Lay It Down: Bastards MC Series Boxed Set (54 page)

“Yeah, well, at least you weren't half naked. I didn't have to sit around fuckin’ worryin’ about who was looking at you and who might try to put their grubby paws all over you ‘cause we were right there, weren’t we? No one was gonna look twice because it was obvious who you were goin’ home with and even more obvious who you belonged to! ” My eyes narrowed even further as I leaned closer. She wasn’t getting the point. “Go. Change.”

She pulled back her shoulders, straightening herself as if ready for a fight. “Oh, for Christ’s sake! Rocker’s one big dude, Matt!” The sarcastic way she said my name had me fuming again. “I’m his date! No one is going to even look twice at me. And unless you have other plans, you’ll be here when I get home.”

My jaw clenched. “Joes.” I hoped she knew by the way I growled that that I was barely controlling myself. "You're wearing somethin' else!"

“My date said I look fantastic.” She copped a major attitude, jabbing a finger into my chest. “If you don’t like my dress or how I look in it, then don’t fucking look at me.”

“You’re all anyone is going to be looking at!” I snapped back, done having this ridiculous conversation.

“Thanks!” she snarled back. “I’m gonna take that as a compliment.” She looked at Rocker. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my date is waiting.”

She tried to move by me, but I grabbed her arm. “He’s gonna keep waiting!” I looked over her head at my best friend, hoping he could see how dangerous an interruption would be right now.

He held up his hands as if in surrender, backing up. “We’re gonna go see if the car’s here yet and give you two a minute.”

Jo snapped her head toward him, but not before I could see worry taking over her features.

Rob wisely ignored her. “I’ll see you later, brothah.”

He nodded, then they were gone.

I waited until I heard the elevator doors close before I yanked her back so she was facing me. “What the fuck, Joes?” was all I could spit out. I had so much to say, but I couldn’t process a single thought.

“Exactly! What the fuck?” she yelled back, shoving at my chest with her free hand. “Let me go, or I will kick your ass.”

I leaned close to her ear. “You wanna get rough, Joey? I fuckin’ love rough.”

“Ugh!” She screamed in frustration, and I had to fight not to laugh. “Let. Go. Matty.”

I released her arm. Instead of stepping back, she stepped into me, shocking the shit out of me. Grabbing my shirt, she pulled herself into me. My body, already tense from our argument, reacted instantly, and I felt myself harden against her. I would want this woman until I died.

She tipped her head back, looking at me with perfect eyes. “I have to go, Matty. It’s club business.” She shrugged, and I suddenly hated that fucking term. “If I had a different gown, I would change, just for you. But I don’t. I have to wear this.”

I searched her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me you were goin’ tonight?”

She raised an eyebrow and shook her head once, but that was enough to tell me she hadn’t even thought about telling me, that I hadn’t even been a concern.

Instead she answered with the annoying, “It’s club business.”

“And I’m a member of the fuckin’ club, Joes. So I can know!” I paced into the hallway and back. “Don’t go. Stay here with me.”

She adjusted again, bringing herself up to her full height—all five feet of it. “You know I can’t do that. Your club needs me to do this.” She walked over to the elevator and pushed the call button. “It’s only a few hours, then we’ll have the rest of the weekend.”

I was pissed again. “My club doesn’t need you to do this shit! We’ve got it fuckin’ handled. You’re doin’ this for Rob!” I sneered, fisting my hands at my sides. “I could make you stay, you know that, right?”

She turned to me, eyeing me coolly, then pushed her shoulders back, making her breasts jiggle and proving once again how fucking skimpy her dress was. “Yeah, I do. But I also know you won’t.”

The elevator opened, and I reached for her, stopping her as she stepped in. “Jo.” Even I could hear the hard warning in my voice, the ultimatum there but left unspoken.

She stepped around my hand and turned, facing me with pleading eyes. “I have to go, Matty. I have a quick job to do, then I’ll be back. We’ll talk about this later.”

Then the elevator doors closed, and she was gone. My fists clenched at my sides. I wanted to hit something. Fucking beat the shit out of something. I turned around the empty foyer, mind frantic.

I needed a drink. No. I needed to get drunk. Fucking shitfaced. Can’t-even-walk-let-alone-think-straight drunk. I slammed the call button, and when the elevator came back up, I pressed the basement button angrily.

There was no doubt where I needed to go. After throwing my leg over my Harley, I fired her up and headed for the clubhouse, tires squealing angrily on the pavement. I needed to sit my ass on a stool and drink until I forgot that Jo had just left me.

Jo

I sagged against the wall as soon as the elevator door closed. I always hated fighting with Matty, but the look of disbelief and wrath he’d just given me was enough to make me want to cry. I knew he wouldn’t believe it, but nothing sounded better than taking off that dress and crawling into bed with him. It was as if he thought I was choosing his friend over him. If I hadn’t promised Rocker…

When the elevator opened on the bottom floor, I didn’t move. I could easily press the button and go back upstairs. Except, I realized as I debated with myself, that I didn’t have the key fob. Well, fuck it—the decision was made for me.

A stretch Lincoln Navigator was parked in front of our building, and my three companions were standing on the sidewalk, chatting with the driver as I walked down the stone steps. I knew my face must reflect my shock at such an obtrusive vehicle, but Rocker ignored it as he walked to me and offered me his arm once more, leading me to the car. He stepped into the limo in front of me then turned back, offering me his hand, and pulled me up.

I paused once I was inside, surprised by how big the car really was. A long curvy black bench seat down ran the left side of the vehicle and curled into a cozy loveseat at the back. On the right side, across from the seat, was a bar. Rob sat in the first seat and tugged me down next to him. The leather was soft and subtle, and I sighed as I sank into luxury. Hawk helped his date climb up into the cabin, laughing and joking as they took seats. We’d barely pulled out onto the road before Hawk moved toward the bottles, grabbed one, and filled a glass. He took a single sip before holding it out to me. I shook my head. Alcohol was the last thing I needed.

Hawk didn't pull it away but arched an eyebrow instead. "Trust me, L.K., you'ah gonna need it to get through tonight."
 

Chapter 21

Jo

Hawk had been right—I had needed a drink to calm my nerves. We got stuck in a long line of limos and waited almost a half hour for our turn to be dropped off. The time gave me a chance to watch Hawk and his date, Tabby. They looked so comfortable together that it made me miss Matty. Hawk surprised me at every turn. Tonight he was attentive, cuddly, and looked at Tabby with eyes full of love.

The term chubby subby seemed even more obnoxious now. Yes, she was chubby, but no bigger than I’d been a few years ago, so she maybe wore a size sixteen. She looked exquisite in a black mermaid-style gown that clung to the top half of her body, showing off an incredible hourglass figure, then flared out into gorgeous skirts. It was the subby part I was having trouble buying, because she was the furthest thing from submissive. In fact, the way Hawk fawned over her, one would think he was the sub.

Our car finally dropped us in front of a group of men with cameras. Rob just shrugged when I asked about them, but Tabby, Hawk’s date, laughed and told me that they were always outside events like this, hoping to catch a celebrity in the mix. They took our pictures as we walked in, talking to Rob and asking about me, but he only smiled before guiding me into the building.

I couldn’t begin to remember all of the faces and names of people I was introduced to. While I was chatting with a very sweet woman in her sixties, I saw a man in dress blues grab Hawk and yank him into a hug. I turned to Rob, eyebrows raised.

He leaned in, close enough so no one else could hear him, and explained, “Hawk’s dad, the Superintendent in Chief of Boston’s finest.”

I watched them closely, surprised to see how happy he looked to see Hawk and how he genuinely seemed like a proud papa. So Hawk’s dad was a cop? Not at all what I expected.

The surprises kept coming. For an hour before dinner, we mingled over cocktails and chatted with the other hundred guests. When Jessie had told me it was exclusive, I hadn’t realized that meant small and private. I’d just come back from the bathroom and was scanning the small crowd for my friends when an older gentleman stepped up beside me.

“You look absolutely bored, my dear.”

“Not at all.” I smiled at him. “I don’t know that many people here, but I am most definitely not bored.”

He held out a hand and gave me a mischievous smile. “Henry Butler.” After I put my fingers in his palm, he pulled my hand to his mouth and gave it a quick peck. He didn’t let go. “My friends call me Hal.”

“Hal? Not Hank?” I asked, trying politely to get my hand back.

He wrinkled his nose aristocratically and dismissed my question as if I were a silly little girl. “No. Hank isn’t any good for politics. Would you vote for a Hank Butler?” He chuckled. "Maybe if we lived down south."

“Oh? You’re a politician?”

He shrugged, still smiling. “Something like that.” He finally let go of my hand, but only to grab a glass of champagne off a waiter’s tray and offer it to me.

I took it, happy to have my hands filled with something other than his.

“And you? Who can I tell people kept me entertained this evening?” he asked.

“Look who I found walking around like a lost puppy,” a voice I never thought I’d hear again purred, and I stiffened as Taylor put her hand on Hal’s shoulder and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Hi, Daddy. Sorry I was late.” She was out of breath, as if she’d just run across the venue.

Before I could react, a familiar hand found the small of my back, and Rob’s voice filled my ears. “Senator, I’d like to introduce my date, Josephine Walker.”

Senator? Internally, I rolled my eyes. I knew that Taylor came from what Matty called “Boston royalty,” which in reality meant “old Boston money,” but I hadn’t known her father was a senator. I looked from father to daughter, realizing again how beautiful she really was, and noticed that Taylor got both her height and striking features from Hal. Too bad she hadn’t inherited his charm.

Dressed in a form-fitting sparkly black gown that showed off her perfect hourglass figure, she oozed sophistication. Her platinum-blond hair was pulled back in a knot, and she’d chosen to forgo jewelry, leaving her long neck bare. The look would have been plain on anyone else, but on her, it looked elegant. Her makeup brought attention to her large purple eyes—the only indication she wore contacts—and her perfect heart-shaped mouth. Not for the first time, Helen of Troy crossed my mind as my eyes moved over her. Taylor had a face that would make men fight battles for her, and a rare beauty that would launch a thousand ships. She was simply stunning.

Taylor moved around her dad and offered me a sincere smile. “Jo! How nice to see you.”

I almost forgot why I hated her. Almost. Then she stepped toward me, put hands on my shoulders, and kissed each cheek. I could have sworn I heard her hiss the word, "Please," but I was too distracted. The move made the giant engagement ring on her finger reflect the light. I hadn't seen that ring in a few months, but there was no denying it was the same one she'd shown me last July.

Before I could react, she’d stepped back and was looking at her father. “Jo is a close friend of Matt’s, Daddy. But I hadn’t realized that the two of you were dating.” She turned her gaze back to Rob, whose hand was gripping my back, fingernails digging into my flesh.

He turned to me, face sober. “A woman like Jo is a rare find.” Gray eyes met mine. “She has the ability to make a man forget every other woman he’s ever been with. She understands that not everything is how it may seem, and she waits to make a judgment until she has all the facts, because she knows that when a man loves her, he would do anything to keep her safe.”

I raised an eyebrow. Considering that didn’t sound a thing like me, I got his message loud and clear—there was more to this than what met the eye. I didn’t know why Matty’s ring was still on Taylor’s finger, but I knew he would explain later.

Rob’s hand drifted up to my face, and he cupped my cheek. “We aren’t dating. But Jo has moved in with me.” Conveniently leaving out the fact that we had a strictly platonic relationship, he continued, “I’ll gladly take every bit of her I can get.” Right now, he had a part to play. Apparently I did too.

“I never thought I’d see the day Robert Doyle would settle down!” Hal’s voice was full of humor. “Darling, I think you may be rubbing off on him!” He turned from his daughter to me. “So you and my son-in-law are friends? I’m sorry to say I don’t remember meeting you.”