Page 9 of Dread’s Beloved

“I don’t need reminding.”

“I know.”

“Let’s just enjoy our night and pretend he’s not here.”

“If you say so.” Sukie shuts up, and we are served our appetizers with no sight of Blair or any more mention of Zane.

If I’m lucky, he’ll leave. I thought seeing him would be easy, but he looks almost sad. It’s hard not to ask him what’s wrong. For so long he was my everything, only I was never his. He was never mine. Not truly.

“Let me get some of that,” Dark barrels into our table, digging into the last of our fried peppers.

I roll my eyes and start to tell my brother to get lost, but then I notice Dread walking up behind him and change my mind.

“Hey Dark,” Sukie practically purrs.

“Hey yourself,” he grins, bumping shoulders with her, and I can practically see the sparks flying between them. They share a look that says they have a secret. I will be grilling Sukie about this later. Currently, my attention is on Dread, who is squeezing between my brother and me to order a beer. His body angles to mine and I get a whiff of his cologne. Woodsy and clean, like he just had a shower. He continues grinning his charming smile at me, and warmth pools in my lower belly. He has me forgetting all about Zane and the stupid hang-up calls.

He takes a hard pull from his bottle as I fill up my glass out of the pitcher I’m sharing with Sukie.

“You look like you could use a shot of Patrón,” he tells me and orders a round of shots for our group of four.

So much for our girl’s night out. Not that I mind Dread’s company. He’s hot and not regular hot but bad boy outlaw biker hot. Forbidden hot.

“Did my brother bring you here to play protector?”

“Something like that,” he mutters.

I glance over his shoulder at my brother and Sukie. He’s whispering something in her ear that has her blushing and giggling.

Those two aren’t fooling anyone.

I shake my head. Dark better treat Sukie right or I’ll kick his ass. Brother or not. She’s not like the club girls he messes with to get off. My best friend, much like myself, is a biker’s daughter. She’s not some random whore to use and discard. He knows if he fucks with Sukie, he will have Spook and Knives to answer to. Her father and her brother.

The bar gets busier and louder. Everyone is lining up to ride the bull.

“Come on,” Sukie says, grabbing me by the hand. “We are so taking a turn.”

I glance back at Dread and spy the smile forming as he takes another heavy pull from his beer.

I’m totally about to embarrass myself in front of this man.

Chapter Four

Dread

Fuck me running. Jesus. I stare as Kitty rides the mechanical bull at Tonky’s like she’s been doing it all her life. The guy operating it knows what he’s doing. Her body rocks front to back, then side to side. Her small tits practically bounce out of her top. Every man and woman in this fucking joint is watching the show. Except maybe Dark, but he gets a pass seeing he’s her brother. I clock that piece of shit ex of hers watching, likely getting hit with a healthy dose of regret. He had Kitty. Fucking had her in his bed wearing his ring, having taken his last name and cheated on her with a knock-off version.

He’s a bona fide idiot.

If I had all that…shit. I’d work my ass off every day to keep her there. Kitty is all that is good and pure in the world. And yeah, she’s gorgeous, but she’s got this sweetness that fuckin’ pours out of her. She’s always going out of her way for others. If there’s a family that’s having a rough time paying for services at Final Ride, she gets us to do a charity ride. Organizes bake sales and collection jars at the local businesses. On the regular she donates supplies and money to the animal shelter, and she does it quietly and not expecting shit all in return.

I’ve never met anyone like her.

Most people do good shit because they know it's expected or because they want recognition or something in return.

Haunt steps up next to me. I didn’t realize the fucker was here. “You ask her out yet?”

“We both know that’s not going to happen.”