Duke (3 page)

“
Did you kick him out, or just turn around and leave?” Her brother wasn’t happy.

“
I told him to be gone when I got back, but I know he won’t be and I don’t have it in me to fight with him tonight. If I can stay in Cam’s old apartment, I’ll deal with him tomorrow, and get the locks changed while I’m at it.”

Isaac’s voice vibrated through his chest as he looked to the floor and said, “Cam, come take my place. I need to make a phone call.”

Gen couldn’t help but smile as Isaac gave Cam a quick kiss on the lips and tousled his hair. She watched Isaac’s fine derriere walk out of the room as she snuggled into Cam’s side, and said, “He’s going to have someone go to my apartment and make him leave, isn’t he.” She didn’t ask it as a question, she’d been around Isaac enough to know he had a protective streak a mile wide.

Cam turned them both sideways, so he was leaned against the arm of the sofa with his legs stretched across the cushions, and Gen ended up resting against him with her legs stretched out, too. It was so much more comfortable, and she was suddenly sleepy. Cam finally answered, “My guess is someone’ll be here in an hour or two with another set of keys for you, so you can get in your house tomorrow after Isaac’s people change the locks.”

* * * *

Gen awoke in Cassie’s bed the next morning. A note was propped on the night table, telling her she was welcome to the yoga pants and t-shirt folded on the chair, and to feel free to use the shampoo and conditioner on the tub, and whatever makeup might work for her. Cassie was fair skinned, so no way would it work on Gen’s darker complexion, but she loved that Cassie had made the offer.

She showered and put the yoga pants on, minus panties, and donned the t-shirt. It was nearly ten o’clock and she had to meet the bikers in four hours, but she needed caffeine and salty food. As long as she drank dark liquor she was rarely hung over, so while she felt a little off, she was otherwise fine.

She went to the kitchen, where Cam poured her some coffee, fixed her some fried potatoes, and brought her up to date. “Isaac had someone boot the asshole out of your place last night. They watched to be sure he only packed things that looked as if they were his — men’s clothes, men’s shampoo, razors. You said he didn’t move any other stuff in, so they didn’t let him take anything else.” He nodded towards his left. “The keys on the counter are yours. They changed the locks and gave your housekeeper new keys, too.”

“
Isaac’s really sweet, I’ll have to see how much I owe him. Thanks so much for taking care of me last night.”

Cam tilted his head. “You don’t seem heartbroken this morning. What gives?”

“
Of the last three guys I dated, I’ve walked in on two of them having sex with someone else, and found out another was cheating on me when my
mother
saw him having a romantic dinner with another woman. She’d never liked him, so she took a little too much glee in using her new-found texting skills to take a picture of them and send it to me.”

“
That totally sucks, Gen, but please tell me you aren’t getting used to it, because I don’t think anyone should, and if you are then that’s gotta be one of the saddest things
ever
.”

She shook her head and looked out the window towards the Hiawassee River. Her brother lived in the sticks, but this view was worth the drive. “It’s almost like, I dunno… it hurt so bad last night, and then Isaac pulled me into his arms and I was better. Superglue. My heart isn’t broken anymore.

I don’t know if anyone’s ever gonna manage to get past the damned superglue, but for now, it doesn’t hurt and I’m not complaining.”

Gen usually picked her clients up and drove them to see the properties, so she owned one of the most luxurious Mercedes, with a large, comfortable interior.

The bikers, however, had told her they’d meet her there.

Since there was a good chance she’d need to walk around on a rough surface, she’d worn three-inch heels with a wider base, instead of four inch spiked heels. Her hair was in a French twist, and her business suit looked as if she could step in front of a television jury and give closing arguments. She’d learned long ago if she wanted to play with the big boys and sell million-dollar properties instead of podunk family houses, she needed more than her smarts and business sense, she’d need to look the part.

She smiled at Brain and Dawg, as they’d been the two she’d walked this property with yesterday. Her eyes went to the other four men and her feet stopped moving.

Keith Bevering. God, she’d crushed on him so hard her freshman year in high school, and he’d never given her the time of day. Then he’d graduated and she’d seen him at Isaac’s a few times, but she’d never managed to have an entire conversation with him. She’d dreamed of those lips a thousand times, though. Maybe a hundred thousand.

Brain introduced him as Duke and, like an idiot, she said, “No, that’s not right. It’s Keith.”

He tilted his head, thought a second, and smiled. “Frisco’s little sister? Gen?”

She nodded and he stepped forward to pull her into a hug. She thought it highly unprofessional, but he was large and apparently didn’t care. His arms wrapped around her and his hand landed on her gun, folded over it, and then brushed away. His mouth went to her ear and he said, “Tell me you aren’t wearing that because you’re afraid of us?”

His voice came out in a growl, and while she hadn’t been afraid, she suddenly was. “No. I pretty much always have it with me. I’m legal, I have a—”

He stepped back, folded his arms on his huge chest, and demanded, “What’s happened that makes you carry a gun
almost always
, Genesis? Something you need help with?”

She shook her head. “Frisco and Isaac’s girlfriend, Cassie, was raped two years ago. And before that our friend, Sam, was shot. Cassie’s rapist came back after her again, and Cam, her other boyfriend, shot the rapist. Frisco hadn’t been able to help because he didn’t have a gun, but Cam walked in with one and saved them all, even though most would think Frisco is the bad-ass, because, well, he kinda is, you know?”

They were all looking at her like she was growing things out of the top of her head, so she wrapped it up. “Long story short, Frisco put in a shooting range out back, and Isaac taught me to shoot and helped me get my license to carry. They have a party at their house the first Sunday of every month, and we all go out back and shoot. Isaac sets up these obstacle course things in the woods, so we have to watch things pop up, see if it’s a good guy or a bad guy before we shoot. He times us, makes it a fun competition.” She looked around at them all and added, “I meet clients who contact me online, and I pick them up and take them to empty houses and office buildings. I pretty much always carry a gun. It isn’t just ya’ll.” She looked at Brain. “You put me at ease about two minutes after I met you yesterday. It was like, if someone came at us, you’d take care of them and I wouldn’t have to. I felt safer with you than away from you.”

“
Okay, next question,” Keith said. “Frisco and Isaac have the same girlfriend, and she has another boyfriend? What the
fuck
?”

Gen looked around, realized she was being unprofessional, and said, “Once we complete our business, if you want to have dinner and catch up, let me know. Meanwhile, let’s take a look at this property, shall we?”

A slow smile slid across his face. Goodness, Keith was still sexy as sin. She was twenty-nine, which would put him in his thirties, but he looked twenty-five. He had a little patch of close trimmed hair under his lip, but was otherwise clean shaven. He wore faded jeans and a tight, black t-shirt with a black leather vest over the top. All of them wore either a leather jacket or a leather vest, never mind it was eighty degrees. All had the same huge logo on the back, the view of looking over the handlebars at a curvy road, with the words Rolling Thunder framing the top.

“
Okay, Gen. We’ll play it your way. We’ve already walked it, tell us why this is the place for us.”

“
I wasn’t given a lot to go on as far as your needs, yesterday. This property is four acres and includes two dwellings, though it’s understood you’ll likely tear those down. It’s zoned commercial, as you already know. If you’re building condos or apartments, this isn’t the best spot, but otherwise it’s a bargain for pretty much any use you may have. It’s very close to two hospitals, with a third not terribly far away, so this area of town never loses power. I suppose if you took a direct hit from a tornado you would, otherwise, the electric company brings it in from over a dozen directions so they can supply the hospitals even in a time of major crisis. Unless the grid is entirely down, you’ll have power. Also, if you’re setting up a factory with a high injury possibility, you’re in a good place.”

The huge man they’d introduced as Tiny asked, “Crime rate?”

She looked at them, grinned. “Something tells me you already know the crime rate and you aren’t terribly worried about it. I get a nice family wanting to do something in this part of town, I caution about the crime rate. Bad-ass bikers? Not so much.”

Keith chuckled and said, “Okay then. Let’s look at the other properties and then maybe get something to eat so we can sit and talk. We’ll tell you our needs and you can help us decide which property or properties may work best.”

Two hours later they were sitting in Sticky Fingers, and Gen was doing her best to keep it professional.

“
What made you choose this restaurant?” Keith asked.

Gen shrugged. “Something tells me none of you are vegetarians, and you can’t really go wrong with men in jeans and bar-b-que. So, tell me what you need the property for, and I’ll see if I can help you with your decision.”

“
Tell me about your brother and Isaac, their girlfriend, and her other boyfriend, first.”

Gen looked around to the other guys and said, “We’re here to talk business, Keith.”

“
Beautiful, I wanna drink a beer and chill out while we wait for our food. Tell me what your brother’s up to. I used to be tight with him and Isaac, and you have my curiosity up.”

Gen rolled her eyes. “Long version or short version?”

He grinned. “Keep it under thirty minutes.”

“
Okay. Frisco is bisexual, only he kept it from the family. I’m pretty sure he’s kinky, too, but I don’t wanna know the details. I know there’s a wall-mounted Saint Andrew’s Cross under the tapestry in their bedroom, though, so I already know more than I wanted. But, back to the beginning. Best I can tell, Cam lived with Frisco, though they told the family Cam lived in the apartment over the garage. Thing is, I know Cam’s clothes and things were in the apartment, and none of his things were in the big house, so… I’m still unclear as to the details in the beginning.”

“
Big house?” Dawg asked.

“
Yeah, Frisco’s house is big, and the garage is separate.”

Dawg chuckled. “Big house means something else to us. Go on with your story.”

Gen’s heart stuttered as she realized they were talking about prison, when the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. She lived in a different world than these men. “You sure you want to hear this story? I mean, Keith obviously does, but it sounds like I should hold off and tell him later, so I don’t bore the rest of you.”

Tiny laughed. “Oh no, you had me at Saint Andrew’s Cross, darlin’. Keep talking.”

She felt herself blush as she rushed back into the story. “Okay, at some point Frisco started seeing Cassie, and I guess she knew about him and Cam, and probably was even active with him, so it was, like, three of them, together. You know, in bed. All three. At the same time.”

“
Yeah, Beautiful. Think we got the picture. Cute you’re blushing about it, though. Where does Isaac fit into this?” Keith asked.

She gave him a quick glare before answering, “Cassie met Isaac after she broke up with Frisco. They went out a while, hit it off, were falling in love. Isaac knew she’d recently broken up with a man and his partner, and it’d been a threesome, but he’d had no reason to think it was his best friend. One night, coming back from a club in Atlanta when she was tired, she mentioned Frisco by name. Isaac freaked, told her his best friend was in a major bitch mode over the situation, and as much as he cared about her, he was going to have to bow out.”

“
Okay, that bites,” said Brain. “What are the odds you’ll go from one person to their best friend? I mean, give me a few minutes and I can probably tell you the odds—”

“
No one needs to know the exact number, Brain.” Keith interrupted with a growl. “Besides, Frisco and Isaac are both into the same brand of kink, which means Cassie was fishing from the very small pool of local, single men who enjoy what Frisco gave her, so it’s actually not so surprising.” He looked to Gen. “Keep going.”

She rolled her eyes. “Cassie and Frisco work out at the same dojo, and their friends were in a big fight in Vegas. I mean, not with each other. They’re into the whole MMA thing, and Sam and Ethan were both scheduled for really big fights.”

“
Hold up,” Dawg said, his eyes bright. “Sam and Ethan
Levi
?”

“
Well, yeah. You know them?”

“
Not personally, but kind of cool you know people who know them. They’re both bad-ass. The MC did the pay-per-view thing and had a big party. Cheered them both on.”

“
I know them,” Gen smiled. “In fact, Ethan worked with me until I was comfortable fighting someone as big as him. Taught me how to use his size and weight against him. He’s way cool, and so in love with Sam, sometimes my eyes water just watching him watch her.”

Keith chuckled and touched Gen’s cheek. She’d given up on trying to be professional, as she had a feeling this group would open up to her only after they were comfortable with her. However, Keith’s touch upped the ante even more. Before she could say anything, though, his next words made her forget to tell him to keep his hands to himself.