2. Ethan
2
*********
The sun is barely up over the mountains, highlighting the tops of the trees lining the road. The cool morning breeze on my face, a soothing balm to my nerves. I’ve been on edge since Hawk called at three a.m. telling me, “Do whatever you need to do to sober up and get your ass to church by six o’clock. Pres says no excuses.” Since Hawk knew I was over an hour away visiting the Velvet Pearl, he wanted to give me ample time to get back.
I was already in a foul mood after wasting an entire trip up there to see Scarlet. I planned on talking to Vincenzo again about convincing Scarlet to give me any kind of time. I was about ready to offer him a grand just so I could buy her a drink and hear her voice for an hour. I didn’t need the lap dance. If I can get close enough, spend some time with her, I know I can break down the barrier they have walled up around her. Once I do that, she’ll give in to me. I know she will.
I had a plan. One that went to shit.
I was in my usual booth with a bourbon, waiting patiently to see her again. When the show started, and everyone made their way out onto the stage, I knew the woman dancing center stage wasn’t my redheaded fantasy. She had the same long red hair and wore the same sexy outfit, but she wasn’t the woman who had my dick in a vice.
When I realized the truth, I asked my waitress about the woman on stage. The young brunette smiled and whispered where only I could hear, “the real Lady Scarlet had an emergency. Amethyst agreed to fill in for her. She used Scarlet’s costume and wig so the customers wouldn’t know.”
Wig?
“Whenever they discover Scarlet’s gone, attendance goes down a bit.” She shrugs.
I should’ve drove my ass home then but decided to knock back a few drinks and sleep it off in the hotel while trying to imagine what Scarlet looks like without her costume. Imagining what she looks like without what I now know is a wig.
Is she brunette with a short pixie cut to go with those fiery eyes? Or is she a blonde bombshell with all her long locks pinned up in a tight bun like a schoolteacher under all that fake red hair?
The schoolteacher idea led to a long jerk-off session in the shower before a restless night’s sleep.
I emptied my load, and my balls still ache this morning as I’m riding into town.
Fuck! What is it about this chick?
It’s not unusual for Pres to call church at random times. It’s protocol whenever important shit comes up. Usually, it’s because some punk vandalized one of our shops or has been harassing the townspeople with their pranks. But something about this time feels ominous.
I pull to the rod iron fence and wait for Austin, one of our prospects, to wave me through. I follow the paved road lined with trees leading up through the fields, passing the old farmhouse owned by Caleb and Liz and their big red barn. I smile to myself. Their house holds a lot of memories for all of us. The original “home” we’ve all been welcomed into over the years.
Six years ago, Caleb dropped my ass on the couch in their living room after finding me at the cemetery drunk off my ass. The next morning, Liz placed a cup of black coffee and a plate full of greasy food down in front of me to help with my hangover. Right before she smacked the back of my head, hard, and said, “You better man-the-fuck-up! Your sister wouldn’t want you moping around like a used-up pussy.” She softened her voice, cupped my face in her hands and said, “It’s okay to mourn, but you can’t stay down in the dark forever. You’ve gotta come up to the light and live…for her.”
By the end of the day, I was a prospect for the Kings and never looked back.
Liz is the original queen. As Caleb’s wife, Ol’ lady, and Gabe’s mother, she takes on a huge responsibility to be the mother or grandmother every member and their family needs. All of this includes whipping our asses, calling us on our bullshit, or giving us a spot to sleep when the chaos of the clubhouse and our brothers may not be the level of comfort we need. She’s always been the beacon we run to whenever one of us has become overwhelmed by our own lives.
Though she bitches often about how she should get paid to be our club’s therapist for all the shit she has to put up with. She doesn’t hesitate when she knows we need her.
Caleb started the Kings of Fury MC over twenty years ago with his brother Jonah and a handful of brothers they met in the military, and they picked up others as they rolled through town looking for a place to call home.
Caleb’s family has owned this farmland for generations. It was once an equestrian farm, housing, and breeding horses for other farms. Business had slowed down for them some, but it’s still making enough as a side income.
This place has been his and Liz’s home for nearly fifty years. The backside of the farm became the home of the Kings of Fury clubhouse.
Caleb wanted a place to go to unwind with his friends and brothers but after serving time in the military and never knowing if he’d return, he couldn’t pull himself too far away from his wife. So, on over 300 acres of land with a few houses, all inhabited by his family, and several barns, he built this club. One barn was made into an oversized garage to house and work on our bikes. Another, much larger two-story barn was transformed into the clubhouse, a barn with some…upgrades.
Everything is surrounded by grass and wood-covered trails. It even has a lake further back, hidden in the hills where Gabe and a couple other brothers built their homes.
I make my way to the clubhouse, heading straight for my parking spot, surprised to find several bikes and a white Dodge Ram already parked near the building. The closer I get I realize the four motorcycles belong to members of the Mountain Heights chapter.
This is not a good sign.
I waste no time heading inside. Someone must be in deep shit for Eli to bring his boys down. Mountain heights is a good day’s ride from here.
Fuck.
The smell of coffee and cigarette smoke fills my lungs. Hawk’s the first person I see standing near the bar waiting for coffee as I enter the doors. Figuring he would know more than me about the situation since he’s the one Pres had call everyone in, I head his way.
“What are Eli and his guys doing here? Someone in trouble?”
Hawk shrugs. “No clue. Pres called me less than half an hour after I left the bar saying to get everyone into church by 6am. Whatever it is, he sure has shit timing,” Hawk complains. “Man, I was balls deep, mid-fucking-stroke in a fine piece of ass. Pres heard her in the background. Told me to pull out and get shit done.”
“You answered your phone while fucking some bitch?” Cash says, clasping Hawk on the shoulder. I don’t know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the guy. On the one hand, he can’t ignore Pres. On the other, women don’t like when your mind isn’t focused on them while you’re fucking ‘em.
I greet Cash with a handshake. I’ve met him a few times, but I’m not close to the Mountain Heights guys like I am my own brothers. Usually, when Gabe had business up their way, I was in a training camp prepping for a fight. Gabe wouldn’t put me on a run if he knew I had a fight coming up. In case shit went sideways, he wanted my head in the game. It might have something to do with the money the club makes betting on me to win too, but I’m not about to question him on it.
Xander and Walker come up behind Cash, greeting the rest of us. We all take turns clasping hands and giving each other a quick bro hug.
“Did I hear right?” Walker asks. “You answered your phone while you were balls deep in some chick?”
“It was Pres!” Hawk shouts, eager to explain himself to the group. “I can’t ignore his calls.” Hawk tosses his hands up, like we should all fucking know better. “He told me to get everyone here. That’s a lot of calls. Do you know how hard it is to get ahold of everyone after we’ve all been out drinking and everyone’s back to wherever, with whoever they picked up for the night, ready to get to the fucking part of their evening?”
“Did they answer?” I ask, having a pretty good idea what his answer will be.
“Fuck no! Everyone else let shit go to voicemail,” he grumbles. “But I get cockblocked by my own fucking Pres! I gotta tell you, I am not feeling the brotherly love right now, man.”
We all lose it then, laughing at the fucker.
“We were all at O’Malley’s bar last night where Hawk was flirting with a very drunk, very willing blonde. She and her friends were having a girl’s night for her twenty-first birthday. Once he discovered what they were celebrating, Hawk made his move. It became his personal mission to get her feeling a good buzz and into her birthday suit. His pickup line…It’s the proper way to celebrate a birthday,” Declan explains.
I see the look on Cash’s face, he’s dying to know what happened. To fuck with Hawk. “Wait. You said you got cockblocked?” He squeezes Hawk’s shoulder, while shaking his head in disbelief. “You pulled out and walked away? You didn’t even get off before you left?”
“Oh, I got off.” Hawk’s eyebrows reach his forehead. He looks at me like Cash is stupid for even thinking Hawk would allow such a thing. “I got off, but she didn’t. I had to dump and run, man. Pres was waiting on me to find all these fuckers.” He tosses his finger around the room indicating my brothers.
“You left without getting her off?” I shake my head in disbelief and mild disgust at his lack of manners. Not that anyone really gives a fuck. We’d all have done the same thing. But it’s fun to fuck with him. “You’re a selfish bastard.”
Hawk shrugs at my dig but doesn’t deny it’s true.
“If Pres didn’t make it sound so urgent, I would’ve gotten her off at least once, but I was in a hurry. I knew most everyone was going to be sleeping off their booze and would need enough of a heads up to be sober before showing up here. And you…you needed a few hours to sober up and make the drive.” I get a few looks, but no one asks and I’m not telling. The Pearl is my private oasis for now. And I’m not sharing Scarlet with any of these assholes.
“Pres was already pissed about whatever’s going on. I figured this is going to be a long ass day. I had to decide. Blue balls or a pissed off bitch?” He looks at me and smiles wide.
“Pissed off bitch.” We all answer in unison.
Hawk shrugs. “I took one for the team.”
“We thank you for your sacrifice,” Walker, the VP for Mountain Heights says with a salute. Hawk’s smile widens.
“You know I made the right choice. With Eli and y’all here, I’m not looking to share club pussy. Might not be enough to go around anyway since we didn’t have time to call in some of Ghost’s girls from the strip club to prepare.”
Ghost runs the Glitz and Tass strip club at the end of town. Not all his girls like being around the club members unless they’re working a pole and getting paid, but there are some who don’t mind riding dick and having a good time for the fuck of it. Literally.
I slap Hawk in the chest with the back of my hand. “There’ll be enough. There’s never a shortage of pussy. Booze, maybe. But never pussy.” We all laugh.
It’s not uncommon for other chapters to come into town for a visit, but usually we get a heads up to prepare for the extra guest rooms, plan food, and other necessary shit. It’s more of a warning to make sure we have enough booze and pussy to go around. This place will be crawling with club girls, strippers, and hang arounds in no time when word gets out the Mountain Heights brothers are hanging around for any length of time. It’s the proper way to welcome our brothers once we get business handled.
But we didn’t get a heads up this time which means something’s not right.
We all turn when we hear the kitchen door open and follow the smell of food to the bar where Patsy, Gus’s ol’ lady is spreading everything out. Gus is one of the old timers from the original Kings chapter. He and his wife run the local diner, Magpie’s here in town.
“Tell me this isn’t just for the Mountain Heights guys, Patsy?” Hawk asks, turning on the charm.
“I was told to bring food to feed an army,” Patsy says, gesturing around the room full of people. “I don’t know why or who else is coming. I’m doing what Gabe requested, which is feed you boys.”
The common room is packed. I scan the room making a mental note of who is in attendance. Both presidents, Ghost, Caleb, and Mack are missing.
“Where’s your Pres?” I turn, asking Walker.
“He’s in the office with yours,” he answers around a piece of toast.
“Hey Patsy, can you hand me a plate. Grab me two?” Cash asks. She hands him two plates which he begins piling up with generous amounts of eggs, bacon, and toast. He nods to the rest of us excusing himself and walks over to a table across the room. One where a blonde woman is sitting by herself. I can’t quite see her face from here. She’s got her back to me, but I can tell she’s got long legs wrapped in dark denim, tan skin, sinewy arms and back, with a tattoo on her left arm peeking out under the sleeve of her purple top.
I’m about to ask my brothers who the woman Cash is taking food to is, when I notice Mack’s wife, Lisa, and his daughter, Jayde, taking a seat at the table. Gabe’s niece, Sadie also joins them.
What the hell is Sadie doing here?
Something in my gut twists, an uneasiness I can’t explain.
Lisa leans in close to the blonde as she talks to her, giving her a side hug, rubbing her hands up and down the woman’s back. Sadie, Gabe’s niece, and Mack’s charge, sets three cups of coffee down before taking a seat of her own.
It’s not uncommon for Sadie to come home from Baron’s Edge on the weekends to visit from time to time but not this early in the morning. She attends a private prep school a half day’s drive away. Seeing Mack’s wife and daughter here, as well as Sadie and Patsy, tells me this isn’t a typical church meeting. Shit’s gone sideways. Or it’s about to. Women are only called in when we have church if there’s a reason to be concerned for their safety or something has happened that could affect the families. They don’t get to sit in on the discussion but are kept here on lockdown where they can be watched over until another plan is put in place.
Fuck. I hope we’re not going on lockdown. I need to get back to the Pearl as soon as possible to see Scarlet again.
“Did Cash finally get chained down with an ol’ lady?” I ask Walker, and Xander who are both shoveling food into their mouth. Walker’s eyebrows crease, while Xander’s eyes grow wide.
Hawk looks over at the table, and shrugs. “I don’t see a property patch.”
Xander opens his mouth to speak, but the back of Walker’s hand slapping into his chest halts him.
“She’s a friend,” Walker says. Xander’s brows crease at Walker’s response, but he gives a slight shake of his head. Xander shrugs and tucks back into his food.
What the fuck is that about?
“Yeah. Looks like Lisa knows her. Jayde and Sadie seem friendly with her too,” Hawk says glancing over to where Sadie’s sitting and scowls then shrugs as he grabs a plate, surveying all the food, ignoring the rest of us. “Patsy? Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Hawk asks. He puts his plate down, walks around the bar in a flash and scoops her up in a hug. She swats at his shoulders in protest.
“Put me down,” Patsy fusses, but her laughter tells of her amusement.
“She complains, but she loves it when you boys manhandle her.” Gus smirks over his cup of coffee as his wife scowls back at him for not rescuing her, but instead encouraging Hawk.
“Maybe you should manhandle her more often, old man, then she won’t need us to get her so excited,” Hawk teases, then winks at Patsy who blushes.
“Fuck off, One Eyed Jack,” Gus snaps.
“It was Jack Sparrow. When are you going to get it right?” Hawk protests.
“When I decide I really give a shit. Which, in case you were wondering, is never.”
Hawk’s known for being one to experiment in the bedroom. The guy has a laundry list of kinks. I don’t know if he has any limits to be honest, but I’m also not curious enough to ask. His one wild night of playing dress up in the bedroom always comes back to bite him in the ass. Hawk’s not the only computer savvy one around here. He can thank Ghost for the show we all got to see. He’s the one who played the live feed on the clubhouse TVs without Hawk’s knowledge. He’s lucky that’s all Ghost did after the stunt Hawk pulled at the Christmas party. Ghost was passed out drunk on the stage at the clubhouse and woke up drooling, clutching a dildo in his hand near his mouth. It wouldn’t have been so bad except Hawk hand also taken pictures of the scene, hung them up all over the clubhouse, then proceeded to text them to the rest of the club. The girls and brothers gave him shit for weeks.
With Ghost’s particular set of skills, and his love for revenge, it could’ve been a lot worse. The whole town could’ve been watching his shit on a live stream. Until Hawk figured it out and pulled it down anyway. Between Hawk, Ghost, and Gabe’s niece Sadie and their tech wars, there’s never a dull moment around here.
Hawk verbally sparring with Gus draws attention our way. Everyone except the blonde sitting across the room. She seems engrossed in her phone. She seems to have tuned everyone in the room out. She’s got her head resting on her hand, keeping her profile from view, as she slides her finger to scroll along on her screen.
Walker and Xander have made their way over to stand with Cash off to the side of the table where the women are sitting talking quietly.
The guys standing around her are talking quietly amongst themselves. She seems somber and each of their attention is hyper-focused on her. She’s not interacting at all, even when Cash nudges her. She shrugs her shoulder. When she turns her head, looking over her shoulder at him, I get a minimal view of her profile, but not enough to really see who she is.
Curious, I nudge Hawk again. “You sure she doesn’t look familiar to you?”
Hawk glances at the women sitting around the table for a second time. “I can’t generally tell a woman by the back of her head unless her ass is bare and she’s on all fours.”
I shove my shoulder into his. “You’re an ass. You better keep that shit to yourself. If she is one of theirs, you’ll be swallowing your own teeth for your next meal.”
“What?” Hawk gripes. “You asked me to look at a woman and see if I know her by the back of her head. I’m just saying, she doesn’t look familiar. Without seeing her face, I’d need to see her naked body from the back. If I could see her face or her tits, then I could probably tell you for sure.” He shrugs again, looking at me like what he says makes perfectly good sense. “Ow!”
“Shut up asshole! Or Ethan’s right. You’ll be eating through a straw soon enough,” Liz says slapping him on the back of his head. She must’ve been in the kitchen because she’s swinging a towel in her hand, smells of bacon, and looks ready to murder Hawk. She may be small, but she’s feisty. Her man wouldn’t hesitate to shoot any one of us for her, and she knows it.
“What did I do?” Hawk whines.
“Be glad it was me who heard you and not Ghost or Gabe. They’d have your ass for talking about his girl like she’s a whore.”
His girl? Who’s girl? Ghost?It would have to be, since Gabe hasn’t taken a woman as his own since his wife and child died years ago.
“She’s one of Ghost’s girls? A stripper?” I ask. Liz’s eyes cut to mine and the fury I see looking back at me would scare the hardest of men. I’m half tempted to cover my junk, just in case.
“Who is she?” Because now I really need to know. I’ve never seen Ghost with a woman who wasn’t a club whore or a stripper, and certainly not one so young. Not to say he wouldn’t be interested in a younger woman; I’ve never seen him with one like her.
If she was a stripper, it could explain how Cash knows her, since he owns a strip club himself. It’s not uncommon for the girls to move from one club to another. They like the protection the MC offers them, so they often trade between towns. Ghost’s been known to give jobs to some of Cash’s girls from time to time. They move here having gotten tired of Mountain Heights, or just the cheap clientele then come here looking to make better money. New faces tend to make more money… in the beginning. When the tips dwindle out the ladies move on.
But then why would Lisa hug her? And why bring her in for an emergency meeting?
It doesn’t make sense. And Liz called her “his girl.” Now I’m genuinely intrigued. And a little jealous. Even an old bastard like Ghost has someone to call his own.
Lucky bastard.
What the hell am I thinking? I don’t want someone to call my own.
Liz smiles up at me and taps a hand on my cheek. Seeing her this close, I notice her make-up does nothing to hide the fact she’s been crying.
What the hell?
My brow creases at the sight, but before I can ask what’s wrong, she gives a soft, apologetic smile, and says, “Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon enough, sweetheart.” She clears her throat, her voice sincere and laced with concern. She steels her face and turns around. “In the meantime.” She points right at Hawk. “You, behave.”
Hawk’s mouth drops open, as he sputters, “I haven’t done anything.”
“You’re thinking about it, and I’ll tell you now. When it comes to her…don’t.”
Liz crosses her arms attempting to look tough in her tight black jeans and her Property of Captain, her nickname for her husband, T-shirt, glaring at Hawk. A mischievous smile breaks out on his face and she’s up and off the ground as he spins her in a hug.
Liz absolutely hates that shit. She’ll take a hug, sure. But she gets mad as hell when someone picks her up or spins her around. She’s so tiny compared to the rest of us it isn’t hard to do. It’s also why Hawk does it as often as he can get away with. He likes to stir the pot.
“Hawk!” Caleb’s deep voice booms through the room.
Speaking of the “pot.”
“Keep my woman’s feet on the fucking ground, dickhead! Get your own ol’ lady to harass!” Caleb shouts, as he, Ghost, Mack, Eli, and Gabe are all coming down the hall, out of Gabe’s office. The mood in the room shifts drastically as they enter. All conversations cease.
Ghost’s eyes scan the room. He breaks off from the rest in a hurry. Heading straight toward the blonde.
“What the fuck? Mack’s here too?” My words are quiet but filled with shock. Mack is one of the club’s enforcers, only he’s been working for Garrison Security on special assignment for a long ass time.
“Makes sense if he brought Sadie home,” Gus grumbles. Only it doesn’t make sense because although it’s not unusual for Sadie to come home, seeing Mack is a rarity. His presence means my gut on the way to the clubhouse was right.
Caleb makes eye contact with me but says nothing.
Something’s fucked.
Mack makes his way over to Jake and embraces his son. He always wears a crisp suit when he’s working on his assignment. He’s head of security for one of Garrison Security’s biggest clients. Gabe’s father-in-law.
Mack’s suit is rumpled, and his hair looks like he’s been running his hands through it repeatedly in frustration. Both he and Gabe seem uncomfortable, but it’s Mack’s demeanor that has me a little on edge. He’s pensive and pissed. A deadly cocktail when mixed with one of our club’s enforcers. This one in particular.
Though he’s resigned his position as enforcer unofficially since he works and spends most of his time in Baron’s Edge, he’s still one scary motherfucker. He won’t hesitate to handle business for the club if he feels things need his special brand of justice to be served.
Well, shit.
The man’s torture skills are unparalleled. It’s not just his job, it’s his passion. The simple fact he’s here, in his suit, not his cut, means something really fucked up is going on. He rarely leaves his post in Baron’s Edge to come home unless it’s planned well in advance, and he always wears his cut when he’s home.
Hawk backs away from a scowling Liz with his hands up in surrender. “There’s no need to be mean, old man. I don’t want to be saddled and pussy-whipped like you.” Caleb stands almost toe to toe with Hawk, glaring down the three-inch height difference between them.
I see it coming before Hawk does.
Caleb catches him in the chest with a solid punch, making Hawk sputter and cough. The room fills with laughter at the idiot who’s now hunched over. He tries to stand, and Gus cuffs him on the back of the head. His stupidity lightening the somber mood a little. Sadie and Jayde are both shaking their heads. Even the blonde’s shoulders shake momentarily, but her face is still hidden behind a curtain of hair as she shakes it.
I wonder what her laugh sounds like.
Why the hell do even I care?
Hawk’s trying to laugh too but hasn’t quite caught his breath.
Chuckling, Caleb says, “Fucker,” then leans down to kiss his wife who’s beaming.
“Thank you, Captain. Always the gentlemen.” Liz wraps her arms around Caleb’s waist looking up at him, her eyes shining.
“Only for you, Mama.” He kisses her forehead then drops to a chair placing her on his lap. She smirks at Hawk, one eyebrow raised. His expression says don’t fuck with me, boy.
Mack and Jake grab coffee and join their family at the table. Mack leans in, saying something to the woman sitting beside his wife kissing the top of both their heads. It’s a gesture of familiarity.
The woman nods and squeezes his hand on her shoulder. He moves back to sitting down next to his wife.
Liz gets up to fix Caleb a plate then settles into the chair beside him, bumping my elbow as she passes.
“It’ll all be clear in a moment, son. Remember, you can always come by the house if you need to.” Liz’s words make me pause, hearing both the warning and comfort they offer.
She moves past, and I notice after a quick hello to Caleb, Ghost, and Gabe have followed Eli to the table where his men are standing like stationary statues, as if guarding the woman in question.
Who the hell is she?
Gabe leans down and kisses the woman on the top of her head. She seems to go rigid at his touch but softens when Eli puts his hand on her left shoulder giving it a squeeze of support. Ghost squats down beside her, turning her chair to face him. I’m straining to see her face but with his hand cupping her cheek, and Gabe’s broad body so close, my view is blocked. Ghost leans in talking quietly to her.
She slides her chair back, and they stand together. He engulfs her in a hug, his big ass arms blocking my view of her face as he pulls her close to his chest, kissing the top of her head again. Her shoulders begin to shake. Ghost continues to hold her, stroking her back. Eli moves to Ghost’s side, his hand now on her back as well. Cash stands up behind her, his stance is more precautionary, as if he thinks he might need to catch her if she drops. She’s boxed in by all four men, making it impossible for anyone to see who she is or hear what’s being said.
It’s all very awkward and somber.
The door down the hall opens, drawing everyone’s attention away from the woman and Ghost. I follow everyone’s line of sight to where Melanie, one of the club girls has just come out of Blake’s room exaggeratingly wiping the corners of her mouth with her fingers glaring at Jayde. Blake follows her out seconds later, locks his door, then fastens the buckle of his belt.
“Guess Mel’s already had her breakfast.” Hawk snickers loud enough for all to hear. Melanie smirks, unfazed by all the laughter at her expense giving a slight bow as if she’s proud of her accomplishment.
Mel’s one of the newer club girls. Been here a few months. She started out as a hang around. She’s been working to get her hooks into Austin since he became a prospect last fall. When her plan backfired, she decided to become one of the club’s regular girls fucking anyone who’s willing.
Guess her new plan is Blake.
She aims for the newbies hoping when they get their patch, she’ll get hers. It’s a shit plan I’m certain will end in disaster as it always does. The club girls know what they’re signing on for, but they still get their hopes up to one day be more than a wet hole for everyone to pass around.
My attention is drawn back to the mysterious woman’s table. She’s still boxed in, only the top of her head is visible from where I am.
Jake moves closer to Jayde, whispering something to his sister. Jayde glares back at him, and he smirks, arching a brow at her. It’s a dare. Her eyes flick to where Mel stands near the bar. Jake pulls Jayde in dropping a kiss on her head. Her eyes are glassy. She shakes her head slightly, pulling out of Jake’s embrace. She glances over at Blake still scowling when he approaches, handing a cup of fresh coffee over to both Mack and Jake. Jayde takes it from Mack’s hands before he can take a sip. She doesn’t take Jake’s cup from him which has me curious.
Jayde snaps at her father, but her words are directed at the prospect. “Don’t drink that. You might catch something. He didn’t even wash his hands. For all you know he has her crabs under his fingernails and smeared his own cum in your cup.” Jake spits his coffee out into the air.
Jayde smiles. Sadie busts out into laughter.
“I’ll make you a fresh cup, Daddy.” Jayde pushes past Blake, heading for the bar where she pours the cup out, grabs a fresh mug, and pours a new one.
Liz is smiling with pride. She’s not a fan of the club girls.
“What about me? You want me to catch something?” Jake asks, sounding half amused half pissed.
“You dip your dick in anything with a pulse like the rest of them. You’re risking your own life. Daddy, however, shares his bed with one woman, and I’m not about to let some skank’s disease infect our mama.”
There’s a mixture of laughter and gasps heard throughout the common area. The gasps no doubt coming from Melanie. Liz and Patsy don’t try to contain their laughter. They both raise their mugs to Jayde and give a “Here, here” in show of their solidarity.
Not all the club girls are bitchy. Most are sweet girls with their own stories to tell. But even I can’t say I’m leery about Melanie.
Mason, another prospect, comes through the front door heading straight for Gabe.
“Everyone’s here, Pres,” he says loud enough we can all here. “Austin and Colt have the gate covered.”
Gabe clears his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him. He stands up from his seat and moves into the center of the room. “Listen up! I’ve called you all here because we’ve got family shit to discuss. Afterward, ladies, you’ll have your assignments to get handled and the men will be heading into church. Eli, you, and your men will join us at the table.”
Eli nods.
“Melanie, Rachel, Drea, Candi, and Cam. Get the rooms ready. Eli and his boys are going to be staying here for a while. Make sure they have whatever they need.” The five women scurry off down the hall to make preparations.
They’re staying? I turn back to where Eli and his men are all standing.
Ghost turns toward the rest of the group with the tall blonde still nestled into his body. Her head is down, leaning into his chest. Her face is still hidden by his large hand cradling her against him.
I take a minute to check out the rest of her. She is a lot younger than Ghost. He doesn’t act as though she’s his woman though. He’s holding her like she’s delicate, or fragile. Precious to him, like a father would hold his child. It’s not possessive so much as protective.
I get a better view of her now, minus her face.
She’s average height, slender, with curves in all the right places. Her sinewy arms are wrapped tightly around him. A feminine hand with purple nail polish grips his cut. I can hear muffled talking around me. Cash leans in, saying something in her ear. She lifts her head and turns to look up at him, and my heart slams into my fucking ribcage.
It can’t be.
Gabe’s explaining something to the club in the background, but it might as well be Charlie Brown’s teacher talking because I’m only hearing muffled sounds around me. No clear words or phrases. My sight homes in on her and everything else becomeshollow noise around me. My own heartbeat is the only clear noise I hear as it thrums in my head. Red haze fills my sight, and my inner demons scream with rage beneath the surface. My fists clench and my jaw tightens. My chest feels like it’s caught in a fucking vise.
Rage. It’s the only way to describe what I’m feeling when I see her standing there. The one who destroyed everything good in my life.
Vicious, unrelenting, unadulterated…rage!
In three strides, I’m standing in front of her, my arm outstretched, finger pointed in her face. I don’t even register the other people surrounding us as I tower over her, growling, “What the fuck are you doing here Skyler?”
*********