I had our MC hacker, Knox aka Scribe, help me find a dog, but I didn’t explain why. I think he suspected something, but he never let on. When we went to pick the dog up from the shelter, he was a wrinkly little puppy, but I had to admit he was pretty damn cute. He looked chubby and slept damn near every hour of the day, so the name Ham stuck.
Taking Ham into the vet the first time was like going on a blind date, only your date didn’t know you were coming. I walked into the vet’s office and did the paperwork for Ham, taking him over and having a seat. When we got called back to the little room, the vet assistant looked him over and told me the vet would be in soon. I waited, looking down at Ham sleeping on the floor the whole time without a care in the world. I’d worn my cut into the vet’s office because I thought it was better to put my cards on the table, but I wonder, looking back, if it was the right idea.
When Izzy walked in, her face lit up and she beamed, only it wasn’t at me. She was looking at Ham and immediately fell to her knees, scooping him up and cuddling him. I’ve never hated an animal so much in my life. She didn’t so much as give me a second glance.
She was all business with me, not even looking at me as she put Ham on the table and gave him his shots. She talked out loud, but never so much as made eye contact when I tried to ask questions. Izzy was more than thorough, and she answered what I asked, but she didn’t seem to even notice me with the puppy in the room.
Right before she left, she put Ham down and finally—finally—turned to look at me. He was bouncing all over the place, I swear, the most active he’s ever been. But I ignored him, looking at Izzy. Her dark-brown hair was still in a messy bun, and her brown eyes looked at me from behind her big glasses. She was wearing a doctor’s coat, but her T-shirt underneath had a picture of Yoda on it.
“Do you like Star Wars?” It was the dumbest thing out of my mouth, and I wanted to kick myself.
She looked up at me and blushed and then nodded gently. “Yeah, um, with my last name and all, it’s kind of required.”
I stared at her in confusion as she told me to have a nice day and left the room. I walked out of the room with Ham following lazily behind me and finally saw her name on the door. Doctor Elizabeth Force.
I stood there like an idiot. I’m not normally a cocky bastard, but I don’t really have a problem getting a woman’s attention. I guess I just assumed she’d think I was cute and give me the time of day. I saw in that moment that I had some work ahead of me. Because I had to have this woman.
Seeing her so innocent and sweet, I wanted her to cuddle me like she did Ham. When I walked out of the vet’s office, I looked down at him, and I swear to God, the little bastard was smiling. He knew I’d struck out.
I’d been back to the vet a dozen times in the past few months. She still wouldn’t ever give me the time of day, only paying attention to Ham every time we went in. When I finally shot it straight and asked her out, she looked at me like I was crazy. She’d said I was the President of a motorcycle club, and she wouldn’t ever go out with one of us.
When I see Ham finally drag his chunky butt off the couch in my office, I stand up and make my way out, with him slowly following behind.
All of a sudden, the back doors burst open, and I see Scribe carrying Cas in, her leg bleeding. Adrenaline starts to course through my veins as I think about what to do next. I run towards them as Scribe lays Casper down across one of the pool tables and she lets out a grunt.
“What the fuck happened?” I shout into the room.
“This little thing shot her. And she’s going to fix it. Aren’t you?” I hear Savage say behind me.
Turning around, I get ready to rip apart whoever shot my sergeant-at-arms. But when my eyes lock on Izzy, I stop cold.
“You!” we both say at the same time.
3
Izzy
I stare at the man who has been single-handedly driving me crazy for months. I’ve never wanted to get away from someone faster, yet at the same time want to kiss them. He makes me nervous and excited all at the same time. I dreaded and loved seeing his name on the appointment schedule at the clinic. He would bring his little bulldog in for any reason. It was cute, and that had started to warm me a bit to him.
How someone could be this hardened motorcycle club President and at the same time be so attentive with their dog was surprising. That had to mean something, right? But right now I’m not feeling all warm and excited. Nope. Nervous and scared shitless is more like it.
He’s way out of my league, and I was completely shocked when he’d asked me out weeks ago. It’s almost laughable to think of us together. He’s handsome in a rough kind of way. With his short dark hair and chocolate-brown eyes, he always seems to have a little bit of scruff on his face. Between the scruff on his face and the tattoos, he’s really playing to the whole motorcycle thing. He probably carries a gun and punches people who look at him funny. I can barely make eye contact at times, and the only weapon