Duke (7 page)

“
I don’t think it’s a good idea tonight. I’ve had a lot to drink.”

Duke suddenly realized what she was worried about, and his mouth went into a smile he couldn’t hold back. “I’m certain that little cunt of yours is as beautiful as the rest of you, but I promise you, I’m not going to sink my cock into it for the first time when you’re drunk. You’re gonna be stone cold sober for our first time, my beautiful Gen. I just want to spend time with you, tonight.”

Her face flamed red, she sat down, leaned over, and covered her face with her hands.

“
Umm, Mr. Duke? Sir?”

He turned towards the voice and took in Frisco and Isaac’s girlfriend in real life for the first time. So sweet, so shy. He smiled, trying hard not to scare her, too, and said, “Yes, Darlin’?”

“
She isn’t used to being talked to like that. You might want to tone it down a little.”

He smiled, looked back to his Gen. “She’s a strong one. She’ll get used to it. She’ll get used to me.”

At this, Samantha Levi stood and said, “I don’t want to know what happened to the gentleman you walked out, but I will thank you for not doing it in front of her. However, she doesn’t want to be here right now and if you keep insisting she stay, you aren’t much better than him.”

Different worlds.
Duke had known they’d come from different worlds, but hadn’t understood exactly what it would mean. Gen’s face was still buried in her hands — what he’d thought was kid gloves was still too much for his little innocent, apparently. He squatted in front of her and said, “Beautiful, can you look at me a second, please?”

She dropped her hands and looked at him, and he said, “Thank you. Let’s go over a few definitions, okay?” She nodded and he said, “Okay, in biker world, saying you’re mine can mean a lot of things. Mostly, it means if anyone hurts you, I hurt them. If anyone touches you in a way you or I don’t want them to, I hurt them. Every man in Rolling Thunder is mine. Their wives, most of their girlfriends, all of their kids, most of their girlfriends’ kids. We employ a few people not in the club, and
they
are mine. I’ve claimed you publicly. Six months ago it may have made you a target. Today? It keeps you safe.”

Gen took a few minutes to digest his words and said, “I don’t like the ‘C’ word. It’s worse than… it’s worse than the rest. All of them. Even GD, which I thought was the worst until I heard you—”

“
Okay
, Beautiful. I’m sorry. We’re going to have to find a common vocabulary. You’re smart, I’m smart. We can do this.”

Some movement caught his eye and he looked up to see another female glaring at him, the redhead Gen had been dancing with. When their eyes met, she took the opportunity to point her finger and say, “Her last three boyfriends jacked her over. She has maybe,
maybe
, one time left to give someone her heart before she locks herself away for good. She hasn’t been out on the first damned date since the last asshole, and if you give her all this talk about her being yours and then you let her walk in on you doing someone doggie style up the ass? I’ll
hurt
you.”

She paused for a few seconds, dropped her hand and said, “But you know what? You aren’t like anyone else she’s ever dated, so maybe you won’t turn out to be just another
fucking
asshole. Same goes, though. You hurt her and I hurt you.”

Gen’s face was back in her hands, so he stood, pulled her up to him, wrapped his arms around her, and cradled her face to his chest.

“
Let me guess,” he said to the woman who’d just let him have it. “Her best bud?”

She nodded but didn’t smile. “Bethany.”

He let go of Gen with one hand and offered it to Bethany. “I’m Duke. Nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand and asked, “Are all of us invited to this party, or just my girl?”

Again, not what he’d intended, but he ordered, “Everyone coming to the party, get out your phone and put my number in.”

He gave them his number and then looked to Tyler Hastings back in the corner. “Hastings, heard a lot about you, nice to finally meet you. You and your wife Viv are welcome.” He made his way around the room, addressed Cam and Cassie together, then Sam, Bethany, and the rest of the girls. When he didn’t know a name, he asked, and questioned how they were connected to Gen. He needed to make sure he knew everyone’s name before he carried them across the street.

“
Okay, for those of you who’re single, most of my men will fuck anything that moves, and ya’ll are
all
gonna get their attention. You’re interested? Have fun but don’t expect romance or dates afterward. Not interested? Tell them you walked in with me and you aren’t interested. They all have manners and none will push. Much.”

When he was through, he bent his head to his lovely Gen. “Ready, Beautiful?”

* * * *

Duke introduced them to a small handful of people and then set Gen and her friends up at a concrete picnic table. He asked one of the guys to get them set up with rum and Coke, and within a few minutes they had an expensive bottle of rum, lots of cans of cold Coke, and a stack of clear plastic glasses the perfect size for mixed drinks. He poured her a drink and looked to her friends. “I can have someone keep the table stocked with pitchers of margaritas, there’s beer on tap at the bar, or if you want something else. Let me know. If we don’t have it here we can get it from across the street.”

Sam spoke up. “Margarita’s sound nice, if you don’t mind. Also, it sounds like my husband has decided he needs to be by my side and he’s on the way. I hope it’s okay?”

“
Perfectly fine and perfectly understandable. What kind of car’s he driving?”

Duke texted one of the guys watching the gate and looked up. “Anyone else have a spouse or boyfriend on the way?”

Cassie’s hand went up and Duke stilled as he realized the ramifications. He’d known this moment was coming, but it couldn’t happen at a worse time. He was pretty sure Cassie had told them what’d happened, and he knew Frisco would be pissed. And if Frisco was pissed, Isaac would be, as well.

Isaac was one of the few people on the planet Duke was afraid of.

“
Well, Cassie dear,” he told her. “This complicates things, doesn’t it? I’m glad for you, and for Gen, that you have people who love you enough to storm a motorcycle club with the intention of going after the club’s president, but I need to step away and make sure my men know the score. I’ll be right back.”

* * * *

When Duke came back, he sat across from Gen and made up silly drinking games. He played footsies with her, he made her laugh, and he made her friends laugh. Some of the guys came over to meet Duke’s “little spitfire,” and a few of their girlfriends high-fived her for taking down the guy in the bar. Several of the men were in awe over meeting Sam, and when Ethan arrived and sat with them, even more people came by to talk and chat.

Gen was secretly glad Frisco lived so far away, as she’d enjoyed this time with Duke. About the time she thought this, she saw him look at his phone, his body tighten and then relax as he looked up and said, “Your brother and Isaac are here. Want to walk with me to them, see if we can contain the scene?”

Gen nodded.

Ethan and Sam stood to come with them, as did Cassie and Cam. Duke told them to hang back, but Gen said, “No, Ethan’s good at calming him. So’s Cam, and Cassie’s magic. Sam just threatens to pound his rear into the ground. Let them come.”

Gen reached for Duke’s hand as they walked. He’d been so careful with her since he realized he’d scared her, and she felt like he needed her moral support. She didn’t know if this was going anywhere, but Bethany’s words came back to her.
You aren’t like anyone else she’s ever dated, so maybe you won’t turn out to be just another fucking asshole.
 

Bethany was right. Gen always picked the same basic kind of guy, and always got the same results. Would picking a different kind of guy give different results?

They stepped away from the party, made their way to the parking lot, and Gen noted Duke had taken them into a corner area, out of sight of both the party and the bar across the road. She understood why when Frisco lunged forward, ran towards them, and took a swing at Duke.

Duke caught Frisco’s fist as if a toddler had taken the swing. All in one motion Duke let go of Gen and twirled Frisco. When the action stopped, Duke’s arms were around Frisco, with Frisco’s back to Duke’s front, held firm so he couldn’t escape, and it happened in less than a second.

Duke’s voice came out in a growl. “I gave my men the heads up this was a family thing and it might get rough, but you just walked onto an MC compound and took a swing at the president, and my guys don’t know you. We’re about to be surrounded by an army of pissed off brothers. I suggest you calm your ass down and
talk
to me, Frisco. I don’t want animosity. I want to work this out. Can I let you go?”

In answer, Frisco said Isaac’s name, and Duke looked to Isaac, who didn’t look at all happy, and had his arms at his side, loose, ready to use them in a microsecond if necessary. Isaac’s words were a quiet threat. “You know I can wipe your parking lot with every one of your men, and none of us wants to broadcast what that would say about either of us. Talk to Frisco. Say what you need to say, but if you hurt him, you answer to me.”

Frisco spat out, “She’s an innocent, Bevering. What the hell are you
thinking
!”

“
You don’t think I know that? I can see it for myself, and I screwed up earlier with some coarse language, but I
learned
. I stayed away in high school but I won’t do it again. Sorry man, she calls to my soul.” Duke looked at Isaac and added, “Both of them.”

Gen’s heart jumped into her throat and then melted a little. Who knew the bad-ass scary biker could talk in poetry? She figured it was time to step in, so she stepped forward and said, “Hey, big brother, do I get a say in this?”

Frisco said “No,” at the same time Cam and Cassie said, “Yes.”

Isaac laughed and said, “No way in hell I’m turning that one into a tie. Keep talking, Genevieve.”

Gen rolled her eyes at Isaac’s nickname for her, and looked back at her brother. “Frisco, it isn’t like we’re getting married tomorrow or anything. We had a business lunch once, where we talked about some personal stuff, but some of his other guys were there too, and it wasn’t a date. When our business transactions concluded, he told me he needed to keep me out of his life until things were safe, and they’re safe now. We’re just exploring it, getting to know each other. Is that so bad? He hasn’t even
kissed
me yet. I mean, not on the lips. Just on the forehead.”

“
He hasn’t kissed you? Nothing’s happened?”

Gen shook her head and Frisco sighed as he said, “Let me go, Bevering.”

Duke let him go, but said, “It’s Duke now, guys. Not a huge deal in the compound, but could be outside.”

Gen’s heart dropped as she realized she’d never called him Duke. “You should have told me!”

“
You’re fine, Beautiful. First name isn’t a big deal, last name could be. I like hearing you say my name. Sounds so sweet coming from your lips.”

She smiled up at him as Frisco said, “Give me a fucking break,
Duke
. What the fuck? You forget how many times I’ve heard you use those ridiculous lines to score pussy, and now you’re saying that shit to my sister in
front
of me?”

“
Is that true?” Gen asked, her heart back down in her stomach. “Those are just lines? Stuff you’ve said to other girls?”

“
Not feeding you lines, Gen. I love hearing you say my name. Wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.”

A dozen men wearing leather had formed a semicircle around them, and Gen wasn’t comfortable with the audience. She found Brain amongst them and asked, “Brain? Do you think you can maybe give us some space? This is my brother and his boyfriend, and Frisco, Isaac, and Keith all hung out together during high school. It really is kind of a—”

Keith’s finger touched Gen’s lips as he said, “Sorry, Beautiful. Gonna have to ask you not to tell my men what to do. For anyone else, they’d have torn him apart if I didn’t do it first. Asking them to stand there and keep quiet is about as good as it gets right now.”

“
But if you’re in charge, can’t you just tell them to go away?”

He laughed. “They’re worried about me, so… no. I’m kinda stuck with them. Remember how I said they’re mine? Well, I’m theirs, too.”

Surprisingly, Isaac took Keith’s side. “We’re fine, Gen. They aren’t bothering me, and Frisco is only bothered by Duke at the moment.” He touched Frisco’s hand and said, “I’d like you to take Cassie and Gen by the hand and walk away from us. Stay gone a minimum of five minutes, do not open your mouth to argue or cajole.
Listen
to your sister. Don’t just let her words bounce off you; let them sink in. Our Cassie will probably have a few things to say as well. Don’t blow her off.”

As Gen walked with her brother, she heard Cam ask, “Can I go with them?”

Isaac must have nodded, because he came scurrying after them, and held Cassie’s hand as they walked.

* * * *

Duke glanced at Brain, who moved just a touch closer as Isaac looked at Ethan and said, “Might be a good idea for you and Sam to go, too. My brother and I need to have a few words in private, if you don’t mind.”

As Ethan stepped far enough way to not hear them, Duke lowered his voice to say, “I broke those ties of brotherhood long ago, and you were never a full-fledged member, seeing as you aren’t a wolf, and it’s a wolf-pack.”

“
You left in good standing. Once a brother, always a brother. I’m still accepted by the pack, still consider every member a brother. You’re still someone I care about and respect. Just don’t hurt someone who belongs to me and we’re good.”

“
I have your blessing with Gen?”