Chapter 71 ‘in the blood’? Was he a player?
Beast
I helped Lià down from my bike, holding her steady as she found her feet. She took the helmet off and handed it to me, then shook out her hair. I could not look away. God, she was beautiful. I have known plenty of women, and most of them were just wearing a mask of makeup. Only two ever felt real to me before now: Catalina and Jenna.
But Lia… Lia was something else. Her beauty felt pure, like it came from inside. She seemed genuine, and what she wore suited her perfectly. Nothing about her was trying too hard.
“Did you have a good time on the bike?” I asked.
“It was wonderful. Really exciting.”
“So you liked all that vibration, Li?” Owen cut in, bumping her shoulder with a grin. I heard Hector laugh beside me. Lia’s cheeks went pink.
“That part was wonderful too,” she shot back, her tone playful.
All of us laughed out loud. Oh, I liked her. I liked her a lot.
When I opened the clubhouse door, the noise hit us first. People laughing, the crack of pool balls, some of the girls squealing. Music was playing, and a few of my brothers shouted my name and Hex’s. I lifted a hand in greeting and led our group straight through to the kitchen and out the back. I knew Viper, Torque, and the girls would be there.
“Beast. How’s life?” Viper called out as we walked up to the big picnic table where they sat.
“All good, man. No complaints,” I answered. The girls smiled, and Torque just shook his head with a quiet sound.
A huge red cooler sat beside them. I lifted the lid and saw beer, water, and soda inside. I glanced at Lia as she reached for a water. The way she moved gave me a perfect view of her chest. This woman was going to be trouble.
“No complaints, huh?” Owen said, his eyes drifting down. I adjusted myself without thinking, and he broke into a wide grin. I winked back. Hex made a low sound in his throat and mouthed Back off. She’s mine. I had to laugh.
I looked at Lia. Her lips were parted, her eyes wide.
“You might want to close your mouth, darlin’. It’s giving me ideas.”
Her mouth shut right away, and that blush colored her skin again. I loved it.
“So who’s this?” Catalina asked, getting up slowly. Viper stood right with her, helping her step over the bench.
“Catalina, this is Lia. She’s the one with the killer throw.”
Catalina clapped her hands together and came right over. “It is so good to meet you. Thank you for hitting Hal with those cans.”
“You’re welcome. I hope I didn’t… you know, hurt him too much,” Lia said, her voice a little hesitant.
“No, he’s fine. But you knocked him flat so I could get to my man. Hal had snuck up and hit him with a bottle. We were lucky it was just a bump on the head.”
“You were lucky?” Viper asked, his voice soft.
“Yes, I was. You could have been really hurt. What would Cameron and Lyla and I do without you?” Catalina’s voice broke a little.
“Oh, angel,” Viper murmured, pulling her into his arms.
“Hi, I’m Jenna, and this is Torque. Don’t mind my sister, pregnancy makes her emotional. Her man is Viper.”
“I’m Lia. This is my best friend, Owen.”
“Hex, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so at ease,” Viper said. I snorted. We were always on the same page.
“Well, I’ve got a good reason to be relaxed,” Hex said, smirking down at Owen beside him.
“Keep talking like that and I won’t just be beside you,” Owen replied.
“Jesus, you’re going to fit right in here, Owen,” I said, laughing again.
“So, Lia,” Catalina said once we were all sitting. “Where’d you learn to throw like that?”
“I was an all-star catcher on my travel softball team. I’ve played since I was big enough to hold a bat. My dad always wanted a boy, but he got me. So he taught me everything. It came easy to me. Dad said it was in the blood. I caught and played center field all through school, then got a full ride to U of N and caught there, too.”
“Wow. What did he mean, ‘in the blood’? Was he a player?”
Owen let out a laugh. “Her dad was Frank Davidson. Catcher for the Colorado Rockies.”
“No way. Your dad is Frank ‘Balls to the Wall’ Davidson?” Hex asked, sounding impressed.
Lia laughed, and the sound was fucking perfect to me.
“Yeah, that was him. He passed away a year ago.”
“Oh, right. I remember that. Car accident?” Hex asked gently.
“Yeah,” she said, her voice quiet. Owen reached over and rubbed her arm.
“I’m sorry, sweetness,” I said, putting my arm around her and kissing the top of her head. She looked up at me and gave me a small, soft smile.
“Sorry, Lia. I didn’t mean to bring up something sad,” Catalina said.
“Yeah, me too, Lia. I was just shocked. I was a big fan,” Hex added.
“He would’ve liked hearing that. It’s okay, really. I love the memories I have. So that’s where the arm comes from.”
“That’s amazing. What did you study in college?” Catalina asked.