“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself to me? Or don’t I matter because I don’t have a dick?”
Rider took a step toward Jewell, but Jo placed a firm hand on Rider’s chest, unaware Gavin had swung around at Jewell’s malicious question.
“I can understand how you’re missing your boy toy, but he’s mine now, and I don’t share. If you have a problem with that, we can settle that after dinner. I really don’t want to get out of line to rip those extensions out of your head, but if I have to, I will.”
“I have a problem.” Jewell pushed forward, using her breasts as battering rams.
Jo’s mouth dropped open in shock that the woman would pick a fight in front of everyone in the kitchen. Then her temper turned into a blinding rage. She was going to yank every extension out of her head and strangle the bitch with them.
“Titty fight!” a loud voice shouted from the front of the line.
Reacting without thinking, Jo sprung herself at Jewell, then found herself lifted off the floor and held against a firm chest. Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she saw Jewell being held back by Rider, his grip around her waist.
“Let her go, or I’m walking out that door,” she snarled, seeing his hands on the woman inflaming her rage.
Rider held his hands up in the air, moving away from Jewell.
“Jo, you can get in front of the line with me.” Lily’s small hand touching her arm brought her back to her senses.
Gavin released her at Lily’s touch, placing himself between her and Jewell.
“Thank you, Lily, but I would rather take my turn in the order I came in. Maybe Jewell would like to accept your generous offer?”
With the whole room watching, Jewell started to move around her.
Jo couldn’t explain to herself why she said what she said next, other than she saw the hurt the woman was trying to hide by being so hostile toward her. “This isn’t easy for me either.” Jo shot a quick glance toward Rider, then back to her, giving her a pitying look.
“Don’t feel sorry for me. Save that sympathy for yourself. You’re going to need it more than I will.”
Jo turned around to find the line had moved forward and everyone had lost interest when there was no fight. She tried to get Gavin to get back in front of her. However, he just motioned to her to go ahead and got in line behind Rider.
Her pretend headache became a reality as the woman in front of her gave her a friendly smile.
“I’m Ember. Just ignore Jewell. You’ll like her once you get to know her.”
“I’m sure I will,” Jo lied, sure she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t say that to the pretty woman who had tried to take the sting out Jewell’s harsh words, though.
“There’re usually not this many here.” Taking a plate and setting it on the counter, Ember gave it to her before taking one for herself. “It’s just because it’s Friday.” Jo liked the woman even more when she gave her a worried glance. “You do know Fridays can get rowdy here, right?”
“Rider told me.” Jo nodded, taking a scoop of mashed potatoes, then a slice of ham that had a mouthwatering sauce to go over it.
“That’s good. The first time Lily came, it was a disaster. Although, that was a mistake—she hadn’t been invited.” Ember rolled her eyes toward Lily, then hastily lowered them when Lily caught her staring.
“I’m friends with Lily,” Jo said, leaving the small bit of macaroni left when she saw Rider take three slices of ham and three rolls. Gavin would be lucky to find a crumb left after getting in line behind Rider.
“You are?” Ember lowered her voice. “Forget I mentioned Lily’s first time here. We don’t talk about it.”
“I won’t,” Jo whispered back.
“Thanks.” The woman moved away, going through an archway leading to another part of the house.
As she came around the corner of the counter, Lily waved from the table that Beth and Razer were also sitting at. Looking at Rider, he nodded at her silent question.
As she took the seat that Lily had motioned her to, Rider set his plate down next to her before walking away, then returning with another chair.
“Did you get enough to eat?” Jo teased, seeing the amount of food on his plate.
“Not yet. Willa hasn’t put the desserts out. I need something sweet with my food.”
“Then try the ham. It’s going to rock your world.”
Jo took another bite of the ham as Gavin came from behind the counter after fixing his plate.
Viper, who was sitting across the table, started to get up. “Sit here. I’ll grab another chair.”
“No, I’ll sit in the dining room.” Gavin walked toward the archway as Viper stared after him, sitting back down.
It was an uncomfortable moment that Jo had no idea how to fill. Fortunately, Rider didn’t have the same problem.
“Get your plate, Jo. We’re going to sit with Gavin.”
Jo stood, grabbing her plate, as Viper, Winter, Beth, and Lily did the same. The six of them went through the archway and into the dining room that had twice the space and was filled with tables. One of which had Gavin sitting by himself.
She took the seat across from Gavin, who wasn’t happy at having been invaded. The fearsome man had given her pause when she had seen him in the line, feeling terrified of him, but he reminded her of the times she had eaten alone in the school cafeteria and had refused to let anyone sit with her. It was a form of protection to keep others from getting too close.
Placing her napkin on her lap, she grinned at the face that was glowering back. “You’re riding your clutch too much.”
His glower turned into a confused frown. “What?”
“I said, you’re riding your clutch too much. Cool it, or you can fix your own bike next time.”
32
“I’m not riding my clutch—”
“Since I’m the one who had to fix the cable for it, yes, you are.” Jo cut another piece of ham with her fork.
Gavin silently chewed his food, staring her. “I thought you only worked on cars.”
“I work on anything with a motor.”
“Then why didn’t you work on your furnace?” Rider scooted his chair closer to the table to reach for the salt.
“Did you see where the furnace was? I’ve been afraid of that basement since I was a kid. The only thing I tried to fix and couldn’t was my refrigerator. I think the bastard had it out for me.”
“You can fix anything mechanical, but you couldn’t figure out a fuse box?” Spearing the last of his ham, Rider gave her a doubtful gaze.
“I was afraid of being shocked again. It hurts.”
“You were shocked?” Gavin’s eyes went over to her as if it had just happened.
“Put me on my butt. After that, I used space heaters and an ice chest. It was more aggravating but less painful.”
“Are you adjusting to not giving tows anymore?” Lily questioned.
“I think my truck misses me more than I miss it.”
“You think your truck misses you?”
“Lily, haven’t you ever talked to your car?”
“My old one, I did. I used to beg it to start.”
“Did it ever answer?” Shade asked, coming to the table.
“No, of course not.”
“Your truck ever talk back to you?”
Jo laughed, shaking her head.
“Then I think it’s safe to sit at the table with you. What do you think, Gavin?” Shade asked, sitting next to his wife.
“I think I should have eaten in my room.”
“I thought I should have stayed home when I got here,” Jo said, sympathizing with him. “But my headache is gone now.”
“Jewell is still here. She’s in the clubroom.”
At Winter’s mention of the source of Jo’s headache, Shade looked at her sharply. “Jewell said something to cause you a headache?”
“No, that wasn’t what I meant.”
“Jewell isn’t happy Jo is with Rider.”
>
“I told you I would say something to her.” Viper gave his wife a censoring look.
“Please don’t,” Jo begged. “I would prefer you didn’t.”
Viper tilted his head to the side. “Why not? She was rude as fuck to you.”
Jo winced. “It will create harder feelings toward me.”
“She hates your guts. How much worse can it be?” Gavin’s sarcasm didn’t go over her head.
“I’d rather know her feelings than her hide them and be nice to my face. She’s honest. I can appreciate that. It’s better than what I tried to do to Rider.”
The whole table, except for Shade, was surprised at her admission.
“I apologized to Rider, but I owe your club an apology, too,” she told Viper. “I should have told Shade or Rachel that Aly suspected Curt and was trying to get The Last Riders involved. I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to say anything until Aly was here, but I don’t see her.”
“She isn’t allowed to attend the parties. I gave her the room in the basement until she decides what she wants to do with her property or finds a job out of state.” Viper’s harsh features reminded her of Gavin’s. The similarities hadn’t been immediately apparent, but they were enough that it had her staring at the two men.
“Are you and Gavin related?”
“We’re brothers.”
Gavin’s chair scraped across the floor at Viper’s acknowledgment as he left the table.
Jo looked at the various expressions on those left sitting.
“I’m sorry. Should I not have said anything?”
“It’s cool.” Rider placed his hand on her thigh under the table. “Gavin doesn’t like to be reminded he’s Viper’s brother.”
Jo licked her lips, debating whether to say anything. Deciding to let the subject drop, she turned to Lily.
“I haven’t seen Rachel and Cash yet. I hope Rider left them enough food to eat.”
“Rachel didn’t mention coming tonight when I asked her if she could babysit John and Clint.”
Jo frowned. “At lunch, Rachel told me she was coming.”
“I hope I didn’t ruin her plans by asking. I’ll call.” Lily reached for her cell phone worriedly.
“Greer was bringing Logan when I was there to drop off John and Clint. The boys must have gotten together for a sleepover.”
Lily laid her cell phone back down. “I hope our boys won’t be too much trouble for her.”
“Rachel can handle ten kids. Quit worrying,” Shade assured her. “Clint will sleep the whole time, until he’s ready to be fed again. And before you ask, I filled the milk bag. Relax. This is our first night away from the kids since we had Clint.”
“I will, I promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” he warned, giving Lily a look that had Jo blushing and glancing away from the intimate gaze the couple were sharing.
When Rider tightened his hand on her thigh, she raised her eyes to him.
“I’m going to get some dessert. You want some?”
“No, I’m good.”
Jo had expected to feel uncomfortable once Rider stepped away from the table, never having been good at small talk, but Lily and Winter made it easy for her. And when Willa and Lucky returned with Rider, carrying their plates, she enjoyed the easy banter that flowed back and forth between Rider’s friends. They were still talking when they walked in the main clubroom after carrying their plates into the kitchen.
Going to one of the large couches that had two chairs placed next to it, Shade pulled Lily down on his lap as Lucky tugged Willa down on his. Viper let Winter take one of the chairs, sitting down on the arm. Rider took her hand and started to sit down on the other chair, but Jo pulled her hand out of his grasp, sitting on the arm.
“You’d be more comfortable if you sat on my lap.”
“I’m fine right where I am.”
“We could sit on the chair, and you and Rider could sit—”
“No, they can’t.”
Lily looked at Shade. “Why not?”
“Because I’m comfortable.”
Jo was studying the room curiously when she spotted Jewell playing pool with Moon. Jewell’s leather leggings were so tight they showed how small she was. Jo wouldn’t have been able to wear legging like that if she had dunked herself in motor oil first. And her flesh-colored halter top showed her breasts every time she took a shot.
Another woman joined the game. She recognized her as Sasha from the night Shade and Lily’s son had been born.
Jewell must have said something because Sasha looked to where they were sitting but didn’t come to say hi to her. When she had been in high school, the popular kids had looked at her the same way.
“Anyone want a beer?” Lucky asked everyone as he shifted Willa so he could stand.
The men all took him up on his offer, but Lily and Willa didn’t ask for anything, so Jo shook her head when Lucky glanced at her.
“We have some bottled drinks that Shade buys for Lily when they go to Cracker Barrel.” Rider put out a hand, stopping Lucky. “I think there’s limoncello, grape, root beer, and we even have diet root beer, strawberry-orange, Big Red, and of course Ale-8”
“I’ll take a Big Red. I haven’t had one since Mick stopped carrying them. They used to be ice-cold, and I still remember the taste.”
“Shade, when you take Lily to Cracker Barrel, stock up on enough Big Red for Jo,” Rider teased. “I’ll even get Mick a couple to keep in his cooler for you.”
Jo didn’t know what flustered her more: that Rider expected her to come to the clubhouse regularly, or that he was thoughtful enough to give Mick the bottles to make her happy.
“You want to go to Cracker Barrel for Valentine’s Day?” Jo heard Shade ask as she took the bottle from Lucky.
“I can enjoy the food without the work,” Lily admitted.
“I’ve never eaten there,” Jo admitted.
She was taking a drink of her soda when a woman’s squeal caught her attention. Jewell was sitting on the pool table and using Moon’s T-shirt to pull him toward her while also untying the halter at her neck. None of the people on the couch turned around at the sound.
Jo switched her gaze to Lily’s, whose hands started twisting on her lap.
Shade twined one of Lily’s dark curls around his finger. “You ready to go home?”
Lily jumped up at his question. “Yes, I want to call and check on the boys. Now that you’re better, Jo, I hope you come by and see the baby. I love showing him off.”
“I will,” she promised, keeping her eyes glued to Winter after Lily and Shade left.
“We should be going, too, Lucky. I want to say good night to Gideon before he falls asleep.”
Jo said goodbye as they left, about to pretend her headache was coming back when Rider stood, reaching for her hand.
“I need to get to work. Come on, I’ll show where I’m going to be spending the rest of the night.”
Jo nodded goodbye to Viper and Winter, relieved to be leaving the room. Someone had started the music, and several of the members were now dancing.
Rider took her out the back door, and as they walked down the path, she admired the way the houses behind the clubhouse couldn’t be seen from the road.
He took her to the security room from the garage. There were still five bikes left. The majority of the space was now being taken up by boxes and plastic sheets that she couldn’t see through to what was under them.
“That’s the equipment Rachel will be working with. We’re just waiting for the tables to come in. Then we can set it up.”
“I’d like to see it when it’s finished.”
“I’ll let you know when it’s done,” he said, opening a door at the back of the garage and ushering her inside.
“You’re late,” Train commented, not taking his eyes off the several monitors that were set up in a large half circle around the table.
“Sorry. I’ll make up for it tomorrow night.” Rider pulled out an
empty chair. “You can sit, Jo.”
“Hi, Train. I’m sorry he’s late.”
“Not your problem. He’s always late, but he makes up for it later,” he said, turning the chair so Rider could sit down.
“I’m not always late,” he retorted, scooting in under the desk. “Besides, he’s late just as often as I am.”
“How was dinner?” Train reached out, taking his jacket off the hook on the side of the door.
“Great. Willa saved some for you and Killyama in the oven for when you get there.”
“I saw Lucky and Willa leave. I’ll fix her a plate, and we can eat when she gets here.”
“Killyama babysat for Willa and Lucky?” Jo curiously looked at the cameras.
“We all have to take turns doing the club jobs. Cooking is one them, babysitting is another. Killyama chooses babysitting over cooking.”
“I would choose babysitting over cooking, too.”
“Not me. I’d rather cook,” Rider said without taking his eyes off the screens.
Jo was surprised at his focus. He hadn’t turned the whole time Train and she were talking.
“We would rather you babysit. You’re a terrible cook. Gotta go or Killyama will beat me.”
“Bye, Train.” Jo used her foot to push herself around in the computer chair. “This is so cool. I feel like a spy, ready to rush in and save the day.”
“You watch too many movies. It’s boring as hell. Three to five a.m. is the worst. You get tired, and all you want to do is sleep. That’s why, unless it’s Shade or me working, the other brothers only pull four-hour shifts.”
“Have you ever fallen asleep when you’re watching the cameras?”
“Fuck no. Viper comes in two to three nights a week. Believe me, you don’t want to be asleep if he catches you.”
“I’ll take your word for it. Viper is one person I wouldn’t want to get angry at me, or his brother.”
“Yeah, you should definitely put Gavin on the don’t-fuck-with list.”
“Winter never mentioned Viper’s brother. Are they not close?”
“No one is close to Gavin anymore.”
At the tone of his voice, Jo turned the chair to look at him. “Do you and Gavin get along?”