Page 4 of Whiskey Shivers

Chainsaw turned around from selecting a bottle off the shelf back there and gave me an inquiring chin lift. I threw him some chin back in the affirmative and wordlessly he pulled the bottle of top shelf whiskey that I liked down and went for some glasses.

“I do too, brother.” La Croix’s voice was low, dark, and stormy. I held up a hand and waved him off.

“You boys need a minute?” Alina asked, uneasiness clouding her clear eyes, and I shook my head.

“It ain’t club business, darlin’. You’re good right where you’re at.”

She visibly relaxed.

“What’s goin’ on then?” La Croix asked.

I sighed and accepted the rocks glass from Chainsaw and tossed the double that was in it back.

I savored the light amber liquid, rolling the fire and smoky goodness over my tongue, and swallowing, eased out a breath.

“Just think, I might have an inkling now what it was like for you,” I said, eyeing Alina. “You know, before y’all got together.”

She shaded a pretty pink, but her green eyes never wavered from mine. She was fearless now, held a confidence that looked good on her with La Croix at her back. La Croix’s dark gaze was affixed to the copper of the top of his lady’s head.

He nodded slowly, those creepy fucking tattooed eyeballs of his flickering up to mine and fixing there. Something passed between us then. A new understanding. Something primal, beyond brotherhood and bike. A curious thing. His lips quirked slightly on one side, a smug little smile tugging at his lips. An answering smile spread my own until I was grinning, teeth and all, and lookin’ like a fuckin’ loon.

“Yeah, laugh it up,” I told him and his smirk grew to a smile – the closest thing to a full-on belly laugh that this motherfucker ever got. Which, come to think of it, was probably a good thing. If La Croix was laughin’? The devil him-fucking-self was walkin’ the earth. It was that terrifying of a sight to behold.

CHAPTERTHREE

Corliss…

I sighed softly with frustration and checked my watch. My car had needed to remain in the shop another day and Mark was supposed to pick me up… and he was late… again.

I looked up as my classroom door opened and the school’s custodian, the attractive one, rolled his bin through.

“Here again?” he asked and smiled, and it was something.

I smiled back, hoping that it was just friendly and he didn’t take it as flirty. I just didn’t needthatdrama. I gave him a breezy, “Yep! For sure. I should be able to get my car back today if my fiancé, Mark, would just get here on time for once.” I rolled my eyes, unable to contain my frustration.

“You try an’ call him?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“I’ll give him a few more minutes,” I said.

“Offer stands from yesterday,” he said, as he emptied my trashcans around the room into his bigger bin.

“I appreciate that. If it’s much longer, do you think I could trouble you for a ride to the mechanic’s shop?” I quailed inside just asking. I mean, how cringey, having to ask your coworker to get to the shop, to get your car, when yourfiancéhad already said… but Mark was proving to be unreliable as hell lately and I just didn’t know what his problem was.

“No problem. What’s the name of the place?” he asked.

“Roald & Son’s Auto Repair,” I said, coloring lightly. He gave a slow smile.

“Cheap, but they do good work.” He gave a nod. “I know where it’s at.”

“Then thank you, Mr. Johnson,” I said.

He stopped and said, “My friends call me Hex.”

“Hex?” I asked, and he gave me a bit of a serious look.

“Not sure why I told you that. I mean, I ain’t told anyone at the school that before. Mike works just fine.”

“Hex.” I turned the unusual name over in my mouth and had to ask, “How’d you get a name like that? I like it.”

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