The Dragon King (31 page)

Duke

by Candace Blevins

Gen usually picked her clients up and drove them to see listings, so she drove one of the most luxurious Mercedes, with a large, comfortable interior.

The bikers, however, had told her they’d meet her there.

Since there was a good chance she’d need to walk around on a rough surface, she’d worn three inch heels with a wider base, instead of four inch spiked heels. Her hair was in a French twist, and her business suit looked as if she could step in front of a television jury and give closing arguments. She’d learned long ago if she wanted to play with the big boys and sell million-dollar properties instead of podunk family houses, she needed more than her smarts and business sense, she’d need to look the part.

She smiled at Brain and Dog, as they’d been the two she’d walked this property with yesterday. Her eyes went to the other four men and her feet stopped moving.

Keith Bevering. God, she’d crushed on him so hard her freshmen year in high school, and he’d never given her the time of day. Then he’d graduated and she’d seen him at Isaac’s a few times, but she’d never managed to have an entire conversation with him. She’d dreamed of those lips a thousand times, though. Maybe a hundred thousand.

Brain introduced him as Duke and, like an idiot, she said, “No, that’s not right. It’s Keith.”

He tilted his head, thought a second, and smiled. “Frisco’s little sister? Gen?”

She nodded and he stepped forward to pull her into a hug. She thought it highly unprofessional, but he was large and apparently didn’t care. His arms wrapped around her and his hand landed on her gun, folded over it, and then brushed away. His mouth went to her ear and he said, “Tell me you aren’t wearing that because you’re afraid of us?”

His voice came out in a growl, and while she hadn’t been afraid, she suddenly was. “No. I pretty much always have it with me. I’m legal, I have a—”

He stepped back, folded his arms on his huge chest, and demanded, “What’s happened that makes you carry a gun
almost always
, Genesis? Something you need help with?”

She shook her head. “Frisco and Isaac’s girlfriend, Cassie, was raped two years ago. And before that our friend, Sam, was shot. Cassie’s rapist came back after her again, and Cam, her other boyfriend, shot the rapist. Frisco hadn’t been able to help because he didn’t have a gun, but Cam walked in with one and saved them all, even though most would think Frisco is the bad-ass, because, well, he kinda is, you know?”

They were all looking at her like she was growing things out of the top of her head, so she wrapped it up. “Long story short, Frisco put in a shooting range out back, and Isaac taught me to shoot and helped me get my license to carry. They have a party at their house the first Sunday of every month, and we all go out back and shoot. Isaac sets up these obstacle course things in the woods, so we have to watch things pop up, see if it’s a good guy or a bad guy before we shoot. He times us, makes it a fun competition.” She looked around at them all and added, “I meet clients who contact me online, and I pick them up and take them to empty houses and office buildings. I pretty much always carry a gun. It isn’t just ya’ll.” She looked at Brain. “You put me at ease about two minutes after I met you yesterday. It was like, if someone came at us, you’d take care of them and I wouldn’t have to. I felt safer with you than away from you.”

“Okay, next question,” Keith said. “Frisco and Isaac have the same girlfriend, and she has another boyfriend? What the
fuck
?”

Gen looked around, realized she was being unprofessional, and said, “Once we complete our business, if you want to have dinner and catch up, let me know. Meanwhile, let’s take a look at this property, shall we?”

A slow smile slid across his face. Goodness, Keith was still as sexy as sin. She was twenty-nine, which would put him in his thirties, but he looked twenty-five. He had a little patch of close trimmed hair under his lip, but was otherwise clean shaven. He wore faded jeans and a tight, black t-shirt with a black leather vest over the top. All of them wore either a leather jacket or a leather vest, never mind it was eighty degrees. All had the same huge logo on the back, the view of looking over the handlebars at a curvy road, with the words Rolling Thunder framing the top.

“Okay, Gen. We’ll play it your way. We’ve already walked it, tell us why this is the place for us.”

“I wasn’t given a lot to go on as far as your needs, yesterday. This property is four acres and includes two dwellings, though it’s understood you’ll likely tear those down. It’s zoned commercial, as you already know. If you’re building condos or apartments, this isn’t a good spot, but otherwise it’s a bargain for pretty much any use you may have. It’s very close to two hospitals, with a third not terribly far away, so this area of town never loses power. I suppose if you took a direct hit from a tornado you would, otherwise, the power company brings it in from over a dozen directions so they can supply the hospitals even in a time of major crisis. Unless the grid is entirely down, you’ll have power. Also, if you’re setting up a factory with a high injury possibility, you’re in a good place.”

The huge man they’d introduced as Tiny asked, “Crime rate?”

She looked at them, grinned. “Something tells me you already know the crime rate and you aren’t terribly worried about it. I get a nice family wanting to do something in this part of town, I caution about the crime rate. Bad-ass bikers? Not so much.”

Keith chuckled and said, “Okay then. Let’s look at the other properties and then maybe get something to eat so we can sit and talk? We’ll tell you our needs and you can help us decide which property or properties may work best.”

Two hours later they were sitting in Sticky Fingers and Gen was trying very hard to keep it professional.

“What made you choose this restaurant?” Keith asked.

Gen shrugged. “Something tells me none of you are vegetarians, and you can’t really go wrong with men in jeans and bar-b-que. So, tell me what you need the property for, and I’ll see if I can help you with your decision.”

“Tell me about your brother and Isaac, their girlfriend, and her other boyfriend, first.”

Gen looked around to the other guys and said, “We’re here to talk business, Keith.”

“Beautiful, I wanna drink a beer and chill out while we wait for our food. Tell me what your brother’s up to. I used to be tight with him and Isaac, and you have my curiosity up.”

Gen rolled her eyes. “Long version or short version?”

He grinned. “Keep it under thirty minutes.”

“Okay. Frisco is bisexual, only he kept it from the family. I’m pretty sure he’s kinky, too, but I don’t wanna know the details. I know there’s a wall-mounted Saint Andrew’s Cross under the tapestry in their bedroom though, so I already know more than I wanted. But, back to the beginning. Best I can tell, Cam lived with Frisco, though they told the family Cam lived in the apartment over the garage. Thing is, I know Cam’s clothes and things were in the apartment, and none of his things were in the big house, so… I’m still unclear as to the details in the beginning.”

“Big house?” Dawg asked.

“Yeah, Frisco’s house is big, and the garage is separate.”

Dawg chuckled. “Big house means something else to us. Go on with your story.”

Gen’s heart stuttered as she realized they were talking about prison, when the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. She lived in a different world than these men. “You sure you want to hear this story? I mean, Keith obviously does, but it sounds like I should hold off and tell him later, so I don’t bore the rest of you.”

Tiny laughed. “Oh no, you had me at Saint Andrew’s Cross, darlin’. Keep talking.”

She felt herself blush as she rushed back into the story. “Okay, at some point Frisco started seeing Cassie, and I guess she knew about him and Cam, and probably was even active with him, so it was, like, three of them, together. You know, in bed. All three. At the same time.”

“Yeah, Beautiful. Think we got the picture. Cute you’re blushing about it, though. Where does Isaac fit into this?” Keith asked.

She gave him a quick glare before answering, “Oh, Cassie met Isaac after she broke up with Frisco. They went out a while, hit it off, were falling in love. Isaac knew she’d recently broken up with a man and his partner, and it’d been a threesome, but he’d had no reason to think it was his best friend. One night, coming back from a club in Atlanta when she was tired, she mentioned Frisco by name. Isaac freaked, told her his best friend was in a major bitch mode over the situation, and as much as he cared about her, he was going to have to bow out.”

“Okay, that bites,” said Brain. “I mean, what are the odds you’ll go from one person to their best friend? I mean, give me a few minutes and I can probably tell you the odds—”

“No one needs to know the exact number, Brain.” Keith interrupted with a growl. “Besides, Frisco and Isaac are both into the same brand of kink, which means Cassie was fishing from the very small pool of acceptable men who enjoy what Frisco gave her, so it’s actually not so surprising.” He looked to Gen. “Keep going.”

She rolled her eyes. “Cassie and Frisco work out at the same dojo, and their friends were in a big fight in Vegas. I mean, not with each other. They’re into the whole MMA thing, and Sam and Ethan were both scheduled for really big fights.”

“Hold up,” Dawg said, his eyes bright. “Sam and Ethan
Levi
?”

“Well, yeah. You know them?”

“Not personally, but kind of cool you know people who know them. They’re both bad-ass. The club did the pay-per-view thing and had a big party. Cheered them both on.”

“I know them. In fact, Ethan worked with me until I was comfortable fighting someone as big as him. Taught me how to use his size and weight against him. He’s way cool, and so in love with Sam, sometimes my eyes water just watching him watch her.”

Keith chuckled and touched Gen’s cheek. She’d given up on trying to be professional, as she had a feeling this group would open up to her only after they were comfortable with her. However, Keith’s touch upped the ante even more, and it made her uncomfortable. Before she could say anything, though, his next words made her forget to tell him to keep his hands to himself.

“One minute you tell us you’ve learned fighting skills from the fucking champion of the world heavyweight MMA titleholder, and the next you reveal how much of a fuckin’ romantic you are by saying you get all teary-eyed just seeing the way he looks at his wife? Damn, Gen, you’re still that same free-spirited little girl, just all grown up with curves now. I’m likin’ what I see.”

“You didn’t even know I existed back then, Keith. I crushed on you so hard and we never even had a full conversation. And you say the eff word an
awful
lot.”

Gen winced as she realized the filter between her brain and mouth was apparently malfunctioning.

Duke’s smile was so cocky she wanted to crawl under the table, but instead chose to glare at him.

“You crushed on me?” The cocky smile grew to arrogant
and
cocky.

“I was, like,
fourteen
,” Gen retorted. “It was a long time ago, and you didn’t know I existed.”

“Oh, yeah I did.
Definitely
did. You were off limits though. Frisco’s little sister.”

“Off limits? Seriously?”

“Seriously. Good thing I’ve got new brothers now, with different little sisters off limits. You’re no longer on the list.”

YOU’VE REACHED

“THE END!”

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