Page 63 of Blue-Eyed Jacks
Zoe nodded.
At first, it was light.A tentative brush of her eyebrow.Then his hand fell to her shoulder, and he pulled her in for the hug she deserved.His shoulders shook, and I knew, despite his face being buried in her hair, he was crying.
Bear turned away, scanning for threats and ignoring his leader’s weakness.
So did the woman, and the tall one named Sprout.The latter didn’t stay quiet, though.“What are you assholes waiting for?Gas up.Fuck.Y’all act like a bunch of fucking prospects.”
“Watch it, Sprout.”A long-haired man who looked like a Viking in biker leather limped up to the woman and whispered in her ear.The quiet command got her moving to her bike and filling up with the rest of the group while her man examined me.I caught his name patch and the VP patch.
“Wolf.”I held out a hand.“Kate…” I didn’t want to lie to them, but would not say my full name if I could help it.
“Kate Weaver.”He didn’t take my hand.“I know.”He tipped his head toward Jackson.“Didn’t know about that, though.”He frowned.His eyes flicked back to mine accompanied by a slight shake of his head, warning me I’d better not fuck up.Or that he didn’t like the situation one bit.I couldn’t blame him for it.I’d brought a war to their home.“Keys.”He held out his hand.
“Zoe has them.”
His shock turned to a scowl.“He’s got a kid who drives?”A curse hissed out of his lips before he could stop it.Then the damnedest thing happened.It started with a slight tremor in his shoulders and turned into a full bellow of laughter.“Jackson, you fucking dog.”
“Fuck off, asshole.”
“She’s old enough to drive.You know what’s next, old man?”
That got Jackson moving.“Enough.Zoe, give the keys to Wolf.You’re riding with Sprout.Hey, dickweed, do you still have that vest for Danielle in your bags?”
“Yup,” Sprout answered.He dug through the bag nearest and pulled out a velcro-strapped vest that looked like John’s body armor.He handed it to Jackson with a quick tap on the front and flipped it over to tap the extra panel on the back before letting it go.
Jackson strapped it around Zoe.“Precautionary.You’re riding with the village idiot, but don’t let that scare you.He’s been on two wheels longer than he’s been walking.I wouldn’t trust you with anyone else, understand?”
“I guess.”Zoe patted at the heavy panels now snugly encasing her.I breathed a little sigh of relief, knowing she was safer.Maybe not as safe as a car, but protected from Shock just a bit better.
“And you,” Jackson’s finger moved, trying to reel me in.I resisted and crossed my arms.
“I told you, I can follow.”
He shook his head.“Absofuckinglutely not.You’re on the back of my bike and you ain’t never leaving it, got it?”
It took everything in me not to cry.It wasn’t every little girl’s dream, and certainly hadn’t been one of mine nineteen years ago.But today I was surprised to discover there was something I longed for more than safety.And that was to wrap my body around him again.
Chapter 19
The Clubhouse—Jackson
Sprout’s legs were too long.He matched my hurried stride as I crossed from the staircase to the meeting room.
“What are we doing with them?”
I grunted and scanned the bar.It wasn’t evening yet, but a couple of the hookers had shown up.“Take the night off, ladies.Upstairs is off limits.”
“Boss?”
“Not now, Sprout.”
“Boss.”
I stopped, almost exactly in the center of the room, where nineteen-ish years ago Kate puked her guts out.“What?!”
“They can’t stay here.”
“Like hell they can’t.”
