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“You’re not serious enough for me to waste my time or air naming the conditions that would have to be met before I’d even joke about such a thing,” I bluntly told him, my voice stretching on a sigh that almost made it sound regrettable.

“Try me.” His voice thickened, and my smile widened.

I laughed at his simple determination, my head tilting toward a shake. His finger caught my chin and steered my face toward him, “I can be serious. For you.”

I was completely incapable of looking away, and I hated myself for it as much as I did him.

“The only thing I’ve ever seen you serious about is proving you’re the Saint with the thickest skull.”

He grunted, his eyes lighting up a bit, though he didn’t deny it. “You got no idea ‘bout me, baby.”

“Oh, boy. Cue the basic pet names.” I teased. “What’s next, should I get your inmate number tattooed on my left asscheek?”

His smile was predatory, and I could tell he had a lot more to say than the simple, “I’ve never been to prison,” that blandly fell from that overconfident mouth of his.

“That’s right. You pled out to bootcamp. I forgot.”

“I’m serious. Who the fuck else are you gonna be with? None of the others have the balls to even blow you a kiss, Kennedy. That’s what you want? A spineless–”

“Who says I have interest in anything that shares a patch and a pledge with my father? I grew up around most of you, you’ll recall. You can’t sugar coat shit and pretend with me. Not like you guys do all the others. And, truth being told, I’m a little glad for it. I have no desire to end up pregnant, prison wifed, or just another pitiful mess with ruined mascara and stories about that one night or two. None of that shit is appealing to me. Get it?”

“So, you’re scared I’ll ruin your mascara? Here I thought it was your reputation you were protecting all along.” He teased his fingers through my hair, ignoring the way my eyes narrowed.

“You have to care what people think, in order to give a damn about your reputation, King. That’s where you and I differ.”

His fingers stopped moving and I instinctively sought his gaze, he didn’t blink. I swear, he stared straight into my soul before he challenged, “Let me show you otherwise. Tomorrow night. No tavern. No sweethearts helping us kick off the evening. Give me one chance to prove, you’re nothing like the rest… and neither am I.”

“Sure thing.”

“I’m serious.” He stood up, and I scrambled to straighten my legs. “And since you’re agreeable, I’m going to lay a few more demands.”

I snorted, unable to help myself, “Of course, you are, big guy.”

“I want you to wear exactly what you are right now. I’m not done exploring that outfit, and those legs.”

He batted the curtain of the blind open and stepped out into the moonlight, letting it trickle inside and illuminate my path forward.

A path with Kingston Crowe.

Chapter Fourteen

To Catch a Creeper

Kingston

I could have been discreet, and dropped her off at the tavern, but something inside me wanted Forty to know exactly when I brought his daughter home.

I’d done everything in my power to make it as late as I possibly could. We stopped to refuel, and shared cheese fries in the little restaurant that was attached to the local gas station.

I must have made up at least a half dozen stories to amuse her with, most of which I couldn’t even remember the details of. She’d laughed and ate up every bit of it, dropping a few of her own in that reciprocating way that people usually felt compelled toward.

I knew she and Pacman were close, but after hearing her childhood tales, and seeing the smile in her eyes, I knew he was her person. It made sense, I supposed. Forty had done his own thing with the club during his grief. So, why wouldn’t the two siblings cling to each other?

I parked in front of her family’s home a little after midnight and helped her off the bike. I made sure to keep my gaze glued to her, like she was the prettiest, wittiest thing I’d ever encountered.

She was an attractive girl, so it wasn’t hard to pull off.

And I supposed, if I were doing this for any other reason, I’d have probably found her to be funny and laid back. She was easy to be around.