Chapter Three
Lilly
Five hours ago, Cass told the Hounds that we are staying in Gulfport for the next few days.
Everyone’s gone home except Clayton. Linc left to take Mindy home, but he checked in with Cass to let him know he’s on his way back an hour ago.
He’s trying to earn his place in this club, and I have no doubt that he will have his patch in no time.
The benefit is long over, my high is gone, and the after party is just getting started at the Highway Sinners’ clubhouse.
I stifle a yawn, realizing that my night has only just begun.
The clubhouse here isn’t much different from the one of the Hounds.
There’s a full bar equipped with a multitude of liquor, and like the Hounds’ clubhouse, this one also has a second story that I’m told holds bedrooms for the out of town members that come to visit as well as guests of the club.
The biggest difference between the two clubhouses, though, is the stage in the center of the large, open room with a stripper pole in the middle of it.
A tall, tattooed blonde spins around on the pole while a circle of men stand around the stage.
She has perfect, perky fake tits covered in colorful ink that draws my attention.
I can’t look away; the woman is mesmerizing.
Her looks, the way her body sways and rolls on and around the pole.
A strong, steady hand wraps around me and I don’t have to look to see who it is. There’s only one man in this room brave enough to wrap his arms around Cass’s ol’ lady, and that’s Cass himself.
"You like what you see?" Cass asks.
I laugh nervously. "I like the way she moves. She's got talent, she isn't just some whore trying to get attention because she's taking her clothes off. She can move."
"I agree. I was never a fan of strippers, but the talented ones, ones like her, catch my attention. It's fascinating, in a sense."
"She has a great body, too."
"Eh. She's alright. She's no Lilly Summers, but...you know." Cass shrugs and the amusement in his voice doesn’t go unnoticed by me. The fact that he’s more concerned with me than the half-naked woman moving seductively on the pole makes my heart flutter.
I squeeze his hand before looking around the room, my eyes searching for Clayton.
When I come up empty, my brow creases as I turn to face Cass.
"What?"
"Where's Clayton?"
"He's around here somewhere. We have plans for lunch with him tomorrow, which will probably mean dinner because he's on biker time."
"Biker time, huh? Somebody needs to tell Scott about biker time."
Cass’s laughter catches me off-guard, making me jump, which only makes him laugh harder.
“Easy, trigger. You’re with me. I won’t let anything happen to you as long as I’m around.”
Cass wraps me tighter in his arms, tucking me under one. My shoulders instinctively relax in the comfort of his arms. I forget where I am for a moment until the song playing ends and Dance by Big Sean and Nicki Minaj bursts through the speakers around the clubhouse.
The crowd around us roars and I can’t help but turn to see what the blonde on the pole is doing.
She’s slipped out of the black lace bra she was wearing and has climbed up to the top of the pole, holding on only by her thighs while spinning downward quickly towards the stage.
I’m so focused on the woman on stage, I don’t see Micah and Raven walking up until Raven speaks.
“Hey! Y’all made it!” Raven cheers.
“Thanks for inviting us.” I reach out to hug Raven as Micah and Cass start their own conversation.
“Is it always like this around here?” I ask.
“Only on days that end in Y.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“I’m still kind of new around here, but it hasn’t taken long for me to fall in love with this lifestyle. Growing up, bikers always intrigued me. I just never thought I’d end up in love with one.”
She shrugs her shoulder nonchalantly, as if we were talking about the weather or what to serve for dinner. I think about what she said for a moment.
“I can relate. One hundred percent. I’m new to this, too. But I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
“I heard what happened to you. Micah told me when he found out.” Raven’s eyes dart away from mine.
I can see the pity in her eyes, and it immediately makes me feel uncomfortable.
Shame and embarrassment wash over me. I don’t need people feeling sorry for me.
It could have been so much worse than it was, and I’m grateful that all that happened that night was a swift beating.
“It wasn’t that bad. Not bad enough to make me walk away from the man I fell so madly in love with.
” I sigh, stealing a glance in Cass’s direction.
He and Micah are a few feet away sitting at the bar, both with beaming smiles, talking like they’re long lost relatives that haven’t seen one another in years.
“That’s honorable, you know. So many women would’ve run for the hills the second they were free. Not you, though. You’re good for him, Lilly.”
It was my turn to beam with pride. “I like to think so.”
Micah strolls over with a shot-glass filled tray balanced on his hand.
He lowers it between Raven and I, exhibiting four shots.
Two are a milky-cream based shot and the other two are a golden brown.
Girly shit and whiskey. I want to protest at the girly shot I know is for me, but I realize it has been a long time since I had a shot that didn’t make my nose burn so I think better of complaining.
“Thank you, you’re too kind!” I exclaim, snatching up one of the shot glasses with the milky cream. Raven takes the other one and Cass lifts one of the whiskey shots. He gives me an amused glance before Micah grabs his own shot and sets the tray down. He then raises the shot glass in toast.
“To the most loyal family I’ve ever had.”
We clink shot glasses before taking them in unison. I’m determined my shot was a Buttery Nipple. The butterscotch in it is sweet and welcoming, just what I needed to give me a little more pep in my step because the clock is ticking, and I’ve been up since the crack of dawn.
I don’t know how Cass is still going strong. He’s got to be exhausted. As if he read my mind, I hear him say goodbye to Micah.
“We’re going to crash, brother. It’s been a long fuckin’ day and a shower and bed sound so good right now.”
“You want one of the guest rooms upstairs?” Micah asks, motioning toward the ceiling.
“Nah, man. I already rented a hotel room right up the street. I appreciate it though.”
Cass hugs Micah while I say goodbye to Raven.
We meet in the middle and head for the door together.
The cool night air hits me like a force field when we step outside.
I suck in a sudden, deep breath. The temperature has definitely dropped since we’d been inside.
I didn’t even think of bringing any cold weather riding gear, mostly because I wasn’t used to riding much and when I did ride, all I had to bring was myself.
“You tired, my love?” Cass asks as we approach the bike.
“Exhausted. Thank you for getting us out of there. I was almost ready to curl up in a corner.”
“I could tell. Here, you’re gonna want this.” Cass opens a saddlebag on the bike and hands me a hoodie. I can feel the warmth just looking at it. Hands out, I snatch it from him and sling it over my head. The cotton material instantly begins sucking the cold right from my skin.
“You are amazing. That is all.” I grin, strapping on my helmet.
“When did you rent a hotel room?” I ask, realizing we hadn’t been to a hotel to rent a room.
“I didn’t. Linc did when he got back. Perks of having a prospect, baby.”
I shake my head, amused. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
Cass straddles the seat of the bike and pats behind him. “Hop on.”
I step on the foot peg and sling my leg over. I’ve gotten used to mounting and unmounting things with Cass, both his bike and him. I reach my hands around to the pockets of his cut and nestle them in just in time before we take off.
Beach Boulevard is cold, but it isn’t very busy tonight and for that I’m thankful.
I can hear the waves rolling in from the ocean and the salty air fills my nostrils once again.
We ride for a few minutes, long enough for the chilly air to assault my legs through my jeans and make my skin ice cold to the touch before Cass turns into the hotel.
I spot Linc’s bike as soon as we’re in the parking lot. Cass parks next to it and we head inside. Cass deals with the hotel clerk, telling him the name to get the key. I’m so tired I’m barely coherent through their exchange.
Minutes later, Cass has a room key and we’re off to the second floor. I smile at the memory of our last hotel trip together. The elevator dings and the doors open, allowing us inside. I must still have a smile on my face because Cass catches my eye and smiles too.
“What’re you smiling about over there?” he asks.
“I was just thinking of the first time we were in a hotel together.”
“Mmm. I like the way you think.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me playfully.
“Nuh-uh. Nope. I’m going to die as soon as my head hits the pillow. I’m not used to Scott’s version of biker time. I run on bartender time and in my world, being awake at six in the morning means I haven’t been to sleep yet.”
Cass chuckles. “My baby.”
The elevator doors open again when we reach the second floor, and I nearly sprint in the direction of the room. I’m so tired and muster all the energy I have left to get inside that room.
“Slow down, turbo. The room ain’t going nowhere.”
“I know, but if I don’t get in there and shower, stat, you’re going to be peeling me off the ground when I fall asleep standing up.”