Dog, ever the peacemaker, asked, “How good’s your coffee, darlin’?”
“My what?” she asked, looking at him, a little dazed by the switch in conversation.
“Coffee. Make us some.”
Crash watched as her gaze moved from Dog to him. He could tell she wasn’t sure how to take them. He smiled at her and nodded toward the coffeemaker. “We’ll be up on the roof, these guys want a smoke. Bring it up when it’s ready.” He loved putting her in her place in front of his brothers. High time the little rich girl earned her way. He made to move past her as she turned to look at the coffeemaker.
“Where do you put the thingy?” she asked him frowning at the machine.
“The what?”
“I only have the coffeemaker where you drop in the little cup thingy, press a button, and voila! Coffee.”
“Voila! Coffee?” he repeated. The guys burst into laughter behind him. “This ain’t that kind, babe.” He looked at the blank expression on her face. “You seriously don’t know how to make coffee?”
She shook her head.
“Do you even drink it?” he asked.
“I drink it,” she insisted. “I’d kill for a cappuccino or a half-caff skinny vanilla latte right now.”
“A what?” he frowned, laughing. Shaking his head, he replied, “Don’t know what the fuck you just said, but I drink my coffee black, baby.” Stepping behind her he ran through the steps for her, pointing out where the water, filter, and coffee went. “You got that or you need me to write it down?”
There were more snickers from his brothers.
“I’ve got it,” she bit back with a look that said she’d make him pay for that.
He grinned and nodded for the guys to follow him out. He led them up on the roof.
“Hope you don’t have any rat poison in there, cause brother, I think she’s probably pissed off enough to dose your coffee with it,” Red Dog teased.
Crash and Dog sat in the chairs, Green turned the wooden crate on end and sat on it, and Wolf stood. Crash watched his brothers all light up. It was times like these that he missed smoking, but he mostly got through the day knowing he could have that one smoke tonight.
“Know what today is?” Dog asked him.
Crash’s eyes cut to him.
Green filled in the answer. “Beat-down day.”
Crash’s gaze swung to him. “Artie Asshole?”
“Yup.”
“You’re lookin’ forward to it,” Crash observed.
Green grinned. “You know it, man.”
“There’s always a chance he folded up shop,” Crash suggested.
“Nope,” Wolf replied. “Swung by on our way here.”
Crash nodded, “Well, hate I’m gonna miss that. Way he treats those girls, wouldn’t mind bloodying my fists on him.”
“You ain’t gonna miss it,” Dog stated.
Crash frowned at Dog. Cole knew he had Shannon. What the fuck?
“Sorry. Hate to pull you away from this lovely, lovely job you lucked into, but Cole wants you there.”