The Last Riders: Winter's Touch Part 17

"She quit," Willa said grimly. "Curt must have talked her into leaving. Apparently, I was asking too many questions."

Winter lowered her voice, watching for Megan's return. "She looks terrible. Her hair looks like it hasn't been washed in two weeks."

"I know, and I'm shocked by how much weight she has gained. The Lord knows I have been eating one too many cupcakes since I found out I was pregnant, but it's her att.i.tude. I think she keeps hoping Curt is going to make good on all the promises he made when she married him."

"h.e.l.l will freeze over first," Viper spoke up from her other side. "He's been earning enough money from the factory to put a down payment on two cars."

"What's he doing with his money, then?"

"I'm guessing it's going up his nose," he said bluntly.

"That poor woman." Willa and Winter shared an upset glance as Megan returned with a small tray and another waitress carried two additional ones filled with drinks.

After Megan set the drinks down at their table, she took their food orders before returning to the kitchen.

"She's still a girl. She believes Curt is right in everything he tells her to do. Maybe I should talk to her."

"You can try. I don't think it will do much good though."

Viper's skeptical response didn't sway her. She was going to talk to Megan privately before she left.

Turning the topic to something less depressing, Winter asked Willa if she started having any cravings yet. Willa and Lucky had found out last week that she was two months pregnant.

"Didn't I mention the cupcakes?" Willa shook her head at herself. "Sugar has always been my downfall."

"I wouldn't say that." Lucky gave his wife a l.u.s.ty wink. "Cupcakes aren't what Willa's been craving."

Viper rolled his eyes at Lucky's bragging. "Enjoy it while you can. The first five months is fun, but wait until you can't get your zipper up because your d.i.c.k is too sore."

Winter choked on her iced tea, and Viper tried to pat her back. She punched him for the effort.

"I'm going to kill you for that when we get home."

Her husband was unfazed. "Maybe I'll get a good night's sleep." Leaning back, he placed the linen napkin on his lap as Megan served the salads with the other waitress.

The whole table cracked up as Winter fumed. She had to admit her libido had been on overdrive since becoming pregnant, but her husband must have been boasting to the men before tonight.

She decided to take him down a peg or two.

"If you'd done it right the first time, I wouldn't have to keep asking for repeat performances."

The look Viper gave her had her nipples tightening in arousal. Satisfied he had shut her down, he started talking to Stud behind him.

Jerk.

Winter was debating dumping her iced tea over his head the way Penni had dumped a pitcher over Killyama's. The woman was sitting next to s.e.x Piston. Killyama was stunning in a long gown. The bottom half was black and so tight Winter didn't know how she moved. The top was white and crossed between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, leaving her upper chest and midriff bare. It showed off her killer body when she walked to the restroom.

Train watched Killyama's movements, his face impa.s.sive as she pa.s.sed his table. He had only been back from his mission for a week. His hair was longer, tied behind his neck, and he had lost weight. Winter couldn't understand why he didn't try to date Killyama. It was obvious he had a thing for the woman, and it was obvious she returned the feeling.

"Stay out of it," Viper stated, having turned to see who she was staring at.

"What? I was just watching King. He's making sure Megan doesn't carry anything heavy." Other workers carried the entrees while Megan gave out the b.u.t.ter and condiments.

"Mm-hmm."

"All right, I was wondering why Train doesn't get the stick out of his a.s.s and make a play for Killyama," Winter confessed. "His eyes almost fell out of their sockets when he saw her naked at Aunt Shay's house. He couldn't even eat lunch when we went out."

Viper started cutting his steak. "Can you see her as a Last Rider?"

Winter blanched. "No."

"That's why. Eat your steak."

The thought of Killyama as a Last Rider had her made her lose her appet.i.te. There wasn't enough land in the graveyard where Gavin was buried to bury them all. Winter could only think of two women in the clubhouse that would be safe from her wrath. Train and Rider had a knack of sneaking under a woman's guard, and into her panties.

"Worried?" Viper's white teeth snagged a bite of her steak.

"Terrified."

"Don't worry. I'll protect you."

Winter lowered her lashes, studying the other wives. "It could be worth it. She could be interested in Rider. At least then I would be in the clear," she said out of the corner of her mouth, thankful the rest of the table was talking and not listening to them.

"For now."

Viper's playful mood was contagious. Ever since the night he had found out she was pregnant, her husband had become less rigid and more lighthearted. It had made her love him even more, deepening the bond between them.

"Not even if a zombie apocalypse took out every living man?"

"Pretty girl, how you have lived with Rider and not managed to know him better is a mystery to me. If Rider wants something, he gets it. That's why he has motorcycles that some collectors would give their eye teeth to own."

She watched Rider steal the breadbasket from the table next to him. "Unless the woman was made out of food, I think she'd be safe."

She turned serious when she saw Curt Dawkins come in the door of the restaurant, his eyes looking wild.

The whole room watched as Megan went to the door to talk to him. When he grabbed her arm, Viper and Shade stood up, King and Knox not far behind them. They closed in on the arguing couple, maneuvering them outside.

Anxiously, she waited for them to come back inside, this time without Megan, Curt, and Knox. Winter knew it was bad.

Her husband resumed his seat, covering her hand with his.

"What happened?" she asked.

The table waited for his answer.

"Curt wanted her to come home and fix his dinner. He didn't want to wait for Megan to get off work." Disgusted, he picked up the napkin he had dropped on the floor. "We tried to convince her to come back inside, but she refused, taking up for the trash she calls a husband. We tried to get him to calm down, but he's obviously stoned out of his f.u.c.king mind. When he refused to let Megan stay, Knox took his a.s.s to jail for a drug test."

"I thought the Last Riders have employees drug tested when they're hired," Willa ventured shyly, seeing the men were angry.

"We didn't ask Curt to because we were trying to find out who his supplier is. We want Curt arrested for something that he serves some major time for, not failing a drug test," Viper explained.

"I wanted to talk to Megan-"

"Stay away from her. I don't want you anywhere near where Curt could overhear your conversation."

"I could talk to her parents."

"She told King her parents disowned her when Curt stole some of her father's prescription medication. They refused to press charges, and Megan blames her father for miscounting his pills. She told Knox her father was becoming senile."

Winter could understand a woman wanting to take up for her husband, but Curt Dawkins was without redemption.

"I'll have Evie talk to her when she comes back to work. I'll also get King to hire Sasha. Maybe she can talk some sense into her."

"Sasha?" she questioned.

"Yes. She's only four years older than Megan, and she has an ex-husband who's worse than Curt."

Winter shoved her plate away. "No one's worse than Curt."

"Sasha's ex is. Curt likes to go after defenseless women. Spike was thrown out of the service for breaking a little boy's arm after he tried to pick his pocket."

Willa suddenly stood up. "I need to go to the restroom." She fled the table with her hand over her mouth.

"Maybe we should change the subject when she comes back," Winter suggested, when Lily and Beth excused themselves to check on her.

"Yes."

King had opened the bar now, which had been closed off from the dining area. It had a dance floor, where some of the couples had already started dancing.

"Come dance with me. Talking about Curt and Spike has ruined my appet.i.te for dessert."

"Me, too." She let Viper help her to her feet.

When they were on the dance floor, she laid her head on her husband's shoulder as they swayed to the music.

The dimly lit bar quickly began to fill. s.e.x Piston was dancing with Stud. Train was dancing with Sasha. Drake and Bliss were in their own world, and so were Rachel and Cash, who were probably enjoying the night away from their baby and Mag. Dr. Price led Killyama onto the floor, with Train staring a hole into the back of her head as Dr. Price locked his arms around her.

Her body became boneless as Viper ma.s.saged her lower back.

When the music stopped, another slow song started. Killyama and Dr. Price moved toward the bar stools near where she and Viper were dancing.

When Killyama held the bottom of her dress so she could slide onto the barstool, Train came up behind her.

"Dance with me."

"No." Killyama gave him a haughty glare.

"Why not?" Train wasn't backing down, moving so she couldn't get on the stool without ripping the bottom of her dress.

"No, I don't want to become a Last Rider just so I can dance with you."

"You don't have to become a Last Rider to dance with me." Train's gaze flickered to Dr. Price before going back to Killyama.

Winter held her breath, waiting to hear her response, her hand tightening on Viper's shoulder so he wouldn't move them away from the confrontation. Viper cast her an amused look, dancing in place so she wouldn't miss the heated conversation.

"I don't?" Killyama asked mockingly.

"No." A muscle in Train's jaw twitched.

"Maybe you should make that a rule. If you have rules for f.u.c.king, you should have rules for dancing. What do you think, doc?"

Dr. Price motioned for the bartender to give him a drink. "Seems reasonable. They both require body contact."

"d.a.m.n, I think smart men are s.e.xy as f.u.c.k." Killyama gave the doctor a sultry smile before glancing at Train. "I guess that means you're s.h.i.t out of luck."

Winter had to bite down on Viper's shoulder to keep from laughing at Train's expression. They watched as s.e.x Piston stopped dancing next to them.

"Dance with him, b.i.t.c.h. Let him know what he's missing."

"He knows what he's missing. That's why his eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw me naked. I'm going swimming with Winter tomorrow. You should come over to see my new tattoo. I had f.u.c.k you tattooed on my a.s.s."

Killyama started to brush past Train, but he blocked her, wrapping his arms around her waist and shouldering her toward the dance floor.

"Shouldn't you make him stop?" Winter nodded her head toward the couple, who looked more ready to fight than dance.

"Train's had military training. He can handle himself." Viper blithely continued dancing.

"My b.i.t.c.h can take him out anytime she wants to," s.e.x Piston said when she heard Viper.

Viper and s.e.x Piston had misunderstood her. Winter hadn't thought Train would hurt Killyama. She had been referring to the hurt look on her face. Train had hurt the woman's pride, and she wasn't a pushover like Megan. He had done some damage. For the first time, she realized how much Killyama liked Train.

Winter dropped her arms from around Viper, squeezing through the dancing couples to pat Train's back.

"Will you dance with me?" Winter asked.

She thought he would refuse, but squaring his jaw, he released Killyama and turned to take her in his arms.

Train and Winter danced as Killyama escaped the restaurant.

"Why did you do that?"

Winter debated telling him the truth before choosing to be honest. "Because she's in love with you, and you're not being fair."

Train snorted. "She's not in love with me."

"Yes, she is, just as much as Penni was, if not more. Don't treat her any differently than you did Penni unless you're serious. You were kind to Penni when you didn't want a relationship with her, so show Killyama the same respect."

She could never tell what Train was thinking, and now was no exception. He wasn't much of a talker, releasing her when the music stopped and Viper showed up.