Chrome: With a Heart Forged in Steele (Carolina Bad #4) (31 page)

“That she is.”

Brodie went on for a good five minutes about the baby shopping, and Cat and Ashe calling each other all the time to commiserate about the aches and pains and maternity clothes nightmares. Not to mention decorating babies’ rooms, and Cara’s excitement about becoming a big sister.

“And you know Ashe is being evil and insisting on not finding out the baby’s sex just like Cat, right?” Brodie suddenly frowned, tugging on his goatee. “I wanna know what I’m in for, but I guess, since she’s doing all the hard work, it’s lady’s choice.”

“I think that’s fair.” I nodded, smiling.

“Besides, I don’t really care what it is. I just can’t wait to meet the little nugget.” He clapped his hands together, his grin boyish. “Yessir, gonna be a baby daddy.”

“You know, Josh would probably let you practice changing diapers on Jolie.” I prodded my elbow into his ribs.

He flipped me off. “Screw that. I know exactly what I’m doing. Did the Baby Bootcamp thing last weekend. Got an A+ in swaddling and everything.”

I had to laugh at that visual. Badass biker on a tricked-out Harley night train . . . learning how to swaddle and put on a baby sling.

I couldn’t wait for my chance.

I caught Rayce’s eyes across the packed room and felt that huge burst of feeling to my chest when she mouthed, “
Love you.
”

Dragging my gaze away, I asked, “You ever gonna make an honest woman out of Ashe or what?”

“She’s a freakin’ Vice Detective. Can’t get much more honest than that.”

Ashe sidled up just then, and he tucked his arm around her shoulders.

“Right, babe?” Brodie kissed the top of her head and rubbed her swelling belly, completely missing the flash of heat in her silver-gray eyes.

“So fucking obtuse, braw.” I punched him on the arm.

“
Ohhh.
Obtuse? Word of the Day calendar again,
huh
?” He snickered.

“Yeah, when
are
we going to set a date?” Leaning back, Ashe cast her eyes to his, and it didn’t look like she was joking around this time.

Brodie’s lips popped open. His brow scrunched.

There was no way in
hell
I was getting in the middle of that.

I quickly ducked away and ran straight into Tucker’s belly.

“Trouble in paradise?” He glanced around me at Ashe and Brodie.

“Let’s just say I’d bet money on there being another Steele wedding soon.”

“’Bout fucking time.”

“I believe that’s exactly what Ashe is about to tell him.”

“You think I need to have a talk with Brodie?” Tuck’s mustache twitched in delight at the idea.

“Nah. He needs to work this one out himself. You know how dumb he is sometimes.” I drew Tuck away from the bar after snagging a bottle of his favorite tequila from Cole. “’Sides, you can’t be worrying about us all the time. Got a daughter of your own now.”

He smiled so wide deep crinkles showed around his merry eyes. “Guess I do.” He sat at a table across from me, motioning me to fill his glass. “I already welcomed her home.”

“I know. I saw.
Pops.
”

“Always watching, aren’t you?” He turned his head to look where my gaze was already fastened. On Rayce.

“Over her? Definitely.”

“So, she won second place?”

“And nearly gave me a coronary doing it.” I frowned, remembering
that jump
on the motocross track.

“Well, the woman has a mind of her own. Those are the best ones. She’s gonna give you a run for your money.”

“She did from the beginning. Don’t expect her to stop now.” I chuckled ruefully. “Don’t want her to.”

Tucker bent forward with his head in hands. “You ever wonder what would’ve happened to her if you two hadn’t hooked up?” He looked at me with a bleak expression. “It was a damn close call.”

“We can’t think like that.” I clasped his hand. “She has me. You. All of us.”

“I missed a lot of years.” His voice came out gruff.

“You didn’t know, Tucker. You can’t blame yourself for that.” I sat back and took a sip of beer. “Where’d our sublime hippy guru go?”

“It’s a helluva lot easier to dispense the wisdom when you’re not the one personally involved.”

We sat silently for a while before he asked, “She still seeing the lady doc?”

“Yeah. It’s good for her.” I hid a sad smile, ducking my head. “There are just some things she doesn’t want me to know. At least not right now.”

Bad enough I knew about what amounted to her being raped to pay off Leroy’s debts. Wouldn’t do any good for Tucker to know it, too. I pulled in a deep breath and blew it out. Rolling my shoulders, I cranked my neck. Whenever she wanted to tell me, whatever it was, I could take it. Any time of day or night.

“I hear you, son. Leroy really fucked our girl over.” With a blaze of anger, Tuck’s fingers tightened on his glass. “What I wouldn’t give to
fuck him up
.”

“He’s behind bars. Going down. He can’t get to her anymore.” My jaw was stony-hard.

On that point I was adamant.

If somehow Leroy managed to get off I’d just have to find a quiet way to make him disappear forever.

The lady doc Rayce was seeing was a friend of our man Bo’s personal headshrinker, Doctor Veronica Hartley. He’d finally been pushed into counseling by Hunter, grunting and groaning all the way, but not until he’d fucked it up big time. Doc Ronnie, as the redheaded woman was affectionately called, had all but towed Bo by his ear out of the clubhouse one day back in March.
After
she showed her skills with his very own KA-BARs.

The ex-Marine had not done himself any favors going up against a woman like her.

Tucker’s and my conversation about Bo and his chick shrink ground to a halt when a soft feminine voice called out, “Max? Maxwell Rush?”

Tail straightened from the pool table after taking a killer combo shot. “Who the hell’s named after a coffee company here?”

Handsome stood up. “You know what they say.” He motioned in the direction of his groin. “Good to the last drop.”

More than a few honeys fawned over him. Well, they’d always loved Handsome, even when we couldn’t tell he actually
was
handsome. Now he’d done the whole ugly duckling to dark and good-looking thing, and the women couldn’t get enough.

Tail guffawed. “Righteous, dude.”

Handsome scanned the club, his gaze coming to a surprised stop on one woman in particular.

He squinted those newly revealed whiskey-colored eyes. “That you, Shiloh?”

“Max!” So-called Shiloh flew into his arms.

Oh yeah. She was definitely a new cherry. Her hair was cut at a slant that ended with the tips brushing her collarbone. Tight jeans rolled at the bottom showcased a whole lotta of leg and high, high heels. Gold jewelry on her wrists and in her ears when she hooked back hair was just this side of tasteful-not-tarty.

All the dude’s jaws dropped to the floor
.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Handsome held her at arm’s length.

“I know Sadie.”

“Everyone knows Sadie,” Kinkaid muttered behind the bar.

“I could say the same about you.” His woman strutted past in her throttle-down boots.

Kinkaid grabbed her hand and hauled her to him. “Not anymore.”

“Damn. I think this place would make a great soap opera.” Tucker watched all the action going down.

“Or a porno.” Tail added his two cents.

“We’d have to charge money.” Brodie folded his arms over his chest, just as interested as everyone else.

“I already knew Handsome was Maxwell Rush.” Ashe snuck in front of Brodie. “Arrested him. Twice.”

“I thought I was your Handsome,” Brodie grumbled.

We all shushed him, intent on the scene unfolding before us.

“Where you been, girl?” Handsome slung an arm around Shiloh’s shoulders, topping the woman by at least a foot.

“Paris. Then Milan. Studying fashion.” Her eyes slanted at him, and she dipped the tip of her tongue into the corner of her mouth.

The MC regulars drooled even more with that tiny peak of her tongue. Testosterone filled the air, and Handsome seemed completely
duh
unaware.

“Fashion, huh? What brings you back to Chucktown then?”

“I’m starting my own pop-up shop.”

Funny. She popped her lips out, too, like cherry-red rosebuds.

Handsome looked at her like she was a best bud. She stared at him like hot meat on a fiery spit ready to be devoured.

Extreme trouble in the making.

We all watched like we couldn’t wait for our next hit.

“He’s so fucked,” Tail whispered.

“Doesn’t even know it.” Coletrane handed out beers and sat down.

“He’s gonna bomb so hard.” Brodie tanked half his drink.

“Probably break her heart.” A couple tears rolled down Ashe’s cheeks.

Brodie held her against him, rocking her with a soft smile on his face. “Hormones,” he mouthed.

Didn’t look like he was too put out by her show of emotion.

“I can’t wait to watch him crash and burn.” Tail stroked his goatee like the original villain himself.

“What’s so wrong with happy endings?” I stole his pool cue and whacked him on the chest with it.

“Fairytale bullshit.” He snorted.

Just then Frankie the Tailor crashed through the door. “Did someone say fairy?”

“You gotta be shitting me.” Tucker chuckled.

Rayce wrapped her body around me, reaching up to bite the back of my neck. “Think we could cut out now?”

“I heard you were disowned.” Shiloh leaned against Handsome, and all our heads swiveled in their direction.

He took off his beanie and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Don’t really talk about that around here, Shy.”

Damn if my skin didn’t light up everywhere Rayce touched me, but . . . “What? This is just gettin’ good.”

“I’ve got a surprise for you.” Rayce nibbled shivers up and down my skin, her lips skirting my neck to the sinews leading to my shoulders.

I turned to her and grasped her hips. “What sort of surprise?”

Surprise
for her sometimes meant taking engines apart in the garage at midnight. Not that I was complaining. Rayce could come at me in the teeny bikini, her coveralls, in full biker girl gear splattered in mud and grease, and no one was hotter.

“A
good
one.”

“How good?”

“I’ve been getting myself ready for you.”

“In what way.” Now she had my full attention.

Fuck it. I’d find out all about this
Shy
and Handsome tomorrow no doubt. Right now, I needed to nail down Rayce. Or just nail her.

Was she getting herself ready for a striptease or a lap dance or . . .

She bit her lip and smiled, pulling my hand to her lush, ample rear end.

Her mouth snuck against my ear. “I want you to come for me then fuck my ass.”

Holy. Hell.

****

On my motorcycle I roared home with Rayce pressed against my back and laughing behind me.

Upstairs I got totally naked for her—at her command—while she remained fully dressed.

She pushed me onto the bed then closed the door as Shitlock mewled at us.

“What do you want me to do?” My voice guttural, I cupped my balls.

Rayce licked her plump lips. “Show me how you jack off.”

Hissing at the first touch on my rampant erection, I slicked my fingers over the broad cap, spreading around the precome.

“Spread your thighs. Show me.” Her lips parted and her eyes darkened to almost black, she sat in front of me.

I lifted my legs and curled my fist around my shaft. “Like this?” I sneered, lust-come ready.

The head of my dick bulged—flaring and ruddy-colored.

Rayce panted. “More.”

Another dollop of clear liquid dripped from the tip, and I grunted, working it in.

She licked her lips. “Need some visual stimulation?”

Nod nod nod.

Squeeze, nudge, edge.

I was up for whatever she had in mind.

She stood, slowly sliding out of her clothes. A jean skirt. A top. Fishnets. Boots. Not fucking panties or a bra underneath it all, but a strapless black teddy that hugged her curves. The breathtaking lingerie highlighted every part of her curvaceous figure and echoed the rich, black, deadly ink on her arms.

“I heard guys like this kind of thing.” Her hands strolled from the small indent of her waist to the deep V showcasing her more-than-generous cleavage.

My eyes grew round as saucers.