Chapter Seven
“So let me get this straight.” Sy leant over the bar, her chin on her elbow, and eyed me thoughtfully. “You put the phone down on him? Just as he was about to—”
“Ssssh.” Leaning across, I covered her mouth with my hand. Glancing behind me, I shot a look at the lonely biker in the corner. He wasn’t paying us attention because he was on his phone, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t listening. The last thing I wanted was for him to report back.
Her eyes flicked towards him, and she slowly moved my hand away. “Relax, he’s as deaf as a bat. Now tell me what happened?”
Taking a deep breath, I told her what had happened three days ago.
My cheeks grew pinker and pinker with every word I said.
She listened quietly, not interrupting, just absorbing.
In the few days we had been roommates, I had come to realise that she was good at that.
It was one of the reasons we got on so well.
We were both quiet. In fact, it still kind of shocked me that she worked for the Sons.
But when I asked her why she didn’t have a job more suited to her temperament, she just shrugged and said it was all she knew.
She didn’t offer anything else, and I didn’t want to pry.
“So you don’t like Pocket? I mean, didn’t I see that you saved him when he came off his bike?”
“I would have saved anyone. I couldn’t just leave him lying there.”
Her eyes widened. “So you don’t like him?” Sy gave one small nod of her head. “That’s probably for the best.”
“Why? Do you know something about him?”
Sy went back to wiping down the already gleaming bar. The pub wasn’t busy. It was the middle of a work week and the weather had turned last night, so the city streets were being pounded by the rain that the rest of the world thought we got all the time.
Apart from the one grey bearded biker in the corner and two young men in tracksuits playing pool, we were the only ones in here. Which was probably for the best because I didn’t really do bars and pubs and the whole drinking culture.
But then again, I didn’t really do any of the normal things women my age did. I’d never had a chance, really.
Sy giggled. “No, I don't know anything about Pocket. He’s always seemed pretty decent when he’s been in here, but you should still stay away.”
I wanted to ask her why, but at that moment one of the younger men walked to the bar and ordered, so I had to wait.
Taking a sip of my orange juice, I watched as he ordered a round of shots and glanced at me. Catching me staring, he raised an eyebrow.
“Here.” He pushed one of the tiny glasses towards me with a grin. “You look like you need one.”
“Thanks.” I forced myself to smile, but I couldn’t help but look away from his gaze. Having men look at me just wasn’t something I was used to. “But I don’t drink.”
He shrugged, and I watched as any interest in me evaporated from his eyes. “No worries. Have a good night, love.”
He went back to his friend, and I turned back to Sy, only to find her staring at me with a smile on her face.
“Do guys always hit on you?” She cocked her head to the side.
“No, not really, and when they do, I never know what to say. You hear horror stories about how men react to being dismissed, don’t you?”
“You don’t find any of them attractive? I mean, you're young and beautiful. You should be living your life. I’m not saying letting every man fuck you, and maybe stay away from bikers because that never ends well, but you couldn’t even meet that guy's eyes just now.”
My cheeks flamed scarlet. “It’s just that I…um…”
“Do you like girls?” Sy lifted her hands and grinned. “I don’t judge. I don’t mind either, so that’s cool with me.”
“God, no. I mean…” I stammered. “I don’t mind if you do, but I like boys. I just haven’t had much experience around them. I grew up pretty sheltered and went and worked with children and their families. I just didn’t have time.”
Sy fell silent. “Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. Believe me, it’s better than getting serious with the first man who pays you attention.” Reaching across the bar, she patted my hand. “Take an old woman’s advice on that.”
“You’re not old, Sy.” And she wasn’t. Older than me, but definitely not old. I had seen every man in here look at her admiringly when they walked in, and I couldn’t blame them. She was all sorts of glamorous. Even if she was working in a biker pub and spent her days pouring drinks.
“I think that’s why I freaked out when Pocket—”
She cut me off with a look I couldn’t read. “Pocket seems like a good man, but looks can be deceiving. Try to stay away from…” She trailed off and her eyes went wide as the sound of bikes filled the quiet pub before cutting off. “Talk of the devil and the devil will appear.”
Confused, I turned on my stool and watched as the door opened and Pocket and Duke walked through the door.
“How the hell did you know it was them?” I asked in a shocked whisper.
Sy grinned. “Their bikes.”
“You knew which ones were coming from their bikes?” I asked incredulously. “That’s completely nuts.”
“Years of practice.” She whispered before straightening and turned towards the two men who came stomping towards us with their boots dripping water all over the floor.
“Hey guys, what can I get you?” She asked and even though her voice was friendly, there was no real warmth in it.
It was like she was on autopilot around them, and it made me wonder about her even more.
It was clear she had a history with bikers, but she didn’t want to share the details with me.
I couldn’t really blame her. We all had secrets, and I didn’t want to share my past with her either.
Duke ordered, Pocket remained silent. He didn’t even look at me and that, more than anything else, made me uncomfortable.
Gathering up my courage, I turned towards them. “Hi, Duke.” I waited for Pocket to lift his eyes to me. “Hi, Pocket.”
He barely lifted his chin in response and then went back to staring forward and my heart sank. Was he really that mad at me because I hadn’t wanted to have phone sex?
Without thinking about it, I reached for the tiny shot glass still sitting in front of me and swallowed it down in one go. A burning fire raged down my throat.
God, that was disgusting.
“You look like you’re having fun, Chloe.” Duke laughed as I gagged. “And you look amazing.”
His eyes raked over me, taking in the clothes I had borrowed from Sy, which were completely different to what I was used to in every way. She was all old time glamour, and I preferred florals and floaty material if I wasn’t in jeans. “Doesn’t she look good, Pocket?”
“Sure.” Pocket didn’t even lift his eyes. Pulling his pint of pale gold beer towards him, he stared down at it. “She looks fine.”
Duke rolled his eyes. “Don’t mind him. He’s been moody since he got back and won’t tell anyone why. I thought seeing you might cheer him up.” Duke winked.
“Me? Why would I cheer anyone up?”
“Seeing some pretty ladies always cheers me up.” Duke grinned, his eyes travelling between me and Sy.
“Yeah.” Pocket's voice was gruff. “It’s always nice to come and see Sy.”
My heart gave a pang that made no sense. I didn’t know Pocket at all. We weren’t even friends, but hearing that he preferred my roommate was like a kick in the gut. Not that it surprised me. Sy was beautiful and more his age. Why would he even look at me when she was around?
“Don’t be an asshole, Pocket.” She ground out the corner of her mouth.
“I’m not.” Pocket turned to me and his smile was cruel.
It was like looking at a totally different person.
This wasn’t the sweet man who had let me sleep in his lap because I was exhausted.
This wasn’t the man I had imagined him to be when I had saved him, and he had asked if I was an angel in his delirious state.
No, this man was a total stranger.
“Sorry, Chloe. You’re a lovely kid, but I’m too old to look at you like that.”
“Sure,” I mumbled, because what else was I meant to say? “I get that. You are probably a little old to be hitting on a girl like me.”
It was like the whole pub fell silent even though I knew it hadn’t, and then Sy threw back her head and laughed. “That gets you a drink on the house.” Still giggling, she turned towards the optics.
Even Duke grinned. Shaking his head, he elbowed Pocket and motioned to the table where the other biker was still sitting.
“You were quick on that one. Well done to you for putting him in his place, Chloe.” Sy pushed another shot towards me. I stared down at it. Did I want another one? The first one was disgusting.
Before I could stop myself, I glanced at Pocket. He was looking straight at us. No, not us, I reminded myself. He was looking at Sy.
Closing my hand around the glass, I swallowed the burning liquid down.
“Can I have another?” I pushed it towards her as the room around my span.
“Chloe.” Her eyes turned sad. “Don’t change who you are because of some biker dick.”
Biker dick? I giggled, covering my mouth with my hand. If only she knew the truth.
“I’m not, but I am going to start living and trying new things.
” I forced myself to smile even though inside I felt kind of empty.
I was changing, but not because I wanted to, but because I had to.
In the countryside, I could be me. But in the city, I had to be harder.
I had to be, otherwise the city and its inhabitants would chew me up and spit me out.
“Chloe, please be careful.”
Ignoring her, I slid from the stool and swayed for a second. Two drinks and I was already feeling it. Gathering my wits about me, I staggered over to the pool table. Taking a deep breath, I tapped the nearest man on the shoulder.