Chapter 13
Cat
Work went by in a flash. I was so busy, I couldn’t even remember what movies were playing as I bustled back and forth.
It wasn’t just the number of customers we had making the time fly by, either.
I kept playing and replaying my time with Ace last night on a loop in my head.
Just the memory of what he’d done to me had caused me to forget orders three separate times this shift.
On top of that, I was jittery, like I’d had a boatload of caffeine on an empty stomach.
Maybe it was my worry about Kane returning, or what going to Ace’s clubhouse was going to be like, but I felt like a downed live wire, sparking out of control.
As I hung up my apron after closing, I told everyone in the kitchen I was heading home.
I didn’t call an Uber though. I had a ride in the form of a prospect.
Two in fact. Ace had them taking turns outside my apartment round the clock and driving me wherever I needed to go.
I hated to admit it, as it probably made me a weakling, but these men made me feel safe and protected against Kane’s potential reappearance.
Ringo and Sliver were parked right out front of Krammer’s. Ringo, the taller of the two prospects, jumped out of the front passenger side of the car, offering me his seat.
I waved him off and said, “With those long legs of yours, keep the front. I’m good with the back. I just appreciate the ride.”
Ringo looked skeptical. “Are you sure? I can fit in the back. It’s no trouble.”
“I’m good, really,” I pledged dramatically, hand over my heart.
The handsome boy who looked closer to his teenage years than adulthood, cracked a toothy grin. Gallantly reaching for the back door, he opened it and ushered me inside.
“Are we going straight home, or do you need to make any stops first?” Sliver, the other prospect, thoughtfully asked.
I’m not sure who raised these boys, but whoever it was had done a fine job. “Straight home, please. I need to get ready for the party.”
It was already past eleven, but Ace told me that these types of events go into the wee morning hours. I knew I’d never be able to stay up that late, but I was looking forward to getting to see where the tough biker lived and meet some of his friends.
“Is Krammer’s always that busy?” Ringo asked conversationally. “This place must make some good money during the summer months.”
“Well, it’s a Saturday night, so it’s probably the busiest night of the week. But yeah, we’re pretty full up all summer long,” I chatted, while checking my phone for messages.
“Those burgers were amazing!” Sliver praised, rubbing his perfectly flat belly as a testimony to how much he’d enjoyed them. “I swear, like steak, they always taste best when they’re cooked on an open flame directly outdoors.”
He didn’t have to convince me how much he’d enjoyed them.
Between the two of them, they’d polished off three burgers apiece, plus several refills of the never-ending fry basket.
Good thing they’d refused to let me pay for their meals when I’d suggested it.
I’m not sure I would have been able to make rent this month if they’d taken me up on my offer!
Ringo looked thoughtful as he silently tallied the number of cars that had come through Krammer’s tonight. “With the volume of business you guys do, the Night Stalkers should consider opening something similar in our neck of the woods. It could be a solid form of investment for the MC.”
I didn’t realize the Club had businesses other than their auto shop, The Chop Block.
I’d heard people around town talking about it, because it was so popular.
Now that I thought about it, why wouldn’t they have more than one business?
It made perfect sense. The MC probably acted a little like a union or a commune.
Each individual member helped make up the collective group that was stronger and more financially sound than if they were all operating on their own.
“Do you guys have many businesses besides the Chop Block?” I asked, curious about the extent of their investments in Mercy.
Ringo tilted his head to the side, obviously considering how much he could divulge to me without disrespecting his club. “We have a few. But we’re always looking for more,” he carefully replied.
As soon as we pulled up to my apartment, Ringo hopped back out and opened my door. Wow! A girl could really get used to this kind of first-class treatment!
Sliver leaned out the window and said, “I’ll wait out here while you get ready,” and promptly began scrolling on his phone.
Ringo escorted me inside, checking over my apartment like a seasoned secret service agent. When he was done, he gave me a thumbs up. Because I hated smelling like work when I was going out for the evening, I gathered some fresh clothes and told the prospect that I was going to take a quick shower.
“Feel free to raid the fridge for anything you want,” I offered, before slipping into the bathroom.
My old fridge was unexpectedly stuffed to the max, not because I’d gone shopping, but because Ace had.
The thoughtful man had sent Ringo over to my place early this morning with a trunk full of groceries.
I now had all the food: meat, eggs, cheese, bread, pasta, rice, milk, bags of frozen vegetables, and an assortment of drinks to tide me over until next month.
My freezer was so full, I could barely shut it.
To be honest, most weeks I lived paycheck to paycheck.
Groceries were what I purchased after the rent, my car loan, phone, and the utilities were paid.
That rarely left me with any money for big ticket items like meat or brand name anything.
When I saw all the stuff Ringo was carrying inside, I was so grateful, I could have cried.
Not wanting to embarrass the young man though, I’d held it together and told him I had allergies to explain away my tears.
Once in the shower, I took care to shave until my skin was as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
That included my bikini area as well as my legs.
After what Ace and I had done last night, I was assuming tonight might head in that same direction and I didn’t want to have any stubble in places I wanted to feel his hands and mouth.
Standing in front of my misty mirror after my shower, I wiped the glass with my towel and tried to decide what to do with my hair. When working, I just put the thick mass up in a ponytail. But tonight, I wanted to do something special with it.
Blow drying the thick mass until it shone, I was surprised to see how much blonder it appeared in this lighting. It looked two or three shades lighter than it normally did, which was strange, as I hadn’t had money for highlights in over a year.
Deciding it must be a trick of the light, or my time in the sun while I worked, I slipped on a matching lacy white bra and panties that showcased how tan I was.
The panties were a thong, as I knew how much Ace had enjoyed the one I’d worn for him the other night.
The lace along the swell of my breasts and the waistline of my panties made me feel feminine and sexy.
Stepping into my short jean skirt, I topped it with a coral crop top that was both comfortable and light-weight summer attire. It was sleeveless, with a large keyhole cut out above my breasts, and perfectly showcased another thing I knew Ace loved: my prominent cleavage.
Deciding a few gold bracelets would complement the outfit well, I piled some cheap dupes onto my left wrist and began setting my hair in hot rollers.
I didn’t wear much makeup. I mainly focused on my eyes and my lips.
My skin was glowing, maybe from my time outside and all the exposure to the steam in the kitchen at work, so I decided a little highlighter on some prime spots was all I needed to bring out my natural glow.
By the time I was done, I unwrapped my hair, shook it out, and stepped back. I had to admit, even if it sounded a tad bit conceited, I looked good. And I’d done it all in under an hour.
Opening the bathroom door, I told Ringo, “I just need a few more minutes. I promise.”
Ringo didn’t look up from his phone when he answered, “Take your time. I’m only a prospect. I won’t get to enjoy the party tonight anyways. The longer you take, the less grunt work I have to do when we get to the Clubhouse.”
I laughed at his honesty. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll try not to get ready too fast then.”
Running into my bedroom, I found the pair of gold sandals that I knew would match my bracelets. Spritzing on some vanilla-sugar body spray, I checked myself out in my full-length mirror and decided I was as ready as I was ever going to be.
Returning to the living room, I stood in front of Ringo and asked, “How do I look?”
He hit send on whatever he was texting and then glanced up. His eyes widened appreciatively as he respectfully scanned me from bottom to top.
“Amazing!” he complimented. “Just don’t tell Ace I said so, or I’ll be picking my teeth off the floor for the rest of the night.”
I giggled at his silly reply. “Your secret is safe with me,” I told him, as I snagged my purse off the couch. “Let’s go!”