“I like when you make idle threats.”
Accepting her challenge, I strip us both and make her beg for an hour. Minka turns the tables after faking a leg cramp. We finish our morning fuck with me handcuffed to the bed begging for relief.
“That’s a good sausage,” she murmurs to my cock after sucking it dry.
Minka and I finally clean up enough to get a meal and head to a used car dealership belonging to Asshole Hayes.
“Do you think she’ll like it?” Minka asks me as we stand next to a sporty little green SUV.
“Compared to the dump she was driving, yeah, I’d guess she would.”
“You don’t get why I’m doing this, do you?”
“I get everything. I just don’t feel as guilty about shit as you do.”
“It’s true that I’m a nicer person than you. Now, should I get this car?”
“Sure. If she doesn’t like it, she’s a bitch.”
“Why are you so damn cranky?”
“I don’t want you ever feeling bad about anything.”
Minka smiles and pats my cheek. “You’re setting yourself up to be cranky for the rest of your life.”
“Yeah, but better to aim for perfection than accept mediocrity.”
“Gorgeous and wise? I’ve got myself a real catch.”
Minka’s smile is infectious. I’m grinning while she talks with the salesman. Despite my sudden good mood, I need to stand between them because I don’t like all of the eye contact he makes.
Ten minutes later, Hayes agrees to let Ruby bring back the car if she doesn’t like it and get something at a similar price. Listening to him on the phone, I wonder if he’s flirting with her. Every time his voice sounds a little too friendly, I clear my throat and mention that he smells like a pig. He eventually hollers cuss words at me, and Minka hangs up on him.
“Let’s wrap this up,” she says to the salesperson behind me.
I’d rather spend the cash on a ring for my woman, but Minka’s do-goodery makes her happy. Besides, the sooner we tie up things in Redneck Paradise, the sooner our relationship can become official back to Houston.
I follow Minka from the car dealership to the Lush Gardens Trailer Park. Ruby stands near the entrance, unwilling to let us see her home. She looks around nervously when we drive up.
“Biker issues?” I ask after parking.
“No. Just wondering about Black.”
“He has bigger problems.”
Ruby nods, but remains on edge.
Minka hands Ruby the keys to the sporty compact SUV. “It was a repo. Only 6,000 miles on it.”
Not understanding, Ruby frowns. “Okay.”
“It’s yours,” Minka adds. “If you don’t like it, you can get credit at the White Horse Auto Plaza for something else.”
“Why?” Ruby asks, realization brightening her eyes.
“Black trashed your car because of us, so we figured…”
“It isn’t your fault he’s an asshole.”
“No, but we wanted to do it.”
“I don’t know,” Ruby says. Stepping away, she hands back the keys.
“Look,” I mutter, “it's not personal, okay? We’ve done bad shit, and we’re doing nice shit to even things out. Call it kissing up to God or karma, but this gesture isn’t really about you. Now take the car or sell it or return it. We don’t care. We’re leaving town and will never see you again. Whatever you fucking decide to do, just do it. Nice meeting you and your kid. Good luck and goodbye.”
Ruby looks at Minka, who shrugs. “He isn’t wrong, but I would have said it in a less dickish way.”
“His way saves time,” Ruby says, gripping the keys. “Thanks and good luck to you too.”
Minka smiles at the happy thoughts that come from doing nice things for strangers. Even thinking she’s nuts for caring, I love her smile. I also love the way she struts when she’s happy and the way she scowls when she’s pissed. I love the way she stands up to me and every other person who gets in her way. I love how she cares about people she doesn’t need to care about.
I love every damn thing about this woman.
28
Minka
So Long, Asshole
Hayes’s new receptionist waves us back without asking our names. She’s clearly a keeper, and I give her until the end of the day to quit. Hayes is bitching at someone on the phone when we enter his office. He glares at Dino and flips him off. I only smile and take a seat.
Rafael called on the way over. He said Black contacted Cooper, who made the sheriff’s choices clear. He retires his position and leaves Common Bend, or he dies. Black played tough and mentioned how his death would draw too much attention from the state law. Cooper explained that, at this point, he was losing Common Bend to the Serrated Brotherhood. If he had to walk away from the territory, he planned to make a mess of it for the other club.
“The asshole quit,” Hayes says as soon as he hangs up.
“We heard he was getting skittish.”
Narrowing his dark eyes, he studies us. “Those two deputies were your handiwork, right?”