Page 8

(Kong)

“Hey kid, you wanna grab me a beer?” Kong asked as he bellied up to the bar and met Scout’s mismatched gaze, hoping for a bright smile.

Instead, the kid just looked exhausted, even if he tried to crack a smile when he approached, moments later, with a frosty mug.

The head on that beer was perfect, not too much and not too little.

He had a light touch, even when he was begging and writhing on Kong’s cock.

Was a shame, though, that because of it the scratches had faded in less than a day.

He’d have been proud to wear those marks and show them off like the prize they were after the young man had confirmed that no one else in the club had touched him.

Of course he had a lot more to say about that and the reason why: Teddy.

Throughout the conversation, Kong had picked up on some conflicting feelings regarding Teddy after witnessing his recent issues with the club.

The fact that he backed the man despite the things others said about Teddy was a sign of Scout’s character, even if from all Kong was hearing, Teddy didn’t deserve Scout’s loyalty.

“Hey, Scout, I could use a hand in the kitchen if you’ve got a minute,” Night called as he poked his head out.

“Sure thing,” Scout replied, pouring a couple shots of rum before disappearing into the back.

“He’ll be back there awhile,” Kat said as she wiped the counter in front of him. “Patty had to stay home tonight; one of his girls is sick.”

“No worries, I’ll catch him later,” Kong said, lifting his beer in salute before seeing what he could get into.

It didn’t take long to spot Danger tipped back in a chair at a table with Creature and Duggan, and since he still owed the bastard for his little part in the chandelier incident, he took great pleasure in knocking the chair over before Danger saw him coming.

Biker and beer hit the ground to a noisy array of cheers and shattering glass that instantly drew a groan from Kat, as well as a glare when he glanced back over his shoulder to meet her glare.

Sorry , he mouthed, shrugging sheepishly but feeling no less pleased at the outcome of a sputtering Danger as he floundered to his feet, trying not to slip in beer and faceplant in the shards of glass that had landed everywhere.

“Son of a bitch, that’s alcohol abuse,” Danger sputtered as he regained his footing, held steady when Kong decided to take pity on him and lend him a hand.

“Maybe next time you’ll think about that and leave the chandeliers alone.”

“Yeah, alright, you got me there.”

“Who put them right, anyway?” Kong asked as he glanced over at the nearest one to see that his head was no longer in any danger from it.

“That Scout kid, more than likely,” Danger said as he swiped at his hair. “Here he comes now to clean up the mess you made.”

“No one told you to drop the glass,” Kong pointed out, slapping him on the back hard enough to stagger him. “Thought you had a better grip.”

“Not when I’m getting dropped on my head,” Danger grumbled as he pulled the seat aside while Kong took the empty spot at the table.

There was that ghost of a smile again. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but it looked like Scout’s eyes lit up a little at seeing him again.

He didn’t say anything, though. He just kept his mouth shut while quickly and efficiently chasing all the broken glass with the broom, then mopping up the sticky residue of beer and any crushed glass that had been left behind.

He’d even brought a fresh beer out with him that he handed to Danger before tackling the mess.

Silent and fast, he kept his head down while he worked, only making eye contact with Kong for a moment before scurrying back to the supply cabinet and then the kitchen and whatever Night needed him to do back there.

Judging from the damp apron, he’d probably been washing pans and loading the dishwashers to keep things running smoothly while Night prepped the food.

“He’s a keeper,” Duggan remarked as he watched him go. “And not hard on the eyes, either.”

“Looks to me like he’s only got eyes for one person, though,” Danger said as he pulled up the chair Scout had wiped clean for him. “Be careful you don’t break that one before the rest of us can take a turn.”

“You keep your hands and your eyes off him unless you wanna get dropped on your head some more,” Kong warned, pointing his beer at him.

Danger shrugged and held up his hands. “Alright, brutha, if that’s the way you want it, I’ll leave him alone, at least until he comes looking for another ride.”

“Can’t ride the broken, my friend; you just keep that in mind before your fingers start wandering.”

“Heard and understood,” Danger said, lifting his beer to his lips again.

“Either of you fuckers heard how that car chase this afternoon ended?” Duggan asked.

“No, but judging from that shit-eating grin on your face, you have, so you might as well spill it before you choke trying to hold it in,” Danger said.

“What chase?” Kong asked, having had his head bent over his drafting table all day, in between pouring over home listings.

There were a few promising ones he’d already reached out to a realtor about, one of which had wrap-around porches on every level and a three-story tower with arched windows designed to look like a lighthouse.

The layout and floor space would allow him to confine his work to a level other than the one he slept on.

It had charm too, two huge selling points for a man who tended to be a workaholic.

Of course, that had as much to do with boredom and loneliness as it did his obsession with staying ahead of things.

If he had a boy of his own, someone who needed downtime and playtime as much as Kong currently did, he’d have no issue keeping his ass in bed and out of the workspace at three am.

And yeah, he had a very good idea of who he wanted that someone to be.

“Some fuckhead in a busted-up Neon decided to lead the cops on a little thrill ride that ended when his vehicle gave up the ghost and he got himself hit by a car trying to flee on foot,” Duggan said.

“I saw the whole thing go down when I was stuck in traffic while the cops had the highway blocked off.”

“How the hell did he get hit, then?”

“Another asshole in a hurry, trying to race to the front of the line of cars to wedge himself in instead of waiting.”

“Oh, that’s karma right there,” Danger said. “You don’t come in our town and fuck with the Martinezes or anyone else living here.”

“Did something happen to Mr. and Mrs. Martinez?” Kong asked.

Having rolled in from the opposite side of town after being at a job site all morning, he hadn’t driven past the gas station or stopped anywhere before holing up in his cabin with his work.

“Someone tried to rob the gas station,” Danger said. “A couple of someone’s, apparently. All dead now, according to the news report. The first two died at the scene.”

“The fuck, how the hell does that happen?”

“No clue, man, they didn’t give any details on that,” Danger said.

“Just that two of the perpetrators died on the scene. I’m guessing the cops shot them.

A lady was hit too, but they haven’t released her name.

As soon as they do, we can start looking at what can be done to help the family. I hope she makes it.”

“I heard Scout was there and saw it all go down,” Duggan remarked.

“Hope he hit the deck when the shots started flying,” Kong remarked. “He don’t even carry a piece, just a knife that’s almost too big to legally be carried concealed.”

“Well, now you know as much as we know,” Duggan said. “So why don’t you dig up the real dirt the next time you’ve got him pinned somewhere?”

“When I get him pinned somewhere, the last thing on my mind will be picking his brain for information on something I can read about in the paper while I sip my coffee.”

“I can appreciate your priorities, but I still wanna know what went down.”

“Because outside of Teddy, who is a non-factor these days, you’re the biggest gossip in this whole damned club,” Danger pointed out.

“Don’t ever have to worry about anyone making an announcement about anything around this place.

I swear you know when someone is pregnant before they pee on the fuckin’ stick, ya nosy bastard. ”

Duggan didn’t even try to defend himself; he just laughed and drained his glass, then bellowed for a shot.

“I’ll get it before you get your head kicked in,” Kong announced, standing, since he needed another beer. “Can’t you see she’s getting slammed up there?”

Whether Duggan noticed and just didn’t care or was completely oblivious to how packed the room was tonight, who the fuck knew?

Other people were rarely his concern unless it was to talk shit about them.

He was always clutch in a pinch, though, never flinching even when shit went so far south they were forced to solve it through less diplomatic means, and there wasn’t a damn thing he’d say behind someone’s back that Duggan was afraid to say to their faces.

He just liked to run his mouth and draw people’s attention until he had them hanging on his every word.

All that attention seeking was likely to get him killed one day, though so far he’d just lost a tooth when Creature knocked it down his throat one rainy afternoon.

Now that had been a sight to see and warranted.

So damned warranted, Duggan had practically signed up for the tooth extraction and the split lip and sore jaw that had gone along with it.

He’d no sooner set the glasses down and stood waiting for Kat to notice him when a slinky, purple-haired minx sashayed up to him and hooked an arm around his hip.

“Care for something that doesn’t come in a glass?” the man asked as Kong peered down at yet another newcomer, wondering who the hell had brought this one in and why.