“No, Shay did.” And I immediately peer around the room, searching for him. He said he would stay with me while we were here. When I don’t see him, my palms become clammy and I feel like someone is running an ice cube up my spine. The room is packed full of people, all milling around each other, the music blasting. It’d be so easy for someone to sneak through, unnoticed…
The guys all laugh quietly as though sharing some secret joke.
“Figures.” Leif slides his hands behind his head, looking completely at ease in his chair.
“What does that mean?” I ask, staring around at all of them suspiciously.
“Nothing, sweetheart.” Cody shakes his head as he takes a sip of the beer in his other hand. “Manic has always had a soft spot for ya, is all.”
“I still don’t see a property cut,” Aron said, cheekily.
I spin to narrow my eyes at him. “Not interested in wearing anyone’s property cut.”
They all laugh harder at this, as though this makes the joke they’re sharing even funnier.
I’d known Cody, Gavin, Leif, and Aron for as long as I’d known James and Shay. They’d always treated me like a little sister. Seeing how happy they actually seem to be by having me here fills me with warmth. I guess I had been pretty lonely the past few years, and I’d alienated myself from the only people I had left. I just wasn’t sure if I was the kind of person who could turn my cheek to the shit they did. But right now, I feel myself letting go of all that negativity and just be.
As they start talking about something to do with Billy’s son, Jordan, I scan the room, searching for familiar faces, and most importantly, Shay. I recognize most of the men here, but none of them come over. If they catch my gaze, they just smile and give me a nod before going back to whatever they were doing before. Some even turn a little red. My guess is they are as embarrassed as I am from the last time we saw each other. It’s uncomfortable as hell. Especially since their old lady’s are all here, and most of their kids. I finally spot Kate sitting in one of the booths with the other girls, chatting animatedly and drinking what looks like cocktails. Doesn’t surprise me. These guys have always been lenient with teens and booze. I think they prefer that they drink here where they can keep an eye on them, rather than have them sneaking off to do it elsewhere.
I finally catch sight of Shay and James, who are off to the side, talking to Uncle Shawn. Both father and son look absolutely pissed. James shakes his head vehemently at something Shawn tells him, only to have his President nod towards the back. Looking reluctant and livid, James follows his leader across the room and down the hall leading to his office. Shay hesitates, his fists clenched hard. For a moment, I’m worried he’s gonna punch a hole in the nearest wall, but he seems to get a grip before he turns and follows his dad to the back. On the way, he glances towards me and holds up his hand signalling, five minutes.
What the heck is that all about? Whatever it was, it was obviously important for Shawn to drag them into his office in the middle of my party.
“Well,” Cody stretches and gets to his feet, “Seeing as Manic is busy being reprimanded by Bull, we’ll keep you company ‘till he gets back.” He holds a hand out for me to take.
“Or,” I say, crossing my arms, “I can go hang out with my friends.” I nod towards the girls.
Cody turns and follows my gaze. Kate glances up and sees him looking over. Immediately, she blushes hard and tosses her hair over her shoulder, rolling her shoulders back, which makes her full chest look even perkier than it already is. I bite my lip to keep from laughing. Kate has always been a bombshell. I admire her confidence. Her body is to die-for, and it helps that she’s always bubbly and very accepting of the club and their ways. I can definitely see her being snatched up by one of these guys in a few years, if Uncle Shawn approves, of course.
Cody turns back to me and shakes his head, “Naw, you don’t want to hang out with them. Trust me. We’re much more fun.” He reaches down, pulls one of my arms free, and hauls me up to my feet. I’m about to stumble, what with my cast and all, but he wraps his arms around my stomach from behind and lifts me into the air, just like Shay did, and carries me over to one of the pool tables.
“Cody!” I snap at him as we weave through the crowds.
“Mina!” he chuckles and sets me down. I grip the edge of the table to keep from falling, “C’mon. It’s been ages since you’ve hung out with your brothers. It’s your birthday. Let loose!”
The other three follow and hover closeby. Aron and Leif sit on two barstools at our side and order some beers as they prepare to watch Cody destroy me at this game. Gavin, however, seems distracted. I watch as his dark eyes seem fixated on the pretty bartender. She looks a bit older than the other girls that work here, maybe in her late twenties or early thirties. Her black hair is tied up and she looks like a real biker girl, with a Harley Davidson tank top, short jean shorts, and tattoos down both arms. Her whole vibe is seriously cool. I hear one of the sweetbutt’s, who is acting as a server today, call her Lindsey. Gavin appears to be a little smitten as he watches her work, with a softness in his eyes that I realize I’ve never really seen before. I’m about to move in and meddle, because I’m a sucker for a potential love story, but Cody hands me a cue instead, and then moves to break.
To say I was bad was being generous. I’ve watched the guys play for years, but have never actually done it myself. I either hit way too hard, not hard enough, or would scratch, giving Cody free reign of the table.
When I handed him an easy victory, he grinned smugly at me, and I rolled my eyes. “Congratulations. You kicked my ass. Do you feel good about yourself? You beat a complete newbie who has never touched a pool cue before, and is partially handicapped. I can order you a trophy, if you like?”
The other guy’s chuckle as one of the sweetbutts, Ava, brings over a tray with several plates of food from the buffet. I sit at the bar and she hands me one that’s piled high with a variety of things, like lasagna, a hamburger, cheesy garlic toast, beans and sausage, and Greek salad. Aron gave her butt an appreciative smack as she walked away, smiling flirtatiously over her shoulder at him, Leif, and Gavin, who still had his eyes on Lindsey behind the bar.
The only one who hadn’t received a plate was Cody, who held out his arms, his mouth gaping open, and then called after her, “What the hell, Ava?”
She glares at him over her shoulder, “Your arms aren’t broken; get your own damn food!” she snaps and saunters away with a little extra attitude and sway to her hips. I smirk over my plate of food and take a huge bite of my burger to smother my laughter.
“That’s what you get, idiot,” Gavin says in his deep, raspy voice. “You’re the biggest whore in this place.”
“Every guy here has slept with these girls,” Cody protests indignantly, as he puts the cues away.
“Yeah, but they didn’t fuck their sisters or cousins right after. Girls don’t like that shit.”
I fidget a little in my seat, greatly uncomfortable with this conversation. Cody mutters something and heads over to the buffet to get himself a plate, when a glass of water slides across the bar towards me. I look up to see Lindsey standing there.
“I’m glad I finally get to meet the infamous Mina,” she says with a grin.