“But do I think Cheyanne is a bad seed? Nah. She could have asked questions left and right after the girls started complaining about their men. Or even put in a few snide comments about their fears. Girl’s clean from what I can tell. She might be smart, but I’m not sure she knows what she’s doing. We’ll keep on it, at least to keep her safe till Mad Max decides what he wants to do.”
I nod. Law makes the rulings around here, but it’s clear that Mad Max isn’t playing with this one. He’s looking at her like a brother looks at an old lady. Hounds rarely interfere with that shit, unless we have to. And Law is pro–old lady. He had the best and wants us all to have that too. He never pushes anyone into it, but if he needs to, I think he’d push a brother out of it if the guy is too lovesick to see the cancer that she would bring to the club.
“Make sure Ruby gets home all right, will ya?” He stands and pats me on the shoulder, then leaves. Doesn’t even wait on me to nod. Guess he doesn’t have to. I gave him my consent a long time ago when I took this gig.
Standing, I stretch out my neck, feeling the pop over hearing it as I watch Chains smooth-talk his woman into going to his bunk room. Most of the brothers have cleared out with their old ladies already, leaving Ruby still seated with Cheyanne.
I see Ruby check her watch before she says, “Looks like luck is on my side. If I leave now, I can make it to the kegger being thrown in the dorm across the street from my building. Might even get real lucky, if you catch my drift. Later, new girl.”
“Ruby!” I yell after her as I take another step in her direction. “You still got babysitting duty tonight.”
That’s half the reason she’s here tonight. Ruby comes in once a week and watches the brothers’ kids so they can get some time with their old ladies and she can get some side cash. It was the only job her dad agreed to her doing. And it’s usually only on the weekends so as not to interfere with her school schedule.
“Fuck off, Koop. I’m getting laid. You watch the brats.” She doesn’t look back as she flips me off and goes out the front door.
“Shit,” I say a second before I hurry after her. I wouldn’t put it past her to go and do what she wants. She knew this was just a ploy to get Cheyanne to talk. Her cover was that she had to babysit starting after nine. She was meant to be here in the club till then, then go on babysitting duty. But it seems I’m the only one still following the plan.
Of course, the kids aren’t here tonight. Bulldog had his ma get Princess, and Chains has a few brothers at his house watching his kids because they’ve got some kind of sickness you get from school and needed to be in bed early.
“Ruby!” I call out again as I get outside and the clubhouse door closes behind me. A few brothers on the far side of the lot give me a nod. Domino points to my left, and I see Ruby trying to get into her car.
I run over and catch the door before it swings shut.
“Fuck,” she mutters when she notices I’m blocking her escape.
“Exactly what you aren’t going to do.”
She looks up at me from her seated position, and I force myself not to stumble backward, gripping the door harder to stay upright. That damn image from before pops into my head again. She’s at the right height to be on her knees before me, and the narrowed look she’s throwing at me has me thinking it would be just like this. Her challenging me. She wouldn’t be waiting with her mouth open like I’d pictured before. She’d fight me every step of the way, but want it all the same.
Jesus, I need to get a fucking grip.
“Actually, that’sexactlywhat I’m going to do. And unless history changes in the next ten seconds and somehow we go back to the Stone Age or some shit, you don’t get to tell me what the fuck I’m going to do or who I’m going to do it with. So fuck off. Or, better yet, go get yourself laid. Free country and all that. Find a vamp to suck you off so you can forget about what I’m doing for one night. It won’t kill you.”
“But it might killyou,” I growl.
Her words are both pissing me off and turning me on. I’m sick. Fucking sick is what I am. But she might be right. I might just need a fuck. It has been a while.
“Is that a threat?” she asks me point-blank. No fear in her voice, no worry. Just holding my stare as she challenges me.
I grind my teeth in response, and she raises an eyebrow, no doubt seeing my jaw clench.
“Didn’t think so. So stop cockblocking me and get the fuck out of my way. I did my job. Now do yours.”
She pulls hard on the door, and I let it go so it slams shut. She doesn’t even flinch before starting the engine andpulling out of the parking spot. I don’t move, even when some gravel hits my legs from the force of her wheels spinning.
I count to ten. Twice. Then once more backward. It doesn’t work. I’m still pissed off. Grumbling to myself, I get on my bike and head after her. I don’t want to do it. But I have to.
Not because her dad told me to get her home safe. But if asked, that’s what I’m going to tell everyone was the driving force. I refuse to say that the thought of her getting some punk-ass kid’s dick wet makes me want to go on a killing spree.
In some cultures, I’m old enough to be her dad. Others, a big brother. In this one, it’s just a work thing. I ignore everything as I zoom down the road and then ride her ass all the way back to her place. I make it known that it’s me. I let her see that I’m not going away.
And to my amusement, she goes home. Doesn’t stop at any place but her own. I park a few spots down from her and watch her go up the stairs and inside her apartment. She doesn’t even spare me a glance, but I smile anyway. I ruined her night. Who the fuck knows if she had a date or not. She sure as hell doesn’t now.
I check her feeds and see that she’s alone with Natalie, then put my phone back into my pocket and get comfortable. It’s going to be a long night.
I wasn’t planning on spending it on my bike. But if it keeps her from going out and doing something stupid, then I’ll do it. And that’s the territory we’re in with Ruby right now. She’s mad at me. When she gets mad, dumb shit happens. Ithappens to everyone when they go looking for trouble. It finds them.
Lucky for her, I’m here to make sure I take out the problem before she even realizes it. Not that she seems to appreciate it, but fuck it. I’ve got nothing else to do tonight. Might as well do something I’m starting to enjoy—annoying the hell out of Ruby and ruining her fun.
