Maybe I should pull back and let Law assign her to someone else. I’ve done it long enough. If I still want the presidency, I can make my bid for it without him backing me. I’ve got enough good with the entire club to know I wouldn’t be laughed at for wanting the top rocker position.
As we ride just far enough behind other cars for them not to hear the difference in our engines compared to a freaking sedan, I look over at Atom. He’s young enough. Got some past issues like the rest of us, but he’d be good on babysitting duty. He was an EOD tech in the Army, so he can be patient and knows how to not buckle under pressure. But he can also go off at a moment’s notice and take everyone out within reach. Him being a brother is a no-brainer.
But him being the man to watch over Ruby?
How fucked am I if I say “not over my dead body”?
Pretty fucked.
Pretty fucked indeed.
Chapter 12—Ruby
Lewis is a jerk, but a cute one. Did the typical jock shit back in high school, flirting with everything walking and dating the high school cheerleader type. Doesn’t look like much has changed except for his Facebook status of single. Which, to be fair, he was always single. Both he and his girl, Lisa, were never subtle about dating behind the other person’s back. It was a big joke, but no one laughed in their faces about it.
Well, I did. But that’s me. And since I’m me, I didn’t deal with any of Lisa’s petty bullshit. Probably helped that I was never interested in Lewis back then. He was like a painting—you looked but never touched. Not for fear of what the curator, aka Lisa, would do, but fear of what you would get on yourself after touching. An STD was a big pass for me.
But that was high school. Years ago. Things change. And with enough drinks in my system, I can agree to be in the car with him and put up with his hand on my thigh as he drives to wherever he said we’re going. Some house party or something. I wasn’t really listening, but when Abigail said we were going, who was I to turn down a good time?
“Wherearewe going, by the way?” I ask, because while I’m all for living in the moment, shit has gone down with the club lately. I might not know everything, but I’m not about to be a cliché and walk into a problem if I can help it.
Some might think that getting into the car in the first place was a bad idea. But I know these guys from high school.They all played on the football team. That might intimidate a few peeps, but I’m not exactly the damsel type. These guys know my reputation. They know who my dad is. They would be fools to fuck with me. And if they did, well, I carry a boot knife with me nowadays. A gun might be a safe bet, considering you don’t have to be close to aim and shoot. But a knife is easier to hide, and with the ceramic one Fairy gave me, metal detectors don’t even buzz when I’m scanned. Might not cause the most damage in comparison, but Fairy gave me some pointers. Of course, with her, that means she did a full report write-up on it and saw it more as a teaching moment. Thankfully, the girl is super smart, but she lacks certain skills. Like realizing I was asking for tips on how to defend myself without alerting my dad.
Not sure which way Dad will go when he finds out about my latest fashion piece. He’ll either love it and buy me more in every color or be mad as hell and say I should just call him if there’s an issue—or just come home and live in my old room and die of old age because I’ll be protected and never let out of my bubble. It could go either way. If I were a betting woman, I’d say he would do a variation of both: be proud and also push for home life.
“Roy’s place,” Lewis chirps with a squeeze to my thigh and a smirk in the rearview mirror to look at Roy, who’s sitting by Natalie with his arm around her back. She looks a little uncomfortable but still smiles. Abigail and another guy, Trevor, got the very back, and from the giggling, I can only guess what they’re doing.
“You mean his parents’ place.” Trevor laughs hard, ignoring the murderous glare from Roy. Guess he isn’t so taken with Abigail to not miss a chance to dog on his boy.
Lewis howls with laughter, and I instantly remember why I was never interested in him back then. I need a guy with backbone. Or one who doesn’t rag on his friends just to be mean.
Sure, the Hounds do it occasionally, but the guy they’re ribbing usually laughs too. There’s no humor on Roy’s face.
“I pay rent,” he mutters. “The pool house is all mine. And it’s better than that dump you have, Lewis.” Roy hits Lewis on the back of the shoulder, and the car swerves.
“Dude, what the fuck?” Lewis looks back and tries to hit Roy.
“Look out,” I scream and grab the steering wheel to correct us from going into oncoming traffic.
He pushes my hand back and glares. “Relax, babe. I’ve got this.”
“Really? ’Cause from where I’m sitting, it looks like you were about to cause a wreck to get a hit in. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I’m so mad at myself I could spit. But despite what some say, my dad raised a lady. One who can give you a black eye and steal your car, but not one who spits in public. Unless it’s because I ate something gross. I once fell victim to Princess’s tactics and took a piece of candy from her after she offered it. Found out after that she’d tried it, spit it out on the ground, and then offered it to me. Seems her dad, Bulldog, taught her not to waste food.
“Man, if you weren’t….” He shakes his head as he lets his words just hang in the air between all of us. No one is talking, hardly even breathing.
“Weren’t what?” I narrow my eyes at him.
“Lewis,” Trevor tries to warn him. From what, I don’t know, and I don’t let him get away without me throwing a glare at him and his other friend in the back seat.
Abigail is biting her lip, and I see Nat’s holding the door handle with white knuckles. She still hasn’t forgotten the last car accident she was in.
Seeing her this upset sets me off, and I give all my attention back to Lewis. “No, you can say it. Weren’t what, Lewis? Weren’t so uptight? Weren’t so worried about our lives?”
“Weren’t such a bitch.” He throws a snarled lip my way, and then his eyes, thankfully, are back on the road.
“Excuse me?” My jaw would be on the floor if I weren’t worried about what else is down there. My shoes are sticking enough as it is.
“You’ve always thought you’re too good for us, even back in high school. Just relax for a bit. You don’t have to be a bitch all the time. I get that you’re a biker bitch and shit because of your dad, but fuck, learn to have some fun. If I’m willing to give you a try, the very least you can do is be grateful for it.”
