23. 23
23
Raven
O pening the bar was usually great. It was quiet, and no thirsty patrons were begging for another round while openly staring at my chest. It was a shift I'd generally be thrilled to have, but today, the quiet bothered me. It taunted me like a villain in a movie, the silence giving me too much room to think, to worry, not that I'd admit that to anyone.
It was hard enough convincing Viper to let me keep working and let Nix continue going to campus for classes. Though, even I was uneasy with the latter after everything that had happened. But telling Nix she had to sit back and put her life on hold while I fought to keep my independence seemed hypocritical.
So, Nix was still going to class with the stipulation that she had at least two of the Sons with her at all times. Bones and Archie shadowed her, blending into the background with their baby faces. Raptor didn't like it, but he'd stick out like a sore thumb on campus, and Viper had other jobs for him. I know when he wasn't busy with Viper's dirty work, he stayed as close as he could to Nix, unwilling to let anything happen to her.
If it bothered her to have an entourage, she didn't show it. Nix took everything in stride, refusing to let what happened to Tweak dull her ever-hopeful spirit. I'm proud and the slightest bit jealous of her ability to bounce back with unyielding optimism after the bombshells everyone dropped on her.
Meanwhile, here I am, waiting for the next shoe to drop as I stock the beer coolers. It's been a week, and nothing else has happened between the Sons of Sorrow and the Desert Bastards. Dom's crew has been MIA since the stabbing and the Sons' retaliation. I still don't know what they did as payback for what happened to Tweak, but it must have been bad since Dom and his guys have backed off.
For now.
The annoying voice inside my head keeps reminding me that peace is only temporary. Sooner or later, one of the crews will end up pushing the other into action. When that time comes, I'm not so sure I want to be around to witness it.
The door to the bar swings open, and my bodyguard trudges inside. Reaper has somehow grown even more crabby since Viper upped Nix's and my protection detail. All week, Raptor, Reaper, and Jesse have been assigned overnight guard duty at the house, much to Reaper's immense displeasure. Jesse and Raptor seem to enjoy it, though. As does my sister.
It means she and Raptor can spend all night wrapped up in each other without worrying about what Daddy Dearest will think. Part of me still thinks she's getting attached too quickly, but with everything else going on, I'm not going to deny her anything that keeps her mind off Dom and his boys.
The door swings open again, and Jesse's smiling face greets me. At least there's something positive coming out of this situation for me.
He sends a quick greeting to his dad in the kitchen before meeting me behind the bar. Soft lips meet my cheek as a strong hand curves around my hip. "Morning, sexy."
I couldn't stop my lips from curling if I wanted to. Jesse's a likable guy, and ever since the first night he stayed over, things between us have grown more heated. We didn't have sex that first night, but I had a front-row seat to what the man's hands and mouth were capable of.
Since then, we've rounded the bases quickly. One night, we wound up pressing each other against the storeroom wall for a quickie after closing. It was hot, hard, and fast, giving us a much-needed boost of serotonin. It's made work flirting even more enjoyable. Every heated look now holds the promise of late-night orgasms. Plural.
The man is generous in the bedroom. And the shower. And the storeroom.
If I were one for commitment, Jesse would definitely be a contender, but since neither of us is looking for forever, we've agreed to let things play out until we get bored. It's a hot distraction from what happened, from what else may still happen.
Everyone was shaken after Tweak's attack, even if they refused to let it show. Viper thinks his guard detail will prevent anything from happening to us, but physical protection only does so much. It's the mental damage that's so much more dangerous. That's the shit that will eat away at you slowly, driving you to insanity and paranoia. The thought that someone may be plotting against you or the ones you care about—that's the real foundation of nightmares.
So, for now, I'll do what I can to keep my mind from spiraling into the deep, dark confines of despair. I'm always keenly aware that something terrible can happen at any moment, but running all day every day on that kind of energy isn't good for anyone.That's where Jes comes in.
His generous orgasm donations help balance out the negatives with the positives. He almost makes things feel normal, but there's no such thing as normal when you live in the inner sanctum of an MC that has pissed off rivals. Especially when the MC president is your father. That alone puts a massive target on your back. Mine and Nix's.
Just like that, the dread creeps back in. "Hey," Jesse says softly. "You okay?"
I shake myself out of my haze. "I'm fine."
The look he shoots me tells me he isn't buying it. Suddenly, warm arms circle my waist, and Jesse's hot breath ghosts across the skin of my neck. "Do we need to disappear to the back room for a few minutes? Take your mind off whatever it is that's got you frowning?"
His offer of a quickie gets my heart pumping. As I'm about to respond, a gruff voice cuts through the air, making both of us freeze. "No one comes here to watch you two hook up behind the bar. Knock that shit off."
Jesse hides his smile in my neck. "Whoops." He loosens his grip on me as he turns to our audience. "Someone's got their panties in a bunch this morning."
Reaper glares daggers, looking more annoyed than anyone has the right to be at this hour of the day. "What's Prez gonna say if he walks in and sees you two bangin' one out over the bar?"
Reluctantly, Jesse pulls away from me, sending me a look that says, We'll finish this later. I go back to stocking coolers and wiping down the bar, shooting Reaper death stares every few minutes. Just because he's not getting any doesn't mean he needs to cockblock everyone else.
I'm sure it's no fun being fifth wheeled at night when Nix and Raptor and Jesse and I disappear for some M-rated extracurriculars. Those two aren't exactly quiet, and Jesse and I don't put extra effort into tamping down our noises either, but damn. Get over it, dude.
Maybe he's extra moody because of his interrupted sleep patterns. Maybe he's jealous. Maybe he wants everyone around him to be as miserable as he is. Whatever the reason, he needs to knock it the fuck off. Just because he isn't getting it in doesn't mean he should make the rest of us suffer with him.
"Stupid prick," I mutter to myself.
For the rest of my shift, I make sure that Reaper has a front-row seat to my flirtations with Jesse. Every batted lash, every sultry word, every not-so-innocent touch shared for Mr. Cockblock to witness. I'm not sure what I'm doing registers with the jackass until I meet his eye as I graze my ass over Jesse's crotch while reaching for an ice scoop. His scowl and shaking head show that he noticed, and it pisses him off.
I smirk victoriously as our eyes meet. Serves you right for trying to ruin my fun.
After our shift, we don't head back to the house as usual. Viper summoned us to the clubhouse with a cryptic order. So, I hold on tight to Jesse as we speed toward Viper's place, wondering what's going on. We weren't told much, which doesn't help my irritability.
Maybe afterward, Jes and I can disappear for a while to work off some stress.
The thought eases my tension a bit. Sex tends to have that effect on me, but something in my gut tells me it won't be so easy this time. Even as we ride, I have a strange feeling that someone is watching me. I look behind us and see Reaper's glare spearing into me.
Fucking dickhead.
As much as he irritates me, I'm relieved it's just him and not one of Dom's guys sending my senses into overdrive. The overwhelming feeling of paranoia that's been shadowing me lately is new and unnerving. It pisses me off, making me anxious for a fight.
If I don't let off some steam soon, the next person who crosses me will regret every decision they ever made. The twisted part of me takes pleasure in that idea. The part of me that basks in the darkness takes joy in the thought of violence. She's itching to come out to play.
At the clubhouse, that feeling only gets worse the second we step inside. The guys are throwing a party, and the club's whores are on the guest list. I recognize Misty Whatever and her gaggle of sweetbutts from previous encounters. One stupid word out of her mouth, and she's done.
A leggy brunette and a tan redhead notice our arrival. The brunette perks up when she sees Reaper, prowling over to run a long talon down his chest. She murmurs something to him, and he manages to look somehow more annoyed than he did on the ride over. I grow livid when the redhead eyes Jesse.
A low snarl leaves my throat, making the girl's face pale. She has enough sense to avert her gaze and scurry off to find other entertainment for the night. A warm arm wraps around my shoulders as Jesse chuckles. "You stakin' a claim, Rae?"
I look up at him with a shrug. "I don't like to share. And tonight, you're mine."
Jesse grins as he pulls me to an open spot on the couch, tugging me onto his lap. I relax into him as his fingers play with the skin along the hem of my shirt while Reaper and his fangirl take up another seat.
We don't have to wait long before the missing members appear with my sister in tow. Nix smiles as she brushes out her hair with her fingers. She'd ridden with Raptor by the looks of it, and I'm not the only one who noticed.Skank Queen Misty lets out a loud screech. "Are you fucking kidding me? You gave up this," she gestured a hand down her side, "for her?"
The smile disappears from Phoenix's face, igniting my rage. "She's not cut out to be your old lady, Raptor. It should be me." Misty makes the mistake of stepping closer to my sister. "Once he's done fucking you, he'll be right back where he belongs."
The flash of hurt in my sister's eyes is the last straw. I snap, vaulting from Jesse's lap toward the skank who should have shut her mouth long ago. "Fuck you, bitch! You aren't even half the woman Phoenix is. You're just a washed-up, dollar bin whore."
I'm lunging for Blondie when Jesse's arms catch me at the last second. Misty's wide eyes blink in shock as he struggles to pull me away. Then, the room goes silent. I thrash in Jesse's grip, wanting to rip the bitch to shreds as a dark cloud enters the room.
Raptor is glaring at Misty as he holds Nix close. Her gaze suddenly leaves the blonde with limited minutes and focuses on something else. I follow her gaze and find Viper standing at the threshold of the living room, looking murderous.
Recovered from her shock, Misty starts screeching again, this time at me. Her shrill words are silenced with Viper's booming order. "Enough!" The walls rattle at the volume, and everyone in the room goes still. "Sweetbutts need to leave. Now!"
Every one of Misty's friends stands to leave while she crosses her arms and snarls at Phoenix, making no move to obey. Viper notices immediately. "Are you fuckin' deaf? Get out!"
Always a glutton for punishment, Misty whips around to face the club president. "Why do they get to stay?" She pouts, pointing a gnarled claw at me and Phoenix.
Viper storms closer to the mouthy idiot, making her curl in on herself. "They stay because I say so. Now get. The fuck. Out. And don't ever come back here. You are officially banned from this house and its members. I don't ever want to see your face in here again."
That left a mark. The blonde's lip starts quivering, and she tries to plead her case through watery eyes. "B—but, I—I didn't mean it. I—I just—"
"Get. Out!" Viper spits venomously, his word final. There is no arguing or pleading her way out of this; Misty sees that too. Finally, she'll be gone, and Nix won't have to put up with her bullshit anymore.
When she leaves, the room is still silent. No one dares breathe too loudly as Viper turns his sights on Nix and Raptor. "You two, with me." He leads the way to a room off the kitchen, closing the door behind them. I can't make out what's being said, but the sound of raised voices echoes through the door more than once.
It feels like an eternity before the three of them emerge. Viper's face is bright red as he exits the room. He zeroes in on me and Jesse, narrowing his eyes. When he approaches, he notes Jesse's arms still draped around me. "Do I need to remind you what happens here?" He nods my way as he speaks to Jes.
Jesse shakes his head. "Nah, Prez. I know what happens if things go sour. Don't need to tell me again," he says.
With a curt nod, Viper turns back toward the kitchen. "Meeting's on. Raven, Phoenix, wait here with the prospects."
The room empties and the MC closes the doors to talk about whatever club business is so pressing. Once the doors shut, I take a good look at my sister, wondering what happened with Viper. To my surprise, she's wearing a small smile on her lips. I sit next to her, nudging her side.
Without further prodding, she summarizes what happened with Viper and Raptor in the other room. "He figured out that Raptor and I are together. He was livid at first. He turned purple and started yelling. I thought he was going to force us to break up, but then Raptor told him that this thing between us isn't just for fun. He said that he cares for me and he'd do anything to protect me."
She pauses, looking down at her hands in her lap. "He said he'd step down from the club if that's what it took for Viper to accept it. He was willing to do that for me."
More brownie points for Raptor.
Nix smiles to herself. "He cares about me, Rae. He was going to give up so much for me."
I pull her close, rubbing her arm soothingly. "Of course, he would. You're worth it, Nix. He'd be stupid not to see that."
She chuckles as she tells me the rest. "Dad told him that wasn't necessary. He said that he couldn't lose his treasurer, and then he told him that could change if he ever hurt me. Gave him the whole lecture on making me happy and keeping me safe. There was a vague reference to an unmarked grave out in the desert, and that was that."
I can't help but laugh. "You know, if he ever does hurt you, whatever threats Viper made will look like child's play compared to what I'll do to him."
Nix's shoulders shake with laughter. "Oh, I know. I think he's more afraid of what you'd do to him than the club."
My lips twitch at that. "Smart man."
We stay there, talking quietly as the meeting in the other room continues. Our conversation stays light, but we both know the truth. Whatever is being said behind that door could be serious. That realization anchors me as we wait for the door to open.
Is this meeting a good omen, or are our troubles only beginning?