Page 39 of One Night with the Biker

“What did you want to ask me, Nova?” Changing the subject was best. I’m not sure what bee was buzzing in her britches thistime, but hopefully our weekend together would smooth things over.

“Was Nicolette really your mom? If so, what color do you think your baby will be? You and Roman def aren’trealbi-racials. What happens if the baby is brown skinned like your mom? Stepmom? Not-mom? My guess is she couldn’t have kids and your dad hired a surrogate.”

I breathed in and out, trying to cool my blood. I was so fucking happy I’d left my gun at home. Roman insisted I keep it nearby when I was alone in the house. I think I would’ve shot the fuck out of this stupid bitch.

She knew the shit I’d endured when Mom was alive, because she looked so different than the other ol’ ladies. Mom and Dad once had a huge argument because she’d overheard him say how happy he was at the color of Roman and me. Dad revealed he’d had to get special permission to even bring her to the club, which I found fucking horrendous. He should’ve walked away from those motherfuckers then. Except he said he’d met Mom after he was already a high-ranking full patch Bloody Scorpion.

Roman and I rarely discussed our heritage. It just was a part of who we were. My guess was he didn’t think about it too much, unlessIgot shit over it, then he went ballistic.

Most of the time, I didn’t consider myself one way or the other. While my parents were alive, that was different. But it was just easier to lean into my ambiguity.

“Of course, you’d have to keep the baby for it to be any color, right?” Nova went on. “I know you’re leaning toward making that little problem go away.”

The anger roaring in my ears almost drowned out the voice of the GPS. I would’ve missed my exit.

“First,” I snarled through clenched teeth, my fingers so tight on the steering wheel they were turning white, “this baby isn’t a problem. It’s a child, no matter what I decide.”

“Fucked up, but okay.”

“Second,” I spat, ignoringherfucked up comment, “I only want a healthy baby. It doesn’t matter how it looks.”

She made a face at me. “You’re so fucking sensitive, Ainsley. I didn’t mean anything by the question. I’m genuinely curious.”

“Curiosity got the cat’s ass beat to death. Remember that before you open your fucking mouth again.”

She huffed. I considered a detour to the river, where I’d shove her ass in and ruin her hair and makeup. Nice dream…

“Your destination is on the right,” the GPS announced, and my fantasy died.

It was quiet for a Saturday afternoon because a good many of our members went to theKansas Speedway. Razor, Bolt,Warrior, Jester, and a bunch of the guys loved car racing. Football was my thing.

I’d once dreamed of a career in the NFL. As club life sucked me in, those ideas fell apart.

I leaned back in the stool where I sat at the bar, took a sip of my beer, and gazed at the TV. The Chiefs were playing a regular season game against a division rival and were down by three with fifty-seven seconds on the clock before halftime. My boys would rally. They always did. I wasn’t a fair-weather friend, so even if they lost, my support never wavered.

Our quarterback threw a Hail Mary. The ball hung in the air and my breath caught. Our running back and their safety were neck and neck, then that motherfucker shoved our guy and jumped, catching the fucking ball and running it in for a touchdown.

“Goddamn it!” Louisiana shouted.

“Where’s the fucking flag?” I waited for a pass interference call or for the officials to review that play. But nothing. The head coach didn’t even throw a challenge flag. “Motherfucker!”

“Turn that shit off, Jinx,” Louisiana yelled.

She looked at me and lifted a brow. I nodded, still fuming.

“We should’ve gone to the racetrack,” Louisiana complained, swiping his pint of gin from the bar counter and drinking. “I can’t believe that shit.”

“Fuck, me neither. Sometimes, I wonder what those coaches are thinking.”

“Yeah, bro. Paid millions and offer a whole lot of nothing.”

“Come on, you two. It isn’t the end of the fucking world,” Jinx said.

Two weeks ago, she’d dyed her hair pink. I wasn’t sure why the fuck she was suddenly fascinated by these crazy shades.

“I know one thing that’ll ease my disappointment, babe,” Louisiana said.

Leaning against the bar, she grinned. “Really, Big Man? I’d love to hear it and then I’ll see what I can do.”

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