His Young Queen: (Steel Jackals MC #1) (11 page)

“Nina!” She gave her the high-five.

“I’m not kidding. Those guys don’t mess around. He’d have destroyed you. So why didn’t he? What happened?”

“How can you talk so casually about something like that?” Tish asked as her stomach hopped around with an excitement she probably shouldn’t be feeling.

Nina shrugged. “Because I spent a lot of time in that clubhouse before my dad retired in good standing—I can’t believe I feel obligated to add that every time I mention his retirement. Hell, I still can’t believe he retired after— Anyway, I know what goes on in that place.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and avoided mentioning her mom’s death as she always did. “A whole lotta fucking, and other stuff. And what’s not casual about it? It’s a body part entering another body part until both owners of said body parts feel real good. What’s the big deal?”

“If it’s no big deal, why haven’t you done it more?”

“Haven’t found a guy whose body part I want yet. Patrick’s was nice,” she commented too casually about her ex. “But would have been nicer if he hadn’t been shoving it into two other girls while he was shoving it into me. Fucking stupid ass cheating bastard. I swear, if I had a daddy like Josh, I’d have sent him in to tear off Pat’s overused cock and slap the shit out of him with it.”

A buzz of shock flew down Tish’s spine. “Josh isn’t my daddy!”

Nina rolled her eyes. “I know
that
. I meant it in the sexy way, like, come here, Daddy, and show this fucker what you’re made of.”

“You think calling a guy daddy is sexy?” Would Nina be as blasé about calling a guy master? Maybe Tish had made a stink over nothing.

Nina shrugged and looked over her shoulder before changing lanes. “Depends on the guy. Josh? Hell yeah. His stupid VP? Fuck no. He’s a jerk. I’m sorry that he’s your uncle, but Nick is a crude, sex maniac, desperate, leering asshole.”

“Easy,” she muttered. “Like you said, he’s my uncle, and I love him to death so shut it. And how ironic is it that you talk like this, yet you think my uncle is crude.” She ignored the rest of the insults.

“I talk like this around you because you’re my Tish. He’s crude no matter who’s there to overhear.” She reached out and turned the stereo down as she shifted in her seat. “He came into the shop the other day,
again
, and my dad was out. Of course, he didn’t leave. He hung around and got in my way for more than an hour. Kept asking if I needed a hand identifying the proper tools to use to rotate a set of tires. Jackass. You know what he said to me when he finally got on that stupid, gorgeous bike of his?”

Tish groaned inside. She knew Nick enjoyed baiting Nina and never passed on the opportunity. “What?”

“
‘When are you gonna stop hiding the fact that you’re a fuckin’ girl, Darkness? Your old man has a daughter, give the guy a break and start acting like one.’
Can you believe that? Darkness. Stupidest nickname ever. And, what, because I can fix a car, I’m not a girl? What a dick. I swear I’m going to embarrass you by flashing my tits and ass in his idiot face one day just to prove I’m not ashamed to have them.”

Her voice was shrill, and Tish could tell she was honestly upset. That made her snicker. “Why do you care so much what he thinks?” She was beginning to wonder if her best friend had a tiny love/hate crush on Uncle Nick. But then, most women did.

Nina glanced over and straightened her back. “I don’t,” she said, utterly calm now. “Was just sayin’. So, tell me about this almost sex you had with Daddy Josh. Did he kiss you?”

“Don’t call him that, Nina.”

“Why?”

“Because it sounds inappropriate.” Tish waved at Brian as they pulled into the parking lot behind the bar. He was hanging near his car smoking. The guy drove like a maniac.

“Oh, so that means he either touched your boobs or your cooch. Which was it? Or was it both? Because calling him daddy, otherwise, would be no big.”

“Both.”

“Ooo, tell me
every
thing. Like how in Sam hell this came about. I mean, I know you’re in love with him, but I had no idea he was lusting after you, too.”

Tish wasn’t surprised to hear Nina knew about her feelings. Because she was possessive of everything to do with him, she’d never come right out and said she loved Josh, but with Nina, she wouldn’t have had to. From the moment they’d met in grade five, they’d been as close as two friends could be. Tish valued their friendship more than Nina would ever know.

“I’m not so sure he is anymore. I mean, I thought he was, but everything was so overwhelming and…chaotic. I didn’t know if I was coming or going. I ended up doing neither when he stormed out after saying he wouldn’t fuck me like a wild animal for my first time. He didn’t come back. He didn’t even call.”

Nina sighed. “I think I’m in love with your man for being such a sweetheart underneath that me-Tarzan thing he has going on. I have to say, I wouldn’t have expected that. I’d have thought he’d be more selfish and gone ahead and mauled your smokin’ bod without thought. Guys are pigs. I’m so glad Josh is an exception.”

There was a note of disgust layered beneath the dreamy declaration, and Tish frowned. Nina had changed since her mom had died from breast cancer two years ago, which was completely understandable since the two had had the type of mother/daughter relationship Tish hadn’t been aware existed until she’d started hanging out at the Samson’s home. But it was Nina’s disparaging attitude toward men that seemed to be picking up steam. It was as if she was mad at the entire gender because one jerk had messed around on her.

Thinking about where Josh might have spent the weekend, Tish suddenly didn’t blame her in the least. She rushed out her greatest fear. “I’m afraid he went to someone else to take the edge off and will now expect me to welcome him back and be grateful he didn’t cause my pussy to sting from entering me too fast.” She covered her face and bent forward. “I’m such a fucking idiot. I’m a furious fucking idiot! Who is he with? Why would he do this? You know why I’m an idiot? Because I hate him, but at the same time I can’t breathe without him. I know I’m not making any sense. Sorry.”

“Oh, honey. Come here.”

Seeing as they were parked, Nina’s arms were free to gather her up. Tish dropped her hands and returned the warm hug. She laid her head on her best friend’s shoulder and soaked up the sympathetic concern. Until she saw their new bartender staring at them as he walked by, an odd smile on his face. Dickhead. She drew away from the comfort. Men
were
jerks.

“He walked out on you so he wouldn’t hurt you, Tish,” Nina said. “Which placed your welfare over a man’s greatest driving force. His dick. He cares about you; that’s always been apparent. Maybe he’s madly in love with you, and he’s been wasting away in prison all this time, freaking out at the thought of you finding someone else before he could come back and claim you.” She sighed. “How sweet.”

“Sweet?” Tish scoffed as she fell in love with that scenario. “It didn’t feel so sweet the other night. Did you know being turned on could hurt?” She sounded more curious than anything.

Nina arched a brow. “Hurt? Like, it caused you pain?”

She nodded. “My muscles wouldn’t relax. Way up high in my—” She looked at Nina, who seemed totally engrossed, and blushed like an ass. “Too much information, right? Sorry.”

“No.” Nina touched her arm. “Tell me. You know I don’t mind information. Maybe someday I’ll feel it, instead of just hearing about it.”

“Well, really deep inside, it felt like I was in knots. I understand why they call it need.” She smoothed her skirt down her thighs, feeling edgy. “I
needed
to have sex. It would have been so exciting, feeling like that, if he’d stayed.”

“I’ll bet.” Nina settled back in her seat. “I never felt that with Pat. I let him fuck me because I didn’t want him to break up with me. That’s what pisses me off the most.” She looked over. “I think it’s great that Josh will be your only lover.” She straightened with a jerk and coughed as though embarrassed that she’d shown a softness Tish hadn’t seen since Mrs. Samson had been alive. “Forgive me. Got carried away there for a second. See? I can be a romantic. But that was insensitive of me. No matter how darling and altruistic and downright gallant of him it was, I should be calling him an asshole for ditching you like he did.” She rolled her eyes to show she was being sarcastic. “At least you can take pleasure in the fact that he must have suffered the absolute worst case of blue balls in the history of blue shriveled balls. And that’s on top of the pair he’d have already been living with after having been locked up for three long, sex-free years. Boy, Daddy Josh has some impressive control.”

Torn between being sad, amused, and frustrated, Tish simply threw her hands up. “I’m terrified he didn’t exercise that control and didn’t suffer shit all weekend. I’m terrified he fucked his way through every bitch who hangs out at the clubhouse!”

“Why would he do that to you?”

The question threw her, and she gave Nina a blank look.

“Why do you think he, of all people, would do that? This is Josh we’re talking about, right?”

Guilt rolled in like fog. “Yes.”

“The same Josh who, before he went away, was constantly bugged by your stupid uncle because he wouldn’t participate in the orgies they have at the clubhouse?”

Tish’s teeth snapped together. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah. I heard Nick yanking his chain once. The conversation singed my young ears; I should add. Nick mentioned offering Josh the chance to tag-team some girl, and Josh apparently passed. Nick wanted to know why he
‘kept doing that,’
which means the pass came up more than a few times.” She shrugged. “If he wasn’t taking advantage of plentiful pussy then, why would he now? I know you didn’t see it because you were too involved, but the way he was around you before he left was crazy sexy.”

All ears, Tish turned in her seat. “How was he around me?”

Nina tapped her thumb on the steering wheel and thought for a second. “You know, really protective, but not in a spooky way. He was like…like an animal protecting his mate. At the time, I’d have said his young, but now that you guys have diddled each other, mate sounds better.”

“He’s very possessive of those he cares about,” she got out around the pleasure spreading through her.

“I thought it was more than that. But what did I know back then? I was seventeen and mooning over a guy who would eventually take my virginity and use the experience as a sex story to turn on the girl he cheated on me with. Fucking jerk.”

Tish winced. Patrick was the same jerk who’d been in her section the other night, the one who’d invited her to get on the table sans utensils.

The clock on the dash caught her eye, and she gathered her things. “I’m sorry he did that to you. He does deserve a good ass-kicking.”

“Doesn’t matter now. The past is the past.”

Sure. But it had left scars. “I have to get in. Thanks for the ride, and for listening to my crazy.” She forced a smile and jumped from the car before Nina could say anything more.

As she made for the side door the staff used, she heard the whir of the window come down. “Give the Guardian some credit, Miss Low Self Esteem. He’s a good guy, and you know that. And you’re a prime catch that he’d be damn lucky to have!”

With her eyes watering, she blew her bestie a kiss and disappeared inside. She did know Josh was a good guy. But that didn’t stop her insecurities from showing her clips of him wearing himself out all weekend on willing bodies that weren’t hers.

At the end of the night, the ache settling into Tish’s muscles made it feel as if she was coming down with the flu. She shoved out the staff door and held it open for Brian as he scooted out behind her. He slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. She knew he only had eyes for his Meredith, so she wasn’t bothered in the least by the affectionate gesture. She was simply as grateful as always that he was saving her cab fare since buses didn’t run this late.

“Remember when I rushed home to Meredith the other night?”

She nodded and leaned on him as they walked the length of the building toward the rear lot where the staff parked. “Yeah.”

“I asked her to marry me,” he whispered conspiratorially. “And she said yes.”

Tish stopped as they rounded the corner. “What? Oh, my God. Brian!” She pulled him in for a happy hug. “That’s great! How did you do it?”

Brian’s gaze had gone beyond her and flashed wary before becoming hostile. Alarm crawled down her spine as she turned, expecting to see someone about to rob them with a gun or knife.

Everything around her faded away when she saw Josh leaning his big body against the front fender of the mean looking F-150 that had been parked in her driveway for the past year. She’d assumed it was her uncle’s but had never seen him drive it. Now she knew why. It belonged to Josh. Though, at that moment, he looked as if everything in sight belonged to him. He had his arms crossed in that pose he favored, his head low, his hard eyes focused on the man next to her. He was wearing his usual uniform of boots, loose-fitting jeans, a black tee, and his cut.

“Get back inside,” Brian murmured as he slid a hand to her hip to pull her behind him. “Hurry before he—”

“No,” Tish interrupted as she saw Josh’s eyes narrow on the hold. “He’s okay. He’s mine. Uh, my friend. My, uh, that’s Josh.”

“Josh?” Brian squinted. “He’s out?” He was still talking quietly even though Josh probably wouldn’t have been able to hear him from twenty feet away had he used his normal voice.

“Yes.”
Isn’t that amazing?
she wanted to add.

Josh raised his arm then. Didn’t call out, or change his unfriendly expression. Just raised his arm and crooked two fingers.

The memory of her wretched weekend tried to slide away, the tears, the worry, the suspicions. She attempted to hold onto something so she wouldn’t be the stupid, gullible sucker she was terrified of becoming where this man was concerned, but she failed. With Nina’s advice ringing in her ears, Tish obeyed the arrogant summons. She stalled and turned back to Brian, remembering her manners at the last minute.