Chapter 6 Presley
PRESLEY
Iloved my job.
I mean, I really, really loved it.
Some would say it was just cutting hair, but to me, it was so much more than that. Every day, I was able to go into the salon and give my customers a fresh new look that made them feel better about themselves. Seeing their eyes light up when they looked in the mirror warmed my heart.
And on top of that, I was able to work with the best group of people. They were both talented and sweet, and they weren’t just my coworkers. They were my friends, each and every one of them.
Which meant they knew when something was up with me.
And something was definitely up.
I tried telling them that it was nothing and I just hadn’t slept well, but they weren’t buying it. They kept pushing and pushing, but I kept blowing them off. I didn’t like lying to them, but this was one problem I would have to keep to myself.
After a while, they grew quiet, and I thought they were going to let it go. But just as my last customer walked out the door, Stephanie, my closest, most bull-headed friend, hooked a finger in the back of my apron and hauled me into the mixing room.
She shut the door and stepped in front of me like some off-duty cop who was about to bully a suspect. “What the hell is going on with you?”
“I already told you.” I stepped back, hoping it might help me escape her wrath. “I’m just tired.”
“Bullshit.”
Stephanie was unfairly pretty. She had long, dark hair that was always glossy and perfectly styled, big brown eyes with natural long lashes that were the envy of everyone who saw them, and a figure that never failed to turn heads.
Needless to say, she was never one to hurt for attention, and if there was ever a shortage of men somewhere, it was never in her zip code.
Men were always trailing after her every step, but she never let it go to her head. She was the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful person I’ve ever met, so I wasn’t surprised that she was worried about me. Hoping to ease her mind, I smiled and said, “I’m fine, Steph. Really.”
“But you’re not,” she replied, pointing her perfectly manicured finger at me. “You’ve been spacing out all day, and that dye job you did on Mrs. Davenport was not it.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“It was atrocious, girl, and you never mess up a dye job. So, spill it.”
I opened my mouth but immediately closed it.
I almost messed up.
I was about to tell her everything. It was sitting right there on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t. There was a chance it would put her in danger, and I refused to bring anyone else into my mess.
So, I did the only thing I could. I made up a big, fat lie and told her, “It’s Danny.”
“Danny?” Her brows furrowed. “That guy you’ve been talking to?”
“Yeah, that’s him.” I shrugged. “He ghosted me.”
“Oh.” Relief washed over her. “Thank God.”
“That’s not the response I was expecting.”
“Please. The guy was a total douchebag.” She waved her hand. “Trust me. He did you a favor. Men like him are emotional support potholes.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You are too much.”
“Just honest, sweetie.” She gave me a wink. “We should go out. Have a few drinks. Go dancing. Find you a new guy or two. Maybe three. I know at least six who would volunteer as tribute.”
“Of course, you do.”
“What can I say? It’s a gift.”
“I appreciate the offer. I really do, but no.” I lowered my head. “I just want to go home and faceplant in bed and not speak to another human until tomorrow.”
“Oh, you’re no fun.” She studied me for a second, then added, “Danny dropped the ball, girlfriend. You’re smoking hot, and it’s only a matter of time before the right guy comes along and snatches you up.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“You sure you don’t want to go for just one drink?”
“Not tonight.”
“Okay, fine.” A smirk slipped across her lips as she leaned in and whispered, “But if you wake up tomorrow and decide you want a hot stranger to help you forget what’s-his-face, I have options.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You better, because they’re good options. Hot options.” She looped her arm through mine as we headed back out. “Get some sleep, babe. Tomorrow is a new day.”
Oh, how I wish that was true.
I nodded, then grabbed my things and slipped out the door before anyone else had a chance to stop me. I grabbed a cab, and twenty minutes later, we were pulling up to my house. I hadn’t even got out when I spotted Lila Kate standing at my front door.
She looked like an absolute mess.
Great. My day just keeps getting better.
I groaned as I opened my door and started up the walk. There was no missing the panic in her voice when she said, “I’ve been trying to call you all day. Your car is here, but there was no sign of you.”
“I was at work. I couldn’t talk.”
“You could’ve let me know you were alive.”
“I was busy, Lila.”
“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” Her voice cracked when she admitted, “I thought something happened to you…”
“I’m sorry.” I stepped inside the house and dropped my things on the table before reaching out and pulling her into a hug. “I’m fine. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
She sucked in a breath that sounded more like a sob than actual air. “I hate this. I hate this all so very much.”
“I do, too, but we’ll get through it. We just have to keep a level head about it all.”
“I’m trying.” She closed and locked the front door before asking, “So, what happened at the clubhouse today?”
“Not much. Luke met us at the door and helped carry his bags inside, and then, he dropped me off at the salon.”
“That’s it?” she pushed. “Davis didn’t tell you anything about why he wants to stay there?”
“Nope.”
“There has to be a reason.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I shot back. “I honestly don’t know what Davis is up to. I just know that he has a plan to get his hands on some quick money, and if I play along, I will get a cut of it. And that cut will pay off this money you owe to whoever you owe it to.”
“You think he’s after Luke’s money? Or is he going after the club?”
That did it. My stomach dropped so hard I thought I might be sick. “Oh, God. I hadn’t thought about that.”
Satan’s Fury wasn’t just some guys playing weekend warriors. These were a group of men who left fear in their wake. Going against them was like putting a target on your head. Davis would have to be out of his mind to think he could steal from them and live to tell about it.
Lila plopped down on the edge of the sofa as she said, “I’ve heard stories about them.”
“Who hasn’t?”
“Did you hear about that gang that started some riff with them, and they all disappeared. And not just one or two of them. Every last one of them just vanished without a trace. People say it was a warning to anyone else who thought about going against them.”
My stomach turned.
“What about the guy from the casino?” She grimaced. “Did you hear about him?”
I shook my head.
“Well, some guy tried to steal from them, and they beat him so bad he was in the hospital for months. They told him they were feeling merciful.” She leaned back on the sofa with a huff. “And don’t get me started on how they are at the Vault.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, that place is sacred to them. Anyone messes with one of their girls, and they don’t just kick them out. They make an example out of them.”
A chill slid down my spine.
“How do you know all this stuff?”
“I work at a bar. People talk, especially when they get to drinking.” She shook her head. “It’s like listening to a true crime podcast you can’t turn off.”
Unease curled tight in my chest.
This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all.
Davis was playing with fire, and if he wasn’t careful, he would get us all burned. I held my hands up and said, “Okay. Let’s think this thing through. Davis said he had a way to get his hands on a lot of money fast. How would some biker club have that kind of money?”
“I’m sure they do pretty well with the Vault.”
“Yeah, but not that well.” I walked over and grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge. “If they did, they’d all be driving fancy cars and living in luxury, not riding around on motorcycles.”
“Some of those motorcycles cost a pretty penny.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, but maybe Davis knows something we don’t.”
“Maybe.” I poured us both a glass of wine and offered her one as I said, “I just hate the thought of any of this falling back on Luke.”
“Surely Davis wouldn’t do anything to hurt him? I mean, Luke is his brother. That has to count for something.”
“It should, but this is Davis we’re talking about.” I sat down next to her. “You know better than anyone he’s not exactly trustworthy.”
“No, he’s not.” She took a sip of wine before suggesting, “I could go to the bank and try to borrow the money.”
“Like anyone would give you that kind of money.”
“They might. I could tell them it’s for school.”
“You might get a couple of thousand out of them, but nowhere near what you actually need.”
“Maybe Mom could cosign for me.”
“You’re grasping at straws, kid.”
“I know. I know, but I can’t help it.” She dropped her head into the palm of her hand. “I feel like I’m losing my mind over here.”
“You’re not the only one.”
“I’m really sorry I got us into this mess.”
“It’s okay. We’re going to get through it. We just have to be patient and hope that Davis will come through on his plan.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Then, we’re screwed.”