Page 35 of Sweet Revenge for the Bikers

“Hey look, it’s the bitch from the Devil’s Brigade,” a voice just a little bit too loud for me not to hear says over to the side. “Guess she realized she was on the losing side. Do we all get a turn?”

They might as well have dumped the water over my head.

Riptide reacts immediately, standing straight and looking around to find the source of the insult. Mad Dog is right beside him.

Two guys, on the younger end of the crowd if I had to guess, turn around fast, acting like they’ve been watching the game the whole time. Mad Dog moves their way.

I hop down from the bar and put a hand on his arm. “Leave it. They’re just upset about Lightning. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fucking fine,” Mad Dog snaps.

He stalks over to them and hauls one of the guys to his feet. I was right. He’s probably about my age. “You think you’re a big shot? Just because you’re blooded now? You’ve still got a long way to go, kid, and I recommend taking a cue from your fucking elders. Do you seriously think it’s a good fucking idea to insult her while she’s with us? Is that the road you want to go down?” Mad Dog’s stance is deceptively casual, unlike his words, but there’s a hint of bounce, like a boxer, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

“Should you help him?” I ask Riptide.

He shakes his head and pulls me into his lap. “Not yet. If more of us jump in it’ll turn into a brawl just for the hell of it. Cryo’s still green. He’s itching to make a spot for himself in the club, and too young to know when to keep his fool mouth shut.”

I can’t take my eyes off the sight of Mad Dog defending me. I’m not sure it’s ever happened before. Obviously I don’t want him to get hurt, but it’s kind of hot.

“Should she really be here, though?” another Eagle says, glaring past Riptide at me. “We’re about to go to war with the Brigade and everyone knows she’s one of theirs. Is her pussy really worth the risk?”

Another guy stands up. “Jesus, Snake. Sit your ass down and watch the game. Look at her. You think she’s some kind of fucking mastermind? You don’t have to like it, but she didn’t shoot Lightning.”

“Or she’s just a fucking Devil’s Brigade whore, here to distract from⁠—”

He doesn’t get further before Mad Dog drives his fist into Snake’s face, knocking him backward into the crowd. Holy shit.

“Shit, here it goes,” Riptide says a little louder over the growing noise, “I don’t think calling you a whore was Snake’s smartest move today. Doubt he’s going to make that mistake again.” He’s almost laughing, like this is a normal thing.

“Mad Dog might get hurt!” I try to push away, but Riptide holds me tight.

“I’m not leaving you here on your own. He’ll be fine. Nobody’s gonna let it go too far. There’s a lot of tension in the club right now, and sometimes the best way to fix that is to punch someone in the face.” He kisses the top of my head. “Mad Dog would probably be pissed if I shut it down too fast.”

I stare in horror as everything unfolds in front of the big screen with cheerleaders dancing during a break. The closest thing I’ve ever seen to what’s happening is at a concert when you see people standing completely still watching the stage while there’s a swirling mass of bodies slamming into each other a few feet away.

A mix of angry roars and joyful cheering fills the big room as it turns into a free-for-all brawl, right in front of me. I feel like I should be doing something, but I really don’t know what. Like, what can I do?

Not that I think they need help. The other guy who defended me is fighting right next to Mad Dog, and there’s no clear side. Maybe everyone’s just on their own side. It’s too chaotic for me to tell, but the fact that in addition to angry grunts and yowls of pain, wild laughter is at least a big part of the mix, I’m starting to think they’re all just crazy.

“Are they having… fun?”

Riptide chuckles as he flexes his fingers, like he’s eager to get in there too. “Getting the shit kicked out of you is good medicine sometimes. Sure, some of the boys are gonna wake up real fucking sore in the morning, but it’s worth it.” He moves even closer to my ear so he can whisper into it, “Like a good, hard fuck.”

“You have a one-track mind. You know that?”

“Hard not to with you in my lap.”

“Then let me⁠—”

“Nope.” He slips his hand under my shirt instead. “Can you really tell me there’s nothing appealing about watching him fight for your honor? Think about it, when the fight’s over, where do you think all that energy is gonna go? Maybe you’ll need to check for damage.” He cups my breast over my bra, his clever thumb finding my nipple through the thin fabric.

There’s a literal brawl happening right in front of us, but now his lips are brushing right where my neck meets my shoulder…

“Riptide…” I barely get out.

“Yeah?” He pinches my nipple, making me gasp.

“We can’t just⁠—”