GAUGE
“Jolie!” Dom yelled as he stormed across the room, his furious gaze falling on his sister.
She stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip like she owned the place.
“What the fuck have Itold you about coming down here?”
She rolled her eyes and sighed, and Ilaughed even harder. “Ineeded to see you. You’re not answering your phone, you never come visit; what the hell else was Isupposed to do?”
Dom gripped her bicep and started to drag her out, and Iwatched as she kicked him in the shin and ducked out of his grip, swinging her fist into his right cheek as he reached for her again. He called out and stumbled back before righting himself and glaring at her.
“Bitch knows how to fight,” Icommented to one of the prospects seated at the bar.
He glanced at me with asmirk. “Growing up with Dom as abrother, Ican guess why,” he chuckled, before both of our gazes swung back to Jolie and Dom.
Jolie was Dom’slittle sister—not even eighteen, least Ididn’tthink. This girl had either learned how to handle herself from dealing with four older brothers, or she’dtaken some sort of class. Because even Charlie, Rider'sold lady, couldn’tpull moves like that, and Charlie was as tough as they came.
“I’ll call you later,” Dom argued, his hand rubbing his cheek where she’djust clocked him. “But you know you can’tjust turn up here and start causing shit.”
“You need to come to the house, tonight!” she argued back, ignoring his last comment. Her big, pouty mouth was painted red and glossy, her eyes lined in thick black with eyelashes that were so heavily made up she coulda swept the floor with them. She was like one of those Bratz dolls I’dseen some of the kids playing with. All big lips and big eyes and tiny fucking waist.
Hadn’tseen Jolie in along-ass time. Pretty sure she’dbeen about ten then. Dom kept that part of his life completely separate from the club, and we respected that. Alot of brothers did that, for one reason or another. Dom’sreason had always been his family were high drama and he wanted away from that shit.
Seeing Jolie now, Iwondered if that had been the only reason.
It was obvious to any red-blooded man that Jolie was no ten-year-old little girl anymore. She was all fucking woman now, and brothers all around the room were sitting up and taking notice of that fact. Including me.
“Ican’t. I’ve got club business to deal with,” Dom snapped.
“Then I’mstaying right here until you talk to me.” Jolie sat down, her arms folded over her ample chest, which was accentuated by her absurdly low-cut top.
Sketch and Crank were sitting on the same sofa and both of them laughed. Crank smiled at her, ignoring the rage-filled look on Dom’sface.
“Hey there, handsome,” she cooed, shimmying closer to him.
“Hey, baby,” he replied, biting down on his bottom lip. He draped his arm along the back of the sofa behind her. “Anyone ever told you how good you smell? Like peaches and motherfuckin’ cream.” He leaned in to her, pressing his face to her neck, and inhaled deeply.
Jolie giggled and grabbed alock of her hair before twirling it around her finger. She glanced past Crank to Sketch. “Ilike your tats. Think you could give me one? Iwas thinking about getting something right about here...” She trailed along-nailed finger between her full breasts.
Sketch was tattooed almost from head to foot. Iwas pretty sure that Sketch and his woman, Nancy, tattooed each other as foreplay, and it wouldn’tsurprise me if his dick was tattooed too. The thought made my own dick shrink. Some things were off limits.
“Sure thing. My old lady can fix you right up whenever you’re ready,” Sketch replied. He was loyal as fuck to Nancy, and Icouldn’tblame him after all the shit they had gone through to get together. “Iwouldn'tmind being there to help out too though, if that’scool.”
“Iwould love to see both of you,” Jolie replied, her tongue darting out across her lips. Her gaze slid back to Crank, but before she could say anything else, Dom threw his bottle of beer across the room. It smashed against the back wall, beer and glass shattering to the floor, and the room erupted into laughter.
The door to the Chapel opened up, and Shooter stood in the entrance looking furious. He glanced over at the wall, taking in the beer trailing down it and the glass all over, and then his eyes found me.
“Gauge, get her the fuck out of here before Dom kills her and Ihave amurder to cover up!”
“Sure thing, Prez.” Ismirked, and he shook his head and slammed the door closed again. Ilooked back, watching Jolie’snarrowed gaze fall on me as Istood up, stretching out my six-foot-five-inch frame. Icracked my knuckles as Istalked over to her.
“Don’tyou touch me,” she snapped.
“Orders are orders,” Ireplied calmly, knowing the whole club was watching.
Instead of making arun for it or backing down, Jolie stood up, making sure she was toe to toe with me—though Iwas much taller than her so she had to crane her neck to look up into my eyes. Woman was headstrong, but not too smart if she thought she could fight me and win. Heard acouple of people laughing in the background, and Iwas pretty sure Dom was still talking and telling her to get out of there. But all Isaw in that moment were her eyes. Eyes like fire. Deep brown with flecks of amber shooting through them like fireworks. Goddamn, but she was beautiful. Jolie and Dom’smom was French and their dad all American. The mix of bloodlines had been good for the Durrand family, because Jolie was smokin’ hot now. Tight body, smooth-as-fuck skin, amane of long, dark hair that trailed down her back, and those eyes of burning fire.
Bitch wasn’teven legal yet and the thoughts Iwas having about her definitely weren’tpure. But Ialso knew that Iwas way too old to be dealing with her shit. I’dhad my fair share of crazy bitches in my time—Laney’smother had been one of them. Yeah, Iwas way too old, and she was way too crazy for my liking. But aman could look.
