Page 22 of Thunder

Logic be damned, she was hurting. Those words were ones she couldn’t shove down and digest later. “I may be easy pussy, but you’re the liar, Nick. Not me. You said I could trust you. That I wouldn’t regret it. Well, I fucking do. More so than anything else in my life, and boy is that saying something.”

As her feet carried her away from the door, there was no way she could let it go. What he’d said ate away at the person she used to be. The one she was working hard to be again. She let her mouth get the best of her. She reached the hall door that led to the main part of the club.Thank God, she didn’t need the code to get out too. She turned; he was standing in the doorway watching her retreat.

“Well, I may be a slut. But I’m not your fucking slut. The dick was good, but your fucking ego is out of proportion with it, so you might want to check that attitude.”

The sharp sound of his slamming door ricocheted through her very soul. Dressed in only her underwear, she stepped into the bar praying no one would be around, but there wasn’t a God listening to her today.

The men playing dominoes stopped more abruptly than if someone had pressed the pause button on a DVR. She recognized a few of the faces frozen and looking at her tits.

Taps was the first to recover and stood. Her brain must’ve short-circuited from her overwhelming emotions because she smiled at his shirt that read,Sleeping with the bartender won’t get you free drinks, but it’s worth a shot.

“Shit, baby girl, you look like you could use this more than me.” He approached and handed her a shot. Not even caring that it was in the a.m. or that she was about to drive. Or that she was standing in an MC clubhouse in her underwear, she downed it and winced. Tequila. “You want a donut to wash it down?” He waggled his eyebrows.

Before she could put Taps in his place, a man she hadn’t met shouted their direction. “Dude, give it a break. Your obsession with tongue fucking food is getting old and she just left a brother’s bed. Probably not the best time to put the moves on her.”

“Oh, God.” She groaned. “Thanks for the shot and the sexual food offer, but I’m going to jet.” She was trying to laugh so she could get out of there without crying. She hated fucking tears, but they were coming.

“Seriously.” Taps took the shot glass but draped his arm around her. “You, okay? You want me to slay that dumbass fucking giant, just say the word and I will.”

Her smile was weak at best. “No, thanks. He’s not worth it. Besides, who will insult the women of Vegas if he’s gone? It’s a big job and I’m pretty sure he’s doing the lion’s share of the work for Clark County, so. . .”

Taps laughed, and it was a soothing sound. “I like you. I hope he gets his head out of his ass and grovels. It’d be nice having you around. However, if he doesn’t, I’m available. I’ve been told my oral skills are impeccable, I have the voice of an angel, and, this is the real selling point.” He pitched his voice low. “I know how to hit the hamper, every… single… time.”

“The last thing I need or want right now is another dick. Whether we’re talking about the one in your pants or your personality. So, just keep it yourself already.”

Andy hated to take out her frustration on Taps, he’d been nothing but nice to her, but she was fucking done.

She hadn’t realized he’d walked her to the door until they were there. “Noted.” It was the first time he appeared semi-serious since she’d met him. “Get dressed and give me your keys.”

Taps reached over to the motorcycle handlebar coat rack by the door and removed a plain, long-sleeved denim jacket. Holding it up in front of her like a curtain, he nodded for her to dress. She did. Then he slipped the coat on her and turned to where the men resumed playing dominoes.

She gasped when Blast stepped forward at some silent understanding between him and Taps. “Keys? Taps’ll take you home and I’ll bring your car.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded and handed them over.

“Blast, I’m sorry, I…” She trailed off. What could she say, she’d fucked his brother at the party he brought her to.

Blast gave her a genuine smile. “Nothing to apologize for, Andy. You were upfront with me, and I respect that. I should apologize to you for the way my brother treated you. We’ll handle him, don’t worry.”

“Please, don’t. I just want to forget everything. Well, not everything. I hope we can be friends.”

Blast nodded as they headed out.

11

THUNDER

They were sitting in church discussing club business, but all his brothers’ eyes kept cutting to him. They all gossip worse than a bunch of old ladies in a quilting bee.

Thunder did not want to discuss his personal life with anyone, let alone the pricks sitting around the table giving him judgmental looks. They’d already had a field day when he walked in with a baby face. Something prompted him to shave, and now he regretted it when he reached for his beard.

He’d told Taps and Blast to fuck off when they blew up his phone and came pounding at his door.Fuckers.

They’re supposed to be his brothers, take his side, but it was becoming crystal fucking clear that wasn’t the case.

Granite ran the club on his own terms. Most days that meant all members in church. When it meant anything sensitive or might require a vote, that meant all officers. He groaned because that meant it was his fucking fault he had to be here in the first place.

He wanted to go back to bed and forget the last twenty-four hours and sleep through the hangover he made sure he’d have by the amount of alcohol he’d consumed after Andrea had left.

---