Mundo

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning dawned bright and early. Jealousy and envy loaded the atmosphere with a weighty tug that pulled at Mundo’s nerves. He wanted out of there just like the others did, only today was his lucky day, and it wasn’t theirs.

Only Louis’s farewell wasn’t begrudging. The dude even clapped him on the back in congratulations. Knowing the guy was cool, he’d extended an invitation to visit the clubhouse when he was out, because Mundo felt dead certain his instincts were right about him being a Shifter of another breed. He could have asked, but Mundo understood the need for privacy. If someone had asked him if he was a bear Shifter, it wouldn’t have pleased him. If anything, it would have put him on edge.

The minute dickwads knew you were Shifter, s**t got real. Motherfuckers on the hunt for a d**k-measuring contest started fights left, right, and center, and for a man desperate to go home, getting into yard battles was the last thing he needed. So, he proffered the invitation, feeling in his gut Louis was one of them, and left with a mock-salute to the other dude.

When he received his personal belongings, they came free with a disgruntled smile from the guard handing him his s**t. Mundo was hard pressed not to flip him the bird and shove his smile where the sun didn’t shine, but an extended stay in county jail was the last thing he wanted, so he maintained control and walked out a free man. The SOB behind the desk deserved an ass whooping, but someone else would have to give it to him. Mundo was still pissed about the bastard locking him in solitary for a dreamed-up reason.

The instant the doors closed behind him, he let out a deep breath. Christ, it was the first full one he’d been able to take in ages. Even his brain felt a little woozy when the oxygen flooded it.

Two months free from wine, women, and song, and Mundo would ordinarily have been ready to party. As it stood, he wanted his woman, and he wanted her now. But before that, he wanted a burger and the biggest pile of fries this side of the Mason-Dixon line.

His mouth watered at the thought and he squinted past the sun to the parking lot where one of his bros should have been waiting for him. When the glare wouldn’t quit, he dug through his s**t for his shades. This time when he looked onto the lot, he saw Kiko and Mars, two of his brothers from the MC, waiting for him on their hogs.

He wished like hell they had his with them, but Christ, no one could ride his b***h—not on pain of death—even if it meant he’d be able to ride her back to the MC after his extended ‘stay’ in jail.

Waving to them and feeling his heart fill with gladness at the sight of them, he ran over to their bikes. Maybe it made him a p***y to feel so happy to see them, but Christ, these dudes were more than just brothers by Clan. They were like his kin. His kin of choice.

Mars, the leader of The Nomads, got to him first. He grabbed him in a choke hold then rubbed the top of Mundo’s head with a fist. Both bastards laughed, but Kiko, The Nomads’ second, caught him and gave him a bro hug—half hug, half smack on the back.

Mundo’s grin was dopey as he stared at the pair of them. “f**k, I know I’ve been inside too long if you two are a sight for sore eyes.”

Kiko c****d a brow. “They turn you funny in there?”

He chuckled, wriggling his own brows in retort. “Nah. A couple of the guys were interested in my pretty ass, and who could blame them? But they soon figured out the lay of the land.” He flexed his bicep. “See? This s**t’s doubled since I was sent down.”

“Working out’s the only way to get through the days sometimes,” Mars reasoned, understanding in his tone. They’d all served at one point or another. It was almost an initiation rite. “Club first?” he continued, leaning against his hog with an ease that spoke of a longstanding comfort with the bike.

Considering it was a classic and worth a fortune, that ease could only come from someone who loved it for the joy of the ride rather than the prestige of the brand.

Mundo expected nothing less, as he loved his bike as damn much, and he knew Kiko felt the same way. All the brothers did. Their bikes were like family, and he knew that sounded like some crazy s**t, but he'd missed the beauty of the ride as much as he'd missed being able to shift.

A shudder of longing raced through him. He needed to ride his woman and ride his hog.

Hell, he could think of nothing better than sharing his bike with her. His mate.

Kiko frowned at him a second, maybe spotting the need on Mundo’s face. “Everything okay, bro?” he asked warily.

Mundo rippled his shoulders. “Just ready to get out of here.”

Mars studied him closely, apparently seeing what Kiko had. “More than that,” he retorted. “What’s up?”

Both men were short on words, but Mars had gotten a little better since he’d found his mate four months ago. Annette had softened up the brick shithouse in some ways, but none that any of his brothers would ever see.

Sure, there were times you’d catch him cuddling up to his mate in their office, or she’d sit snuggled on his lap while they were at a gathering, but Mars would still beat the crap out of a brother if anyone looked at him in anyway askance.

That was how Mundo figured it should be, though. He knew he’d be the same once he got his hands on Christie.

Christie.

Just her name made him swallow back the need to growl. His bear wanted her. He wanted her. s**t, that burger was sounding less and less delicious by the minute in comparison to taking a big, juicy bite out of her.

Mars slugged him on the arm. “Bro, where the f**k did you go?”

Mundo’s smile was rueful. “I met her.”

Both men stilled, but Kiko was the first to say, “Her? Your mate?”

“Yeah. Her name’s Christie.”

“Who is she?”

“The dentist who works here.”

“She’s on the staff at this place?” Mars groaned. “How the f**k did your bear stand it?”

Mundo shuddered. “I don’t know. A lot of focus and a s**t ton more of control. Plus, I only saw her once when I broke a tooth. You know that side of the jail isn’t accessible unless you work in there as an orderly or something.”

“How are you going to go after her?” Kiko asked. “She won’t like the fact you’re an ex-con, buddy.”

“I know, but I’ll make her see sense. I know she felt the response.”

Mars’s eyes widened. “That must have been tough.”

Considering Mundo had been there when Mars and Annette had met for the first time, he knew Mars was someone who could truly empathize. The instant the two had cast eyes on one another, Mundo had immediately disappeared. Pheromones had burst into the air like fireworks on the Fourth of July, and he’d had the hard-on from hell.

At least, it had been from hell then. Now he knew what that really felt like.

The only joyful part of meeting his mate was being knocked out by her so she could pull the tooth. He’d been aware of her for less than five minutes before she’d anesthetized him, and he’d woken up again in his cell.

Mundo scratched his jaw. “I need to know where she lives.”

“Well, that won’t freak her the f**k out—an ex-con she’s treated turning up at her door. That’s bound to go down well.” Kiko rolled his eyes.

Mars grimaced. “It’s not like he has much choice though, is it? When did you meet her, Mundo?”

“Two weeks ago.”

“Trust me, Kiko, she’ll have been going insane without him.” Mars patted Mundo on the back. “I’m sure binding her to you won’t be that difficult. Want me to get one of the dirties to find her address? Or shall I get Annette to ask one of the guys on her ‘roll for it?”

Mundo thought carefully about his answer. Annette asking one of the cops she paid for extra tidbits to fill the articles she wrote for the state-wide paper, The News World, seemed the safest bet. The dirties were cops on the MC’s payroll, pigs who looked the other way for a cut of the action.

“I know it sounds insane, but… I’d like to do this as legally as possible.”

Kiko chuckled. “Has Mundo the rebel finally been tamed?”

That had him snorting. “Maybe in a couple of years, bro, but let her get a piece of me first.”

Both men laughed, and Mars reached for his cell phone. He quickly typed a message and sent it. Looking up at Mundo as he climbed onto the back of his hog, he said, “Done. Annette will probably have the information for you tonight.”

“Good.” He rubbed his hands together. “That means I have time for a huge burger and fries. I seriously need the cholesterol.”

Mars snorted. “Climb on. Heart attack-inducing junk food awaits.”