It’s barely been twenty-four hours since I took Reaper in my back room.
I grab a stack of books that just came in and head toward the back shelves where I keep the historical romances. I can’t even focus on all the delicious covers like I usually do.
“All because of that infuriating man.”
I pause, a book halfway to its slot on the shelf. “He ravished me the second he walked into my store, giving me no choice.”
I smile. “And it was good, too.”
I’ve showered and obviously brushed my teeth. But I can still smell and taste that man as if he were standing in front of me taking my mouth with one of his punishing kisses again.
I sigh heavily. “Damn man has me talking to myself.” I shake my head, finish my task and go back for more books.
I grab a new series of biker books from the bottom of the large box that Dolly hasn’t seen yet. Habit has me looking down both sides of the streets to see if I can spot her.
“I wonder how long these will stay on the shelves?” Amused by my friend’s book addiction, a few more ideas come to mind that would help accentuate the reader’s experience. Maybe I should open up a display of vibrators and batteries, too.
The bell jingles and I look up from the stack of books to see not only Dolly but a whole group of women coming in behind her.
The four women form a semi-circle around me and each take turns hugging me.
“What’s all this about? Did someone die?” Oh, God! My brain clutches that idea and immediately jumps to the thought of Reaper having it out with Mayhem and getting hurt. “Did something happen?”
My gaze bounces between all four of them. Biker chicks, rough around the edges but here. In my store and caring about me.
“No, noooo. Breathe. Nothing like that. Damn girl. You’ve got it bad.”
A girl with wavy brown hair and perfect make-up takes both my shoulders in hand. I’ve seen her around town, mainly in passing but she’s never been inside the Dead Tree Asylum before.
“Breath, girl. Nothing is wrong. We just heard about yesterday and Dolly rounded up the troops. That’s all.”
The new chick considers my long skirt and an off-the-shoulder, cozy light sweater. I might not be showing as much skin as she is, but I get an appreciative nod from her as if I passed some unspoken test or something.
She fingers the fringes of my sweater. “Cute, but you’re gonna have a hard time riding bitch in that. But you’ll learn.”
I let out a punchy breath and leaned against the registry counter not caring what goes or doesn’t go for bike riding. “None of that is in my future. I promise you that.”
I press a hand to my stomach to settle the wishy-washy swirl of unease that started up the second they came through my door.
Dolly steps up. “I thought you could use some reinforcements to know you are not alone here. We hear what happened. The Sinners were pissed, which means the whole town is pissed.”
“No one messes with one of our own.”
They consider me as one of them?
The words hit me, leaving me breathless. The fear I felt at first morphs from surprise to an odd sensation of belonging. I almost feel like it’s a Grinch moment where I’ve been so cold all my life and now, I’m not.
It’s weird and comforting at the same time. I look between the ladies, not really knowing if I should offer them free books, free coffee, or just hug them all a thousand times. I don’t know if I am working off the desire to have a place I belong or having real friends. For now, just letting it all sink in will have to do.
“I don’t know what to say.” I never had anyone stick up for me. Not even my mother after she met the dick-for-brains stepdad of mine. “I…uhu…” Stumbling over words isn’t my thing but I’m tongue-tied right now.
“You don’t have to say anything. This is Trisha. We call her Trish for short. You know Becca and Angel.”
I look between all the women. “Thank you all. Really. I’m just a little shocked you guys would come over here just to see me.”
“We got you, girl,” Becca reassures me.
“There’s nothing more exciting than protecting our smut provider.” Trish throws me a wink and a smile. I know for a fact that face and those long, tanned legs of hers are used to strip money from men down at the Lust and Sin. Plus the branded T-shirt she’s wearing kind of gives away her night job.
I smile back. “So, it’s the smut you’re protecting, huh?”
“Damn straight, babe. Dolly’s been hookin’ us up big time.” She pops a bubble with her gum and chomps on it Harley Quinn style. The booty shorts and fish netting sell the whole fantasy package. Since it’s foggy and has been raining off and on all morning, you know she’s gotta be feeling the chill.
“Then you’re gonna like what just arrived. Hold up. Let me just show you.”
I move a few pumpkins I picked up this morning for carving from atop a few boxes. I pop the lid and take out a stack of books I set aside for Dolly. “This came this morning.”
I crack the tape and pass them each a book with a dude half naked and his name for the title splashed across the front.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” Trish whoops and makes her way to a black oversized bean bag I have shoved into the corner.
She tosses her bubble gum and takes a handful of candy corn from a small dish on a low table. She is already flipping pages by the time I give Becca, Angel, and Dolly theirs.
“Does this mean the book club is a go?” Angel looks at me expectantly. “Dolly told us. Hope you don’t mind me asking.”
She reminds me of a sweet Brittany Murphy type with those big hazel doe eyes, and blonde hair cut into a cute bob.
Maybe these women need the book club far more than I realized.
“Yeah. Let’s do it,” I hear myself say before I find a reason to close down and shut myself off from the very people trying to help me. “Fuck it. You’re here. I’m here. How about next Friday? That will give you time to read this.” I point to the book we are all holding. I feel excited for the first time about doing something that gets me involved with the community. Maybe I will extend my six-month lease after all. I make a mental note to call the owner later today.
Angel bounces on her toes and clutches her book to her chest. “We’re fast readers. How about tomorrow? It’s a Friday and we can discuss all the shit we love and hate about the alpha on the cover.”
I look over at Dolly who looks smug and like she’s always right. From her spot leaning up against the front counter, her elbow propped up on the flat top.
“And all the sex scenes,” Trish calls out. “I wanna talk about the dirty, raunchy sex and the size of his dick.”
Dolly groans and I hold back a laugh at the way she presses a finger between her brows. Trish has a one-track mind.
“Of course you do, Trish. Of course you do.”
Everyone insists on paying for their books despite me trying to offer them as a thank you. The second the four leave I find myself smiling like an idiot and wondering if I have time to make fresh dildo-shaped cookies by tomorrow evening in my little countertop oven and read the book.
“Good problems to have, girl. Good problems.”
I make my way to the back room and put on a new pot of coffee when I hear the bell over the door go off.
“Be with you in just a minute,” I yell toward the front. I make quick work of putting fresh grounds in the coffee maker and head toward the front.
It’s probably Dolly or one of the girls. Maybe they forgot something. “Did you guys forget something?” The second I round the corner my nose smacks into hard muscle.
I stumble back and crash into a shelf, its hard edge stabbing me in the back.
I grunt, fall but quickly push to my feet. “What the hell?” Ire and fear force my heart into a rapid, uneven beat.
“You thought you could fuck with a Rider and get away with it you puny little ugly bitch?”
White-knuckling the edge of the bookshelf, I drag my eyes over dirty boots, jeans that haven’t seen a bar of soap in forever, and a black t-shirt hanging off lean muscle.
And red, irritated eyes.
The man I maced yesterday.
My heart stops and my mouth clicks on.
“How did you get in here?”
