“Thanks. I was planning to stop by and talk to him. Pay my respects. I wasn’t sure if I was going to bring Shelby or not.”
“Definitely bring her. Valentina will probably love her, and that always goes a long way with Priest.”
Another helpful bit of advice. “Thanks, brother.”
“I’m sure Z would’ve told you the same thing. Priest’s sweet on his ol’ lady.” His lips twist in an amused or irritated smirk—hard to tell with Ice. But it’s true. Lilly’s one of the few ol’ ladies outside of the Mississippi charter to have Priest’s patch on her ‘property of’ vest—something some of the old ladies in my charter haven’t taken well.
“He’s always happy when his officers settle down,” Ice mutters.
This conversation gives Ice’s single status new meaning. “He give you a dad speech about taking an ol’ lady of your own?”
He blows out an annoyed breath. “Only every time I see the old goat.”
How the fuck does Priest have time to keep tabs on the financials and arrest records of all the charters around the country and worry about his officers’ love lives? “You and Anya seemed pretty close the other night.” I must be feeling cocky from my impending departure, otherwise I’m not sure I’d poke around in that particular hornet’s nest.
He gives me a heaping dose of side-eye. “You’ve noticed there’s a bit of an age gap there, haven’t you?”
Well, fuck. Ice might be the first one-percenter I’ve ever known to voice that concern. “Yeah, because no biker’s ever dated a younger woman before.”
Not so much as a chuckle out of him. “He won’t welcome a porn star as an ol’ lady.”
“Why the fuck not?” More than half the clubs earn their money from running strip clubs. Well, that might be an exaggeration. Most of them use the strip clubs as a way to launder dirty money from other ventures. But we’re earning good money producing porn. I scratch the side of my head. “Isn’t it Lost Kings legend that Priest shot a brother for disrespecting Valentina when they were dating?”
He bursts out laughing. “You advocating I shoot our national prez?”
“Fuck no. I’m just saying, no one should question you. Besides, she brings more money into the organization than some patch holders do. Priest should respect that, if nothing else.”
“Solid point. Money definitely changes his perspective.” He taps my shoulder. “Thanks, brother.”
“Doctor Rooster, at your service.” I salute him.
SHELBY
I really don’t think I’m a prude. I mean, I love sex. Especially sex with Rooster. But I’m not used to seeing other people having sex. Right in front of me.
Unfortunately, that seems to be the theme at the clubhouse tonight.
And I’d thought the upstate New York clubhouse was wild.
In the chair to Rooster’s left, the big guy I’d met earlier—Pants—has a mostly naked redhead grinding on his lap like her life depends on it. His face is buried in the crook of her neck and he appears to be whispering stuff to her. One hand’s cupping her extremely generous bare breast and the other one’s tucked up somewhere under her tiny pleated skirt.
Not that I’m staring. But it’s kind of hard not to look. They’re so close, Rooster could shift his leg a few inches to the left and easily turn their party into a threesome.
I cough and huddle closer to Rooster, who doesn’t seem to notice the free show. “Are you guys filming tonight?”
He glances down, confusion clouding his eyes. “No. Why?”
I discreetly lift my chin in the grinding couple’s direction. “Beauty and the beast over there. Seems like a waste not to get that on film.”
He turns his gaze their way. A quick smirk curves his lips. “Yo, Pants! You auditioning for a part in one of Anya’s movies?”
Pants releases the girl’s breast long enough to flip Rooster off, but otherwise ignores the taunt.
To my right, Jigsaw’s shaking with laughter and watching the couple like someone’s going to ask him to write a detailed report on it later. He leans toward me without looking away. “You have any special piercings, Shelby?”
“What? No. Why?”
His lips twist in a playful way. “No reason.”
Rooster leans down, pressing his lips against my ear. “What’d he ask you?”
I turn to answer, “Noth—” but my words get cut off by a glint of metal from under the girl’s skirt. Ewww, I didn’t need to know how this stranger bedazzles her labia.
I whip around and smack Jigsaw’s arm. He bursts into more loud laughter.
“You want to go outside?” Rooster asks me.
Instead of answering, I shift my body. I throw one leg over his thighs and perch my butt on his lap, resting my hands on his shoulders. He immediately runs his hands up my jeans-covered legs, stopping to squeeze my butt. “What’re you doing, chickadee?”
I tip my head to the side. “Well, not that.” I lean in and brush my lips over his. “That’s not what you expect of me, I hope.”