FIFTEEN
FAYE walks back from the bar with two shots in her hand. Sin stands at the corner, watching his woman, a hungry look on his face. The two of them are an amazing couple, strong and so very in love. I’d spent a little time with their daughter this evening too, and Clover was a treat. She’s a bright, witty five-year-old and I could tell she was going to be an absolute stunner when she was older. She even told me how her uncle Arrow sneaked her strawberry candy.
I glance around Knox’s Tavern once, then look at Faye as she hands me a shot glass. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured the night going, but I just pretend our every move isn’t being scrutinized and try to enjoy the drinks.
“I love this song!” Faye calls out, doing an exaggerated grinding move that has me laughing. She drags me to the dance floor, and it’s not long before her man is there, grabbing her by the hips and looking like he wants to fuck her right here on the dance floor. I head back to the bar, feeling like a third wheel, and sit in front of Reid.
“When you getting your ass back to work?” he asks.
“Why?” I reply. “Do you miss me?”
He grins and pours me another shot. “I just don’t want to have to train anyone else.”
I roll my eyes. “You love me. Admit it, Reid Knox, badass MMA fighter. You luuurvvve me.”
He pulls the shot back. “On second thought, maybe you’ve had enough.”
I lean closer. “I have a question. What do you know about that Talon dude?”
Reid seems to know everything about everyone.
His eyebrows raise. “Talon?”
“Wild Men Talon,” I explain further.
Reid studies me for a few tense seconds. “I know that no one will be happy you’re asking about him.”
I shrug. “I’m curious. He wasn’t a bad guy—you know, kidnapping aside.”
Reid scrubs a hand down his face. “So happy you’re not my sister.”
I gape. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”
“Maybe because you’re a troublemaker,” he suggests.
I pout. “Where’s Ryan? He’s nicer.”
He chuckles at that. “It’s his wedding anniversary, so he’s out spoiling his wife. How’s Arrow?”
I narrow my eyes. “What about Arrow?”
He doesn’t reply, just gives me a How stupid do you think I am? look.
“Does everyone know?” I grumble.
“Everyone except Rake.”
Okay, that makes me feel like total shit. I don’t want everyone except Rake to know. Rake should be the first to know. Even though Arrow and I haven’t really made anything official and won’t until Rake knows, it still feels wrong, and I don’t like it. Arrow better talk to Rake tonight. Surely the strippers will have him in a more amicable mood. Arrow should buy him a lap dance or something.
“Nothing is going on . . . yet,” I evade.
“You better be back here tomorrow night,” Reid says, changing the subject, which I appreciated.
“I’ll be here,” I tell him. “I actually like working at this place.”
“Well, lucky me then,” he says with a smirk, then walks off to serve a customer. When someone wraps their arms around me from behind, I elbow them in the stomach out of instinct.
“Ouch,” Tracker says, lifting up his shirt and rubbing his hand over an impressive set of abs.
“Like that hurt,” I say. “You just want to show off your sexy abs.”
He smiles and puts his hand out. “It’s nice to be appreciated. Want to dance?”
I give him my hand. “Lead the way.”
We enter the dance floor and Tracker immediately pulls me into him. I raise my eyebrow at his apparent lack of boundaries, but he just flashes me a boyish grin and starts to dance.
“Where’s the old ball and chain?” I say into his ear so he can hear me.
He waves his hand in the air dismissively. “Fuck her.”
I shake my head and start to move in sync with him to the music. Tracker turns out to be a good dancer. He moves his hips in a bump and grind that has me seeing exactly what Lana sees in him.
Holy hell, he’s sex on a stick.
One minute I’m pressed against Tracker, the next minute I’m pulled away from his body and pushed behind Arrow. I hear Arrow angrily say something to Tracker, a lot of swearing involved, and then he’s dragging me out of the bar by my wrist.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask when we’re standing by his bike, lifting my hand to touch his swollen cheek.
He moves his face away. “While I’m with your brother, trying my fuckin’ best for us to be together without losing him, you’re here, pressed up against another one of my brothers?”
Okay, he’s angry.
And even though it was an innocent dance, he does have a point.
His chest is heaving up and down and the look he’s giving me makes me want to cringe.
I need to apologize.
“Arrow—”
“You better be worth all this shit, Anna,” he says through clenched teeth. “Mary would have never—”
My gasp stops him in his tracks. I can’t fucking believe he went there. I just can’t.
“Well, unfortunately, Arrow, Mary isn’t here,” I snap, my chest tightening. “But I am. I was sitting alone and Tracker asked me to dance. As a friend, so I wasn’t bored out of my mind. You’re the only one I have eyes for, even though you’re usually a dick! You know I would never even think about being with someone other than you. I’m fuckin’ crazy about you!”
His mood instantly changes, lightening the air around us. “Anna, I—”
I hold up my hand. “I’m going to try and enjoy the rest of my night.”
“I told Rake,” he says. “He wasn’t happy. In fact, he was fucking pissed. He’s probably on his way here now to grab you.”
My head falls back against my neck. “Can you just take me home, please? Or shall I call a cab?”
He nods, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re not taking a fuckin’ cab, Anna. Can you hold on, or have you had too much to drink?”
“I’m fine,” I tell him, staying silent as he puts the helmet on me and helps me onto the bike.
Mary would have never . . .
That’s what it all comes down to, doesn’t it?
I’m not Mary; I’ll never be Mary. She’s gone, and I’m here.
I just hope he sees that before it’s too late.
* * *
Arrow doesn’t take me home.
He takes me back to the clubhouse, where I ignore him, have a shower, and slide into bed. He stands in front of the bed, watching me while I try to pretend like he isn’t there.
“I didn’t mean it,” he says into the silence. “I shouldn’t have said it. I mean, it’s messed up of me to compare you two, I know that. It just slipped out.”
I pretend to sleep, and after a few moments he leaves the room.
When I wake up the next morning, I realize Arrow never returned to my room, and for some reason that annoys me. After I’m dressed I walk into the kitchen to see Arrow and Rake standing there, face-to-face.
“Rake?”
He spins to me. “Anna, what the fuck?”
I shrink into myself. “Can we talk alone, please?”
“We will talk after,” he says, staring at Arrow, who is a little taller than him, and bigger built, but Rake is scrappy. Like me, he had no choice but to be. “Arrow and I are going to sort some shit out in the ring, aren’t we?”
Arrow nods but doesn’t look happy about it like Rake does.
Sin storms into the kitchen with Faye on his heels, sends me a scowl, then demands, “Church, now!”
Great.
Everyone with a penis disappears into the club-only room while the women stand there with curious expressions on their faces. Then, one by one, they all turn to stare at me.
I shrug, feeling helpless.
Faye and I sit down on the couch, waiting to see what happens next.
“What happened?” she whispers.
“Arrow told Rake last night. Rake didn’t take it very well. And I think your husband is just angry that I’m getting in between his club members.”
Faye doesn’t bother to deny it.
I see her biting her lip. “What?”
“Nothing, it’s just . . . This is so out of character for Arrow. And kind of . . . hot.”
I purse my lips. “Seriously?”
She smirks. “What? I’m still a woman, after all.”
I roll my eyes at her, my focus back on Arrow. I am still mad at him over the Mary thing, but this is a time where I need to have his back. I should be in there with him; we got into this together.
What feels like an hour later but is actually fifteen minutes, the men all walk out. Arrow and Rake beeline to me straightaway, and I gulp at the expression on their faces.
Both of them are not fucking happy.
“Anna,” they say at the same time. I stand and look from one to the other.
“Yes?”
Sin walks up behind them and stares me down. “You caused this, so you’re going to watch.”
I gape. “I caused this? What the fuck, we aren’t in the Middle Ages! What I do and who I do it with is my business and mine only.”
Arrow leans down and whispers in my ear. “Calm down, Anna. Rake and I are going to fight it out. I need you to hold your shit together right now. Can you do that?”
I nod, then turn to Rake, who looks even more pissed off now.
Great.
I put my arm on my brother’s shoulder and give him my best puppy-dog look, which usually works on him.
Nothing.
Wow, he’s really angry.
“I’m sorry, Rake. I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t seem to forget the bastard.”
He looks at me then and sighs. “I wanted better for you, Anna.”
I swallow hard at the disappointment in his eyes. “You wanted me here with you in this lifestyle. Please don’t be mad now that I’ve decided to be a part of it.”
“Fuck,” he curses, then kisses me on my forehead. “He hurts you and I’ll kill him. Slowly.”
“So you aren’t going to fight?” I ask, hearing the hope in my voice.
Rake smiles slowly. An evil glint in his eye that sends a shiver down my spine.
“Fuck no, I need this.” He looks down at me. “And stay out of it, Anna. You wanted to be a biker’s woman—now sit here, bite your tongue, and let me take what I’m owed.”
My eyes widen. Rake has never spoken to me like that in my entire life. I step away from him, not seeing my brother, but Rake—the club member. Arrow wraps his arms around my waist from behind and spins me around. Then, with everyone watching, his mouth settles possessively on mine.
Point made.
I’m his, and he’s mine.
And now everyone knows it.