Page 25 of Rome
Trick was nowhere to be found, and Saint had disappeared with Misty, another bunny, shortly after he’d walked in the door. I looked around the room, absently noting the stripper working the pole, and the live sex show that Joker and Skid were putting on over in the corner. They were tag-teaming Paisley, the bunny that Jag used to fuck on the regular before he’d met Molly. She’d caused some trouble with Molly and had been given a couple of warnings. One more fuckup, and she’d be tossed out on her ass. I wouldn’t be sorry to see her go. She was a colossal bitch.
I wandered out to the back courtyard and found Ace sitting by the firepit with a joint hanging out of his mouth, and a particularly rough-looking hangaround perched on his lap. The day my Grandma Frankie had first been diagnosed with lung cancer years ago, Sinner had declared the clubhouse a smoke-free building – both cigarettes and pot - a fact which hadn’t gone over well with several of the brothers at the time. Sinner had been adamant though, and as the MC’s founder, his word was pretty much law. Over time, most of the patched members had given up smoking, although a few diehards, like Ace, still huddled outside no matter the weather to puff away.
Not wanting to spend any more time in Ace’s company than I absolutely had to, I headed back inside. I spotted Brick sitting at the bar and wandered over to hang out with him for a while, mainly to give Jag and Molly time to get their freak on without me on the other side of the wall. As I slid my ass onto the stool, King walked up, leading the blonde behind him.
“Jag said you’re staying here tonight?”
“Yeah, Abby’s aunt and uncle are staying at our place tonight – they were supposed to stay with her folks, but they’re dealing with a busted water heater. I told Abs I would stay here tonight, so they can have our room.”
“Is that the bitchy one who can’t stand you?” King asked with a smirk.
“That’s the one. That’s another reason why I volunteered to crash here tonight. The less I have to see of that damned woman, the happier we both are.”
“I don’t blame you for that. I’m outta here. I’ll see you at Church.” I glanced pointedly at the blonde standing a couple of feet behind him, then leaned close to whisper “Aren’t you gonna introduce me to my new mommy before you go?”
King glared at me and flipped me off. “No, I’m not, ya fuckin’ smartass.” He glanced over his shoulder at the woman, then looked back at me and lowered his voice even more as he added, “Couldn’t even if I wanted to. I can’t remember her goddamned name.” I snorted a laugh as he clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to knock me off the stool. I caught myself just before I crashed into Brick.
King walked away as I asked Lincoln to hand me a bottle of water. He was one of two prospects working the bar tonight. I twisted the cap off and took a swig before glancing at Brick.
“I haven’t seen Theresa tonight, man. Is she home with the girls?” Brick nodded as he raised the bottle of beer to his lips and took a drink.
“Yeah, our oldest got her wisdom teeth removed yesterday, so she’s still pretty sore. I’m actually gonna head home soon. How’s Abby?”
We chatted for a few minutes, as I told him about Abby’s blood pressure issues. He told me Theresa had suffered with the same thing during both of her pregnancies.
“I think it’s fairly common, brother. I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” he advised. “Just make sure she’s spending plenty of time in bed – sleeping, you damned horndog,” he clarified when I waggled my brows and flashed him a shit-eating grin.
He left a few minutes later, and I pulled out my phone to check the time, surprised to find that it was almost one in the morning. There was a text from Abby from several hours earlier, in response to the one I’d sent her.
ABBY: We had a good time at the shower. Ethan ended up staying home with Uncle Ron and they built one of his Lego sets. Aunt Charlotte’s being even more of a bitch than usual, so be glad you’re missing the fun. Love you, stud. Wish Bull a happy birthday for me.
I frowned at my phone, not happy that Charlotte was giving Abs a hard time. I sent a quick text back, knowing that she probably wouldn’t see it until morning.
ME: I wish you could leave E with them and meet me at the clubhouse. I miss you, baby girl.
I slid my phone back in my pocket after sending the text, debating on whether or not to just call it a night, when Pic showed up. He stayed just long enough to piss me the fuck off, bitching about his wife kicking him out after she heard about his latest fling, his suspension, and the fine King had imposed on him. The asshole seemed more pissed about the latter two than about his wife.
“I don’t know what to tell you, man. Be happy that he didn’t add to it after we found that baggie of coke in your suite the other day. You don’t like it, take it up with Prez tomorrow at Church, but I doubt it will help. You fucked up. Own that shit, accept your punishment, and move the fuck on.”
“Thank you very fuckin’ much for your support,brother,” he sneered, and I could smell the whiskey on his breath and the pungent odor of pot smoke wafting up from his clothes. The bruises on his face were in vivid technicolor now, and he looked like warmed-over shit. It served the motherfucker right, though. I’d just about lost my shit when Saint and I had found the drugs on the floor as we were cleaning up the mess Bingo had made of Pic’s suite. King had been livid when I’d told him about it and had another talk with Pic. I wasn’t privy to what had been said, but I was willing to bet my left nut that it hadn’t been good.
Pic slid off the stool and bumped his shoulder into mine as he stumbled toward the stairs. I noticed that stripper he’d been fucking lately walked over and tried to block his path. I couldn’t remember what her name was, but I’d heard some of the guys saying she looked like Abby.
I’d laughed when I first heard that. They were about the same height, and both were brunettes with long, wavy hair. That was about the extent of the similarities, as far as I could see. She didn’t hold a candle to my baby girl.
It looked like they were arguing before he pushed her aside and stomped up the stairs. She turned and ran toward the women’s restroom, and I could see she was crying.
“Fuckin’ Pic,” I grumbled to myself. I’d been in a pretty good mood before he’d stumbled over here running his mouth. Now I was pissed off all over again.
“Can I get you a beer, Rome?” I looked up to see Rodney, the other prospect working the bar for the party. Lincoln was nowhere to be found, so he must have left for the night.
“Nah, man,“ I started to decline automatically, then decided that a beer might help me relax before I headed upstairs. One wouldn’t hurt, and I was already planning to spend the night here anyway. “Actually, yeah, I’ll take a beer.”
Skid plopped down on the stool next to me a few minutes later, ordering a beer and regaling me with the tale of his sexcapades for the night.
“Yeah, I saw you and Joker over in the corner with Paisley. I hope you both wrapped your shit up good. She’s been fuckin’ Ace on the regular since Jagger got together with Molly, you know.”
“Always do, brother, always do,” he assured me, raising his beer bottle, and tapping the neck of it against mine with a clink. Joker joined us then, sharing way more information about Paisley’s blowjob skills than I ever wanted to know. He ordered a round of beers for us as he and Skid spent the next little while rating the club bunnies on their various sexual skills. I sat there and listened as I drank another beer, and then another. Every so often, I would interrupt to point out that they were assholes.
