Chapter 5

Max

“So that’s the Cheese & Hearts platter with two types of wafers, the Six-ual Delights wine package with the Forty Days and Nights of Chocolates. Will that be all, sir?”

I sighed feeling like a goddamn fool, sending all that shit to Jana, but it seemed right. Hell, I wanted to. I hadn’t stopped thinking about that kiss. For two damn days I could still feel her plump lips on mine, the taste of tequila on her lips. On her tongue. I can’t remember ever being lit so quick by just kissing a woman. It wasn’t just kissing her though, the feel of soft, supple skin under my hands. She was such a fucking woman, so small and feminine that I wanted to sink into her and spend forever there. But I had to get to the club house. “Yeah, that’s all. Oh, wait, I want a card. I had fun. Max, that’s it.”

“Okay sir, thank you for your business. Have a good day.”

“Yeah, you too.” I stabbed the end button and grabbed my kutte and my keys. The Reckless Bastards club house was actually a converted hangar at the ass end of Mayhem furthest away from Vegas. We liked the tourist action, because tourists spent big bucks on grass and ass, but they were too damn curious about the outlaw life so for the past two years we did our business on the border with the town of Henderson.

For the first time in too long, a smile touched my face as I entered the hangar we’d busted our asses cleaning out and converting and turning it into multiple rooms. I walked in through the back at the long black leather bar where one of the prospects uncapped a few beers. “Hey Max!”

I waved at him and the Reckless Bitches perched on the bar, hoping today was the day they became someone’s old lady. A few of the old timers sat at the tables drinking, watching the Bitches and prospects play pool and foosball. “Hey guys.”

“Max! It’s about fucking time.” I turned at the sound of Savior’s voice. He was the Sergeant-at-arms for the club, and the craziest, happiest motherfucker I ever met.

“Savior, still rockin’ that mountain man look, I see.”

He scraped a hand over a full, chocolate beard and flashed a blinding smile. “The chicks love it, they think I’m a lumberjack and they can’t wait to climb my log.”

I laughed. “Crazy, bastards. What’s up?”

He shrugged. “I got some new guns and I thought maybe you wanted to play.”

“Fuck yeah, I do.” I fell into step beside him as we headed through what used to be the front door and out across the parking lot that still bore the signs for taxiing planes. A smaller building had been turned into a shooting range as a way to make use of all the land we got with the deal. And because we all fucking love our guns.

“I got about a dozen different autos and semis because dudes love coming in here to shoot’em, and they pay a fuck load of money for the privilege.” Savior grinned back at me as we walked through the main retail area and back towards the stalls. “I got a good deal on’em too. Gonna get the prospects to review’em later.”

I laughed and shook my head because it was typical fucking Savior. “You really missed your calling as a cutthroat businessman.”

“Nah. This way I get to make a ton of money without having the Man on my ass, and I don’t have to fucking shave every day.” He pulled out two pieces and we were quiet as we loaded them up and headed outside. “It’s perfect weather for shootin’.”

“Yeah.” It was nice out and after sleeping a full night, I figured it was time to see how it felt being behind a piece of metal again. Squeezing the trigger to feel the quick jerky motions of an automatic weapon felt like coming home. Five seconds in and I already felt like I never stopped shooting, and I hadn’t. Not really, but I had taken some time away from everything that reminded me of my past. This felt nice.

Until it didn’t. I set the piece down, unloaded, disassembled and cleaned it while Savior kept firing with a shit eating grin on his face. He whooped and hollered until he ran out of ammo, then he reloaded and started all over again. I watched him and the joy he seemed to have at something so simple and I envied that. “You want another weapon?”

I shook my head. “Nah, I’m happy to watch you shoot like a fool.” And I was. Happy to watch him and let my thoughts wander to Jana. Eventually I wandered inside when a few of the prospects came to test out the new hardware, the area got loud and raucous.

“Looks who’s returned to the land of the goddamn livin’!”

I smiled and looked up, way up and the biggest, baddest Army Ranger the world has ever seen. “Cross, what the fuck is up man?” I greeted our club President with a broad smile and a fist bump.

“Shit. Keeping the monkeys in line. You look good man, glad to see you around.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I’m trying something different, so we’ll see how it goes.” I didn’t want to get into it, but I needed Cross to know I was working on my shit.

“Glad to hear it. There’s some problem with the baked goods vendor and I need you to deal with it.”

I nodded and headed to the office so I could take a look at what he was talking about. For the next few hours, I could admit that it felt damn good to get back into things, even if for just a little while. In the middle of arguing with the baker about their use of new ingredients, a text came in.

Thanks for the basket. Want to share it with me tonight? ~JC

I smiled. Big. “If you want to keep our business you need to make this right. I’ll give you a couple days to figure out how.” I hung up and sent a message back to Jana.

More than anything. Should I bring anything?

I held my breath and waited for her to respond. When she did, all the air sucked out of the room.

Just you. See you soon, Max.

Damn. And just like that I was hot and hard, and eager to see Jana. I moved like my ass was on fire, saving documents and writing notes for shit I needed to do tomorrow, or whenever I wasn’t so distracted by a curvy blond with kind eyes. Kind eyes? That was how bad she fucked with my head and had me saying shit like kind eyes. What the fuck does that even mean? Dogs have kind, soulful eyes. Not women.

I needed to fuck her. I wanted to bury my cock deep, lose myself in a soft, willing female like Jana. No, not like Jana. I wanted Jana. There was something about her, maybe it was her sassy mouth or the way she seemed to just get shit, that called to me. But I was too fucked up for more than a few nights of fucking, so what I needed was to satisfy my hunger, my lust and move on. Like always.

“Leaving already?”

I looked at Cross. “It’s handled and something came up.”

“I’ll bet,” he laughed as two Bitches lounged across his big body, wearing next to nothing but mile high stilettos. “See you around Max. Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t. Later, brother.” I headed back out into the sun, threw on my shades and helmet and aimed my bike towards my little house. I lived in a regular ass neighborhood and I did it on purpose. Brandt had assured me that living among the people—the families and kids—I fought to protect would make shit easier. It did, but not in the way he meant. Kids didn’t give a shit if you were grumpy, especially when their parents had them convinced you were a goddamn hero. I wasn’t a hero, but I couldn’t tell them that, and the truth was I liked having those little faces look up at me like I was their god given protector. If I could bottle those looks and keep them for late at night when I couldn’t sleep, I’d be fucking cured.

The block I lived on would be described by a realtor as idyllic. Trees lined streets wide enough for cars to park and pass with no problems. There were basketball hoops, goal posts, bases and bats littering the yards and sidewalks. Bikes were turned on their sides everywhere to serve as proof this street was run by the ankle biter set.

“Hey Mr. Ellison!”

The engine still purred when Elijah Walker called out to me. “What’s up kid?”

“How do you keep that motorcycle up?”

I turned and grinned. “The same way you stay up on your bicycle. Muscles and good balance.”

“So if I can stay up on this, I can stay up on that?”

“Basically, but you need a lot more muscle and height before you can hold this baby up. You’re too short.”

He pouted but he considered my words. “Cool. Do you go fast?”

I looked over my shoulder at his house next door and found his grandmother smiling from the porch. I waved to her. “I love to go fast, but I shouldn’t because it’s dangerous.”

“And you’ll have to pay a ticket. My dad always swears a lot when he gets a ticket, says it’s state sponsored robbery.”

I grinned. “Your dad is right.”

His bright smile said he was happy with my answer as he slid back onto the seat of his bike. “Thanks Mr. Ellison. You think you can teach me to ride when I’m older?”

“Sure kid.”

“See ya later Captain!”

“Bye, Lieutenant!” He saluted for a moment before clutching the handlebars and letting his bike go as fast as his scrawny legs would allow. Yeah, living in this neighborhood had helped.

***

After a quick shower and shave, I got dressed and made my way to Jana’s. With a gift. What the fuck was wrong with me? I never bought anything other than drinks or a meal for a woman I intended to take to bed. If they required any more than that, I moved on. The Reckless Bitches were always up for a hard fuck with nothing more than the hope of becoming something more. But here I was, buying a gift. Another gift.

Shit.

The door swung open and a woman who was not Jana answered. “Well, hello. You must be Max. I’m Teddy, the best friend.”

I nodded as recognition dawned. I could see why Jana thought I might want her friend, she was beautiful with long legs, bright red hair and big blue eyes that offered just enough promise to drive a man insane. But she seemed high maintenance as fuck. “Nice to meet you. Yeah, I’m Max.” I shifted the gift and shook her head. “Jana home?”

She opened the door further and stepped back. “Yep. Don’t worry, I’m not staying. I’m very happy to meet you Max but even though you look like you could snap me in half with two fingers, I have to tell you that I grew up in foster care and I know how to fight dirty. Don’t hurt my friend.”

Shit. “I have no plan to do that. I like Jana.”

Her gaze studied me, took me in as if she’d already measured me and knew my worth. Then her gaze shifted, maybe it softened, I don’t know. It changed. “Good. Just don’t let her stay in the house all the time. She’s beautiful and she belongs out in the world.”

“Just because I don’t know what you’re saying doesn’t mean I can’t hear you!” Jana’s voice sounded affectionately annoyed from deeper in the house.

Teddy laughed and I removed my jacket and hung it up. “Don’t worry, she’s just threatening me.” She laughed even harder and motioned for me to follow her. “Damn what smells so good?”

“You didn’t think we were just going to eat chocolate and cheese, did you?”

I frowned at her question, scanning the kitchen to see she’d been up to some serious cooking. “I did, but I’m happy to be wrong. Can I help?”

“Damn,” Teddy sighed. “You look like that and you’re offering to help? Jana you lucky bitch.” She chuckled and wrapped her friend in a hug. “Have fun and be a little crazy. He’s hot and he seems nice, that’s like a fucking unicorn.”

Jana’s skin flushed pink and she looked over her shoulder at me. “Your whispering game needs work, Teddy. Now get out of here.”

She laughed. “I’m leaving. Be bad tonight. Very, very bad.”

And then we were alone. “Sorry about that,” Jana said with a sheepish smile. “She means well.”

“She seems nice and she gives a damn, that’s always a good thing to me. But if you think I’d ever choose her over you, then I’ll have to make sure you know that’s not true before I leave tonight.”

She sucked in a breath and released a shaky breath. “Put that smile away, please. Have a seat and tell me about your day. Booze or wine?”

“No beer?”

“Too filling. I like to drink and snack at the same time, and with beer you get too full to properly snack.” She said it with the expertise of a neurosurgeon. “So?”

“Booze. I’ve never gotten into wine. It tastes okay, kind of bitter.”

She smiled like that was the right answer. “Then I just have one question to see if this can ever be more than friendship.”

I stared at her serious expression and wondered for a moment if I’d read her and this whole situation wrong. “I’m ready.”

“Jack or Maker’s Mark?”

In that moment, I thought I might’ve been half in love with her. “Maker’s Mark of course.”

She kept her face emotionless as she reached below the counter and pulled a bottle up. “This is the 46 but I think you’ll like it.”

“My mouth is already watering.” A grin lit up her face as she poured two fingers into two hexagonally shaped glasses.

“Perfect. Let’s toast to good friends, great booze and great kisses.”

Fuck. “Hear, fucking, hear.” Damn that hit the spot. “How’d you know?”

“I didn’t. I work and live here, so I like to enjoy different things. Like cocktails. Bars aren’t exactly my scene, but I like to drink.”

Her face, that’s why she didn’t go out a lot. I could only imagine the assholes she came across, especially with the model beautiful Teddy at her side. “Nothing wrong with that.” But I would try to do what Teddy suggested and taking her out. Next time.

“So, your day?”

“It was good. Productive.” I told her all about my trip to the club and getting back to it. “It felt weird because I’ve been, I don’t know, vacant for so long. But everyone greeted me like I never left. It was weird.”

“You loved it,” she accused, lips pulling into a smile around her glass.

“I think I did.” It felt like things were just back to normal. They weren’t but for a short period of time, I remembered who I used to be. “It was nice.”

“That’s good. You look like you’ve been sleeping.” A timer sounded and she turned, bent to look into the oven, giving me a great view of her ass cupped in blue denim. Heart shaped and more than a handful, I wanted to just fucking sink my teeth into it. “Damn,” I groaned a little too loud.

I blinked and looked up into big, laughing brown eyes. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. So, sleeping?”

“The night we kissed, I slept like a baby,” I told her honestly.

She smiled and her pale skin turned bright pink. “Me too.”

I let those words sink in, but more importantly their implication. “I couldn’t think about anything but you all night, Jana.”

“I know,” she admitted and fanned her still reddening cheeks.

I couldn’t help but laugh at how easily she blushed. “I can’t say I’ve ever reacted to a kiss like that before.”

“Like what,” I asked, curious if she would answer. I knew I shouldn’t push her but I knew she could take it. I could tell.

“All hot and bothered,” she answered honestly. Her skin still burned but she spoke plainly. “It was weird. Hot but, I don’t know.” She shrugged and turned towards the fridge, sticking her head in the freezer for a few seconds. “Okay better. Ready to eat?”

I stared at her for a long time, letting my gaze rake over her until her skin pebbled with desire and her nipples peaked behind her t-shirt. “Oh, I can’t wait to eat.”

She sucked in a breath and I grinned. “You’re bad.”

“You have no idea.” She really didn’t, but I hoped this thing between us burned out before she had a chance to realize it. I liked the idea of being a good guy, a good memory for her.

“No,” she said, tilting her head to the side and looked at me. “But I’m starting to think I might want to find out.”