“He works with Chloe.” Justin was as close to Gunner and his brothers, who also went by their road names, Tank and Baz, as he was to his own siblings. He’d also been close to their late sister, Ashley, who had committed suicide by overdosing several years ago, when she was in college.
“Someone needs to take the stick out of his ass,” Zander said as he hoisted himself up to sit on the table where Blaine was gathering brochures. Zander’s filter was nearly nonexistent. As a kid with a learning disability, he had always been the class clown—anything to keep his nose out of the books. Zeke, who was only a year older, had become his protector and his tutor. Zander was twenty-eight now, and he was still a jokester.
“No kidding.” Justin turned to Blaine and said, “And to answer your question, yes, I’m sure I want to take on the job. Chloe asked for a favor, and she never asks for a damn thing.”
“Then why are you always doing shit for her?” Gunner asked.
“Because we’re friends, and that’s what friends do.”
Zander cocked a grin and said, “He thinks it will get Uptown Girl into his bed.”
Justin glared at him. They were always teasing him about her being out of his league. He’d met her through his closest female friend, Violet, who owned Summer House Inn in Wellfleet with her sister, Desiree. Chloe had immediately caught his attention, and yeah, at first glance she was a tall, blond, regal beauty. The kind of woman who wouldn’t give a biker the time of day. But she sure as hell flirted with him in her own scorching-hot way, though he knew it looked to others an awful lot like she was blowing him off. But he’d learned her little tells—the hitching of her breath, the extra second she took before speaking to steel herself against their white-hot chemistry. Her keen hazel eyes and smart-ass banter intrigued him as much as her brilliant mind and gorgeous body. He knew in his gut that there was a lot more to Chloe—and to them—than met the eye, and he was determined to peel away those perfectly put together layers even if it took him a lifetime.
“Fuck that,” Gunner said. “She’s gorgeous, but you’ve been dicking around with her forever. It’s time to find another woman to ride your hog.”
“Jesus. Do you really do shit expecting sex in return?” Justin shot him a disbelieving look.
“No, man,” Gunner said. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“But you’ve got to admit, you’re always helping her—like she’s your woman, not just your friend,” Zander said.
“I don’t keep a tally on friendship, and a woman doesn’t have to be mine for me to treat her well. Doesn’t love, loyalty, and respect for all mean anything to you?” He knew they were just giving him shit and that they all lived by the Dark Knights’ creed, but Alan Rogers had put him in a crappy mood.
“Of course, man,” Gunner said.
“Good. Then shut your mouth about Chloe. I’m not just interested in screwing her, and she’s not ready for me yet,” Justin said arrogantly. “She still believes her Prince Charming wears a frigging tie, and that’s okay. I get it. She’s a classy chick. But trust me, one day she’ll get out of her own fucking way and know who her man is meant to be. Some things can’t be rushed.” That was a lesson Justin had learned long ago. He’d been placed with the Wickeds as a foster child when he was eleven, and it had taken him about a year to open up to them. Twenty-plus years later, he still considered it the best thing he’d ever done.
“I’m going to call Chloe and let her know we met the guy. Be right back.” Justin walked out of the showroom and headed toward his office. Chloe answered on the second ring.
“Mr. Wicked, my favorite biker boy. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Her alluring voice brought a smile to his face. “Hey, heartbreaker. I just met with the guy you referred, Rogers. Can’t say I like him much.”
“I know he’s a little strange, but he’s my boss, and his wife is the sweetest woman on earth. When I saw her a few weeks ago, the patio was all she could talk about. She shouldn’t pay the price for his being weird. I would really appreciate you helping them out.”