What the fuck is up with me? She's just a chick.
He'd said that often enough to himself hoping it'd convince his damn dick and mind, but so far, it'd been a bust. Even though he shouldn't even think of Hailey as someone he'd fuck, that was all he'd been thinking about since she'd come into the tattoo parlor.
"Are you zoning out on us, Goldie?" Paco's voice broke into his thoughts.
"Yeah. Sorry. Are we still talking about the asshole Pistons?"
"Don't start that up again," Army said as Crow jumped up and started cussing up a storm about his nemesis.
Steel pounded the gavel on the wooden block. "Come to order. We know the Pistons are a bunch of whiny pussies, and I don't give a shit what they're saying. If they come back into our territory, it's all-out war, and the Insurgents will be by our side. Banger and Hawk are sick as shit of these assholes coming into Colorado and acting like they own it." The brothers erupted in cheers and whistles as Steel pounded harder on the block. "We got shit to discuss about the upcoming rally."
"Which brings us back to you, Goldie. What's going on with the charity poker run?" Paco asked.
"It's great. I have the whole route and itinerary firmed up, and we have a hundred bikers signed up. I've been busy with Chains running backgrounds on them. I don't want any fuckin' Satan's Pistons, Skull Crushers, or Deadly Demons to slip in. Plus we don't want any shit from the wannabe gangsters who think they can pretend to be bikers for the rally."
"Good work. Have all the dudes who signed up cleared the background checks?" Paco asked.
Goldie nodded. "So far. I'll keep you posted if something turns up."
After discussing the financials for the rally, Steel adjourned church and the brothers shuffled out to the main room. The club girls greeted the men and immediately molded themselves into the ones who were looking for some intimacy. Goldie, Army, Sangre, and Muerto went over to the bar and picked up their waiting drinks.
"How you making out with your best bud's sister? What's her name again?" Army asked as he brought the beer bottle to his lips.
"She was fuckin' hot. Does your friend know you're fuckin' his sis?" Sangre laughed.
"Damn, dude. If one of you assholes were messin' with one of my sisters, I'd go ballistic," Muerto said.
Nodding, Goldie threw back his shot. "Are you all done?"
"We haven't even started, bro." Army clasped him on his shoulder.
Turning to Muerto, Sangre said, "You shoulda seen him at Cuervos a few nights ago. He's got that pussy-whipped look in his eyes. Like the one you had when you kept telling us nothing was going on with you and Raven."
Muerto shook his head. "You've got a hard-on for your friend's sister. This is gonna be interesting."
"Fuck interesting. It's gonna be damn fun to watch." Army guffawed and Sangre and Muerto joined him.
"I'm just waiting until you've got this shit outta your system. And if it's not out soon, I'm going to have to bash some heads. Get me another shot," he said to Ruger, who promptly placed one in front of him while he mumbled his apologies for not having done it before being asked.
"What's going on here?" Paco asked as he scooped up a handful of pretzels.
"Just asking Goldie about his best friend's sister. The one whose pants he's dying to get into," Army said.
"Maybe he already has," Sangre added.
"That cutie with the sweet ass? I heard you tattooed it," Paco said.
Goldie gritted his teeth. He should've known that Skull and Tattoo Mike would've told the brothers about that. Or it could've been Kelly. No, my bets are on the them. The brothers gossip way more than the club girls. "I didn't know it was Hailey when I gave her the tattoo."
The men burst out laughing. "But since you found out, you've been running around with a boner for her," Army said between snickers.
"I can't say I blame him. She's hot," Paco replied.
"But your friend's sister? Can't you find another chick?" Muerto said.
"There're plenty of hot pieces of ass every weekend. It's fuckin' awesome. You haven't been to a party in a while. This weekend you should get someone to cover for you at the tattoo shop and have some fun. You'll forget Hailey in a flash," Army said.
He's right. I should just lose myself between a stacked woman's legs. "I'll keep that in mind," Goldie answered as he looked over at Skull and Chains screwing Angel on the couch.
Muerto placed his empty beer bottle on the counter. "I have to get to work." Leaning toward Goldie, he said, "Dude, when you got a woman on your mind, there's no pussy in the world good enough to take your mind off her. The fact that this one's your friend's sister sucks, but she's in your blood. I know the fuckin' look, and you've got it all over your face."
Goldie watched as Muerto walked out, his jaw tight, his muscles tense, and his temples pounding. "I have an appointment in an hour. I'm out of here." He gave his bothers a chin lift and went out into the bright sunshine.
* * *
It was a warm, drizzly Saturday night, and the bars at Saguro Street were packed, as usual. Tucked between the trendy brewery and the newly opened club, the High Dive had been around for four decades. The bar had undergone several renovations over the years, and the latest one had transformed the dive into a wannabe trendy bar. The scratched wooden floors and wraparound oak wood bar survived the previous transformations. A small dance floor had been one of the recent additions.
Goldie had just finished his last appointment and wasn't ready to go back to the clubhouse. Restlessness had curled around him all night, and when his last appointment left, he'd told Liberty that he was taking off for the rest of the night. It'd been a while since he'd taken off early on a Saturday.
He'd been going to the High Dive since he'd turned eighteen. Elmer, the owner, was a crusty old man who always had an unlit cigar in his mouth. He'd chew on it furiously, especially when he was mad about something. He'd hired Goldie to sweep up and break down boxes when he'd been in high school and needed a part-time job. After he'd graduated, Goldie just started hanging out, helping as needed until he'd begun prospecting for the Night Rebels. Elmer still tended bar, but he mostly let his son, Carl, run the place.
Walking inside, the jangle of voices competed with the rock music as Goldie brushed against warm bodies on his way to the bar. The sallow light of the streetlamps trickled through the rectangles of colored lead-paned windows. Tilting his head at Elmer, who sat on a stool behind the bar, Goldie leaned on the bar, his eyes scanning the room and resting on a group of women in sequined dresses. One of the women caught his gaze and pushed out her red lips just a little. His eyes dropped only momentarily to her low-cut neckline, then away from her.
"The usual?" Carl's voice resonated behind him.
Glancing over his shoulder, he nodded, then resumed his stance. The place was packed, and each time he came in on a weekend, the patrons looked trendier. He missed the dive-like feel the place used to have. Many of the old-timers hung out at the bar during the week, and if he had a chance, he'd sneak over for a couple of shots and to talk bullshit with Elmer and a few of the gruffy old guys from back in the day.
Picking up his shot, he let it slide down his throat, the scorching effect of the whiskey landing in his belly. He wrapped his fingers around the cold bottle of Coors and watched the crowd. A few women tried to get his attention, but he wasn't interested. His mind was on Hailey, something that had become a habit for him. The way they'd kissed a few nights back blew him away. If Ryan hadn't called, Goldie knew they would've ended up screwing.
"You having a good time?" a cute woman asked as she wedged her way between him and another guy leaning against the bar.
"Sure." He turned away. He wasn't interested in conversation, and he wasn't on the make for any women-which was against the norm. Normally, he'd have already picked one out and been at her table charming the hell out of her.
"I've seen you before. You're a tattoo artist at that shop down the street, right?" He nodded. "My name's Nikki." She held out her hand. He glanced at it and turned away. She giggled nervously. "I bet you meet all sorts of people, huh?" Again, another nod. "I've been thinking about getting a tattoo but I'm afraid it'll hurt. But so many people I know have them so it can't hurt that bad. Does it?"
She was getting on his nerves. "Ask the people you know."
"I have, and some say yes and some say no. So what is it?"
"I guess it's yes and no. I didn't come here to talk, okay?" He gave her a hard look.
"So you're telling me to stop talking to you?"
"You got it."
"That's rude."
"No, you talking to me when you know I don't want to is fuckin' rude."
She ordered her drink and walked away without a backward glance, which suited him just fine. He only came in to have a few drinks before he headed back to the clubhouse. He knew the club would be crazy and he didn't want to deal with it that night, which surprised him. Never one to forgo a clubhouse party before, he just hadn't been feeling it for a while. Since I kissed Hailey that night at Cuervos.