Hawk (Ride with Me)

Chapter 4

Ruby

My hips move with the music. The whistling and catcalling from the crowd are getting louder the lower to the ground I get. With my fingers firmly wrapped around the pole, I spread my legs into a split and do a slow spin. It takes a lot of upper body strength, reminding me that I missed my workout this morning.

To be able to do the things that I do, you have to stay in shape. My weekly routine is a combination of weights, cardio and Pilates, different things on different days. I love how each one works a different part of my body, and the results show.

Now, as I see all the money being thrown at me, I smile. Not sure how long I can do this for, and I need to save as much money as possible. After four years, I have a few physical issues that cannot be fixed without possible surgery. I’ve had to alter some of my dances at various times so that I would give my shoulders a break here and there, and other times for my hips or my knees. Being a stripper is not the mindless job people make it out to be.

I continue dancing, my eyes going over the patrons, at least what I can see of them with the bright lights in my face like this. My mind goes a hundred miles an hour, wondering if I could one day run my own strip club. I could make money off the dancers, as opposed to me dancing.

Before I know it, the song is over. It is my last one of the night, so I gather all the bills off the stage, making sure to stretch extra hard in front of those who gave me the most. I even give out a freebie and allow one of them to touch my right buttock. When he gets a bit too carried away and squeezes hard, I tap his arm and he lets go right away.

I’ve always gotten lucky with all of my clients. Despite the fact that they always want more, they’ve always respected my boundaries. And if they want private sessions, I never say no as long as they can afford it.

Not getting attached is key in this business. Fortunately for me, my life from before taught me that no one ever cares about you, no matter how hard you pray that they would.

“Nice job.”

The girl dancing after me gives me a wink on her way to take the stage. This is the most popular time slot. She and I started taking turns dancing during these hours when we realized that fighting over it would not help anyone. We strategized and came to a compromise. There’s plenty of money to go around as long as you’re smart about it.

I strut down to the dressing room, feeling energized. The crowd tonight was phenomenal, and I wish I could’ve had another couple of sets. But being greedy never brings anything good.

“Ruby!”

I jump in place when JJ, our massive security guard, calls my name. He is down the hall from the entrance to the dressing room.

“Caller on room three.”

A new wave of adrenaline runs through me. I rush inside the dressing room to fix my hair before going to the bathroom really quick. I take a sniff to make sure my armpits don’t stink, happy that the deodorant I put on has held up.

Finally happy with my overall appearance, I open the door and head out to room three. That is the room where they normally just want a few extra dances, with a bit of a more personal touch. There is no sex, and hardly any touching on their part. But they do like to watch. It’s easy money.

When I get in front of the door to room three, I gently knock. There is no point in waiting for an invitation to get in. Most of them are married and scared of their own shadows because of it. They don’t want to talk for fear it might get recorded. Fine by me.

I put a coy smile on my face and prepare for the show. Only to freeze by the door as soon as it closes behind me. There are a few different things that are wrong with the picture in front of me, starting with the fact that there are two men waiting for me in the room. The strip club rules never allow for that, not in room three.

These are the two bikers who are friends with Lala. They are from the Steel Lizards motorcycle club located about forty-five minutes to the south.

They are the rivals to the one motorcycle club that’s to our north. The ones who run a sex trafficking ring. That’s where the guy from the other night was from.

“Gentlemen…” I try to make my voice sounds stern and confident. “You must’ve stepped into the wrong room by mistake.”

The one biker who calls himself Bricks, the president of the Steel Lizards, turns his mouth into a lascivious smile. It looks sort of grotesque and a total turn off. I’m not sure why, but I get this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“We are in the right room, sweetheart.”

That is a term of endearment that I hear a lot. The biker from the Savages MC called me that, and I creamed my so-called panties. But the way Bricks says it, it’s bad news. It leaves a bitter after taste in my mouth.

“Did you pay for two?” I raise an eyebrow in challenge, trying to sound a lot braver than I feel.

My past is always a core memory in my brain. It reminds me of places and people I wish I could forget, and being in close quarters with these two scares me.

Don’t show weakness, Ruby, I tell myself. Weakness gets people killed.

With that last thought in mind, I pull my shoulders back and walk to the chair that is in the middle of the room but at a safe distance from the couch where the bikers made themselves at home.

I am on high alert and remind myself that I need to be smart about what’s going on here, because weakness may get people killed, but so does stupidity.

“We hear you’re friends with Hawk from the Savages.”

“Friends?” I huff. “He bought one private session. I danced for him. Then he left.”

I don’t offer any details on the fact that I was so turned on during the private session, I would’ve done a lot of things I’d sworn to never do with anyone, at least not anymore.

Bricks’ friend starts laughing. The patch on his cut proclaims he’s Snake. With his small and beady eyes, he looks like one as well.

“She’s a little more outspoken than Lala made it sound,” he says. “I like it.” He then licks his lips. “I’d fix that in no time.”

Bile rises in the back of my throat at the thought of his hands on me. I don’t get that very often, and I never discriminate against a paying customer.

Bricks watches me thoughtfully, almost as if he can read my mind. But there’s something more in his eyes.

“This is weird.” He drops his head to the side. “She reminds me of Arlene when she was younger.”

“Fuck yeah,” Snake snickers. “No wonder I’m hard as a rock.”

He takes a moment to rearrange himself inside his jeans.

“It’s a fuckin’ shame we have to get rid of her.” He lifts his chin in my direction. “This one would be a suitable replacement.”

“Too late.” There’s definite regret in Bricks’ voice. “She’s already spoken for.”

I frown in response to that, not understanding what they’re talking about. I doubt it is anything I’d like, anyway. I can’t believe Lala is associated with these people. It is making me question everything she’s told me about them.

“I am getting the feeling that you’re not here for a dance,” I finally speak up, ready to just walk out of here. The money would be good, and I’d normally do a lot for it, but not with these people.

Snake presses a hand to his crotch. “Oh, we’re getting that dance.” Totally cringe worthy.

“In a minute.”

Bricks cuts him off before bringing his attention back to me.

“Lala told us you are trustworthy.”

I don’t confirm nor deny what he said. Besides, he didn’t ask either. Instead, I just stare at him, refusing to even blink when he silently dares me to.

“She also said she told you about the Savages trafficking people.”

I nod this time. The thought of people actually being sold like animals is sickening. I should also be sickened by how turned on I was by Hawk considering what he does for a living.

“We need your help.”

The words are pretty similar to what Lala told me before. She told me to try and get information from any members from the Savages who might seek my services.

“I’m not sure how I can help,” I tell Bricks. “I am a stripper, not a secret agent.”

“Men talk when they’re having a good time, sweetheart,” he smirks at me. “We need you to gently but efficiently prod Hawk. Make him trust you, then find out what he’s up to.”

I cross my legs, swinging one leg up and down like I have no cares in the world. Meanwhile, my hands are sweaty, and I have this incredible urge to run out of this room.

“Why would I do anything for you? I only know of you from Lala.”

I don’t even like Lala all that much, but I keep that part to myself. She is always so pushy in wanting to be my friend. I don’t like people like that. I used to be desperate to make friends, but that was a long time ago. Since then, I got a reality check and realized that no one is your true friend, they just want to play the part when they think they can get something from you.

Bricks and Snake take a moment to stare at each other. Then, in a synchronized move, they both bust out laughing at the same time.

I remain immobile in my seat, refusing to show that this entire thing is scaring me to death. There is a panic button, but I couldn’t move my hands right now if my life depended on it. Coincidentally, it might.

Snake gets up from his seat next to Bricks and stumbles toward me, still laughing his head off. My body tenses in anticipation when he is close enough to touch me. I know he is about to hurt me, but there’s not much I can do.

He doesn’t even give me time to take a deep breath in when his hand is suddenly wrapped around my throat, and the laughter is gone.

“We are not asking you to do us a favor, little girl,” he growls into my ear. “We own you. And we protect what’s ours for as long as you are of use to us. If you don’t want to do this, we’ll find somebody else.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “While you rest six feet under.”

He brings his face closer, sniffing my hair before running his nose down my jawline. He stops when he reaches the sensitive skin under my ear.

I am not prepared for how hard his teeth latch onto me or how badly it hurts. The scream of pain is real, and I can’t stop it no matter how much I don’t want them to know that I’m scared.

A loud bang against the door freezes all three of us. Before anyone has a chance to speak, the door opens and JJ’s voice booms inside the room.

“I don’t give a fuck who you are,” he addresses the bikers. “If you wanted a pain room, you should’ve requested one. Your session is over, and you do not get a refund.”

The fingers around my neck flex just a tad tighter, making me wonder if Snake and Bricks even care that JJ is here. I jump when Snake gives my neck a long lick, focusing on the spot he bit.

“From this point on,” he whispers in my ear, “you send us the information through Lala.” Another lick. “Don’t make us regret choosing you for this mission.”

He finally lets go before making a big show of adjusting himself inside his jeans. Bricks stands up and walks over, giving him a strong congratulatory pat on the back.

“Sorry about that,” he grins at JJ. “We misunderstood. Have a wonderful rest of your night, sweetheart.”

I don’t even dare to blink as they walk out of the room. This entire scene is triggering all sorts of things inside of me, none of them good.

As soon as I hear that they left the room, my body starts shaking uncontrollably. In my mind, I am seventeen again. The boy I was in love with and who I thought loved me back gives me a push hard enough to make me fall backwards. Hands grab at me while the voices of his friends echo inside my head. They are about to rape me, and there is nothing I can do to protect myself. I need to fight, I need to…

“Ruby!”

JJ’s voice penetrates through the swirling chaos I got going on.

“They’re gone, girl. Calm down,” he instructs. “I told you a million times that you need to put this chair closer to where the panic button is. Why is that so hard? Just because you got lucky so far, it doesn’t mean nothing will ever happen to you.”

He continues lecturing me while he walks around the room to make sure everything is in order. He also pushes on the panic button, testing it to make sure it works. As soon as he does that, an alarm goes off on his cell phone. They are connected through an app.

I remain in my chair, the effort I’m making to bring my heart rate down sucking the life out of me.

“That fucker got you good, girl.”

JJ points at my neck, but he doesn’t attempt to touch me, for which I am grateful.

“Put some ice on it,” he instructs. “You got any arnica cream for the bruising?”

“I-I think so.”

I’m not sure what I have and what I don’t because I can’t think clearly at the moment.

“Can you drive? I’ll give you a ride home if not, but you’ll have to wait until my shift is over.”

On shaky legs, I stand up and start walking toward the door. When I almost trip over my own feet, I stop and slide out of my high heels, losing almost half a foot in height when I do so.

I don’t say anything to JJ, and I don’t wait for him to follow me either. Blindly, I reach the dressing room that’s now busy with all the girls whose sets continue throughout the night.

As soon as I sit at my table, my eyes stare in the mirror at the large bruise forming on my neck.

“Whoa, girl, you must’ve had one hell of a time back there.”

Lala plops her skinny ass in the empty chair next to me. She then leans over and rests her chin on my shoulder, staring at me in the mirror. The move looks sensual to others, I’m sure.

“Bricks told me that he talked to you.”

The smile she gives me looks deranged.

“We have to help them take the Savages out, Ruby.” She caresses the skin on my arms. “They are bad people.”

I don’t dare to say a word, mostly because my brain is not functioning properly now, anyway.

“Bricks said I can have Puck if I help him. I love Puck so much. I can make him happy, I just know it.”

I remain quiet and let her talk until she is called up on stage.

“We’ll chat later, babe.” She kisses my shoulder again. It takes everything in me not to cringe.

I’m not sure for how long I stare at myself in the mirror. My entire body feels stiff when I finally get up and start getting ready to go home.

As I walk toward my car, I realize with a start that I have to move now, again. I guess I am meant to constantly be on the run, never to live an easy life.

Cursed.