Wanted: County Knights MC (21 page)

              He raised an eyebrow at me. “Everything? Well, why aren’t you standing, then? I thought he would have busted your ass from the rumors I heard about this guy, and from what you told me.”

              “Shut up.” The heat in my cheeks caught me off guard, and I looked over my shoulder to get a gauge on how long Jackson would be. He stood over by the baristas making the coffees, with his face buried in his phone. He peeked up at us for a brief moment, scowled, and went back to typing furiously on his phone. “Wait. What’d you hear about him?” 

              Grayson laughed. He had a different sort of laugh. Not quite a snort, but not an all-out chuckle either. Sort of like a mixture of the two. “I did a little recon on this guy, took a look at his business and shit. While I was scoping out his garage, I met a hot little number who looked really disappointed he wasn’t in the office. You know me, I can’t let a woman walk away so upset.”

I didn’t even try to hide my eye roll. Grayson kept his hands to himself when it came to me, but other women were all free game, and he played daily.

              “So naturally you picked her up.” I waved a hand in the air to get the story rolling again.

              He cleared his throat. “Yeah, so I offered my services. Asked if she was okay, blah, blah, blah, then she mentioned your little boy over there. Turns out she’s been fucking him off and on for a few years now.”

              The news shouldn’t have surprised me, and it sure as hell shouldn’t have made my stomach twist into so man knots, but it did. “So?” I was never good at hiding my thoughts from Grayson any more than Jackson.             

              He laughed again. “Don’t worry, your man there has made it plenty clear to her that they were just fucking. But anyway, I started asking her about him, casual like, just wanting to make sure he was as much of a standup guy you told me he was.”

              I looked over my shoulder. Jackson smiled at some little kid walking past him but still hadn’t gotten my drink. “And?”

              He took a long breath. “And, he seems to be. I don’t know, she had more to say about the crazy shit he did in bed than anything else. Told me her mouth pissed him off a few times, and he told her if she didn’t start watching what she said, he’d spank her so she wouldn’t sit for a week.” He shook his head a little and laughed. “She didn’t believe him, so she got right up in his face and flipped him off, using a few colorful words at the same time.” I didn’t need to know the rest of the story to know how Jackson handled that. “Let’s just say your man is as good as his word. But if he ever lays a fucking hand on you, I’ll cut it off.” His warning came low and menacing.

              It was my turn to laugh. “Grayson, his hands don’t do anything I don’t want them to do. I promise.”

              He eyed med quietly. “The bitch was telling me the truth, wasn’t she?”

              I sensed Jackson behind me. “Yes.”

              “Here.” Jackson slid my latte over to me and yanked out the chair beside me, throwing himself into it and crossing his arms over his chest.

              “Thanks. Didn’t you want one?” I asked sweetly. These two men at on one table would be enough to drive any laid back person to an anxiety attack. Luckily for me after the year I’d been having, it didn’t faze me in the least.

              “Coffee and sugar. No thanks. You still like the sweet shit.” He started to smile, but quickly hid it when Grayson cleared his throat. “Hey.” He nodded toward him.

              Men could be complete apes. I rolled my eyes again.

“Anna tells me you know this guy who attacked her last year when she was doing drops for you.” Jackson went straight to the matter. No bushes to beat around.

              “Yeah. A client.” Grayson leaned back in his seat.

              “Client? That’s what you call the guy who almost raped her?” Jackson’s voice rose, as well as the throbbing vein in his neck. 

              “I stopped him before it got that far.” Grayson leaned over the table. “Don’t start getting all fucking high and mighty with me. If she hadn’t been looking for your sorry ass, she wouldn’t have found me at all.”

              “Okay.” I put my hands out in front of each of them. “Before this little chat continues, let’s get one thing straight. Anna does what Anna wants to do, and if Anna gets herself into trouble, it’s no one’s fault but Anna’s. Got it?”

              Both men turned their hot gazes on me. Jackson looked a little more irritated than Grayson, but neither said a word of contradiction. Jackson leaned back in his chair, pulling his hands back to rest in his lap. At first. When I thought they had both cooled themselves down, his hand crept into my lap and his fingers wrapped around my thigh, digging into my skin. It was a quick pinch, over in a second, but it was full of meaning.
Watch your tone.

             
“She wasn’t so mouthy before.” Jackson muttered across the table.

              Grayson leaned back and nodded while chuckling. “No, she wasn’t.”

I rolled my eyes at them both and took another sip of my coffee.

              “About this…client. Do you know his name? His real name?” Jackson’s phone started buzzing in his pocket but he ignored it.

              “Yeah. Owens. James Owens. Owns some garage franchise or some shit. He’s been off my clientele list after that incident, shoved him off to my competitor. Lower quality, higher price.”

Grayson hadn’t told me that before, he just said I wouldn’t ever have to deal with him again.

              Jackson took the information Grayson gave him and folded his hands back over his chest. “James? You’re sure?”

              “Yeah, middle aged guy, got a kid—some asshole of a kid. James bitched all the time about him not wanting to go into his business. Wanted to build skyscrapers or some shit.”

              “Martin?” I asked. I knew Martin’s last name was Owens, but I never heard anything about his father or family. Most of our conversations were laced with veiled threats. “Martin’s last name is Owes,” I said to Jackson.

              “I know.” Two words, and he didn’t even look at me. How did he know? I never told him, and he didn’t seem at all surprised to find out James Owens was his father. “That fucker is probably the one bank rolling this whole mess. Do you still have contact with him?”

              Grayson shook his head. “Hell no. Once I cut off a customer, they stay cut off, or they get cut out.” He grinned over what he probably saw as his witty humor. Grayson really needed to be taken in small doses at first.

              “Did he know Anna’s name? Where she lived? Anything like that?”

              “I wasn’t even living there at the time, Jackson. I was still living on my own in that studio apartment. Even if he knew where I lived, he wouldn’t know now.”

              “He knows.” Jackson nodded. “I’d bet my bike on it.” He grabbed his phone from his back pocket when it started buzzing again and sighed. “Fuck. I gotta swing by the clubhouse. You’re off today,” he said to me as though it were his decision to make. For a split second I wished I had at least one shift at the cleaning service to throw in his face, but I didn’t.

              “You think this Owens ass is the one gunning for our girl?” Grayson stood as Jackson did, shoving his hands in his pocket.

              “Not our girl. My girl.” He pulled my chair back out and held my arm as I stood. 

I opened my mouth to once again inform them of my independence, but clamped it shut when he squeezed my arm. I went with yet another eye roll instead.

              “Possessive son of a bitch, huh?” Grayson asked me with a grin.

              “He’s a little skeptical of most people, Grayson. Don’t take it personally.”

              “Are you now having a conversation about me while I’m right fucking here?” I could feel his glare on me, so there was no need to look at him.

              “I guess he doesn’t like that anymore than I do.” Grayson’s laugh made my grin even wider as Jackson pulled me to his side.

              “That’s enough of that shit. I get your point.” He swiped my latte up and held it out to me. “Finish this if you want it, you can’t take it on my bike.” Turning his attention to Grayson, he held out his hand. “Thanks for the information. If we need your help, we can count on you?”

              Grayson grabbed his hand and the two men who had at one point or another saved my ass shook hands. “Don’t even have to ask. You tell me where she needs me and I’m there.”

              “Thanks.” Jackson linked his fingers through mine and pulled me from the coffee house before I could do little more than wave my goodbye. Grayson shook his head at me, but I could see his shoulders shaking from his chuckles as we passed by the window.

              “Why are we going to the biker club?” I asked, dropping my empty coffee cup into the trash can near the parking lot.

              “Need to talk my old president again. Turns out he may have somewhat of a connection to that James asshole.” He handed me my helmet as I took my place behind him on his Harley. “Just want to get a few verifications. I’d drop you off at home, but I don’t think you’d stay, and I don’t feel like chasing you down today.”

              The engine roared to life before I could throw out my objection. He was right, though. I wouldn’t have just sat idly by at his house while he continued to hunt down the asshole trying to hurt me.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
JACKSON

              Bikes lined up, filling the courtyard of the County Knights clubhouse. Saturdays were busy with the members who worked off club grounds coming in to relax and shoot the shit. Women paraded around the lot by their old men who wanted to show off their goods before heading into the bar. Inside we’d find more of the same, but the women would be trolling the lounge for unattached bikers. 

              Anna slid off my bike and removed her helmet, looking nonplussed about where we were. I remembered it wasn’t her first time in a club hangout, but fuck, it should have been. 

              “Think they’ll have bottled water in there?” she asked with a grin, jerking a thumb to the club entrance.

              “Don’t drink anything I didn’t hand you personally. Got it?” I gave her ass a smack before I headed toward the clubhouse. I heard her little yelp, but didn’t give a fuck. That ass was mine, and I’d slap it, spank it, or fucking lick it whenever I wanted to. Better she get used to that now. I wasn’t fucking around when I said I’d never leave her again. That woman was all mine, and I meant it for the long haul.

              A few members called out greetings to me as I stepped up onto the patio encircling the club. I pulled Anna closer to me and made the rounds with my hellos and introducing Anna. I could see the steam building in her as I explained she was mine to anyone who walked up to us, but she didn’t understand the fucking longing in most of those assholes’ eyes. They were my brothers, even without my cut, and I’d fucking kill anyone who tried to get at them, but I’d also chop off the dick of any single one of them who touched my girl.

              “Why don’t you just tattoo it on my forehead,” she muttered as I held the door open for her.

I wanted to slap her ass again, just to let her know I heard, but instead let it go. A few of the women inside were going to notice my return, and I didn’t need to make my mark on Anna just yet. I needed a few minutes alone with Samuel, and I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on that if I had to worry about a cat fight starting out in the bar area.

              “Jax! What brings you in?” Tommy, the VP and oldest member of the club, slapped my back hard with a toothy grin. The tats from his youth displaying up and down his arms, as well as across his back and chest, were faded, but not less notable.

              “Just need quick word with Fuller.” I hauled Anna up to my side. Tommy may have been nearly thirty years older than me, but that didn’t make him any less persuasive in the women department. 

              I noticed the sharp stares at Anna from a small cluster of women standing across the room. Two of the three were old flings, the third one looked too fucking young to even be in the bar, let alone trying to get in my pants.

              “He’s in the back. Working on some paperwork or something. Fucking garage business. Man, I could not have been smarter staying away from that shit.” Tommy shook his head. Deep scars covered his chin and half of his face, documenting his long trial with the County Knights. When Samuel pulled me into his special auto team, Tommy tried talking me out of it. Said he’d go to bat for me with Samuel if I needed. He wouldn’t let me get yanked in that shit, but I was young and fucking stupid. Thought my balls were made of steel. 

              “This your woman?” His eyes washed over Anna’s body. She tried to smile while he took stock of her. Tommy wouldn’t touch her, or any other woman in the place. His old lady would cut off his balls if she even suspected his hands had been on any other piece of ass besides hers.

              “My name is Anna.” Her chin thrust upwards and her shoulders rolled back. I wondered if she would keep trying to look so damn tough if she knew how much her posture exposed the roundness of her fucking tits. The cotton t-shirt she wore stretched over her breasts as she thrust her hand out for him to shake. 

              Tommy laughed and clasped her hand. “Nice to meet you, but if anyone else asks if you belong to this asshole here, better just say yes. You don’t want any of them thinking they got a shot at you.” He gave her a wink that sent a heated flush to her cheeks.

              I leaned in close to her ear. “The man asked if you were my woman, Anna. Would you rather I tell him no?” I slid my arm around her waist, letting my fingers dip into the waistband of her shorts. Her stomach tensed at my question and she gave a little shake of her head. Tommy watched the exchange with an entertained grin. 

              “I need to have a few words with Samuel. Would you mind keeping an eye on my girl here?” I kept my fingers on her waist but looked toward Tommy. “Is Melony here with you? Maybe she can babysit. “

              “I don’t need a babysitter,” Anna shot at me, yanking my hand away from her.

              I smiled. “It’s just a saying, Anna. Some of these women aren’t all that happy to be seeing me here with you on my arm, and the guys who aren’t attached to some piece of ass at the moment are just waiting for a chance to get to you.”

              “I’ve been in a club before, Jackson. I did just fine.”

              “You were dating the VP of the club, that was different. And I don’t ever want you to remind me that fuckhead had his hands on you again, understood?”

              “Shit. I thought you looked a little familiar. You were Hunter’s girl for a while.” Tommy pointed a finger at her, but kept his eyes on me. “You aren’t in with those assholes, are you?”

              “Fuck you for even asking that.” I looked around the club, the amount of men casting glances at my girl was starting to piss me off. Some of them didn’t know me, new members, and they wouldn’t know how possessive I was until my fist connected with their faces. “Anna’s a friend from high school. She had a momentary lapse in sanity a while back and got mixed up with that prick.”

              Tommy studied me for a long minute. “There’s more here than you’re telling me.”

              “I don’t know how you guys know Hunter, but he wasn’t a bad guy,” Anna interjected, then shrunk back slightly when our glares met her. The last thing I wanted to hear was her defending the VP of the rival club in the area.

              “There’s more,” I admitted to Tommy. “Samuel’s mixed up in some shit that’s coming down at her door. I just need to talk with him.”

              Tommy took in a deep breath. “Tell me everything. If that fucker is mixed up with the Reapers, I want to know about it.” He looked over both shoulders then jerked his head to the right, where a spot near the corner of the room was empty. We moved away from prying eyes and ears. Anna leaned against the wall. “There’s been some concern among the older members lately, Jax. Sam’s been getting messy with his car trafficking shit, most of the club knows it’s the secondary income for the club. Since it’s been operating without any club votes, some of the members want it to stop. The cops have been by the garage at least twice a month over the past six months snooping. The newer members are getting scared. This generation ain’t like mine. Some of them have the heart for it, some of them just want to ride their bikes and wear their cuts with pride. Without the new members though, the club is gonna fold. The Reapers are gonna start picking off the weak guys like the fucking vultures they are.”

              “If they’re weak, why would you want them?” Anna asked.

              “They have the balls, sweetheart, it’s not that they don’t. But they don’t have the stomach to fight a president who goes behind their backs, a president who has allowed more than a few go to prison for his shit.” Tommy gave me a meaningful look. “I heard about the attempt on you while you were locked away. That was fucking bullshit. No one here knew about it, man. I would have stopped him if I’d known.”

              “He tried to kill you?” Anna’s eyes widened and she stepped between me and Tommy. “You didn’t tell me that.” She fisted her hands on her hips. Tommy stepped back a little to give her room and looked on with amusement. Not many women would have the balls to do what she just did. The woman had no idea how strong she really was, or how much at that moment I wanted to kiss the breath out of her. If only to make sure she remembered who was in charge around there.

              “I was a loose end, Anna. Sitting in jail being asked a shit ton of questions about the club and Sam, I was a liability. It wasn’t personal.” My explanation didn’t appease her at all, if anything her eyes grew wider and the tension increased in her body. A body I wanted to strum with my fingers, the angrier she got on my behalf the more I wanted to claim her again and again, and didn’t give a fuck who watched.

              “How are you not a loose end now? Didn’t you come here to talk to him a few days ago? He knows you suspect him and that guy, what was his name, Jonnie, for having something to do with the car accident. You made yourself another loose end because of me.” She held back the tremor in her voice pretty well but I could see the panic in her eyes as she started to get herself all riled up.

              “I’m not a threat to him, or the club, Anna. But he is a threat to you.”             

              “Wait. What’s Jonnie got to do with this?” Tommy gently nudged Anna back to the side.

              I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair. “Fuck. I’ll just start at the beginning.” I went on to tell him everything I knew so far, everything Anna had told me and what Belby had managed to dig up. Tommy could be trusted, that I knew. When I opened up my own garage, he’d been the one to send a few guys my way for work. He watched out for the club members. More than once he’d been asked to challenge Sam for the president seat, but he never went along with it. He loved his club, he loved his brothers, but he wouldn’t go against his president. Not yet. He watched out for his brothers and the club from the VP chair; taking on the president seat wouldn’t give him as much freedom.

              After I finished the story, that sounded a hell of a lot like a damn soap opera before I was done, Tommy’s arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were dark and narrow. “This kid, Martin, he put his hands on her and is still breathing?”

              “He was just trying to scare me.” Anna placed a hand on his forearm and damn if the big guy didn’t soften his smile in her direction. “I’m fine.”

              “I can see that, sweetheart. If I ask you to go over to the bar and get yourself something to drink, think you’ll be able to do that for me?” He didn’t know Anna—talking to her like a little girl wasn’t going to get her to do anything.

              “No, but if you ask me to give the two of you a minute so you can discuss this all behind my back, I’ll do it.” She smiled just as sweetly when she gave him her answer.             

              He threw his head back and burst out in laughter. “Fuck, she’s gonna be a handful for you.”

              I took a deep breath. “Already is.” I removed her hand from his arm and pointed to the bar. “Go get yourself something to drink. I need to talk to Tommy for a minute.”

              “I can help, if you’ll just tell me what you’re thinking. I can help. I mean, this is because of me.”

              “Get your drink.” I gave her a little shove toward the bar. I wanted to give her a slap on the ass, but too many people were watching, and she’d more than likely start a fight with me over the action. The last thing I needed at that moment was to have to haul her ass over my shoulder and out of the club to deal with her. She’d comply well enough if I kept my Neanderthal tendencies to a minimum. But later, later I’d get all the grunts and moans I wanted from her while I did whatever the fuck I wanted to her—and she’d love every damn second of it.

              “She dated Hunter?” Tommy watched her making her way through the crowd of people to an empty seat at the end of the bar. Her washed out jean shorts and cotton t-shirt didn’t exactly scream biker chick.

              I gave a little laugh. “Not for long. You know how he is, too much hunger for power in that guy.”

              “Yeah, not like you at all.” He ran his eyes over me and laughed.

              “Fuck you. I’m not controlling like that asshole. He doesn’t trust anyone, always thinks his chicks are cheating on him, or thinking of cheating on him. Anna wouldn’t ever do that to me.”