Page 2 of Finish Line
I completely zone out as soon as he starts talking. My mind wanders back to the first funeral I’d attended, Cami’s. Had we not had four kids, I wouldn’t have made it. I would have died the same day she did. Part of me did. I haven’t been with another woman since. Sure, I’ve slept with cut bunnies here and there. But never have I even dreamt about giving my heart away again. I don’t even know if I have it in me to do so. Cami was the love of my life. We didn’t have near enough time together. I’ve continuously been broken down ever since. From my oldest son going to jail to the other two dying and to losing brothers along the way. How much more could one man take?
When Reaper is done talking, everyone begins moving around and talking to one another. All of a sudden, my head feels like it’s about to explode from all the conversations around me. I struggle to get a breath. Without warning, I walk toward my bike, hop on, and take off. I don’t know where I’m going, but I’ll know when I get there.
Chapter Two
Bull
I spend the day riding around aimlessly. Just me, my bike, and the open road. The wind on my face clears the thoughts from my mind. What it doesn’t do is take the pain from my heart. I doubt anything will ever be able to take that away. The more people I lose, the stronger that pain becomes. My club, my brothers, they aren’t just guys I ride with. They aren’t friends. They’re family. I take pride in how close we all are, how much we respect and take care of each other. Even the Ol’ Ladies are close. Losing a brother hurts the entire club. It’s selfish of me to leave on my own today, but I couldn’t be around everyone. Not right now.
I follow the wind in the road. When it straightens out, a lone building comes into view. It resembles a wooden shed, only larger. The neon lights read Rusty’s Dive Bar and Food. After riding around all day, I could use a drink or two.
I slowly pull my bike into the gravel parking lot. It’s mostly full, but I manage to find a spot for my bike close to the door. I park and kill the engine before climbing off and heading inside. The bar lines the back wall opposite the entrance. To the right are two pool tables and a couple of dart boards. To the left, five booths line the wall, with six other tables scattered about. I walk up to the bar where a fiery red head is working. She’s wearing daisy dukes and a form-fitting tank with the bar’s logo across her tits.
Her eyes rake over my cut as she fills a couple glasses with beer. “I’ll be right with ya, hon.”
I give her a curt nod and sit in a chair toward the end of the bar. She seems to be the only one working behind the bar. I glance around the rest of the place, noticing a girl with ink-black hair wearing a matching outfit to the redhead. Then my eyes land on the most gorgeous woman I’ve seen in years.
Her blonde hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun with tiny strands falling around her face. She has full, luscious lips. While her coworkers are wearing shirts that barely hold their tits, she’s wearing a t-shirt with the bar’s logo. It fits her just right, stretching across her chest, accentuating her tits. Her shorts hug her round ass, showing off her amazingly sculptured legs. I can’t tear my eyes off her as she makes her way to the bar. She walks behind it at the opposite end of where I’m sitting, moving straight for the computer to put an order in. The red head stops to talk to her before coming back my way.
“Sorry about the wait. What can I get ya?” she asks.
“I want her,” I say without taking my eyes off the blonde.
“Athena? She’s already got half the bar to worry about.”
As if she couldn’t get any sexier, she has a name fit for a damn goddess.
“Yeah, and what’s one more?” I look the red head in the eyes. “I’ll take a shot of whiskey and a beer at the booth. Keep ‘em comin’.”
I stand and move to the booth closest to the bar. I sit with my back against the wall and a leg propped up on the seat so I can see the whole room. From here, I watch the red head make my drinks and pause to talk to the blonde, whose expression is thoroughly annoyed. Which is adorable as fuck. I chuckle to myself and make a note to annoy her as much as possible. A minute later, Athena is walking toward me with a tray full of drinks.
“Shot of whiskey and a beer?” she questions.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Can I get you anything else?” Her bright blue eyes fall to my cut as she avoids direct eye contact. The more I look at her, the more I believe she’s a goddess in the flesh. It makes me wonder what brought her to a place like this. This is a place for heathens like me, not the girl next door.
“How about you let me take you to the back and have a little taste?” I smirk.
Her face turns bright red and I can’t help but laugh. “Asshole,” she mutters and walks away.
“Hate to see you leave, but love to watch you go, Goddess,” I call after her. She shakes her head without looking back.
I throw back the shot and set the empty shot glass at the end of the table. Watching her weave through the tables, she delivers drinks to three different tables before stopping at a table of guys who just walked in. She flashes them a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. The longer I study her stance, I notice she’s keeping her distance from the men. One of them says something to her that makes her face twist, and she gives him an awkward smile. I take a drink of my beer, downing half of it in one go.
Athena lifts her head. Her eyes connect with mine and I motion for her to come back over. She says something to the table of guys, jots something on her notepad then heads my way.
“You looked a bit uncomfortable over there,” I say to her.
Worry washes over her face. “Was it that obvious?”
I shake my head. “Not to those jackasses.”
She visibly relaxes and a split second later, her eyebrows shoot up and she cocks her hip to the side. “You were watching me.”
It’s a statement, not a question. My eyes drift down her body and back up, lingering on her lips before coming to her eyes. I finish my beer before responding to her. “Another beer and a menu, please.”
She rolls her eyes and huffs out a sigh of frustration when she realizes I’m not gonna confirm what she said, then walks to the bar. I chuckle. Annoying her is entertaining.
