Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Smoke

I’ve got to be the world’s biggest fuck up when it comes to women. Either I’m interested in them, and they’re not interested in me. Or they’re interested in me, and I’m not interested in them. Or I finally find someone I’m crazy about and proceed to stick my foot directly into my mouth. I would have loved to spend some time talking with Serena later today, but like a big dope, when she asked, I turned her down. Why in the hell did I do that? For a smart guy I’m pretty damn stupid sometimes.

I take my dumb ass out to the bar and get that bourbon I’ve been thirsting for. It’s cold consolation for not being able to spend time talking with Serena. Minutes turn into hours. Every time the door to our meeting room opens, I can hear jovial voices raised in celebration. When Siege and Cleo leave to take his mother home, I’m still sitting in the bar swirling bourbon around in my glass and kicking myself.

It suddenly occurs to me what my problem is. I didn’t like watching every brother’s face light up when they were introduced to Serena earlier. Even our club president hovering protectively over her, didn’t dampen their enthusiasm. My brothers are all good men, more than worthy enough to catch Serena’s interest. Not one of them would be stupid enough to turn down conversation on any topic she wanted to discuss. I’m green with envy.

Yes, that’s what my problem is. I’m in the unenviable position of being jealous over a woman that isn’t even mine and probably never will be. And given our new dynamics of boss and employee, never could be. That placed me neatly into the idiot category. I didn’t like how foolish that made me feel.

While I’m licking my wounds Lori stumbles over and sits on the barstool beside me. “Are you avoiding the fucking princess party too? That girl is way too full of herself.”

My head slowly turns to stare at her. I’m astonished at the sheer unmitigated gall of this woman. Instead of answering her I take out my cell phone and text the prospects to come and take her away. Although she doesn’t know what I’m texting, she can tell by my demeanor that I didn’t appreciate her last comment. I assume that’s why she starts backtracking.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with our club president’s sister or anything like that. It’s just that she’s not a brother, so I don’t know why everyone’s making such a big deal about her.”

“They’re making a big deal about Miss Serena because she’s a big deal. For starters, she is our founding father’s daughter and our current club president’s sister. If I were you, I would steer clear of her and drop the bitching.”

“It used to be the women of this club had the right to speak their mind. Now Siege went off and got himself married and his sister came back to town, so by comparison we’re somehow all less than we were before. Now we need to shut the fuck up and do as we’re told. Is that what I’m hearing you say?”

“I don’t think you’re hearing anything. Because I’m telling you point blank to stop talking shit about Serena and the other old ladies, but you just keep talking.”

“I’m just tired of nothing ever going my way. I’ve been here for years. I try to make myself useful and be a good companion for the brothers, but no one seems to care. It feels like the brothers are always trying to bite the hands of those of us that feed them, and then they want to come crawling back to us to get sex. I’m seriously over that dynamic.”

At that moment, Talon comes strolling through the bar and I see Lori making eyes at him.

“Oh hell, no,” my club brother says and does an about turn back to the office.

“What’s the matter? You too good for me?” Lori slurs after him.

“Leave the man alone, he’s married,” I say, wondering where the fuck the prospects are. The sooner she’s out of sight the better.

“Might wanna tell his wife that, I saw her out the back with—”

At that moment, saving me from another drunken rant, Gordon steps through the front door and comes straight toward us. I jerk my chin at Lori and tell our newest prospect, “Get her the fuck out of here. She’s wasted, it’s barely mid-afternoon and she won’t stop talking trash about the old ladies and Siege’s sister.”

“I’m brand fucking new, and even I know all that’s a no go.”

Lori sputters, “You can’t kick me out. The party’s just getting started.”

“I most certainly can.” Turning to Gordon, I say, “Just get her outta here. I don’t want her spoiling Serena’s welcome home party.”

Gordon clamps his gigantic hand around Lori’s upper arm and hauls her up and off the barstool in an instant. She complains all the way to the door. Glancing out the window, I see him guide her into the passenger side of her vehicle, pull the safety belt across her chest and then go around the other side to get behind the wheel. Of course, another prospect will have to escort them in order for Gordon to have a ride back. I frown at the time and energy the prospects are wasting on one drunk, belligerent club girl.

Suddenly, someone throws themselves onto the recently vacated seat beside me. It’s Serena. She’s all smiles and bearing gifts. Sliding a large plate with a piece of cake the size of my head onto the counter between us, she hands me one of the two forks in her hands.

“I thought you might like to share cake with me, since talking shop isn’t on the table today.”

I stab the huge chunk of cake with my fork as I respond. “It’s not that I mind talking shop. I just don’t want to start a dynamic where you only think of us as co-workers.”

Her pretty blue eyes flash up to mine. “That’s a weird thing to worry about. Most people don’t pigeonhole the people in their lives like that.”

“I want us to have casual friendship, not just a work relationship,” I say as I tear off a bite of cake and bring it to my mouth.

She quips back, “So is this your way of friend zoning me right from the start, so I don’t hope for a romantic relationship?”

I freeze with the bite right in front of my open mouth. Lowering it again, I stammer, “Wait, what are you talking about?”

She lifts her eyebrows and waits for me to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Finally, I admit, “You’re right, I guess given our history you weren’t likely to think of me as a work acquaintance. It makes about as much sense as friend zoning someone before you even get to know them.”

She pops a bite of cake into her mouth and chews smugly. I do the same, wondering how it is that she outsmarted me so easily. Serena has always been intelligent but in this situation, I feel as though I’m losing my edge. We devour cake for a while as a short silence spins out between us.

I try to get the conversation ball rolling again with an innocuous question, “Are you enjoying your welcome home party?”

“If you want the truth, it was fun, but I’d give anything to get out of here and enjoy a nice long ride up the coastline on the back of someone’s bike. That’s one of the things I missed about being away from here.”

Shock ripples through my mind but I’m not about to make the same mistake twice. “You’re always welcome on the back of my bike.”

Excitement lights up her face. “I was hoping you would say that. I could really use some fresh air about now.”

I jerk my chin toward the display case that houses our club’s memorabilia. “Your old gear has been waiting for you.”

The helmet is black with the word princess printed across the back in elegant pink script. Her eyes search it out and then she slides off the barstool and walks across the room to the case where her vest and helmet are displayed. I lift my hand and motion to Mel. She knows I want her to get the keys when I gesture to Serena who is now standing in front of the case.

Mel runs over and opens the case for her. I watch Serena’s trembling hand come out and grasp her property cut. Her hands smooth over the soft leather for a moment, before she slips it on over her silk bouse. Her cut simply says Property of Savage Legion MC. Memories rise in my mind of her father giving her the cut at her sixteenth birthday party. She was so thrilled to part of something she saw as special. Most importantly, I recall how proud Claw was of his kids. Siege and Serena took to club life with a passion. Unfortunately, his oldest daughter, Nicole, and his wife, not so much.

I watch as she lifts the helmet from its place of pride. When she turns to come back to me, I can see the pure glee on her face. It brings true joy to my heart to see her so happy. I come to my feet and meet her at the door. When we step out into the afternoon sunshine, us riding off together seems like a moment in time that is meant to be.

“Do you remember when we used to ride together, Smoke?”

“No,” I lie, just to wind her up.

“You were one of the few men my father allowed to take me places.”

“Maybe. I did a lot of transport back in those days.”

“Stop trying to play me.” She says as she climbs onto the back of my bike. “I was on your bike a total of fifty-eight times growing up.”

I gaze at her deftly strapping her custom-made helmet onto her head. “Maybe I remember on you on my bike a few times.”

“It was fifty-eight times,” she reiterates. “I counted them.”

“Why on earth would you keep track of something like that, princess?”

Her expression has an overlay of delight. “You were the youngest brother when I was growing up, the one closest to my age. Don’t tell me you didn’t know I had a gigantic crush on you.”

I freeze with my helmet above my head for a brief second, before forcing it on. I scroll back in my mind’s eye, trying to recall if there was any indication Serena was partial to me back then. I remember her smiling at me a lot and teasing me, but I believed until this moment that she was that way with all the brothers. I never felt singled out in any way by her, or her older sister either for that matter.

“I think you’re pulling my leg,” I say lightly as I get onto my bike. “Where do you want to go this afternoon?”

“Anywhere you want, as long as it’s a nice long road trip.”

I glance over my shoulder, “We can’t stay out too long, so a road trip is out of the question. I’m sure you want to get back in time to get your beauty sleep tonight, right princess?”

She playfully slaps my shoulder. “It’s Saturday. We can both sleep in tomorrow. Don’t be such a spoilsport.”

“I believe in giving the lady what she wants,” I respond smoothly.

When her hands slip around my waist, I rev up my engine and take off. Going out alone with Serena feels like doing something wrong. She’s an adult who is quite capable of making decisions for herself. So technically, I’m not doing anything wrong. However, Siege might very well rip my head off when he finds out. But my all-encompassing goal today is to keep Serena happy, no matter the cost. I’d be lying if I said that was some kind of burden. Truth be told, pleasing Serena pleases me.