Watching Mad Dog try to flirt with the spitfire black woman trying to get his friend out of the slammer is both sweet and cringey at the same time. And normally I’d be in there helping his cause, or at least annoying the deputy who dragged Pops into the cell, but I can feel my energy starting to wane.
“Hey Vi, do you think you could drop me off real quick?”
Vi hoists Juno higher up on her hip and gives me a sympathetic look. I must look like shit before her brow furrows. “Do you think you could wait until the rest of the club turns up? That way I can hand Juno off to Jules and I can spend a little time getting you set up.”
A frown pulls at my lips. I’m not a baby, I can take care of myself. I just need to get home to do that. “Vi, I don’t need you to get me set up, I just need a ride-”
“We can give you one,” Fox says with a soft smile.
The man must have the hearing of a bat, because he was standing next to the reception desk, and our small group of loud women are by the doors, a good 8 feet away.
A laugh bubbles out of me, “Thanks Fox, but I don’t think I’ll be getting on the back of a bike today.” Or any day.
“Good thing for you, we rode in a cage,” he hooks his thumb over his shoulder at Nitro.
I take them both in, standing across from me. Fox is standing a little in front of Nitro, and I’ve noticed on a few occasions that in social situations he always does. It makes sense, seeingas Fox is the more outgoing of the two. The one more likely to joke around. In the few conversations I’ve had with him he’s put me at ease and made me laugh. Nitro on the other hand, is a different story. That man is more intense, more reserved. He’s also the one more likely to be able to see straight into my soul. The man in question gives me a small smile, and jiggles the SUV keys in the air.
“Um, what about Pops?”
Mira snorts loudly in my ear and I jump about a foot in the air. “Holy crap, Mira!”
“Whoops, sorry! It was just funny that you’re all worried about Pops, but I think Rose Grove PD should be more worried for themselves. First off, Pops is down there causing shenanigans.”
“But Mad Dog said-”
“I said the other detainees were looking interested. I left off the part where they are interested in getting away from Pops,” Mad Dog cuts in.
“He’s telling them sex stories,” Chewy says with a sigh.
“How the hell do you know that?” Ana asks, face screwed up.
“He’s naked,” Chewy shrugs.
“Right, well nowthat’sbeen cleared up, follow us Princess Jasmine, we’ll get you home safe and sound,” Fox says with a grin.
My feet move to follow without me thinking about it. The only thing that stops me is Juno’s little squeal, letting me know I didn’t kiss her goodbye.
“Oh, sorry sweet girl! Aunty loves you,” I smack a big loud kiss on her chubby cheek and she pats mine affectionately, her expression not changing once. Her little frown is exactly in place.
“Call me when you get home, OK?” Vi says, eyes searching mine.
“I’ll see how I go. I might just crash for the night. I have a big day tomorrow, I’ve got Fox and Nitro posing for the kids.”
A slow grin grows on Vi’s face as her eyes dart from me to the two hunky men behind me. “Oh, they don’t know what’s about to hit them.”
“Nope,” I laugh, giving her a quick hug before spinning back to Fox and Nitro.
“Sorry about that. Ready when you are.” I wave in their direction.
They wave me forward in a ladies first manner and I can’t help the wee flutter low in my belly at the chivalry. I stomp that down with my very sensible sneaker that I’m wearing because I have no time to entertain such things. They’re friends with my sister and her boyfriend, they’re all part of the same club and any of the club brothers would be chivalrous. I’ve seen it on many occasions. They’re a group of good men who always put women and children first, so I’m nothing special.
“You hop in the front, babe. I’ll sit in the back,” Fox says in my ear, causing those damn flutters to rise up again.
“No way, you’re huge, you can sit in the front,” as soon as the words leave my mouth I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. “Crap, I didn’t mean it like that! I meant that-”
“You’re right, he is huge,” Nitro says with a completely straight face, although I notice the heat in his eyes as they move from me to his boyfriend.
A cough escapes me at the remark and I have to swallow down my giggles at how downright dirty that was. “Right. OK. So it’s settled.” I nod once and move to the back door of the huge DRMC SUV.
