Page 12 of Ride Long
“I seen her before,” Rocket drawled, sitting as far away from me as he could. “She’s Marini’sdaughter.”
“That could mean one of two things,” I said, reaching for thebutter.
“Which are?” Spike asked while Sam shrank back into the corner, focusing on washing out the frying pan. She could sense a fight for dominance a mileoff.
“I’m a murderous little bitch, or I’m the best you’ve ever had.” I smirked and smeared my pancakes with a healthy dob of yellowishbutter.
Ratchet laughed and thumped his fist on the table. The motion dissolved the tension in the air, and everyone’s shoulders slouched. The sound of cutlery scraping against plates filled the room oncemore.
Liking me wasn’t enough. They had to respect me in order for my plan to work. Men like these didn’t drop everything for a pretty face. Theyownedpussy, not pledged their allegiance toit.
Rocket narrowed his eyes at me before going back to his pancakes. He wasn’t soconvinced.
Ignoring him, I stuck a fork into my pancakes, deciding that Sam was one hell of a cook. These tough-ass bikers would soon learn I wasn’t here to be owned. I wasn’t destined to be some asshole’s Old Lady. Not even Chaser could label me with it. Chaser and I were equals or nothing atall.
“Don’t worry about him,” Ratchet said, glancing at Rocket. “He’s always got somethin’ up hisass.”
“You’re Marini’s daughter, hey?” Spike asked. “The one Chaser went toget?”
I nodded, my heart leaping at the mention of hisname.
“Everyone says you ran away,” Rocket said, baiting me. “When the club needed you, youbailed.”
“The club didn’t need me,” I fired back. “If it did, it certainly didn’t need to treat me as acommodity.”
The men stared at me, the pancakesforgotten.
I smiled sweetly. “One of two things, boys. One of twothings.”
Ratchet raised an eyebrow. “Do you have any tattoos,Sloane?”
Knowing I told none of them my name, I curled my lip. “No.”
“I have a shop a few blocks from here,” he went on. “But I do stuff in the compound. I’ve tattooed almost everyonehere.”
My thumb ached. I got his meaning loud and clear. If I wanted to be a part of this place and play the game, then I had tobe a part of thisplace.
“She doesn’t have the balls,” Spike said, his beady little eyes fixed on mytits.
“Do you guys like watermelon?” Iasked.
“The fuck?” Rocketdeclared.
“When you shoot a dumb fucker in the head, his skull explodes like a watermelon. The skin splits down the sides, bone shards crack, and brains fly everywhere. Wet, sticky, and messy asfuck.”
“She’smental.”
I snarled. “If you don’t stop staring at my tits, that’s what I’ll do to yourhead.”
Spike snorted and waved his knife in the air. “Marini allover.”
“Pencil me in,” I said to Ratchet. I wiggled my thumb at him. If I had to get branded to be inducted into their little boys’ club, then so be it. “I’m not anyone’sbitch.”
“Tonight,” he replied. “Since we’ve been ordered not to let youleave.”
“That’s a surprise.” I rolled myeyes.
“See you later…Sloane.”
