SLAM HER(11)

I looked at Knox again and then looked up at Belle as she approached our table.

Her fingers touched the table. “I’m so sorry, guys. Can you hold for another minute?”

“Sure thing, Belle,” I said to her. “Take your time.”

She kept walking but looked back at me and she stumbled.

“Real smooth,” Knox asked. “She’s going to want to know how you know her name.”

I ignored Knox and watched as the * from the other table stood up. He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m going have a ciggy. Fucking lame place won’t let ya smoke. Fucking losers.”

The guy turned and walked to a side exit.

That’s when I stood up from the booth.

“Slam,” Knox growled.

“Order me a burger. I’ll be right back.”

“You can’t get into trouble…”

“I’m not getting into trouble,” I said. “I promise.”

“Your promises are worth dick.”

“Burger,” I said. “Load it up. And get me a fresh beer, I’m going to need it.”

I walked away, expecting Knox to chase me down.

But he didn’t.

That was a good thing.

Nothing was going to stop me.

Don’t get into f*cking trouble?

Fuck that.

I was trouble… the worst kind…





eight



(belle)



NOW



My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

He was here.

The guy. The so-called bad guy. The biker guy. I’d met him twice but never got his name. I’d never forget his size, his face, or the logo on his leather. And he was in the restaurant, his eyes all over me.

Better yet - he knew my name.

I was the daughter of a cop so my instincts kicked in and I wanted to know how he knew my name and why he was there.

I hurried to get that table of *s more drinks.

When I got to the table I saw the biggest * - the one who smacked my ass - wasn’t there.

“Let me ask you something,” the other * said. “How f*cking far away do you have to go to have a cigarette?”

“Excuse me?”

“My buddy went outside for a cigarette five minutes ago,” he said. “You have some made up law that you have to be a mile away?”

“No,” I said. “Just not inside.”

I walked away to the table where he had been sitting.

I noticed he was gone too.

Oh… shit…

The other guy looked at me. “Darlin’. We’re ready to order.”

“Where’s…”

“Slam,” he said. “I’m Knox. Your face tells me you have an idea of who we are. Keep it at that. So that’s going to be two burgers… with the works. How’s this place with burgers, darlin’?”

“Uh, yeah,” I said. “I mean, they’re great. Made fresh. Not frozen.”

“Good. Really good. Oh, and before I forget, let me get a chicken parm, to go, and make my burger to go. Slam is eating solo tonight. He’s got plans right here.”

My head kept spinning. My heart kept racing.

I needed to calm myself.

From the corner of my eye I saw him. Slam. What a name. I knew it couldn’t have been his real name, right? Nobody would name their kid that. Then again, this guy…

I had forced myself to forget his name the first time he told me it. This time, I would never forget it.

He was like a monster stomping along the floor. His shoulders were so big, so round. His eyes dead set on me. I took a step back and he stopped right at me, towering over me.

“Hey, babe,” he said.

His voice was rough but felt like butter through my body. Everything ran down and sent a trembling feeling right between my thighs. I was almost a puddle because of two words.

I stared up at him, turned and yet terrified.

“Uh, hey,” I managed to get out.

“I have everything ordered,” Knox said. “Got my food to go, and something for Ana.”

I saw Slam grin and then he eyed me again. “Fresh round here, babe?”

He moved his left hand and I saw his knuckles. They weren’t swollen, but definitely ripped up with cuts. He quickly grabbed a napkin and put his hands under the table.

“I’ll be right back,” I said.

I turned and hustled away toward the bar area. But then I made a quick turn and rushed out the side exit. I looked left to right but I didn’t see a thing. I took a few more steps and that’s when I saw a foot. On the other side of the alley, next to a dumpster. As I slowly approached I feared the worst. Slam had killed that guy from the other table. But why? It couldn’t have been because the guy slapped my ass, right? Slam wasn’t at the restaurant to defend me. Those guys were serious trouble. The entire group of them - Reaper’s Bastards - were all but trouble.

I’m talking murderous trouble. They had members in prison for life. They had members dead. The ones alive were just waiting for their time to come. Either a bullet from an enemy or a set of handcuffs would set their future.

When I saw that it was the guy that smacked my ass, I let out a gasp.

But he wasn’t dead.