Crash (Evil Dead MC, #2)

by Nicole James

Red Dog yelled down the hall, “You save up your money, Green, and maybe someday you can park a van outside and use it as a guestroom.” More laughter followed. “Shut the fuck up, dickhead. Your ol’ lady will be my first guest,” Green hollered back at him. Red Dog bolted off the barstool, barreling down the hall. Crash held him back at the doorframe. “Let me at the little fucker!” “Relax, Dog. He’s too ugly for Mary to touch.”

Crash looked over at Cole and asked with a grin, “Is this what they mean by ‘high-maintenance’?” Cole grinned back. “Yeah, I think she’d be the definition.”

“Well, I’ll give her a ride to your place. You take her bag, and—” “I got her.” “You got her?” “Yeah.” “Crash, you’re running a solo seat,” Cole said, pointing out the obvious. “She’ll ride the fender.” “You’re shittin’ me, right?” “Nope.” “Crash, you live in fucking Oakland.” “Know where I live, Cole.” “It’s forty miles.” “Yep.” Cole grinned. “You even got foot pegs?” “I got those long bolts I put on.” Crash grinned. “You did see the fucking ridiculous shoes she’s wearin’, right?” “You worry too much.” Cole shrugged. “Okay. It’s your face she’s gonna scratch off.” “By the time I get her home, she’s not gonna sit for a week.” “Plan to hit a few potholes on the way?” “You know it.” Cole shook his head. “Payback for her smart mouth?” “Payback’s a bitch.” Crash grinned.

“Where the hell am I supposed to sit, in your lap?” He fired up the bike and grinned. “On the fender.” “The fender?” “Yeah. You’re ridin’ the fender.”

“What is it?” she asked, looking down at it. “Take a sip,” he replied, lifting his chin toward the drink. Green, Wolf, and Misty were sitting at the bar watching. Cole and Red Dog walked up, having finished helping get their kids loaded up. Shannon took a tentative sip. It was actually good. “What’s it called?” Crash grinned at her. “I named it after you. I call it the Blue-eyed Bitch.” The guys around the bar all started laughing. She glared at Crash. Her eyes dropped to the full glass in her hand, and then back at Crash. “I’d throw it in your face, but that would only prove you right, wouldn’t it?” The guys hooted even louder at her comment, and Crash smiled back at her. “Yeah, babe. It would.”

“He’s one sorry-ass coon, him. How ‘bout you ’n me go get us some dinner, sugar. I show you a good time.” Before Crash could respond, Shannon handled Cajun herself. “I’m sure that would be just lovely, but you see I’m afraid I’ll have to turn down your dinner invitation as I’m allergic to corndog batter.” The guys around the bar burst out laughing. Wolf almost spit his beer out, choking out, “Goddamn, Crash, she’s a hoot.” Crash moved around the bar and shoved Cajun away. “I think the lady just declined your dinner invitation, motherfucker.” Cajun raised his hands, grinning. “S’okay. I’ll be around to pick up the pieces when you get done fuckin’ her over, son.” The next thing Shannon knew, Cajun was out cold on the floor from Crash’s powerful punch to his jaw.

Angel, Crystal, and Mack came in from outside. Crystal looked down at Cajun out cold on the floor, and then, her hands landing on her hips, she looked up at Mack and said, “I’m not cleaning that up.” The guys burst out laughing.

Cole tried to stifle a grin. He shook his head at her. “Shannon, Shannon, Shannon. You’re sitting next to two of the best damn liars in the free world. Don’t embarrass yourself.” “Okay, fine. Your wife paid for it. With your credit card.” That shut him up. Momentarily. “My wife did what?” Crash couldn’t help but grin. “You do something to piss her off?” “Apparently.” “Maybe she was just trying to be nice,” Shannon suggested. Cole grinned at her. “Don’t worry, darlin’. I’m sure I’ll think of a way she can pay me back when I get home tonight.” Shannon gave him a saucy grin back. “Yes, she told me Friday nights were her favorite night of the week.” Cole’s grin got bigger. “She did, did she?” “Um hmm. And I’m sure whatever payback you come up with will be happily paid.” Cole burst out laughing. “Glad to hear it.”

“What’s the most erotic thing you’ve ever done, Shannon?” “Are we playing Truth or Dare again?” “Darlin’, we’re in the middle of a dare right now.” He swiped at her skin again. “Come on, Princess, tell me. There has to be a wild side under all that silk and lace.” “I’m not very wild.” “Sure you are. Look where you’re at. Stretched out on my pool table, blindfolded.” “This,” she answered. “This is the most erotic thing I’ve ever done.” A grin tugged at his mouth. “I like that answer. And we haven’t even gotten to the erotic part yet.”

She huffed out a breath. “Can I at least see my tattoo?” He huffed right back and grinned. “Yeah, baby. You can see it.” He picked up a hand mirror from the table. Holding it up, his fingers pointed to the horizontal flower. “The tightly furled long-stem rose just starting to bloom—that’s you. The barbed wire”—his fingers followed the swoops that wrapped loosely around the stem—“that’s me protecting you.” She studied it. Her mouth dropping open. “Oh, Crash. It’s beautiful.” He winked at her. “Good. Glad you like it. ‘Cause, baby, it’s permanent.” She looked down at it and smiled. He took that as a good sign.

Green was standing with one hand on the freezer door, studying a box of frozen waffles in his other hand. “Why does he buy this brand? I hate this brand.” “You know, you could solve that problem by having breakfast in your own damn house,” Crash replied,

inside. With the first stroke of her hand, he almost laid the bike down. Jesus Christ. He dropped his left hand from the handle grip and yanked her hand out. And damned if he didn’t hear her giggle. So, she thought this was funny? Crash made the turn into the clubhouse and told her over his shoulder, “When I stop this bike, you better jump off and run, because you are so dead when I get my hands on you.”

helmet and even before Crash brought the bike to a stop, she dropped it on the ground and jumped off the back. Before he could get the kickstand down, she took off running. Crash jumped off, flung his helmet down, and tore after her. He chased her around the picnic table and around the bikes. “C’mere, you little troublemaker!” The second time she ran around the picnic table, trying to keep it between them, Crash went right up over the top. She squealed and made a dash for it. She didn’t get two steps before he caught her, tossing her up on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Your ass is mine now, woman.”

“Cole, can I borrow your room?” Crash asked as he was passing the picnic table on his way inside. Cole sent his keys flying through the air. Crash snagged them in his fist. “Crash, put me down!” “The sheets are clean, Shannon. I just changed them,” Angel called after them with a grin. “You hear that, Princess? Clean sheets. Lucky you,” Crash teased. “Bite me!” she yelled back at him as she hung upside down. Crash turned his head and sank his teeth into her ass. “Be careful what you wish for, baby.”

I don’t give a fuck how many guys Mr. Baked Potato Head has. He’s not touching you. You hear me?” Her lips twitched as she tried to hold back a laugh. “Mr. Baked Potato Head?” “I’m not joking, Shannon. Sir Tin Man is gonna be a dead man if he tries to get anywhere near you. Do you hear me? So, knock off this incognito bullshit.” “Sir Tin Man?” She burst out laughing. Well, at least he got her laughing,

“You went from one controlling man to another, I hope you realize that.” She smiled up at him. “Your kind of controlling I can handle.” “Good answer, babe. Now move your ass.”

Wolf walked over to Cole. “Where’s Green?” “He’s in there with a Cowgirl and Pocahontas,” Crash supplied. The guys looked toward the house, saying nothing. “What, nobody’s gonna touch that?” Cole asked, squinting into the sun. “Why? This is the most normal thing he’s ever done,” Red Dog replied, and they all burst out laughing.

“My sister talked me into applying for a job down at the post office. But I ain’t heard nothin’ yet.” Wolf grinned and replied, “Maybe they’re only hiring women, minorities, and people who aren’t distracted by shiny objects.” Red Dog almost snorted his beer out his nose at that remark.

Crash laughed and reached around Shannon to slug Red Dog in the arm. “Quit corrupting her.” “What? I’m getting her drunk, and you get to take her upstairs and reap the benefits. How does that get me a slug in the arm?” “Yeah, it’s all fun and games until someone’s puking her guts out in the toilet.” Dog chuckled. “See your point.” ***