Page 14 of Hollywood

As the meal passed, I grew happier and happier that Hollywood was the one I was stuck with. He wasn’t just some big, badass biker. He was a hell of a lot more. He was funny with a dry sense of humor, he was sweet and treated the server with respect. Yeah, I was crushing hard.

“Last piece,” he nodded at the big slice on the platter beside us.

I grabbed the pizza cutter and sliced it down the middle. “Top half or bottom half?”

“I do love the crust. It’s so greasy and chewy.”

I picked up the bottom and dropped it on my plate. “You have a big appetite.”

“You have no idea.” His words teased me with their hint of humor and the underlying hint of naughty.

Maybe not, but I really want to.That was a dangerous thought, I knew that, just as I knew making a move and getting rejected would be humiliating since I can’t exactly leave his side. Yet. So, I changed the subject. “Do you know anything about the guys Dad invested with?”

He quirked one eyebrow at me, eyes dancing with amusement. “Because I’m a criminal?”

“No dummy, because my dad always said you’re smart as hell and that means you or someone in your MC has been looking into them.” I stared at him, daring him to deny it.

He nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “Not much worth talking about yet, but Slate is looking into it.”

“That’s the techie dude, right?”

The corners of his mouth tipped up. “Yeah.” Hollywood sat up and stared at me as if he could read my thoughts. “You’re worried about your dad.”

Shit maybe he can read my thoughts.My eyes widened. “I hope that was a lucky guess.”

Amusement danced in his eyes. “Something on your mind I shouldn’t know about?”

“Plenty,” I shot back quickly. “But also yes, I’m worried about Dad.”

“Wanna go check on him?”

My heart gave a big donkey kick against my chest. “Absolutely.”

“Come on.”

I paid absolutely no attention to the way his big, warm hand felt on my lower back as he guided me out of the pizzeria.

On the journey home, my thoughts bounced from my father to Hollywood and back. On the one hand I was furious at my dad for getting himself in this predicament, for putting himself in danger. On the other hand if he hadn’t, I might not have ever gotten this chance to spend time with Hollywood like this.

When I stepped inside the house I grew up in and settled my gaze on Dad, I was furious. “Who in the hell gave you a black eye?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” How could he be so casual? So laidback as if he got into fights on a regular basis?

“I didn’t ask you how you are, which I’m glad you’refineby the way, I asked youwhodid it to you, Dad?” I didn’t need an answer, dammit. I knew who it did even if I didn’t have a name. Or a face.

Yet.

Chapter Nine

Hollywood

Our meeting room was packed today, all the brothers had come together at my S.O.S. call that we needed to figure out what the fuck was going on with Winston immediately. Winter was furious after we left Winston and his black eye, she’d raged and then she cried and then she collapsed against my chest and fell asleep in an angry heap of curves and silky soft skin.

We needed to deal with this shit before it spiraled out of control. Most of the Steel Demons were in attendance but we waited for Rocky and Diesel to show up. It wasn’t a long wait but by the time they showed up, I was wound up and ready to explode with the need to do something to make things right for my best friend and his beautiful daughter.

By the time our Prez and VP showed up, the room felt too small, too hot, and too fucking stifling to think clearly. They each took their seats at the head of the table and Diesel looked around with an impassive expression on his face. “What do you have for me?”

Slate sat up tall and cracked his knuckles. “All right, I’ve found a few things about EverTech that don’t bode so well for your boy, Winston.”

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