“What’s going on?” he asks, pushing himself upright…and then freezes. “Holy biker hotness.”
I glance over my shoulder. The whole crew’s standing there. Spike, Tank, Max, Bones, Maverick, Crusher…all watching with matching smirks. Knuckles is nowhere in sight.
“Yeah,” I say, laughing. “They’re all hot as hell, and they know it. I’d be a puddle of goo if bikers did it for me. Fucker’s are lucky I like men who can form full sentences.”
“Orwomen,” Crusher adds quickly, grinning.
“Nah,” I chuckle. “I like my women a bit ditsy.”
Eli blinks, looking around. “Wait…how did I get in the office? I went down out there, didn’t I?”
“I carried you in here,” I admit, squaring my shoulders.
His eyes widen. “You lifted me? I weigh well over two hundred pounds.”
“And I,” I say with a grin, “am a very strong andvirilemale. You were but a babe in my arms.”
Crusher snorts. Bones rolls his eyes.
“Anyway,” Spike cuts in, stepping up beside me. “I’m Spike. Glad you’re not hurt, Eli. And I’m sorry for the way Knuckles treated you. It was uncalled for, and it won’t happen again. You have my word.”
Eli swallows hard, glancing between Spike and me. “Uh… thanks. Really. I appreciate it. And, uh… sorry for…” He gestures vaguely toward the floor. “You know. Passing out like a Victorian lady in church.”
That earns a low chuckle from Tank and a grin from Maverick.
Spike shakes his head. “You don’t owe anyone an apology, son. Wewillneed to discuss your health issues, but that can wait until later.”
Eli nods slowly, still looking a little embarrassed. “I’ll try not to faceplant again.”
“Don’t make any promises,” I tease. “But if you do, at least wait until I’m in the room. Keeps the tradition alive.”
Eli groans, but a tiny smile tugs at his lips. “You’re not gonna let that go, are you?”
“Not a chance,” I say, smirking.
Spike clears his throat, cutting through the laughter. “All right, enough flirting. We’ve got a garage to get in shape before the end of the week. Max, Tank, start sorting what’s worth keeping. Crusher, see what we can do about security. Skip, and Foster, I want you two working with Eli on the logistics side of the business.”
“I don’t really know much about this place,” Eli admits softly. “I just answered phone calls and inputted any orders and payments.”
“Start there,’ Spike says.
“What about me, boss?” Maverick smirks. “What do you want me to do?”
“Like you do a damn thing I say,” Spike grumbles, but I can see the laughter in his eyes. Maverick refuses to become a member of our club and refuses to abide by our bylaws, but he’s always around when he isn’t gone for weeks at a time.
That’s why we call himthe Outlaw.
“Hey there, Eli,” Foster says, stepping forward with an easy grin. “I’m Foster. Want to show me how to access the system?”
Eli nods and pushes himself to his feet, still a little shaky but determined.
“He doesn’t actually need your help,” I say, grinning. “He just wants you to feel useful. Does that shit to me all the time.”
Foster smirks. “Correction…Ididneed your help getting into the club’s bank accounts. You saved me a solid two minutes of my life by not making me hack into them.”
Eli blinks. “Hack… into them?”
“Don’t ask,” I warn with a chuckle. “Just smile and nod. Makes life easier.”
