Page 27

“So, is this kinda thing, ah, common?” She waves at the old bastard skipping around with his hand in the air.

“I would love to say no, but hell, since Chewy landed at the clubhouse, well -” I wave at Pops and revel in the way she throws her head back, husky laughter ringing out.

“Yeah, well, I thought I was getting a sweet little neighbor, now somehow I’m part of…whatever the hell this is.”

“How does that make you feel?” I ask, searching her gaze.

“Better than I have in a while,” she whispers before giving me a small smile.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Good,” I murmur, bumping her gently with my shoulder.

“Nine point four!” Rodney bellows and my attention snaps to Pops with his hands in the air in victory.

“Looks like you’re up,” Willa says with a smirk.

I suck my teeth, taking off my cut and passing it to Willa. “Hold this.”

I roll my shoulders, cracking my neck and shaking out my hands.

“Oh shit, Mad Dog took off his cut,” Rider crows.

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl, tightening my grip on my horse and stepping into the square.

Nine point four my ass.

Willa

I tighten my arms around Mad Dog’s cut, the leather in my hands familiar and yet foreign. The last time I held a cut like this it was Diesel’s. Soft, buttery. But the scent is different. Diesel’s was sour. Smoky. Musty. Mad Dog’s smells like warm spice on an autumn day. Jesus, hell what is wrong with me?

“He is surprisingly good at this,” Blanche mutters, juggling her chubby little girl on her hip.

She’s not wrong. Mad Dog is fit for his age, illustrated by how graceful his leaps seem to be. The fabric of his jeans bunching and tightening over his hard thighs, his large chest puffed out as he moves to Guns’n’Roses. The whole sight is ridiculous and yet Mad Dog doesn’t stop. Instead he leans into the ridiculousness, galloping close to the MC kids, Laney and little Bee clapping their hands while Nat and Savage’s little girl giggles with glee. Gus and Ana’s little boy seems happier to eat dirt while that grumpy baby of Jules’ sits and frowns at the Big Littles holding up score cards.

“Shit, it’s close,” Tank murmurs, handing a wad of notes over to Blanche.

“Are you betting on this?”

Tank looks surprised and a little confused, “Ah, yes? We bet on everything around here.”

“Everything.” Mira nods.

I turn back to Mad Dog, he’s really getting into it now. “November Rain” must be damn near 11 minutes long and I know first hand the stamina that man has. Digging into my bra I pull a $50 note from my bra.

“Put that on Mad Dog.”

Tank snorts as Blanche plucks the cash from my fingertips. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

My gaze catches Mad Dod’s, his eyes on the exchange. He throws me a look and I mouth “Don’t fuck this up.” A slow grin grows on his face and he gives me a wink and a blinding smile, miming giddyup before taking off again.

“I think you may have just won this for us, girl,” Pops says, coming to a stop next to me.

“Us?” I turn toward him.

“Oh, I don’t always bet on myself.” Pops say before swaggering over to Debs, grabbing her ass and dropping a very wet looking kiss on her lips.