The Skulls (11 page)

Caressing up and down her thighs Lash grew
frustrated. All he wanted to do was fuck his woman, but he had a party to
attend. “Come on, we need to get you ready for the party.” He dropped a kiss to
her hip and then stood.

Chapter
Eight

“Stop fucking fidgeting,” Lash said, growling the
words. Angel glared at him. It was all right for him. He was wearing leather
pants, a tee, and a jacket. What did she have to wear? A small skirt that came
to mid-thigh, a crop top that only just covered her stomach. At his request she
only wore a bra and a pair of six inch stiletto heels. She couldn’t walk in the
heels, and she was taking some practice walks down his long hall way. Her hands
were outstretched for balance, and Lash was watching her.

She glanced over at him to see him smiling, which
made his words less aggressive. Angel needed to get used to the way he talked.
In her home when someone swore it was because they were annoyed.

“Stop laughing at me. I told you I can’t walk in these.”
She squealed, but Lash reached out to catch her as she started to fall.

“Okay, I’ve got you, and the bitches can be hard at
times. Right, we’ll go for smaller heels until you can work up to the tall
heel.”

He picked out a pair of two inch heels. “Here, put
these on?” Lash handed her another pair of shoes.

She used him as a stand to remove her shoes. Lash
helped her to put the new pair of shoes on. He finished off her outfit with his
leather jacket. “This is so everyone will know you’re my woman.”

Angel didn’t mind wearing the jacket. She loved his
smell and smiled as it surrounded her.

“I love your smile.” He stroked her cheek. His
compliment touched her. “I love the skirt, baby, but I’ve got to be
responsible.” Lash pulled out a pair of jeans from the drawer. “Put these on.”

Angel took them out of his hands and climbed into
them. They were loose enough for her to do. When she was finished, Lash nodded.
“It’s too fucking dangerous riding on a bike in a skirt. Take them off as soon
as we get there, okay?”

She nodded in agreement.

“Come
on,
let’s get out of
here before something happens at the party.”

He took her hand leading her out to his bike.

“We’re not going in your car?” she asked,
approaching his bike.

“Not tonight. It’s all about the bike.”

She tugged on the skirt trying to pull it down and
then remembered the jeans she wore. Angel shook her head, laughing.

“If you keep pulling it down it’s going to end up
around your knees. The jeans cover everything,” he said, warning her.

Letting go of the skirt and rubbing her hands down
the jeans, she waited for Lash to pass her a helmet. He straddled a bike then
waited for her to climb on behind it. The jeans weren’t tight, and she was able
to straddle him without fear.

She loved riding on his bike. There was something
freeing about letting everything out and speeding on the open road. She wished
she could feel it without the helmet on, but for now she was happy to be safe
on the back of his bike.

Holding onto his waist, she rested her chin on his
shoulder. With her arms wrapped around his waist Angel didn’t feel any
nervousness about the upcoming party. Whenever she was with
Lash
all of her nerves left her as if they had no right being there.

Closing her eyes she let the peace she felt swamp
her. Lash may be the total opposite of what she wanted out of a man, but she
wasn’t going to turn him away because of her old plans.

She really was falling for Lash, or Nigel Myers, and
she really believed she may even be in love with him. Letting out a sigh, Angel
kept her eyes closed relishing the feel of being close to him.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine.”

One of his hands covered hers where they were
wrapped around his waist. “I’ve got you, baby.”

Angel really hoped that was true because with each
minute she felt she was losing her heart to this man.

He pulled into the forecourt of the bar, which was
already crowded with bikers, women, and men. That was how she divided the
groups. There were bikers, and then there were men. Lash was a biker while her
father was just a man.

What the hell was going on inside her head? There
was a time when all men were grouped together.

Lash turned off his bike, and several bikers and
women surrounded him. He removed his helmet and shook hands with a guy she
recognised as Zero.

“It’s great to have you back.”

She handed her helmet to Lash then started climbing
off, shocked when a pair of hands helped her off the bike. Glancing over her
shoulder she saw Nash stood helping her.

“Thank you,” she said.

“You’re Lash’s girl. I’m all for helping out his
girl.” Nash smiled at her before wrapping his arms back around Kate. The other
woman glared at her jacket.

“She’s really been claimed by Lash?” Kate asked,
pouting.

“Shut the fuck up.” Nash growled the words, and then
they were moving away.

Lash’s arms banded around her waist and pulled her
close to his body. His fingers opened the jeans, and they were sliding down to
the floor. “My brother is being nice. He might actually like you.” He kissed
her neck. “Pass me the jeans.” She bent down, retrieving the jeans from the
floor.

“Or he’s trying to scare me away.” Lash put the
jeans across his bike.

“Nash wouldn’t go to that much effort.”

She smiled and turned in his arms.

“Besides, I think he’s going easy on you because of
the party. Things will get interesting real soon. Come on, let’s go and
mingle.”

He took her hand leading her away from the bike and
into the crowd of people. Bikers and men stopped him in their path. A few of
the women tried to gain his attention, but he’d pull her against him and once
they saw her they scampered away.

“
Tiny’s
inside, man.
He looks ready to do murder,” Butch said.

“Okay, I’ll go and see him.”

Lash took her through to the main bar. A couple of
women were giving a strip tease on top of the tables. Angel noticed one of the
women was an old lady, and her man was watching her intently.

“That’s Hardy and Rose. They’re a strange couple,
and he loves watching men salivate over what’s his. None of the guys are
allowed to touch her. They can watch but not touch.”

“She’s beautiful,” Angel said, staring at her red
hair and pale complexion.

“She is, and she’s a lovely woman devoted to Hardy.
They’re a team, and he does everything to protect and love her. Depending on
his mood he’ll fuck his woman in front of them, but again, they watch and don’t
touch. He likes to torture the men.”

They stood watching the show. Angel saw how Rose’s
gaze was on Hardy the whole time. The men were enthralled by her dancing. She
felt an answering heat in her groin but didn’t say anything.

“Come on,
Tiny’s
over
there downing shots.” Lash pulled her toward the bar.

“I hate women. I hate them all,” Tiny said, downing
another shot.

Lash took a seat pulling her onto his lap. Tiny
sneered at her before taking another shot.

“Why
are you hating
women?”
Lash asked, ordering two beers. He gave one to Angel. She took the beer
wondering if she could pretend to drink it.

“They’re a pain in the ass. Nanny wants me to let
her go. She doesn’t want to work for me anymore.”

Angel didn’t know much about
Tiny’s
personal life, but she’d heard that he hired a nanny to take care of Tate. The
woman he’d hired was eighteen at the time, but that was over ten years ago.
Angel knew she must be either the same age as Lash or older. Tate was twenty-three,
but Tiny still treated her like a baby, at least that was Tate’s complaint to
Angel.

“Eva’s twenty-nine, Tiny.
She
wants to get out and spread her wings. You’ve had her in your employ for ten
years. She’s been loyal to you. Let her go,” Lash said.

Tiny glared at Lash. The two men stared at each
other, and Angel couldn’t help but think they were communicating something.

“Okay, right. Then you need to do something about
that, man. I can’t help you.” Lash downed his beer, slapped Tiny on the back
then moved away, taking her with him.

“What was that all about?” she asked, following him.

“Men stuff, baby.
Come
on, let’s get outside. I want to do some dancing.”

She was pulled outside. Angel wondered how she was
going to keep up when Lash suddenly stopped.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Glancing over his shoulder she saw what he was
looking at. A smile broke out over her face when she saw Tate gliding toward
them wearing the killer red dress. The bikers stared at her shocked while the men
drooled. Lash went tense.

“Where is he?” Tate asked, folding her arms. Her
gaze went to Angel, and she smiled.
“Hi, Angel.”
The
anger returned as she glared at Lash. “Where’s my fuck-head of a father?”

“You shouldn’t be here.” Lash folded his arms over
his chest and glared.

“I don’t give a fuck what you think, Nigel. Get out
of my way.”

No one ever called Lash by his real name. Silence
met her answer.

“What is all the chaos about?” Tiny asked, coming up
behind Angel. He looked at his daughter, and any buzz he was getting from the
shots, clearly disappeared. “What the fuck are you doing here? And why are you
dressed like that?”

“What did you do to Eva? She’s locked herself in her
room, and I can hear her crying. She won’t let me near her.” Tate’s hands went
to her hips. She glared at her father and looked ready to commit murder.

“She’s not your concern.” Tiny forced his way
through. Lash’s arms went around Angel as they watched father and daughter
argue.

“Hello! She’s my fucking nanny. Yeah, I get the
joke, a grown woman with a nanny. Stop being a bastard and go to her.” Tate
looked hurt and angry.

Angel wondered who Eva was and what she meant to
Tate’s family.

“This is a party, Tate. You shouldn’t be here and
not dressed like that. Steven, take her home and make sure she stays there.”

“If you so much as touch me I’ll castrate you with
my heels.” The heels did look pretty dangerous. “If you send me home I’ll make
sure Eva comes back here to see you. Do you want her here?”

Tiny paled at Tate’s words.

Lash cursed. “They’re both as bad as each other.
Neither of them can back away from a fight.”

“You wouldn’t fucking
dare.”

“Try me, Dad. I’m this close to losing it with you.
I hate it when Eva cries, and so do you.” Tate flipped out her cell phone. “One
call will get her here.”

They stared at each other, and even Angel tensed
waiting for her answer.

“Steven, she stays, and if anyone hurts her it’s
your ass I’m taking it out of.” Tiny stormed away. “I need a fucking drink and
a woman.”

Angel noticed none of the women went to him.

****

 
Lash watched
his leader and mentor storm around to the back of the building. Angel stayed by
his side, but he needed to go and make sure Tiny was okay. Tate moved closer to
them.

“I hate it when he gets like this,” Tate said, hand
on hip. She was gaining attention from some of the men. Tate glared in their
direction. Lash never felt the need to protect her as she always knew how to
take care of herself. “What the fuck are you looking at?”

She shook her head in disgust then grabbed Angel’s
arm. “I know you’re going to want to talk to him. I’m taking her away from you
for a while.”

He kept a firm grip on his woman. Shooting a glare
to Tate he waited until she left to go sit at the bar. Steven followed her.

“Okay, I guess you’re about to leave me to go and
deal with Tiny,” Angel said.

“I’ve got to make sure he’s doing
good
.”
He cupped her cheek and pulled her in close. “Until then, you’ll stay at the
bar. Steven will take care of you, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.” He
fingered the jacket and knew in his heart she’d be safe. No one would try
anything unless they wanted to start a war with all of The Skulls.

“Go be with Tate. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He
waited until she was sat next to Tate before heading off in the direction of
Tiny.

He found him with Nash behind the back of the bar.
The back faced a mass of forests and clear space. There were many times when
he’d come here to think when he was growing up.

Tiny and his brother were smoking a cigarette.

“She shouldn’t be here dressed like that. Why does
she try to test me?” Tiny asked, staring up at the sky.