Sneak Peek Chapter 1

SNEAK PEEK CHAPTER 1

WEST

I nurse the coffee with two hands as I sit at the bar, not giving a shit that the Whiskey Straight is the type of bar you either drown your sorrows in, or wish you had long before you set foot in the door.

It also doesn’t help that my friend, Logan, who runs the bar, has a nickname close to my own but for all different reasons. He’s Hustle, I’m Hustler. Unlike me, he ain’t no hustler, but he is a wicked card shark and downright lethal in a poker game. He’s also the big brother of two of my fellow MC brothers, Brew and Haze; nicknamed The Nomad Brothers for obvious reasons. They’re literally here, there and everywhere. There ain’t no taming those two. Logan, however, quit turning tricks years ago, and why he gives my ass the time of day I’ll never know.

Still, keeping him company while he cleans up as the bar quietens on a Saturday night has become a sad routine. Sad because I’m 54 years old and I’ve got nothing better to do, equally pathetic that I don’t drink and he makes coffee for me because I help with the bar stools and clean up when everyone else has fucked off home.

Of course, there are always the late-night revelers who want to visit one of New Orleans’ oldest establishments because it’s technically a landmark, not that Logan would agree with any of that unless they’re paying customers. If anybody dares step foot in the Whiskey Straight just to take photos, they take one look around at the clientele and exit as fast as their legs can carry them. It’s not a biker bar as such, but it ain’t no place for the innocent. Many souls have been corrupted within these four walls.

“You lickin’ your wounds?” Logan asks as I look up from my mug.

“Nope.”

“You still mopin’ around over that pretty little bird over at Muso’s?”

Muso’s is the cafe I run, and that ‘pretty little bird’ is the woman I’ve had a thing for — even though I don’t admit it to anyone — for the better part of a year. Longer than I care to remember if I’m being honest. I’m too chicken shit, and she’s too beautiful for the likes of me. It’s not that I’m not good with women, I’ve always attracted them, but not always the right kind of woman. Audrina is different.

“She works for me, and she has a name.”

He smirks. Logan is a big dude, wide-set with short, dark hair and a closely clipped beard. His appearance alone is usually enough to put anyone off thinking they’re gonna run their mouth, unless they’re really drunk, then shit can get pretty wild. Logan doesn’t take any crap off anyone. Just like his brothers. He also has a baseball bat under the bar, and I’ve seen him use it.

We’re both single, and even though he’s almost fifteen years younger than me, we’ve become good friends over the short time I’ve been here.

“Riiiiight. Audrina, huh?”

I know he’s my friend, but I still don’t like hearing anyone say her name like that. She may not be mine, but I sure as fuck don’t wanna hear any other man say her name, either. Her name is as pretty as she is, and I’d like to keep her image that way, rather than wanting to punch my friend in the face.

“Shut the fuck up.” I roll my eyes. “You just came over here to taunt me, right?”

“Got nobody else to fuck with tonight.” It’s almost closing and only a few of the regulars remain playing pool, or throwing a dollar into the jukebox.

“In any case, Audrina works for me, it would be unethical to start somethin’ with her.”

“Uh, huh.” He throws the dish towel over his shoulder, giving me a pointed look. “Sounds a lot to me like you’re chicken shit.”

I lower my voice, as if she could overhear me knowing full well she’s miles away in her son's house where she lives. Nevada and Star moved in together almost a year ago, and I know Audrina has been looking for a place; wanting to give them more space. I don’t like the idea of her living alone, not that I’ve voiced my concerns to her, because technically it’s none of my goddamn business, but these are the things that keep me awake at night. I worry about her.

“Fuck off.”

He grins even wider. “It’s been a year, dude, it’s time to get back on the horse.”

“I’ve been on the horse plenty of times, before you were out of diapers.”

“I mean recently. When’s the last time you went home with a woman?”

He’s got me there. I haven’t been with a woman since the night I first saw Audrina. I danced with her at my son, Priest’s wedding, and I’ve been smitten ever since. But now she works for me, we’ve almost fallen into the ‘friendzone’, without any benefits. Not that a woman like Audrina would do any such thing, she’s a lady in every sense of the word. I’ve never even heard her swear, the adorable little creature that she is. With her soft, red hair and perfect face, freckles smattering across her lovely nose and those green eyes… she’s the trifecta. I was toast the first time I laid eyes on her. The fact she was single was a sign sent from Heaven, not that I’d stand a chance with her because she’s too good for me. I’m under no illusions about that.

Every time I’ve even mustered the courage to ask her out, I’ve chickened out, so Logan isn’t wrong about me being chicken shit. I’m fully aware of it.

“It’s complicated.”

“You sound like a fuckin’ moron. Tell me.”

“I get plenty of pussy.” I lie. “Or I did until I met her.” I palm the back of my neck. I can’t even contemplate sex with Audrina Childs. Holy mother of God. I’d die and enter the gates of Heaven for just one touch of her pretty lips against mine. But Audrina is dangerous territory. She has the power to break me, and that’s a bold statement. The reason I know it to be true is because my heart has never raced in my chest over a woman like it does when I’m around her. Every time she’s near, I realize just how far apart we really are. I could potentially ruin everything because I can’t gauge if she’s interested in me in that way or am I just playing with fire where wishful thinking is concerned?

He pats his hand over his heart rapidly. “Be still my beatin’ heart. You’ve got it bad.”

“Audrina isn’t like any other woman I’ve ever met.” It’s the truth. “And I’ll reiterate, she works for me.”

He pretends to play the violin and I flip him the bird. “Sounds like another excuse. I mean, so you fuck, what’s the big deal? Time to pull up your big boy pants and chase the woman you really want, old man, time’s tickin’.”

He doesn’t need to remind me my biological clock is wound around so tight that it’s about to combust. It’s not a mid-life crisis. Audrina is forty-six, it isn’t like I’m chasing skirts all over town or going for really young chicks; that’s so cliche. Nor am I driving around in a fuckin’ sports car like a goddamn idiot. But if I ask her out and fuck it all up, then things would be awkward at work, and I wouldn’t want her to quit. So, yeah, the asshole in front of me is right; I am chicken shit, and I’m a hundred percent aware of it.

I run a hand through my hair. “Don’t I know it.” I barely get the words out as someone brushes by me. I turn and see a pretty, leggy blonde sidle up to the bar.

She giggles. “Oops, sorry.”

Logan cocks a brow. “What can I help you with? Coffee? Tylenol? A cab?”

She turns her gaze from me to Loan. “Beer, please kind bartender man.” Her words slurring, she’s clearly a little dunk as she wobbles on her feet.

“I cut you off an hour ago.” Logan folds his arms over his chest. “No means no, sweetcheeks .”

“So mean!” She slides an arm up my back and slings it around my shoulders. My toes curl. It’s not that she’s not attractive, not that inebriated women turn me on, but she’s probably twenty-five at a maximum, a baby really. “What about you, hot stuff? ”

I cock a brow. “What about me?”

“You’ve got this whole sexy, silver fox thing going on.” Her eyes trail down my body. I’m wearing a long sleeve Henley and my cut, along with jeans and my boots. It’s not fancy, but without sounding like a dick, women approach me more than I care to admit. I’m not trying to be a sexy silver fox, whatever the fuck that means, not when the chick is young enough to be my own daughter.

I sigh. “Sweetheart, you here alone?”

She wiggles her eyebrows. “Uh, huh.”

Realizing my mistake right away, I mutter,“That’s not what I meant.”

“For an older man, you’re stacked.” She leans closer, squeezing my bicep. “Want to fuck?”

Wow. The younger generation sure are fuckin’ forward. I’m no prude, but goddamn.

I look up at Logan chuckles, shaking his head as he backs away, mouthing; She’s all yours.

I know what I have to do before one of the men without a conscience in this bar, or the next one, notices her. There are goddamn creeps everywhere in this city. She’s too drunk to know or care what she’s really signing up for.

“Let’s go, princess.” I slide off the stool, my arm around her shoulders as she wobbles.

“Really?” she sing-songs with glee and I sigh.

“How old are you?” I’m just making conversation, but I’m not sure I really want to know the answer.

“Just turned twenty-one.”

Holy mother of God. I could almost be her grandfather.

We make it to the front door just as her hand slides down to my ass. “I bet you’re a big boy, aren’t you, Daddy?”

And if I never hear that word spoken again, it’ll be too soon. According to my daughter-in-law Bella, this is what all the Booktok chicks are into. I didn’t want to look like a total idiot, so I still have no clue what the fuck any of that means. Social media is just another way for people to stick their noses in other people’s business and complain about everyone else. I prefer talking face to face, not behind my phone or a computer screen.

I’m so 1998, and I doubt I’m gonna change anytime soon.

“I’ve always had a thing for older guys,” she goes on. “Mmm, you smell amazing. What is that?”

Fuck knows. Whatever can I happen to pick up first off the grocery store shelf. I’m no frills, preferring the finer things in life that include prime rib, good coffee and my sled, not men's fragrance.

“What’s your address?” I ignore her comment, needing to get the information fast.

“Ooh, are we going to my place?”

“That would be good.” We stop at the curb next to Franco’s cab. I give him a chin lift.

“Evening Hustler.”

“What’s up, Franco?”

“Need a ride?”

The blonde sings out. “Two-twenty-four Ellenbrook Parade, Down Town.”

I pique an eyebrow. “Just what the lady said.” I’m glad she isn’t quite drunk enough to not know her address, it’s saved me rifling through her purse.

I open the door and she climbs in. I don’t follow behind. I lean down. “Need to take better care of yourself, honey. Can’t go around gettin’ drunk out of your mind all by yourself. You dress like Halloween, all the ghouls are gonna come out, ya know?”

“Hey!”

“Franco’s gonna get you home. Goodnight.” I shut the door as she frowns, her pout almost comical.

I slip Franco the cash. “Make sure she gets safely inside. She’ll hopefully pass out without too much trouble.”

Franco’s a good guy. He’s got teenage kids, and he gets the drill. “Jesus, bud, she better not throw up all over my cab.”

“I think she’ll make the journey.”

“I know where to come knocking if she does.”

I chuckle. “Hold me to that.”

He gives me a sideways smile and walks around to the driver’s side. “See ya later.”

“Later.”

I tap the hood of the car as it pulls away from the curb. At least she’s not kicking and screaming.

I really don’t know why women do this. Don’t they watch Dateline? I scrub a hand over my face. Twenty-one? I shake my head as I head back inside.

Logan grins when he sees me. “That was fast.”

I flip him the bird for the second time tonight. “She’s in a cab on the way home, which is the only place she should be goin’.”

“Aren’t you just Father of the year?”

I’ve been in prison. I’ve been around some bad people. Men that liked to hurt women and didn’t give a shit about prison time. Men that would reoffend again the minute they got out. It makes me sick.

“Just doin’ my bit as a good citizen.”

He snorts. “For a good lookin’ guy, you tend to strike out a lot.”

I give him a look as I sit back down. “Not gonna score with a woman who’s drunk and vulnerable, she was also twenty-one.”

He laughs. “They’re gettin’ younger, which is fuckin’ creepy. But that brings us full circle back to Audrina.”

“Will you shut the fuck up about her? I’m tryin’ to enjoy my coffee before I go home to an empty house.” I’ve got plenty of reminders of why the fuck I’m still alone at my age, and it’s by choice. I do this to myself. One of the main reasons being that I haven’t found a woman that I’ve wanted to settle down with. Somebody I’m head over heels in love with.

Love? I don’t even know if I’m capable of falling in love.

Well, until recently.

“You’ve got it bad. I get it, bud. When cupid strikes, you’re not in control anymore.”

I give him a chin lift. “You speakin’ from experience?”

A sad expression crossed his face, so fast I almost miss it. “Why do you think I’m sittin’ here talkin’ to you?”

“You got nowhere else better to be?”

His eyes crinkle as he grins. “You got me there.”

“We’re a fuckin’ pair.” I shake my head.

“Either that or we’re just old.”

“You’re younger than me, so I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He snorts, going back to drying glasses. “Surprised my brothers haven’t been around tonight, they usually always tryin’ to get free booze by the end of the week.”

Brew and Haze aren’t bad guys, in fact, they’re both highly respected within the ranks, but Logan has never been that interested in joining the MC. He’s more a broody loner who’d prefer to lick his wounds by himself, rather than talk about his feelings. I know where he’s coming from, I’ve been there. There are too many skeletons in my closet to ever think I could be free and clear of anything, but then again, I did end up in prison for a while all them years ago. The experience only shaped me, not that my rapt sheet looks that impressive, but if an intruder is gonna come into my home, threaten me or anyone I care about, I’m gonna shoot first, talk later. That’s just how I roll.

“Maybe they got a better offer.” I glance at my watch. Time to get going. “Gotta run.” I take a couple of big mouthfuls of my coffee now that it’s cooled, and slide off the stool. Putting that girl in a cab took up my cleaning time, but this can’t wait.

“Sure you don’t have a hot date?” He cocks a brow.

“I wish.” I give him a salute, then take off. My sled; a Low Rider ST Softail Harley is perfection. It’s my pride and joy and something I take a lot of pleasure in. Well, my one guilty pleasure because I’ve spent enough on this motorcycle to last a lifetime. I reconnected with my love of Harley’s with my son. After not knowing about his existence for the first twenty-plus years, things took an interesting turn when we found one another. I had a one-night stand with his mom, who turned out to be a junkie, and I had no idea she was pregnant, much less even had a baby until years later. I run a hand over my face at the memory. I’m glad me and Priest are in a good space now, but it’s taken work. All the time he spent growing up thinking he had a dead-beat Dad who didn’t care. It still makes me angry, but I’ve long since buried my disappointment and anger with her. Getting to know my son is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m also a Grandpa; something I never thought I’d ever get to have. A family. Priest and his wife Bella, along with my grandson Jack are the only family I have aside from the MC.

I hop on my bike, shaking the nostalgia off. I have to remind myself every single day that I’m here. I’m breathing. I’m doing my best. My demons are kept at bay somewhere deep inside of me. Trying to be a better man for my son, and now my grandson, is my top priority.

And then Audrina?

I pull out onto the street, revving my engine as I head toward the opposite side of town where I live. I don’t always hang around like a freak, but tonight I want to make sure Audrina is alright. If she’s safe, then I feel like I can sleep soundly.

I idle past Nevada’s place, knowing that they were out tonight and Audrina stayed home. I see lights on, and I know I could very well turn my motorcycle off and knock on the door. I’ve been here plenty of times for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Any excuse to be around Audrina and I’m taking it.

I don’t know, but I’m sure I see the curtains twitch and that’s my cue to fuck off. If she thinks I’m fuckin’ stalking her, then that’s gonna be a problem.

She’s home. She’s safe. Get the hell out.

My fascination and obsession with this woman goes much further than just skin deep or wanting pussy.

I rev my engine one more time just because I can, then take off into the dead of night.

I tell myself that Nevada will be back soon, that she’s perfectly safe in his home, which reminds me to check with him about security. It’s hardly my fault since just recently, shots were fired at one of the club members, and he almost didn’t make it. Audrina was there and she was scared. Ever since then I’ve been overly protective. And I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll ask her.

Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.

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