Page 13 of Sparrow

Any of his brothers would’ve thought they’d died and gone to Valhalla. As they rubbed against him, he shifted. He couldn’t pull enough air in his lungs. Cramped by their presence, he wanted to spread his arms out.

“We wanted to celebrate your promotion with you,” Molly whispered in his ear. The heat of her breath on his skin before her teeth took hold of his earlobe made his stomach roll.

“We wanted to see what you could enforce on us.” Jen giggled as she slid over, trying to straddle him.

Nope. Didn’t want this. Molly, didn’t he say he was done with Molly? Yeah, and now this? No. He was out. Done.

Taking hold of her friend’s hips, Romeo tossed her back on the couch. “Get off,” he barked.

Wide-eyed, the two women stared at him, obviously stunned at his response as he pushed himself to his feet. Were he in a better state of mind, perhaps he’d seen that maybe he should have given them a little warning or context, but to be fair, he’d had a lot thrown at him. So, they got what they got. This wasn’t being a better man.

However, the fact that he had a fist full of purple fucking satin panties as he stormed away from the club whores and through the club meant that he had just taken his first strides toward being a better man. Whatever the hell that meant in a one percent outlaw biker club like Odin’s Fury.

* * *

The pinsand needles Romeo felt riding into Ohio, and subsequently, the Roughneck Riders territory, had nothing to do with the distance. His eagerness to go to the club owned bar bordered on horny virgin. He snorted at himself as he dismounted his bike at the motel. Anticipation ate at him, and if he’d been riding alone, he would have driven straight through.

He’d decided the first step toward being a better man was securing his woman and ending this bullshit. It’d been too long. This was his final shot. It ended this time. No games. He’d lay it out for her in no uncertain terms.

Sparrow wasn’t just another piece of ass. She wasn’t a fling. They had something more and the two of them knew it. Distance and circumstances had kept them apart. The patch over would be a several day venture. So, he figured he’d have a few days to spend with her and to figure out what they’d do with what was between them.

All the bullshit they’d tried before, stealing days here and there over the years, it’s over. They were either going to make a go for it or not. The “or not,” for him, wasn’t an option, but he’d put it on the table because he wasn’t forcing shit on anyone. Some clubs did that, but not Odin’s Fury.

While they had gotten four rooms for the eight of them, the tired men of Odin’s Fury, Mother Chapter piled into Monty’s room. Now that they’d arrived, the other charters could have a quick sit down with them. It’d be an impromptu church to be on the same page and know what to expect.

Obviously stiff from the ride, Monty stood near the bathroom door beside the Pennsylvania chapter’s president. Tex stretched out on his bed with his hands behind his head, and his elbows out with Teller beside him. Leaning against the wall was the president from Florida. Clark stood against the dresser, his back to the mirror this time. Beside him, New York’s president used a knife to pick at his nails. Dash and Romeo were at the foot of Tex’s bed, near the door. Rooster had plunked himself down into the only chair in the room. Kentucky and Arizona’s presidents flanked him.

A prospect from Montana brought to watch the bikes stood closest to the window, taking his job very seriously. The room was far too small to contain all the Odin’s Fury brothers comfortably, but they made do.

Monty cleared his throat, stroked his beard, and removed the ties of the braid so he could comb his fingers through it. “Bowie doesn’t know we’re here. I’ll call him before we show up. He doesn’t know the final decision.”

Keeping quiet, Romeo’s gaze traveled from man to man, watching their reactions. Most were stone-faced and watching their president. Tex had his eyes closed. “He’s been asking for this for years, might as well surprise him with it,” his father drawled.

Florida’s leader snorted and shook his head. “What makes you think he’s ready for it?”

Monty tossed the small rubber bands into the trash. “He’s ready. He’s been giving me updates.”

“’Sides, we’ve been following up,” Teller chimed in. “Sending boys to check in every now and then. Make sure he’s making progress.”

“What’s the play?” the president from New York asked.

“We’re gonna get some rest,” Monty said with a groan before setting himself up on the empty bed. “I’ll call Bowie and ask for a meeting. Let him know we’re here and ready to move forward.”

“And the VP?” Dash asked, twirling a segment of his own blond beard between his fingers.

Closing his eyes, Monty sighed, sounding tired of the conversation. “Clark will do the honors and take his patch.” Kicking off his boots, he grunted. “Now go. I need a nap.”

The men filed out of the room, pairing off with chapters sticking together. Monty and Tex were together. Rooster and Teller were in the next room. Clark had the prospect in his room. That left Dash and Romeo together in the final room.

Romeo should have been with the prospect by hierarchy. However, the idea of splitting him and Dash up seemed unnatural. Monty must’ve agreed. Plus, Clark liked to give the prospect shit. It worked out for everyone this way.

The door shut behind him and Dash fell face-first onto the bed closest to the door. “Please tell me you don’t want club sandwiches,” he mumbled into the bed.

The younger biker scoffed as he pulled off his riding leathers. “No, but I am considering one of those fancy craft beers after the patch over.”

“Not gonna stay and party?” His friend had turned his head, so making out his words was easier.

First, his chaps went over the chair. With a grunt, Romeo pulled off the leather jacket with his cut over it. After he’d separated the two, he laid the jacket over the chaps and his cut on top. A groan escaped him as he flopped his sore body on the bed closest to the bathroom. The lumpy mattress wasn’t the best. He felt every spring, but it beat sleeping on the floor.

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