“Whachu want, Dan the Man?I got eggs, taters, three kinds of meat, and some fuckin’ fruit if you’re so inclined.I heard you brought a gorgeous redhead home last night.Good on ya, Dan the Man.”He turned to look, and Riley was surprised to see a bright flush rising into Malibu’s cheeks.“Oh, shit, man.I’m sorry.I mean, she is gorgeous, but I shouldn’t have...”He swallowed visibly, then lifted his chin.“I’ve got a little bit of pretty much anything you might want.”He tipped his head.“Ma’am.”
Riley burst out laughing, turning to rest her forehead against Dan’s shoulder.“I never expected to get ma’amed in a biker compound.”
“Malibu is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.”Dan chuckled.“And he doesn’t fluster easily, but you got him today.”
“I’m sorry, ma—” Malibu rolled his eyes.“Food?Anyone?A rescue here?”
“Eggs however you wanna cook them, some bacon and toast?”Riley gave him a grin.“I’m not fussy.”
“Same, make your life easier,” Dan told him.“If you’ve got platters out somewhere, Riley and me can pull from that?”
“Nope, lemme do the eggs and toast fresh at least.”He turned and flipped on a burner underneath a pan, tossing a pat of butter in before he tipped a measured amount of pre-whipped raw eggs.
“Are you a chef somewhere?”Riley was impressed.“You’re good at this.”
“Yeah, he is.He won’t brag on himself, but we all will.He’s at the restaurant in the resort up the hill.He’s in high demand at other places in town too, aren’t ya, Malibu?”Dan’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and Riley lifted a hand to touch the evidence of a smile.He pressed into the hand, and she cradled his face, stroking her thumb across his cheek over the bandana.Dan looked at her, and she felt the muscles of his face move.
“Uh.Plates are ready.”Malibu was blushing again as she turned to look at him.“Here you go, Dan the Man and...uh, Riley.”
She accepted the plateful of food and watched Dan’s next move, following him to where he gathered utensils and napkins and a fair pile of bacon.They went back outside and sat at a picnic table off to the side, and Riley sighed, because the sunshine felt so good.
“What time do you open?”Dan had his back to his brothers in the club and had taken off the bandana to eat.
“Usually at noon, since I work until late.Today I have a ten o’clock appointment.I’ve got time after to go over the sketches.I can’t believe I didn’t remember to bring them with me last night.”She ducked her head.“Sorry.”
“You had a pretty shitty day yesterday, Riley.I’d say there’s no reason to ask forgiveness for anything.”
“Dan, keepin’ the pretty lady all to yourself?”The man he’d called Rocker walked up behind him, smiling over Dan’s head at Riley.
“Planned on it.”Dan only moved to bring up the bandana after Rocker smacked him on the shoulder.“The fuck you think you’re doing over here, brother?”
“Seein’ how your lady liked her accommodations.That’s it, brother.”He sat next to Dan and swung his legs over the bench, twisting so they were both facing Riley.
I’m thinking he’s hoping I get in the middle of things.She snorted internally.I’m thinking he’s going to be wrong.
“I slept well, didn’t I Dan?”She shot him a guarded smile, hoping he’d pick up on where she was going.“The compound is quiet, the company is great, and I can’t imagine a safer place.”
“Yeah, you slept like a baby.”His eyes crinkled in what she knew was a grin.“Once I let you get to sleep, that is.”
“Hell yeah, Dan,” Rocker crowed, slugging Dan in the shoulder.“Lock her down, man.She’s here without fear.She’s a keeper.”
Dan’s eyes crinkled again, and Riley let herself smile back.
***
Dan
He’d had to go deal with a prospect getting into trouble with another club, and on his return, Dan pulled into the clubhouse lot, the bike’s engine rumbling to a stop as he killed the ignition.Riley’s bike was still parked next to his spot, telling him she hadn’t gone anywhere while he was away.
The lot was bright in the sunshine, a few brothers milling around outside with smokes and beers, but his mind was back at the shop on that first day.When he’d first experienced Riley’s touch on his scars, her steady gaze that didn’t flinch.It had stirred something in him, a vulnerability he hadn’t let surface in years.But with the Horde remnants sniffing around, the threats feeling too close, he couldn’t shake the parallels to what Dawg had gone through last year with Ella’s kidnapping by the HHMC.That caused the Maniacs to shut down the Horde.Hard.
He spotted Mad Dawg inside the main room, slumped on a stool at the bar, staring into a half-empty bottle like it held some kind of wisdom.Dan tugged the bandana down slightly and slid onto the stool next to him.The prospect behind the bar handed him a beer without a word, and Dan twisted off the cap, taking a long pull before speaking.
“Brother,” Dan started, voice low and rough.“Got a minute?Need to pick your brain about something.”
Mad Dawg glanced over, his eyes sharpening.“Always, man.What’s eating at you?That redhead at the shop?”
Dan nodded, then shook his head because it wasn’t just that.“Yeah, but it’s more.The Horde shit, and them targeting her place.Reminds me of what went down with Ella last year.That fucking kidnapping, and all the fear.I know you powered through it on the outside, but mentally?How’d you deal?The what-ifs, the guilt.How’d you keep from cracking under the pressure?”