Page 2 of JoJo

“I wonder if I’d get hazard pay for the blow drying?” I giggled as I asked the questions, only to jump at the sound of a throaty chuckle and another throat clearing.

“She’s not here,” I said as I turned to see Sweet glancing around, obviously looking to see if Angel Girl was here since Keys was.

“We have a bike outside that needs some work on it, but Steel here wants to do the work himself.”

“Then why are y’all here?” Keys snapped out while crossing her arms over her chest and throwing a dirty look at her boyfriend. I loved my best friend. She was the one person I knew would have my back always. To see her immediately jump to my defense was beautiful, even if I didn’t think they meant it the way the rest of the idiots in this area did. This guy was probably the mechanic she’d just been telling me about, so it sort of made sense he’d want to work on his own bike. I didn’t say anything though, and instead waited to see how this all played out.

“We were just hoping you’d let us use some space. I’ll rent it until Steel’s done the work he needs to do. We don’t have a garage area set up just yet.”

“And y’all don’t trust a woman working on your bikes?” I accused for the fun of it since Keys had already put everyone on edge. Okay, I admit it was a bit of a bitch move, but life was shit and I needed a little entertainment at the expense of men for a change.

“Look, sweetheart, I don’t let other men work on my bike either. Where’s this JoJo guy so I can work something out with him?” And that was where the fun and games ended. This asshole walked into my garage and demanded to speak to the ‘guy in charge’ so he could work something out with him? Fuck that. I snatched up a cloth and started wiping my hands for no good reason other than to keep from throttling the bald-headed bastard. “Get your bike and get the fuck out of my garage!”

“Your garage?” Steel questioned and then glanced back at Sweet with narrowed eyes for some reason. “Well, shit,” he managed to get out on what sounded more like exhaled air. “I didn’t mean to offend you. Look, I’m sure we can work something out. I hear your place is in some kind of trouble, I can work something out where I rent the space from you to work if it’s a financial issue you’re having. I could buy the place too since we need a garage for the club.” I saw Sweet cringe at that and never had I wanted to kick someone in the balls more. No wonder he and Angel were already having trouble with their short-lived marriage.

“Are you serious right now?” I snapped at him and then turned to Sweet. “I see why your wife came back from your honeymoon without you now.” It was the only damage I could do beyond physical violence and I could tell it made its mark. Sweet pulled back and actually took a physical step away from me before the buffoon he’s brought into my garage carried on with what he thought was a great sales pitch.

“You have a great setup here,” he managed to get out while sounding genuine.

“Thanks,” I replied without meaning it. “I am well aware since it’s mine.”

“Oh hey,” Quickshot interjected nonchalantly after pulling his lips away from Keys, as if the room hadn’t filled to the brim with all kinds of tension and animosity while they were lip-locked and lost to their own world. “JoJo this is Steel. He’s our mechanic, just transferred in from the South Dakota chapter. Steel, this is JoJo. She owns the place.” I wanted to thank him for the too-late introduction, but he truly seemed oblivious to what had just gone down around him. Stupid man took to shutting up my best friend like it had been his mission, and it worked too, because now she was just standing there in a daze, having missed every bit of what just happened too.

“For now,” I finally gritted out.

“What exactly does that mean?” My hackles went up then. This man knew the garage was having trouble, and he’d just offered to buy it from me. The last thing I wanted to do was tell him how I was about to lose the place because I wasn’t a man or married to one.

“Long story,” I offered vaguely so as not to give him that detail.

Too bad Quickshot decided it was time to start paying attention at that point, because he filled the man in anyway. “Her father left the place to her with the stipulation that she had to be married in a certain timeframe or the business would pass on to her brother. The same brother who performs in Broadway plays and wants to sell the place for a quick buck, despite the fact that it’s been in the family for several generations now. Her timeframe is almost up, and she’s not even dating anyone let alone close to marrying someone.”

Quickshot’s summation left me simmering in my own anger again. Steel’s eyebrows rose as he turned back to look at me.

“Okay, maybe it’s not that long a story,” I managed to get out. I was also more than a little irritated that Quick had taken it upon himself to throw all of my personal information out there.

“I take it you don’t have any prospects for this marriage?”

“Oh, I have prospects galore. What I don’t have are quality ones.” I shrugged. “Chuck is looking like the best option at this point.” I tilted my head in the direction of the man who had just relieved himself of his t-shirt, offering up a truly horrific glimpse of his bony, loose-skinned frame. He had a smattering of chest hair that seemed oddly patchy, almost like he had tried to wax and discovered it hurt too much to continue. There was also the issue that he was mining for gold in his nose again. Seriously, what was wrong with that man’s nose? Steel’s chuckle sent deep, vibrating tingles through my own body as he took in the sight.

“I was going to talk to you about renting bay space in the garage, but maybe the club can wait and just buy your garage instead. It’ll probably be cheaper than setting up a new shop anyway.” Steel disregarded me to look at a very uncomfortable Quickshot and a thoroughly pissed off Keys.

“My garage is not for sale!” I huffed.

“Not yet, but Quick just said your brother wants to sell it and I don’t see a girl like you marrying a guy like that just to save the place.”

“Excuse me? A girl like me?” The questions were flying off my tongue in rapid-fire succession as Steel dismissed me by heading back to the door.

“Come on Quickshot, I’ll talk this over with Sweet, and see if he’s okay with waiting.” That was when I finally noticed that Sweet had left the building at some point during our conversation. He probably lost interest once he realized Angel Girl wasn’t going to be here for him to pester. I was seriously tempted to pick up a wrench and brain the big, bald head of their club brother though.

“Um, Steel, I don’t think…” Quickshot started to say, but he was cut off by Keys who caught on to the fact that my hand was inching ever closer to the tools sitting on my workbench, waiting to be hurled at the bald asshole’s head.

“You might want to just leave, and take this conversation somewhere else.” Keys interjected with a heavy weariness to her tone. Steel turned around to see what the fuss was all about and when he saw the hate-fire I was spitting out through my eyes he smirked. Seriously, the bastard smirked. Then to add insult to everything else, he winked before walking the rest of the way out the door.

“Oh no!” Keys managed to usher Quickshot closer to the door and away from my boiling wrath.

“Shit,” Quickshot huffed out. “He’s got a real hate-on for women right now thanks to his ex. I’m really sorry about that, JoJo.” To his credit, Quickshot seemed sincere before Keys manage to get him all the way out the door.

“Can you believe that guy?” My voice came out a bit more high pitched than I would have liked. Hell, the truly sad thing was that the bastard made me go all squishy inside when he winked at me. He was definitely a large and in-charge manly man.

“Yeah, sorry about Mr. Clean.” Keys joked. “First time I met him too.” She noticed the flush in my face. “Too bad he was an asshole, because that voice of his alone could melt the panties off a woman.”

“Just my luck, right? Hot mechanic, biker, and single, yet he turns out to be a woman-hating asshat.” I took a moment to sip in a few calming breaths. “So, Vegas?” I asked, because after that encounter I felt the need to go be free for a weekend and forget the fact that my life was about to implode.

“Hell yeah! We’re gonna go cut loose and forget our troubles for a bit.” Keys took note of her cell phone. “Tash just confirmed Angel Girl is going too.”

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