“We met at the tavern too,” a voice calls out, and I turn to find a guy with a laid-back, almost mischievous vibe.“I’m Stash.I look after the money.I’m the treasurer.”
“I remember you,” I say, my eyes flicking over to another of the members.“You were there, too, but I’m sorry, I forgot your name.”
“It’s cool,” he says, offering me a friendly smile.“I’m Cyclone.Been a member of the Kings for two years.”
“Hey, Hannah, it’s good to have you here,” Scout adds, giving me a welcoming nod.
“Hey, Scout,” I reply, recognizing him from before.“Thank you for cleaning up my home.”
“All good,” Scout says with a grin.“I’m the tail gunner when we go on rides.”
“What does that mean?”I ask, genuinely curious.
“It means I make sure no one tries to get the better of us,” he explains, his expression serious now.“Sometimes cars will try to pass us, but that can be dangerous.It’s my job to make sure the riders are safe.”
A wiry guy stands from the couch and looks me over, raising an eyebrow.“I’m Rooster.Does your cat piss anywhere?”
“Grace normally has a kitty litter box, or I take her for a walk into the backyard on a lead,” I answer, trying to ignore the judgment in his tone.
“A cat who walks on a lead?”Rooster shakes his head, laughing.“Now I’ve heard every-fucking-thing.”
“Rooster,” Blade growls, his voice low and commanding.
“Why do you always have to be such a dick?”another voice chimes in, and I look over to see a man standing by the door, shaking his head at Rooster’s antics.“I’m Styx.”
“Hello,” I say, offering him a smile.
The guy next to Styx gives me a nod.“Chrome,” he says, his voice cool and detached, still not looking at me.
Another guy pipes up from the back of the room.“Bodhi.”
“Azriel,” calls out yet another, his voice smooth but commanding.
“Kyler.”A man sitting near the window adds his name to the list with a casual wave.
I smile, feeling overwhelmed but grateful for the warm welcome.“It’s nice to meet you all.”I look over at Blade, then back at the group of men.“Could they all wear their cuts permanently so I can read their names?”
Hollywood barks out a laugh, the sound loud and genuine.
“You’ll remember them in time,” Blade says, squeezing my hand gently before pulling me toward the kitchen area.“You hungry?”
“A little,” I admit, feeling the tightness in my stomach, whether from nerves or hunger, I can’t quite tell.
“What do we have?”Blade asks Prophet, who’s standing near the counter, sipping what appears to be coffee.
“Something smells good,” I add, letting the scent of whatever is cooking fill my senses.
Prophet smiles, his eyes lighting up with pride.“There are a couple of lasagnas in the oven.Once they’re done, we’ll throw in a few garlic breads.Is that okay?”
“Sounds perfect,” I say, smiling for the first time since I walked in.The warmth from the kitchen and the promise of food makes everything feel a little less overwhelming.
Ranger walks back in, empty-handed.I’m about to ask where Grace is when he steps aside, and there she is, trotting in right behind him, looking right at home.She jumps up on the table with a grace that matches her name and heads straight for Vex.
“Well, would you look at that?Vex has got himself a girlfriend,” Rooster teases, a wicked grin on his face as he watches the cat settle down next to Vex.
Vex, unfazed, shoots back, “Fuck you, you’re just jealous.Hannah says the cat’s a good judge of character, so I bet she doesn’t like you.”
Rooster steps closer to Vex, his eyes narrowing with a playful challenge.“Well, she’s going to fucking love me then.”
