Page 71 of Old Flame

“I take it, you don’t have aProperty of Brickthen?”

“Oh, yeah. I do,” she replied, then turned to show me.

There it was. Just like Nina’s, but with Brick’s name.

I swung my gaze over to Dolly, who was watching us with an amused look. She shook her head without me even asking.

“Micah doesn’t like the idea of me in pain,” she said with a small shrug.

“Correction,” Nina called out from the hot tub, “he said—and I quote—‘I won’t allow anything to mar Tink’s perfect skin. She’s mine. She wears my cut. But her sweet skin stays untouched.’”

Dolly’s cheeks pinkened, but the happiness that radiated from her was clear to anyone who looked at her.

“He hadTinktattooed over his heart instead,” Goldie added. “That’s his name for her, if you haven’t heard him call her that. Says she’s his brunette Tinker Bell or some weird shit.”

I took another drink, but this time with more caution, then asked, “Are you the only wives? I mean, are any of the other guys married?”

I hadn’t seen any other ole ladies, but that didn’t mean they didn’t exist. I hadn’t been here that long.

“Grinder was married, but his wife passed away a few years back. Anson”—she rolled her eyes—“he married one of the strippers, but their marriage is on the rocks, seeing as he can’t stop dipping his dick into other vaginas. I think she’s cheating on him too. My guess is, she got tired of it. But his mistake is that, unlike him, who just fucks for pleasure, she’s a woman, and hers is probably emotional too. I figure she’ll leave him soon enough for whoever she’s messing around with. Now, Anson may go kill him, but”—she shrugged—“she knew all this when she married him. He was a slut, and marriage did not change him. And ofcourse Liam is married. Has a baby. But he doesn’t live at the club.”

I continued to sip, making each one longer until I finished it off. The slight buzz I already felt was reassuring. I was definitely more relaxed.

“You getting in now?” Nina asked me.

I thought about it and glanced at the group by the bonfire. I’d not scanned the area down there for Rome, and I wasn’t going to. I’d rather not know what he was doing or with whom. No one seemed to be paying any attention to us, so I figured now would be the time to ditch the clothes and hurry into the safety of the hot tub.

I held my glass out for more, and Goldie chuckled, picking up the pitcher and filling it.

“The hot tub will only heighten the buzz. Go slow this time.”

Right. I’d heard that before.

Taking a deep breath, I took one more drink, then set it down on the table beside me so I could take off the clothing that I’d not intended to rid myself of tonight. But if I didn’t, I had a feeling Nina would keep asking me to.

I pulled off the top first since it was see-through and not covering that much, then went to quickly tug the skirt down and step out of it before tossing it with the top onto a lounger. I was more relaxed with the tequila in my system, but I wasn’t completely comfortable with this yet. I felt like a spotlight was on me and everyone was looking at me. Which wasn’t the case at all. There were topless women down there, draping themselves all over the men.

“Damn, Pepper did good,” Goldie said, grinning.

“It doesn’t cover as much as I’m accustomed to,” I said, reaching for my drink and needing more.

“You’re at a biker party. There are topless strippers here. You gotta show ’em enough to get their attention, but stay classy,reminding them that you’re on a higher level,” Goldie told me and winked.

I looked over at the hot tub, wanting to go hide my body in the water now.

Nina waved me over, then went to light up another cigarette.

I took my glass and went over there while silently telling myself that no one was watching my butt jiggle or judging my body. That was all in my head.

29

Tex

“Just so you’re here when Pepper hits the fucking fan,” Micah said to Liam over the video call I’d been summoned to since Liam was in Ocala.

Liam’s brows drew together. “The less Pepper knows, the safer she is.”

Micah shrugged. “And the more danger I am in. From her when she finds out this shit and knows I kept it from her.”

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