“He’ll know a Ravens Ruin patch on his back is better than piss on his shallow grave, which will be the only other option,” I reply.
TJ almost looks disappointed, knowing his thirst for bloodlust will have to be quenched somewhere else.
“There’s something else,” Briar murmurs, but before he can finish the chapel door swings wide open and The Professor walks in.
“Who the fuck is that?” TJ mutters.
Trailing behind Professor is a leanly muscled man. He’s naked except for the leather straps crossing over his torso, crawling on all fours with his head down and a soft-looking fox tail swishing along the back of his thighs.
“How does the tail st—” Ronan stops himself before laughing. “Never mind.”
“I can’t be the only one with a hard-on right now, right?” Chains whispers loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.
Smalls grunts his agreement.
“I’ve always wanted a pet,” Boston agrees.
Professor snaps his teeth at each one of them, clearly possessive of his toy.
“Church dismissed,” I order.
“Things just got a lot more interesting,” TJ says as he walks toward the door, flicking the hanging tail before leaving the room.
Briar doesn’t move, and I smile at the reminder of power he holds in the club.
“You sure know how to make an entrance,” I tell my friend as I stand, crossing the room and clapping him on the back with a hug. I point to TJ’s vacated spot at the table. “Have a seat. Whiskey?”
“Sure,” Professor says as he rounds the table and I pour all of us a drink.
Professor’s friend settles at his feet, head leaning adoringly on his thigh, only emitting a tiny seductive whimper when he leans back on his heels.
He thanks me for the drink when I pass it to him. I don’t get a reaction out of Briar. He’s too busy issuing his death glare across the table to notice the fresh glass of whiskey I set down.
“Listen,” Professor says, noticing Briar’s narrowed eyes, “I’ve been running shit in prison for the last ten years. Your patch is safe. The last thing I want is responsibilities on the outside.”
“Everyone in this club has responsibilities,” Briar counters.
Professor smiles, the same devious smirk he’d use in prison so people would underestimate him. “I’d prefer a little more freedom than upper management.”
Briar nods, appeased.
“I only have a few rules.”
It’s my turn for my head to snap back. Briar eyes me as if saying see, I told you so.
“Rules? Brother,” I begin leaning in so he’s listening, “I’m the only one making rules around here.”
“Not club rules,” he clarifies with a teasing grin on his face. He angles his head down at his friend. “No one touches, disrespects, or mistreats Kai.”
“Hold on.” Briar holds his hand up. Professor narrows his eyes on him, daring him to think before he speaks.
Looking over at Briar as well, I pray he remembers the things I’ve said about my time in prison and the brutal force in which Professor defended me. I can’t imagine what his response would be right now, but I know he’s very proprietary.
“Never mind,” Briar mutters as he stands from the table. “We had a room cleaned for you. I can take you there now if you like.”
“We’ll catch up later?” Professor looks at me as he also stands.
“I’ll see how Zoe feels, but I’m sure I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Zoe?” Professor draws his eyebrows in until I nod in his direction. “Seems we’ve both changed a little over the years.”
My friend walks away, Kai maintaining his quick pace even though he’s on hands and knees. The foxtail swishes with each movement, and I can only smile when Briar looks back at me from the doorway.
“What the fuck?” he mouths.
“Don’t kink-shame, Brother. More people in this clubhouse understand that tail a lot better than your celibacy.”
He gives me a touché middle finger before he disappears down the hallway to escort Professor and Kai to their room.
I have other places to be and ideas for my own fox’s tail if she hasn’t moved her things into my room.Chapter 42Zoe
“The guys are leaving tomorrow,” Molly says as she fills two shot glasses with amber colored liquor.
Everyone is here tonight. More people than I’ve ever seen before. They’re loud and rowdy and having a great time, but there’s still an eerie sense of foreboding hanging over us like a dark cloud.
“I know,” I respond. “But, they’re flying so they shouldn’t be gone as long.”
It’s pretty sound reasoning. I haven’t asked Lynch details about his business, but the whispers are still there. I know they’re heading down to Miami, and I know that everyone is nervous about that. Something happened with a woman and Lynch’s dad. Everyone is hush-hush, but from the little bits and pieces I’ve picked up, I know it was bad, and this trip to Florida is stemming from that situation.