SHADES: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series Book 3) (16 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Skylar was staring at the ceiling, Shades warm body pressed against her, both their bodies sweaty from the bout of sex they’d just had. They were lying in his bed, on the sheets she’d totally noticed were new, the square folds still in them giving it away, and he’d confessed the whole story. She thought it was sweet, him wanting to do that. For her. For them. Then her eyes dropped to the wall facing the foot of the bed, and she frowned at the item nailed into the wall. Were those her…?

Oh. My. God.

She sat straight up in the bed and turned to look at him, her mouth hanging open.

His arms were folded behind his head, and he too was staring at the object nailed to the wall. Then his eyes came to hers.

“What?” he asked, all innocent.

“Are those
my panties
?” she practically shrieked.

He grinned. “Yup.”

“Yup? Is that all you have to say? Yup?”

He shrugged, his hand coming up to catch the chain of his rosary that still hung around her neck, and he gave it a little tug to remind her. “
You
kept a souvenir. Only fair, I got one, too. And before you get all pissed, take note, babe, they’re the only pair up there.”

“Why are they
nailed to your wall?
”

“They’re up there so I can look at them every night when I hit this pillow and every morning when I open my eyes and remember what a sweet, pretty girl I once had and how big I fucked that all up. They’re up there to remind me of everything I lost due to my fuckin’ that all up.”

Not exactly flowery words, but from him, they were full of meaning because he meant them. Every word. And that was as sweet as she could want. She was still going to make him take them down, but for now, she settled back beside him.

His arm came down and pulled her tight against his side. She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head, and then his head dipped, his mouth coming to her ear.

“Ain’t gonna fuck up again, pretty girl. Those days are fucking done.”

Her arm came across his gut and she squeezed. “Okay, Shades.”

He squeezed her back. “Okay, sweetheart.”

They both must have drifted off, because the next thing Skylar knew, Shades was shaking her awake, the rumbling sound of pipes shaking the windows in the building as a pack of bikes rolled onto the lot.

“Fuck. We got company,” Shades growled, his voice deep and gravely from sleep. Then he added, “Lift up, babe, my arm’s asleep.”

She moved, and he pulled his arm free and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up, pulling his jeans on.

“Were you expecting them?” Skylar asked, clutching the sheet to her chest as she sat up.

He turned, doing up his pants, and his eyes dropped to where her hand was fisted. He shook his head. “Stay here.”

“Shades—”

“I wanna know you’re up here naked in my bed, waiting for me to come back.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Long as it takes to get rid of ‘em, babe.” He leaned over her, his fists in the bed and dropped a soft kiss on her lips.

As he pulled back, she reached up with both hands to cup his face and pull him back down for another, deeper kiss. When she released him, his eyes dropped to her breasts, and she realized she let the sheet fall in order to grab his face.

“Naked, babe. In my bed,” he repeated the instruction.

She smiled and nodded. “Whatever you want, baby.”

At that, his brows rose and a sexy-as-hell smile spread across his face. “I’m holdin’ you to that when I get back up here.”

She gave him a saucy smile, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Are you, now? Then you’d better hurry or I might just get tired of waiting.”

With that he cupped the back of her neck, kissed her forehead, and then dipped to whisper in her ear. “You’ll wait. ‘Cause you want it just as bad.”

Then he was gone.

Skylar lay back in the bed and listened to the rattling of the glass door, as if they were trying to get in. Then a pounding on the glass, followed by someone bellowing his name, calling him to ‘open the fuck up’.

****

Shades made his way down the stairs and across the shop, for once in a long fucking time
not
pleased to see his brothers. Excuses already forming in his head to try to get rid of them.

He reached the door, flipped the lock and strode outside.

Whoever had been banging on the door, had walked off. The guys were now gathered around Ghost, who sat sideways on his parked bike, one boot on the ground, one propped on his foot peg, one wrist slung over his hand grip, a cigarette in his other hand. Griz stood next to him lighting up his own smoke.

Gator, Heavy and Spider were all there, too.

Ghost blew out a stream of smoke into the air, and then grinned at him as he approached, taking in Shades’ shirtless chest and bare feet. “We get you out of bed, Brother?”

Shades glared. “Sorta.”

Ghost squinted at him, taking another drag off his smoke and eyeing him closely. Shades knew he needed to change the subject before his too-perceptive brother was on to him.

“So, what’s up?” he asked.

“What the fuck do you mean what’s up?” Ghost asked back.

“Got that benefit for Bulldog’s widow today. You forget?” Griz reminded him.

“Shit. That’s today?” Shades ran a hand through his hair in exasperation.

“It’s Saturday, ain’t it?” Gator growled.

“Fuck. I forgot.”

“How the hell did you forget?” Heavy snapped.

“Got other shit on my mind, Brother.”

Ghost blew another stream of smoke in the air, his eyes squinting and replied with a suspicious look, “Apparently.”

Shades’ eyes narrowed at him for a moment, and then he asked Griz, “What time’s it start again?”

“In like an hour. Stopped by the clubhouse earlier. Your prospect’s already over there helpin’ the girls set-up.”

“Let me bum a cigarette,” Shades said to Ghost, who dug his pack out of his shirt pocket and held it out to him. He took it and shook one out, thinking how he’d neglected to call his prospect that morning to make sure he was on it. Thankfully, 12 Gauge was a fuckin’ awesome prospect and knew what he was supposed to be doin’ without bein’ told all the fuckin’ time. Thank fuck for that small saving grace today.

Shit. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten the benefit for Bulldog. Fuck. That really put a kink in his plans with Skylar today. Dipping his head, he lit up, and then blew a stream of smoke into the air.

“Where’s Hammer?” he asked.

“He was supposed to meet up with us this morning, but he didn’t show,” Griz replied, flicking his ashes off his cigarette. “Hope nothin’ happened to him.”

Ghost grinned, “Oh, I think little Ashley was
lookin’
to happen to him
in a big way last night.”

Griz chuckled. “No doubt.” Then he looked over at Shades. “Heard you took a taste of that a couple a nights ago.”

“I think everybody’s had a taste of that by now,” Shades replied.

“She’s only been comin’ round a couple weeks.”

“Well, it doesn’t take long for some.”

“I disagree,” Ghost cut in with a teasing look at Shades. “I think she’s been real particular with who she’s lettin’ in her pants.”

“Your point?” Shades asked.

“Brother, she’s had her sights on you since she walked on the property.”

Shades let out a huff. “That’s the case, she needs to get over it, ‘cause I ain’t goin’ back for seconds.” Those days were fuckin’ done now that Skylar was back in his life. He took another drag of his cigarette, with a quick glance over his shoulder back at his shop. Thank Christ this conversation was taking place out in the lot and not inside where she would have overheard every word of this crap.

“Why, bro? She a piss-poor lay?” Spider asked.

No, she was actually quite good, but he’d be damned if those words would ever come out of his mouth. Instead he replied, “You climb on that, you’re boarding a fucking crazy train to Loopsville. But, hey, you wanna take that ride, have at it. But
I’m
not interested, and I sure as hell don’t need her following me around thinkin’ that’s gonna fuckin’ change.”

Ghost’s eyes narrowed on him again. And goddamn, he wished Ghost wasn’t so fucking quick to pick shit up.

“Well, maybe I’ll get the down-low from Hammer when he shows up,” Spider added.

“Maybe you will.”

“Where
you
goin’?” Heavy shouted after Gator as he wandered off.

“I got a board of director’s meeting over here. Ya mind?” Gator yelled back over his shoulder, then he ambled to the side of the dumpster and took a piss.

“Fuck, Gator. We don’t want to see that shit,” Ghost complained.

“Then don’t fuckin’ look, asshole,” Gator yelled back. A minute later he was zipping up and heading back across the lot when Hammer roared in off the street. Hammer turned his handlebars and hit the throttle, aiming right for Gator, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over.

“You son-of-a-bitch!” Gator yelled after him as Hammer rode to the back of the lot and made a circle turn, coming back and parking next to the guys.

He dropped his kickstand and climbed off.

“I can’t believe you tried to run him over,” Ghost laughed.

“Oh, like
you’ve
never thought about it,” Hammer replied, pulling his helmet off and running his fingers over his short hair.

Ghost chuckled.

“Gotta talk to you ‘bout something,” Spider mumbled, grabbing a fistful of Hammer’s tee shirt and pulling him off to the side.

Probably to ask him if he nailed Ashley last night, Shades thought, shaking his head.

Gator walked up. “Did you fuckin’ see that? The motherfucker tried to run me over. Why the hell would Hammer want to kill me?”

Griz turned to him with a straight face and said, “Why would
I
want to kill you? Why does your
ex
want to kill you?”

The guys tried to hide their grins.

Gator’s eyes narrowed in Hammer’s direction.

“Heard you had a minor mishap on the job last week?” Shades asked Gator, hoping to distract him before he decided to retaliate against Hammer for that stunt.

“Yeah,” he grunted out.

“Minor mishap? Is that what they call it when you dig through an underground power-line and cut power to half the fuckin’ grid?” Griz taunted.

The guys all snickered openly this time.

“Weren’t you up for Supervisor, Gator?” Heavy asked, pulling a beer out of his saddlebag and popping the top.

“My career path may have taken a minor detour,” Gator admitted.

“Yeah,
off a cliff
,” Griz added with a snort.

Gator shoved his arm. “Shut the fuck up.”

Hammer and Spider walked back over, Hammer leaned an elbow on Ghost’s handlebar. “My bike’s makin’ that damn noise again. You got a socket wrench I can borrow?” he asked Shades.

Before he could answer, they all heard the roar of another bike approaching and turned to look as JJ pulled into the lot and parked next to them. He sat astride his bike and pulled his helmet off, revealing a newly shaved head.

Ghost blew out a stream of smoke, trying not to grin and asked, “You listenin’ to that little voice in your head again, JJ?”

They chuckled.

JJ ran a hand over his smooth head. “You don’t like it? Tink told me I looked sexy.” His eyes moved from Ghost to Hammer and he grinned, knowing the dig would eat at Hammer.

“You little shit,” Hammer growled and made a move toward him, but Heavy pushed him back.

“Take it easy, bro. Tink wouldn’t waste her time.”

Hammer relaxed back, but pointed a finger at JJ. “Steer clear of her. She’s mine.”

“Oh, really?” Shades asked, turning to Hammer with brows raised.

“Yeah….she…ah…just doesn’t know it yet.”

“Right.” Shades drew out the word sarcastically and smiled at him. “Come on, I’ll get that socket wrench. Pull your scooter in.”

Shades moved toward the door, walked in and hit a button on the wall. An overhead garage door began to slowly roll up. Hammer rolled his bike in, and Shades walked over to a big red tool chest and opened a drawer, retrieving the tool.

The rest of the guys wandered into the shop to get out of the sun.

Shades turned to hand the tool to Hammer. “So, you and Ashley?”

Hammer took the socket wrench and ran his other hand down his face. “Yeah. Me and Ashley.”

“What made you want to fuck that crazy bitch?”