13. Alice
13
ALICE
It has been a week since the night of my attack and since Nash and I made our relationship official. I admit I was a little concerned about what sort of judgment we’d face, but to my surprise, I was worried for no reason. When you spend years being judged and ostracized, you expect that kind of treatment at every turn. I was a fool to think Sukie would be anything but happy for me, and after getting to know the type of men Nash surrounds himself with, I see now that they are the least judgmental group of men. Sure, they like to tease, but the ribbing comes from a place of brotherly love.
It also feels incredible to be a part of a family after being alone for so long. Growing up an only child to parents who had me late in life, I was robbed of so much time when they passed away. Don’t get me wrong, I adored my mom and dad, and I’m thankful for the years and memories, but they were all I had until I met Sukie’s father and Grandma Pierce. Then I was sent to prison, robbing me of precious time with my daughter, but I had given Sukie the same fate I had endured. To this day, I sometimes lay awake at night, wishing I could turn back time. I’d do things differently and be a better person and mom. Lately, I wonder how Sukie’s life would have turned out had I been smarter and done things differently.
Would she have found Harlem? Would she have met Sage and Juniper, had a sense of belonging, or found people who accept and protect her? Perhaps the hardships we go through are the stepping stones to our true destiny, preparing us and making us stronger for what’s to come.
The truth is, I don’t think anyone truly has the answers. One thing is for certain, everything happens for a reason. It’s up to us to follow the signs and fight like hell to make it to the other side. That’s the easy part. The hard part is learning to live life without regret. And it’s high time I start doing just that—live with no regrets, forgive myself, and fuck what others think. I might be older than Nash, but he’s taught me a lot in such a short amount of time. When I am with him, I don’t see our age difference, nor is it something I think about.
Like the other guys, Nash knows how to live freely and have a good time, which I admit is an aspect I have been missing. That’s not all there is to him, though. Each minute I spend with Nash, he reveals how intelligent, kind, and giving he is. The way he gives so much of himself in honor of his little brother is remarkable. It allowed me to see not only Nash but the entire club in a different light. It’s a shame that not everyone can see the Ravens for who and what they are. That makes people like me and those closest to the club so special. Not only do we know the truth, but we have the honor of experiencing it.
“Mom!” Sukie shouts from across the shop, making me jump. I see her head peeking around the candle display near the entrance. “I called you like three times. Didn’t you hear me?”
I shake my head and sigh. “Sorry, sweetheart. What did you say?”
“I asked if we have any more jasmine-scented candles?”
“Yep.” I hop down from my perch and walk toward the back of the store, where I unloaded the candles this morning.
“I got it, Mom.” Sukie jogs toward me. “You should be sitting.”
“I’ve been sitting all day. My butt is numb.”
To say Sukie has turned into a helicopter daughter would be an understatement. The child has been hovering over me all week. I haven’t worked in the greenhouse for days because my ribs have been tender. I couldn’t stand the thought of doing nothing at home daily, so Sukie suggested helping at the shop. She doesn’t let me do anything except sit my tail on a stool behind the cash register and ring people up.
“You’re still healing.” Sukie brushes my hand away and lifts the box herself.
“I think I can handle it, Sukie.” I don’t bother hiding my annoyance. My daughter, of course, is not fazed and goes about stocking the display.
“It’s been a week. I feel fine.” Sure, my face is still an unsightly shade of green and yellow, but I’m no longer in pain. My only complaint is the looks I get from customers. A few have been nosy enough to probe, and I simply lie. For the most part, people mind their business. There are moments when Sukie looks at me, and her eyes reflect sadness. Then, Nash treats me like broken glass. That part I don’t mind. It’s nice having a young, sexy man treat me like I’m the most precious thing in the world.
At the end of every day, he pulls up on his bike in front of the shop and takes me out to dinner, or we return to his place, and he cooks for me. And every night ends the same—me in his bed.
There is just one tiny problem—Nash hasn’t touched me all week, not sexually, anyway. Sure, we kiss, and he holds me at night, but that’s it. The sexual tension is through the roof. There is no way he doesn’t feel it. I’m not sure how much longer I can go before exploding. Something has to give, and soon.
I’m sitting in a coffee shop having lunch with Sukie when Juniper and Sage walk in. They immediately spot us and make their way to our table.
“Sorry we’re late.” Sage sits beside me while Juniper grabs a chair from the table beside us and parks it next to Sukie.
“No worries.” Sukie waves her off. “We only just got here, and I ordered your usual.”
Just then, the sweet, young girl who works here walks over with our order and sets coffee and sandwiches before us. “Is there anything else I can get you all?”
“I think we’re set,” Sukie says. The four of us offer the girl a smile before she scurries back to the front to deal with a waiting customer.
“So,” Juniper cuts in as she takes a bite of her food. “It’s burlesque night down at the club tonight. Sage and I are calling for an impromptu girls’ night. What do you say?” Sage and Juniper look between me and Sukie expectantly.
“I’m in!” Sukie agrees.
Now, three sets of eyes are on me. “Are you talking about the strip club?”
Juniper nods. “Yep. A few months back, the club incorporated burlesque night one night a week. It’s been a big hit. You’d be surprised how many men and women come down there.”
Sage adds, “Not only that but the club is also booked solid for the next six months with bachelorette parties.”
Beside me, Sukie nods in agreement. “It’s true. The girls dragged me down there last month, and the show was unbelievable. We’ve sort of made it a weekly ritual.”
“What do you say, Alice?” Sage grins. “Are you in?”
I laugh. “What the hell. I could use a night out. I’m in.”
“Perfect!” Juniper bounces in her seat. “Why don’t you and Sukie come to my apartment to get ready, and we’ll all ride out together.”
“Sounds good. I’ll have to run by my house first and find something to wear,” I tell her. “What do I even wear to a burlesque show?”
“No need.” Juniper shakes her head. “I have the perfect dress for you, and Sage will help do your makeup. She’s an expert with concealers.”
Sage pulls out her cell phone. “Now all we need is a designated driver because I plan on getting drunk, and if I’m getting drunk, I’m taking you bitches down with me.” She puts the phone to her ear. “Hey, I’m just letting you know me and the girls are going to the club tonight and that copious amounts of alcohol will be involved. That means you’re on duty.” Sage glances around the table. “Me. JuJu, Sukie, and Alice.” Sage listens intently to who I assume is Salem on the other line, and I watch as her face turns red. She ducks her head and whispers something before hanging up. “The guys will pick us up tonight,” she informs us while firing off a text.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
Sage slides her cell back into her purse. “Yep. Just checking to see if our babysitter is free tonight.”
Juniper giggles and eyes her best friend knowingly. “Someone is getting lucky tonight.”
“Shut up, JuJu.” Sage playfully slaps Juniper on the thigh.
“Hey, I’m not knocking it. Drunk sex is the best sex.”
Suddenly, Juniper’s commentary sparks a thought, and I imagine having wild, drunk sex with Nash.
“Ohhh… it looks like my girl Alice is in agreement.”
Shocked by being called out, I find Juniper looking at me with the biggest grin. “What?”
“Girl, your face says it all. You were thinking about all the drunken, dirty things you want to do to that hunk of beef you got.”
Sukie groans and buries her face in the palms of her hands. Juniper ignores my daughter’s apparent embarrassment and continues, “Alice, you owe it to womankind everywhere to go out tonight, have fun while wearing a sexy dress, get shit-faced, then let Baja do naughty things to you all night.”
I’m at Juniper’s apartment a few hours later, preparing for the club. “Wow.” I stare in shock at my reflection in the mirror. “You can’t see my bruises at all.” Sage just put the finishing touches on my makeup, and Juniper was right, she is a master. Not only did she conceal the bruises, but the cat eye effect she did with the eyeliner made my eyes look fantastic. She kept the eyeshadow minimal but pulled off the entire look by giving me a red lip.
“You should wear makeup more often,” Sage tells me. “Not that you need it because you’re gorgeous without it, but damn, red is your color.”
I shrug. “I never had a reason to wear it.” I continue to stare at myself. “But maybe I will.”
Sukie comes up behind me, wraps her arms around my shoulders, and kisses my cheek. “You look beautiful, Mom.”
“Thanks, baby.”
“Found it!” Juniper shouts from inside her closet, drawing everyone’s attention. Then she walks out, holding a gold scrap of material. Considering I’m the only one not dressed, I assume the shimmering dress she has displayed in front of me is what she expects me to wear.
“You’re not serious?” I take the dress from her and hold it out.
“Hell yeah, I’m serious. Now go put it on.” Juniper practically pushes me toward the bathroom while Sukie and Sage giggle at my expense. Once in the bathroom, I inspect the dress again. Someone half my age could get away with wearing this, but not me.
With a heavy sigh, I strip out of my clothes, including my bra, since the back of the dress is missing. As I slide the material over my head, I can’t help but like how light it feels against my skin. It’s almost as if I’m not wearing anything at all. After a moment of hesitation, I turn to look at myself in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. I stand in front of it and stare back at the woman looking at me. This dress is everything. It’s short enough to show off my legs but not so short that it feels desperate. The gold fabric shimmers like liquid sunlight and feels light against my skin. I turn. The back plunges low, exposing my shoulder blades and the dip of my spine, but stops just above my ass. My skin glows against the fabric. I feel powerful. Beautiful. For once, I don’t pick apart every imperfection. Instead, I choose to see a woman who has lived, survived, and earned the right to feel good in her skin. This gold dress is transforming. It’s bold and unapologetic. And tonight, so am I.
There’s a knock at the door. “Mom, come out so we can see.”
Taking a deep breath, I open the door. Sukie’s mouth falls open, Sage’s eyes go wide, and Juniper is sporting the biggest smile. “So, how do I look?” I ask.
I feel self-conscious when nobody says anything.
Finally, Sukie speaks, “Oh my God.”
I laugh. “Is that a good, oh my God, or a bad, oh my God?”
“Definitely good, Mom.”
Juniper steps forward, grabs my hand, and motions for me to make a complete three-sixty turn. “Alice Pierce, I don’t know your secret to having a rockin’ bod, but you need to spill.”
Do I blush at her compliment? Yes, yes, I do.
“Wait until Baja sees you in that dress later tonight.” Sage winks.
Snapping her fingers, Juniper dashes back into her closet. “I have the perfect shoes. Hold on.”
Moments later, she hands me a pair of shimmery gold high heels.
Ten minutes later, the four of us pile into Sage’s car and take the short drive to The Fallen. I notice a line of people waiting to get in when we park. The girls were not kidding when they said the show’s popular. Bypassing the line, we walk straight to the entrance, where a burly man with a bald head and a beard stands guard. The man smiles. “Sage, Juniper, and Sukie. Boss said to be expectin’ you, ladies.”
“Hi, Theo,” Sage greets the guy.
The man then turns his attention toward me and tips his head. “This must be Ms. Alice.”
Shocked that he knows me, I look at Sukie, who smiles.
“Your usual table is ready, “ Theo informs us, opens the door, and then Sukie and I follow Sage and Juniper inside. In all my years in Salem, I have never stepped foot inside the Raven’s strip club. Never had a reason to. I can say this is not what I was expecting. The Fallen is a two-story cathedral-style structure. The floor above us is a large loft space accented by slanted walls with neon purple and black lighting. The bar on the main floor takes up an entire wall along the right side of the room. In the center of the room is a massive dance platform equipped with a couple of stripper poles. Plush velvet chairs surround the stage. An array of tables and chairs is situated around the room, with private booths along the back wall.
On the way to our table, I can’t help but notice the looks the four of us garner. Usually, I don’t like to draw attention to myself, but tonight, in this dress, I’m discovering an air of confidence I didn’t know I possessed, and I will instead enjoy it.
“This is us,” Sage announces as we approach a table directly in front of the stage. Sitting next to Sukie, I take in the stage with its lush purple velvet curtains and a shimmering silver backdrop. I let my gaze scour the dimly lit club and see everyone’s attention on the stage. Suddenly, movement on my left catches my attention. A tall blonde woman is coming our way, and I recognize her as the woman Nash had on the back of his bike. My body tenses when she stops by our table. “You guys made it.” She beams. The blonde surveys the table, her eyes landing on me. “And you brought someone new.”
“Hey, Arabella.” Sage smiles back at the woman. “This is Alice. She’s Sukie’s mom.”
Arabella’s smile gets even bigger. “Oh my God! You’re Alice? Baja’s Alice?”
Taken aback, I look at Sage, who shrugs and winks.
“I’ve heard all about you,” Arabella continues, oblivious to my confusion. “Baja said you were gorgeous, but knockout is a better word to describe you. You are rockin’ the hell out of that dress.”
“I… uh, thanks,” I mumble, not knowing what else to say.
“Just callin’ it like I see it, girl.” Then Arabella turns back to Sage. “You ladies want your usual?”
“Yep,” Sage replies. “And keep ’em coming.”
“You got it.” Arabella pivots to leave, then whips back around. “Oh, I almost forgot. Izzy is coming home next weekend and asked if I could schedule an appointment to get her hair done.”
Sage nods. “No problem. Tell her to stop any time, and I’ll squeeze her in.”
“You’re the best. Be back in a second with those drinks.”
Once Arabella is out of earshot, Juniper reveals a tidbit about Arabella I wasn’t expecting. “Izzy is Arabella’s fiancée.”
I blink. That would mean Arabella is gay. The girls did try to tell me things were not what they seemed when I saw her getting off the back of Nash’s bike.
Thankfully, before I can come up with a way to respond to the newfound information, the lights dim, alerting us to the start of the show. A hush falls over the club, and the curtains over the stage rise, revealing a woman wearing a red and black Victorian lace outfit. The vibe gives cabaret meets circus carnival. All eyes are on her as she saunters across the stage. She moves her body confidently and smiles in a way that demands attention. I watch as she swings her hips from side to side with raw sexual appeal. I’m enthralled by the performance. The club erupts into applause as the music ends and the curtains close.
“You’re not lying,” I shout over the cheers. “That was great! This place is not what I expected.”
Sage laughs. “When JuJu and I first moved here to Salem, I thought it was a dance club. Not the kind you come to watch other people dance and take off their clothes.”
I burst out laughing. “Seriously?”
Sage nods. “Did I ever tell you how I met Ash?”
“No.”
“Well, like I said, Juniper and I had just moved here, and we wanted to go out and celebrate the opening of our salon. When our Uber driver picked us up, we asked him to take us to a place where we could dance.”
“Oh my God! The driver brought you to a strip club?”
Juniper snorts. “That little pissant played us.”
Sage goes on to tell me about how Salem caught a guy slipping something into her drink and how he beat the guy up. I crack up at the part where she got sassy with him.
“When you think about it,” Sukie interjects. “If it weren’t for the Uber driver, you might not be where you are today.”
“Crazy how things work out,” I add. “It’s true what they say… everything happens for a reason.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Sage raises a shot glass, and the rest of us follow suit.
By the time the third act of the night ends, I’ve moved well beyond tipsy into full-on drunk. I can’t remember the last time I drank this much. Speaking of too much to drink, my bladder is about to burst. I turn to Sukie. “I need to use the restroom.”
“Okay. Want me to order another drink for you?”
“Yeah, a beer.”
On the way to the restroom, I pass a group of men sitting at a booth. One man whistles and drunkenly tries to gain my attention, but I ignore him. There is no way I’m letting an obnoxious drunk ruin my buzz.
A few minutes later, I finish my business and wash my hands. When I exit the bathroom, I go down the hall and once again pass the booth with the rowdy men. This time, the drunk guy from before doesn’t allow me to ignore him a second time. A rough hand clamps down around my bicep, momentarily knocking me off-balance.
I quickly regain my footing, even in heels. “Let go.” I try wrenching my arm free.
The idiot’s friends snicker, further goading him on.
“Come on now, baby. Don’t be like that.” His grip tightens. “I just want to talk.”
My lip curls at the smell of his rancid breath. I’m about to open my mouth again when suddenly, a hand reaches out in front of me and grabs the guy’s wrist. At the same time, an arm hooks around my waist, pulling me back away from the booth. The man lets go of my arm, and he bellows in pain as his wrist snaps backward into an unnatural position. Nash’s imposing frame fills my vision, and I watch as he grabs a fist full of the guy’s hair before slamming his head face-first into the table. While blood gushes from his nose, his three buddies seem to have more sense because none of them help. Salem and Mystic are standing guard at Nash’s back, arms crossed over their chests.
“You fucked up thinkin’ you had the right to put your hands on my woman,” Nash sneers.
“I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know she was yours. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
“You’re right, it won’t.” Nash jerks his chin, signaling one of the bouncers to come over. Nash and the bouncer exchange a silent look before he thrusts the bleeding man toward the bouncer, who then drags the guy off toward the back of the club near the exit.
Nash turns his attention to the guy’s three friends. “Get your asses out, and don’t come back.”
“What about Dave?” one of them asks.
“Dave is not your concern,” Nash says, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Now get the fuck out.”
Dave’s friends, sensing Nash is not a man to defy, make a hasty retreat.
Nash then turns to me, and the arm around my waist disappears. His expression goes from fury to heated as his gaze sweeps my body from head to toe. “Babe,” he growls as he looks at me expectedly. There’s nothing else to do but to go to him, so that’s exactly what I do. The second I’m within reach, he wraps his arm around me and pulls me to his side.
“I like the dress.”
Smiling coyly, I glide my palm up his chest and lean close. “How about you take me back to your place and show me how much you like it then.” I should be concerned about the scene that played out moments ago, but I’m not. The only scene on my mind is the one I want to happen tonight while I’m in bed with Nash.
Nash’s nostrils flare. “Are you smashed?”
“Yes. Not so much that I don’t know what I’m saying or that I’m not going to remember tomorrow what it feels like to have you inside me.” I do not know where that confession originated, but I’ll ride with it because it’s true.
The next thing I know, I’m being lifted into Nash’s arms and giggling.
“We’re out,” he informs the guys.
“Figured.” Salem smirks toward Nash’s retreating back.
Like a loon, I wave over his shoulder at the girls, who all share similar knowing expressions.
We hit the parking lot, and Nash’s boots crunch against the gravel as his legs eat up the distance between the exit and his bike. Stopping beside his motorcycle, his hold on me goes slack, allowing my body to slide down against his until my feet touch the ground. I’m fully aware of how hard my nipples are and that my dress has ridden up past my hips.
“You going to be able to hold on?”
“Yes.” I pant when I feel Nash’s palm graze over the swell of my breast.
“Let’s go before I turn you over and fuck you against my bike,” he growls, his control hanging by a thread.
I wait for Nash to throw his leg over the bike and situate himself before I follow suit. I’m well aware I look indecent, straddling the motorcycle with this dress on, but drunk Alice doesn’t care. Tomorrow, sober Alice can be mortified. For now, I’m going to live in the moment.
On the ride through town, I close my eyes and relish the cool breeze against my heated skin. I want this moment with Nash to be embedded into my memory for years. The feel of the night air against my face. The smell of Nash’s woodsy cologne mixed with the scent of exhaust when I bury my face against the crook of his neck. Most of all, I want to remember how good it feels to have my arms around him and how right it feels to know I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
Ten minutes later, Nash is leading me into his apartment. We stop inside the door, eyes locked on each other. Nash’s amber eyes are blazing, and my heart is about to beat out of my chest. At his sides, his fingers twitch, yet he doesn’t make a single move. That’s when I decide enough is enough, and I pounce. The second I’m on him, Nash palms my ass and, in a flash, lifts me off the floor. My legs wrap around his hips. My mouth seeks his, and when our lips touch, he swallows down my moan. When his tongue demands entrance, I am more than happy to oblige. Nash tastes like whiskey and mint. Most of all, he tastes like mine .
On steady feet, he carries me through the living room, down the hall, and into his bedroom. From the corner of my eye, I spot Ozzy perched on the bed seconds before he scurries out of the room, but not before he shoots daggers our way for his inconvenience.
“The second I saw you in this fuckin’ dress tonight, I imagined what it would be like to peel it off you.”
“What are you waiting for?”
With a growl, Nash sets me on my feet, then turns and sits on the foot of the bed. Grabbing my hips, he pulls me forward between his parted legs. I peer down at him, my body vibrating with anticipation. My skin prickles when he hooks his thumbs into the straps of the dress and slowly drags them over my shoulders and down my arms, exposing my bare breasts. Nash leans forward and takes one of my nipples into his mouth. I thread my fingers through his long hair and gasp when he bites down, causing a tingling sensation to shoot straight to my core.
“You have perfect tits,” Nash drawls, his tone husky. “Tell me somethin’, Alice. If I stick my hand inside your panties, will I find your pussy wet for me?”
“Yes.” The confession slips past my lips without hesitation.
With one final tug, the dress slides down my body and pools around my feet. Nash takes his time, drinking in the sight of me wearing nothing but an emerald green thong and my gold heels. My breath comes out in pants, and his palm slowly makes its trek along the inside of my thigh until it hits the spot that aches the most for his touch. A single finger presses against my lace-covered center. Nash, no doubt, can feel how wet I am for him. My nails dig into his scalp the more he teases me. “Nash, please.”
“Please, what, baby?” There is a hint of banter in his tone.
“I need more,” I tell him.
“More of this?” He pulls my panties to the side and plunges a finger deep inside me.
My knees nearly buckle as I cry out. “Yes.”
“What else do you need, Alice?”
“More…”
“More what?” Nash adds another finger, causing me to choke on my next breath.
I tip his head back with a fist full of his long hair. Our eyes lock. “I want your cock inside me.” I can’t believe those words came from my mouth.
Nash rewards me with a devilish grin. “With fuckin’ pleasure.”
The next thing I know, Nash is on his feet, and I’m flipping around. “Hands on the dresser, and don’t let go.” Our eyes connect in the mirror’s reflection, and I watch as he strips out of his cut and T-shirt before toeing off his boots and ridding himself of his jeans. “You’re going to watch me fuck you.” With one swift tug, Nash rips my panties from my body.
The air in the room turns static as he positions himself behind me. He places one hand on my hip while using the other to guide the tip of his cock at my opening. With all the control in the world, he holds himself still as he reaches in front of me and wraps his large hand around my neck. Then, without warning, his hips surge forward.
“Nash!” I don’t have time to adjust to his size before he delivers on his promise. He said he was going to fuck me, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.
“Been dreamin’ about this pussy.” The hand around my neck tightens.
With each powerful thrust, the dresser knocks against his bedroom wall. Thank God he doesn’t have neighbors.
“Do you know how many times I’ve jerked off to the thought of being inside you?”
“No,” I pant.
Nash pulls all the way out and then surges back in, knocking the breath from my lungs.
“Every goddamn day since I had that first taste.” I moan as he continues, “Now you’re goin’ to give me this pussy anytime I want, isn’t that right.”
“Yes. Anytime you want, Nash.”
“Fuck, I love hearing you say my name. Almost as much as I love havin’ your tight pussy wrapped around my cock.”
Hearing him talk dirty only fuels my impending orgasm. “I’m close,” I tell him, meeting him thrust for thrust.
“That’s it. Touch yourself for me, baby.”
I do as he asks and press my finger against my clit. That’s all it takes. “I’m coming, Nash.” I scream out his name as my release washes over me, my legs threatening to give out, and if it wasn’t for Nash’s arm around my waist holding me up, I’d have fallen to the floor. Still, he continues to drill into me, riding out my orgasm.
Soon, his thrusts become offbeat, and his breathing more labored. With one final thrust, he plants himself deep inside me as he finds his own release.
Minutes pass before Nash finally pulls out of me, and I instantly miss the connection. On shaky legs, I turn and face him in all his naked glory. His cock, still at half mast, hangs heavy between his legs, glistening with a mixture of our arousal, which I somehow find hot. Then I watch in shock as he becomes fully erect once again. I peer up through my lashes only to find him watching me.
“Come here.” Nash takes my hand and walks backward. When the backs of his knees hit the bed, he sits. Next, he urges me to straddle him, and who am I to argue?
Reaching behind me, I grab hold of his cock and align it at my entrance before slowly sinking down onto it. The tendons along his neck strain as I rock back and forth until he’s fully seated inside me. I take a moment to enjoy the feeling of being so full. Nash cups my cheek and brings his mouth close to mine. “Ride me, Alice,” he demands, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bracing my hands along his shoulders, I give him what he wants. Only this time, our movements are not hurried, and neither of us utters a word. There is only his cock inside me, his hands on my body, and his lips on mine.
Nothing else exists.