Page 16 of Cinder
Two, he’s a chauvinistic pig who hasn’t stopped talking about himself since we left my house, which was thirty-seven minutes ago. It’s how I know he’s a delivery driver for the Knights, and how he borrowed a lot of money from Viktor, and how bringing me here tonight is the only thing standingbetween him and all of his fingers being detached from his body.
And three, he’s going to try and get into my pants by the end of the night.
In fact, he tries before I even get out of the truck.
After he pulls into the clubhouse parking lot and kills the engine, his hand slips from the gear stick and onto my thigh and lingers there.
I look at him. “What are you doing?”
“You’re supposed to be my date.”
“Meaning?”
“We could have some fun.”
“This is only a pretend date.”
“Then we could have some funpretending.” His fingers inch up my thigh.
“I suggest you take your hand off me before I stab you.” I slide the knife out of my boot and show it to him. “And I don’t mean just once.”
The blade glints in the low light, and he holds his hands up in surrender. “Jesus, lady, I was only trying to have some fun.”
“Tonight is not about fun. It’s about ensuring I get inside that clubhouse, and you don’t lose any more fingers.”
We both look at the gap on his right hand where his pinky used to be. Apparently, he said no to Viktor once. So Viktortook his pinky finger and promised he’d take the rest of them if he ever told himnoagain.
I know this because Viktor took great delight in telling me.
Cheezy’s lip curls. “Viktor is an asshole. Would it be a crime for you and me to have a little fun?”
“You know I’m meant to marry him, right?” I say.
“Don’t see no ring on your finger yet, honey. And what he don’t know, won’t kill him.” He gives me a slimy grin.
Jesus, this guy isn’t long for this world.
“Viktor will cut off more than your fingers if you put your hand on me again,honey.”
His grin fades, and he calls me a bitch as he climbs out of the truck.
I stop him as we near the entrance of the clubhouse. Music drifts outside, mixed with the loud bark of three Harleys as they pull in to the parking lot. Two women dressed in tight jeans and next-to-nothing tops walk up the driveway and pass by us, not even glancing in our direction as they disappear inside. From the other direction, a biker carries a girl on his back, and they’re laughing as he takes the steps two at a time and then vanishes out of sight.
“Hand me the map,” I say. Cheezy removes a folded-up piece of paper from his jeans, and I quickly tuck it into my jacket pocket. “Now, remember, you and I used to go to school together,” I remind him.
“Yeah, yeah, and we ran into each other in town last weekafter not seeing each other for a few years. Don’t worry, I remember our cover story.”
“Good, because I don’t think either of us wants to fuck this up.”
He lets out an uncertain exhale. “Fine. Let’s get this over and done with. If you’re not going to blow me, you can at least get me a drink from the bar.”
CHAPTER 9
Lars
I seeher the moment she walks in with Cheezy. She’s fucking gorgeous. Tight dress. Legs for miles. Boots—fuck, nothing gets me going like a pair of boots.
But when my gaze trails up her body and sees that face, it’s like something heavy just hit me in the chest.
