Claiming Crusher (Savage Brothers MC #4)(13)

I take another drink of water. I wonder if Nicole knows I laced it with vodka after we left the concession area. Good thing she’s driving.

“Amante’ Nicole, is that you?”

I look over to see yet another, sexy-off-his-ass man looking at Nicole like he wants to eat her alive. Hell, if I still had an ego, this town would crush it.

“Well f*ck me Nic, did you start a freaking harem when we moved?” I ask, when it doesn’t appear the latest Nicole victim is going to move along. Great.

“No, just finding I’m in the wrong place, at the wrong time, way too much since we moved,” Nicole answers, and boy could I give her a high-five on that one.

“Do you people mind? We’re trying to watch a movie here.” Ms. Huffy-phone-woman demands.

“Mamacita, does Dragon know you are in my town?” The man asks Nicole.

I tilt my head to the side to watch him for a minute.

“Your town? Odd, you don’t look like a mayor.”

He looks over at me and flashes a smile. It does nothing for me, but he is pretty.

“Yes well, appearances can be deceiving. Can they not, querida?” he asks. I start to respond, interested. Does he and the people with him have this much power? Could they protect me from Michael? If I’m right and Dragon and Crusher are just as dangerous, could they protect me and Nic? He’s speaking Spanish…could he help me make it to Mexico? I could pay him…I have the money from Michael that I’ve barely touched…

“You want to go?” Nicole asks, grabbing my attention again. I don’t really want to…but hell, I could use another water. Actually it is more vodka than water. Whatever.

“Yeah, sure.”

Before we can leave, the guy fixes it so Nicole can’t get out. I look away, still wondering how to get in with his club. If they could offer Nic and I safety, or better yet, if they could help us get away…Nic doesn’t understand. She hasn’t dealt with men like Michael or Dragon. I have. I need to look out for her.

“Excuse me, I was going to the restroom,” I hear Nicole respond.

“No you weren’t, querida. You were ditching me, but I am not ready to let you escape.”

“Dear Lord Nic, can’t you find any normal men?” I interject, my eyes glued on the movie scree, but in my mind I am making plans.

“Apparently not,” she sighs.

“Skull baby, I thought you and I had a date? The woman who came in with, apparently Skull, whines.

Skull? That sounds mean. Mean enough to kill the Devil? Maybe not, but he seems to have firepower with him. Hell, there’s at least ten with him now. Some giant of a man picks a woman up, lifting her over the top of the seat and into the next aisle. He repeats the action until he clears a whole row for his buddies. I laugh out loud as women go running out of the theater.

I throw popcorn at the man in question. He’s big and apparently doesn’t talk much, but I do notice how careful he was with each woman as he moved them. I may be drunk, but I take this as a good sign.

“What’s your name, big boy?” I ask as the popcorn bounces off his head.

“Why you asking?” He asks and his voice is hoarse like he doesn’t use it much.

“I want to know whose name I’m calling out tonight,” I say only half joking. Maybe if I have sex it will loosen Michael’s hold on me?

“That’s Beast,” Skull says helpfully, while the big guy turns back around ignoring me.

“You’re shitting me? Well f*ck my ass and pull my hair, I think I’m going to be his Beauty at least for a night or two. Yo! Beast! Turn back around here and let me see those baby blues.”

“They’re brown.” Some man beside Beast joins in.

“Well hell, I don’t care, can’t see them anyway, I just want to look at him some more.” Beast keeps ignoring me and that kind of ticks me off.

Now, normally I run from men, but whether it’s the alcohol and narcotics in my system, or just the lure of being safe, I don’t know. Before I can question myself any further, I climb down in the man’s lap beside Beast. I would have sat in Beast’s, but he’s making that impossible.

“C’mon give me some attention here. I promise not to bite.”

“That’s too bad.”

His monotone, bored-sounding voice is not encouraging. Still, his eyes…

“I think you’re playing hard to get. Why is that do you suppose?”

“Babe, you looking for dick, you can get it from any man here, why don’t you put your efforts into choosing and leave me the alone.”

Boom. I’m not sure you can get slammed more than that.

“You don’t find me attractive?” I ask and he studies me for a minute. Can he tell that I would totally understand that? I feel like the ugliest person around. Maybe that’s why his words sting.

“Beast here lost his old lady a bit ago, but me and the boys can show you a good time,” the other guy chimes in and despite being on his lap, I ignore him.

I can see pain flash through the Beast’s eyes. He cared about his woman. I grieve with him and find myself jealous of this unknown woman at the same time. She may be gone, but at least she had someone who truly cared about her. My hand goes over to Beast’s and I squeeze it. I thought he would push me away, he doesn’t. He lets me hold his hand and then eventually pulls me onto his lap. There’s nothing sexual in the way we’re sitting. It’s the first time I’ve relaxed in months.