Seven
Shark
G od damn. Thank Christ for the A/C in this place. Standing beside the pool with her in that tiny fucking bikini had been way too much of a temptation. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn’t have hesitated to pull off my jeans and dive into that pool with her. But Scarlett is a different story.
I’ve barely been here a day; I can’t be breaking the one rule they gave me. Don’t fucking touch. It was hard enough to keep my eyes off her incredible rack, but then having it practically popping out of that skimpy blue top made it even more enticing. If I had climbed into that water with her, seeing her all fuckin’ wet. There’s no way I could’ve controlled my impulses.
“Breakfast time?” Trish questions a little too chipper.
“Yup. Just point me towards a bowl and spoon and I’ll be good to go,” I answer.
“That cabinet and the drawer below,” she says, pulling her hand from the soapy dishwater and pointing towards the cabinet beside the refrigerator.
I find what I need easy enough before claiming a stool at the large kitchen island. I reach for the box of cereal and start to pour.
“Shit. I forgot to grab the milk,” I mutter to myself.
“I’ll grab it,” Trish offers, drying her hands on a nearby towel before wrenching open the fridge door. I can see it’s stocked with food as she grabs the gallon jug and turns to hand it to me over the countertop. As I take it from her hands, her eyes meet mine. It’s clear that she’s the mother figure to this rag tag group.
“Be careful looking at her the way you are,” she warns, like I haven’t already gotten the fucking message.
“I know, I know. She’s off limits,” I say, feeling my eyes roll.
“Jesus. You really have no fucking clue, do you? You just see a pretty face and lose all self-control,” she sputters, catching my reaction.
“Trust me, I have more self-control than most,” I tell her.
“Well, when the shit hits the fan, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she raises her eyebrows and I can’t help but grin as I bring my spoon to my lips.
“Can I ask you something?” I question, once I’m done chewing my first bite.
“Sure. What do you want to know?” she leans against the counter.
“How does a girl like that grow up in a place like this and not end up fucking tainted? How is she still so damn pure?” I let the questions spill from my lips.
“First off, a lot of these guys either watched her grow up or grew up with her, they don’t see her for the woman she is. When they look at her, they still see the little girl with blonde pigtails. They’ve got blinders on when it comes to her looks,” she starts and I cut her off.
“But the newer guys coming in, the prospects, they have to notice her. I mean, unless they’re fucking blind,” I say before scooping up another bite.
“They notice, but they’ve had the fear of death put into them. They know to keep their distance,” she shares.
“But what about parties and all that shit?” I ask.
“She avoids them as much as she can. She doesn’t want to see her dad or her brother in those situations. The only one she went to intentionally was Sonny’s patch-in party and they kept it pretty tame, at least until she left,” Trish offers.
“So, she’s never dated? Does Ray really think he can just keep her sheltered her entire life?” I question feeling an annoyance I hadn’t expected. How can he keep her in this life but not let her be a real part of it? He should’ve put her up in a nice apartment or condo, away from all this shit. He could still keep her safe at a distance and let her live a real adult life.
“No, that’s not it. She had a boy once, but that’s it, he was just a boy. Manny…” she pauses briefly before starting again.
“They started dating as teenagers. They were both so young, and Ray allowed it to develop. Manny was also Sonny’s best friend and a few years older than her, and he had already spent some time around the club. It was clear he had big eyes for the lifestyle, and as soon as he turned eighteen, he started as a prospect. He and Sonny patched in together later that same year, and everything was good for a couple years. But just after Manny turned twenty-one, he had an accident. He had just bought a new bike and went out for a ride when a freak storm came through. The road washed out and he lost control, and we lost him. Scarlett hurt for a while after that, but she was still so young. We all made it through the pain together, as a family. Unfortunately, it’s been hard for Ray and Sonny to accept the fact that she is a woman now and that she might want to move on,” she finally stops and I feel like someone smacked me.
“Shit,” I breathe.
“Yeah, you can say that again,” she smiles back.
“So, why am I getting a double threat? You don’t think that Sonny put the fear of death into me with his warning?” I ask, unable to stop myself from chuckling.
“You’re a different breed from incoming prospects. You know what it’s like to grow up and live in the original charter house. I know this is Vegas, but I’m sure you’ve seen and lived through shit that none of the guys here could even imagine. I’m not sure if anyone could put the fear of death in you. Plus, I saw the way you were watching her,” she offers and I shrug. No point in trying to deny that I was looking.
“But don’t think I’m only coming down on you. She’s been warned too. She’s never experienced anyone quite like you. You’re new and appealing, and you’ve managed to get her attention,” she adds.
“If she knew me, she probably wouldn’t look at me like that. I’m too fucked up for a sweet girl like her,” I say, knowing that it’s true. After everything Scarlett has already been through, I can’t be the guy who fucks her and then leaves her. I might be an asshole sometimes, but I’m not that much of a prick.
“That might be true, but you’re shiny and new and she’s curious. You don’t avoid her or treat her like a child,” she adds.
“In that case, I guess I’ll have to try my hardest to keep my distance,” I grin back at Trish.
And as the words leave my lips, I glance back over my shoulder, catching sight of Scarlett’s long tan legs. I know what I need to do, and what I should do, but I’m just not sure I’m strong enough or man enough to do it. I’m going to need a fucking distraction.