“What did you just say?” I ask, losing my patience and digging the gun deeper into his spine.
“I’m a friend of Ranger’s,” he says. “My name is Talon. Call Ranger and ask him yourself.”
Talon?
Ranger’s best friend?
Wow, this is a first impression he isn’t going to forget.
“Talon?” I say, taking a step back. I pull out my phone and hit CALL on Ranger’s number. He answers on the second ring.
“Babe?”
“Did you ask your friend Talon to keep an eye on me?”
Silence.
Then, “Jo—”
“Answer me before I shoot him.”
“Fuck, babe, don’t shoot him. He was in the area, so I asked him to drop in on you after you told me where you were going.”
“Seriously, Ranger?”
“I should be the angry one; Talon sent me a text saying you’re sitting at a table with some fuckin’ assholes,” he growls.
I lower my gun and hang up on Ranger, awkwardly putting away my gun and phone.
“Hello, Talon,” I say, waving awkwardly.
He shakes his head, lip twitching. “Nice to finally meet you, Jo.”
“Sorry about the whole almost-shooting-you thing,” I add. My phone starts ringing again, Ranger no doubt, but I ignore it, something Talon seems to find amusing, because he glances at my bag and then starts laughing.
“What?” I ask him, clearing my throat.
“Nothing,” he says, nodding to the entrance. “Do you want to get a drink?”
“I’d love one.”
? ? ?
I hold my stomach, because I can’t stop laughing right now. “So he lost at beer pong against the women and he’s been practicing for a rematch that no one has even agreed to?”
I’ve had four drinks with Talon and over those drinks, I’ve learned so much about Ranger. He has three degrees, which I didn’t know but I’m not surprised by, because he’s such a smart man. I’ve heard stories about him and Talon, the two of them getting into trouble and saving each other’s asses, and I’ve also enjoyed getting to know Talon. He’s a nice guy. I should have known that he’d be a nice guy, because Ranger likes him. That makes another nice biker whom I would have otherwise judged.
“Yeah, he’s a little competitive,” Talon says, taking a swig of his beer. “And speak of the devil . . .”
I look to the entrance and watch as Ranger stalks inside, a very unhappy look on his handsome face. The white T-shirt he’s wearing is stretched across his broad chest, and drunk me would like nothing more than to jump his bones right now.
“Jo,” he growls, taking the glass from my hand and putting it down. “Fun time is over.”
“Fun time is just beginning once I get you home and in bed.”
When both men look at me, I realize I said that out loud. And this is why I don’t drink much.
“Talon, you could have brought her to me instead of drinking with her while she ignores my calls,” Ranger says to him.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Talon asks him, downing the last of his beer and placing the bottle on the bar.
I have to agree with him.
Ranger throws some money down on the table, probably for the bartender having to deal with us all night, and practically drags me out of there with Talon following behind us. Elizabeth and Helen thought I met Talon and liked him, so they were excited for me, and left with those guys’ numbers. I’m glad they didn’t go home with them on the first night because it’s less worrying for me to do.
“Leave your bike here,” Ranger says to Talon. “I’ll text one of the men and ask them to come and pick it up.”
Talon stares at his bike longingly but then nods and gets in the backseat of the car while Ranger puts me in the passenger seat and closes the door for me. I glance in the back and share a grin with Talon.
“Who will come and get your bike?” I ask him.
“Vinnie and Ronan will probably come in one of the cars and then one of them can ride it back,” Talon explains as Ranger gets into the car and starts the engine. The music comes along and I start bopping to the beat.
Drake’s “One Dance” comes on the radio. “I like this song,” I think it’s important to announce as I shimmy in my seat.
“I can see that,” Ranger muses in that deep sexy voice of his. He sounds like he doesn’t agree with my choice of music, but I couldn’t care less.
“Isn’t this the song Faye is always playing?” Talon asks, sticking his head between our seats.
“Yep,” Ranger replies, shaking his head. “Can’t get away from it.”
“Who would want to?” I ask, doing a little dance.
“The cop dances.” Talon chuckles, finding it hilarious. “And listens to R and B.”
“What am I supposed to listen to?” I ask, scowling. “Police sirens?”
Ranger glances at me, blinks, then concentrates on the road. When I realize we’re not going in the direction of my house I ask, “Where are we going?”
“To the clubhouse,” he says simply.
“What? Why?” I ask, panic starting to set in. “I don’t want to go there. I want to go back to my house and have hot sex and live in denial.”
“Denial from what? That your man is a biker? You’re going to have to deal with that, Jo,” Ranger says, reaching over and taking my hand. “We’ll be fine. Everyone is going to love you just like this idiot in the back does.”
“How do you know he loves me?” I ask, glancing at Talon, who simply smirks.
“Because I know him. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have spent hours drinking and talking with you, he would have sent me a text telling me that he’s sick of the babysitting gig and is going to bail.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, oh.”
I guess I’m going to the Wind Dragons clubhouse. I’m glad I’m drunk.
THIRTY-TWO
Ranger
I WATCH in amusement as she walks into the clubhouse, glancing around like she has no idea what or who to expect. It’s 2:00 a.m., so everyone has gone back to their own houses; it gets pretty empty here after dinnertime. Some nights it’s just me and Ronan, but other nights some of the members sleep over. Vinnie and Ronan left to get Talon’s bike, so now the whole place is empty.
“No one’s here, Jo,” I tell her, my hand on the small of her back, leading her to my bedroom.
“Good night, you two,” Talon says, slapping me on the back. He turns to Jo and says, “Was nice meeting you, cop.”
“Right back at you,” Jo says, smiling at him. “Thanks for saving the night.”
It seems like she had more fun with Talon than her cousins. Sounds like an interesting night, one that I wasn’t invited to. When we get to my room, I open the door for her, turning the light on, then nodding my head for her to enter. She walks in and looks around, not that there’s much to see. There’s a king-size bed, and on it black sheets and a black blanket. A wardrobe and a desk, and the door that leads to the bathroom.
“This is where you live?” she asks, sitting down on the bed and removing her cute little boots.
“Yep. Why? You don’t like it?” I ask, curious as to what’s going on in her tipsy little mind.