Chapter Three
ELIZABETH
As we walk back into the club room, everyone turns, looking at me.
Swallowing heavily at the weight I have to carry on my shoulders for this task, I plaster on a fake smile as Sin leads me through.
His warm hand is spread across my lower back, again, commanding in the way that he does.
The strength in that small gesture doesn’t get past me, either.
Or the show of dominance he’s clearly trying to display over me.
Normally, I would swat a man’s hand away for being so presumptuous, for assuming that I can’t lead myself into a damn room, but I need to be on my best behavior.
I need Sin and his band of merry misfits to trust that I’m here to write the story they want.
Not the one my superiors expect from me.
Sin directs me toward the club bar, where three women stand behind it. One is cleaning, one is restocking the alcohol shelf, and the other simply leans on the bar, smiling at me as we approach.
“This your new project, Pres?” the one leaning on the bar like she owns it asks.
Her almost masculine appearance surprises me.
Don’t get me wrong, she’s still stunningly gorgeous, but her blonde hair is short with a slight wave on top.
Her black eyeliner is thick, though she wears little other makeup.
Her shirt is only buttoned by the bottom button, leaving her bra completely on show, and her leather jacket is covered in silver studs.
I can’t even count the number of chains she has dangling around her neck.
I have no clue what her style is, but it’s a whole vibe.
Sin smirks at me, then glances back at her. “Elizabeth, this is Ro… she’s our head club girl and a little insane, so be careful of her.”
I raise my brow as Ro snorts out a laugh. “Whatever. I’m as delicate as a flower. Don’t believe a word he says, Lizzie. You stick with us club girls, we’ll steer you in the right direction. Won’t we, girls?” Ro grins, then winks.
The girl restocking the alcohol turns to face me, trying to hold in her laugh while waving a bottle of Jack Daniels through the air.
“Baby girl, don’t get sucked into Ro’s web.
She’s already mentally undressing you. People are worried about these bikers, but honey, you gotta watch out for Madam Ro here.
She’ll hit on a man, a woman, hell… I wouldn’t put it past her to fuck that broom handle over there if the mood struck her. ”
Sin tries to fight back his chuckle as Ro rolls her eyes. “Gia, you’re just jealous because I didn’t hit on you when I first saw you. Lizzie, though, girl, you are fire! Can I get you a drink?” Ro waggles her brows at me.
Letting out a small laugh, I shake my head. “Ahh… no drink, but thanks for the compliment. I think.”
Ro giggles, waving her hand through the air. “You’re welcome, and I’m here any time… if you should change your mind.” She winks at me again, but this time, Sin places his hands on my shoulders.
“All right, Ro, ease up on the flirting, will ya?” Sin snaps, a harshness in his tone.
Ro raises her brow, a slow smirk crossing her lips. “I hear you loud and clear, Pres… she’s allll yours.” Ro chuckles and turns to face Gia, helping her stock the shelves before Sin leads me toward the kitchen next to the bar.
With my head still reeling from that crazy interaction, I glance up at him. “So, club girls?” I ask, not really knowing what to expect as an answer.
Sin exhales, dipping his head. “The short of it is they come to work for us, generally in exchange for maintaining the clubhouse.”
I stop walking and turn to face him, a serious expression crossing my face. “Maintaining the clubhouse? Details, please.”
Sin exhales, leaning back against the kitchen wall. “Well, as you saw, they help run the bar. Prospects will sometimes assist with that too. The club girls will also help with food prep and cleaning, maintaining the general husbandry of the clubhou—”
“Husbandry? You’re just gonna run with that?” I snap.
Sin cranes his neck to the side, knowing exactly what I’m asking. “Okay, yeah. I know what you’re inferring, and yes, the role of a club girl is to be available if a brother is wanting…”
He hesitates, so I glare at him, urging him to continue.
“If a brother is wanting… satisfaction. But, we never, and I irrefutably mean never, make the club girls do anything they don’t give one hundred percent consent to.” His eyes meet mine with complete seriousness, and I know instantly he’s telling me the truth.
Letting out a long breath, I simply nod.
“All right, but what do they get out of being here? Are they adrenaline junkies, or do they just love bad boys? What’s the thrill of doing all this?
” I ask, truly wanting to know, because there is no reason in my mind that would make me want to give up my body for a group of men and have to cook, clean, and take care of them.
To me, this shit is fucking absurd.
Sin shakes his head, a look of frustration crossing his features. “You disappoint me, Elizabeth.”
Jerking my head back, I snort out a laugh. “Ha! Me? Disappoint you? What the hell did I do?”
“You’re judgmental,” he replies swiftly.
Scowling, I fold my arms across my chest defensively. “I am not!”
Sin lets out a mocking laugh, moving closer, my breath instantly hitching with the proximity. His stunning eyes meet mine again as he stares directly into my soul. “Yes… you are,” he teases, a smirk crossing his face.
Scoffing, I shove at his chest, trying to push him away.
He catches my wrists and pulls me against him.
I gasp at his sheer strength as he spins us, pinning me to the wall.
My heart races as he lifts my hands above my head, pressing my wrists to the sheetrock.
His body pushes firmly against mine, his eyes staring into the depths of my soul.
Our breathing quickens, frantic, while adrenaline surges through my body.
He leans in, his lips inching toward mine.
My knees begin to tremble, not knowing what to do at the moment.
Do I fight him off?
Do I go with it?
The problem is, I’m not sure that I want to fight him off.
And even if I do, what would be the repercussions?
He’s stronger than I am. He is the president of an outlaw motorcycle club, for God’s sake!
The familiar smell of beer assaults my senses, his lips a hair’s breadth away.
My legs want to give way as a slow smirk crosses his face, and then, he begins to pull back, a light chuckle escaping his chest. “Yeah, wildcat… you are one hundred percent judgmental,” he states, licking his bottom lip, pulling back completely, then begins walking farther into the kitchen, leaving me reeling against the damn wall.
Letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I straighten out my shirt and take off after him. “What the hell was that?” I yell as I enter the kitchen, seeing a young girl, maybe eighteen, possibly pushing nineteen, pulling something that smells delicious out of the oven.
Her eyes widen as Sin moves to the bench beside her, but she says nothing, continuing with what she’s doing, ignoring the clear argument Sin and I are about to have.
“You want to do this? Okay. Let’s do it!” he snaps, my eyes shifting to the young girl, but she continues to say nothing, going about her business as if nothing is happening, while Sin continues his tirade. “You clearly judged the club girls and the fact that they have sex with the guys—”
“That’s not what I did—”
“Yeah, you absolutely did, Elizabeth. And as a woman, I would think you, of all people, should be the first to say that a woman has rights over her own body.”
Glaring at him, I step forward, shoving my finger in his face.
“Don’t you dare pull that fucking card on me, Sin.
If I’m being judgmental, which I am not, that is the exact reason why I would be.
I can’t fathom why women would want to be here, cooking, cleaning, and fucking every damn brother in this place just for the sheer fun of it. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“Should I leave?” the young girl quietly whispers.
“No, Millie, stay. I want someone else to witness this conversation,” Sin replies to the young girl.
Millie simply nods and continues baking while I furrow my brows.
Glancing across at her, a tight knot forms in my stomach. “Millie, was it?” I ask.
Her cute little face pops up to look at me hesitantly. “Uh… yeah?”
“Are they grooming you to become a club girl? Are you underage?” I ask, point-blank.
Sin groans, spinning away from me and begins pacing like he’s ready to pop a gasket.
Millie snorts out a laugh like I’ve said the funniest thing in the world while she places her cookies on the bench. She weakly smiles at me. “Elizabeth, right?”
“Do you need me to help get you out of here?” I ask in all seriousness.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Sin spins back to face me, his face turning redder with each passing second as Millie rounds the kitchen counter to meet me.
“I got this, Pres,” Millie simply states, stepping in front of me.
She places her hand out for me to shake.
Furrowing my brows, I take it, giving her a simple handshake.
“Hi, Elizabeth, I’m Millie. I’m not actually a member of the club, simply what I guess they would call a hangaround.
My father, Jonas, owns the McLane Mining Co.
over in Mineral Ridge, and when my father got into trouble with some bad guys who run the casinos in town, he came to Defiance for help when those same bad guys from the casino took me as collateral. ”
Oh, shit! My stomach sinks through the floor.
I’ve definitely misjudged this situation.
As I turn to face Sin, his scowl, etched deep, and the fire in his gaze make one thing painfully clear—he’s pissed.