Revved (Axle Alley Vipers) (7 page)

Chapter Seven

R
usty climbed the stairs to the cottage and scooped up the mail, flicking through it. As usual, over half of it was from real-estate agents wanting to sell their place for them, all with buyers waiting and willing to pay top dollar. Being the last residential property on Axle Alley, the land was worth a lot and highly sought after. It was getting ridiculous. No matter how many times they said they weren’t selling, would never sell, the letters kept on coming. The bastards were relentless.

Distracted, she opened the front door and let out a shriek when a shrill sound blasted from the house. “Holy shit!”

Covering her ears, she stumbled back a step. The sound cut off abruptly, and Cole Black, her big brother Deacon’s best friend, poked his head out the door, gave her a chin lift and a rough, “Sorry,” then disappeared back inside.

Rusty followed him in, eyes landing on her sister sitting on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, painting her toes. “What the hell?”

Piper shook her head, scowled over at Cole, then carried on doing her nails. “Deacon decided to follow through with his threat, and no matter how many times I tell Cole to stop what he’s doing because we
don’t need all this security
, he won’t listen.”

Cole didn’t stop what he was doing or even turn in their direction, which Rusty noted made her sister grit her teeth. They hadn’t seen Cole much over the last few years, not after he joined the police force and moved away, and not after the accident that destroyed his dreams, taking away the only job he’d ever wanted.

Now he was back, but it seemed her sister didn’t give a crap about any of that, or the years that had passed. She decided instead to pick up where she left off…which meant trying desperately to get Cole’s attention and getting pissed off when it didn’t happen.

“Is it really such a bad thing?”

Piper looked at her liked she’d killed her kitten, then jerked her head in Cole’s direction, no doubt expecting her to read her narrow-eyed look. “Don’t you think this is a little over the top?” Then her eyes went all wide, and Rusty knew if she didn’t agree, her sweet sister would kick her ass.

“Um…yes?”

Piper stood and sent Cole an I-told-you-so glare, only to scowl harder when she realized he was still ignoring her.

“So, are you seeing Reid tonight?” Piper asked.

He’d called her every night for five days straight, and besides their accidental sort-of date after the Speedway—which wasn’t really a date because Piper and Dom had been there—she hadn’t seen him again, and he hadn’t suggested anything more.

“No. He said he’d call, though.” God she sounded pathetic.

You’ll have to let me catch you to find out.

Those words had been on repeat in her head every day since he said them. Well, now she was ready to be caught, but…nothing.

“Well, next time you speak to him, would you ask if Law’s single? I’m thinking of asking him out.”

Rusty did not miss the glance she shot Cole’s way. “Sure…I can do that. But you know he’s a biker, a member of an outlaw motorcycle club, right?”

“Yep, and thanks.” Then Piper spun on her heel and started toward her bedroom.

“Wait,” Cole’s rough, damaged voice rumbled from across the room. Ever since his accident, the guy sounded like he was gargling gravel. Piper stopped in her tracks instantly, slowly turning to face him.

“You want something?” Pipe stammered out, hope in her eyes.

“You need to know how to work this.” He pointed to the security keypad.

Piper deflated. “I don’t really care.”

He shook his head, mumbled something under his breath, rattled off how to use their new system and the codes to turn it on and off, then packed up his stuff and, without a backward glance, limped out.

Piper started after him. “What a
jerk
.”

“You don’t really want to ask Law out, do you?” Her sister was as transparent as a sheet of glass.

“I could. I’m sure he’s a nice guy.”

“Piper.” She crossed her arms.

“Am I that obvious?”

“Only to me, but only because I know you’ve been hung up on Cole since junior high.”

Piper planted it on the couch. “I was just surprised to see him, you know? I got momentarily sucked back in a time warp. I’m over it now.”

Rusty got them each a beer and settled in beside her. “You sure?”

“Absolutely.” Piper turned her bright smile Rusty’s way, then took a sip of her drink. “Tell me about Reid. You two going out soon or what?”

She inwardly cringed. She had no idea where they stood. He’d kissed her twice, thoroughly. The best kisses she’d ever had in her life, granted, she hadn’t had many…okay, hardly any, but she knew instinctively she’d be hard-pressed to find better. They had chemistry in spades, in truck loads—so why hadn’t he asked her out? Maybe he was one of those rich guys that got bored once the chase was over. Guys like him, that had everything, how else did they amuse themselves? Guilt squirmed in her belly. She felt bad for even thinking it. Reid wasn’t like that, despite the money, the privilege he’d more than likely been surrounded with growing up.

Rusty took a pull of her own beer. “No idea. The man’s an enigma.”

“I think you should ask him. What can it hurt? I’m sick of waiting for guys to make the first move. I refuse to do it anymore. From now on, if I want something, I’m going for it.” Piper took another swig of her beer, a terrifyingly determined expression moving across her face.

“Okay, are we still talking about me and Reid here?”

“Of course. I’m just saying, women as a whole tend to wait for the guy to call, wait for him to ask her out, wait for him to make the first move. Wait, wait, wait. Well, I’m done waiting, and you should be, too. In fact, I’m in the mood to go out tonight. Maybe I’ll meet someone new, someone hot. What do you say?”

Why the hell not? It wasn’t like she’d gotten a better offer. “Call Alex and tell her to meet us. I’m gonna grab a quick shower.”

A few hours later, they were in the club. The place was full, the music pumping. Alex and Piper were laughing their asses off about something across the table, and Deacon sat beside her, sipping his orange juice, waiting to drive his intoxicated fiancée home. They’d only come out for a couple of quiet drinks, but a couple had turned into five, and Rusty was feeling it. Work would be hell in the morning, but right now she didn’t give a crap. They’d been working hard, all of them. They deserved this.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and fished it out. Reid’s name flashed on the screen, and she grinned. Blocking one ear, she held it to the other and answered. “Helloooo!”

Silence. “Rusty?”

“Yup. How’s it hanging, big guy?”
How’s it hanging? Big guy?
Did she really just say that?
Oh God.
No more beers for her.

More silence. “You drunk?”

“Yup.” She giggled. Why in the hell was she giggling? She never giggled, like ever.

“How drunk?”

“Um, kinda…quite a bit drunk?”

“Why’re you kinda, quite a bit drunk, baby?”

He sounded amused. She liked it when he sounded amused. She liked the sound of his voice period. “Because Piper and me decided we’re not waiting anymore.”

“That’s right!” Piper shouted across the table, apparently listening, or lip reading her side of the conversation over the music.

“What aren’t you waiting for, Foxy?”

Her belly fluttered. She loved it when he called her that. At first it pissed her off, but the way he said it…well, now she liked that, too. A lot. “What aren’t we waiting for again, Pipe?”

“Men!” Piper yelled.

“Men? Oh that’s right! We’re not waiting on a man to call us and ask us out. We’re gonna go out and go after what we want.”

“What the fuck, Rusty? You’re out to pick up a guy?”

“Um…” Suddenly she was confused as hell.

“Where are you?” he growled, not sounding amused anymore.

“Cracker Jacks, but…”

“Don’t fucking move and don’t talk to anyone till I get there. And no more drinks.” Then he hung up on her.

She stared down at her phone. “Oops.”

Piper slid another drink in front of her. A shot. Rusty picked it up and sniffed. Reid said no more drinks, but he wasn’t the boss of her. Shit, they hadn’t even been on a proper date yet. Plus, she got the feeling when he came through that door, she’d need the extra liquid courage.

“Tequila!” Piper cried and downed her drink. They turned to Alex. She downed hers as well…and when it sprayed from her nose, and she started coughing and sputtering, Rusty and Piper laughed their asses off.

Rusty lifted her drink. “Tequila!”

R
eid walked into the crowded club and scanned the room. He had no idea what Rusty was playing at, but if it included drinking and picking up some random asshole, they had a serious problem. He’d been taking it slow, a first for him, trying to ease her into things. Get her to trust him. They’d talked for hours the last few nights. He’d assumed that’s what Rusty wanted. Obviously not. The only conversation he usually had with the women he slept with was asking if they wanted him to call a cab when they were done. But then Rusty wasn’t like any other woman he’d met. Shit, he’d been hard as iron every time they’d spoken, and he’d heard that husky voice down the line. But he’d told himself to hang back, give her time.

Surprisingly, he’d enjoyed just talking to her, learning more about her. Shit, he’d looked forward to it every night when he got home from work.

Obviously, that was the wrong play, because she was here now, drunk and looking for a guy because she was sick of
waiting
. Christ.

Then he spotted them across the club, the three women and who he now knew, through their phone calls, was her brother, Deacon. He pushed through the crowd and, after a chin lift to the brother, went to his woman—because that’s what she was until it ended between them, she was his and his alone. And right now, his woman was completely smashed and giggling her ass off.

Rusty spotted him immediately, spun in her seat, and beamed up at him like he was fucking Santa Claus. Instantly, all the pissed off, the fear he’d felt started to dissipate. “You’re here!”

“Told you I was coming, Foxy.” Her smile brightened. And fuck him, she was gorgeous even when she was shit-faced. “You ready to go home?”

“Yup.”

He looked over to Piper, who was talking animatedly into her phone. He got the feeling whoever was on the end of that drunk dial would have a treat to wake up to in the morning.

Deacon stood from his seat, wrapped his arm around Alex’s waist, who had a serious sway going on, and moved around the table toward him and Rusty.

Deacon held out his hand when he reached them. “Reid Parker, I take it?”

“Yeah.” Reid shook the guy’s hand. “Rusty’s told me a lot about you.”

Deacon held his gaze. “I understand you’ve been spending time with my sister?”

“She told you that?” He was about to get the third degree from Rusty’s big brother, and all he could think was that she’d told Deacon about him. For some reason that pleased him a hell of a lot.

“Is she wrong?”

“No.”

Alex chose that moment to bust out laughing at something Rusty said and reach for another drink. Deacon not so subtly drew her out of reach of the glass. She spun on him, scowling, and the guy laughed and kissed her.

When he turned back, he lost some of the attitude, or at least forgot about the grilling he’d planned for Reid, which would more than likely include uncomfortable questions about his intentions toward his little sister. Thank fuck for that.

The guy actually grinned. “Well, good luck with that. The three of them aren’t called the Axle Alley Vipers for nothing.”

Axle Alley Vipers?

“Rusty said you’re taking them home?” Deacon tilted his head to Rusty and Piper.

“Yeah.” Deacon looked unsure, conflicted over leaving his drunk sisters with a total stranger. “I’ll get them home safe.” That was the best he could do. He wasn’t used to dealing with concerned brothers or, shit, families for that matter.

The guy opened his mouth to say something more, but Alex grabbed Deacon’s arm and whispered urgently in his ear before slapping a hand over her mouth. The woman had turned green.

That was all it took. Deacon turned to him, eyes hard. “I’ll be checking they got home safe.” With that parting warning, he was on the move, leading Alex quickly from the club before she threw up on the dance floor.

The guy had a fun night ahead.

After some maneuvering, Reid rounded Rusty and Piper up and got them out to his car. Piper climbed in the back, curled up against the door, and fell instantly asleep. Rusty climbed in beside him, skirt hitched up around her hips, high enough he got a flash of bright yellow lace panties, and grinned over at him. “This car is bitchin’.”

“Bitchin’?” Jesus, she was also cute when she was drunk. And no one was cute when they were drunk. “Tell me if you feel sick, yeah? I’d rather you didn’t puke all over my bitchin’ car.”

She waved her hand in the air, dismissing his concern, and leaned forward to play with the stereo. She finally stopped on a rock station—then proceeded to sing her head off. The woman was beautiful, she had attitude, she was talented, had hidden depths—but she could not sing. Could not hold a single note. And he couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face while he listened to her.

She massacred two more songs, then at the beginning of “Sweet Home Alabama,” her hand shot out, and she turned it off, then looked over at him. “Hey, why haven’t you asked me out?”

Surprisingly, he liked drunk Rusty. Drunk Rusty didn’t hold back a damned thing. “Me not asking you out? That have something to do with you and Piper deciding not to
wait
?” Whatever the hell that meant.

“No, that was about Cole.”

All humor fled, and he glanced over at her. “Cole?”

“Yup.”

“Who the fuck’s Cole?”

“Deacon’s friend.”

“And why does you getting shit-faced have something to do with this Cole?”

“It doesn’t.”

He was
this
close to banging his head against the steering wheel. “Rusty, who is Cole to you?”