Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy. I do, however, own Marlowe, Nico and any other OCs that appear in the 2 Sons Universe.
A/N: First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed and/or favorited this story. Along with my faithful regulars, I want to acknowledge the many newcomers who have signed on as well. I hope you all continue reading and providing feedback. Out of the thousands of stories on this site, you have chosen to read one of mine and I want everyone to know and feel that they are greatly appreciated. The loyalty and support I have found in this fandom is incredible and never taken for granted, which is why I put so much effort and hard work into my writing.
Before going any farther, I want to sincerely apologize for giving anyone the wrong impression after reading the first chapter of this story. This second installment of the 2 Sons trilogy is not a crossover of the SOA and The Fast and The Furious Universes. Although that had been the original plan, after many months of plot development, my beta and I decided to scrap the crossover idea and go in a different direction.
That being said, the character of Dom Torelli is in fact inspired by Dom Toretto in the F&F movies, as was the hijacking scene in the first chapter. In spite of that inspiration, I neglected to give proper credit to the creators of The Fast & The Furious in my disclaimer and for that I am sorry. Please know, however, that it was not intentional and something I had not considered until it was brought to my attention. Please consider this my amended disclaimer regarding The Sons of Anarchy and The Fast & The Furious, two concepts which I do not own nor have any claim to. I write for personal enjoyment and not for profit and did not intend to infringe on the creativity of others. Please also note that while the attempted hijacking may continue to be an issue in this chapter, the resolution of that situation between SAMCRO and the Torellis puts an end to any similarities between this story and The Fast & The Furious.
Dirty Love, No Romance is NOT a crossover.
Thank you again for reading and I look forward to hearing from all of you in your reviews.
Hugs, Harlee.
Friday, January 7, 2011
As was usually the case for as far back as he could remember, Dominic Torelli was in complete and utter awe of his big sister. Instead of having all types of automatic weapons pointed at their heads after claiming responsibility for the attempted hijacking of a truck under their protection, the outlaw MC known as SAMCRO had opened the door to their Clubhouse and invited the Torelli siblings in for a drink.
A fuckin' drink!
Dominic wasn't blind, however. Although Nico was well-spoken and intelligent, it wasn't an appreciation for her smarts that had kept them breathing this long. Nico was a beautiful woman and even though she wasn't big in height, she was big in personality. Not only was she personable, but a slight air of danger always seemed to surround her that men such as these usually found themselves drawn to. Maybe it was those eyes of hers, just one of the many traits she had inherited from their father. Always warm and inviting, Nico could be quite intimidating when she flashed cold, dark blue eyes in your direction.
Whatever it was that Nico had, it was something these outlaw bikers made no effort to hide their admiration for, but even Dominic knew that didn't mean they were out of the woods yet.
Ushered inside by the trio that had greeted them in the parking lot, the patch who had introduced himself as Kozik charged the rat-faced young man with greasy hair behind the bar with serving up whatever Nico and Dominic wanted to drink. He then demanded that anyone not wearing a kutte vacate the Clubhouse immediately. Ordering a shot of Jack with a beer chaser, Nico settled herself onto a bar stool to wait. From his corner of the bar, Dominic gulped down half of his beer as he watched the blond spiky-haired biker disappear into a room he had referred to as the "Chapel". Quickly downing her shot, Nico picked up her beer bottle just as a curly-haired biker with a pair of crazy-looking blue eyes slipped in between the siblings.
With his eyes nailed onto the cleavage exposed by her unbuttoned denim jacket, Nico watched as he hungrily ran his tongue over dry lips. Taking a sip from her beer, Nico put the bottle down on the bar with just enough force to snap the patch out of his breast-induced trance.
"Did ya lose something down my shirt, sport?" Nico asked cheekily.
Dominic took another gulp from his beer and pretended he couldn't hear what was going on right next to him. Nico didn't take kindly to her little brother automatically jumping to the rescue. He would let her handle the situation until Dominic was sure it was about to get out of hand. With Nico usually handling her own shit effectively, however, his interference was rarely ever required.
"Nah, doll," the patch drawled. "I'm just imagining my hard cock in between those perfect tits of yours." He flashed a surprisingly engaging grin. "I'm Tig, by the way," he announced.
Tig had no idea who the hot little bitch was, but he had seen her enter the Clubhouse with Kozik. With a plump ass encased in tight leather and dark sable-colored hair falling over her shoulders in soft, loose curls, she could be just another biker groupie. If he was lucky, however, she'd turn out to be a tried and true hang-around—a croweater, which made her fair game.
"Well, uh Tig, I have to warn you. I usually have trouble picturing shit that has no chance of ever happening," Nico started, "so I'm not really getting the visual that you have so vividly painted for me. Sorry."
Tig was looking at her with a knitted brow. Looking into what could only be described as crazy eyes, Nico said a quick prayer in hopes that she hadn't just earned herself a backhand for mouthing off to the wrong biker. But soon, the older man's features softened and he laughed heartily.
"Ah, shit! I get it." Tig exclaimed with a smile. Grabbing her beer, he took a large sip, wiping his mouth with the back of a multi-ringed hand before he leaned into her. "Hey, listen, doll. If shit don't work out between you and Koz, you should really consider giving me—tall, dark and hung like a fuckin' horse—a shot. I'm just saying." He shrugged his shoulders.
"I can't make any promises," Nico signaled the bartender to pour her another shot, "but I will keep the offer in mind."
"Yeah, you do that," Tig replied and bit his lip as he stared down into her cleavage again. "I bet you taste like peaches," he said and smacked his lips, making "mmm-mmm" noises as if he had just tasted the sweet and juicy fruit before walking away.
"Told ya," Dominic said, closing the large gap between himself and his sister before anyone else decided to test their luck with Nico. "Bait. You're dressed like fuckin' bait."
Nico rolled her eyes. "Yeah, so what? It's not like this is the first biker bar I've ever been hit on in," she teased, earning a surprised glare from her brother. "You need to relax, Dom. You look tense and I'm reading all this anxiety coming off of you. If they pick up on it, they won't trust us," she murmured quietly.
"I think the fact that we tried jacking them takes care of the trust issue, don't you?" Dominic argued.
"Presently, yes, but I'm here to make things right. You look like you're here to plant a bomb. Chill the fuck out, that's all I'm saying. It's not like you haven't dealt with bigger and badder before," Nico advised.
"Oh, I have, just not while babysitting my bratty sister," Dominic teased.
"Yeah, fuck you, too, Dom," Nico smiled as she took a sip of her whiskey.
Just then, the Chapel doors opened. A tall, blond and extremely good-looking man with a "President" patch on his kutte was standing in the doorway staring straight at Dominic and Nico. Taking a deep drag from the cigarette he was holding, the man both brother and sister recognized as Jax Teller stepped into the main room. He was followed by a giant of a man with long auburn hair sporting a "V. President" patch and a shorter, bushy-haired man whose kutte was barely big enough to cover the serious beer baby gut he was rocking.
But it was the man that followed them all into the room that caused Nico's breath to catch in her throat.
It's him, Nico thought as her eyes centered on the intimately familiar tan and lean face of the man with the clean-shaven and tattooed head. And he apparently remembers me too, she inwardly smiled with some satisfaction as she saw his dark eyes narrow as they focused on her like laser beams.
Telling herself to get a grip, Nico felt suddenly disgruntled with herself and the sense of relief that had bubbled to the surface thanks to the light of recognition that had flashed in his eyes. After all, Nico had hoped that she too had made a lasting impression on the man and hadn't been the only one indelibly affected by their one lust-driven night together.
To say that Happy Lowman had been taken by surprise would have been grossly understating the situation. It was more along the lines of getting knocked on his ass, complete with little birds and stars circling his head.
When Kozik had entered the Chapel to advise that the crew responsible for the attempted hijacking were at the moment sitting in the Clubhouse, Happy quickly started going through the inventory of his mind for good, out of the way places to dump the bodies. Fully expecting to find a ragtag bunch of inbred redneck assholes who had obviously shown up in Charming on a dare, walking out and seeing Tiny prettily perched on a bar stool had completely floored him. Not that anyone would be able to tell by the menacing look on his face.
The last time Happy had laid eyes on her had been during the previous summer at the Indian Hills Clubhouse. It had been a truly intense night of no-holds barred fuckin', no doubt. But after a missed opportunity to hook up with her once again a couple of months later, Happy had dismissed their encounter as a one-off. As he boldly eyed her, however, it became clear to Happy that Tiny wasn't at all surprised to see him, judging by the knowing blue eyes that languidly ran up and down the length of his body.
And tonight she's not looking like no high-end piece of ass either, Happy thought, noting the tight leather pants that molded over her generous curves and bustier that encased her perfectly round and beautiful tits. Damn! I've missed those home grown bad boys too, the errant thought ran through his mind as he felt his cock twitch. Like a lot.
Not sure of how or why the miniature prima donna had gotten mixed up in the hijacking shit fest, Happy decided to keep his counsel and let the SAMCRO Pres run point. Without acknowledging her presence, Happy stood quietly to Jax's right, cocking his head in interest as off to the side he watched Clay Morrow murmuring quietly into his prepay before snapping the phone shut.
"You walking heavy?" Jax asked as he grabbed a seat at one of the tables and sat down.
"No," Dominic replied. "We came to make peace, so we're both unarmed."
Jax nodded, leaning back casually in his chair, one long, denim-clad leg stretched out. "I appreciate that, but you do understand that for your safety as well as our own, we're gonna have to pat you down." The SAMCRO President motioned to Chibs, who was standing closest to Dominic with Tig quickly volunteering to search Nico.
"Hey, hey," Dominic started protesting as Tig grabbed his sister's arm, ready to yank her off the stool. "I don't mind a pat down, but can you please give the lady a little courtesy?"
Seeing a hard glint ignite in Jax's eyes as if he were trying to decide who to kill first, Nico jumped off the stool. "I don't mind a pat down either. I've got nothing to hide." Turning around, she placed her hands on the bar top and spread her legs.
Gleefully rubbing his hands together, Tig was about to reach for her again when Jax motioned for him to step back. "Let Hap do it," he ordered, much to Tig's displeasure.
"Really, Pres?" Tig protested petulantly. "What kind of cock-blocking shit is that?"
"Cock-blocking?" Jax raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Bro, I need someone to pat her down, not fuck her up against the bar," he said as Happy stepped forward and pushed Tig to the side.
"I got this," Happy flashed Tig a grim look.
In spite of what the brother/sister duo were claiming responsibility for, Happy knew that out of the respect he had for women, Jax was not about to subject the beauty wrapped in leather to a mauling bordering on sexual assault. Approaching her as he would any pat down, Happy started with her arms, running his hands over what he could feel through the denim jacket were her familiar, well-toned arms. Trailing down to her sides, he patted the pockets of her jacket before reaching underneath and patting the sides and back of her bustier.
"I think you missed a spot," Nico whispered teasingly as Happy by-passed the front of her top, his hands falling to her slim waist.
"I'm giving you a pass since we both know it's near impossible to wedge anything in between those beauties—unless, of course, it's my cock," he replied in a low growl.
Nico smirked as Happy continued patting the front, side, and back of her leather pants. "What is it with you boys and titty-fucking?"
"I only know me and I know I just hate letting anything go to waste," Happy leaned close to Nico's ear and whispered. "Just don't make me regret giving you that pass—Tiny," he said, sending shivers down her spine. Crouching down behind her, Happy ran his hands down the outside and around her legs and finally between her thighs. "Clean," he declared as he straightened up, internally ordering his dick to stand the fuck down.
"Yup, clean," Chibs agreed after searching Dominic.
"Take a seat," Jax ordered, gesturing towards the chairs opposite him at the table. Doing as they were told, the pair patiently waited for their chance to speak. "I hear you two are related, brother and sister."
Dominic nodded. "Dom and Nico Torelli."
"Torelli, huh?" Clay interrupted as he approached the trio and pulled out a chair to sit down, uninvited. Taking a puff of his cigar, he continued, "Brooklyn Johnny T your old man?"
"Yes, Gianni Torelli from Reno is our father," Nico replied.
"So if Brooklyn Johnny's your old man," Clay smiled, "I'm assuming you must know who Jimmy Caccuza is."
"He's our uncle," Dominic replied, folding his arms across his powerful chest.
"That's right!" Clay declared triumphantly. "So just imagine my surprise when I realized that the niece and nephew of a long-time friend and business associate of mine tried to hijack a cargo my Club was being paid handsomely to protect," he stated. "Needless to say, I am very surprised indeed and, like my brothers here, none too happy."
"That's why we're here," Dominic started. "We had no idea the Sons were running protection on that shipment."
"We run protection on all Unser Trucking cargo," Jax replied sternly.
"He knows that, now," Nico chimed in just as strongly. "What he didn't know before was that this time around, Dunwood had outsourced transport of their cargo to an independent contractor, something they had never done before. Had Dom known that the trucking company they were using had ties to the Sons, he wouldn't have been there."
Jax turned a hard look on Nico. "And just how did he know to be there in the first place? It was a last-minute job for us and I had strategically planned that route myself less than twenty-four hours before."
Dominic licked his lips as he gave Nico a sideways glance. He was willing to make amends, but divulging trade secrets was not a part of the plan. Looking over at her brother, Nico arched an eyebrow as if to say they were waiting for him to speak. Dominic replied by giving her a slight shake of his bald head.
Seeing Jax's jaw clench and his nostrils flare as the rest of his crew shifted on their feet—in preparation for what, she didn't care to find out—Nico let out an exasperated puff of air and glared at Dominic. "Tell him . . . now," she ordered with authority that Happy noted quizzically Dominic was unwilling to challenge.
"Most of the dockworkers at the port in San Francisco are on the Torelli payroll," Dominic started explaining, albeit hesitantly. "My contact knows to keep an eye out for high-end cargo for me. When it comes in, he places a GPS-enabled tracking device underneath the rig while it's being loaded."
Jax turned to look at his VP and SAA with a raised eyebrow. "Smart."
"Meh," Opie shrugged his massive shoulders, unimpressed. "You would've figured it out eventually."
"Anyway," Dominic spoke up, bringing Jax's attention back to the table. "The point is, I didn't know the cargo was being protected by armed bikers and my intention was never to start shit with the Sons. As it is, I've got one man laid up in a hospital with a broken pelvis after one of your guys shot out his tire and for what?"
"I knew it, brutha," Chibs guffawed as he slapped a hand on Happy's shoulder. "You're a crack shot and I knew you wouldna let the bastard get off easy."
Happy watched as Dominic's eyes narrowed. "So you're the one responsible for what happened to Lucky," he said tightly.
"That's right," Happy said with a shit-eating grin. "And your boy might want to consider changing his name, although he is 'lucky' he didn't end up with a bullet in the head instead."
"I think you got that backwards," Dominic started darkly. "You should consider yourselves the lucky ones that the safety of my crew always comes first. Otherwise, shit might not have gone so easily your way."
Happy and Chibs eyed each other incredulously before bursting into raucous laughter.
"Hey, Torelli. Were you in the car that flipped too 'cause maybe you hit your head and forgot who chased who away," Tig called out as the main room roared with laughter.
Feeling her gears shift into big sister mode, Nico didn't take kindly to anyone running her brother down, not even a clan of probably well-armed and murderous outlaw bikers. For a brief moment, she forgot the reason they were there in the first place as jumping to her brother's defense was second nature to her by now.
"Chased away? Not so difficult to do when you're brandishing automatic weapons on a commuter highway," she stated adamantly with a smug look on her face. "Dom and his crew are pros. He's done dozens of these take-downs before, without ever needing to fire a weapon. The only times he has ever backed down from a hijacking was when his crew was in danger, like he did yesterday."
"Were you there, driving one of those cages?" Jax suddenly asked, intrigued by the outspoken young woman.
"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "Making shit fall off a truck is not how I earn my keep. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't know my brother and what he's capable of. Dom made the right call on behalf of his crew by backing down, but if he really wanted that cargo, he would have taken that cargo."
Clay chuckled. "That's a bold statement, little girl."
"I'm not boasting," Nico replied sincerely. "It's what Dom does and he's good at it."
"Just good?" Jax asked, playing along.
Nico looked him straight in the eye. "The best."
"So you work for your old man?" Bobby asked Dominic directly.
"I work for our father," Nico interjected tersely. "Dom only recently moved his crew up north in order to be closer to the family, which is why he had no idea whose toes he was stepping on."
Jax shook his head. "Ignorance is no excuse, darlin'. He should have vetted the situation before jumping in feet first, especially in foreign territory."
"I got one better," Opie opened his mouth to chime in. "Why didn't Uncle Jimmy clue you in before you went around pissing off his friends?"
"That's a good point, son. I mean, the Caccuza crew and the Sons have a relationship that goes back decades," Clay advised. "I think it's fair to say that not only does Jimmy know that SAMCRO runs protection for Unser Trucking, but that the area you hit last night falls into our territory as well. I assume he advised you that doing business in our neck of the woods comes with a price, right?"
"He did," Dominic concurred. "And if it makes a difference, he wasn't at all happy with me about yesterday."
"He was livid, actually," Nico clarified. "That's why we're here, because he sent us to take responsibility and make amends."
"What kind of amends?" Jax asked.
"Well, in order to conduct our business in NorCal and the Pacific Northwest, I'm offering to pay the Club our monthly vig upfront, up to a year in advance," Dominic offered.
"Keep talking," Jax retorted, seemingly not impressed. "That's business. I'm still waiting for the part where you start taking responsibility and making amends," he smirked.
Dominic flashed his sister with an exasperated look. "In addition," Nico continued, "Dom is offering the Sons a percentage of his profits for the next six months."
Surprised, Clay puffed on his cigar thoughtfully before nodding his head in askance at Jax. Ignoring Clay, Jax tipped his chin at Dominic. "Black market business must be booming," he said.
"He's doing all right," Nico replied instead.
Briefly giving Nico a sideways glance without turning his head, Jax refocused his attention on Dominic. "What percentage are we talking about?"
"Two points," Nico interjected once again.
Raising his eyebrows, Jax smirked as he looked at Dominic who was sitting quietly. Apparently, he had no problem with letting his sister do the talking. "Twenty," he shot back.
Nico almost swallowed her tongue. Even though Jimmy had said keep haggling to a minimum out of respect for his long-standing connection with SAMCRO, he also said the bikers would be reasonable in what they asked for. Twenty percent was not reasonable. Dominic had told her to start with five, advice she had ignored, and accept the second offer they made, but Nico was determined to get her brother his money's worth.
"Five," she countered.
"Darlin', we ain't negotiating shit until you move a little north of the single digits. Otherwise, you're just wasting good air," Jax declared with a wickedly boyish smile. "But since you did go up, I'll go down for ya. Eighteen."
Seeing Dominic opening his mouth to accept, Nico continued, "How about we go half that, huh?" She smiled coyly at Jax, who returned her smile with a long, lingering look at her cleavage meant to rattle her confidence before shaking his head.
"Sixteen," Jax said. Anything over ten percent was gravy for the Club, especially since they didn't have to earn it, so Jax had no problem playing along with the clearly self-confident young woman.
"Ten."
"I'll give you this much, darlin', you've got a nice pair there and I'm not just talking about the set you're carrying above the waistline," Jax declared. "Fourteen."
"Gold-plated," Nico replied cheekily. "Twelve."
"Thirteen." Jax watched as she stared him down and then shrugged.
"Done," she replied and held out a slim hand.
Reaching across the table, Jax took it in his and gripped it firmly before reaching over to shake Dominic's hand. "I think this calls for a drink, don't you?" he offered.
"Absolutely," Nico smiled. "Negotiating is thirsty work."
With dusk long gone, night had fallen on the SOA Clubhouse and, as was usually the case on a Friday night, the party was in full swing.
For at least one of the two visiting outsiders, however, the antics on display by some of the party-goers were certainly an eye-opening experience. But Nico couldn't really fault her little brother for feeling, as well as looking, painfully out of place. After all, he wasn't the sibling who had become more or less accustomed to partying with hardcore outlaw bikers on the regular.
After separating from her now ex-husband, Nico had taken on gambling as a hobby in an effort to keep from working herself to death. Like her father, who had taught her everything she knew about cards, Nico had a knack for poker in particular. With her family owning several casinos as well as illicit gambling dens in and around Reno, it wasn't easy indulging in her newly-acquired vice without getting recognized everywhere she went.
Her search for anonymity had led her to Indian Hills. Dropping tens of thousands of dollars at a time at Jury's place was a small price to pay for the "me time" she was free to enjoy without the pressure of being Nico Torelli. As far as anyone knew, she was just a bored housewife with too much time and money on her hands. Considering that she rarely lost and that most nights she preferred just sitting at the bar shooting the shit with Jury anyway, it dawned on Nico that it wasn't the gambling she was addicted to. It was the thought of living life as someone else, if only for a little while, that kept her coming back.
That and the totally hot biker that had given her the first real fucking of her life!
Happy Lowman. Nico couldn't even think his name without her nether region springing to life.
"Shit!" Dominic's sudden exclamation prevented Nico from letting her thoughts veer further into X-rated territory. "I heard bikers were a wild bunch, but damn," he said with a grin as he watched two shirtless men bare-knuckle fighting in the ring outside the Clubhouse on this slightly chilly NorCal winter night. He and Nico found themselves surrounded by a sea of kuttes as wild, semi-naked women heartily cheered the fighters on. "I don't think I'm old enough for this shit."
"It is something, isn't it?" Nico replied as she daintily sipped her long neck bottle of beer, avidly watching the grappling hard bodies gleaming with sweat.
Definitely a lot cruder and wilder than Jury's place, she thought with some amusement.
"Fifty bucks says the one with the Mohawk KO's the other guy," Nico wagered, nudging her brother in the ribs. Not five seconds after the words left her mouth, the well-developed "other guy" covered in tats decided to plow Mohawk's brick-like abs with determination. Throwing first a left, then a right and then another left, he grinned maniacally as his opponent stumbled back several steps from the impact.
"I wouldn't take it, if I was you," a gravelly-toned voice advised from somewhere behind the Torelli siblings, sending a wicked shiver down Nico's spine. "Don't let the Mohawk fool you. Our village idiot has been working on his game lately and, as I'm starting to realize, smaller doesn't always mean weaker," Happy directed at Nico as she and Dominic turned to face him.
Dominic grimaced as his features darkened dangerously. "Thanks for the unsolicited advice. If it's all the same to you, I think I'm gonna take the bet," he retorted irritably. "His reach is too short and he's sluggish on his feet. All the other guy has to do is land one solid punch and Mohawk will end up flat on his ass wondering how the fuck he got there."
Nico rolled her eyes as the two men flexed egos at each other. She had been waiting all evening for the SAMCRO SAA to make his move. Now, it seemed that her little brother was unwittingly determined to wind his ass up and spoil shit for her.
Apparently, playing it cool all night with a man like Happy was not the way to go. If memory served—and she knew that it did—he had been more responsive the night they had met in Indian Hills because she had been aggressive and assertive, displaying very little to no shame in letting him know exactly what she wanted from him. They had shared an instant, no-bullshit connection that had led to the best sex of her life and she had spent the next several months hoping for a repeat performance should they ever cross paths again. However, not one of those hotly-anticipated scenarios ever included having her little brother glued to her side as the self-appointed protector of her non-existent virtue.
After months of steamy solo sessions as she thought about Happy and his glorious body fucking her within an inch of her life, Nico had been thrown for a momentary loop when she had come face to face with him earlier that night. His dangerously handsome face had been set in granite, betraying very little when he had walked into the room and spotted her sitting at the bar. For a fleeting moment, Nico prepared herself for the possibility that she had been nothing more than a nameless and faceless pussy he had taken his pleasure with nearly five months and two weeks ago. Although she had managed to convince herself that she had seen a spark of recognition in his eyes, with a man as closed off and gruff as Happy, a girl could never really be quite sure.
It wasn't until he had called her Tiny during the pat down that her lady parts had started blooming once again in his presence. He definitely remembers, Nico had thought with an internal grin.
The delicious thrill she had felt at the recognition had almost been enough for her to forgive him for not being around when she had "unexpectedly" turned up at Jury's to unwind. Although she had still managed to have herself a good time playing poker and alleviating the Sheriff of Douglas County of a shit load of money, it really hadn't been the kind of action she had been hoping to find.
Flash forward to the day before and the last thing Nico had expected when Uncle Jimmy had called was that she would find herself in California putting out a potential fire with the Sons of Anarchy. Having learned from Jury that Happy's home charter was in Charming, Nico knew that the chances of running into him were in her favor. However, after having spent most of the day doing research and making phone calls regarding SAMCRO and their President Jax Teller, Nico quickly came to realize that there were other potential benefits to be had with an association with the Club, none of which she had discussed with her brother. If she had analyzed the Intel she had gathered correctly, Nico hoped that she had made the right impression on the Club's President.
With the botched hijacking fire extinguished, it was starting to look like her peace-making abilities might still come in handy as Dominic and Happy seemed one or two pointed barbs away from getting into some shit that would require fists to fly. About to open her mouth in an effort to control the situation, Nico heard a loud thump and the sudden roar of the crowd. Turning her attention back to the ring, she wasn't surprised at all to see the huge patch splayed out across the mat as Mohawk pranced around the ring with his arms up in the air in victory.
"Looks like it was a sucker bet after all, Dom," Nico laughed as her brother shook his head in embarrassed disbelief. "Tell you what. Take a long hike on your way to getting me another beer and we'll call it even," she offered, rolling her eyes as Dominic eyed her suspiciously.
"Letting him off the hook won't teach him to listen to his betters," Happy goaded with a smirk.
Dominic huffed as he reached for his wallet. "I pay my debts," he said, pulling a crisp fifty dollar bill from his wallet and slamming it into Nico's hand. "And for the record, I have yet to come across any betters in this dump, old man," Dominic tossed off as he turned towards the Clubhouse. "I'll be right back," he said, a slight edge of warning in his tone as he eyed the biker.
"Take your time," Happy drawled. "I'll make sure your sister gets taken care of real good."
Nico shook her head as she avoided the sharp look Dominic was aiming in her direction before he disappeared through the doorway. "Was that really necessary?"
"What?" Happy almost growled. "It was taking you long enough to ditch his ass. I just thought I'd help you along."
"Why would I want to ditch my brother?" Nico asked, her eyes wide with an innocence Happy knew first hand she did not possess.
"C'mon, girlie. You really need me to spell it out for you?" Happy said arrogantly, stepping into Nico's personal space and forcing her to raise her chin in order to look him in the eyes as he towered over her.
"I don't think I know what you're talking about," Nico bluffed. "The only reason I came to Charming was to support my brother during his discussions with your President."
"Don't you mean handle his shit for him?" Happy asked smugly. "What? Is he the baby of the family, used to stepping aside and letting his big sis do all the talking for him?"
Crossing her arms over her ample chest, Nico felt her ire suddenly rising. "You don't know shit about my family," she said challengingly.
"Maybe," Happy shrugged his shoulders, "but I know all I need to know about your brother. It was his crew that stirred shit up yesterday, yet he let you clean it up."
"Dom can handle anything he needs to," Nico stated adamantly. "It's my job to fix whatever needs fixing."
"You sure about that, tiny bitch?" Happy said quietly and smirked as he saw her blue eyes flash.
"Five foot three is not tiny," she muttered.
"It is to me," Happy retorted. "I'm nearly a foot taller than you."
"Not tonight you're not," Nico said, kicking up a well shod 5-inch heel.
"I sure was last summer," he said silkily. "Or did you forget?" He watched with grim satisfaction as, despite the noise of the crowd, he heard her swallow the lump in her throat.
I didn't forget shit.
"I don't recall," she lied, slightly breathless.
"I can remind you."
Feeling a pool of moist heat forming at the base of her thighs, Nico ordered herself to get a grip just as she decided to give in. Opening her mouth to tell him to name the time and place—all the while hoping he had place nearby—she nearly screamed in frustration when Dominic picked up her hand and slapped a beer in it.
"Drink up, Nico," Dominic said as he warily eyed Happy after finding the biker standing just a little too close to his sister. "It's been great and all," he offered the SAA a totally insincere grin, "but we gotta head back to Reno tonight."
Nico quirked an arched eyebrow at Dominic. "The plan was to head back tomorrow," she countered.
"It's Pop," Dominic said noncommittally. "We gotta roll now."
Nico's expression didn't change an iota as she allowed her eyes to fasten onto ones that were as dark as pitch. "It was nice chatting with you," she said to Happy with an easy smile before tipping the beer back. Taking a deep swallow, she handed it over to him as his fingers grazed across hers. Nico bit her bottom lip as Happy directed a barely perceptible wink in her direction before bringing the bottle up to his own lips.
"Let's go!" Dominic said gruffly as he gestured impatiently for Nico to follow him into the parking lot.
"Please let Jax know we'll be in touch soon regarding the vig," she said before turning to cut through the crowd to get to her car.
"Sure thing, Tiny," Happy called out.
"What the fuck did he just call you?" Dominic asked with a frown as he glanced back over his shoulder.
"Never you mind," Nico said, the sexy biker forgotten for the moment as she focused on what she feared was yet another shit storm brewing on the horizon. Pulling open her door she slid into the driver's seat. "Strap in, little brother," she ordered. "This is going to be one hell of a ride."
Pulling out of the parking, Nico took one last long look in her rearview mirror to see Happy rooted to the spot she had left him in as he watched her with an intensity she could almost feel.
Don't you worry, tiger. We'll be seeing each other again real soon, Nico smiled to herself. And next time, no one will stop shit from happening.
A/N: Yeah, I know. I'm just a big ol' tease for giving you a taste, only to yank it away at the last second. Don't worry, y'all. The hotness that was Happy and Nico together will soon make an appearance once again.
As a special reward, I decided to post this chapter a week early, but note that two chapters a week will not be the norm this time around. Thank you again for reading and I look forward to hearing from all of you in your reviews.
Hugs, Harlee.