Phoenix

S he couldn’t believe that Riggs finally admitted that he had feelings for her, but what exactly that meant was still a mystery to her. She looked around at the people on the dance floor and spotted her three friends sitting in a back corner of the bar with three bikers. She couldn’t help her smile as she shook her head at them.

“You okay?” Riggs asked.

“I’m fine,” she said. She was more than fine, but she wasn’t going to give up all her secrets just yet. “I just saw my friends in the back of the bar with a few of the bikers. They seem to be having a good time.”

“How about you, ?” he asked. “Are you having a good time?”

She pretended to think about her answer and Riggs seemed to know the game that she was playing. He tugged her barstool closer to him and leaned in so close, she was sure that he was going to kiss her. felt as though her heart might beat out of her chest.

“I’m having a lovely time,” she insisted.

“Good to know,” Riggs breathed. He was so close to her now, she could feel his breath on her cheek. “I’m going to kiss you, and I don’t want to freak you out. Is it okay?”

“You are?” she squeaked. “Here, now?”

“Here and now,” he said. He didn’t give her any time to think about what he had said. If he had, she wouldn’t have agreed to the steamy kiss that he gave her. was practically on his lap, which she honestly didn’t mind, but they seemed to garner the attention of a few guys in the club, and that was the last thing she wanted since she was starting work there the next night.

Juno walked over to where and Riggs sat and wrapped her arm around ’s shoulder. “What are you doing over here, kissing the hot guy?”

“Juno, this is Riggs. He lives next door to Aggie,” said.

“So, you’re like a neighbor with benefits then?” Juno asked.

“No,” almost shouted at her. “He’s a friend of my grandmother and I guess me now too.”

“I’ve never kissed any of my friends that way, ,” Juno insisted. “Listen, I was going to invite you over to join us at the corner booth, but you seem to be good right here.” nodded her agreement, and Juno took off for the back of the bar again.

“Which one of you drove here?” Riggs asked. She thought that was a weird question for him to ask, but she answered it anyway.

“Juno drove here,” she said, “why?”

“Well, she’s not driving home tonight,” he said. “She’s had too much to drink. I’ll take you home and arrange for one of the guys to run the other women home.”

She leaned into Riggs again, running her hand up his thigh, “You’re taking me home to your place, right?” she asked.

“While I love your eagerness, honey, I don’t want to rush things,” Riggs insisted.

“Honestly, Riggs, I can’t go home to Aggie this way. Lydia has never seen me this way either. At least let me sleep on your couch for the night. I promise to behave myself.” That was probably a lie since she couldn’t seem to keep her hands to herself. “Cross my heart,” she said.

Riggs chuckled, “I don’t think that it’s a good idea for you to crash at my place, honey. I’m not sure why you can’t be drunk in front of your grandmother,” he admitted.

“Because I don’t want to disappoint her,” she said.

“Does Mrs. Aggie know that you are at a bar with your friends?” he asked.

“Of course she does,” insisted. “She’s watching Lydia for me, and I don’t keep secrets from her, I just don’t want her to be disappointed.”

“Well, from the way that she brags about you, I don’t think that it’s possible for her to be disappointed in you at all.” was sure that wasn’t true. She had let her grandmother down in so many ways and now she was home feeling completely defeated with a two-year-old she couldn’t financially take care of. What kind of grandmother would be proud of her granddaughter after she had failed so miserably at life?

“Thanks for saying that, Riggs, but you don’t have to,” she assured. “I know how badly I’ve messed up my life and Aggies. Now that I’m back, she’s had to take care of Lydia for me instead of going out and having fun herself. Plus, I’m relying on her financially and that has to be hard on her.” Sure, Aggie had money that was left to her by her second husband, but that didn’t mean that she needed to use it to take care of her and Lydia.

“First off—Mrs. Aggie is thrilled that you are here. She told me so herself. Second, she is so excited to finally get to meet Lydia, so I’m betting that taking care of her isn’t as much of a hardship as you’re painting it to be. And third, I heard from Savage that you are going to be waitressing here starting tomorrow, so you’ll be able to help out financially. You’re being too hard on yourself, ,” he insisted. God, it was nice to hear praise instead of criticism for a change. Everyone in her life over the past four years made her feel like trash, but Riggs was telling her that she was being too hard on herself gave her hope that all those other people who were putting her down, were wrong.

“Hey, we’re heading out,” Juno said. She and the girls were standing behind her and Riggs with the guys that they had met at the bar. “Do you need us to drop you off?” she asked.

“You’re not driving, are you?” Riggs asked.

“Um, no,” Vixen said, stepping forward, “we are all drunk.”

“I’ll say,” Riggs said under his breath. Apparently, Juno, Vixen, and Rebel were partying it up without her while hanging out with three hot bikers. Her three friends were wasted, and she wasn’t sure if letting them go home with the bikers was such a good idea.

“Maybe I should go with them,” she said to Riggs.

“The guys said that they can drop you off back at Aggie’s house,” Rebel offered.

“Um, I guess—” Before she could even finish her sentence, Riggs was growling out “No”.

“I’ll drive her home. I live next door to Aggie and it’s not out of the way for me,” he said.

“Oh, okay,” said. “I guess I’ve already got a ride home, but are you guys sure that you don’t want us to give you a ride home?” she asked her friends, looking over each of the bikers, recognizing Daredevil from earlier.

“No, we’re old friends of the guys,” Rebel insisted. “Besides, we’re just going back to Juno’s place to have a little fun.” Rebel dramatically winked at her and couldn’t help her laugh.

“Yeah, I got your meaning without the wink, Rebel,” she said. “Have fun and call me in the morning,” she insisted. “But not too early.” She planned on sleeping in if Lydia allowed it.

“Okay,” Vixen said. They each kissed her on the cheek and wished her happy birthday before they headed out of the bar.

“Do you think that they will be okay?” she asked.

Riggs nodded, “They will be fine. The guys they are leaving with are all friends of mine and they all hang out together frequently. You about ready to head out?” he asked.

A dark-haired woman walked up behind Riggs and told him to move out of her way. He did as she asked, and she slid onto his barstool. “I’m Lil, but everyone around here calls me Banshee.”

“I’m ,” she said, taking Banshee’s hand. “You’re the Royal Harlots Prez, aren’t you?” she asked. “My grandmother, Aggie, has told me a lot about you and your club.”

“Yeah, Aggie is one of our newest members, and she’s been a great addition to our little club. We meet here every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday because Savage has been generous enough to let us borrow his club, but we’re looking to get our own place soon. I’d love for you to come in with Aggie one night and hang out with us,” Banshee said.

“I’d like that, but I have a two-year-old and I’d have to find a sitter that I trust for her,” admitted.

“Um, I’ll babysit Lydia for you,” Riggs offered. She looked around Banshee to find him smiling like a loon at her.

“You?” she asked. “Do you know anything about taking care of a two-year-old?” questioned.

“Well, no, but I’ve been told by some of the guys down at my shop that I act like a two-year-old sometimes,” he admitted, still smiling.

“I don’t think that was a compliment,” Banshee said, cutting in. giggled and Riggs stopped smiling at her.

“Well, it was an offer,” he grumbled.

sobered, “And a very kind one, but I think that you should get to know Lydia a bit before you agree to take her on.”

“That’s just a nice way of saying that doesn’t trust you, Riggs. She’ll need to vet you before she’ll leave her babe with you,” Banshee explained. nodded her head and Banshee stood from the stool. “I hope to see you around,” Banshee said to her and walked back to the kitchen.

“I love her accent,” whispered to Riggs.

“Yeah, she and her two brothers, who are in the Bastards, are all from Ireland. At first, I couldn’t understand a thing that they were saying, but they’ve started sounding a bit more American since they’ve moved here.”

She stood from the bar stool and swayed as the room seemed to spin around her. “Woah,” she breathed.

Riggs wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his body. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’m just a little dizzy,” she admitted.

“I think it’s time you let me take you home, honey,” Riggs said.

“Agreed,” she breathed. He kept her close, putting his arm around her, on their way out of the club, and when she finally got outside, the cold night air hit her, and she felt a bit better.

“The world is spinning a little bit less now, thank you.” tried to pull away from him and he pulled her back against his side. She looked up at him and he smiled down at her.

“Just in case you start feeling dizzy again,” he explained.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“How about you stay at my place, so Aggie doesn’t have to worry about you tonight?” he asked.

“Wait, I thought that you didn’t want me to stay at your place. You said that Aggie wouldn’t be upset or disappointed seeing me this way,” she reminded.

“And I meant what I said, but I can keep an eye on you so that Aggie can get some rest,” he offered.

“Don’t you need rest too?” she asked. “Besides, I don’t feel that bad. I think I’m sobering up.”

“Probably, but you’re lightheaded and you shouldn’t be alone,” he countered. could tell that she wasn’t going to win this argument with him. Besides, she had dreamt of seeing the inside of Riggs’ home since she started spying on him in his bedroom.

“Fine, I’ll stay the night at your place, but I’ll sleep on the couch and I’m leaving at sunrise. I don’t want to worry Aggie by not being there for Lydia when she wakes up.”

“I’ve already texted Mrs. Aggie to let her know that you’re staying at my place. She said that she’ll see you tomorrow, but to let you sleep in. Mrs. Aggie said that you’ve been running yourself ragged and need to rest,” he said.

“Wait—you texted my grandmother?” she asked.

“Yep, she’s my friend and I just didn’t want her to worry all night about you not coming home,” he admitted.

“When did you text her?” asked.

“While you were talking to Banshee,” he said.

“How the hell did you know that I’d agree to stay at your place?” she asked. He opened the passenger side of his pickup truck, and she slid up into the seat, still feeling a bit lightheaded.

“Because I’ve been told that I can be quite persuasive when I need to be,” he breathed. “Buckle up.” He shut the door, not letting her argue with him anymore and she let out a sigh. She wasn’t the kind of girl who sighed over a man, but for some reason, Riggs made her sigh. Hell, he made her swoon, but she’d never tell him that.