Sly (Dragon Riders MC Book 5) Read online

  He blinked. “There’s so much about that sentence to unpack.”

  I smiled. “So, how was your day? I’ve just been unpacking a bit and getting more resumes put in.”

  He came over and sat on my bed on the floor. “Yeah, I see you’ve been hard at work unpacking all of the boxes that haven’t been opened yet.”

  I rolled my eyes again. “You and that mouth of yours.”

  “Hey, you’re the one who said it. I was just surveilling the evidence.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

  “So, how goes the job search?”

  I drew in a deep breath. “Well, I finally took your advice and widened my search parameters.”

  “Looking at the whole of New York now?”

  I peeked over at him. “More like up and down the East Coast. I just applied to a job in the Keys.”

  His eyes widened. “As in, Florida?”

  “Any other state have a place called ‘the Keys’?”

  “Well, I’m proud of you. I know you’ve always been attached to this place and it’s always been hard for you to leave. Especially after Mom and Dad moved.”

  “How are they, anyway? Have you talked to them at all? I swear, ever since they moved—”

  He snickered. “I talked to them a few days ago. Same day you spoke with them. But can you blame them for not checking up on us as much? We’re adults with our own lives and they’re two former business owners enjoying the fruits of their labors for the last years of their lives. I mean, that’s the dream, right?”

  I looked back at my laptop screen. “Just miss them, is all.”

  He threaded his arm around me. “I know you do.”

  “The holidays won’t even be the same this year. I mean, I won’t have the money to get to where they are. And you don’t have the kind of paycheck to pay for me, despite what you keep telling me.”

  “If you want to go, I’ll get you there. Simple as that.”

  I shook my head. “I need to pick my life back up first. I need to get a new job, find my own place, and try to carve out some stability for myself. I mean, we’re adults now.”

  “Ugh. Don’t remind me. That reality sucks.”

  I giggled. “Yeah. I already know that.”

  “Well, if your life sucks so much, why don’t we spice it up a bit?”

  I closed my laptop. “Now, you’re talking. What’s the plan? Gonna hit up some bars? Throw back a few shots? Maybe find you a nice girl who wants to take you home?”

  He chuckled. “Not quite like that. I actually need a favor with work.”

  I turned to face him. “So, the big bad police officer needs help, huh?”

  “Shh. You can’t say stuff like that right now. All right?”

  I blinked. “Oh, boy.”

  “What?”

  “One of those kinds of cases, huh?”

  He sighed. “If you agree, I can’t really read you in. Not here. Honestly, it’s best that you don’t know the bulk of it. The less details you know, the better it’ll be for you if this op blows.”

  I grinned. “You know damn good and well I’m already down.”

  “I figured you would be after the shit you pulled as a kid.”

  I shoved him playfully. “Hey, I never got hurt.”

  “You could get hurt doing this, though. I want to be very upfront with that.”

  I looked into his eyes and found no lies. “Whatever you tell me to do, I’ll listen. Okay? But I’m ready for anything to get me out of my own head and forgetting about my life for a little while.”

  He nodded. “Then, it’s settled.”

  I’d forgotten all about my job search. “So, do I need a persona? Do we need to brainstorm back stories or shit like that?”

  He shook his head. “Just be yourself. You don’t need to do enough talking with the kinds of people I’m going to be around for you to need a backstory. You put a smile on your face, bat away anyone’s advances, and maybe break some hearts. Oh, and beer. They do a lot of beer drinking.”

  “That must be terrible for you. You hate that shit.”

  “Don’t you know it. But you can have yours and mine. How’s that sound?”

  I smiled. “Sounds like you’ve got a partner in crime again.”

  He stood to his feet. “Good! Wonderful. I’ll go let my boss know. In the meantime, though? You need to get ready. We’re leaving in a couple of hours for a massive party and a huge poker game I’ve been roped into by these guys.”

  “These guys?”

  He looked down at me. “No details here. We’ll talk about it when we’re in the car in a couple of hours. Now, get ready, and wear your best.”

  Those two hours flew by in a heartbeat. But I did exactly as my brother asked. I pulled out a leather miniskirt I’d been trying to find an excuse to wear and paired it with an off-shouldered shirt that sat a bit baggy around my tits. You know, to keep a little bit spared for the imagination. I paired it with some bright red heels that matched the bra I wore, and since the strap of my bra would be revealed I also splashed on some red lipstick. After fluffing my hair out and sliding some hoop earrings in, I made my way for the living room where my brother had just gotten off the phone. And when he turned around, even he let out a low whistle.

  “You do bring the heat, don’t you?” he asked.

  I gave him a little twirl. “Glad I could assist.”

  “So, that was my boss. I’ve got permission to show you pictures of who we’ll be encountering and dealing with.”

  He handed me his phone and I immediately flipped through pictures.

  “What are their—”

  He placed his finger against my lips and shook his head. So, I kept my questions to myself. I looked back down at his phone and scrolled through pictures of a few guys, but there was one man that stood out. One tall, lean, mean-looking guy with ice blue eyes and the slightest, teasing little grin against his cheeks.

  My heart stopped in my chest the second I saw his picture.

  And I worried what that meant for me when I laid eyes on him in person.

  3

  Sly

  I watched in the doorway beside Ash as the guys at the table stared around at one another. When poker games got this quiet, everyone knew to shut up and watch. These men were deliberating. Attempting to read one another. And with the jackpot as high as it had ever gotten in the history of this game, I couldn't blame them one bit. Fifty grand was on the table for grabs, including two pink slips for bikes. I felt Ash’s intensity as he stared at the darkened corners of the room, making sure no one attempted to cheat or feed answers to another player at the table.

  And me? Well, I had a great shot of Link’s hand.

  Come on, no need to bluff, man.

  Even though my task for the evening was looking out for Chains and this “person he trusted” so damn much, I was too enraptured with the poker game to realize someone had walked into the bar. Granted, it was a pretty busy night for us. The ruckus out in the bar and eating area covered up the cursing and shouting that had a tendency to take place at these games.

  But, when someone tapped me on the shoulder, I knew it was game time.

  “What?” I whispered.

  Bowser came up to my side. “They’re here.”

  With a nod, I turned on my heels and made my way for the main bar area. I knew the guys wanted to get Chains in on the game so they could try to read him. Try to get him into a scenario where he’d be bluffing so we could figure out his ticks and tells. But when I stepped into the bar area, my eyes didn’t fall onto Chains.

  They fell onto the woman at his side.

  I clocked both of their fingers, and neither of them had wedding rings on. So, he hadn’t brought a wife, which was good news for me. Not that I’d care if she was his wife in the first place. Wouldn’t have been the first time a taken woman wanted a taste of the ol’ carnival ride. But even with the way they stood with one another, I could tell she wasn’t even his girlfriend.

  Th
ough, they did look a bit alike.

  He brought his sister?

  As I made my way for them, my eyes raked over her body. Over the beautifully-toned legs flexing in red heels that trickled up to a leather miniskirt that practically made my mouth water. And those red heels of hers? Well, they matched the strap of her bra as well as her lips. Her off-the-shoulder shirt fell so far down her body I saw the softest slope of the top of her breast, and damn it, I wanted to mark it with my teeth.

  I wanted to rip that entire outfit off her, bend her over one of these tables, and take what I had already claimed as my own.

  Her dazzling green eyes locked with mine as I approached, and I saw her studying me with a grin against her cheeks. And oh, how that grin lit up the rest of her face. Her cute little button nose wrinkled with curiosity as I approached. Her entire body turned my way, and already I saw her nipples poking through that pathetic little bra of hers. She wanted me, all right. And I wanted her.

  So, tonight I’d have her.

  Just like I got everything else I wanted out of life.

  Even her dyed black hair called to me, with her blonde roots softly poking out at the scalp of her head. She looked like just enough trash for my taste, and I adored it. I licked my lips and gave her one more up-down with my eyes. Then, I turned to face Chains.

  Who gave me what I could only assume was a death stare.

  Yep. This is his sister, all right.

  “You play poker?” I asked.

  Chains’ eyes locked with mine as he stepped in front of his sister. “Yep. Sure do.”

  I nodded. “Come with me.”

  “Come on, Tara,” he murmured.

  I held my finger up. “Uh, uh, uh. She stays out here. I can make sure she gets herself a drink and a nice meal.”

  “You’ll stay away from her.”

  She shoved him softly. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

  I grinned. “Poker or bust. And she stays out here. Got it?”

  Chains’ nostrils flared as he looked over at his sister. “Got it. But if anything happens to her—”

  I held up my hands. “I’m an innocent man, Chains. Might want to start regarding me as such.”

  I winked at him before I turned my back. But not before I got one last look at his grinning sister. And after ushering him into the quietest, yet most intense, poker game we had ever hosted, I found my way back out to the bar.

  Where that beautiful woman leaned against the bar.

  “So,” I said as I approached her, “you’re Chains’ sister.”

  She giggled. “What makes you think that?”

  I shrugged. “Lack of a wedding ring, or any sort of interaction with him that would put you two as a romantic couple. Plus, the two of you have similar facial structures.”

  She nodded as she reached for her beer. “Observant.”

  I grinned. “Been known to be that a time or two. Beer as well for me, thanks.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Please.”

  “What?”

  She leveled her eyes with me. “You forgot to say ‘please.’”

  I looked over at the bartender and he dipped his head to keep from chuckling at me. But if the woman wanted politeness, then that’s what she’d get.

  “One beer for me, please,” I said with a shit-eating smile.

  The girl raised her beer bottle. “To manners.”

  “And speaking of manners, I haven’t gotten your name yet.”

  She sipped her beer. “Because I haven’t given it.”

  “Want to give it a go? Maybe you’ve got a name as beautiful as your eyes.”

  She giggled. “You read that off a fortune cookie somewhere?”

  The bartender snickered behind the bar before he turned his back and started cleaning something up on the liquor shelves.

  “Look, I’m here for my brother and that’s it. Said he needed help with some bullshit or whatever, so I’m here to get some drinks and eat some fries,” she said.

  I shrugged. “I like fries.”

  “Never said I’d share my fries with you.”

  I took a step toward her. “Would there be other things you’d be willing to share with me?”

  She looked up into my eyes. “Depends. Do you have any STD’s? Or baby mamas I should know about?”

  I chuckled darkly. “I’ve got nothing that could hurt you. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.”

  She finished off her beer. “Guess you’ll never find out.”

  The bartender snorted before he coughed and my glare in his direction excused him from the bar. He cackled as he headed for the back room, though, and I didn’t appreciate it. This woman, whose name I didn’t hear, set her empty beer glass onto the bar before reaching over and getting herself another one. She popped it open with her hand before tossing me the metal lid, to which I caught it in my hand.

  And not once did I take my eyes off her to catch it.

  “Impressive,” she said.

  I tossed the tap behind the bar. “So are you. What’s your name?”

  “Anything you want it to be, handsome.”

  I closed the distance between us. “I don’t play that game. What’s your name? Your real name?”

  Her eyes danced between my own. “Tara. And yourself?”

  “My friends call me Sly.”

  I was in a very unique position, because while I was attracted to Tara, I also needed to get in good with her if we had any chance of figuring out who Chains really was. I could use this to everyone’s advantage, including hers, if she let me get that far. So, with a boldness in my chest and a need in my gut, I poured it on as thick as I could manage.

  “Well, Tara, I’m going to be upfront: I find you incredibly attractive. But I also find you sassy, and I like that in a woman. Someone who can stand up for themselves and not take anyone’s shit. It’s one of the hottest things alive to me.”

  She nodded. “Right, right.”

  I smiled. “So, I want to take you out next weekend. You and me, anywhere you want to go on the back of my bike. We can go eat. Or take in some sights. Or catch a movie. Or do all of it.”

  She licked her lips. “Or none of it.”

  My cock twitched. “That, too.”

  She took a step back. “What’s in it for me if I go out with you?”

  “Other than a good time you don’t have to pay a dime for? Dessert.”

  “Mmmm, I do have a rough sweet tooth.”

  I grinned. “Then, it’s a good thing that my specialty is rough.”

  Her cheeks flushed and I knew I had her.

  “Friday night. You and me. I’ll come pick you up, we go anywhere you want, and afterwards if you want to head back to my place, we can do that, too. All on your timeframe and on your call, and none of it you pay for. Simple as that.”

  She nodded slowly. “Simple as that, huh?”

  I pulled out my phone. “Just enter your number and we’ll be good to go. I’ll take care of the rest.”

  Her eyes dropped to my phone and she stared at it for a long time. Then, as I held my breath watching her, she picked it up. Relief washed through my veins as she typed in her number and saved it to my phone, then handed it back to me.

  “See you around, Slick.”

  I chuckled. “You mean, ‘Sly’.”

  Her hips swayed as she walked away from me. “No, I didn't.”

  I chuckled as I watched her walk over to a booth. One of our waitresses crossed quickly over to her and took her order, and I simply watched. I watched the way Tara smiled up at the woman. I watched the way her lips curled around yet another bottle of beer. I watched as our hot wings were delivered to her and I watched as she used a fork and a fucking knife to pick them apart and eat them without ever picking one up.

  Huh. Interesting.

  A rush of screaming, yelling, and cursing filtered into the room and I heard a commotion out in the hallway. I whipped around and saw Link charging out of the door and into the room with wads of ca
sh in his hand and a triumphant smile on his face. And right on his tail, clapping and cheering and “supporting” him was Chains.

  Guess I know who the winner is tonight.

  Still, there was something eating at me. There was something incredibly unnatural about Chains and the way he reacted. The way he looked. Not to mention, there was something incredibly off about the way Tara held herself. The poise she had. The way she ate her food. It was obvious that her and her brother had come from a privileged life. And while that wasn’t a sin in and of itself, it certainly wasn’t the makings of a man who wanted to join up with a crew like ours. Goodie-two-shoes didn’t join up with gray-area crews. Men who didn’t have any futures did, though.

  I wasn’t sure why the hell my gut fired off the way it was, but I needed to speak with Link before the night was out. Alone. Without Chains around.

  Even if it meant pissing off Link in order to make that happen.

  4

  Tara

  “Hey, Tara!?”

  I stuck my head out of my room. “Yeah!?”

  “I’m heading out for the night! Make sure not to open the door for anyone unless it’s me!”

  I swallowed the knot in my throat. “Will do. Have fun! Stay safe!”

  “Will do. Love you!”

  “Love you, too!”

  The second I heard the front door open and close, I scrambled to get ready. Sly was going to be here in thirty minutes to pick me up and I hadn’t even gotten changed. I mean, I took a shower and shaved and shit, but that was it. The last thing I needed was my brother asking questions about what I was doing and who I was doing it with. After all, I knew I was doing something risky. I didn’t know the specifics of the job, but I could infer from a few nights ago at the bar that he was undercover, attempting to infiltrate this crew. So, going out with one of their guys was a very risky thing to be doing. For all I knew, he was using me to get to my brother.

  But I’d never let that happen.

  Plus, it had been a while since I’d gotten laid.

  “All right, what do we got?” I murmured to myself.