Page 18 of Tracking Luxe

“Idetainedher. I didn’t kidnap,” his stare was vicious. “I don’t need to take this abuse,” he flung himself back in the booth, scowling.

Not even the tits in his face when the waitress dropped off more rounds of drinks cheered Grinder up. They could have been made of cauliflower instead of pink perky nipples for all the notice he took. “Youliterallynever stop bringing up aggravating shit.”

Preacher barked at the scowl Grinder fired, his face buried in his bottle he scanned the bar, noting nothing of interest to his fancy.

Everyone was bland cauliflower.

No one was Luxe.

“Youliterallyjust told me your shit, you, secretive fuck-monkey. All this time you were Gi Joe’ing through bushes and alleys stalking the feisty criminal.”

“You were busy with your own drama,” he pointed out with a shrug. “Not like I could ask you to stalk with me when you were helping Ruby. Besides, you’re a big bastard, she would have seen you easily,” he tried to make light while he brooded.

“I coulda laughed down the phone at you, though.” Grinned Preacher.That asshole. “Come on, you’re not arrested, she’s obviously not gonna report it, you got off lightly, thank your lucky stars, G, and move on. As you once told me there’s plenty more pussy out there, dig into one or five and wash your mouth of all of this, it’s trouble you don’t need.”

He couldn’t forget. That was the problem. His gut was warped with knots and all he could think about was that kiss and how he’d wanted so much more until his cock was drilled inside her right down to the bottom and her screams deafened him.

Pity party of one, more chicken wings needed.

A minute went by. “You don’t look like you’re moving on, G. In fact, you got that plotting look, like you’re about to do something nasty and a little dirty.”

Grinder slurped, used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. He didn’t want to get all touchy-feely with his emotions, this whole confession had been a bad idea, wasn’t it?

“Do you know how many women I’ve seen you this affected by in all the years I’ve known you? None. Absolutely zero, my friend. Until this one woman. You’re here brooding with a face like a smacked dog. Don’t you think you should be doing something about it?”

“Nah. It’s done now.” Knocking knuckles on the table he rose, threw down enough notes to cover what they’d had and to leave a tip. “Let’s go, I know you wanna run back home, you pussy-whipped sad-case,” flashing Preacher a smirk who only grinned to let Grinder know he didn’t care what he was saying, ‘cause he was getting the good and the wet on the regular from his old lady. Fucking gloaters, him and Rider both.

The men parted outside in front of their bikes.

Preacher headed home.

Grinder, feeling unsettled in his own flesh pushed on a pair of shades to block out the waning sun in the sky, throwing his leg over his Dyna Wide Glide 2016, he made the engine purr while he zipped up his leather jacket with theSoulsgrim reaper emblem on the back and he took off. Too early to head home, he was far too restless and not nearly drunk enough to sit idle on his couch and flip through shit TV and there were no engines to work on at the shop, he drove for twenty minutes, the sky drifting into dusk until Colorado was shadowed in darkness.

Where was a club brawl when he needed one to keep him busy?

An image of Luxe at the Apollo Kingsmen party before he air-lifted her out played around his mind. What with keeping his hostage fed, watered and generally calm the last days he’d completely put it to the recess of his head, but driving with the wind in his face, his best girl under him purring a steady 68 mph he gave it some thought. She hadn’t looked happy, hadn’t even seemed enthused to be at a rowdy party, if anything when she’d stepped outside, unbeknown to his eyes on her from a discreet corner of Steele’s compound, she seemed bored out of her brain, he could joke he did her a favor getting her out of there, from what he’d been told, the only reason she was back in town was because of that shindig.

Or was it?

Why hadn’t he asked what had brought her into town? He guessed why not, his brain would have exploded if she told him she was dating the Kingsmen prez. Ruby’s brother wasn’t bad as rival club members go, he kept out ofSoulsbusiness and likewise for the Kingsmen, he was friendly enough with Rider, the two spoke now and then, but and it was a giantbut, his gut didn’t like the idea she was dating someone.

Hadn’t he just had his tongue in her mouth?

Surely that was some fucking claim somewhere.

Had to be.

Whichever way he tried to work it, Grinder knew he was screwed, he couldn’t go back in time and do things differently. They’d parted on decent terms? Maybe. And still he had a goose egg in his throat he couldn’t dislodge.

Would flowers say he was sorry?

He found himself in the unnatural state of wanting to make it up to a woman, first time for everything huh. He couldn’t have had a bigger reality check that he’d fucked up at every given corner and still he’d pressed forward, over what… ashitty chain.

A sentimental piece of shit that was worth nothing. Fuck. No excuse.

He’d pursued her because he couldn’t get her out of his mind.

There, that was his fucking unvarnished truth.

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