Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“Mama Tiger. Told you.”
“Bastard,” I muttered. Gracie didn’t comment, staring out the window, oblivious to our little tiff.
A little over two hours later, we pulled up to a chain-linked fence with a gate. A man approached us, much as the men at Fort Knox had, holding up a hand for us to stop.
“Private property, brother. Sorry.”
Mike had on an Army jacket with his rank and company, so the guy knew he was military. This guy had long, shaggy hair with an equally shaggy beard. Muscular arms had a smattering of service tattoos beneath the sleeveless shirt and vest he wore. Three motorcycles were parked by the gate where he and two other men stood guard.
“I’m here at Taz’s invite. Check with him.”
The guy gave a crisp nod before going back to the other two. He picked up a CB radio and called the man in question.
“Who’s Taz?”
“Knew him in Nam. Wasn’t in my unit but was a good man. Tried to take care of all of us when our commanders went nuts. Name’s Rodrigues. Never knew his first name. Just Rodrigues.”
“Taz… Rodrigues?” I sat up straighter. “Theodore Rodrigues. Taz.”
Mike shrugged. “Dunno. Only ever knew him as Taz Rodrigues. He pushed me to apply for the Rangers. Said I had a good head for war.”
“Sounds like the man I knew.”
We waited until the guy came back to us as the other two opened the gate. He waved us in. “Hey, Pops. Welcome. These your women?”
Pops? What the fuck?
“This one is.” He jerked his head at me. “Name’s Mama. The other one’s Gracie. She’s under our protection.”
The guy gave Gracie a quick look before nodding. “Taz says he’ll meet you at the clubhouse. Says to tell you he has your bike in the garage.”
“Good. Thanks.”
“Straight ahead, over the rise. It’s not far.”
Mike took off down the gravel road. I gave him a sidelong look. “Mama? Really?”
He shrugged. I could see his lips twitch and didn’t appreciate it. At fucking all. “Seemed to fit. I’m Pops. You’re Mama.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You’ve been leadin’ up to this for a while. That was your play all along. Mama and Pops. Like we’re a couple already.”
“Seemed better to avoid any motherfucker makin’ a pass at you once we got here.”
“I coulda not gone with you.”
“But you did. Now, everyone here knows you’re with me and not to be fucked with.” I grinned.
“Oh, they’d’a found out on their own I ain’t to be fucked with if they had. I don’t need to be linked with you to protect myself.”
“I know that. Unless you want some horny motherfucker gettin’ killed when he makes a play for you, you needed to be linked with me.”
I sighed, needing to change the subject before I lost my Goddamned mind. “How’d you get the name Pops?”
“‘Cause I don’t sweat the small things, but I protect the people in my life who are important. That included my unit and the kids we were stationed with.”
“Good to know.” I had no idea what to do with that because I had seen that protective streak in spades since I’d met Mike. It made me feel claustrophobic and maybe… cared for? I’d never had that in my life, and I had felt it with Mike since the first moment I met him. Knowing that was his default setting took a little of the wind out of my sails, though. That was when I finally admitted to myself that I wanted this man. But on my terms. I wouldn’t take a back seat to anyone. Not ever again.
Once we reached what I assumed was the clubhouse, since it looked like the old hotel Mike had described, Mike parked the car but didn’t get out. He seemed to study the building for several moments before turning to me. “Stay here. I’ll feel this out, then come back for you.”
“You’re kidding, right? Surely the fuck you’re kidding.”
“Mama Tiger…”
“No, Mike. We’re both coming with you. Me because you need backup. Gracie because I’m not leaving her by herself in this place until I know more about what’s going on.”
“Taz was always congenial. He invited us here. He provided me with a bike, then the car. I trust him, but I don’t like taking the two of you inside until I know what’s in there. Taz is a good man, but he’s ultimately out for himself.”
“You said he tried to protect the men in your unit. When things went to shit.”
“He did. But there was always a reason he did everything.” Then Mike gave me the side eye. “How exactly do you know him?”
“I pulled his ass out of an ambush when we first got to Nam.”
Mike’s gaze snapped to mine. “That was you?”
I raised an eyebrow. “So he told you about that.”
“Told me his platoon was saved by the most vicious killer he’d ever seen.” Mike tilted his head, studying me but not surprised. Which was… puzzling.