“Um, that sounds good,” I replied, sort of surprised. “You know, it’s funny. I don’t think of a motorcycle club president as being the kind of guy who’d have a home theater.”
“I’ll bet you wouldn’t think he’d have a virgin daughter, either,” she said, regaining some of her humor. “Fuck this, let’s go. Last time they had a party this big, I walked in on my dad screwing this chick I graduated with. It was disgusting.”
Back out in the courtyard, a circle had formed beyond the bonfire. People cheered, yelled, and groaned every few seconds.
“What’s that all about?” I asked, craning my neck.
“Fights,” Em said shortly. “That’s what happens when you have too many penises concentrated in one place. Oh, and I wasn’t kidding when I said Ruger was up next—he’s out there right now. For some reason they think it’s fun to hit each other. Let’s find Maggs. Maybe she’ll come watch movies with us.”
I laughed, then spotted Maggs. She stood near the fire, staring deep into the flames. I walked over to her but she didn’t look up.
“You okay?”
She sighed and crossed her arms, frowning.
“Peachy,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m just sick and fucking tired of being here without my man. The club’s great and all, but it’s not like having Bolt in my bed.”
I wasn’t quite sure what to do, so I hugged her. She hugged me back. I really wanted to stay friends with these women, despite the whole Ruger situation.
“Hey, you want to come and watch movies with me and Em?” I asked. “I’m sick of Ruger, Picnic says Em has to leave, and you’re lonely. Sounds like God himself wants us to get out of here and eat some chocolate ice cream.”
She snorted.
“Ice cream’s no substitute for a man,” she said wryly.
“We can have whipped cream on it,” I said, waggling my eyebrows. “You can pretend you’re licking it off him instead of the spoon.”
“You’re a dork,” she replied, but she smiled.
“I know,” I said cheerfully. “But I’m a dork who knows her refrigerated toppings, and that’s mission-critical tonight. Let’s go.”
“I want you to meet Buck first,” she said. “You need to ask him about a job.”
I frowned. Did I really want to work at a strip club—especially one owned by the Reapers? Didn’t seem like the best way to distance myself …
“You don’t have to decide tonight,” she said. “Just talk to him, and then we’ll get back to what’s really important—ice cream and chick flicks. A sad one, please, because I’m definitely in the mood for a good cry. Let’s just talk to him, okay?”
“Not like you have anything to lose,” Em added, coming up beside us. “Find Buck, then we’ll ditch this place. I’m ready for a three-way with Ben and Jerry.”
Maggs took my hand and pulled me toward the crowd surrounding the fighters, Em trailing us like a puppy. I couldn’t see much of the fight, what with the wall of bikers cutting us off, but Maggs wormed her way through them like an expert. Soon we stood on the edge of the “ring,” which was just a line traced in the dirt. She was looking around for Buck, but the sound of a fist hitting flesh caught my full attention.
Ruger stood in the center of the circle, naked to the waist, hands bare, expression hostile. He was facing off against a man I didn’t know. He looked a little younger than Ruger, and based on the blood dripping down his face, Ruger was kicking his ass.
Em stumbled to a halt next to me.
“What the hell does Painter think he’s doing?” she muttered. “I can’t believe he’s fighting Ruger. That’s fucking stupid.”
“Why?” I asked, eyes glued to the men circling each other. I could see the top half of Ruger’s panther tattoo above his jeans. It really was perfect for him—every movement was lithe and smooth and utterly predatory.
“Ruger’s really good,” Em said shortly. “He’ll slaughter Painter.”
“Is that the one …?”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice grim. “That’s him. The guy who won’t put out for me. I hope Ruger kicks his ass.”
Ruger chose that moment to plow his fist into Painter’s stomach, and the crowd roared. Painter gasped but he stayed upright, recovering surprisingly fast, at least to my uneducated eye.
“He’s over there,” Maggs said, grabbing my arm again. I looked at her blankly.
“Who’s over there?”
“Buck,” she said. “You wanted to talk to him about a job, right?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said, forcing myself to look away from the circling boxers. What kind of idiots fought like this on purpose? Maggs dragged me through the crowd some more, coming to a halt next to a big man watching the fight with his arms crossed. He didn’t look too happy.
“Hey, Buck,” Maggs said brightly. He glanced down at her and raised a brow. I swallowed.
“Um, we can do this a different time,” I leaned in and whispered to Maggs. “He doesn’t look like he’s in a good mood.”
“He’s just like that,” she said. “Right, Buck? You’re always kind of a dick, aren’t you?”
The big man actually smiled.
“And you’re always kind of a bitch, but I like you anyway,” he said. “You ready to ditch Bolt’s ass and fuck a real man?”
“I think Jade might have a problem with that, and she’s a helluva good shot.”
This time the smile reached his eyes.
“That’s the fuckin’ truth,” he said. “God, but she can be a bitch. Never boring. So who’s this?”
“This is Sophie,” she said, jerking me forward. From the ring I heard the crack of flesh hitting flesh, and saw Painter staggering in the corner of my eye. Ruger circled him like a cat playing with its food. I forced myself not to pay attention, focusing on Buck instead. Talking to him couldn’t hurt.
“Sophie’s looking for a job,” Maggs added.
“Dancing?” he asked, raising a brow. His eyes crawled down my figure, assessing me closely in a new way—all business now.
“I want to waitress,” I said. “I’ve waited tables in bars before. Never a strip club, but I’m a hard worker. I hear it’s a good place to work.”
He studied me, face thoughtful.
“You belong to anyone?”
Maggs and I looked at each other, and I shook my head.
“Not really,” I answered.
“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?”
“She—”
“Shut up, Maggs,” he said, although his tone wasn’t mean. “She can’t talk for herself, she’s got no place in my bar. So what’s the story, you belong to someone or not?”
There was a sudden flurry of activity between the fighters, a series of fast blows that I couldn’t quite follow in my peripheral vision. Based on the crowd’s reaction, things were getting interesting.
“You this slow takin’ drink orders?” Buck asked. “’Cause I don’t need a slow waitress.”
“Sorry,” I said, gathering myself. “Ruger is my son’s uncle.”
“He give you that ring around your neck?”
“Um, yeah,” I said, grimacing. “And I live with him. Nothing between us, though. I just really need a job.”
Buck eyed me speculatively, then glanced at Maggs. She smirked and rolled her eyes. Buck nodded slowly, then leaned over to the man next to him.
“Hundred bucks on Painter?”
The man stared at him, brows raising.
“You fuckin’ insane?”
“Nope,” Buck said. “We got a bet?”
“Sure, I’ll take your money. Kid’s almost finished.”
Buck turned back to me.
“Show me your tits,” he said.
My eyes widened.
“I’m not looking to dance,” I said quickly. “Just wait tables.”
“Yeah, I get that,” he replied. “But I need to make sure you’ll fill out the uniform right. You can leave your bra, but lift that shirt if you want a job.”
I glanced at Maggs, who nodded reassuringly.
“Don’t worry,” she said, bright eyes darting between me, Buck, and the men fighting. “You need a decent rack to waitress at The Line. Go ahead, nobody will care.”
I took a deep breath, reached down, and pulled up my shirt all the way.