More Than Miles (A Lost Kings MC Novel) (8 page)

“You’re meant to take care of girls and protect ‘em,” Rock continues.

It wasn’t exactly an issue since no girls would talk to me. I opened my mouth to say that and Rock’s mouth curled into a smile, but he didn’t laugh at me. “Don’t worry. The ladies will be crawling over you in a few years.”

Yeah, right.

“What if she just spends your money and comes back tomorrow?”

He shrugged. “Least I tried.”

Rock’s best friend, Wrath, stopped by. “Need to talk to you,” he said in a low voice. He lifted his chin at me. “Hey, kid. You gettin’ some work done?”

“Taught him how to do a few things,” Rock says. “Picked it up right away.”

“No doubt. Knew he’d be good with a wrench.” I stood a little straighter. While Rock was always encouraging, Wrath’s approval was harder to earn.

“What’d you need?” Rock asked.

They took a few steps away, and I inched closer so I wouldn’t miss anything.

“Ruger set this fight up for me and I won’t be ready for it. He’s got me set up on a long run. Won’t be back until right before the fight.”

“Motherfucker,” Rock grumbled. “You ain’t lost one yet. We got some time?”

“Not much.”

“We’ll figure it out. Where’s Z at?”

“Dunno. Riding with Lucky.”

“Fuck me. Make sure he comes to see me when he gets back.”

“Hey, guys,” one of the girls next door called out.

“Christ,” Rock muttered while Wrath chuckled.

“Hi, Meg.” Wrath greeted Meg with a smug smile firmly in place.

“Why can’t you keep your mouth shut?” Rock grumbled, which made Wrath grin even wider.

“What are you guys up to?”

“Nothing,” Wrath said at the same time Rock answered, “Working.”

Meg focused her attention on Rock. “That’s too bad, I thought maybe—”

“You know I’m with Carla,” Rock said in a bored tone. He motioned me to his side and handed his wrench over.

“Oh, hey, Blake.”

“Hi, Meg.” My voice sounded like a little girl’s. So fucking embarrassing.

“You really gonna marry Carla?” I asked Rock after Meg left.

Wrath snorted at the question, earning a scowl from Rock. “Yeah, why?”

Because she never seemed too fond of Marcel and me hanging around. I figured once they were married we’d see a lot less of Rock. Since this was the closest I had to a family, I’d miss it when it got taken away.

“Just wonderin’,” I answered.

Marcel joined us, so I didn’t get to say anything else. He was carrying his baby sister. Well, Heidi wasn’t really a baby anymore. She was four and could talk your ear off. I couldn’t be around her for more than five seconds without smiling.

“Where ya been, fucker? I stopped by your house. Your ma was throwing a fit, smashing dishes everywhere,” he said when he stopped in front of us. Nothing would calm my crazy-ass mother down until she found some cash. Better I was out of her way, so she didn’t aim the china at my head. Thanks to her, there was nothing of value in my room anymore. Didn’t give a fuck if she tore it apart again. She wouldn’t find shit.

In this garage, I felt safer than I did in my own house.

“Hey, Heidi-girl,” Rock said and she beamed at him.

Heidi’s arms reached out for me. “Blake. Blake. Blake,” she chanted. Like I’d ever say no to her.

I grabbed ahold of her, and she wrapped her legs around me, little knobby knees digging into my sides. “Hi, Bug.”

She pulled back, placing one of her tiny hands on each side of my face. “I am
not
a bug, Blake,” she stated with the seriousness of a grown-up.

“Yeah, you are. You’re
my
bug.”

She huffed and wiggled in my arms. “Put me down,” she demanded.

I set her down but kept hold of her hand. Couldn’t have her taking off and gettin’ run over by one of the dancers who blew in here like it was a raceway.

Rock lifted his chin at Marcel. “What’s up?” I think what he meant was,
This isn’t the best hangout for your little sister.

Marcel shot a pleading look at Rock, and I figured things must be bad at home. Rock nodded in understanding and didn’t force an answer out of him.

Besides, it wasn’t Heidi’s first time hanging out here. If you set her on the counter and handed her a few tools, she’d happily chatter about anything and everything all afternoon.

Marcel pushed me out of the way and took over working on the bike. Rock nodded at me, and I picked Heidi up, setting her on the counter and then hopped up next to her.

“Did you go to school today?” Heidi asked.

“Yeah.” I hated school. Rock said if I ever wanted to join the club I had to finish, though.

“I can’t wait to go next year! I already know a bunch of letters.” Then she sung the entire alphabet to us, making Rock chuckle.

I stayed out of the way but still wished Marcel hadn’t taken over. The roar of multiple bikes entering the parking lot reached us, and Rock and Wrath headed out to meet the guys. Heidi started squirming to get down so she could follow. I hopped down first and offered my back to carry her out into the parking lot. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and I concentrated on not choking.

“Ease up, Bug.”

“Sorry.”

I set her down long enough to say hello to Grinder, Lucky, and Z, then headed back to the garage. If I wanted to keep hanging out here, it was best to stay away when the guys had business to discuss.

Grinder was older than Rock, and from what I’d heard, he brought Rock into the club years ago. Lucky and Z were also tight with him, but we didn’t see them as much as Wrath. None of them minded us hanging out here, but they were real careful about what they said around us, too.

Marcel lifted Heidi in the air, spinning her around until she yelped. Since he was busy with Heidi, I made it back to the bike first.

“You even know what you’re doing?” Marcel asked, setting Heidi back down on the counter.

“Yeah. Rock showed me.”
Before you got here and took over.

Grinder’s bike started up and a few minutes later Rock joined us. “Waitin’ on me?” he asked.

“Yup.”

I reclaimed my spot next to Heidi.

Even though I wasn’t working on anything, I was just happy to be there. My father was in and out—mostly out—of my life. My mother was a mess who didn’t even know what day it was most of the time. School was torture. From the outside, it might have looked like a scary place to hang out, but at least around the MC, I was accepted and included.

“You came dressed to work, Heidi-bug, why you sittin’ up there?” Wrath nodded at her coveralls.

“My underwear have ruffles, wanna see?” she asked.

Everyone chuckled at her.

“No, Heidi. And don’t let me hear you offer that around here again,” Rock said. He was laughing, though, which made Heidi laugh, too.

Marcel nodded at his sister. “She wants to be a vet.” He nodded in the direction of Crystal Ball. “Not a dancer.”

“Careful, Marcel,” Rock warned. “A lot of those girls are dancing to pay for college.”

His face reddened. He hated sayin’ something stupid around Rock and gettin’ called out for it. “Yeah, well, not my sister,” he grumbled and it surprised me he’d get mouthy with Rock. Whatever had gone down at his house earlier had him in a foul mood.

“I like to dance,” Heidi blurted out. She jumped off the counter to show us her dance moves, making everyone laugh again. Abruptly, she stopped. “I’m hungry.” She turned her glare on Marcel.

Rock pointed across the street. “We’ll go over to the 76 Diner.”

That was thrilling news for Heidi and a relief for Marcel and me. Neither of us had a single dollar, and it was doubtful either one of our mothers had bothered to buy groceries.

“I want a chocolate milkshake,” Heidi announced.

“Heidi—” Marcel started, but Rock cut him off.

“Whatever you want, Heidi.” He stopped to clean up and then patted his front pocket. “Fuck. Forgot Ashley cleaned me out.”

Wrath rolled his eyes. “I got it.”

“You don’t have to,” Marcel tried again. He had more pride than I did.

“No, you and Blake were a big help. Least I can do is buy you dinner.” Rock’s mouth turned up in a smirk. “Or have Wrath buy you dinner.” He glanced down at Heidi. “And I can’t say no to a pretty girl.”

“That’s me!” Heidi beamed. “Hold my hand,” she demanded, sticking her hand out for Wrath to take.

“I think it’s just easier if I pick you up.” She squealed and chattered all the way across the road.

Marcel and I had no choice but to follow along.

The next few years were the most difficult I’d ever encountered. Rock married Carla, and as I feared, she wanted nothing to do with three wayward kids. Rock still made time for us, but he was constantly stressed. Not long after, Lucky died. Rock and Grinder ended up going to prison. Instead of the safe haven it had been for us, the club turned into a hostile place. But as much as we tried to distance ourselves, Ruger kept pulling us in.

Wrath and Z protected us from a lot of shit Ruger wanted us to do. But Marcel still spent six months in juvenile detention. I looked out for Heidi as best I could, and Wrath and Z looked out for us.

In return, Marcel and I did our part to help cut Ruger out of the club once Rock got released from prison.

I had no doubt Ruger was responsible for Rock and Grinder’s imprisonment, as well as Lucky’s death. So it didn’t bother me a bit when one day Ruger just
disappeared
.

Things improved after that. Ruger’s few supporters either retired or moved to other charters.

Rock moved the club in a more positive—although still highly illegal—direction. When I patched in, the club was more than family to me. It was a brotherhood in every sense of the word. I knew without a doubt I could trust every one of my brothers with my life. In return, I’d die to protect every one of them for the rest of my life.

A
fter my fight with Heidi, I have to take a step back. Regroup. Rethink my approach. Here I’d assumed, well, I don’t know what the fuck I assumed. Heidi’s given me more than enough hints over the last year that she’s over me.

Too bad I’m not over her.

Even if she won’t admit it, she still feels something. Those kisses didn’t lie.

My past. The things I’ve done.
Who
I’ve done. It never occurred to me that it might be an obstacle to Heidi and me being together when the time was right. That’s just not how club life works. At least, that’s not how I’ve seen it work. That she’d be mad at me for pushing her away instead of giving in to her? Sure, I expected to do a little groveling there. Was looking forward to it honestly.

But this?

I’m not sure what to do.

But I do know who can steer me in the right direction. And I find her sitting in front of the clubhouse when I return from my shift at Furious.

“Hey, First Lady. What’re you doing out here?”

“Waiting for Rock.” She stands and hugs me. “How are you?”

My shoulders lift. “Got a minute?”

“Sure. Pull up a slab of stone.” She drops back down onto the stone bench and pats the space next to her.

Shit. Am I really doing this? I take so long to speak, Hope asks what’s wrong.