Page 77 of Rags's Awakening
“Rags, you sonofabitch!” a loud voice boomed.
Rags looked over and broke into a grin. “Saber! Did you just get here? How the hell have you been?”
He crossed the room and pulled the biker into a bear hug, clapping him hard on the back before stepping away. “What’re you drinking?”
Saber’s gaze slid past him to Topaz, assessing her boldly. “Coors draft.”
Topaz smiled and moved away from Rags, cozying up beside Saber like she’d already decided the night’s direction. “Hiya. I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Topaz.” She dragged a metallic silver fingernail down his arm.
“Fuck,” Saber breathed. “Let me hang with my brother here for a minute, then you and me can have some fun.”
“Sure,” she said, pressing into him. “Find me when you’re ready.” She sashayed away.
Saber watched her go, eyes locked on her swaying hips. “Fuck, I can’t wait to get a piece of that. She as good as she looks?”
“Pretty much,” Rags said. “I didn’t know you were coming through Pinewood Springs.”
“Didn’t plan it. Eagle and me were at the biker rally in Show Low in Arizona.”
“That’s beautiful country,” Rags said. “Those White Mountain rides are awesome. I didn’t know they started the rally back up. I can’t remember the last time they had one.”
“Five years ago. I was getting antsy, so when I heard about it, I packed up. Bonus was seeing Eagle, Goldie, and Paco. I haven’t crossed paths with them in a couple years. Do you ever get down to Alina anymore?”
“Not as much as I’d like. When we have blowout parties, which we’ve got one coming up, a lot of the Night Rebels show up.”
“They’re your charter club, right?”
“Support club. But we’ll have charters rolling in from Nebraska, Kansas, San Diego, and Iowa,” Rags said.
Local charters or chapters were affiliates of the mother club, based in Pinewood Springs, with Banger serving as national president.
“I’m gonna check it out,” Saber said. “Are you putting it on the website?”
“Nope. I’ll text you once we firm the date. There’ll be a lot of bikers. It’ll be a hell of a good time.”
“And a competition for pussy,” Saber said with a laugh.
Rags snorted. Outlaw parties always drew women chasing the wild edge of the lifestyle and its anything-goes thrill, but even then, the men always outnumbered them.
Rags challenged Saber to a pool game, and after several rounds, Rags grinned as Saber slapped four hundred bucks in his hand.
“This is killing me,” Saber muttered.
“You should’ve played Blade or Klutch if you wanted charity,” Rags said, pocketing the cash. “How long are you staying?”
“Couple of nights. Are you free to ride tomorrow?”
“I can make time. We can take Roaring Fork Valley. The roads are clean and the views are killer. Have you ridden it?”
“Nope. It sounds like tomorrow’s plan.”
“Damn straight. We’ll stop at McCoy’s for food and a cold one. We lucked out with this mild fall; otherwise, the pass would be closed.”
Saber motioned Topaz over. “I couldn’t believe how clear it was coming up from Alina. No snow at all.”
“Come January we’ll be buried and freezing our asses off,” Rags said. “I’m enjoying it while it lasts.”
He smelled Topaz’s cloying strawberry perfume before he saw her. She wrapped herself around Saber’s arm, her gaze flicking to Rags.
