I’d worked my ass off to become a cop so I could help people. With one phone call, the Serpents had taken away not only my badge, but also my freedom. “I hate everything about that sentence.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Doris and Hailey were still upstairs asleep when the cavalry arrived. The roar of Harleys vibrated the entire house as Tap opened the garage and had them pull inside. I stayed in the house and waited on account of me being wanted and all. We couldn’t chance the neighbors catching a glimpse of me and calling the cops.
Julia was the first person to come in and greet me. She gave me a gentle hug and a big, genuine smile. “Your eye is open! It looks so much better. How are you feeling?”
“Better.”
“Good. And how’s the leg?”
“Great. I changed the bandage after my shower this morning and it seems to be healing just fine.”
“I’m so glad. Here, let me introduce you to everyone else.”
I realized then that there were other people gathering behind her. Emily (the local defense attorney all my colleagues cursed, who was dressed in a dark, knee-length dress and matching pumps), Naomi (a tall blonde wearing distressed jeans and a tank top), and Jayson (a slender man with perfectly styled hair, wearing dark skinny jeans and a tight silver button-down shirt) all greeted me.
Jayson didn’t look too impressed, though. With a hand on one hip, he eyed me critically with so much sass it was almost comical. “So, you’re the competition.”
“Uh… for what?” I asked, completely lost.
“For my tall, dark, and quiet man meat, of course.”
“Tap?” I asked, certain I misunderstood what he was saying. “Are you asking if Tap and I are together?”
Emily stepped in. “Don’t mind Jay. He’s been trying to land himself a biker for months. In the meanwhile, he’s illogically claimed possession of all the single ones. For the hundredth time, Jay, Tap is straight.”
Jayson’s jaw jutted out rebelliously. “I could have turned him.”
“No, you couldn’t have.” Emily faced me. “Will you please tell him?”
“Sorry, my man, but he’s all about the taco Tuesday. You’re gonna have to find another boy toy for wiener Wednesday.”
Jayson gasped. “Can you personally confirm that? Have you tasted his one-eyed trouser trout?”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Or from sharing. Tap didn’t have a trout. He was packing something more along the lines of a giant sea bass, but that was none of little Mr. Congeniality’s business. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
“Straight people are boring as hell,” he complained.
Naomi laughed and draped an arm over my shoulder. “You made the right call. Don’t admit anything to that man or he’ll yap your ear off with questions. He wants all the juicy details. He’s a damn pervert. Does Tap have anything to eat in this place? I’m starving.”
“Me too,” Emily added.
“Preggo women,” Jayson said. “When you two get fat, I’m gonna steal your men. Know that in your hearts.”
Naomi grinned. “I’d pay money to see you try something on Eagle.”
“Me too,” Julia added.
Tap’s club brothers had hooked up with some pretty cool chicks, and Jayson was a kick in the pants. Happy they were all here to lighten the mood, I turned my attention toward the pantry. It wasn’t my place to play hostess, but Tap was still in the garage, and I didn’t want to wake up Doris. Deciding I’d be the best candidate for snooping through his kitchen, I took matters into my own hands and raided the pantry and fridge. I came up with Goldfish, cheese, olives, pickles, and carrot sticks. Julia helped me organize them all onto a tray, and by the time the guys joined us, we had a decent looking spread laid out on the table.
Tap quirked an eyebrow at me in question.
“The preggo ladies were hungry,” I mouthed back.
He chuckled and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Havoc said hello to me before joining his wife. Then Tap introduced the bearded biker with the tattooed arms as Link, who was married to Emily. The biker with the long dark hair and tattooed arms was Eagle, who was married to Naomi. The blond pretty boy with the mischievous smirk was Wasp and he apparently belonged to someone named Carly who couldn’t make it because she couldn’t find a sitter for their six-year-old.
