Page 60 of Shadow's Surrender
“Super good. I can’t believe my friends and I have never been here. We go out to eat a lot, so I’m surprised we missed this place. I’ll have to tell them about it.” She popped another chip in her mouth. “I still can’t believe your club bought the land from my dad. That’s cool. How’s the building going?”
“We’ve run into a few snags, but nothing we can’t conquer.” For a split second, Shadow contemplated telling her that her bitch mom was causing all sorts of fucking problems, but he decided against it, not wanting to upset her or cause any more of a rift between the two of them.
“Can I ask you a question?” she said, breaking into his musings.
He glanced up. “You don’t have to ask me for permission. If you wanna know something, just ask me, babe. I’ll try and answer the best I can, but if your questions are about club business, then you’re not gonna get shit outta me.” Shadow poured some salsa over his nachos.
Nodding, she wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “Okay. Is Shadow yourrealname? I know you guys have road names, so I was wondering if it’s yours.”
“Road names. I’m impressed, baby. You’ve been doing some homework.” He winked at her and she blushed, and damn if that wasn’t the cutest thing he’d ever seen.She’s just too fuckin’ irresistible.
“I’ve read up a bit on the whole biker thingy. Some of the clubs are real bad—like the Hells Angels and Mongols.”
“Yeah … well, we’re not exactly choirboys. I’ll just leave it at that. And my real name is Steve, but I’ve been using the moniker Shadow since I was a teen.”
“Where did you get the name from?”
“My mom used to call me her shadow.” A quizzical expression spread across her face. He took a deep breath then exhaled. “I’d try and be around all the time when my fuckin’ dad would use my mom as a punching bag.” He shrugged, his gaze darting away from her sympathetic one. “I liked the name, so I started using it.” He picked up the bottle of beer and took a long gulp.
“Did your mom start calling you that too?”
“Yep. So are you gonna order something more?” A lame question, but he didn’t want her to start asking questions about his mother or his sonofabitch father. He didn’t need those memories to come out. Not tonight.
As if understanding, Scarlett didn’t miss a beat. “I’m thinking to order a cheese enchilada. Are they good?”
“Totally Americanized, but they’re decent. In my opinion, the best Mexican restaurant in town is El Tecolote. That place rules.”
A huge grin broke over her lips. “That’s my favorite place for Mexican food. I go there all the time.”
“Me too. I’m surprised we never ran into each other.”
“We probably did, but we didn’t know each other so …” She brought the margarita to her mouth.
Shadow watched as her lips hugged the glass.Get a fuckin’ grip. I’m acting like a damn lovesick pussy. Shit … this woman just gets to me. Real bad.She put the glass down and did that shit with her tongue skimming over her lips again.Dammit.
“Believe me, darlin’, I would’ve noticed you if I’d seen you at El Tecolote,” he said.
She locked her gaze on his. “I’d have noticed you too,” she whispered, leaning forward.
“Fuck, baby.”
Their mouths met in the middle, crushing and twisting together. She parted her lips and he slipped his tongue inside, probing and teasing then entwining with hers in a passionate dance.
“Scarlett, what the fuck are you doing?” A man’s voice cut through their desire.
She broke away and looked up, and Shadow watched her flushed face quickly drain of color. He snapped his eyes to the guy and recognized him as the asshole who he’d thrown out of Dream House for disrespecting Honeysuckle. Behind him was the dude Shadow had found in the parking lot that night with the hooker. Shadow smirked and rested back on the cushion.
Disgust crept across the preppy-looking guy’s face as he glared at Shadow and then at Scarlett. “This”—he waved his hand at Shadow—“is why you’ve been avoiding me? So you’re slumming it now?”
Anger rose in Shadow like a tide, but he sat still, eyes narrowed, smirk still front and center.
“Warren, please go away.”
“I’m sure your dad doesn’t know about this. And your mom? What the hell’s the matter with you? You’re supposed to pay the help, not fuck them.” Warren gripped the table and pushed it, making the glasses and plates rattle.
Shadow slid out of the booth. “The lady told you to go away, but you’re still here. Now I’m telling you to get the fuck outta here.”
“Let’s go,” Warren’s friend said from behind him.
