“There’s not a car I can’t hot-wire and start. You named your cat Brittany?”
I begin to answer him and then stop, “Why would you need to hot-wire a car?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” He asks in return and looks so thoroughly confused, I let it go. “So then, how did you get the name Shaft? Was it because of mechanical work? Or did you really get into that TV show or movie?” The silence stretches for so long that once I put the top layer of cream topping on the dessert and move it to the freezer, I have to look at them. “Well?” I prompt.
Shaft looks like he almost blushes but says nothing and neither does Keys. I close the freezer and go back to the bar. “C’mon, tell me how you got your name?”
I was so intent on my guests that I failed to notice the door open. In walks two more men. I can only assume these are Torch and Beast. Holy hell. Where is this garage and how in the world did I miss it all this time? Do they not have one ugly man in the bunch? One man is big and brawny and has this shaggy beard. Normally, I’m not a beard kind of girl; right now I so am. He has on this white t-shirt my girlfriends in college used to refer to as wife-beaters. I always thought they were ugly; but somehow, he makes it look like the best thing a man could wear. He’s covered in ink everywhere. I’m just assuming this is Beast because well, the name fits. The other guy is muscled for sure, but he’s leaner and more…pretty. Still, he’s sexy, there’s no doubt about that. His hair is kind of long and falls over to one side, and it makes a woman want to run her fingers through it. I bet he got his name because women all over carry a torch for him.
“Peaches, this is Beast and Torch,” Keys says, pointing to each one to confirm their identity and yeah, I was right. I smile at them and then decide, as big as they look, I better make more food. I pull out the dough I had rising earlier and start shaping rolls.
“Hello,” I answer, feeling slightly intimidated with all four of them staring at me.
“What are we talking about?” Torch asks and before I can answer, Shaft does.
“Peaches wanted to know how I got my name.”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Torch says.
“It is?” I ask before placing another roll in the pan. I go to preheat the oven and come back to my dough. I’m ignoring looking at the men because honestly, I’m feeling out of my element here. I wish Sabre were here and that’s a strange thought to have.
“Yeah, Shaft here doesn’t care where he puts his cock. Beast once told him he’d put his shaft in a black snake’s mouth if someone would hold it open. The name just stuck,” Torch speaks up. I stop to think about what he said. My parents would be scandalized. I throw my head back in laughter. It feels strange…but, it feels good, too. I think I like being around Sabre’s men.
Chapter 5
Sabre
Mine. That’s a four letter word you better learn real quick. Because I promise you, I will fuck you up if you touch my property.
Before I even get to the front of the door, I hear the laughter and that just fucking pisses me off. I’m going to fucking beat down these motherfuckers. I sent two men to fix a damn vehicle, not move in on my property. Annie is my property. I don’t give a fuck if I haven’t said more than a handful of words to her. I want her, I saw her, and she’s mine. I don’t have to be fucking logical; I’ve never been before. I wrench open the door and stand there watching these sons of bitches hovering over my woman, and I swear, steam is coming out of the top of my head.
Annie is standing behind the bar in her kitchen and Torch, Beast, Shaft, and Keys are all sitting on the side closest to me in the large living area. They’re eating dinner like it’s an everyday occurrence and laughing. Fuck, even Beast is laughing, and I haven’t seen that out of him in years. Annie is putting a glass in front of Keys and I watch as he grabs her hand, brings it to his lips and kisses it.
“Marry me, Annie! Marry me and make me the happiest man on the face of the Earth,” he says in some fake ass voice. Instantly everyone is laughing, including Annie. Her eyes sparkle. I can see them from here, they fucking glimmer like stars, and she’s laughing for some other motherfucker that is not me. That is not happening. In fact, this entire fucking scene is not happening. No way. No-motherfucking-way.
“What the actual fuck?”
Everyone stops laughing, instantly, and they should because I’m going to fucking kill some pretty-boy bikers, and I’m starting with that son of a bitch, Keys.
“Sabre! I didn’t know you were going to come by. Did you bring the bill? Because your men here didn’t, and I wanted to make sure…”