Page 33 of Reid
He gave her a chin lift, already pouring her a vodka soda.As soon as he placed the glass down in front of her, he grabbed me a beer.“You good?”
She gave him one of her soft smiles that made me want to punch Jack in the face.He asked her that every time he saw her.Two words, nothing more, nothing less.But that was two more words than most people got from the scary motherfucker.“I’m good, Jack.”
He gave me a chin lift and moved on to the next patrons.It was a group of women in their late twenties who were complaining that he’d served us before them when they’d already been waiting, like, forever.If I had to deal with people like them every day, I would lose my mind.
“You want a drink, or you want to bitch?”Jack asked, his crazy flickering in his eyes.
“Boy!”
Keeping my hand on Everly’s hip, I turned to see my dad standing at his usual pool table in the back.“You bring my girl?”
As soon as she saw him, Everly lit up.“Papa Biker!”
There was nothing soft about Tanner Reid.He was old and gruff, missing a pinkie and scarred up from head to toe.But when he saw Everly, something changed in him.The same thing happened when he was around Sammy.He turned to mush for them.“There she is.Come over here, and let me teach you the right way to play, darlin’.”
“We’ll be right there, Papa.”She grabbed hold of my cut and tugged me down so that we were eye level.“You aren’t allowed to tell him I want to learn so I can shark him.He can’t know, Reid.”
Fighting a laugh, I kissed her hard.“It’s our secret, sweetness.”
A number of my MC brothers were scattered around the bar, many of them out with their ol’ ladies.I wasn’t surprised to see Matt sitting on a stool beside my dad.Most nights, they spent a few hours sharking college kids out of their cash.The OG Reid brothers, always stirring up trouble.
“You doin’ all right, darlin’?”Dad gave her a hug as soon as we reached her.“My boy treatin’ you good?”
“Always, Papa Biker.”Her arms tightened around him for a moment.
Dad pulled back, giving her a skeptical look.“That changes, you let his momma know.She’ll put him right.”
“She’s not going to have to worry about that, old man,” I promised him.
His blue eyes narrowed on me warningly.“She better not.You ever get stupid like Chance, and I’m gonna find a hole to dump you in, boy.”
Matt grumbled something to himself, knowing his brother was taking a dig at him.“We teaching the kid to play pool, or you just going to take shots at me all night?”
“You can’t teach for shit, little brother.She wouldn’t learn anything important from you.Now, me, I’m the best of the best.I’ll have you Olympic-ready in no time.”
“Is pool an Olympic sport?”Everly asked, taking the stick Dad offered her, her nose doing that cute scrunch thing.
I shook my head in answer, but Dad was already complaining about how it should be, and if it were, he would have every gold medal.For the next hour, he taught her a few things in between keeping her giggling.I sat back and watched, my heart in my throat.I wanted this for the rest of my life.Her laughing.Those incredible eyes dancing every time they looked at me.That smile that caused my chest to feel both tight and free.Soft grazes of her fingers over my arm when she walked by me.Knowing she was happy every minute of every day.
All those things were now vital to me.Without them, I couldn’t live.
Dad began to get tired.His hands weren’t as steady as they should have been, and I knew his tells for when his arthritis pain was starting to get to be too much.Everly noticed and faked a yawn.
“Time to get you home and tucked into bed, sweetness.”
“But I’m not tired.I’m having a good time with Papa.”
“Sweetness,” I warned and made promises all in the same breath, knowing she was selling it for my dad’s sake.He was her first taste of having a father, and he treated her like she was precious.I loved that old bastard even more for it.
“You get her home safe, Reid,” Dad ordered after giving her another bear hug.He slapped me on the back.“And you better drive with care.I don’t want to be hearin’ that she was on your bike while you were being reckless.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You call your momma tomorrow.Let her know you’re alive.”
I talked to my mom every day, whether it was a text or a call, so she didn’t worry, and he knew it.But I still told him, “Yes, sir.”
“Night, Papa,” Everly called as I pulled her toward the exit.
