Crossing my fingers, I sent up a prayer to whatever god or goddess oversaw getting down with Mr. Buzz-Buzz that Opal would stay asleep while I relieved myself of the effects of my overactive panty hamster.
There was no way I could deal with them without emptying the tank, so to speak. And I definitely was not thinking that pair of earplugs would take care of eliminating whatever nonsense came out of their mouths if I decided I could put my mad aside and take one for a quick spin…for old time’s sake, of course, not because I was hoping some sparkly fairy would drop down and poof my life into a fairytale where the rough-and-tumble princes worshiped their woman for the rest of her days and polished her, uh, chrome on the regular.
I must have zoned out because a loud snort from directly behind me nearly scared me out of my skin…and I might have pissed myself a little. Ya know, mommy bladder and all that shiznit. Craning my head over my shoulder to find Coot, I ignored the heat blooming in my cheeks at his knowing glance flicking from me to where Lochlan had disappeared. Not that I could miss his low voice, almost a whisper.
“It’s still your dry season around here. Better be careful with that heat between you two. Wouldn’t want to start a fire, now would you?” He was so close, the husky rumble reverberated in my ear, snapping me out of my surprise to jolt sideways and away from him, banging my hip on one of the tables hard enough to rattle the chairs on it.
“No worries there, bud. I hear there’s a good chance of frost hitting soon.” Not the most eloquent comeback, but I strode off just the same as if it had been a zinger and went outside to see what the hold-up was with the other two.
They were just heading in, with two heavy-looking duffel bags slung over each shoulder.
“Am I good to lock up now? I’ll give you keys to go out the back, and there’s parking back there too if you’d rather. I don’t like chancing the bar being left unlocked when it’s not open, so it’s only the back entrance unless there's an emergency.” I realized I was overexplaining even though I didn’t owe them anything of the sort and snapped my mouth shut. Preppy smirked at me, but he wisely kept whatever he was thinking to himself.
“We’re good. We’ll be on our way in the morning.” Gus’ answer was clipped and his countenance hard.
If that was how he wanted it, it was fine by me. I’d just ignore the contrary pain my chest twinged with. It was what I wanted, what I needed, but my emotions weren’t quite on board yet. They were still reeling from the surreality of them being alive, right along with the rest of me. Or at least most of the rest of me. My libido was being a little tart, waving the open sign like a fifties flag girl at a street race.
As we got into the chapel, they set their bags down, and I turned just in time to catch them canvasing the room, scanning it from one end to the other, before they relaxed. I hadn’t the foggiest on what, or who, they had expected to be in here, but they were definitely on high alert. I chose not to comment on it, going to where the footlocker was sitting on the large table with Lochlan and Coot guarding it.
“Surprised your old man lets you hang out around here by yourself with strange men,” Preppy quipped behind me.
Doing my best not to rise to the bait, I put my back against the table and held my hand out before asking, “Who has the key?”
“What key?” Lochlan retorted, confusion on his face.
“The paper. You should have a key that matches the files… Fuck.” Dread filled my bones as my gaze darted from one to the other until I’d made a full round back to Lochlan.
Jesus fucking Christ, what if they’re undercover to bust me?I hadn’t even questioned it. Being who they were, I just assumed, but they were also military… My thoughts spiraled from there. I freaked out internally while trying to keep my shit together on the outside. Other than my minor slip, which could have just as easily been an insult, I could backtrack and get them out of here, call the crew in, and sanitize the place before morning.
My plans to clean house in a hurry were interrupted by Gus. “Oh, I thought you meant a key key. They said you’d have a copy to get the footlocker open and made it clear we weren’t getting one. I have the inventory key right here.” He held out a large index card, but I was afraid to take it, leaving him hanging while I yanked my phone from my pocket, sending a message to my aunt in an instant.
The return message I got back had relief surging through me so fast I felt like a balloon that had just had all its air let out. She’d already vetted their arrival and had been about to message me. God, I loved that woman.
Some of what I’d tried to hide must not have gone unnoticed because Lochlan took immediate offense. “We’re not narcs, Sevey. No matter our personal feelings about you, we’re loyal to the Club.”
I held my head high, refusing to quail under the comment. “Yes, I just got confirmation, something I should have done before I let you in. Frankly, my head is a bit all over the place after seeing you’re alive when we were assured you were not almost three years ago. I can’t be too careful. I have people that depend on me, and my club members have lives I shouldn’t be taking chances with.” I took the card from Gus and turned my back on all of them while I fished for the right key on the ring. I was just slipping the lock off when Lochlan couldn’t hold his tongue any longer, though the comment wasn’t directed at me, but to one of the others.
“She’s not even wearing a ring, can’t be too serious. Unless she was already involved back then and just doesn’t wear one at all so she can make promises she doesn’t plan to keep.”
At that point, I well and truly lost my shit. “Goddamnit!” I yelled, slapping the table with my hand, the smack like a crackshot in the abrupt silence. “We spent one night together. One! I can’t help that you— You know what? It’s not worth rehashing.” Taking a breath to calm myself then blowing it out to help release the stress of it all, I opened my eyes and focused on them. “Let’s get the inventory done quickly, so I can message my contact that it’s all here, then I’ll show you to your rooms and give you a quick tour so you can eat and get your beauty sleep.” I’d never admit road rough looked good on any of them, even if I were being tortured, but if they were going to pick at me, I could do the same to them. Rules of hospitality be damned.
Gus shot a pleading glance at Lochlan while Preppy told him to shut it. I guessed he was done fucking around as well.
I started pulling files from the footlocker, matching them to the key and verifying all the pages were there before going for the supplies I’d been sorely in need of. The special inks, dyes, and other supplies to forge solid documentation for a myriad of states wasn’t something I could waltz into the nearest office supply store to procure.
Remembering that I’d need to do a set in the morning, I set enough aside to lock in my desk while everything else went back into the footlocker to get stored in one of the safe rooms I used to practice my trade.
With a quick “Be right back,” I took what I had set aside to my office before I lugged the rest with us. I fully didn’t expect to be followed. It was my damn clubhouse and bar after all, and in theory, they should have kept their asses in the chapel. It only took me a few seconds to pop the supplies in a drawer and lock it, but that was enough time for a low whistle to ring out behind me.
“No wonder you got your panties all up in a twist when we showed up.” And then louder, Preppy yelled for the cousins. “Boudreaux! Get your asses in here. I think there’s a hell of a lot of explaining that needs to be done.”
I felt myself pale for the second time that night. “Get the fuck out of my clubhouse.” My voice was low and deadly as I snatched the picture that sat on my desk out of his hand. It held a picture of my daughter and both of the guys, and it wasn’t any of his fucking business.
The dick didn’t move, and before I could escalate matters, the other three popped in and froze, staring warily between me and the interloper. Gus, either stupid or brave, or maybe both, edged in between us, his back to me as he confronted his friend.
“What’s happened, Ares?” His voice held a hint of accusation, and I had to wonder how well they knew this man and why they’d let him follow me.
Holding his hands up, Ares, a name that fit him well enough with his dangerous demeanor, tipped a finger down to point behind Gus. “Think you might want to turn around and take a peek at what your lady friend is holding.”
Gus turned halfway around to give me a questioning glance, but Lochlan’s stare felt like it was boring a hole through me, and I caved, looking up at him.
Nervousness flashed across his face as he asked, in a gentler tone than he’d used since they showed up, “Sevey, what’s he talking about?”
Closing my eyes for a brief second, I opened them again as I flipped the frame over. The only sound in the room was the sharp inhalations from the cousins and a whispered “Oh, shit,” from Coot. There was no mistaking she belonged to Gus or Lochlan, especially not with their pictures side by side.