Page 7

Lizzie—

“This is the place.” Kate pulls to the curb on Monday morning, and I stare at the building.

Royal Restorations.

It’s a brick building with a couple of overhead doors to the side and a small parking lot. We’re only a couple of blocks off Main, so it’s a good location. I can’t complain that it’s a dump, because it’s not, at least not from the outside. Even the sign is nice.

“I know you pulled some strings, but are you sure about this, Kate? I don’t know anything about cars or garages.”

“Look, I didn’t want to tell you before, but it’s owned by one of Utah’s brothers.”

“And by brother, you mean…?” The blood drains from my face, and my mouth drops open. “Are you saying my new boss is one of the Royal Bastards?”

She bites her lip. “Um, their Vice President to be exact.”

“Are you freaking kidding me? No, really. Is this some kind of joke?”

“Lizzie, calm down. He’s an okay guy. I think you’ve even met him at our wedding.”

There were a lot of bikers there, and I don’t have a clue which one the VP was, but I don’t want any of them as my boss. “I’m going to kill you. Do you really expect me to walk in there?” I study the place again.

Kate throws her hand toward it. “Lizzie, it’s a nice shop.”

“Have you been inside?”

“Well, no, but…”

“So, you don’t really know, do you? It could be a dump. There could be mice and roaches for all you know.” I shiver.

“Lizzie, come on. They work on expensive cars.”

“Which brings me to my original point. I know nothing about cars, Kate.”

“It doesn’t matter. He needs someone to answer phones, do filing, and organize paperwork. Utah said he’s drowning in paperwork. He can’t even find invoices that are overdue, and everything is going to hell. You did some of that at the dentist’s office, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m sure you’ll be able to organize it for him. You’ll be fine, Lizzie. Besides, the pay is good.”

I couldn’t argue with her there. From what she’d told me, I’d be making more than I had at Parker Dental. “You know me, Kate. Remember when you went on your first bounty and dragged me into it?”

“The bead store? How could I forget?”

“Yes, it was a disaster, and I wanted to wait in the car. What in the world makes you think I want anything to do with a biker club?”

“You won’t have anything to do with the club. The club doesn’t own this business. Darko does. It’s totally legit, and he’s certainly not going to involve you in anything having to do with the club.”

“You don’t know that. What if one of his enemies shows up to kill him?”

She rolls her eyes. “Lizzie, come on. No one is going to show up to murder anyone. You’re just filing and answering calls. Easy peasy.”

“But a guy like him as my boss? You know I don’t like confrontation.” At least I didn’t use to. Now I seem to snap at everyone. “Kate, what if I piss him off? What will he do?”

“Stop worrying.”

“You’re sticking your neck out for me getting me this job, but what if it doesn’t work out?”

“Then it doesn’t work out. At least you gave it a shot. If he’s an asshole—which, by the way, he is not —then tell him to shove it and walk out. Don’t worry about me. There won’t be any blow back.”

“I don’t know, Kate. The whole biker thing kind of freaks me out. I mean, I know you settled into it, and Utah treats you wonderfully, and I’m really happy for you, but I don’t think this is me.”

She touches my hair and cocks a brow. “I thought there was a whole new you coming out. A real tough cookie. If you’d rather, I can see if Bill has a spot at Sunshine Bail Bonds. Would you rather work there? I can tell you the clientele will be a lot less desirable than the ones who come in here with money to burn, restoring old cars.”

I look at the building again.

“Or you could find another job with a different dentist if you’d rather clean teeth,” she suggests, knowing that’s the last thing I want to do.

“You’re such a bitch,” I mutter and yank the door handle.

She leans toward me as I step out of the car. “Tell Darko I said hello.”

“Bite me.” Slamming the door, I march toward the entrance.

“Love you, too.” She pulls from the curb, and I flip her off.

Gripping the door handle, I take a deep breath and let it out, then walk through.

Clanging comes from the garage area, and cuss words carry to me.

“Come off, you son-of-a-bitch,” a deep male voice growls. There’s more clanging, like someone is beating the shit out of a piece of metal.

I glance around the entryway. There are two plastic chairs and a small table between them, with some dusty magazines. On the wall behind the counter are big stainless-steel letters, backlit with purple that read Royal Restorations .

A tiny bell sits on the counter, which I find a joke. There’s no way in hell they’d ever hear it over the banging going on in the garage.

I move to the doorway that leads through to the work area, and the smell of grease and motor oil hit me. It’s a typical garage, but there are paned windows at the rear of the building that reveal the age of the place. Judging by the old bricks, wooden beams, and window framing, I’m guessing this place dates back a long time. Those windows look out over an alley. I see the light on in a small doorway on the other side of the garage in a corner. Judging by the old wooden desk piled with papers, it must be the office.

The clanging stops, and my eyes shift to one of the cars, where two men are working. The younger one elbows the older man and nods toward me.

The older man straightens and tosses the tool, then wipes his hands on a rag, silver rings flashing, and approaches me.

He’s got muscular biceps under his t-shirt, broad shoulders, and a tall frame. The hair brushing his shoulders is dark and unruly, as is his beard. Piercing dark eyes lock on mine, and I know right away they miss nothing.

He is so not what I expected. Despite his blue-collar appearance, the man radiates power. As he strolls toward me with a sexy gait, for the first time in forever, I physically react to the sight of a man. Heat flashes through my body under his molten gaze.

I swallow, then curse myself for reacting. I’ll be damned if I’ll show him how nervous he makes me.

He stops about three feet in front of me, and his head cocks to the side, like I’m not what he expected, either. “You Lizzie?”

I stick out my hand. “Elizabeth Collins. Lizzie, yes. Kate said you were looking for someone to organize your office and do paperwork.” As the words leave my mouth, I realize my tone comes out like a haughty bitch.

“I am. Name’s John Taylor, but everyone calls me Darko.” He shakes my hand, and it makes me feel something I thought was long dead—something I didn’t even feel when the tattoo artist put his hands on my body.

Great. My new boss is the VP of the Royal Bastards MC and hot as hell. I’m not supposed to notice things like that.

“You okay?” he asks, still holding my hand.

I jerk back. “Yes, Kate told me you’re the Royal Bastards’ VP.”

There’s a flare in his eyes. “What else did she say?”

“Not much, just that I definitely wouldn’t be involved in any illegal club business. She said this place was legit.” God, I’m rambling like an idiot.

“It is.” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder to the other man. “That’s Rob.”

The guy lifts a hand, then returns to working under the hood.

I cross my arms and scan for mice and bugs.

Darko’s chin pulls to the side. “You sure you want the job?”

“I came, didn’t I?” God, now I sound ungrateful.

His brow lifts. “You know anything about cars?”

“No, actually. Do I need to?”

“I guess not, as long as you know a muffler from a spark plug.” The corner of his mouth pulls up, and I assume he’s teasing. He jerks his head toward the rear corner. “Office is this way.”

I trail behind him and take in the musty smelling room. It’s the size of a walk-in closet and filthy. It’s dimly lit, but at least there’s light from a window… sort of. If you can call the grimy frosted glass a light source.

“Eli, you’re going to have to find somewhere else to sulk. Or you can go help Rob with that car.”

A boy I hadn’t noticed rises from the one chair in the room and shuffles past.

“That’s my son, Eli.”

I nod, unsure why his son, who is clearly school aged, is at a garage instead of school, but I keep my mouth shut and turn my attention to the office.

Automotive catalogues are piled in a precarious stack on the corner of the desk, and I’m terrified one bump will send them crashing to the floor. The wooden top is cluttered with papers. There’s an honest-to-God Rolodex sitting in the other corner next to an antique black phone, the kind I’ve only seen in old movies.

“I didn’t think anyone had a landline anymore,” I murmur. An old calendar is tacked up on the wall with a half-naked girl sitting astride a Harley. Great. I realize the month is wrong and glance at the year. The thing is five years old. He must like that picture . “You have a thing for red heads?”

He frowns. “Huh?”

I gesture to the calendar. “You seem stuck on Miss July.”

“Oh.” He huffs a laugh. “Miss July. Right.”

I cross my arms and stand in silence for a moment.

He snaps his fingers and points at me. “Your hair. That’s what’s different.”

I reach up nervously and touch it.

“I remember at the wedding it was longer. More golden.”

I’m so losing patience with all the hair comments.

“Utah sure surprised Kate with that proposal of his, didn’t he?”

“I appreciate your attempt to make small talk, but I’d rather just be left alone in here to clean up, if you don’t mind?”

“You don’t smile a lot, do you? I remember you being all Suzy-sunshine.”

I lift a brow. “Suzy-sunshine?”

He shoves his hands in his pockets, and his face sobers. “You can start organizing the invoices. I need to figure out which ones still need to be paid.”

“And how will I know that?”

“You’ll find a bunch that are stamped overdue. Maybe even some that aren’t opened. If you could put them in a folder and make a list of the companies and amounts, that’d be great.”

“Okay.” I look around. “Do you have file folders?”

“Should be some in one of the drawers. You can make a list of any office supplies you need.”

“Sure. Do you have an office supply company you use?”

“Office King. Better make sure I don’t owe them an invoice before we try to place an order, though.”

“Right.” I glance at the paperwork that appears to be a couple of inches deep.

“There’s no break room, but we’ve got a drink machine by the back door and a coffee pot behind the entry counter. We usually use the alley if you want to smoke.”

“Thanks.” I look around for a place to set my purse and settle for hanging it off the back of the chair. “Dare I ask if there’s a bathroom?” I’m sure there must be, but it’s got to be horrific.

Darko scrubs a hand down his face. “I, ah, haven’t had a woman in here before. I’ve got a company coming to clean the toilet… I mean, restroom.”

“And when is that happening?”

“Let me make a call.” With that, he pulls his phone out, closing the door.

I wonder if he’s just now calling a cleaning company.