Road to Desire (8 page)

I couldn’t help but smile. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

I nodded and he grinned before he kissed me.

“I want to stop off at Freddie’s and grab something to contribute.”

“You don’t need to do that, babe,” he countered.

“I was raised that when you are invited to someone’s party, home, get together, whatever, you bring something.” I patted his chest. “So, we’re going to bring something.”

He shook his head. “Okay, baby, we’ll stop.”

“Thank you. Now, seriously. What should I wear?”

“Whatever you want, Dani.”

“Jeans it is… but not as tight as you might require.”

He laughed and patted my bottom. “Five minutes, baby.”

“What? No! I can’t dry my hair in five minutes.”

“Then pull it back,” he said.

“Hell, no,” I snapped. “If I’m meeting your family, then I’m meeting them looking my best.”

“Baby, you’re gorgeous, doesn’t matter what you wear.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere today, now go and let me do my thing.”

“It gets me nowhere
every
day,” he grumbled, and walked out the door.

I blow dried my hair with a stupid grin on my face, and the grin stayed put as Austin ushered me out the door forty minutes later and into his truck. I chose jeans, knee-high black leather boots, a black cardigan and red lace camisole. Casual, but still nice, and Austin’s response after seeing me was to pull me in for another of his mind-blowing kisses, so I felt confident with what I was wearing.

After a quick stop at the supermarket for wine, beer, and a few snack items, we headed into Portland. Austin drove to another sketchy area in North Portland and I was glad we were in his truck. “Where are we?”

“Cully.”

“Are all the businesses in bad areas of town?”

“The ones we don’t want noticed are,” he revealed, and reached over to link his fingers with mine. “I got you, baby.”

“I know,” I said quickly. “I’ve just never been here.”

He chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

Austin pulled into the large lot of Big Ernie’s Body Shop and parked. I couldn’t help but wonder who Big Ernie was, considering he had two businesses named after him. Austin opened my door and helped me out of the truck before grabbing the bag of groceries from the back. I looped my purse over my shoulder, took Austin’s free hand, and followed him through an unmarked door to the left of what looked like the actual shop.

A dimly lit hallway led to another unmarked door and Austin raised his face to the camera mounted on the ceiling and the door was pulled open. A small foyer with a few easy chairs and a desk with television sat in the space. A couple of biker looking guys sat in the chairs, but they paused their conversation to eye me and Austin.

Austin released me long enough to greet the “brother” who’d granted entry. A man by the name of Ace.

“Ace, Dani,” Austin said. “Dani, Ace.”

Ace was older, probably in his fifties, tall with tattoos that covered his arms and went up his neck. He had patches on his cut as well, one of them read, “Vice President,” so I assumed he was someone important. His dark hair was peppered with gray and he had a handlebar moustache that worked very well for him.

I smiled and reached my hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

He gave me a sexy grin and stared at my hand long enough for me to lower it and feel like an idiot. I moved closer to Austin, who wrapped an arm around me.

“You too, babe,” he said, and turned toward the group. “Mags!”

“What?” A blonde woman with big hair and tiny clothes revealed herself from another doorway and walked over to him. Ace pulled her into a passionate and borderline inappropriate grope session before grinning and facing us again.

“My old lady,” Ace said. “Mags, meet Booker’s new woman. Dani.”

Mags glanced at Austin and then me. “It’s nice to meet you, honey,” she said, her gravelly voice indication she probably smoked.

“We brought a few things,” I said. “Where would you like them?”

She smiled. “What kinds of things?”

“Just some beer and wine, a few snack things and dessert.”

“That was really nice of you.” Mags raised an eyebrow at Ace. “Wasn’t that nice of Dani?”

“Yeah,” Ace said, slowly. “Real nice.”

“Why don’t you come with me, Dani?” Mags said, and took a second to kiss Austin on the cheek. “I’ll show you where everything goes.”

“Um… I… ”

Austin handed Mags the grocery bag and beer, and leaned down to kiss me. “I’ll find you in a minute.”

I gave him a look I both hoped no one else saw, and that he took to heart. We’d been inside for barely a second and he was already ungluing himself from my side.

He chuckled and slid his hand to my neck. “One minute, baby.”

I said nothing, considering it was either that or make a scene, and followed Mags through the door she’d entered from and into a large common room milling with people. The space was filled with sofas, overstuffed chairs, a pool table, large flat-screen television, several smaller tables that kids gathered around for board games, and three outdoor picnic tables.

Rough and ready looking men and women, all of whom you’d expect to see at a biker bar, laughed and drank, chased after kids, made out in the corner, or shot pool… all while smoking. The men wore jeans, boots, and cuts and the women wore a variety of biker chic attire, all of which were absolutely nothing like me or the people I hung out with. I felt like I’d been transported onto some form of a movie set full of extras.

I also couldn’t have felt more out of place had I been abducted by aliens. Although, I did have a weird and ungracious thought that an alien spacecraft was probably cleaner and smelled better.

“Comin’?” Mags asked, already a few feet in front of me.

“Oh, yes. Sorry,” I said, and rushed to catch up to her.

She led me into a commercial grade kitchen where another group of women were chugging beer and pulling out hamburger and hotdog buns, condiments, and bags of chips.

“Everyone, this is Dani,” Mags said. “Booker’s woman.”

The group stopped what they were doing. And I mean, stopped. All of a sudden, I had ten sets of eyes on me, most curious, but one pissed. She was tall, probably five-foot-eight, dark hair with a purple strip dyed down the side and just as the rest of the ladies in the room, her hair was big. She wore a black pair of leather pants, a strapless bustier, and four-inch hooker boots. She looked like a porn star complete with fake eyelashes and even faker boobs.

I smiled, hoping it didn’t look like a grimace. “Hi.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Susie.” A woman close to my height separated herself from the group and made her way to me. She was blonde like me, only not as natural as she might have been in her prime. She wore jeans, a low cut T-shirt, and a vest that had “Property of Crow” on a patch. “I’m Crow’s old lady.”

I deduced she was the matriarch, because the rest of the ladies rallied around to introduce themselves to me, but not until Susie had led the way. Even the angry one pasted on a fake smile and introduced herself. Her name was Tiffany, but she told me to call her “Tiff.” I tried not to throw up in my mouth.

“Dani brought a few things,” Mags said, and lifted the bag onto the stainless steel island.

“What can I do to help?” I asked, wondering where the hell Austin was.

Tiffany grinned at something or someone over my head and made a girlie saunter toward the door. I watched as she pulled Mack into an intimate embrace, her back to me, whispering something in his ear that had him rolling his eyes. He adjusted his expression before he smiled at her and then set her away and headed straight for me.

“Hey, Dani,” he said sweetly, and kissed my cheek before looping a brotherly arm around my neck.

“Hi, Mack.” I didn’t miss the scowl and little stomp of Tiffany’s foot as she twirled and walked away.

“Did you meet everyone?” he asked.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Mind if I steal her?” Mack asked the other ladies.

“You kids have fun,” Susie said. “Thanks for the stuff, Dani. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” I let Mack lead me out of the kitchen and back into the great room. “Where’s Austin?”

“He got caught up with something.”

“How long will he be?”

“No idea, babe. Sorry.”

I swallowed, my stomach churning with nerves. “Maybe I should go.”

“I got ya, Dani. Come and meet a few of the brothers.”

Mack grinned and I knew I didn’t really have much of a choice, so I followed him around the room meeting the brothers and their women. I wasn’t entirely sure I’d remember any of their names, but I tried to smile and not hide behind Mack as the men eyed me both curiously and suggestively.

I was half an hour in, and still no sign of Austin, so I asked where the ladies’ room was and got a chuckle from a few of the men.

“I’ll show you,” Mack said, and led me down another hallway and to the second door on the left. He banged on the door, got no response, so pushed it open, and indicated for me to enter.

“Thanks,” I grumbled, and closed the door behind me. Finding the light switch, I flipped it on and wrinkled my nose.
Gross
. A toilet, sink, and a white pressboard cabinet were all that sat in the relatively large space. It looked like a heavily used bar bathroom, complete with toilet seat up and empty toilet roll.

I opened the cabinet to see if I could locate more toilet paper and found a container of disinfectant wipes along with the warehouse rolls of paper, so I wiped the toilet down best I could before replacing the roll and doing my thing. After washing my hands and drying them on my jeans… no towels, paper or otherwise were anywhere to be found… I pulled out my phone and sent Austin a text.

I’m thinking I need to give you the definition of glued. You’re obviously busy, so I’m going to call a cab
.

I dropped the phone into my purse and pulled open the door, but it wasn’t Mack on the other side of the door.

Austin grinned, sliding his hand to my neck and pulling me in for a kiss. “A cab, huh?”

“Where have you
been
?” I demanded.

“Sorry, baby, got caught up with the Prez. I’m all yours now. No more business.”

I poked his side. “Jerk.”

He laughed and lifted my hand to his lips. “Did you meet everyone?”

“I have no idea,” I said. “Mack introduced me to a few people, but be warned, I won’t remember who they are. And I met Susie and a few of the other ladies when Mags took me back to the kitchen.”

Austin nodded. “Those are the key women. They belong to someone.”

“Belong to someone?”

He tugged me down the hall toward the great room. “Old ladies.”

“Oh, right.” I pulled him to a stop and he faced me. “Who does
Tiff
belong to?” I asked.

“Fuck. She’s here?”