Luckily for me, I’ve never been good at doing what I’m told. By the time I was twenty, they’d become my family.
They get a bad rap, but they’re not bad men. Don’t get me wrong, they do bad shit sometimes, but they take care of those they love, and they’ve been really good to me.
I started hanging around, and they kind of just took me in. The president at the time figured if I was going to be here anyway, he might as well give me a job and hired me to work the desk.
That was five years ago.
I waltz across the dim room and flip the switch behind the mahogany bar. The clubhouse comes to life—pool tables line the back wall, the Ravens Ridge Riders sign lights up in red above the shelves of liquor bottles, and round high-top tables scatter the center. The bike and cut that belonged to the club’s founder, Tank, sits on a pedestal against the wall, illuminated from above. His son’s is on display in the backroom.
I’ve often wondered where they’ll put Gabe’s years from now.
“Damn, you’ve been busy today.” Colette beams, strolling in from the external door.
I came back here every break I had today to tidy up for tonight because I knew I’d have my work cut out for me when I got off. Colette and I took over planning and prepping for the annual New Years Eve party a couple years ago after the boys damn near burnt down the clubhouse with a fireworks display.
Gabe and JT have been permanently banned from the party planning committee and anything involving pyrotechnics.
“Shit! Look at you, ma’am!” I gesture up and down dramatically to her all-black outfit. She grins, placing her matching Prada purse on the bar top.
You’d never guess she was almost fifty. Her long legs and slim frame along with the soft blonde waves add to her graceful aura, but she’s a pit bull underneath all of that. Especially, when it involves her boys.
Honestly, all of that is probably why her husband was wholly obsessed with her.
I would be too.
“The place was a mess. I figured a head start wouldn’t hurt.”
She pulls the top half of her shoulder length hair back before rattling off a list of things that still need to get done, including stocking the bar.
An hour later, I’m dumping the last bag of ice in the chest when Colette says, “Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to be helping.”
I spin to find her across the room, wrapping her arms around her son.
Gabe flicks his ocean eyes at me from over her shoulder. He gets those pretty baby-blues from her, along with his honey-blond hair that rests just above his shoulders, and that annoying charm.
Where his dad was all business all the time, Gabe’s… well, he’s Gabe.
He releases her to swagger toward me.
We’ve had the perfect friends-with-benefits situation on and off for years. It just works for us.
I have commitment issues, and well… Gabe just has issues in general when it comes to women.
He’s a mess.
You can tell him I said that.
As the president of the Riders, he’s practically a celebrity in Ravens Ridge. Most people are afraid of him, but there isn’t a woman in town who doesn’t want to sleep with him.
Most of them have actually.
I guess I’m one of them, but where they all dream of becoming his ol’ lady, I’m good with just a quick fuck with no strings.
I know what a pain in the ass he is.
“Don’t you dress up nice?” I smirk as he approaches.
He’s changed out of the navy-blue work coveralls and into a black button-up.