All I had to do was make sure Kylo understood why it wouldn’t be good for us to see each other… that was if the others were serious about Kylo inviting me because he liked me or if it was them just messing with me. Which wouldn’t surprise me.
I heard Kylo even before I saw him. Glancing out the window, I saw him pull up on his bike. He slid off and removed his helmet. He caught my gaze and waved, and I returned it.
The bell above the door sounded as he entered.
“Hey,” he said, putting his helmet on the booth seat opposite me before he sat next to it.
“Hi, glad you made it safely on that thing.”
He laughed. “You can’t seriously say you don’t like bikes. Your brother has one.”
“Oh, I know. I tell him how unsafe they are, but he just laughs at me and shakes his head. I guess it’ll be something I just won’t understand the appeal of.”
“Have you ever been on one?”
“No, and it’ll never happen.”
“We’ll see.”
“It won’t.”
He just smiled, so I shook my head. I knew I wouldn’t get on the back of a bike. I always thought it would look silly for a guy riding on the back of another guy’s bike anyway. More people could assume two guys on a bike meant they’re gay and cause problems. Also, I really was terrified of them. There was nothing around you to protect your body if an accident occurred. Give me a car surrounded by metal, and I was fine.
I jumped when a voice beside us said, “Hi, I’m Mabel, and I’ll be your waitress tonight. Can I get you guys a drink?”
Kylo laughed at my reaction but managed to get out, “A coffee, please.”
“I’ll have the same,” I said.
“Great, I’ll grab those while you two have a look at the menu.” She quickly moved off, well, as fast as an eighty something-year-old could.
“She owns the place with her husband, who’s a good ten years younger than her. They’re into swingin’ and often have a third partner in bed,” Kylo announced.
I lifted my wide gaze. “How do you know?”
“I don’t. But it was funny to see your face.”
Glaring, I kicked across under the table and connected with his leg. Of course, he was still laughing.
After we ordered, I heard another rumble of engines pulling into the parking lot.
“Fuck,” Kylo clipped. “I told ’em I wasn’t comin’.” He ran a hand over his face. “Now they’re gonna give me shit.”
“Why?” I whispered. “And why would you tell them you weren’t coming?” I added quickly.
He sighed. “They were givin’ me hell about invitin’ you to the compound.”
“I told them not to say anything to you!”
He snorted. “Like they’d listen.” He shook his head, and we both glanced over to the door when a grinning Death, a smirking Zion, and a scowling Wreck entered.
Kylo glanced back to me and quickly said, “I’d told them when I invited you, that we were just friends. Of course they didn’t believe shit because of that stupid rule for prospects. But seriously, Lucas, I know we’re just friends, and I lied to them about coming because I’m a fuckin’ idiot.”
Well, at least in all that, I knew Kylo was on board with where we stood with one another.
“Prospect, didn’t think you were showin’,” Zion said. He stopped beside the booth while Death went up to the counter, saying something to our waitress. Wreck stood beside Zion and shoved at Kylo’s shoulder.
Kylo moved over for Wreck to sit and said, “I shouldn’t have lied, but I was always comin’ to see Lucas. Since we’re friends.”
Death appeared and snorted. “Friends.”
Kylo threw up his hands. “What does it matter? You guys won’t believe me anyway.”
“Shift over, bro,” Zion said. I did, and he slipped in beside me while Death pulled a chair over to sit on the end.
“We’re just givin’ you shit.” Death laughed. “We believed you after you took that pretty blonde woman to bed last night.”
“Then what are you all doing here?” I asked, refusing to look at the man next to Kylo. He looked too good in his jeans, long-sleeved black thermal and his biker’s vest.
“We were in the neighborhood,” Zion replied, with a smile that told me he was lying—even though our place was just down the street.
I rubbed a hand over my face, suddenly tired. I didn’t understand why they concerned themselves in Kylo’s and my affairs, but they were. Unless it had something to do with Kylo being a prospect to their club. Were they worried about his actions and how it would look toward the club? But then they weren’t anything but playful about it all.
It all had to come down to Zion being my brother. He could still be concerned Kylo was messing with me in some way. Maybe he didn’t believe we did only see each other as friends. I supposed it could look different since Kylo asked me to the compound, and we were meeting here for dinner. However, it didn’t mean they had a right to be in our business.
“Is this because you’re worried about me or because Kylo is a prospect to the club, and you’re concerned about his actions?” I just had to ask and search for answers, or it was going to drive me insane.
Death shook his head. “The prospect knows not to fuck you over, or he’d have all of us after him.”
I groaned. “We’re friends.”
“Yeah, we’re seein’ that, but with Dad and Mom away, it’s up to me to take care of you,” Zion explained.
My blood boiled. Slowly, I faced my brother. “Unless I ask for help, I would prefer if you stayed out of my business since I am twenty-two freaking years old. I can take care of myself.” I
