I'm Only Here for the Beard (The Dixie Wardens Rejects MC #4)(23)

"I'm okay, Pop."

Dad only hugged us tighter.

With nothing else to do, my eyes scanned the area, and I winced when I saw the biker I'd almost thrown down with, standing beside what had to be his bike, watching on with a blank expression on his face.

Where I'd thought that the drunk was walking to the cab that had pulled up in front of the smokehouse, he'd actually gone to his bike.

He was extremely lucky that it wasn't him who had died.

Because, even now, his whole body was swaying.

His eyes moved from the wreckage, and I saw the moment he realized I was looking at him.

His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.

His gaze moved to the woman on my right, Naomi, and I saw them narrow even further.

I disentangled myself from my father, allowing the women to stay, and then moved so my body protected Naomi's from the man's cruel gaze.

I didn't like him one bit.

I'd walked up about thirty seconds before Naomi had made it into the bathroom, and I'd seen him harassing her. Saw him reach for her hair and her disentangle herself from him.

I also saw him step toward the door, come to a decision, then head to the men's room.

I'd then stopped and waited to go to the bathroom even though I hadn't really had to go.

I'd hoped the man would hurry, but he hadn't, instead taking just as long as Naomi had.

The door had opened about thirty seconds before hers, and I'd decided to use the facilities while I'd been standing there, thinking that Naomi would be a few minutes longer since I had been working with her over the weeks and knew that it took her longer than I'd been standing there to do what she had to do.

When I'd gone to pass the man into the bathroom, the man had moved and refused to allow me entry.

He'd then told me to stay away from the blonde girl, as if it were him who had come with her on the back of his bike instead of me.

I'd, of course, caused the man to stiffen by using a few choice words and it'd deteriorated from there.

And then Naomi had come out of the door of her own bathroom, causing me to react before I'd thought.

"You okay?"

I turned to find Imogen staring at me, her eyes on me instead of the wreck behind us.

Police finally showed on the scene, but I kept my eyes on my club member's old lady.

"Yeah," I replied gruffly. "Fine."



       
         
       
        

She looked like she didn't believe me, but she chose not to call me on it.

"Are your bikes blocked in?"

That came from Naomi, who was watching me with worry on her face as more and more police showed, followed by the volunteer firefighters.

"Nah," I said. "Dad, why don't you come help me move them before they really do get blocked in."

Dad let the women go, and then gestured to Tommy Tom with a jerk of his chin.

"Go over there, girls."

The 'girls' obeyed, crowding in close to Tommy Tom, who was watching the scene with grim understanding.

Dad followed me to the bikes, and we moved them quickly out of the way.

"Scared the shit out of me again," Dad finally said.

I turned to him as I flipped the stand back down on my bike next to where the rest of our group was standing.

"I know," I said quietly. "Scared the shit out of myself."

Dad's lips twitched.

Minutes passed and turned into hours.

I held Naomi in my arms, felt her shiver with the memories of the last few hours once again, and I squeezed her tight in my arms for what felt like forever.

We were questioned. Questioned again. Asked to move. And then asked to leave.

And through it all, she stayed in my arms, seemingly content to be there.

It was nearing twilight when I finally pulled up in front of my house with the rest of our group.

"I don't want to go home," she murmured over my shoulder to me.

Today had been bad. I didn't want to spend the night alone, either.

The bad wrecks always got to me like that, though. Never before had I had someone to lean on, though. Someone to ask to stay.

Hence the reason I invited her to stay at my place.

"Then stay with me."

She blinked.

"I left my house unlocked, and I don't have any clothes," she hedged.

I grinned.

"I know the way back to your house," I told her. "And I also know that I have room in my saddle bag for a few changes of clothing."

Her eyes widened.

"I know you have to go to work tomorrow night," I explained. "You can change your clothes into your daily wear, and then put your uniform on that night. That way you won't have to go all the way back home just to change."

She stared at me for a few moments, then nodded once. "I think I'd like that."