who Tank was to him. Tank looked at Tanner. “You been talking about me, brother?”
Tanner shrugged, then looked to some other men who were there. “This is AK.” AK got to his feet and I shook his hand. I remembered him from the truck ride to the clubhouse when I was taken from the barn. “This is Bull, Ky, Cowboy, Hush, Smiler, and Rudge.” I shook all the men’s hands.
A tall man with red hair got up from his seat and smiled widely at me. He came straight to me, saying, “Fuck the handshake.” He wrapped his arms around me. “I need to show our cartel princess some Viking love.” Just as he squeezed me to his chest, he was pulled away.
Tanner pushed him back until he fell into his seat. “Don’t fucking touch her,” Tanner warned.
The red-haired man just smiled and casually put his hands on the back of his head. “What’s wrong, White Prince? Worried your princess will prefer the anaconda to your worm?” I frowned, having no understanding of what they were talking about. The redhead shrugged. “I can’t help if bitches love me. I’m fucking irresistible to pussy.”
“Chlamydia-ridden pussies,” the blond man—Ky— said.
The redhead opened his arms. “VP, I’m as liberal as they come. I don’t discriminate against any pussy that comes to pet the anaconda. Black, white, brown, they’re all welcome . . .” He put his attention back to me and licked his lips suggestively. “Though I must say, I do have a real penchant for how the Latinas taste.”
Tanner sighed, then said, “Lita. This prick who never shuts his stupid fucking mouth is Viking.”
He bowed dramatically. “At your service, ma’am.”
I raised my hand in a wave, not sure quite how I should be greeting him. Suddenly the tall dark-haired man—AK, I remembered he was named—and Viking were on their feet. “And he is risen!” Viking shouted just as a man with black eyes, piercings, and tattoos all over his body came toward us. A beautiful woman walked beside him. They were hand in hand. She looked distinctly like Styx’s wife.
AK stood in front of the man. He didn’t touch him, just simply said, “You good now?”
“Yes.” The man said, then looked at me. His black eyes unnerved me.
AK must have seen. “This is Adelita. Tanner’s bitch.”
Flame didn’t shake my hand when I held it out. The woman with him stepped forward and shook my hand instead. “Nice to meet you.” I smiled at the woman. She was small with huge green eyes. “I am Maddie. This is Flame, my husband.” I noticed she had the same strange accent as some of the women I met the first day I was here.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Where’s Ash?” Flame asked AK.
AK shrugged. “With Zane and Slash in the compound somewhere. Doing something for Sawyer.” Flame’s eyes narrowed. He looked so tense, so angry.
Maddie took hold of Flame’s hand, and he instantly relaxed. She helped her husband onto a seat. He was favoring one side, but that didn’t stop him from pulling her onto his lap. As odd as they looked together, it was obvious by the way their hands entwined and their bodies leaned into one another that they were madly in love.
“Lita!” Beauty asked, using the shortened version of my name Tanner did. “What’s your poison?”
I frowned. “Drink, princess.” Tanner pulled me down to sit on the chair beside his. “What do you want to drink?” I looked at the whiskey and beer that was on the tables.
“Wine, right?” Beauty asked, clearly seeing my nose curl up in distaste.
“Yes,” I said. “Wine is perfect.”
Beauty disappeared into the mass of people toward the bar. I took a moment to look around. It was crazy to me that I was here. In the lion’s den. Tanner’s hand squeezed my thigh. I looked toward him and smiled, taking his hand in mine. Beauty came back with a glass of red wine and placed it before me. “Looked like a merlot kinda woman to me. Am I right?”
“You’re correct.”
Beauty winked at me and sat down beside Tank.
“So?” Tank said, talking to me. “You’re the one who finally got through to my friend, huh? Quintana’s daughter?” Tank had known Tanner for years. He knew the man I’d met who was anything but kind to me.
“I am,” I said and turned to Tanner, smiling. “Eventually.”
“He was a cunt at first, eh?” Viking was leaning over other people to hear our conversation. Tanner rolled his eyes.