Chapter Nine
River
––––––––
Taylor pointed through the window of the second-floor apartment to the street below. River peered down, finding it hard to believe so many people were downstairs at the pizzeria, and she couldn't hear any noise in the room.
"How do you handle the smell?" Taylor pressed her hand to the stomach. "I'd be hungry all day."
The aroma of baked pizza hung heavy in the air. While the building blocked out the sound, it failed to keep the fumes from the ovens out.
"I'm used to it now." Taylor walked over and sat on the couch. "The first few nights, I lived off pizza."
"I bet." She laughed, following her across the room. "You must love living here."
She could see the appeal. Taylor lived in the hustle and bustle of Coeur d'Alene, where she could participate in the faster lifestyle. While bikers ruled Gem Haven and enjoyed the mountain life, it was a man's world. Everyone knew the men were hands-off to the employees, including the kitchen help. She couldn't fault Taylor for wanting a social life and some freedom.
"How many days do you have to work?" she asked.
"Five." Taylor curled her lip. "I have the five o'clock to noon shift, so I mainly serve breakfast. There are four of us, so while we keep busy, we're not run ragged. It's pretty chill. Much better than having my hands in dishwater all day."
"Oh, nice. You have most of the day to do what you want or nap before going out at night."
"I wish you could've come with me to my homecoming party." Taylor pulled her feet up on the couch and sat cross-legged, facing River.
"I know." She reached over and tapped Taylor's knee. "But I'm here now."
Taylor and she had gotten close over the last couple of years. While Taylor was two years older than her, most people thought she was older because Zane let her start working in the bar's kitchen when she was seventeen. Everyone assumed she was eighteen or nineteen.
"You up to walking around town?" Taylor grinned. "We can check out the guys before you have to leave."
"Sure." She hopped up. "Let me use the bathroom first."
She closed the door and pulled out her phone, texting Zane and letting him know she'd call him when she was done. As close as she and Taylor had grown, she never shared her relationship with Zane with anyone.
Part of her was embarrassed that she had to check in with Zane as if she was a child who had to have his permission to go out for one night. She was an adult. She was also responsible and knew not to take drinks or drugs from men or go anywhere alone.
The other part of her wanted to see what Zane was doing. If he even hinted that he wanted to be with her, she'd have him come and pick her up.
Her phone dinged.
Zane: Be careful.
She exhaled her disappointment and went to find Taylor.
At the door, Taylor stopped her. "You can leave your pack in the apartment."
"I'd rather bring it." She hefted it over one shoulder like a bag to look less weird.
"Suit yourself, but how are you going to dance?
"I'll watch you dance." She laughed to cover how nervous she was in a strange town. "I'm not much of a dancer."
It took them no time to find that many people in their twenties and thirties congregated at Bling's Nightclub. People lined up on the sidewalk, waiting to get in and pay the cover charge.
"Let's go." Taylor pulled her along.
Backed into a corner, she wasn't sure what to do. They only allowed those who were twenty-one and over inside. If they asked for her driver's license, she couldn't go inside.
As they stood in line, she looked around. All the people were strangers to her. Used to Gem Havlin bikers, it felt awkward being around more conservative people.
"Babes, are you going in or standing still?" A man wearing a polo shirt with black jeans pointed her to look the other way.
The line had moved. She grabbed Taylor and stepped forward.
"Sorry." She turned around, feeling warmth crawl up her neck.
"Hey, no problem. What's your name?"
She glanced over her shoulder. "River."
The guy laughed. "Like, for real?"
Turning back around, she ignored his comment. It wasn't the first time someone asked if River was her real name.
The line moved. She stepped forward.
Taylor leaned closer. "He's cute."
"Who?"
"Sh." Taylor laughed. "The guy behind you. The one who asked your name."
She wasn't going to look again. At any moment, the line would reach the doors, and she'd have to lie and say she didn't have any ID on her.
Going out on the town was out of her element. She could hold her own against the bikers, but the men here intimidated her. They reminded her of all the kids she'd had to put up with every time the state moved her into a new foster home. She hated being the new kid.
"Listen to the music." Taylor wiggled beside her. "I'm ready to dance. We're going to have so much fun."
"Mm-hm." She forced a smile.
As she got closer to the bouncer, she convinced herself that everything would be okay. If Taylor wanted to go inside, she could go. All she had to do was call Zane, and he could pick her up. No biggy—except the embarrassment of getting carded.
At their turn, she stepped up with Taylor and rummaged through her pack, pretending to look for her driver's license. Of course, it was in there, along with some of her most important items she'd never want to lose.
"Shit, Tay." She groaned. "I left my license at home since Zane gave me a ride here."
"No, I.D., no entrance," said the bouncer.
"Come on, man. She's with me." The guy behind her put his arm across her shoulders and handed the bouncer money. "She's good."
The bouncer stepped to the side. "You four can go."
Taylor led the way. The man with his arm around her took her inside. Her heart raced. She already regretted letting him bring her inside.
The other guy went to buy drinks. She stretched to her tiptoes and said, "Thanks."
"Name's Brian." He pointed across the room. "There's a table over there. I think we can all sit there."
"I don't think—"
"We'd love to," said Taylor, nudging River. "Wouldn't we?"
She forced a smile. A night out with Taylor sounded fun. A night out with a man who liked to push his way around sounded like a bad decision.
At the table, she moved her chair closer to Taylor and put her bag between her feet on the floor. She found the source of the music. They had a DJ.
The waitress came and the two men offered drinks to Taylor and River. She thanked them but had no plans to drink anything. Taylor had no hesitation. She put the alcohol to her mouth and swayed to the music.
"Have a sip." The man put his hand on her leg.
"I'm not thirsty." She took his hand and moved it away from her.
She ignored the others and stared out at the dance floor. Right now, she'd rather dance the night away than be stuck downtown with strangers.
Brian leaned in and put his lips to her ear. "Want to dance?"
Nevermind. She'd rather go home than dance.
She shook her head at the same time Taylor jumped up and went out to dance with Brian's friend, leaving her alone with him.
He picked up her drink, trying to coax her to take some. She leaned back, staying away from him.
"Come on, babes." He turned toward her and put his hand on her thigh, moving it between her legs and moving it toward her pussy.
She caught his wrist, trying to push him away but he wouldn't budge. "Stop."
"Be a good girl." Brian's lips found her neck.
She pushed him hard, grabbed her bag, and stood, moving away from the table. On the dance floor, she found Taylor and interrupted her.
"I'm leaving." She glanced behind her to make sure Brian wasn't following her, but he was already talking to a woman at the next table. "Do you want me to walk you back to the apartment before I go?"
"I don't want to leave." She looped her arms around the man's neck. "Are you going to call for a ride?"
She nodded. "Will you be okay?"
"Of course. I'll call for a ride." Taylor leaned over and gave River a half-hug. "Sorry tonight never worked out for you." Her friend looked behind her and raised her brows. "Looks like you don't have to call for your ride. Zane's here."
She followed the direction of Taylor's gaze and collided with Zane sitting a few tables down from where she'd sat with Brian. Relief flashed through her, knowing she was protected and no longer vulnerable to Brian pushing himself on her.
But the closer she got to Zane, she could see his heated gaze covering her. He sat alone with a beer forgotten in front of him. A mix of emotions played over his stoic expression, but his posture warned her that he'd seen everything Brian had done to her, and he wasn't happy.
She approached him, hoping he'd offer to take her home. Instead, he lifted the mug to his lips. Had he come to enjoy the music? To dance with women?
Jealousy reared inside of her. "What are you doing here?"
"Well..." He set the mug down and met her gaze. "For a while there, I was contemplating killing that fucking wimp that kept putting his hands on you."
He stood. Her gaze traveled up to his face. He hooked his finger under her chin and closed her mouth. Her heart pounded in her chest.
She couldn't breathe. He was touching her in front of everyone. He was looking at her as if she belonged to him.
"I told Taylor I was going to call you to come and pick me up." She held onto her bag.
His gaze hardened. "Is she okay to stay by herself?"
She looked behind her. Taylor laughed with the man she danced with and looked like she was having a good time. Brian seemed to have nothing to do with the guy, so maybe the man with Taylor wasn't a creep. But she'd hate to be wrong.
"Can you ask her if she's okay to stay alone? Just to be sure," she said.
He took her by the hand and walked out on the dance floor.
She couldn't hear what he spoke to Taylor but her friend agreed to leave with them. Out of the club, she inhaled deeply in relief. They weren't in Gem Haven. Anything could've happened to Taylor after she left.
"Thanks for sticking around longer." Taylor walked beside her. "I thought the guy was cool until he asked if I wanted to leave with him. Dude—I'm not going anywhere with you." Taylor snorted. "I think he and his friend had already hit a bar or two before coming to the club."
"Brian was a creep," she muttered.
"Sorry." Taylor leaned against her. "I wanted you to have fun tonight."
"We'll find something else to do another time and plan better. I'm so glad I got to see your apartment, though." She squeezed Taylor's arm.
Once they had Taylor in her apartment and behind a locked door, Zane put her on the back of his Harley and set out for Gem Haven without saying another word. She spent the trip trying to figure out why Zane had come to the same club, and if he'd had plans, why hadn't he told her when he dropped her off at Taylor's apartment?
He could've come with her. She would've loved to have spent a night in town with Zane. They'd never had an actual date before. Everything that happened between them happened in the privacy of her bedroom.
Back at Gem Haven, motorcycles and cars filled the area around the bar. A steady stream of people walked through the doors, giving her a flash of the crowd visiting the bar tonight. Zane rode straight to the house and parked in front of the garage.
She slid off the motorcycle.
Zane remained on the seat with the Harley idling. She hesitated, wanting him to come inside, but he gazed down at the gas tank.
"Go on in," he said.
"Will you come—?"
"I'm going to the clubhouse. I got things to do."
It was after eleven o'clock. She lifted her chin, knowing he wasn't going to attend business. He was going to drop in on his MC brothers. There were girls there that wouldn't ask anything from him. Girls that would do whatever he wanted. Girls that weren't her.
"Thanks for taking me to Taylor's and bringing me back." She hightailed it to the house before she broke down in tears.
Slamming the door, she walked up the stairs to her room and threw her backpack in the corner. Disappointed and angry, she ripped off her clothes and started the shower to wash tonight's regrets away.
Would life ever get easier for her?
Would there ever come a time when she got what she wanted?
God, she was tired. It was as if the universe kept trying to destroy her. She dashed away the tears that escaped, irritated that she couldn't push past the pain in the background, ruining everything.
She thought it would be easier once she became an adult, but it was even more complicated. It was a constant battle to get over her childhood traumas. Maybe the scars would never go away. Maybe she'd be lonely for the rest of her life, and the ache for Zane would never go away.