Page 25 of Brooks (Dirty Misfits MC 1)
Brooks grinned. “Well, lucky for you we work on cars.”
Gage piped up. “And bikes, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
I snickered. “Really? You two are mechanics?”
Gage raised his hands. “See these calluses? Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Brooks kept his serious eyes on me. “What was your car doing before it broke down?”
My eyes fell open and the light was still on. It hurt my eyes and I groaned as I rolled toward the lamp, pulling the plug from the wall. The darkness laid against my body so thickly that I couldn't even see my own hand in front of my damn face. But the digital clock on the bedside table boasted of the time in thick, red numbers.
Yep. I still needed to be asleep at one in the morning.
So, I closed my eyes and found myself in the midst of yet another dream that felt all-too-familiar.
“Hey there, gorgeous!” Gage exclaimed.
I whipped my head up from my magazine as Gage walked toward me. “Hey there, yourself.”
He sat down beside me. “Thought I recognized your car when it pulled in. Having issues with it still?”
I put my magazine down. “Well, you and Brooks did a great job on it a few weeks back. But that noise came back again.”
“The squeaking one?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Only, it’s at the back of the car now, not the front.”
He chuckled. “Carrying lots of stuff around in that trunk of yours?”
I gasped playfully. “Are you telling me I have a big ass, Mr. Gage?”
He winked. “Only if you’re into that sort of thing.”
I peeked around him. “Is Brooks here, too? I figured maybe you guys could take a look at it together? I’d be more than willing to pay you both for your time.”
He stood to his feet. “Nah, Brooks is off today. But don’t worry; your car’s in good hands.”
I smiled up at him. “I really appreciate it.”
He winked at me. “Anytime. And if I can’t fix your issue today, I’ll work on it tonight after hours so you can get it back ASAP.”
“Really? You’d do that for me?”
He smiled wickedly. “If you let me take you out to dinner one night, yes.”
My eyes eased themselves open again and I looked over at the clock. The memory of Gage asking me out on the date that would change both of our lives haunted me as I saw the clock blinking with a time of midnight at me. I groaned as I eased myself up. We must’ve had another summer storm pass through the area. But even though there were no windows in Brooks’ room, I heard birds chirping outside.
Which meant it was time to get up.
“I promise I will always love you, Gage,” I whispered to myself.
Because despite what I wanted back then, Gage had been a fantastic husband. Despite the fact that I had a much bigger crush on Brooks back then, Gage had been a wonderful confidante and partner to have at my side. I loved him with everything inside of me. Well, mostly everything.
Even I had to admit that a small part of me would always be with that brown-eyed, stoic-faced man who cared more about me being safe than getting in my pants.
Thirteen
Brooks
I tossed and turned all night on the fucking couch as I tried to get comfortable. But even I knew damn good and well that my comfort level wasn’t what kept me up. Every time I heard the clubhouse crack or pop, I wondered if Raven was venturing out of her room. Every time I heard someone lumbering around, I wondered if Raven was coming out to get herself something to eat. I hadn’t expected her to fall asleep without dinner, so I set aside a plate for her of Porter’s infamous chicken alfredo. I mean the man could fucking throw down in a kitchen.
But she didn’t come out of the room all night.
As I stared at the ceiling in the middle of the night, I had half a mind to go in there and curl up with Raven. Maybe if I made the first move, she’d melt into me like I knew she wanted to do all those years ago. Why I was stupid enough to let Gage slip in there before I did was beyond me. I honestly didn’t think she was the kind of girl to go for the overt flirtatious advances and the wild smiles of my best friend.
Then again, people always did surprise me.
This is your late best friend’s wife, dude. Chill the fuck out.
I swallowed back the guilt wafting up the back of my throat and turned onto my side. I stared at the couch cushions, wondering if Raven hated me for dragging her back into a world she left of her own accord. She made it plain and clear to all of us that she wanted nothing to do with this lifestyle any longer. And yet, here she was, being dragged back here by me and those asshat Black Dildos.
