Page 27 of The Kings of Kearny

“What about us?” I said. I’d given everyone vague answers tonight. If growing up in a small town with druggie parents had taught me anything, it was that feeding into rumors, whether you confirmedordenied them, would only prolong the rumor and subsequent interest in it.

“Be careful,” she said.

A tendril of unease slipped up my spine. “Why?”

“He can be a real asshole sometimes.”

“Did he hit you?” I asked.

She shook her head, sending her chocolate curls flying. “God, no. Jakob isn’t the sort. He was never even outright mean to me. He just”—she huffed out a breath and glanced around, as if looking for the right words—“I don’t know, it’s like he doesn’t have a filter.”

I sighed. “Yeah. I’ve noticed that.”

“And he can be really jealous,” she said.

Well, wasn’t she just a fountain of information? I might not be in a relationship with the guy, but I wouldn’t say no to learning more about him. It might come in handy later... somehow.

“How jealous?” I asked.

“He put Ricky Sloan in the hospital after Ricky grabbed my ass one night.”

I frowned. “So he beat up a man who sexually assaulted you?”

“What?” She let out a nervous giggle. “No. I mean, yes, he put him in the hospital, but Ricky just grabbed my ass is all. He didn’t try to”—she glanced around and lowered her voice—“you know.”

Rape you?I almost asked, but didn’t. The town of Kearny hadn’t gotten the memo yet that it wasn’t okay to grope people just because you found them attractive, so I doubted a little grab-ass even registered as assault to most of them. Including Beth, apparently.

I’d served Ricky a few times, and the guy skeeved me out. My gut was rarely wrong about men like him, and part of me had been waiting for him to say something that crossed a line or try to get handsy with me because I would have loved to have been the one to teach him a lifelong lesson about boundaries and consent. The only regret I felt over learning that Jakob had put him in the hospital for grabbing Beth was that Jakob had beaten me to it.

“Anything else I should know?” I asked her.

“No,” came the growling answer.

Beth and I both jumped as Jakob emerged from between two other bikers. I hadn’t seen him coming, because unlike at Gran’s earlier, he blended right into the sea of denim and leather spread out around us.

Beth slapped some bills on the counter and took off with her drink. Smart woman.

Jakob lowered his big frame onto her abandoned stool and rested his elbows on the bar top. “Enjoy your little gossip session?”

I bared my teeth at him in a look that was too cutting to be a grin. “Immensely.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Hey there, you two,” Daniel King boomed.

Great. Just what this situation needed. Another asshole.

“Hey, boss,” Jakob drawled, rising to offer Daniel his seat.

Daniel waved him back down. “I see word finally got out about you.”

If he talked any louder, he’d be shouting. I was right about him wanting to lord this information over everyone else. The fact that he chose this moment to do it made me want to spit in the next drink he ordered.

Jakob nodded in response.

I tried my best not to scowl.

“Krista, can you help me with this keg?” Nina called.

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