“Yeah, you don’t need any of that shit,” Smokey said. “You got a joint? Everyone here is out.”
Wheelie pulled one out of the inner pocket of his cut and handed it to Smokey. “I went for a ride. It was awesome.”
The men nodded in mutual understanding and nothing more needed to be said. The ride was everything, and whenever any one of them had the chance to hit the road on their bikes, they took it.
After taking another long slug, Wheelie held up his hand indicating that he wanted another double; Skinless came over in a flash. “So, who’s ahead and by how much?” Wheelie asked.
“Skeet is,” Rags said, motioning Skinless for another round for the table. “I’m down about five hundred fuckin’ bucks.”
“I’m out,” Cruiser said, laying his cards on the table. “You wanna take my place?” The chair scraped backwards, and the black-haired brother stood up. “I need some relaxation.” He walked over to Brandi, bent down, and kissed her deeply.
“He’s been eyeing her for the last half hour,” Smokey said as he scooped up the winnings.
After a few more games of poker, Skeet lifted his arms overhead and stretched then leaned back in the chair. “Hey, dude,” he called out.
Wheelie looked over his shoulder and saw Tigger walking toward the table, his arm snagged around Rosie’s waist. Poking a tongue lightly into his cheek, Wheelie inhaled a long breath.
“You guys got a poker game going on?” Tigger stopped at the table looking down at Skeet’s cards.
“I didn’t think you were coming by tonight,” Skeet said.
“I wanted some good pussy,” Tigger said, slapping Rosie’s behind. She giggled and curled her fingers around his bulging biceps.
Skeet chuckled and Wheelie pushed the table hard toward him. “Are you playing or fuckin’ talking?” he asked.
“What the hell’s the matter with you?” A dark glow pervaded Skeet’s face while his eyes flashed then lowered to his cards.
The other men turned their gazes away from Tigger, and Smokey cleared his throat and slid forward several chips. “Raise twenty-five.”
Wheelie went through the motions of the game but his attention was on Tigger and how he was disrespecting Sofia. After several minutes Tigger and Rosie walked away, and Wheelie’s jaw unclenched. From the way Rags and Smokey looked at him, he knew they thought he was out of his damn mind. When Ruben or Billy fooled around with the club women, Wheelie figured it was their business and between them and their old ladies, but with Tigger, it was like a red-hot poker stabbing his gut every time he saw him getting a blow job or fucking one of the club girls.
“You gotta keep your cool, dude,” Rags said under his breath. Skeet briefly glanced over at them before laying his cards down. Skeet and Tigger were tight, especially since they’d spent several years together in the pen.
Wheelie bristled even though he knew Rags was right. The truth was that Wheelie didn’t have any say in Tigger and Sofia’s marriage, just like he didn’t in Ruben and Doris’s or Billy and Marlena’s. The fact that the old ladies seemed cool with their husbands’ occasional indiscretions made it seem all right.Maybe Sofia doesn’t care if Tigger fucks around.He scrubbed his face with his fists and pushed his chair back.I gotta stop thinking or caring about her.Antsy as hell, Wheelie stood up.
“Aren’t you gonna play another round?” Smokey asked as he shuffled he cards.
“Nah, I’m not into it. Later.” He lifted his chin and went over to the bar, motioning Skinless to bring him a beer. As he drank it, his gaze drifted to the corner of the room where Tigger sat on the couch and Rosie kneeled between his legs, his dick going in and out of her mouth while he played with her swaying tits. A sudden desire to hold Sofia close to him washed over Wheelie. Finishing his beer, he went out back and walked over to the river that ran behind the club’s property. Stooping down, he watched as the rushing water ran over the rocks, its turbulent flow mirroring the chaos of emotions inside him. He took out his phone and tapped in Sofia’s number.
“Hello?” she said tentatively.
“Hey,” he answered.
“Wheelie.”
He heard the smile in her voice. “I was just thinking of you.”
“How nice. I was thinking about you too.”
It took all the willpower he had to not get on his Harley and go to her. “I still owe you a bike ride.”
A small chuckle echoed through her. “You do. Maybe we can go when Tigger goes out of town in a couple of weeks. He’s going on another poker run with Skeet and Cruiser.” A small intake of breath. “He’ll be gone for six days.”
“Then it’s a date. You and me on my bike. We’ll go to Hanging Lake. Have you been there before?”
“No. I heard it’s beautiful and has the most amazing waterfall. I’d love to go.”
“We will. I promise. Did you have a good time tonight at Steeler’s?”