??ve just ensured that I won’t get to see her for at least a few weeks.
Then I grow irritated all over again. The fact that Ethan is okay with me babysitting his daughter means that he does know I’m fond of her. Asshole.
“Fucking hell,” I hear Grant muttering. “Never liked him much…”
I scoff. As if I care.
“Yeah?” I call back, letting Grant know I heard him, and he at least has the grace to look a little embarrassed. “No worries, I fucking hate you all, too!”
I laugh and lean back in my chair. Grant busies himself at the bar and Ethan turns away with a scowl. The brunette girl simpers, trying to make up for her earlier mistake, still damp from the beer I poured on her. The dark-haired girl, however, is giving me a considering look.
“What?” I snap, narrowing my eyes at her.
“If you hate them so much, why do you wear the jacket?” she asks, head tilted to the side. “You’re always wearing it.”
I sneer at her and she looks away. I think about answering, but I have no desire to get into personal details with a woman that I’ll be pushing out my front door as soon as I can tomorrow morning. So I just laugh at her and pick up my beer.
The Roughshod Rollers. Despite the way that I sneer and scoff and insult them, I still wear their jacket. I’m still part of that little group. Many have asked me why I don’t just move on and find a group more suited to my temperament, but I’ve either ignored them, on a good day, or beat them into the ground for daring to ask, on a really good day.
I never answer the question.
Probably because I don’t really have an answer.
Loyalty is likely what it comes down to. I’ve been with the Roughshod Rollers almost since the beginning, and I’ve seen just about everything. I was there when George passed away. I was there when the roof of our house first caved in, forcing us to scramble to find someone to fix it. I was there, at the hospital, with many of the original members, when George’s mother passed away.
I’ve been there through almost everything.
So why walk away now? I’ve been with the Roughshod Rollers for so long, it just seems like a complete waste of my time to walk away just to find a different jacket. Besides, my jacket is worn in and warm; the leather soft after multiple washes. A new jacket would be stiff and it would smell funny.
That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking with it.
The door opens again and Liam walks in. Fucking great. Grant is the most honest man I know, but he’s also the type to sit back and not get involved. Liam, though… He’s the guy that likes to play hero. Sure enough, when he sees me, he frowns and starts walking over to me, his eyes flicking to one of my dates, the one covered in beer.
“Yes?” I drawl as he gets closer.
“Does it make you happy to torture people like this?” Liam demands.
I give him an incredulous look.
“Yes,” I say, as though he should have known the answer.
He scoffs, disgusted, and turns to Brunette, his expression softening.
“Do you want me to take you to the staff room so you can clean up in private?” he asks.
“Uh…” She looks at me. “No thanks, I’m okay like this.”
I grin at Liam, who looks frustrated. Such is my hold that this woman will voluntarily sit covered in beer until I want to leave, just because that’s what I want her to do. The control is heady, and I grin victoriously at Liam, who knows he has lost.
“Don’t worry,” I purr, dragging the brunette against me. I lick a long stripe up her neck and Liam scowls at me. “I’ll make sure to get it all off later. After all, I don’t want to go wasting good beer.”
I can see that Liam is mad. But there’s nothing else he can say, not if he wants to avoid starting a fight. I can see, for a moment, that he’s thinking about it. But then he huffs and turns away.
“Not worth it,” he mutters.
“Yeah?” I ask, not about to admit that that stings a little. “Like you have any room to judge. You can’t keep your dick in your pants for a full twenty-four hours!”
Liam goes white and then he flushes. I grin at his embarrassment. He thinks he’s so smart, hiding himself away, but I noticed the change, of course. Little Liam is all grown up and chasing a real relationship.