Dangerous Affiliations (Knights of War MC Book 1) Page 9

  When Holly crossed the stage to accept the empty diploma holder they handed out to everyone, Kol whistled. She looked toward the rear of the auditorium and smiled.

  It took about half an hour to get through the fifty or so graduates. After they were all seated again, the man put his hand out toward them. “I present to you the University of North Texas two thousand eighteen graduates.” The crowd hooted and clapped, and the graduates threw their caps in the air.

  The lights came on, and people milled about, hugging their loved ones, offering flowers and smiles. Holly looked at the rows of seats as she pushed through the crowd toward Hunter.

  “Congrats, baby.” He handed her the tulips he’d brought.

  “Thank you.” She put her hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

  Hem stepped forward and offered the flowers. “Way to go, Hol. You kick all the ass.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

  Kol was next. He hugged Holly and handed her the box they’d brought. “Congratulations, girl.”

  “Thank you guys so much.” She closed her eyes and smelled the roses. “I’m so glad you made it. It means a lot to me.”

  “Open the box.” Kol grinned.

  She handed the bouquets of flowers to Hunter. “You guys didn’t have to get me anything.”

  The bow was tied in a tight knot, and she picked at it with her fingernail. Hunter had no doubt the boys had wrapped the gift themselves.

  Finally, the knot gave, and Holly slipped the lid off the box. Inside was a pair of turquoise and silver earrings.

  Holly smiled. “Oh, my God! These are beautiful!” She hugged them both again. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Hem said.

  Holly looked around again. “I guess we can go now.”

  Hunter leaned down and whispered, “Where's your folks?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think they’re here.” She smiled up at him. “But it’s fine. You guys are here, and that makes me happy.”

  Hem and Holly had spent a lot of time together while she was holed up in the clubhouse. He’d taken her under his wing, lent her his computer and showed her how to set up unhackable passwords. Hunter was glad the guys liked her. Sometimes bringing an old lady into the club was a nightmare.

  Holly held Hunter’s hand as they made their way down the steps of the auditorium. Kol and Hem were directly behind them.

  “Where are you guys parked?” Hem asked.

  “We’re in the graduate lot on the west side of the building,” Hunter answered.

  Holly’s grip went slack, and Hunter looked down at her. “You okay, baby?”

  “They’re here.”

  Hunter looked toward the parking lot. A couple strolled hand in hand toward the auditorium. What kind of fucktwat showed up late to his daughter’s graduation?

  Holly looked like her mother but shorter. Brenda Farris was an attractive woman, probably in her early fifties. She was dressed in a navy skirt and jacket with a string of pearls around her neck. She let go of her husband’s hand and walked fast toward Holly.

  The two women embraced.

  “Oh, honey. You look wonderful. I’m so sorry we’re late. It took forever to get our rental car.”

  “It’s okay, Mom.”

  Christopher Farris wasn’t what Hunter expected at all. He expected a squatty asshole with a Napoleon complex, but he was about the same height as Hunter and not a bad looking guy. He didn’t look like someone who’d beat his wife and kid, but what does that look like?

  Chris wore a puzzled look on his face as he regarded Hunter, Hem, and Kol. Her dad leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Congratulations, Holly.” There was no warmth or inflection in his words.

  “Thank you,” she said almost too quiet to hear.

  “I have a reservation at the steakhouse for seven o’clock.” Her father looked at his Rolex. “I wasn’t aware you had friends with you.”

  Brenda touched his shoulder. “It’s perfectly fine, Chris. I’ll call and ask them to get us a bigger table.”

  Hem gave Holly a hug and lifted her off her feet for a second before kissing the top of her head. “Super happy for you and it’s cool. Kol and I have to be somewhere.” He turned to Hunter. “See you later, man.” The brothers walked off toward the parking lot.

  In the presence of her parents, Holly had become almost lethargic. Her mother stuck her hand out to Hunter. “Holly must be nervous. She didn’t introduce us. I’m her mom, Brenda.”

  Hunter gave her hand a light squeeze. “Hunter McKay. Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

  Chris put his hands in his pockets and lifted his chin. Brenda put her arm around him. “This is Holly’s dad, Christopher.”

  Hunter smiled half-heartedly. “It’s a pleasure.”

  “The pleasure’s mine,” Chris mumbled.

  The dude was crazy if he was going to stand there on the steps and size up Hunter. For Holly’s sake, Hunter wouldn’t make a scene, but his knuckles itched to knock the shit out of Chris Farris.

  It was apparent that Brenda was the one who tried to fix everything. “Do you two kids want to ride with us?”

  “No.” Holly grabbed Hunter’s hand. “We’ll meet you there.”

  “All right, sweetheart. Seven sharp, okay?”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  Holly handed her keys to Hunter. “Will you drive?”

  He watched her parents drive out of the parking lot in a forest green Lincoln. Once they were out of sight, he stopped and turned Holly to face him. “Are you okay? We don’t have to go to dinner with them.”

  The smile she gave was obviously contrived. “No. No. It’s fine. It’s just dinner. An hour tops.”

  Chapter SIXTEEN

  Hunter

  The menu didn’t have prices on it. That was a big red flag that it was expensive. The waiter was a skinny dude with an Adam’s apple the size of a walnut. His nametag said Chad. He uncorked a bottle of red wine and filled everyone’s glass half full. “Are the ladies ready to order?” he asked.

  Holly’s dad took the menu out of Brenda’s hands. “We’ll both have the ribeye, medium rare.”

  Brenda smiled. That same fake smile Holly had given him in the parking lot.

  The waiter turned to Holly. “What will you have, miss?”

  She handed him her menu. “I’ll have the New York strip, well done, please.”

  Chad reached for Hunter’s menu. “And for you, sir?”

  “New York, medium. Thanks.” Hunter took a sip of the wine.

  “Ordering a steak well-done ruins it, Holly.” Her father fiddled with the bronze cufflink at his wrist.

  Brenda reached across the table to touch Holly’s hand. “Oh, Chris. Let her be. She doesn’t like her meat bloody. Never has.” Her mother had perfectly manicured fingernails. A flashy diamond bracelet hung on her wrist.

  Cloth napkins and what looked like real silverware sat beside the wine glasses. A white candle burned in the center of the table. The lack of conversation was awkward. Holly seemed more interested in the couple sitting behind her folks than her parents.

  “How do you two know each other?” Brenda asked.

  Hunter figured he’d let Holly take the lead on that one.

  She glanced at him. “Hunter and I are working on a project together.”

  Chris smirked. “Are you her cameraman, Hunter?”

  “Nope. I’m her bodyguard.”

  Brenda laughed nervously. “Bodyguard?”

  Holly put her hand on Hunter’s thigh under the table. “I’ve been working on a sensitive story. Some people don’t like it.”

  Her mother’s eyes popped open. “You’re in danger?”

  “No, Mom. It’s more of a precaution.”

  “My word.” Brenda literally clutched her pearls.

  “Holly’s doing some very important work,” Hunter offered.

  The waiter appeared at the side of the table, carrying a large tray filled with plates. He set up a stand for the tray and p
assed the plates out. Each steak was paired with a tiny scoop of mashed potatoes and exactly four green beans. No wonder rich people were always bitchy. They were starving to death.

  Chris cut a piece of meat and forked it into his mouth. “Do you do security work full time, Hunter?”

  Hunter sliced the green beans in half. “No. Private security is a moonlighting gig. I’m a welder.”

  “That’s a good marketable skill,” Brenda said, smiling and chewing.

  Holly pushed her chair back. “Excuse me. I’m going to the ladies’ room.”

  Brenda took the napkin from her lap and set it beside her plate. “I’ll come with you, honey.”

  The two women weaved around tables and disappeared into a darkened hallway.

  Hunter took a bite of his steak and a sip of the wine to wash it down. He and Chris stared at one another.

  “Aren’t you a little old for my daughter?”

  Had Hunter not known the family history, he would have bitten his tongue. Instead, he said, “Holly’s an adult, so I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

  “Brenda might buy this story, but I don’t. You’re not Holly’s bodyguard. I seriously doubt the paper would hire a thug to protect her if she really needed it.”

  “You think I’m a thug, Chris?” Hunter put his fork and knife down on his plate and leveled his gaze on Holly’s dad.

  Chris continued to cut his steak. “My daughter is naïve. I’m not.”

  Hunter kept his voice low and monotone. “Is there a point to this?” He knew that being too aggressive would likely blow back on Holly.

  “No.” Chris wiped his mouth. “If she’s hell-bent on dating below her pay grade, I’m not going to stop her.”

  Hunter laughed. “You’re a real piece of work.”

  “I’m a realist.”

  “No. You’re just an asshole.”

  “I get it. The novelty of someone like you bedding a rich, little princess. Just get it out of your system and be on your way.”

  Hunter licked his lips and leaned forward. “If you ever speak that way about Holly or me again, I will gut you like a fucking fish, you wife-beating piece of shit.”

  Brenda pulled her chair out and sat down. “Did you miss us?” she asked with a smile.

  “Immensely,” Chris said.

  Hunter put his napkin on his plate. His appetite was gone. Holly had barely touched her food.

  The waiter swooped by and took Hunter’s plate and refilled Holly’s wine. “May I show you the dessert menu?”

  “Heaven’s no.” Brenda touched her chest. “I’m watching my figure.”

  The woman was rail thin as it was. Chris probably put some harsh demands on her.

  “I’d like the check, please.” Holly’s dad reached for his wallet.

  Hunter touched Holly’s hand. “Are you ready? We have that thing at the club in an hour.”

  She looked at him. “What thing?” Then she caught on. “Oh, yes. Sorry, it’s been a hectic day. It slipped my mind.”

  “Just a moment.” Brenda pulled her leather bag up on to the table. “We have a gift for you, sweetheart.” She slid an envelope across the table. “Maybe take a cruise. Do something nice for yourself.”

  Holly picked it up. “Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad.”

  Her father nodded and put his credit card on the table.

  Hunter stood and pulled her chair out for her. He tugged on the chain for his wallet.

  Chris put his hand up. “Dinner is on me.”

  “I’ll leave the tip.” Hunter dropped a fifty on the table. He didn’t want Chris paying for shit for him.

  The change in Holly while around her parents was palpable. It was like her father just snuffed out her light, and it pissed Hunter off. Once they were on the service road heading toward the clubhouse, he put his hand on her leg. “You all right?”

  She smiled. “Yeah.” The envelope from her parents sat on her lap.

  “Are you going to open that?”

  “I guess so.” She tore it open across the top and pulled out a stack of bills. “They always give me money. Five grand.”

  “They gave you five thousand dollars in an envelope?”

  “Yes. Typical of them. No card or note, just money.”

  “They think they can buy your love?”

  Holly looked out the window. “It’s my dad. I’d always get an extra hundred in my allowance after he hit me. Like he could pay a fine for what he did, and that made it all okay.”

  “Your dad’s a dick.”

  “I know.”

  “Let’s forget about him for now, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Hunter knew it was easier said than done. Feelings didn’t just turn off because someone suggested it, but he hoped the surprise party would help take her mind off it.

  The clubhouse was dark, and the parking lot empty. Everyone should be parked in the back. Hunter pulled the Honda up in front and cut the engine. “Let’s go inside and have a drink.” He leaned across to kiss her cheek. “Congratulations, baby.”

  “Thank you.” Holly smiled. “I’m glad you were there. I’m glad Hem and Kol were able to make it.”

  They walked hand in hand to the door, and Hunter pulled it open to let her walk in first.

  Balloons floated against the ceiling and shots of booze were lined up on the bar. Holly’s face lit up, and she covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh my, God.”

  “Congratulations, Holly!” the crowd yelled.

  Hunter put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. They walked toward the bar.

  Maddox held up two shots. “Bottoms up!”

  Hunter took one and Holly took the other. They clinked them together and downed the tequila.

  Holly scrunched up her nose and coughed. “Jesus.”

  Hunter laughed and grabbed two more shots off the bar. “It’s your night. Drink up.”

  Music played while Maddox and Hem challenged Paul and Linc to a game of pool. Butch was inhaling helium out of the balloons and entertaining a couple of club chicks with his funny voice.

  The girls who ran through the club aged fast. They drank a lot and fucked a lot and thought they’d eventually land an old lady spot. Occasionally they did, but most of the groupies burned out and moved on with a significant number of dudes under their belt.

  Nichole was an exception. She hadn’t burned out or moved on. She was still down for a gang bang or a threesome or whatever. Like a cat with nine lives, she just kept on keeping on. In the ten or so years she’d been clubbing, she’d probably aged fifteen years. Sometimes Hunter felt sorry for her. She didn’t seem to have any family and would latch onto anyone who’d let her. Her tactics worked best on the prospects who didn’t know too much about her. The only advice Hunter would give the newbies was to double wrap their shit before sticking it in her because there was a lot of mileage on that engine.

  At least her hair looked clean that night as she stood beside the pool table playing cheerleader to Linc. He was about her age and going through his third divorce in so many years. A lot of marriages couldn’t survive the club life.

  Linc and Nichole seemed to be off and on for a few months then Linc would take her back and fuck her until he got tired of her. On the nights she binged on booze, Nichole would end up with a prospect or a member of another club who was in the bar. She wasn’t too picky as long as she had a warm body of the biker variety beside her.

  Hunter sat on a stool with Holly on his lap. She had changed into a pair of jeans and a black tank top, and she looked like she belonged in the clubhouse. Long blonde tresses hung down her back, and the silver and turquoise earrings dangled from her ears. She was leaned across the bar talking to Kol, who was refilling shot glasses. Hunter’s hands held her hips to keep her from falling.

  With a bottle of Sprite in his hand, Kol put a half full shot glass between the two of them. “You fill it up the rest of the way like this.” He poured the soda into the glass. “Then, you slam it.�
�� He put his hand over the top of the glass and slammed it on the bar before downing it. “That’s how you slam tequila without tasting it too much.” Kol grinned. “It’s a get drunk fast scheme.”

  Holly wiggled her ass on his lap to sit up straight and reached for a shot glass.

  “Babe, don’t grind like that, or I’ll have to throw you over my shoulder and take you to the room. Like now.”

  She turned her head and kissed him hard on the mouth. “Maybe that’s what I want.”

  Hunter laughed. “Soon. But we have cake first.” A sheet cake sat at the end of the bar. In exchange for protection, the bakery down the street catered the club’s events for a deep discount.

  Holly poured sprite into the glass and slammed it before drinking it down. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed. “Damn. You can’t taste the tequila at all.”

  “Told you.” Kol did another one and pushed the bottle of soda back to her. “Your turn.”

  “One more,” she said.

  The door swung open, and Hunter grunted. Who the fuck invited Cora? He hadn’t talked to her in a month or so. Not since he’d started seeing Holly.

  Cora didn’t really qualify as a club girl. She came around once in a while and as far Hunter knew she only fucked him. She was a nice woman but had no personality. She seemed to be okay with being used. The attraction was purely biological. The boots she wore easily made her six feet tall, and her strawberry hair was cut short like a boy, but her face was pretty enough to pull it off.

  Hunter really wished she wasn’t there. What he had planned for Holly would likely hurt Cora’s feelings. Cora looked around the room. When she saw him, she smiled, but her smile quickly faltered when she saw Holly on his lap. Cora diverted her course and walked over to the pool table.

  Nichole was shitty drunk and loud. “Cora! I’m so glad you made it.” She wrapped her lanky arms around Cora and sloppily kissed her on the cheek. A joint burned between her fingers. Nichole stepped back and offered the blunt to Cora.

  Mystery solved. Nichole must have invited Cora. Hunter was going to have to have a talk with Linc about his fuck buddy. That bitch was getting way too comfortable in the club.