T-Bone - L. Wilder Page 0,1

her barking while we were working on Hyde’s bike, so I brought along some preventative measures. I turned to Blaze and smiled. “Like all women, she just needed the right distraction.”

“Yeah.” Blaze chuckled. “Guess you were right about bringing those rib bones along.”

“What can I say?” I shrugged. “I know how to please the ladies.”

“You know how to please a mutt. Not sure I’d say the same for the rest of the female population,” Blaze poked. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be sitting here without an ol’ lady by your side.”

“Fuck you, man.” I glanced around the room at the crowd. The place was fucking packed with all the brothers and their women. Even Hyde’s uncle, Viper, and several of his Ruthless Sinners’ brothers were there to join the celebration. “I can get a chick anytime I want.”

“Oh, yeah?” Blaze cocked his eyebrow with skepticism. “Prove it.”

“All right then, I will, and when I do, I won’t be hooking up with some skank twat that’s been passed around more than a bottle of fucking Crown. I’m gonna find me a real classy chick who knows a good man when she sees him.” He didn’t reply. Instead, he just sat there staring at me with that fucking cocked eyebrow. “What?”

“Just wondering what the fuck you’re waiting for.” He motioned his hand out to the crowd. “You know what they say ... there’s no time like the present.”

I knew he was just fucking around, but he’d laid down a challenge and there was no way I could pass it up. I picked up my beer and quickly finished it off before I stood up and said, “Fine, I’ll show your ass what’s what.”

“Mm-hmm, I’m sure you will.”

Ignoring his last jab, I started walking towards the thick of people. I hadn’t gotten far when I noticed Hyde talking to his mom and younger sister, Alyssa. They were both busy congratulating him on getting his cut when I noticed Alyssa looking in my direction. As soon as Hyde noticed that she was looking at me, a menacing look crossed his face. His reaction gave me a thought, and I found myself smiling as I continued walking towards them. Hyde was a good guy, too good at times, and that made it way too easy to fuck with him. I figured there was no better way than to let him believe I was making a play for his sister.

I’d just made my way over to them when I overheard Clay growling at Alyssa, “That’s not going to happen.”

Throwing his words back at him, I asked, “What’s ‘not gonna happen’?”

There was something about the surprised look on my brother’s face that made me wonder if he’d been talking about me when he said those words to his sister. Feeling the tension radiating off her brother, Alyssa’s eyes dropped to the floor. In almost a whisper, she replied, “Nothing. Clay is just being Clay.”

Hyde gave her a disapproving look. “Oh, really?”

I could tell by his expression that my suspicions were correct. I knew he’d never admit it, but there was no doubt he’d been talking about me. Alyssa reminded me of a young Rachel McAdams with her delicious curves and long blonde hair. She had dark soulful eyes that made me wonder what secrets she was hiding beneath them. It didn’t matter. It was obvious just by looking at her, the girl was out of my league. She was young and beautiful with the world at her fingertips, and I found it doubtful that she’d give me—a bald-headed biker, more than twice her age and three times her size—a second thought. That was fine with me. I had no intention of actually making a play for her, but Hyde didn’t know that. “Why don’t you let me get you a drink, and you can tell me all about it?”

Her eyes skirted over to me, and with a bashful smile, she simply answered, “Okay.”

She gave Hyde a quick shrug, then followed me back over to the bar. We sat down on two empty stools at the end of the counter, and I motioned over to Jasmine, the bartender for the night, to grab us both a couple of beers. After she brought them over, I offered one to Alyssa and asked, “You having a good time?”

“I am ... much better than I expected.”

“You weren’t expecting to have a good time?”

“Not really.” Concern crossed her face as she said, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad Clay is happy and I wanted