Clover’s mom, Faye, comes over and hugs me, her striking auburn hair noticeable anywhere. “There’s my gorgeous girl. How are you? And who is this handsome devil?”
“This is Decker.” I introduce him to her. “He’s a friend of Felix’s. He used to be his partner, actually.”
“Hot cops everywhere,” she murmurs, flashing him a smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Faye.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Decker replies, offering her his hand and keeping eye contact with her, his clear green eyes impossible to look away from.
I can see how he gets so many women. He’s handsome and charming, and when he looks at you, it’s like he sees right into you. Like he knows what you are thinking and has you all figured out without you having to say anything.
He’s a dangerous type, this Decker.
Men like this are both open and closed at the same time. Like he could be friendly, affectionate and warm, but he never truly feels anything on a deeper level.
I know his type.
Men like Decker can’t be kept.
They are the ones you get attached to faster than you can imagine, and then suddenly they aren’t ready for a relationship or any commitment. They like the fun, the challenge and the chase. And then they are on to the next.
What they don’t like is commitment.
Rhett comes over, eyes narrowing when he sees Decker sitting among us. “What the fuck is he doing here?”
Clover scowls at him. “He’s our friend. You mess with him, you mess with all of us.”
And that’s how Decker got adopted into the Wind Dragons family.
Chapter Seven
Decker
I don’t really know how I find myself in these kinds of situations, yet here I am sitting between two OG bikers. I have to remember to tell Sim about this the next time I talk to her. She’d get a kick out of it.
Then I have another biker, Rhett, who looks like he wants to kill me, and a flurry of beautiful women of various ages milling around, which I’m not going to complain about.
The most beautiful woman of all, though, is sitting opposite me, and defending me to anyone who tries to have a go at me. I wonder if she knows how much I appreciate that. Not because I couldn’t handle them myself, but because it’s nice to know I have someone on my side. She doesn’t even know me, yet she won’t let anyone give me a hard time. She’s a trustworthy and loyal person, and I can only imagine the kind of partner she would make.
I wonder if Rhett knows that he has made the biggest mistake of his life by letting her go. Some women are one of a kind, and I get those vibes from Cara.
She has beauty, brains and is witty as hell.
What more could you want?
I’m glancing around, taking in the Wind Dragons’ no-expense-spared clubhouse, and Cara must notice. “It’s had an upgrade,” she explains, amusement in her tone. “It never used to be this nice.”
The Knights of Fury MC clubhouse is top of the line and modern, but this is next level. The Wind Dragons are definitely not short on funds, and everything looks luxurious and brand new, from the black leather couches and the new decked-out bar to their TV, which almost covers the entire wall. Many of the Wind Dragon members are all a bit older than the Knights, and I think it proves they are a legacy.
“It’s definitely not what I was expecting,” I admit, bracing myself when I see Rhett approaching.
“Stay away from Cara.” He seethes when he comes to sit with us, while trying to stare me down.
“Rhett—” Cara starts, but I don’t need her to defend me.
“But you two aren’t together anymore, right?” I ask, keeping my cool. “Pretty sure you fucked that up without my help. So I don’t know why you’re angry at me. You should be angry at yourself.”
“Ahh fuck,” Rake mutters under his breath. He turns to me. “You want to fight it out, you two? We have a gym with a boxing ring.”
If we did fight it out, I would win. It doesn’t matter how good of a fighter Rhett is, because I’ve been training in martial arts ever since I was in high school. I even used to compete when I was younger. I’m good. And that’s not just my ego talking.
“I wouldn’t do that to Cara,” is all I say, bringing my eyes to her. “I don’t think she needs her night ruined any further.”
Rhett’s features harden at that dig. His fingers grip at the edge of his leather cut, knuckles going white. He’s about to say something to me when the birthday boy comes over and drags him away with his arm around his shoulders. “Come on, let’s go have a chat.”
Cara sighs and takes a sip from her bottle of water. I don’t know when she changed to water, but I should have followed suit. She’s clearly more intelligent than me.
Next to me, Rake laughs, big shoulders shaking, and I realize I said that last part out loud. “Damn right she is.”
Cara hides her smile behind her palm.
“So what case brought you to town?” Rake asks me, running his hand through his short blond hair. Cara’s dad is an intimidating man; I’m not going to lie. These men have been on the other side of the law from me for their entire lives, yet somehow they’ve allowed me into their world just on Felix’s, Clover’s and Cara’s word of my character alone. They must really trust them.
I try not to look at Cara to give it all away, because it’s her business to tell. “Just finding a lost family member for a client of mine. I found her, and so tomorrow I’ll be heading back south.”
“That’s a shame,” Clover comments, sharing a look with Cara.
I’m introduced to the rest of the Wind Dragons MC, and there’s a shitload of them, their partners and kids. I have a good time even though I can feel Rhett’s eyes on me the entire night. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to start some shit with me when we leave here, or if he manages to catch me alone.
Faye takes a photo of me so she can “discuss me in the family chat.” But I take it as a good sign. It means I made an impression.
“I should go home; I have work in the morning,” Cara says, glancing at her watch.
“Don’t leave me here,” I say dramatically, earning myself another grin.
“My car’s at Rift.”
“So is mine.”
“Clover or Felix will have to drive us back there to get them,” she says, studying me. “But you won’t be driving tonight.”
“No, you won’t be riding tonight. I’m not a piece of meat, Cara,” I say with a straight face.