“Yes,” I said, and got out of the car. When I closed my door, a little too roughly, Ruin’s gaze lifted my way. I caught him quickly scan over my body. A small smirk played on his lips, and a slight shake of his head followed.
I might have gone a little overboard wearing a suit, with my long white jacket over it. Ruin’s reaction was worth it, however. He had been getting his bike out of the garage when I got into the car, his bug-eyed double take doing wonders for my ego.
Ryo met me at the front of the car, and we walked to Ruin and Mimi. “You guys aren’t armed, right?”
I winced. “Well….”
Ruin groaned. “Please put them in the damn car. Nothin’ will happen to anyone since you’re walkin’ in with me.”
“Wolf is protected at all times, no matter where we are or with who,” Ryo said curtly.
I placed my hand on Ryo’s arm. He looked at me. “I’m sure it will be fine, for tonight.”
“I don’t—”
“Ryo,” I warned.
Ryo shot his gaze to Ruin and glared, only Ruin didn’t see it. Instead, his gaze was down on my hand on Ryo’s arm. Interesting. When I removed it, he seemed to blink out of his daze and said, “You got my word we’ll keep him safe.”
“Fine,” Ryo snapped as he turned and started for the car.
“Ryo,” I called and took the gun from my holster at my hip, holding it out. Ryo stomped back for it, grumbling under his breath. When he had it in hand, he knew to wait while I removed the gun on my right ankle, the dagger on my left, and the others on each wrist.
“Fucking hell,” Ruin muttered while Mimi giggled.
We waited in silence while Ryo secured our weapons. As soon as he was back, Ruin started for the door with Mimi at his side. I didn’t mind being behind him at all, as I got to see him move in those pants.
When he opened the door, the music hit us, yet it wasn’t loud enough to drive someone crazy if all they wanted to do was talk. Stepping in, the atmosphere was calm, the place set out neatly. Ruin moved over towards the right side of the bar, where many other bikers stood with some women.
“Ruin” was yelled. Many approached, back slaps the standard greeting between the men. I didn’t miss the uncertain and sometimes hostile gazes Ryo and I got. Thankfully, Mimi was spared from them, especially when she was the first introduced.
“And this is her brother, Wolf, and their friend Ryo,” Ruin explained. I wouldn’t have exactly downplayed it that way, but maybe he thought it would be safer.
“Aren’t you the boss of the Takahashi family?” a man with a baseball cap on questioned.
I nodded. “Yes.”
Another man, this one bigger than the others, moved his hands in clear sign language. Ruin replied in the same way and said aloud, “They’re here to have a good night.”
Ruin knew sign language. I didn’t let on that I also did, but it was good to know.
The big man grunted.
“There’ll be no trouble from us,” I told them. The men still looked wary, and I couldn’t say I blamed them.
“Mimi, Wolf, Ryo, this here is Pick”—he wore the baseball cap—“Billy”—he was blond—“Beast”—the big man who signed—“Knife”—a man with darker hair—“Dive”—large man with steel eyes—“and Handle”—who had facial hair and tattoos. Actually, a lot of them did. “I’ll introduce you to the others hangin’ around soon.”
“Precious,” Pick called. “Get your sweet arse over here.”
A stunning red-haired woman who had been talking to a blonde rolled her eyes, said one last thing, and then made her way over. What surprised me was that Billy curled her into his side, yet Pick smiled down at her like she was his world.
Pick took her hand and used his other to gesture to my sister. “Baby, this is Mimi. Mimi, our woman, Josie.”
Our woman?
Our woman?
Ryo and I glanced at each other with our brows raised.
“Hey, Mimi.” Josie smiled.
“Hi, nice to meet you. I’m… um, living at the compound in Ballarat, so I’ve heard about you from Zara, your sister.”
Josie smiled. “How is she?”
“Good, the last time I saw her. I, ah, don’t mingle too much.”
Josie smiled softly. “I can understand that. Do you want to come meet some of the other old ladies?”
Mimi glanced at us and then back. “Sure?”
“Mimi,” Ruin called. “You’re cool to stay here if you want to. Or you can come to the table over there with me.” He nodded to a table Knife and Beast had gone to.
“It’s okay. I’ll come over there soon.”
“Ryo” was all I said.
“I’ll get drinks,” he replied.
“Can my brother come with us?” Mimi quickly asked while Ryo walked off to the bar.
Josie glanced up at Pick, who looked to Ruin, and he gave a small nod. If I understood correctly, Pick was checking if I could be trusted around their women, and Ruin just told him I could be. I couldn’t decline the offer now, even when I wanted to sit with Ruin and hear things about him.
“Of course,” Josie said. “Coming?” she asked me.
If I said no, I guessed I would be frowned on by the bikers for ignoring their women. “I would like to.” I took Mimi’s hand in mine, and we followed Josie over to another table full of women. Even though I preferred men as lovers, I didn’t mind the company of women. It could come to my advantage of getting information on Ruin also.
“Who we got here, Josie-girl?” a woman with wild dark hair asked. Before Josie could say anything, she went on with “Ruin, get your cute butt here and give Low some sugar.”
A deep chuckle sounded behind me. Ruin moved around and hugged the woman named Low. “Where’s Dodge at?”
“In the back room giving Rommy another lecture.”
“What happened?”
“Tell you about it later.” She grinned. “Go greet the others while Josie introduces us to your people.”
His people. I liked hearing that.
“Bossy as ever,” Ruin teased.
She laughed and patted his cheek. “Of course.”
I watched as Ruin moved his way around and greeted every woman like they were his family. It made sense, since I heard the members of the club classed everyone as family.
Josie cleared her throat, and I looked back to see Low studying me when Josie said, “This is Mimi. She lives at the compound in Ballarat and is friends with Ruin, and this is her brother, Wolf. The gentleman at the bar is Ryo.” She glanced at me. “I hope I have that right.”
“You do,” I told her with a smile.
Low whistled. “Damn, boy, that hair, that body, and you have some sweet cheekbone structure going on. You must be popular with the ladies?”
My smile widened. “I cannot complain.” I had a feeling she was fishing to see if I preferred men.
“I bet,” she mumbled. “Come take a seat.”
A squeal echoed around the room. “Ruin!” A woman ran by us and launched herself at Ruin, who caught her easily. Distaste thickened my throat as I pulled up my top lip in a silent snarl. I didn’t like how he held her close. How he placed her on her feet and cupped her cheeks, beaming down at her.