He lifted a dark eyebrow. His hair was just as black, but short and disheveled along his head. “Helping these guys restore this bike.”
“I didn’t mean it like you shouldn’t be here.”
He started laughing. “I know, I know.” They hadn’t spoken more than a handful of times since the altercation he’d had with Nico all those years ago at the graduation party, but she still considered him a friend.
“So, big time college grad, huh?” He took a step closer to her and stopped. He shoved his hands in the front pocket of his jeans. “Your old man said you’re going to start managing the club finances.”
She nodded.
“I hope you’re ready for all that.” He wasn’t saying it in a joking manner.
Alexis knew what he meant, knew that once she did the books she’d know where a lot—not all of course—but a lot of where the club’s money came from. Most of it was illegal funds, of that she wasn’t ignorant of, but this was her family, and she didn’t judge. “I hope I am, too.”
Dakota nodded. “Hey, maybe since you’ll be in town indefinitely we can get together for lunch or something and catch up?”
“Sure, but I’ll probably be busy for a little bit as I get settled in, and then with Nico—”
“He can come along,” Dakota said and smiled. “Listen, that altercation four years ago at the garage is behind us. We have both grown, and there isn’t any animosity between us anymore.”
“So you guys talk a lot?” Nico hadn’t mentioned Dakota anytime he had visited her or when they had spent time together.
Dakota shrugged. “Okay, the whole animosity and altercation thing isn’t really the truth. I mean I am pretty sure he’s still pissed deep down, but he is kind of a hardcore guy when it comes to you.” He smiled. “And rightly so, but I’m over it. Why hang onto that shit when there isn’t a point?”
“Yeah, I’ve told him that before, but you know how a Grizzly is.”
He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I do. But I was serious about catching up. Aside from the few times I saw you for holidays and shit, it’s been too fucking long since we actually talked.” He stared at her, right in the eyes actually and said, “Besides, I actually have someone I’m dating, and I’d like you to meet her.”
That took her back a little. “Really?” She sure as hell hadn’t meant to say it the way it came out.
“Yeah, hard to believe, huh?” He was chuckling.
“No, of course not. I just thought you were never going to get serious with anyone.” She shrugged.
“Alexis, I think I said that when I was like sixteen and that bitch Sheila slept with my friend.”
She glanced down at the ground, thinking back to the time he was speaking of. Now she remembered them actually talking about it, but right up until he mentioned she had actually forgotten all about it. “God, I totally forgot that was the reasoning behind that. All I could hear in my head was you saying that.”
“It’s cool. That was a long ass time ago.” He grinned. “Besides, I value your opinion. How many of the girls I dated did you tell me were no good?”
“A lot.” She said on a chuckle.
“And how many were actually bad news?”
“All of them.”
He nodded. “Yeah, and even if we were only kids at the time you knew, or your bear could scent out the bitch in them.” That had both of them laughing. “So, anyway, I’ll let you get back to it. I’m sure the guys are anxious to see you. Just hit me up if you want to do lunch sometime.” He turned and walked back over to the bike.
She turned away from Dakota and headed back toward the front of the clubhouse. When she gripped the handle and opened the door, the sight before her didn’t surprise her one bit. It was guys all around, playing pool, cards, getting drunk, and even engaging in sexual acts with the club girls. But it was a sight she had seen with members of The Grizzlies that hadn’t had old ladies. She didn’t see her dad, but she did see Mason, Bodhi, and Jakob hanging around the pool table. Over the last year she had been wrapping up things for graduation, but looking at the guys proved that they hadn’t changed one bit. The most identifying thing about all of them was that they wore Grizzly MC cuts. Jakob and Bodhi, brothers and only two years apart in age, were Diesel’s sons and looked just like their father with their shoulder length blond hair tied at the nape of their necks, and their light blue eyes. They had probably already seen far too much in their twenty-four and twenty-two years of age. But being in the MC meant the members had to grow up fast. Mason, Court and Lilly’s only kid, took after his father and mother with his green eyes and dark hair. Still in his early twenties he was the oldest of The Grizzly MC children, and she knew there was talk about him taking over as VP when Diesel actually stepped down. The stories that she heard the other club members tell over the last four years told her that Mason was a lot more hardened than any of the prospects of the other patched in Grizzly offspring.