“Lady Birds Café. Downtown. They let me make a reservation for four.”

  “Why do you even stay in this town?” Wendy asked. “You should move to Little Rock. You’d be closer to us.”

  They still didn’t get it and probably never would. “The club is Pine Bluff, so Pine Bluff is where I’ll stay.”

  “Give me one good reason to be with a bunch of Neanderthal outlaws.” Gigi’s brain asked the question, but I thought her crotch was looking for validation to bang Diesel. I’d answered this same question a dozen times. I’d have to go through the same answers again.

  “The sex, for one,” I said. “Beast has a nine-inch dick that sometimes I think pokes my stomach. Holding it in my hand is like holding a prized trophy.” I smiled. Wendy and Carmen practically drooled. Gigi shook her head. “But there’s also never a dull moment. There’s no going home and sitting on the couch, binging TV, going to bed unsatisfied, getting up the next morning to start the same mundane bullshit all over again.”

  Gigi stopped at the next light and turned her head. “What about the nice big house and expensive cars? You’ll never get those things being an old lady.”

  “Gigi, it’s not about that. It’s about the men. It’s about the brotherhood they love.” I stared out the passenger window. “I don’t think there’s another man on the planet who could make me feel loved and protected like Marcus does. He’s what every man should be but fails to achieve.”

  We parked across the street from Lady Birds and went inside. Gigi was still considering what I’d said about the club. She still had Diesel on her mind. She’d have to taste him to understand what I’d told them for years. After all this time, she was still trying to meet her father’s expectations. I felt terrible for her. We needed to set expectations and work toward those.

  A young waitress I had heard some club members talk about brought us menus and took our drink orders.

  “Charles wants to honeymoon in Fiji,” Gigi said. “An entire month.”

  Carmen made a pfft sound. “Can you handle being stuck on an island with him for an entire month with no way to escape?” Everyone but Gigi laughed, although I sensed she still had Diesel on her mind. “I guarantee he’ll be out on the golf course with his boys while you’re back in your room using your favorite vibrator.”

  Gigi rolled her eyes, meaning a white lie was coming. “Charles meets all my sexual needs. I do not need toys.”

  The three of us laughed. Gigi didn’t sway from her ways, and we’d never been able to convince her of anything otherwise. We doubted she’d ever had an orgasm.

  Everyone ordered, and then it was time to get down to business.

  Gigi opened the folder she’d brought in. “These are the bridesmaid’s dresses.” She turned the picture so we could see it. They were conservative and not very flattering.

  Wendy took the picture but looked at the café’s front window and the bikers outside. I grabbed my phone and sent a text to Marcus.

  “Same wedding dress?” I asked, trying to keep everyone’s eyes away from the windows. If that trouble on the other side of the windows came inside before the club arrived, we were screwed.

  “Changed my mind. I’ve been working on my guns.” Gigi flexed her biceps. “Thinking something sleeveless and low cut. And more of a sweep rather than a cathedral.”

  Midway through the conversation, Wendy pointed at the front windows. “Your guys are here. Time to find myself a biker.” Wendy was somewhere in between Gigi and Carmen. Her parents weren’t wealthy but managed to put her through college. She moved from Florida to attend the University of Arkansas and never moved back home. Her parents were disappointed and rarely spoke to her. That and Wendy had no interest in marriage or kids.

  The four bikers who entered the café were not my guys. They were from Hell’s Messengers, the rival club, and Pine Bluff’s perpetual troublemakers. It’s not that the Brothers of Chaos didn’t cause trouble. We didn’t do it in a way that made the town want to call in the National Guard. The Messengers were different. They didn’t mind littering the streets with heroin, meth, or fentanyl. It was no secret their drugs had caused the majority of overdose deaths in the city. Sex trafficking was a major income stream for their club, and both the locals and Brothers of Chaos were trying to end that stronghold.

  “Here we go,” the young waitress said. She placed our food on the table and then tried to return to her duties. One of the Messengers grabbed her and pulled her against his chest. She said nothing because saying something would have made things worse.

  “Can’t get me enough teenage pussy,” the Messenger said. He was the club’s Enforcer.

  I focused on the food in front of me and started eating. The others didn’t. They stared at the men, not understanding. Anything I said would be overheard. Not all bikers were cut from the same cloth. Though the Brothers of Chaos were an outlaw club, they weren’t assholes like the Messengers. I heard from women who’d left the Messengers’ club that they treated their old ladies like shit.

  Wendy got up, and I grabbed her hand. “Where are you going? Sit down.” She pulled away and approached the counter, where the Messengers talked to the owner. The owner handed them a stack of money. The fear in the owner’s eyes told me the money was for protection. Protection from what? Them?

  The bigger of the men saw Wendy approaching and tapped the others on the shoulder. I pulled out my phone and saw Marcus’s text. They were a few minutes away.

  “What do we have here?” one of the Messengers who’d been turned away asked. He was the club’s Sgt. at Arms. Cutter, I believe his name was. Wendy put her hand on his chest, meaning his kutte, her first mistake.

  Cutter’s face went from a smirk to pissed off. He grabbed Wendy’s hand and pushed her away.

  “What the hell?” Wendy said. “What was that for?”

  Cutter shifted his attention to us and moved Wendy to the side. He looked around to see if we were alone. “You’re Beast’s old lady.”

  “You should leave,” I said. “You don’t want any of this.”

  “What’s going on?” Gigi put her hand on mine. “Who are they?”

  The Messengers surrounded us and started eating our food. Cutter pulled up a chair and sat between Gigi and me. A van stopped outside in front of the café, and three Messengers got out.

  “A table full of young pussy,” Cutter said, his eyes on mine. He knew better than to lay a hand on me, but Wendy, Carmen, and Gigi were a different story. It was always open season on pussy as far as the Messengers were concerned.

  “You don’t want this kind of trouble,” I said. “Pack your boys up and head on out. I won’t even mention it to Beast.”

  Cutter smirked and nodded at the other bikers. They stood around the table as if we were all about to be taken away to jail. That wasn’t far from the truth. Local law enforcement wouldn’t stop a fight but would step in afterward to make arrests and clean up the mess.

  “You fucking move, and Beast will have to pick up the little pieces I leave behind.” He stood and motioned at the girls. “Pick one and bring her. Leave the teenage pussy behind.” He looked at the young waitress. “Maybe next time.”

  The Messengers looked at each other. They knew Cutter was making a mistake. One of the guys grabbed Carmen, one grabbed Wendy, and another grabbed Gigi. I was left alone.

  The seven assholes stopped what they were doing when they heard engines roar outside. Beast, Diesel, and four Prospects walked in.

  The Messengers let go of the girls and took a step back. I loved seeing the fear on their faces. It made them just a bit smarter, although I knew that didn’t matter. Beast wouldn’t let them walk away.

  “Skittles, take your friends outside,” Beast said. His eyes never left Cutter’s. He wouldn’t kill a man, or men, in front of witnesses, but he would invoke some severe damage.

  “We were just saying hi.” Cutter stood, outmanned even though he had one extra.

  Beast patiently waited for us to leave. He slapped my ass. “Good stuff.”

  “Are they going to fight?” Gigi asked. She was like a schoolgirl watching her crush about to protect her honor.

  “A quick one,” I said. “Then you can climb on the back of Diesel’s bike and return to the club.”

  “Not happening,” Gigi said but trained her eyes on him. If I had to bet the house on it, I would bet she’d sleep with him at least once to satisfy her curiosity. That wasn’t Gigi, but Diesel was hard to resist.

  I walked the girls outside, and we stood on the sidewalk, peering through the window for only a few seconds before Marcus had Cutter over his head. We stepped back when Cutter came through the glass. Moments later, the other six Messengers went through the broken windows. I watched Marcus return the stack of money to the café’s owner. Even outlaw bikers sometimes did the right thing.

  Marcus opened the shattered door, and the Messengers ran to their bikes. “I want a Prospect with you from now on.” He raised a finger when I started to protest. “From now on until I figure out who’s fucking with the club. Could be the Messengers, but who the fuck knows right now.”

  I nodded, knowing better than to talk back or disagree. Marcus wasn’t disrespecting me. He was protecting.

  “I’ll stay behind,” Diesel said. He smiled at Gigi, and she turned away and started toward the car. “I think she likes me.”

  “I think you’re right,” I said, and we followed. Diesel climbed on his bike and pulled in behind the car. I turned to Wendy in the backseat. “The next time you decide to hit on a biker, make sure you know what’s on the back of his kutte.”

  “Kutte?” Wendy asked.

  “The leather vest.”

  “We should stay the night.” Carmen was checking out Diesel behind us, and I noticed a wave of jealousy cross Gigi’s face. I’d made a safe bet. Women couldn’t control their desires any more than men could. Gigi wanted him badly.

  Diesel was right up on the bumper, sunglasses on, jeans tight, his kutte barely holding an upper body full of muscles and ink. He wore a black bandana on his head instead of a helmet. The ink on his arms was brutal, and I was sure it would send Gigi running again if she saw it.

  “No fucking way,” Gigi said. “Did you not see the guys who were about to kidnap, rape, and murder us?”

  “You can stay at my place,” I offered. “Or there’s a Holiday Inn down the road from the club.” I turned to Wendy and Carmen. “There’s another party tonight.” Just the mention of a party made their panties wet. Gigi, not so much.

  Wendy and Carmen leaned forward between the front seats. The three had come down to discuss wedding and bachelorette plans for Gigi. We could still do that after the party.

  Gigi watched Carmen and Wendy through the rearview. “You can’t be serious. Charles is expecting me home tonight.”

  “Stop at the drugstore and get some Tampons if that’s the problem.” I rolled my eyes, and everyone burst out laughing.

  “Everyone’s periods were last week,” Wendy said.

  “We can make dick off limits?” I said, knowing it was already off-limits for Gigi.

  Gigi started the car and pulled from the curb, Diesel following. “I started this week,” she said.

  “Then dick won’t be an issue.” Carmen reached over the seat and hugged Gigi.

  “That’s not going to stop a club member.” At least it never stopped Marcus. “Pussy is pussy, pink or red. They’re going to hit it either way.”

  Gigi made a gagging motion with her finger in her mouth. She had no idea what she was missing. I thought Wendy and Carmen did, so they wanted to stay. Guys don’t run from good pussy, girls shouldn’t run from good dick.

  “Holiday Inn, party, then back to the Holiday Inn,” Wendy said. “We came all this way. I say we have some fun.”

  We pulled into the Holiday Inn parking lot around four, and I stayed outside while the girls went inside to get a room. I was sure Gigi would give the car keys to Wendy or Carmen and stay behind. She had expectations to meet.

  “You gonna hook me up with the Gigi chick?” Diesel asked. “He had a large hard-on just thinking about her. I feared he’d break her in half if he didn’t bust out of his jeans first.

  “Probably have a better shot at Wendy or Carmen.” There was no disappointment on his face because Diesel believed he had a shot at every woman he crossed paths with.

  Diesel shook his head. “Don’t want Wendy or Carmen. Gigi has a better ass and bigger tits. Plus, she’s playing hard to get. I like a challenge.”

  “Gigi doesn’t want anything to do with the club.” I didn’t necessarily think that was true, but even an outlaw biker could get his heartbroken. Diesel was a good guy and had done some pretty tough shit for the club. I’d heard his stretch at Varner was brutal, and he barely made it out alive. That’s where he and Marcus met.

  “I’ll change her mind.” Diesel adjusted his cock, and I tried to pretend like I didn’t see him doing it. “You know I have a way with words.”

  “Tell you what, Diesel.” I would go out on a limb and hope it didn’t break. “I’ll get the girls to come to the club tonight. You talk to Gigi if she does show up. If she’s interested, then she’s yours.” His smile meant that if she said no, he’d be crushed and break shit. Marcus would be super pissed at me, so he needed to be warned.

  “She’ll change her mind.”

  I patted Diesel’s chest. “But you have to promise me you won’t break her in half when you’re fucking her. And before you say anything, I heard about the girl down in Florida.”

  Diesel shrugged and lit a cigarette. “I’ll take it easy on her . . . the first time.”

  “Deal.”

  I walked into the hotel as the girls walked to the elevator. “I need a shower,” Gigi said.

  Diesel wouldn’t care if she hadn’t had a shower in a week. “I’ll have Diesel give me a ride back to the club. See you around seven?”

  Wendy and Carmen were excited as hell. Gigi was still iffy. Fuck, I didn’t want Diesel crushed.

  Outside, I climbed onto the bike with Diesel, who still had a hardon, and returned to the club.

  I needed to be careful with whom I brought into the club. Prospects were highly vetted and had to work their asses off to become members. The trust built between the brotherhood was pretty much unshakeable. They were men who would die for each other. The old ladies in the club were different. There were catfights and backstabbings. Women came and left as if it were a spectator sport. The life wasn’t for everyone, and I doubted Wendy, Carmen, or Gigi would be happy with it and the commitments.

  I didn’t see Gigi getting down on her knees for Diesel to plow. I hoped I was wrong. Having one or all three a part of the club would be amazing. Unfortunately, becoming an old lady sometimes meant your family disowned you like mine. Dad’s first comment was, “Don’t bring one of those trailer park he-whores to this house.” So I never did. It was one of those things Marcus and I never talked about. He didn’t mind my occasional visit home because he knew it was important to me. On the other hand, Mom had read her fair share of raunchy biker romance stories. I think she secretly wanted to visit the club. Maybe someday I would make that happen.

  We pulled into the club, and Marcus walked out. “Where are your friends?”

  I climbed off the bike, and Marcus grabbed me. He pulled me tight and buried a dirty kiss against my lips. Yeah, I loved the club life.

  “They’ll be here. Decided to stay the night, so we dropped them at the Holiday Inn.” I stuck my hand down his pants while nobody was looking. “I think you’re ready again.”

  “Let’s get to it.”

  I turned to Diesel, who was following us into the club. “Remember what we talked about.”

  Diesel nodded. “No breaking Gigi in half.”

  3

  Beast

  I stopped licking Skittles’ pussy after her second climax. We’d done three and four in a row before, but she slept the rest of the night and the following day. There was too much business to take care of tonight for that to happen.

  Skittles closed her legs and stared at the ceiling. She had a rocking body, and I wished I had more time to rock it. “I wanna get you over to the whorehouse and get you settled in. Brainiac is going to meet us there. He’ll show you how to review the books and ensure correct service payment logging. We need to up the pussy intake.”

  Skittles turned on her side and rolled her eyes. “You make it sound so romantic.” She crawled toward me, and I slid from the bed. “You can’t get away.”

  “Club business. No choice.”

  “It’s late.”

  “Sounds like you’re questioning an order.”

  Skittles slinked back across the bed. “No. I just wanted to spend more time with you. But I get it.”

  “Good girl.” I showered and waited out in the club for Skittles. Of course, she invited me to accompany her in the shower, but I knew once we got started again, we would either be late or something would break. We had to replace the shower door at least twice.

  The main area outside the church room was jammed full of people, drinking and eating. Big Kentucky proposed a toast to my newfound freedom, and I downed a beer in celebration. Shit like that happens when you’ve been locked away from the stuff for five years. You overindulge in alcohol, good food, and pussy. Tomorrow I’d go down to Texas Bob’s and have one of his big ass steaks. Eat it all, and it’s free.

  “We got a problem,” TexMex said.

  I followed him into the closed-circuit security office, where a Prospect was watching porn on one of the security screens. “Brought me in here to watch some guy getting pegged?”

  “Na, Beast.” He pointed at the screen. “Look at the room.”

  I shoved my glasses on my face and leaned forward. “Son of a bitch. That’s one of our rooms.” I closed the door behind us. “How the fuck did that get on a porn site?”

  “We still have cameras in all the rooms, and delete the recordings when the session ends.” Customers didn’t mind the recordings because they knew we did it for the girls’ safety. If this shit got out, we were fucked. TexMex hit a couple of keys on the keyboard. “Here’s another one.”