Chapter Nine: Trouble’s Brewing
Numbers
“You got some didn’t you?” Hawk tapped his fingers on the Wheelz bar top, as he waited for his beer. It was one night on from me seeing Mia, and I felt glad I plucked up enough courage to go see her. I stayed the night and fell asleep on the couch with her, but nothing happened. We gave each other the gift of intimacy and that was a first. Not like I didn’t want anything to happen, but it would be her choice and when she was ready. It’d been heaven to have her silky hair laying on my chest, smelling like raspberries.
“No, I’m just spending some time with a special someone right now is all.” It was hard to hide the shit-eating grin on my face.
“Please, we all know you have the hots for the lawyer. Your secret is safe with no one.”
He shot down my attempt at discretion and I opened my mouth to protest.
Chalk pointed his finger from the pool table to me and nodded in support of Hawk who was now doubled over and grinning at my caught-out face.
“Ok, maybe. Her name is Mia, not ‘the lawyer’ by the way,” I clarified as I waited alongside him for a glass of Coke. I figured I drank enough this week and wanted to give the body a hit of sugar instead.
Ink poured from the tap and shot me a grin. “She’s a good catch. Good luck with it. You should invite her down here, she can get to know the crew,” Ink suggested.
I was toying with the idea. I didn’t want to seem too forward with her, but I wanted to see her pretty face as soon as possible.
“I agree. Nothing to hide. We all know you like her,” Hawk smirked as Ink slid a frothy beer in front of him with a round coaster.
My coke was up next. Ink dropped another coaster underneath it, the wiped down the bar. He took pride in his job and it showed. Pity that in his personal life that didn’t translate. His apartment was a huge mess. His clothes were strewn everywhere the last time we went to see him, but I was happy to see him in his element. When he was in the coma, we all feared for his life. We thought he might not make it.
He made these Ink Specials that sent the ladies into overdrive, emptying out their pockets with ease. I even tried one and thought it was pretty good. Not my style of drink, but if it were, I would have been guzzling them down like water.
Charlie, one of the prospects, was due in a little later in the evening, and he gave Ink another sense of purpose. Ink was working with him to put him through his paces and to ease him into motorcycle club life. So far, so good for him, because he seemed to be fitting in pretty well with us all.
“I might. Let me think about it.” I knew I was being stubborn. Subconsciously, I’d already planned to send her a text to come to the club later. I wanted to see her let her hair down, away from work and home. I was curious to know if she could mix it with the guys and just have fun.
Most of the Rebel Saints were in the club, typical for a Friday night with us. We all liked to get together and catch up. I took a sip of the sugary goodness of Coke and fished around in my pocket.
I shot off a text message to Mia. Hey @Wheelz come down for fun!
Two minutes later my phone lit up blue. I felt surprised that I got a reply so quickly. Maybe I did have a shot with her. I wasn’t 100% sure where I wanted to take it, but I knew my feelings were growing the more I spent time with her.
Sure. Be there in 15.
Hawk side-eyed me. “You got it bad. Admit it,” he pressed.
I gave him a blank look. “Relax. She’ll be here soon.”
“Of course. I won’t blow your cover.” He winked. “Did you ever take that plate down to the cop station?”
“Nah, what’s the point? They’re not going to do anything about it. I mean what could they do? We didn’t catch the dealer or anything. He rode off and we didn’t officially see nothing. Holbeck Police will laugh me right out of the door. Plus, given they just tried to nail me for car theft, I don’t think that’s going to go down too well.”
“Yeah, you’re right on the money. Might be best we leave it for now—”
“Excuse the pun,” I jumped in and cut Hawk off.
Hawk flicked me with his thumb.
“What? You don’t get the joke, right on the money ? ‘cuz I’m Numbers?” I faced my palms up, just goofing around like I normally did.
“Your jokes get worse and worse, man.” Hawk shook his head. “But yeah ? back to what you were saying, the way Bones was talking to me the other day, he felt like our energy as a club would be better served trying to build a strong business portfolio.”
I nodded profusely as I gulped down my Coke. “He’s right. That’s the way to go, and we have a few meetings coming up to go see some places.”
“Good.” I looked up to the other side of the bar and noticed Harper and Naomi were here. That was even better, Mia could meet Bone’s old lady. He was wrapped up in conversation near the pool table with Bear. I caught Naomi’s eye and waved.