CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Heather—
Dropping my bag on the floor, I stare around the apartment. I can hear the music from the bar below.
Cody comes to stand beside me. He and Rafe just smuggled me out of the clubhouse in the crew cab of a Sawyer Lumber pickup truck.
Rafe checks the front windows, peering through the curtains. “I don’t see anybody.”
They were worried Snake and Greasy would follow us, but we made so many detours and stops, no one would think the guys were doing anything more than making a beer run.
It was scary leaving Tucker, but he was so busy having fun, he barely stopped long enough for me to hug him goodbye. The women all swore to me they’d take good care of him.
Glancing around my new home, I take in the furniture. It’s not new, but it’s quality. The last owner had good taste—or someone in his life did, anyway. The room holds a living room and a kitchen area with a granite island.
The windows overlook the front lot and the intersection beyond.
Cody snags my bag and heads into the only bedroom.
It’s got the basics and a flat-screen tv on the wall.
It seems quieter in this room, and I wonder if the owner installed extra soundproofing so he could sleep.
Cody drops the bag on the bed. “Ready to go meet your new boss?”
“I guess.” I’m less than enthused, and he grins.
“It’s just an introduction. You don’t work until tomorrow.”
“Great.”
Rafe pauses in the doorway. “I’m takin’ off. You good?”
“Yeah. Thanks,” Cody replies.
“Call if you need anything.” With that he leaves down the stairs that lead into the bar. There’s a fire escape at the back of the apartment, but it's locked tight. Before we came up here, Rafe made sure the ladder was secured up high, so that no one could climb onto the fire escape.
I don’t really trust that Snake couldn’t get to me if he finds out I’m here, but I appreciate any bit of extra security at this point.
“You’re not going with him?” I ask Cody.
“You didn’t think we’d leave you here alone, did you?”
“Yes, actually, that’s exactly what I thought.”
“Babe. Come on. Really?”
“If you’re here, how does that make them think the club’s not watching them?”
“Because who they think I’m watching is you. Witness protection, remember?”
“You really think these employees are going to buy that story?”
“Yeah, I do. Biker clubs are notoriously secretive. Who’s going to question what we do?”
I shrug. “If you say so. But what’s my story supposed to be if someone questions me?”
“You witnessed something you weren’t supposed to witness, and now the mob is after you.” He grins, and I roll my eyes.
“The mob? Sure.”
“The Santorini Crime Family, to be specific.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yep.”
“Are you telling me you guys have dealings with the mob?”
“Well, not dealings exactly, but they know us and we know them. There’s an uneasy truce.”
“And I thought Snake was the scariest thing I’d deal with.”
“The mob is not coming into your life. I promise. It’s just a cover story.”
“Still. It’s freaking me out that you actually know a mafia family.”
“Well, not me personally. Besides, there’s probably nothing they’ve done that we haven’t.”
“Don’t tell me that. The less I know, the better.” I plug my ears, close my eyes, and hum. “La la la.”
He grabs my hips and tugs me against him. My eyes pop open when our crotches make contact. “You are a goofball.”
Then his mouth lowers to mine, and I forget all about Snake and the bar and the mob.
“I could take your mind off it for a couple of hours,” he offers, lifting his chin to the bed.
“I bet you could, but I have a boss to meet.”
“Right. Damn it. Later then. Come on, let’s get this over with.”
He leads me to the stairs, locking up the apartment. We stand on the landing.
“Heather, keep this door locked whenever you leave, got that?”
“Yes, of course.”
We move down the stairs and find a man in the back office.
He looks up when we appear in his doorway and then stands.
“Ray?” Cody says.
“Yep.”
“I’m Cody.” He offers his hand.
“Yeah, Cole told me you were coming and why. This her?”
“Yeah, this is Annie Benson. Annie, this is Ray, your new manager.”
I’m thrown by the fake name, but I have no choice but to go with it.
“Welcome aboard, Annie.” Ray shakes my hand, then moves to a bookshelf and sorts through some t-shirts. “I’m guessing a size small?”
“Yes.”
He passes me three. “Aprons are available behind the bar before you start your shift. They tell me you’ve waitressed before. Where exactly?”
“Alexander’s Ale House, Rocket’s Café, and a fifties diner called The Bel Air.”
“Okay, great. So, you have experience.” He passes me a food menu and a smaller drink menu.
“Study these, and you should have no problem. Tomorrow is Two for Tuesday. All drinks are half price from four to six. Your shift is three to nine. You get two fifteen-minute breaks. Oh, and here’s a layout of the club with the table numbers.
It’s clockwise so you shouldn’t have any problem picking it up. Any questions?”
“No. I think that should do it. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Cody extends his hand. “Thanks, Ray. Like my president told you, this is a delicate situation, and we really appreciate you helping us out.”
“Of course. I hate to see anyone put in a dangerous situation.”
“Exactly,” Cody states.
“Thanks, Ray.” We turn and go back upstairs.
“He seemed nice,” I say when we get inside the apartment.
“Yeah. Hopefully, he’s not hiding anything. It doesn’t end pretty when someone steals from the club.”
I stare at the menus in my hands. “Guess I’ve got homework.”
He grabs one. “Come on, I’ll quiz you.”
I follow him to the couch and curl up in the corner, facing him. I peruse the drink menu. “Good Lord. Listen to these dumb drink names. Holy Water, Hippie Juice, Cougar Bait. Leg Spreader.”
“That one’s actually pretty good.”
I roll my eyes.
“Speaking of…” He grabs my knees, spins me around, and pulls me flat on my back, landing between my thighs.
“Wow, that was quite the move,” I giggle.
“Liked that, did you?” His mouth comes down on mine. “We’ve got the place to ourselves. I think we should make the most of it. What do you think?”
“I thought you were going to help me learn the menu.”
“They serve burgers and bar food. You’ll be fine.” He presses kisses all over my face, then starts to trail down to my cleavage. “You really think you can fit these babies into a size small t-shirt, Miss Ginger?”
I giggle again. “That’s Annie Benson to you, mister. What a dorky name, by the way. Where’d you come up with that?”
“Hey, don’t talk badly about Annie. We were in Mrs. Cunningham’s first-grade class together. She sat at the desk in front of me, and I teased her endlessly. I was totally in love with her.”
“Really?” I tease.
“Yep. That puppy love can be strong.”
“And memorable, apparently.”
“I never forget a beautiful woman.” He flashes his killer smile, and I know I’m a goner.