The kind of potential Gramps had seen the day he looked at that decrepit old 1975 Harley and decided he needed to have it.
Not that Carly was decrepit or old, but I did need to have her. I had a feeling if I could just make those lips curve in a genuine smile for once, we’d both get a full restoration.
Or, maybe I just wanted her because she’d turned me down. Maybe once I got her fine ass in my bed I could finally get her out of my system and move on like I always did. That line of thought conjured images of her screaming my name as I pounded into her, making my jeans hella uncomfortable. Adjusting myself, I forced Carly firmly out of my mind and focused on work.
As I was finishing up the installation of a Knockout Custom Wheel Kit on a brand-new Road Glide Special, Havoc appeared in the doorway and watched me. Standing over six-feet tall with dark skin, an imposing scowl, and a quiet, calculated nature, Havoc could be one scary motherfucker when necessary. His intimidating presence made him the perfect sergeant at arms for the Dead Presidents, but beneath his kicking-ass-and-taking-names persona, he was also one of the smartest, most compassionate men I’d ever met.
Like Link, our club president, Havoc had been a Green Beret. He’d seen shit I couldn’t imagine. He needed the stability, structure, and accountability of the Dead Presidents, and he actively sought out recruits who needed the same. Even when it meant spending a few extra days in jail.
Havoc let out a low whistle, approaching. “That’s one sexy bike.” He leaned forward, inspecting my work. “Thought that wheel kit only came in gloss black?”
“It does, but this customer is loaded. He paid to have it painted. He wants the entire bike matte.”
“Well, it looks fuckin’ awesome,” Havoc replied.
“It should. It’s costing a mint. I’m surprised to see you back so soon. Was it a crash?”
In addition to being the sergeant at arms, Havoc was one of Formation Auto Repair’s tow truck drivers. He wasn’t technically working at the shop today since we had other business to attend to, but with Brick (the driver on call) out on a pick up, when dispatch had called, Havoc came right in.
“Not a crash; just a broken-down Daewoo sedan.”
I finished tightening the bolt I was working on and turned to stare at him. “No shit? A Daewoo? Those are still on the road?”
Havoc chuckled. “Not this one. Piece of shit’s in our side lot now. I let Rabbit know and he thought I was fuckin’ with him. Had to go check it out himself.”
Rabbit was our head auto mechanic. I managed the shop, mostly because I was one of the few club members who wasn’t constantly battling PTSD and wouldn’t occasionally fall off the grid, but I tried to keep my ass on the bike side of the business. Rabbit knew his shit and rarely needed me for anything. If anyone could fix a Daewoo, Rabbit could.
Havoc backed up to lean against the wall where he could keep an eye on everything around him. Like most vets who’d seen heavy combat, he didn’t like to have his back exposed. He was normally stoic as fuck, but today he seemed stiffer than normal. Sensing that something was eating at him, I asked, “How’s Julia?”
Julia was Havoc’s fiancé, which was crazy since they’d only known each other for a few months. Link had recently married an attorney after only a few months of hooking up. My two best brothers had gotten stung by the relationship bug, and the rest of us were searching for vaccinations against that shit.
“Good,” Havoc replied. “We got her all moved into my place.”
“Brick said you took the weekend off. You got plans?”
Havoc rubbed a hand over his short hair before tugging at the muscles in his neck. “My mom’s flying out to meet Julia.”
Havoc’s mom lived on the east coast, and as far as I knew, he hadn’t seen her in a few years even though they were close. He should be happy about her visit, but he sounded pissed.
“There a problem with that?” I asked.
He snorted. “Last conversation we had, she told me I needed to find a nice black woman to settle down with.”
I stood, watching him as I grabbed a rag and rubbed most of the grease off my hands before heading to the sink. “Bet that went over well.”
“She’s lost her goddamn mind. I told her to call me back when she found it and hung up. Then one of my sisters called to tell me Mom is coming out here to meet Julia for herself.”
“That sounds dicey.”
He nodded. “My sisters are all pissed, and I don’t fuckin’ get it, Wasp. No one in my family is racist. One of my sisters is married to an Alaska Native, and one is married to a blond Italian. I never said shit about their spouses, but now they’re all in my business, talking about how the good black men always go to white women.”
Good? I wanted to crack a joke about Havoc’s jail time, but his current rage face told me this wasn’t the time. Besides, he’d never strung together so many words in one sitting with me, and it was kind of nice to be the one he opened up to for once.
Hell, if I could help Havoc, I might just be up for replacing Sage as the club’s shrink.
“What are you gonna do?” I asked.
He ran a hand over his short hair. “Fuck if I know. I’m definitely not leaving the two of them alone, though. And if Mom thinks she’s gonna meddle in my relationship or make my woman feel less than, she’s in for a surprise. I’ll be putting her ass right back on her broomstick and sending her home.”
