Page 49 of Idaho

My brows shot up and I turned my head to see who he was staring at. All of the club's women were standing there in a circle, waiting their turn, talking and laughing together. It was impossible to tell who Lockout was staring at. My brother wasn't the type of man to take another guy's wife, or old lady. That left only two single females, other than Eva and if he thought I was interested he wouldn't touch her.

"You want Gwen?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

Lockout's eyes snapped back to mine. His mouth opened, then closed as he stared at me. "No."

I didn't miss the way Static tensed up at my question. Huh. Two could play this game. If Static was into Gwen, which his reaction would seem to indicate, that left Keely. The lawyer. She was fucking hot, but she was also a little too uptight for my tastes. Not to mention she was a damn workaholic. I'd heard enough stories about her from Static to know that she wasn't the type I'd go for. Then again, neither was a fucking duchess, and yet her damn eyes kept haunting my dreams.

"Keep it up," I warned Lock. "I might start digging into your love life."

"I don't have a fucking love life."

"We're not even sure if his dick works anymore," Static remarked, with a laugh.

Lock glared at us both, then went back to cooking without another word. Static shot me a look that promised retribution if I touched Gwen, but I didn't give two fucks about it.

I had to bite back a grin. This was so fucking much like the old days. I was worming my way back into Lock's good graces, one day at a time. He was still pissed, but I could tell he was starting to relax around me more and more. It wouldn't be long before everything was back the way it should be between us.

The line began to move and I watched as Eva piled food onto her plate. She had a healthy appetite, which I appreciated. If she ate like a bird, I'd have to get on her about it. She was my responsibility, and while she was with me I intended to make sure she was well taken care of. I raised my arm, glancing at the Rolex on my wrist.

"Expecting someone," Lock asked.

"Yeah. I hope you don't mind. I invited one more person."

Lock's brows drew together, but then recognition dawned when Thomas chose that moment to walk through the door.

Eva's gasp was loud and thankfully most of the women and kids were outside eating at picnic tables I'd delivered along with the playground. I wouldn't want them to be startled by her gasp of surprise. She set the plate down, abandoning her spot in line and ran over to give Thomas a hug.

"You'd think she hasn't seen him in years," I muttered, glaring at the two as they embraced.

"And yet you invited him here so she could see him," Toxic drawled.

My head snapped to my left, where there should be an empty space, which he now occupied. "Where the fuck did you come from?"

"Oh, they do that," Smokehouse said as he walked by holding a plate of toast. He was going to set it on the table in the corner to my right where all the butter, syrup, and other condiments were sitting. "I keep saying we need a bell for him and Butcher," he muttered more to himself than anything, but I caught the words.

"Seems to me only a guy sweet on a woman would invite another man around," Toxic added.

"Sweet on a..." I gave him a look of disgust. "What are you eighty? Who says shit like that?"

"That's not a no."

"No," I gritted out. "I'm not sweet on her."

Toxic shrugged. "Whatever you say, Idaho." He grinned and walked away. I glared at his back as he grabbed Eva's plate and brought it to her.

"What's he doing?" I snapped at Butcher.

"How the fuck should I know?"

"I don't know, maybe because you two share a fucking brain?" I asked.

The other men howled with laughter. "He's got you there," Ricochet told Butcher.

Lockout grinned. "You haven't lost your touch," he told me. "You can still read people like a fucking book."

Butcher scowled at us all. "Looks like he's buttering up your woman," he told me, a malicious smile replacing his glare.

My eyes shot back over to Eva and I watched Toxic hand her the plate with a grin. She laughed at something he said and my blood boiled. "She's not my woman," I growled out. I tried to contain my temper, but when she laughed once again at something he said, I stalked across the room and yanked her plate out of her hands.

---