Liam: Good thing I have a club brother in the construction business.
As Toni’s eyes looked around the room, trying to imagine what other sort of bed would fit in here, she realized the time.
Toni: Fuck, I have to be up for work in two hours.
Liam: Are you able to take a personal day?
Toni: I mean, technically, yeah. I just generally don’t. Always feel guilty when I do. Then again, maybe if I wasn’t such a workaholic, I wouldn’t currently be in this mess.
Liam: I will spank you so hard next time I see you…
Toni: Fine! Fine! I know, it’s not my fault. Just saying, I don’t take off work often.
Liam: Well, that’s going to change. You deserve a life outside of work as much as anyone else does. Even if I have to kidnap you from your office, you’re going to start taking time off.
Toni: Kidnap me from my office? What are you going to do, throw me over your shoulder and carry me away?
Liam: Yes.
Toni: Ha-ha. Very funny.
Liam: I am completely serious.
Toni swallowed hard, liking the image that statement created way too much.
Liam: Are you turned on right now?
Fuck. She was.
Toni: No.
Liam: Liar. Go to bed, baby. Think about what I said about taking the day. I’d love to introduce you to Becks and my mom. Obviously, you’ve already met Ghost, but he’ll be here too. Then we can hop on my bike and go anywhere you want. Hell, we could literally spend the day just riding through the mountains.
Toni groaned, closing her eyes against the temptation. But in the end, it was too enticing to resist.
Toni: That sounds amazing. Fine. You’re a bad influence. I’ll text my secretary and partner now that I’m taking the day.
Liam: I gladly accept the crown. Dress in jeans and sneakers. I have a spare jacket you can use. We’ll get you proper riding gear soon. & we’ll make it back to Morgantown for the 6:30 open meeting instead of the 8:30 closed one.
Toni: You want me to go to a meeting with you?
Liam: Do you mind?
Toni: No! No, of course not. I’m just surprised. I’m sure there’s an Al-Anon meeting I can go to if you prefer.
Liam: We’ll figure that out later, but for tomorrow, we’ll plan on the 6:30 meeting. I’ll text my sponsor to let him know the change of schedule. I’ll come get you at 9, OK?
Toni: Sounds good. Good night, Liam.
Liam: Good night, Antonia.
* * *
If anyonein the house thought Toni and Ranger looked a bit winded or disheveled upon entering Ghost and Becks’ house, they were polite enough to keep it to themselves. Ranger had no doubt that theonlyreason Ghost was biting his tongue was out of respect for Toni. It wasn’t his fault that Toni was so irresistible. He’d tried to keep his hands to himself, but halfway back to the house, Ranger ended up pulling his bike behind the club’s garage and fucking her against the outside wall.
Thankfully no one commented, but he’d had a storyline all prepared about her “helmet hair”. They were definitely going to need to pick up more condoms while out that afternoon, as they were quickly running through the small stock he had prior to going into rehab.
“Toni, this is my sister, Becks, and my mom, Loretta. You know Ghost already, and this is Stuart Cross, my sponsor.”
