He ground his jaw tight before answering. “When this is all said and done, we want to be the only shop in town.”
I frowned. “You want—oh. You don’t want to involve the other clubs because you want to be able to go to them and tell them you cleaned it all up, so you and the Blue Angels will have all the power.”
“This is why you don’t tell smart women shit like this—they figure out your motives within minutes. What do you think about that, darlin’? You wanna be married to the king of Waco?”
“You’re not the king. And we’re not married.”
“Not yet. On either account.”
“I still can’t believe you’re the type of man that wants to be settled.”
“You get tired, you know?”
“Yeah, it must’ve been really exhausting to have all the club groupies throw themselves at you. Mindless, string-free fucking. Sounds rotten. Why did you trade all of that for me?”
“Who says I traded?” he joked.
I reached out and pinched his thigh.
“Woman, you took a lot of work to get into bed.”
“Yeah, like two weeks—if that. God, do I feel bad for you.”
He laughed mischievously. “You know what I mean. You were worth it. You are worth it. I knew what I was getting when I went for you, Mia.”
“What’s that, Colt?”
“Fishing for compliments isn’t your style.”
He fell asleep with my hands stroking his back, a smile on his face.
Chapter 22
“Bishop told Knight about the change in our meeting point. They’ll meet us in Dallas,” Zip said early the next morning over breakfast at the clubhouse.
“Who’s Bishop?” I asked as I put two pieces of bread into the toaster.
“VP of the Coeur d’Alene brothers,” Colt said.
“So, Zip’s equal of the Idaho boys.”
“No one is my equal,” Zip said, leaning back in his chair and flashing an arrogant grin.
“Saints preserve us,” I muttered.
Colt chuckled. After a good night’s sleep, he looked rested and alert.
“Want me to rouse the brothers and get them ready to ride?” Zip asked.
“I want them here.”
Zip frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“I’m taking Mia to meet with Campbell. You’ll greet Knight in my stead. Everyone else stays.”
“Wait a second. You’re asking boys from another chapter to come and have our backs, told them to meet us in Dallas instead of here where we can welcome them with a bonfire and party, and now you want me to be the one to greet the president? Respectfully, it needs to be you, Colt. Prez to prez.”
“I’ve talked to Knight on the phone. Explained to him why I need to speak with Campbell first. He trusts me. And he’s not gonna care. Not with Rex pussy waiting for him.”
I choked on my coffee.
Colt shot me an amused look. “Problem there?”
“I wasn’t ready for that word first thing in the morning.”
Colt raised an eyebrow and slowly lowered his gaze down my body. My cheeks flushed and my skin buzzed with warmth. He’d woken me up not that long ago with his head buried between my legs and the bastard wanted to remind me of it.
“Why am I not sitting in with you and Campbell?” Zip asked.
“Three reasons. One, I trust you to greet Knight and the rest of his boys. Two, my sister will be with you, and you’re responsible for seeing to her protection. And three, Campbell is bringing his wife.”
Zip’s eyes darted to me and then back to Colt. “They do things differently than we do. We never have women sitting in on club business.”
I made a move to leave, toast all but forgotten. But when I passed by him, Colt’s arm shot out to wrap around me. Boxer wandered into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of black basketball shorts, half asleep, and not at all aware of the sudden tension that had sprung up between Colt and Zip.
“Something’s burning,” Boxer said, sniffing the air.
“Shit,” I muttered. Colt’s arm dropped from around me and I rushed to the toaster, but the bread couldn’t be saved.
“Smoke alarm is gonna go off,” Boxer mused.
“So why don’t you do something about it?” Zip snapped, grabbing the dishtowel from the refrigerator door handle and tossing it at Boxer.
“Why the fuck are you so grumpy?” Boxer demanded as he began to fan the smoke alarm.
“I want you driving Joni,” Colt commanded, looking at Zip. “Reap will follow on his bike. Boxer and the boys will get everyone else to the clubhouse. Darcy, Rach, all the kids.”
Boxer wiped a hand across his exhausted face. “Lemme guess. Official lockdown?”
“Yup.”
“This is bullshit,” Zip growled. “I’m still on babysitting duty. Fucking great.”
“You’re an asshole,” Joni said from the living room.
I hadn’t even heard her footsteps on the stairs. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and an old gray T-shirt. Her luxurious brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail and the apples of her cheeks were flushed with anger. “Do you think I like having you as my shadow? I can’t even go on a date with a hot doctor.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Make the date.”
“Why? So you can sit at the table between us?” She rolled her eyes. “You’re crazy.” She stalked from the room, but Zip was hot on her heels. A moment later, the back door opened and then slammed shut.
Colt stared after them, his gaze lingering. I shot Boxer a look, but his face was purposefully blank.
“Those two are like oil and water,” Colt said softly with a shake of his head. “I was thinking we could head out later this morning. Does that work for you?”
“Yup. As long as I get to wear my new boots.” I grinned. Who’s cooking breakfast?”
“Don’t look at me,” Boxer said. “If it doesn’t come from a microwavable box, I’m out. And why aren’t you cooking? I want pancakes. I’m a lab puppy, remember? I can’t take care of myself.”
“I feel bad for the woman you trick into falling in love with you,” I said, even as I moved to the fridge to grab the eggs.
“I feel bad for her too,” Boxer stated. “Whoever she is.”
The Rex Hotel was a stunning experience of architecture and fashionable beauty. The ceilings were high; the chandeliers were golden and twinkling; the patrons wealthy and gorgeous.
Colt and I garnered more than a few stares when we entered the lobby. We were leather and ink in a sea of Armani and Chanel. Though Colt’s natural swagger showed the people watching us that he didn’t give a shit about how he looked, I didn’t have the same level of confidence. Sure, I put on a front because I was with Colt, but I was walking across a marble floor in leather biker boots, not Jimmy Choos.
Colt would never be a suit or tuxedo wearing guy. Not even at black tie events. Not that I thought he’d ever be the type to attend a black tie event, but what about weddings? What did bikers even wear to weddings?