The Baby Bump_Black Knights MC Read online

  “You guys are so chicken. Come on!” Danielle laughs and struts over to the bar. “What’s the worst they can do to us? As far as I can see, there isn’t one man here I wouldn’t want to take home with me. Check out the guys over there, by the radio at the back. They’re pretty fine, aren’t they?” She swings her head around and smiles. “Or the fellows right next to us at the bar. See them?”

  I glance nervously at the men at the back as I sit down at a stool. There is no way I’m looking at the men next to us at the bar, so I ask the bartender for one of the local beers. “There are a lot of things they can do to us that I’m sure none of us have thought about. I’m pretty sure we’re asking for it, too.”

  She sits next to me and gives me a bit of a shove. “Come on! What happened to all that ‘roar!’ from earlier?”

  “It got swallowed whole by the idea of walking into a biker bar when we don’t know anyone. I’m all for proving to my parents that I can handle life on my own, but I don’t know if I’m prepared to put my life on the line for it.”

  My best friend rolls her eyes. “Typical Kristel… always the good girl who never gets into trouble.”

  “That’s not true!”

  She giggles at me, and Wendy does, too.

  “It’s not!” I sit up straighter, my shoulders rolling back.

  “Okay…” Danielle has a glance around, then looks thoughtful and focuses on me. “If you say so.” Before I can say anything, a mischievous light glimmers in her eyes. “I have an idea. If you really aren’t the good girl who never gets into trouble, go say hello to one of the guys next to us at the bar.”

  My eyes widen. “You’re serious?”

  “Totally serious.” She smiles at me. “I think I can hear them talking about us anyway.”

  “Lies. They aren’t talking about us.” I chance a glance in their direction, and a hard lump forms in my throat; both of them are staring in our direction. “Oh god, they’re looking at us.” I speak in a whisper and quickly brush fingers through my hair. “Do I look okay? My hair is a mess, isn’t it? And I’m probably sweating so much that I smell.”

  Danielle giggles again and grabs my wrist. “Kristel, chill! You look beautiful, and you smell perfect. Besides, who’s going to even care in abiker bar? I mean, they’re called the Black Knights for God’s sake!”

  “Okay… okay, you’re right.” I breathe deeply and bring my hands back down to the bar. In that moment, the bartender approaches with my beer and sets it down in front of me. “Thank you.” Perfect timing. I feel calmer already as I pay the man and take a few long swigs of beer. It tastes awful, but I don’t care. I’m going to get drunk tonight, and I’m going to find a way to make my parents back the hell off.

  “Hon, Wendy and I are going to head to the bathroom. We’ll be back in a bit.” Danielle squeezes my arm, but I don’t look at her. I just smile and take back another mouthful of my alcoholic beverage.

  I listen to them wander off, and watch for a moment to see where they’re going. Men follow them with their eyes, and I can’t help but imagine the lecherous thoughts that must be going through their brains. I’m almost in disbelief that my friends have left me here all alone, but I’ve never enjoyed those strange bathroom talks that some women partake in; Danielle knows that.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  I nearly jump out of my skin at the strange, masculine voice right above me. My beer goes flying out of my hands and clatters to the floor. It sprays everywhere and spatters its contents all over the floor, any nearby stools, the side of the bar, and a pair of beautiful black leather shoes that I don’t recognize.

  “What the hell?!” With a gasp, I jerk my head around and stare up at the strange, but devastatingly delicious man almost within arm’s reach.

  “Did I startle you?” His voice reminds me of warm honey; I find myself wanting to know if his mouth tastes the same. My cheeks feel flush with my own internal admission, and I glance away, down to his shoes.

  “No.” There is defiance in my voice before I look up at him.

  “No? Then you’re braver than you look.” An infuriating smirk flows across his mouth.

  I try to come up with some kind of tough retort, but all I come up with is, “Thank you?”

  “You’re most welcome.” With a smoothness I’ve only seen in big cats, he sits down on a stool next to me. “I’m Andre Zelnick. I'm in charge of the Black Knights.” He offers me his right hand.

  “Kristel Bryce.” I take his offered hand and wonder if it’s wise to tell this strange man my name.

  “Well, Kristel Bryce. What’s brought you to my humble establishment?”

  A smile flirts across my mouth before I can stop it, and I push some hair behind one of my ears. “You know… just trying to get away from it all.”

  “Now, that I do know. It’s one of the main reasons I’m all the way out here. It’s not exactly quiet, but I’m not too fond of city folk or technology. I like the old ways where it’s just the road, the bikes, and great company.”

  My hand withdraws from his own, but before I can take it back all the way, he grips it. I hold my breath as my eyes dart down to his fingers, and my spine tightens. What is he going to do? I stare at his other hand slides over the back of mine, gently caressing. It’s much too forward for my liking, but I told both myself and Danielle that I’m going to be naughty tonight. I may as well start now.

  “The old ways?” I gradually look up from his hand to his face.

  “Mhmm.” He leans closer to me, and I swear I can smell the alcohol on his breath. “Just a bunch of guys and gals rolling through, never settling. Always traveling in search of the next best thing. Towns and cities eager to please us, not only because they fear us, but because they respect us. These days…” His mouth shifts into a frown, and he shakes his head. “That doesn’t happen so often these days. There are too many has-beens and wannabes for anyone to take us seriously anymore. But I’m fixing to change that.”

  I’m interested in what he has to say despite my earlier reservations. What I perceived as a dangerous man with no thoughts about anything other than what’s between my thighs might be turning out to be one of those rare gems with sense. “How are you going to change such a huge problem? It doesn’t sound like something you can do on your own.” I turn his hand so that I can playfully entwine my fingers with his.

  “You’re smarter than you look, too.” He winks at me and licks his lips. For the first time, I notice the gold ring there; I want to taste it just as much as I want to taste the rest of him.

  My courage grows as I finish off my bottle of beer; I’ve always been a lightweight. “What else do you think I am?” I nibble coyly on my bottom lip and look at him. My gaze, I know, is full of invitation. Fingers slowly travel up his forearm and trace the tattoos there. My eyes trace them, too, following the coils of snakes and the angles of skulls. “Do you think I’m tough enough to hang with you and your boys?” I don’t know where the suggestion comes from, but after it leaves my lips, I feel a thrill of excitement.

  He goes quiet for a little while. I watch him as he watches me, my finger trailing further until it tickles across the crook of his elbow.

  “Hey, man, if you won’t take her, I certainly will.” A short, red-haired man with a scruffy beard and a lewd grin gives me a once over. He wriggles his eyebrows at me and waggles his tongue in a way that makes me want to hurl.

  “Count me in, too, big boss.” The bartender speaks up this time. He’s heavy for his height and smells like alcohol and cigarettes. I thought he was okay before, but now something about him makes me sit up taller. He flashes me a broad grin and licks his fingers. The way he stares at me almost makes me believe I’m sitting naked before him. Now, more than ever, I want to show these men what I’m made of. If I can’t prove it to them, I’ll never be able to prove it to my parents.

  “Are you scared of me?” I make sure there’s an inflection of play in my tone, because I want his attention more than the other
s. My fingers pinch the base of his bicep, and I swallow a mouthful of saliva. He really does have big arms, both beautifully covered in all kinds of tattoos.

  “Maybe a little.” The smile he gives me is far more dangerous than sexual. He lets go of my hand and straightens, and his jaw works back and forth. His eyes, I notice, are a startling shade of blue. They seem narrowed in thought.

  “If that’s the case… should I take my chances with one of your bikers instead of you?” I almost hold my breath when he stands. He’s way bigger than I thought he was, and now there’s an edge to him that wasn’t there before. As I gaze at him in defiance, I quietly wish my friends would hurry up with their bathroom shenanigans. If I’ve just stepped into the viper’s den, I don’t know if I can survive it alone.

  Chapter Three

  Andre

  She’s bold and annoying in a way that makes my skin crawl. As I stand there and glare down at her, I know I’ve just been challenged. My body is pumped up to respond, but my brain is confused; I’ve never been challenged by a woman who looks like she belongs in the suburbs before. The two ladies who have my back are full of tattoos and experience, and I know they’re capable of taking me down any day of the week.

  “You’ve got some serious balls on you. You know that?” I can’t stop the edge of anger in my tone, and my nostrils flare. All I want to do is pick her up and pound her into any available hard surface, just because she’s asking for it.

  “Do you think they’re bigger than yours?” Her voice grows husky, and she bites down on her bottom lip. Several men draw in sharp breaths as though they’ve just been burned.

  I can feel the eyes of everyone in the bar on me. It’s time to step up my game. “I think….” I lean over her and clench one of my fists against the top of the bar next to one of her hands. “That you’re all talk. I don’t think there’s anything in that brain or body of yours except for fancy words.”

  “WellI think you should let me in so I can prove you wrong. Or, worst case scenario, you can prove me wrong. Wouldn’t that feel good? I bet it would make you look all tough in front of your buddies.”

  Damn. How can one woman piss me off and make me want to ravage her at the same time. I can feel the veins popping along the sides of my neck, and there’s a sweat along my temples. It’s gotten me even more hot and bothered. The hand not on the bar touches her hair and curls around some of the strands. I lean closer to her until I can feel her breath against my lips. “You’re on, baby. But there’s one thing you need to know: Once you’re in… there’s no getting out.”

  Her eyes light up like fire, and she flashes me a cocky grin. “Oh believe me… if it ever comes down to that, it’ll be you trying to get out, not me.”

  “Kristel!” There’s a woman with dark brown hair walking out of the bathroom, and I have a feeling she’s heard at least some of our conversation. She’s got a smile on her face, and her eyes are bright with mirth. “What’s gotten into you?”

  I stay quiet as Kristel turns to the brunette, and there’s laughter between them. “Think about it, Danielle,” Kristelsays. “How badly will my parents flip out if they find out I joined a biker gang? And not justany biker gang.” She turns to look at me, and one of her hands flips some pale hair over a shoulder. “A biker gang with a leader full of tattoos, piercings, and all the muscles a girl could ever want.”

  Danielle stares at Kristelwith wide eyes, then laughs. “My God, you areso drunk! I’m just sorry there aren’t any cameras so we can all watch this later.”

  “You always did say I was mysterious.” Kristel lets out a giggle. She slides off the stool and walks over to her friend. It gives me a fantastic view of her ass, and I know it’s not just me watching her. “What do you think? Isn’t he gorgeous?” I can hear her from where I’m sitting, but I turn back to the bar and pretend I’m not listening.

  “Heis. What’s his name?”

  “Andre. How adorable is that?”

  Danielle giggles. “Way too adorable. And oh my god, those arms! You are so fucking lucky, girl! Do you think you’ll get a chance to find out what’s under the hood?”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure. I got him all riled up while you and Wendy were in the bathroom. I’m shocked he didn’t take me on the bar top right then and there.” Kristel lets out a laugh, which quickly turns into one of the most delightful sounds I have ever heard.

  “You’re a lucky bastard, you know that?” The bartender, Grant, pushes a shot toward me. “Thing is, she doesn’t belong here. Why’d you let her bait you that way?”

  His voice distracts me from the women chattering behind me. I tap my fingers against the shot glass and shrug. “There’s just something about her. She’s got the kind of sass that I like and besides… maybe there’s more to her than meets the eye.”

  “There aren’t any doubts about that. But dude, she worked you like you were an amateur. And now you need to deal with the consequences. For your sake, I hope they don’t get too rough. Some of the boys are still pretty loyal to Samuel.”

  A sigh parts my lips, and I raise my eyebrows. “So I discovered. But you know…” An eyebrow lifts, and I glance back at the women. “I’m not worried. My instincts haven’t steered me wrong yet.” I tilt my head back and take down the shot. The taste of it burns my tongue and my throat, but I refrain from wincing. With a hiss, I slam the glass down on the bar top and turn back to Grant. “Nowthat’s a damn shot! Hit me again!”

  “You got it, big boss.” He chuckles and pours me a second.

  “Hey man… did you lose or what?” Will’s calling me from his seat a few feet away.

  I swivel in my stool to look at him. “Nope.” With a grin, I take back the second shot. “Before the end of the night, she’ll be all over me. Guaranteed.”

  “Cocky bugger, aren’t you?” He’s not looking at me, though; he’s got his eyes on the two brunettes. After what appears to be a reflection of indecision on his face, he gets up and walks with confidence over to the brunettes.

  “This should be good.” Grant chuckles and wipes at the counter with a cloth to pretend like he’s working.

  “He better not take my girl.” I fold my arms across my chest and stare with suspicion at his frequent, but entertaining gestures. They’ve moved further away, so I can’t hear anything that’s being said. Within a few minutes, though, he slides his arms around Danielle and the other dark-haired woman and walks with them toward the exit. Kristel watches them go, and I swear her body language screams that she’s nervous.

  When she turns to look back at me, though, I see a flash of sass in her smile. She’s a great little actress, and my experience with women tells me she’s got more than a little something to hide. I give her a smirk in return and step away from the bar toward her. Some of my boys are looking at her like she’s some kind of juicy meal; I don’t want anyone touching her except for me. When I reach her side, I tangle fingers in her hair and give it a tug. My body is so close to her that I can feel the heat of her body; it makes me want to close even more distance between us.

  “What kind of girl are you? Hmm?” My mouth touches the shell of her ear.

  She presses against me, and I can feel her trembling. It has to be anticipation or excitement, because she’s not trying to run. “The naughty kind…” She trails her fingers down my chest and only stops when they reach the hem of my jeans. Her hand curls around the edge and tugs my hips right into her.

  “Is that what you tell yourself?” My mouth is so close to her face that it touches several strands of her golden hair.

  “Is there a problem with that?” She tugs at my jeans again and looks toward the bathroom behind the bar. It’s the same one her friends were in earlier, but as far as I know it’s empty now.

  I bite down on my bottom lip and push close enough that she has to move back or fall. Her eyes grow wide, and she seems surprised by my response. Then a large smile spreads across her mouth, and she turns away from me. She glances over her shoulder and gazes into my e
yes as she sashays toward the bathroom. I feel the temptation rising inside of me, but for a moment I wonder if I’m about to make a mistake. The Black Knights have just come under my leadership, and although I’ve been around motorcycle gangs a long time, I have no idea how this particular group ticks.

  What the hell, just fuck her, I think.If you don’t, one of these other vultures will.

  The boys are staring at her like she’s a great, big piece of meat, and I’m sure I’m looking at her the same way. The only person she’s got her eyes on, though, is me.

  “Shit.” I lower my head and run fingers back through my hair. My face shifts into a smile, and I walk with long strides toward the bathroom. Cat-calls and whistles follow me, as well as a few choice words I vow to forget.