Page 10 of Thunder

“Sounds good. Lead the way.” Andy felt a little bad when he dropped his hand to the small of her back and guided her toward the door. He felt this was a date, she was sure of it. Rather than set him straight, she went with it for now. Not to lead him on, but to see if maybe a spark could happen.

Before she could argue with herself, an orange shrouded phantom with guns for wings mural on the side of the building caught her eye. It was the same one she’d tattooed on Blast’s back just days ago. This one, however, had an artsier feel to it.

“That’s amazing, who did it?” she asked while pointing to the side of the building.

“That would be Billie, Bullseye’s ol’ lady. The one we’re having the party for. He patched in just a few months ago, shortly after I did. She has a hell of an eye. Granite, that’s our president, has commissioned her to redo the signs on all our businesses.”

Andy approached the building and touched the paint. “Shit, if she knows how to handle a tattoo machine, she’d run me out of business.”

“No worries there. She is about to be busier than she ever expected.”

“Oh, why’s that?”

“Well, I’m not supposed to tell, but Bullseye set her up with a small studio adjacent to one of our properties and Granite has arranged for her to teach underprivileged kids art in a program the club created.” Blast leaned into her personal space from behind. “But, that’s a secret for now. At least until after the cake and shit.” He placed his arms on her hips and inhaled. “Damn, you smell good.”

Now she felt she had to say something. She couldn’t lead him on like that. Even in the name of living in the moment, it wasn’t right.

Disengaging from his hold, she turned around, took a step back and looked Blast in the eyes. When she inhaled to speak, he beat her to the draw. “Not feeling it, huh?”

“No. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea.”

“You didn’t, Andy. You were upfront from the second I invited you. It’s all good, but you can’t blame a guy for trying, look at you. But hey, I’m still ready to give you the grand tour and enjoy your company if you’re good with that.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “I am most certainly good with that.” She looped her arm through his. “Lead the way.”

Upon their entry, Blast yelled, “Incoming.” Then shielded her body with his.

“What was that?”

“That was Taps shooting off his little rubber chickens.” She raised her brow. Blast pointed to their feet where three tiny rubber chicken finger shooters lay.

“It’s not as weird as it sounds. Scratch that, it involves Taps, so by default it’s fucking weird. Come on, I’ll show you around.”

5

THUNDER

Thunder sat at the bar shooting the shit with Trip and watching Trixie work the bar top using the horizontal poles overhead to give a show to anyone interested.

Thunder didn’t so much watch her as stare right through her. Not that he didn’t want to celebrate their newest brother’s ol’ lady’s birthday. There was a lot on his mind. One of his buddies from his Air Force days had gotten involved in some shit he had no business being involved in and Thunder wasn’t sure of the best course to help him.

Flash had been one of his brothers in the military, and once a brother, always a brother. However, the Phantoms were his brothers now. If one had to trump the other; it had to be the club.

That was why he slammed yet another shot of whiskey and motioned for Heather, the club girl tending bar, to keep ‘em coming.

His first instinct was to set Flash up at his place and help him figure his shit out. Thunder’s house sat about a half a mile away from the clubhouse, just on the other side of Pound’s, but it was within the Phantoms’ compound. Their sanctuary. Anyone staying overnight or in the clubhouse, required Granite’s okay. Not because he was a controlling asshat, but because he took the safety of his family seriously.

Considering they now had a family on-site, that made protection more crucial. Bullseye had an ol’ lady and a kid. So, bringing Flash to their compound was out of the question. The answer to his dilemma pulled up the stool next to him.

“Sully. How’s it hanging?”

“A little lower than it used to and to the left. How about you?” he replied before motioning for a beer.

“Long and strong as always.” Sully raised the brown bottle in a toast and Thunder responded in kind.

“So, what’s on your mind? You look like you’ve got your head anywhere but here.” Sully was perceptive. Thunder was still in the dark at Sully’s connection to Granite and Pound, but it went way back to their days in training. That’s all he or the others knew.

They wouldn’t even know that much if it hadn’t had been for Bullseye needing a favor. That was another story altogether. Bullseye, or Brooks as he was known before he got his road name, had been Granite’s cellmate. Even took a shank meant for their Prez. So, Granite had extended an invitation for him to join the club. Bypass the probationary stage outside, just pass a vote.

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