He watched her face change when she understood him, not disappointment, far from it.
Then she turned to face the wall, putting her hands up to it.
He moved in behind her and yanked up her short jean skirt.
He looked down at her bare ass.
Commando.
He didn’t know that’s the way she played it, but the girl she was, he could guess.
Carissa wouldn’t go commando. Not ever.
He put Carissa out of his head and gave the girl the absolute minimum of what she needed to get her ready. He heard her greedy moan when he was done doing that and kicked her feet further apart.
She tipped her ass.
He unzipped, freed his cock, expertly dealt with the condom he pulled out of his pocket, drove in, and fucked her against the wall, barely touching her, just enough to send her over the edge.
He pushed her there with her making a lot of noise, especially when she took the fall.
Joker didn’t make noise, not even when he planted himself to the root and shot hard.
And that was the only time he gave her something, but he did it because he couldn’t stop it. Bending his neck to rest his forehead on her shoulder as the release of coming followed on the heels of the release of beating the shit out of someone.
He rushed his recovery, pulled out, yanked her skirt down, and growled, “Get gone.”
She turned to him, wanting more.
They always wanted more.
“Jo—”
“Gone.”
She took in his face, his tone, nodded, and rushed away.
Leaving the spent condom in the alley, not doubting for a minute it joined others of its kind, Joker went to his bike. Then he rode to the Compound.
It wasn’t a surprise when he went in that Rush was sitting at the bar, Shy behind it. He’d seen their bikes outside before he walked in.
Unlike Joker, Rush had his own place, didn’t stay at the Compound often, usually only after a party. Shy had a sweet crib with Tab, and Shy just had Tab, so unless Tabby was with him, he never took a bed in the Compound.
He also knew Tack had set them on him. Both had seen him fight, neither of them came often, but they were there that night for a different reason.
They were in the Compound right then for that same reason.
Shy took the bottle of tequila that was in front of him, poured a shot, and sent the glass skidding down the bar toward Joker. Joker nabbed it, shot it, and even if he didn’t want to, moved to his brothers.
He liked them both. But he wasn’t in the mood.
When Chaos took him on as a recruit and he found out that Rush was a recruit with him—and remembered the guy, knowing he was Tack’s son, Rush being the kid Joker used to watch with his father at the garage—he didn’t think he’d like him.
Joker knew it was jealousy, but he didn’t care. The guy had everything worth anything all his life, and Joker had none of that shit.
It didn’t take long for him to learn to like him. Rush was solid. He was smart. He was loyal to his brothers. He loved his sister and had the balls to show how much. Same with his dad, even if they butted heads. Same with his stepmom and half-brothers. He could be funny. He was honest, spoke his mind, was an alert, aware, prepared partner when they were on patrol, and he was an excellent wingman when they were out and Joker was in the mood for a fuck that didn’t happen against the wall of an alley.
Shy was one of Tack’s lieutenants. He’d been a full member longer than Joker or Rush. He was a lot like Tack, which was a lot like Rush. Loved his Club, loved his brothers, loved his woman, and not in that order. Tabitha Allen Cage came first for her husband Parker “Shy” Cage. The road to full member included eating a lot of shit from the brothers, cleaning up puke and other crap that was even more vile, stocking shelves in the store, proving loyalty and smarts on patrol, and learning Chaos history.
Shy hooking up with the one and only Chaos princess was not popular. You could fuck whatever * you wanted, as much as you wanted, take any old lady you wanted, treat her like you wanted, it was your business.
But you didn’t do that to family.
Shy wasn’t just fucking her, though, and the rock resting against the band she had on her finger proved it. It got to the point where it was almost her or his brothers. He made it clear if it got to that point, he picked her.
It was a surprise decision. But it being Tabby, the brothers made it clear it was the right one.
Joker made it to them, leaned into the bar, and put his shot glass down.
Shy filled it up.
“Thanks, brother. Won two large on you tonight,” Rush muttered.
Shy jerked up his chin. “And I added to my stash for Tab’s next set of earrings.”
Joker said nothing. He just shot the tequila.
It felt good his brothers bet on him, but then again, they’d be stupid not to. He’d been on the underground circuit a long time, well before Chaos. Had a stash of cash in a safe in his room in the Compound that he’d been adding to for years, all earned fighting.
He never lost.
He was a natural talent. He’d had years of learning how to take abuse and remain standing. He also could read an opponent. And he had a lot of incentive to beat the shit out of anyone who raised their fists his way.
“Boz, Hound, and Speck took care of that attorney,” Shy told him.
Tack, as always, sent the right ones. Hound was a lunatic. Boz wasn’t far behind. But Speck would keep their shit straight.
They’d make their point though. It was just that Speck would keep it from being messy.
He put the glass down and Shy again filled it.
He didn’t lift it before Shy started talking.
“Think you get what went down today, Cherry, Lanie, and Elvira took your girl firm into the fold.”
Not his girl.
Carissa Teodoro would never be his girl.
Joker stayed silent but looked into Shy’s eyes.