Page 30 of Sold to the Bikers

“She’s my sister.”

Badass scowls. “Yeah, but there’s more to it than that. Don’t bullshit an older brother.”

I sigh and reach for my water, but then think twice about it and pluck Quickshot’s beer right from his hand, taking a deep swig. The tingle of alcohol feels right about what I need just now. When I reach it out for him to take back, he just waves his hand at me.

“Keep it. I’ll get another. Now answer Badass.”

“I told you Sandra has had a rough time, but it goes deeper than that. She was always the more sensitive one of the two of us. Felt more deeply, was more creative, more talented. Everyone loved her, but she was also… I don’t know, fragile, I guess. There are four years between us, and I was just about to move away for college when our parents were in an accident.” I keep my eyes on my hands, not sure I’ll be able to tell the whole story if I look up and see pity in their eyes. “I had some scholarships, so I might have been able to stay in school, but we don’t have any other family. Sandra would’ve ended up in foster care. I stayed home, waited tables in the evenings and worked at a gas station during the day. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to keep the roof over our heads so she could stay in high school.”

Badass reaches out and closes a hand over mine. “You were what? Eighteen? You did good.”

“Not good enough. When she was fifteen, sixteen maybe, she started getting more secretive than normal. I found out she was seeing some guy that must’ve been in his twenties, probably pushing thirty. I… I flipped out. For the next year, we fought like cats and dogs. She dropped out of school, and started being gone for days at a time, then weeks. I didn’t think it was drugs right away, but she changed.”

“Was that guy her dealer?” Quickshot asks darkly.

“Probably. I didn’t know what to do. She called him her boyfriend, and she wasobsessed. I wish I’d handled it better, but I was nineteen and working two jobs. It… it was almost a relief when she left.” A tear slips down my cheek. “I don’t really know what happened between them, but she came back a total wreck, and the cops were going to throw her in jail for some bullshit possession charge until I found out that since she was a minor, she was eligible for a rehab program. Things have been so good since she got out. Not perfect, butgood. I swear.”

“How’d she get mixed up with the Unwanted?”

“I don’t know! But I’ve seen her when she’s using, and I swear she isn’t. They said she owed them money and I couldn’t let them take her, could I?”

They don’t look convinced. I probably wouldn’t be in their shoes either, but what can I do?

16

BADASS

"It's showtime,"Animal's voice hisses from the two-way radio behind the bar. "Crusher and a couple other assholes are headed my way and they don't look like they want to wait patiently in line. I'm gonna wave them in and follow. Send Crash to take over the door."

"On it." I raise my arm and whistle. Lots of faces turn my way, but the only one that counts is the gorgeous girl carrying a tray near the pool tables. "Move it! We got a special order!"

She freezes for a second, then nods, recognizing the code we set up. Natalie's gotten good at acting her part in public, but until Prez has his sit-down with Cain, I'm not taking my fucking eyes off her. Maybe not after that, either.

"Crash!"

He comes out of the back, adjusting his belt with a girl hanging off his arm. "Still got ten minutes before my shift, man." When he sees my face, though, he stands up straighter. "What's up?"

"Go handle the door. We got club business."

"You got it." He gives me a crisp nod and smacks the girl on the ass. "I'll find you later." She rolls her eyes and melts into the crowd. If it was a lot of our guys, I wouldn't like his odds of making good on that, but somehow Crash always has a line out his fucking door.

Natalie brings her empty tray behind the bar and stands there eyes wide and face pale. "What do I do?"

"First, come here." I cup her ass with one hand and pull her close enough to whisper. "Crusher just showed up with some buddies. They'll be in here any second. We're gonna go say hello."

She shivers.

I nip her earlobe and stroke a hand over her shoulder and down her arm. "He's not going to fucking touch you. You're ours."

"I know our deal," she whispers. "You bought me."

"Look at me," I order, and she turns her big blue eyes to mine. "Screw the deal. He. Won't. Fucking. Touch. You."

The air vibrates between us, and her full lips part. I lean in and take them. She's sweet as sin, and it's not worry that makes her moan.

I sense movement and then there's a figure behind her. It's Animal. We share a look over her shoulder. He nods. His hands land on her bare waist and stroke upwards, under her cropped Screaming Eagles tank, and up to her big, full breasts. Natalie gasps and she puts one hand on my arm, and her other on Animal's.

"Hate to break it up just as it's getting good, but they're headed your way," Quickshot’s voice crackles from the two-way.