I like the thought of finding a place with Winter, and after accepting my food from Debbie with a grunt of thanks, I consider it further.Would it be something I want to surprise her with? Or get her input? And where would we want to live? With Winter constantly having to hide from the Athena and the Blackmoor heirs, perhaps it would make sense to find a spot in a different town, but then what would I do for income?
I hardly taste my food as I think about that. Working for the club, in the club’s garage, standing by Mark’s side is all I’ve ever known. I’m not even sure I could get hired by a legitimate mechanic’s garage with my rap sheet and lack of other references. Even if I am good with wheels.
A heavy hand thumps my back, pulling me from my train of thought as Knuckles sinks onto the stool beside me. Dallas and Rico take the spots on my other side.
“You’re going to stare a hole in the bar if you look at it any harder,” Dallas ribs, stealing my mug of coffee and guzzling it.
“I can see the smoke starting to come out of your ears,” Knuckles adds, doing his best to give me a wet willy.
I shove him hard enough to knock him off his stool, and he snickers as he clambers back on.
“No wrestling at my bar,” Debbie scolds. “What do you three trouble-makers want to eat?” She cowls at Rico, Dallas, and Knuckles to indicate who she’s talking to. Then her eyes land on my empty coffee mug sitting in front of Dallas.
“Surprise us, Cooky.” Dallas flashes her a winning smile.
Debbie rolls her eyes and sets out three fresh mugs, leaving my old one in front of Dallas; she tops them off with coffee. I snicker at her silent show of solidarity she’s offering me. With a wink, she departs to the kitchen once more.
“So, what’s making your brain boil at this time of the morning?” Rico asks.
“Have you guys ever thought about leaving Blackmoor before?” I ask, glancing over at them.
“Leave Blackmoor?” Dally’s blond eyebrows rose toward his hairline.
“Why would we do that?” Knuckles asks.
“Are you thinking about leaving?” Rico adds, leaning forward to stare me down. With his eyes narrowed suspiciously, he reminds me more of his dad, my uncle Javie, than usual.
I shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t love being under Jaxon with him as our new VP. I guess he’s doing some good things, making some decent changes and all. It just feels like, after everything that’s happened, the town’s kind of… tainted somehow. You know? It’s like Blackmoor will never be the same, and we’re all going to be walking on eggshells for the rest of our lives. I was thinking about asking Mark if me and some of the younger guys, maybe you guys if you’re interested, could start a sister chapter in a nearby town. Not too far off—maybe a few hundred miles or less, but enough to get some space, start fresh.” I glance between them, gaging their expressions.
Knuckles actually looks thoughtful, like he might enjoy a new adventure, a change of scenery. Dallas seems more hesitant, which surprises me. He’s normally the one with wanderlust and no sense of self-preservation—or family ties. But Rico’s glare only intensifies.
“Is this because of Winter?” he asks, his suspicion clear in his tone.
I shrug once more, attempting nonchalance.
“Oh, man! Are you together again, or at least as together with her as you were before?” Dallas teases.
“Does that mean we won’t get another crack at fucking her?” Knuckles tacks on, and my hackles raise.
“Yeah, I want another taste of that fine-ass pussy. I want to fuck her at the same time as you take her ass,” Rico taunts, slapping Dallas on the shoulder.
The memory of watching the guys fucking Winter makes me bristle further, and a growl rumbles low in my chest. I clench my fists, fork in one hand, knife still in the other, as I try to control my anger. I know I was the one who gave Winter to them. But it was for one night, and they better get it out of their fucking heads that they might ever get to touch her again. She’smine. And I don’t feel like sharing her.
“Fuck you, Rico. You had your chance. I offered, but you wanted to be selfish and come in her ass before anyone else did,” Dallas jokes. “Next time, you don’t get to play boss and call the shots. You’ll take the sloppy seconds, and Knuckles and I can stuff her full without you.”
Slamming my fists into the bar, I drop my silverware and throw a heavy left hook straight into Dallas’s cheek, sending him flat onto the floor.
“What the fuck, man!” Knuckles shouts as I jump off my stool and follow Dallas to the floor, jumping on top of him to continue my assault.
I can’t stop myself. My vision’s red with rage as I think about them fucking Winter. “Nobody fucking touches her!” I bellow.
“Get the fuck off!” Dallas hollers, doing a good job of protecting his face with his forearms.
Rico and Knuckles grip me by the elbows and haul me to my feet, but I’m not done. I’ve already told them before not to talk about Winter like that, and now they’re doing it in the middle of the club, where anyone can hear them.
Wrenching my arm free of Rico’s grasp, I launch another wild blow, catching Knuckles’ jaw, and he staggers back. Then I go for Rico. He’s ready for me, slamming his fist into my stomach before I can reach him. Doubling over, I gasp for air as my solar plexus locks up. Rico takes the opportunity to bring his elbow down on my back. But I refuse to go down. Instead, I launch forward, burying my shoulder in his gut as I take him clean off his feet.
Grunting as we slam into the hardwood floor, I slam my right fist into Rico’s ribs one, two, three times.