“You’re older than me, dickwad.” Quinn received a mocking laugh. Mo was the closest thing to a big brother he had, and treated him like it. Mo was also a Daddy, but he’d lost his boy three years before to an accident and he swore that part of his life was over. Quinn was just grateful Mo still attended the chapter.
It was interesting. Cade hadn’t reacted to Mo’s obvious dominance in the same way he had to Quinn’s, back at CDR. Was that because Quinn had focused his attention on Cade, making Cade feel safe?
“Where are we going?” Cade asked.
Quinn hugged him close. “Wherever Mo takes us.”
Mo grinned. “Glad to see you know your place.”
Cade shook his head as he glanced between the two of them. “Are you always like this?”
“Usually they’re worse.” A butch lesbian joined them, her face already pinking from the sun and wind. “They’re on their best behavior because you’re here.”
Quinn and Mo both scoffed but maybe Joanie had a point. They were usually bitching at each other the whole journey, just because they could.
Once they were on the road, Quinn felt any tension drain away. Being here with his family was essential for his mental health, just as it was for them. He looked at Cade who grinned the most genuine smile he’d ever seen. Quinn chalked it up as a win. One more thing he’d done right for his boy.
By the time they reached the roadside bar, Quinn felt his nose itching from the sun, and his mind relaxed from the ride. It was a perfect day. Cade rumbled up beside him, Jace and Padraig flanking them. Even the two gruff bodyguards looked happy.
The chapter came to the bar every month. The owner had no issue with them being LGBT or bikers. He just insisted on no trouble. One strike and you were out. The chapter abided by that, as most of them had jobs where they couldn’t afford bad publicity.
Quinn took off his helmet and shook out his hair. Cade did the same, pushing back the sweaty strands.
“Burgers and wings? Tacos for me and Cade?” Quinn asked, looking at Cade and the team.
“You buying?” Padraig asked.
“I thought I’d send the check to Dominic.”
Padraig and Jace burst into howling laughter.
Cade looked between them. “I’m missing something.”
“Dominic is notoriously tight. Yeah, I’m paying.” When Cade opened his mouth, Quinn shook his head. “The day is my treat.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
Jace beamed at him. “Beers on you then, Ryder.”
“You’re working,” Quinn barked. “You got to ride the bikes. Get over it.”
Padraig and Jace groaned, but Jace gave a wink to Cade as they followed the rest of the chapter into the bar.
Quinn cursed himself afterward for not being more on the ball. He’d let Cade get ahead of him which meant there was no one between Cade and everyone else.
The screech echoed around the bar. “Cade Connolly. It’s Cade Connolly. O.M.G!”
Cade
One minute he’d been relishing the thought of a cold beer, and the next he was being yanked into Quinn’s arms as a woman rushed toward him, waving her arms.
“Cade, Cade, it’s me, Tessie. I love you, Cade.”
She reached for him as Quinn spun him around and forcibly shoved him into Jace’s arms, and Padraig rushed past to intercept her.
“Stay with Jace,” Quinn hissed.
Jace steadied him until Cade regained his balance. “Okay?”
Cade blinked. “Yeah. What just happened there? Oh my God, is that Batty Brenda?”
“Batty Brenda?”
Cade flushed. “She’s a regular. Sends me flowers.”
“Aren’t you the lucky boy,” Jace drawled.
“Fuck you,” Cade said, but without any heat.
“My girlfriend might be happy, but I’m strictly a one-woman guy.”
Cade flipped him off. They were having this stupid conversation and all he wanted was a beer, while inside he could hear Tessie protesting that she knew him and only wanted to say hello.
“You need to stay away from Mr. Connolly,” Quinn growled.
His Daddy was not happy.
“I thought CDR told her to stay away from me,” Cade said to Jace.
Jace nodded. “They did, but I don’t expect she thought for one moment she’d ever meet you.”
“She has met me. At some fan event for the band. She seems to think we formed a deeper relationship then.”
“From what I hear, it’s not the first time.”
“It comes with the territory,” Cade said wryly, suddenly wiped out. Any enjoyment of the day had been sucked away. “Do you think we could go home?
“Wait a minute.”
Jace waved and Padraig came out.
“What?”
“Cade wants to go home.”
Padraig cocked his head as he looked at Cade. “Do you want to go home, or would you like a cool beer, wings, and no Tessie?”
“If you make it tacos, that does sound good,” Cade admitted.
“How about you go in there, flatter her for two minutes, then the chapter is gonna intervene, and you get the rest of the day in your man’s arms.”
“You want me to talk to her?”
“Yeah. It’s that or a restraining order. Let’s try Mister Nice Guy first.”
Cade nodded. It was good advice. He didn’t like to upset fans. He took a deep breath and walked into the bar, wearing the biggest, fakest smile he could muster.
In just his T-shirt and briefs, Cade collapsed onto their bed, face down, his head buried in the covers, thankful he was not moving.
Quinn ran a hand down his back. “Are you okay, boy?”
“I’m exhausted,” he admitted. “I haven’t ridden like that for years.”
“It was a long day.”
Cade forced himself to roll over onto his back to ease the concern he heard in Quinn’s voice. “It was a great day,” he declared, pleased at the smile on Quinn’s face. “And yeah, even Tessie was nice once she got over the “OMG Cade Connolly!” shrieking.”
“That was a nice thing you did, considering she stalked you.”
“I hope we’ve stopped that now. And at least we know where the black roses came from.”
Quinn furrowed his brow. “Why would she think you’d like black roses?”
“I think I made up some bullshit about being a goth at a recent interview.” He grimaced. “I’ve got to quit doing that. It always comes back to bite me on the ass.”
“But she denies the note.”
Cade was too tired to care. All he wanted was a quiet night in. “Who knows? Maybe the note was for someone else. Do you think we could get takeout tonight?”
“You don’t want me to cook?” Quinn didn’t seem offended, just curious.
“I want to spend the evening in your arms,” Cade admitted.
“We can do that. I’m tired too,” Quinn said. “How about we nap, then order food?”
Cade moaned in appreciation. “That sounds so good.”
Quinn stripped down to his briefs and settled on the bed, spooning around Cade. He brushed a kiss to the nape of Cade’s neck and a moment later he was asleep, soft snores interspersed with the occasional snort.