me no matter how loud I told her.
I took the money and went into the office. I tossed it into the safe before I headed back out. I tore out of the lot, leaving a cloud of dust behind me.
As I pulled into the clubhouse lot, I wondered if the guys had her car fixed up yet. I knew they were going to send one of the prospects out bright and early to the next town to go get the part. Figuring it was close to noon, I knew they would’ve been working on it by now. I found Diesel out back in the garage, elbows deep in her engine. The gravel crunched under my boots as I approached the opened bay. Diesel stuck his head up when he heard me coming. When he saw it was me, he stood up tall.
“This thing is a shit box,” he said, leaning his hands on the edge of the hood. “I don’t know how the damn thing is still even runnin’. Look,” he jabbed a frustrated thumb in the direction of what he wanted me to see, “there are hoses under all that duct tape. I fuckin’ hope she wasn’t dumb enough to do this.” He shook his head at the stupidity.
“Hm,” I said, scratching my chin. The thing was a hunk of junk. I remembered telling Ethel to get rid of it years ago, but she swore it was a good car. I was happy when she finally let go of it and replaced it with a nice, new, safe Cadillac. I didn’t know she had given the damn thing to Reagan. Of course, back then I probably wouldn’t have cared as much. “How the hell is it still runnin’?”
“You should just buy her a new one.” His sarcastic tone laced with the humor of a man that was hardened from the shit things in life. I narrowed my eyes at him, thinking that it wasn’t such a bad idea. He held up his hands in retreat. I sighed, torn between what I wanted to do and what Reagan would let me do.
“Yeah, I see that going over real well,” Bocca said coming up behind Diesel. “She’ll probably tell you to fuck off and throw the keys at your face.” He laughed and Diesel nodded in agreement. They hadn’t spent that much time around her but of course, they picked up on her fiery attitude.
He wasn’t wrong. I saw it going down that way in my mind.
“Just fix it,” I grumbled. “Make sure it won’t blow up.”
“Give me an hour.” Diesel said.
“I’ll be in my room.” I wrapped my knuckles on the metal frame, then walked off.
I decided to drop the car off to her myself. I figured I could grab my truck and get one of the prospects to drive it back while I took my bike. If it came to it I could load my bike on the back of my truck, but it was such a bitch to that. The car shook the whole short drive there. I wondered why she didn’t say anything, then I remembered how headstrong she was. I was planning on leaving it in the driveway, keys in the ignition. But I found myself walking up the front steps, keys in hand. I knocked and waited. The door pulled open. Her hair was down and the wind whipped around making it fly around her face. She swatted it out of the way then turned her attention to me.
“You need a new car.” It was more a demand than a statement.
“Okay,” she said and shrugged. She reached out for the keys and I pulled them away from her. She huffed and tapped her foot.
“I’m leavin’ for the weekend. You will be workin’ with Chris. Call me if you need anythin’.” I placed the keys in her hand and paused for a moment. Then I found myself pulling my truck key out of my pocket. “Here, drive my truck while I’m gone.”
“Uh… thanks.” The hesitation was noticeable as she reached out and took the key, looking at it like it was a giant spider. “Wait, you’re leaving?” I saw a flash of disappointment come across her face. She quickly straightened herself and put her wall back up.
“Yeah, some of the boys are goin’ to Tennessee. I’ll be back Monday. When we get back, we’re gettin’ you a new car.” With that, I turned and headed down the stairs. I left her there with her mouth hanging open about to protest. One that I wasn’t about to let come out. I cut across the yard and headed inside my house.
I showered, taking more time than usual. I couldn’t get it together. I gave her the keys to my truck. I demanded that she drive it while I was gone. And then I told her, in a tone that let her know there was no other option, that she was getting a new car. It wasn’t that I minded her driving my truck, the brothers used it all the time. It wasn’t that I thought she would wreck it. I wasn’t really sure what it was. At that moment the last thing I wanted to do was leave town, and I knew it had everything to do with Reagan.
I shut the water off and ripped the towel off of the bar, taking all my frustration out while drying my skin. I shaved, trying to get her out of my head the whole time. I got dressed in a hurry. Snagging the spare key to my truck off of the hook by the door, I headed out again. The distance from my house to hers was not enough space for me at that moment.