“Oh, all right. On the house. Lord knows you and your family have helped us over the years.” Satisfied, her lips quirked and she turned around, walking back to the grill.
I watched her ass bobbing the entire time.
*
I ate my burger at the usual spot, watching Piece make a fool of himself. He was practically fucking the blonde bitch out on the dance floor now, hugging her ass with his hands, dragging her into him so he could grind.
They'd be taking off any second for somewhere more private. Wrinkling my nose, I tossed my crumpled up napkin on the last few crumbs of my food, pissed that it hadn't done anything to fix my real hunger.
I hadn't seen Summer since I'd left the kitchen. My eyes scanned the crowd, piercing through the drunks. Found her by the back register, talking to Tina.
Didn't look like the girl was having much fun, and that was a damned shame. Even bigger shame I wasn't making it happen for her.
I stood up, ignoring the last couple shots in my bottle, ready to sober up.
Tina and her both saw me coming. The older woman backed out of the way, giving me a suspicious look.
“Joker! Why aren't you out on the dance floor like your brother?”
“Ain't found a woman worth dancing with tonight,” I told her, eye-fucking Summer the whole time.
She held my gaze a lot better than the last time we'd met. The shy little girl was gone, the one who'd drop her eyes to the floor the second she felt mine crawling all over her.
Tina wasn't an idiot. She realized what was happening real quick. Caught her smiling outta the corner of my eye. Pinching my shoulder, she gave me a quick shake, and then mumbled a few words before taking off.
“Be nice to her, jackass. She's had a rough couple years. I know all about that night you dropped her at her mama's place, too,” Tina said, leaning up and whispering into my ear. “Don't leave her hanging again. I'm coming after you myself if I find out you've hurt her. She ain't another floozie to dine and dash, you hear me?”
“Yeah, yeah, loud and clear,” I said, pushing past the barkeep as she walked off.
Just me and Summertime now. Alone.
Just the way I wanted it.
“It's a beautiful night,” I said, reaching for her hand. “Been a few years since you've rode on a bike, I bet. Let's go for a ride.”
“Oh, you really think so, huh?” she asked, flicking back her hair. “Actually, I've kinda gone on a few more rides with the guys around town. Hoping to get my own bike soon.”
No fucking way. My fingers tensed around hers, trying to form a fist.
I wanted to slam it deep into the faces of any other fuck who'd taken her on his bike, anybody who'd had those little hands around his waist while he pulled her into the night.
Fuck, what if she'd gone bad, and I hadn't been around to see it?
What if some worthless pissant had popped her fuckin' cherry, the one that should've had my name on it, while I'd been jacking myself off in Knoxville, thinking about all the shit I'd do to her as soon as I rammed my cock inside her?
Then a more serious thought hit me, and I saw red. “Better not be riding with the Deads, babe. They're bad fuckin' news.”
“Do I look like an idiot?” her sweet little tongue razzed me between her teeth. “I know all about them, Joker. They come through town sometimes. Everybody keeps their distance.”
“Yeah, you fuckin' keep it that way, too. Those boys won't think twice about dragging you out in some field, having their way, and leaving you for the crows to pick.”
The sass on her face withered. Fuck, I'd gone too hard, too soon, but I didn't regret it.
I'd drill it into her head over and over and over again if that's what it took to keep her safe.
Jealous? Shit, no.
This was about the Deads, I swore to myself, club biz she'd unwittingly gotten caught in.
Didn't have anything to do with those suckable lips, or the urge to flip up her skirt and rip her panties to her ankles, spank her fuckin' raw for mouthing off before I fucked her brains out.
No, sir. Fuck no.
“Forget it,” I growled. “You ain't stupid. Come on.”
She moved reluctantly, but the point was she moved when I pulled her along by the hand. I shook off the last of my buzz from the booze and we got on my bike.
“You remember to hold on tight, baby. Don't want you falling off when you're gawking at the stars. Look up there too long, you'll get dizzy.”
Summer laughed. “Jesus, Joker, I remember how to ride. Already told you, I've been doing a little bit of it since the last time we hung out.”
I refused to let her shit about riding with other men get underneath my skin. It really was a beautiful fuckin' night, a big summer sky hanging overhead as big and bright as the excitement in her eyes.
Fuck, those green gems in her face sparkled when I watched her strap her helmet on in my mirror.
Soon as her hands went around my waist, we roared outta the unpaved parking lot, tearing down the road leading to the main highway. We left Seddon behind, heading into the countryside, between the hills at the butt end of the Appalachians snaking down from the north.