Of course they are.
“We’d love to come,” Lana replies, shooting me a smirk.
We would?
“Actually—”
“We don’t have anything going on, Anna, don’t worry,” she adds, eyes alight with mischief.
“Traitor,” I mouth to her, and she laughs. A dinner where all the club women cook and I’ll probably have to watch Arrow with one of them? No, thank you very much.
I turn to my brother. “Lana wants to know about spanking.”
Lana’s eyes turn to slits, and her face returns to tomato red.
“Spanking?” Rake asks, sounding strained and looking anywhere but at me.
“Yes,” I say. “I heard you like spanking women, so maybe you could explain the pros and cons to it. What are the benefits?”
He stands. “I’ll pick up breakfast on the way home.”
He walks toward the door.
I burst out laughing. “Rake, stay. I’ll shut up, I promise.”
He shakes his head and bolts for the door. “I’ll take a rain check; see you later!”
I sigh, grin still wide on my face.
Lana, on the other hand, isn’t so amused. “I hate you.”
“You love me.”
She covers her face with her hands. “He’s going to tell Tracker, isn’t he?”
That’s what she’s worried about?
“Screw Tracker.” I glance at her. “And not literally either. Besides, he looks the type to give a good spanking himself.”
“And Arrow doesn’t?” she asks, raising a dark, perfectly arched brow.
Okay, maybe all the bikers do.
“I was waiting to see if you’d bring Arrow up.”
She tightens her lips. “Normally I wouldn’t, but turnabout is fair play and you’ve been giving me shit about Tracker.”
Her words are true.
“I don’t think there’s any chance of Arrow and me happening, so there’s nothing to say really,” I reply on a sigh. I don’t know why I was upset over it. He was a criminal and a biker. I had enough crazy in my life; I didn’t need to invite more in. I should be happy nothing was going to happen.
“How do you feel about dating someone in an MC?” I ask.
She tilts her head to the side. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve only ever seen the nice side of the guys. I’ve never even seen them do anything crazy or violent. I know they have another side, but it’s kind of hot that they’re badasses.”
I giggle at that. “I guess I know my brother would never harm us, and these are his family. So they’re mine now. Rake will always have my back and never let anything happen to me. I’m just drawn to Arrow. I can’t even explain it.”
She puts her hand on her hip. “At least Arrow is single. Tracker has a woman. There’s no chance there either, so you’re not alone.”
“Unrequited lust,” I blurt out, causing us to giggle, although nothing was really funny.
“We have the weirdest conversations,” I muse, my lip twitching. “It’s good to be back in town with you.”
Lana bobs her head in agreement. “It sucked big-time when you left; but you’re here now, and we get to make the most of it.”
“We do,” I say, standing up and putting my plate in the sink. “What are we doing today anyway?”
Lana smiles widely. “I’m going to the library to study, and you have your work trial.”
Right.
“We’re so fun,” I grumble. “I’m going to jump in the shower.”
Lana picks up her book. “I’m going to read a little while I wait.”
I bite my bottom lip, trying not to smirk. “Maybe next time just ask Tracker anything you want to know. Or your sluttiest friend.”
Maybe just ask Rake, the man-whore of the century. I think the only reason he got awkward about it was because I was there. I have a feeling if I wasn’t, it might even be his favorite subject.
“You are my sluttiest friend,” Lana replies in a dry tone, causing me to laugh. In Lana’s twenty-five years of life, she’s slept only with two men. According to her, those two men didn’t really know what they were doing. I offered to give them a map with a woman’s clit marked on it. I know she’s curious as hell and wants to try out everything she reads in those books. Whoever lands her and brings her out of her shell is going to be a lucky man indeed.
“You need to find more friends,” I call out to her as I enter the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
“You’re more than I can handle, thank you very much!” she calls out. I can’t help but wonder where all her friends are, the ones she would have hung out with when I left the city. She hasn’t mentioned anyone else, and I’m a little curious as to why. Reminding myself to ask her about that, I undress and step into the shower, enjoying the feeling of the warm water cascading down my body. When the water starts to turn cold, I hop out and dry myself, then choose what to wear for my first day at work.
If I get the job.
I settle on black pants and a loose black shirt, since I remembered Summer wearing something similar. I put on my black boots, a little bit of makeup, tie my hair up in a ponytail, and I’m good to go. When I walk out, Lana lifts her head from her book. “You look very nice.”
“Thanks,” I tell her. “I want to look neither too slutty nor too professional.”
She laughs at that. “Well, you nailed it. Want to grab a coffee before you start?”
I nod. “Sounds good.”
She stands up and slides her book into her handbag, then smiles up at me. “I know just the place.”
I look up and we leave the house, getting into her car that has seen better days.
“I need a new car,” she grumbles, like she always does.
“Hey, Ronald is a classic,” I reply, lifting my hand to fiddle with the stereo.
“Ronald needs to be replaced,” she says. “We’ve had some good times, don’t get me wrong, but I think he’s going to fall apart at any moment.”
She isn’t wrong. Ronald’s time is nearing. I also know she doesn’t have the money to replace him. Lana’s mother worked her ass off as a nurse at the hospital, and Lana was a full-time student. She started her degree later than she could have, because her mom was ill for a little while and Lana worked as a waitress full-time to help pay the bills. She deserved everything, had nothing, but never complained.
“I have money in the bank that Rake gave me—we could get you a new car with that,” I offer, but already know what her reply will be. Lana is also very proud, and stubborn as hell.
“Anna, thanks, but you know I couldn’t accept that,” she replies quietly. “I have some money saved away, you don’t need to worry about me anymore.”
“I know.” I sigh. “But I’m always here, no matter what you need.”
Considering Rake’s money was sitting in my bank because I was too stubborn to use someone else’s money, I could see where she was coming from. However, my circumstances were a little different than hers; I had only myself to worry about and a brother who would give me the world.
The music chooses that moment to turn on, Sam Smith playing through the car.
“See, Ronald is good to us sometimes,” I say, making her smile.
“He has his moments.”
* * *
After my second smashed glass, I hear Reid mutter something about a “clumsy scientist.” His twin Ryan, on the other hand, laughs and tells me not to worry about it. Ryan is easy to be around, and extremely laid-back. Reid is kind of grumpy, and a little scary. I was told that he’s a badass MMA fighter, which is why no one messes with him.
Summer arrives and takes over my training, thank God. Reid was getting on my last nerve.
“It gets pretty busy on the weekends,” Summer is saying. “Will you be able to work Saturday nights?”
“Yeah, no problem,” I tell her. “What other days will you need me?”
She tilts her head to the side, thinking. “Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays would be perfect. We have a girl who does Friday nights now, so that’s covered.”
“Those days work fine for me,” I reply.
She nods, then smiles. “I think we’re going to get along just fine, Anna.”