Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
LONE WOLF
The low thrum of bass pulses through Peaches, dim lighting casting shadows across the room as the crowd enjoys the evening, lost in a haze of booze, and gorgeous women.
Leaning against the bar, I try to blend in while keeping an eye on the room.
It was my night to head up the security and for some reason I’m feeling a little tense.
Although we’re not supposed to get close to the girls, I can’t help myself when it comes to Bianca.
We’ve grown especially close over the last few months and I feel driven to protect her.
She’s the reason I’ve been on Mav’s shit list and I don’t mind one bit.
She’d been getting some unwanted attention from her ex and he’s been sniffing around lately, causing trouble here at the club.
The problem is, her ex is a member of the Road Reapers, a notorious motorcycle club known for terrorizing people and leaving bodies everywhere.
He physically abused Bianca and on more than one occasion she’s showed up here battered and bruised.
I did my best not to get involved, but her deep green eyes begged me to help her and intervene somehow.
There were times when I would walk her to her car and he would be waiting, wanting to talk to her, but his version of talking was always abusive, trying to get her to submit to him.
Maverick warned me to keep my distance, reminding me that the Royal Bastards would handle everything, but, I’m already too caught up in the need to protect her.
One night, she seemed especially on edge, too scared to even leave the club.
I couldn’t stand to see her like that, so I took her home early, calling Nightmare to cover for me.
That’s when I made my biggest mistake or maybe the best one.
The pull between us was too strong and I gave in, kissing her with a passion I hadn’t felt in months.
It sparked something fierce, something we both needed to explore, no matter the consequences.
When my fingers tangled in her fiery red hair, I knew one thing for sure… I wasn’t letting her go.
The crowd erupts in cheers as Bianca makes her way to the stage, seducing the patrons with the sway of her luscious hips.
She’s tonight’s featured dancer and never disappoints.
The spotlight hits her as she moves across the platform, her thick red hair cascading in flaming waves down her back, catching the light like molten lava.
Every movement flows with precision and control as she hooks one leg around the silver pole at center stage, her back arching with seamless grace.
Bianca is a living, breathing work of art, stunning the crowd into silence as Earned It by The Weeknd, plays in the background.
Bianca’s hair swings with each twist and turn as the crowd watches, mesmerized by the way her body moves in rhythm with the soft, pulsing music.
But it was that hair, wild and untamed that seems to steal the show, drawing every eye in the room.
I especially love fisting it, while I fuck her from behind.
The way she slams her hips back while I thrust forward is every man’s fucking dream.
I was halfway through my beer when a commotion at the front of the club caught my attention.
The music stops as everyone turns their attention to the door.
Body stiffening, I set my beer down slowly, thinking of how I should handle this.
They hadn’t noticed me yet, but I know they aren’t here for the drinks.
The dancers glance at each other as the air shifts, filling with tension.
Bianca freezes, her eyes darting toward me for a split second.
She didn’t want to make a scene, but I could see the panic in her eyes as our bouncer is thrown to the ground and knocked unconscious.
Three Road Reapers spread out across the room, eyes scanning the dancers like wolves eyeing prey.
Bianca’s ex, Blade, locks eyes with her, grinning slowly, menacingly, as he walks toward her.
I wasn’t stupid to think I could take them on by myself.
More than likely they were packing heat.
So while I kept my eyes on him, I subtly pulled out my phone and sent a text to Mav.
Me: Trouble at the club. Reapers here. Need backup now.
He immediately texts back.
Mav: On our way!
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I make my way over to the stage.
“She’s off-limits,” I say, stepping between him and Bianca, my voice steady even though my heart is pounding.
The clubhouse isn’t too far from Peaches, but it was enough time for these fuckers to wreck shit.
I had to stall long enough for my crew to get here.
He looks me up and down, sizing me up with a smirk.
“You again?” he huffs, mocking my protective stance. “And who the fuck are you supposed to be?”
“I’m the motherfucker who makes sure everyone plays nice and keeps pieces of shit like you and your boys out of here,” I reply, eyes locked on his.
He laughs, looking back at his boys and they join in as if I made a fucking joke.
“You think you’re gonna stop me, asshole? Why don’t you run along. Bianca and I have unfinished business and I’m tired of you being up in her ass all the time.”
“Bianca is my business, so why don’t you leave or things will get real ugly.”
He steps closer, trying to intimidate me, but it doesn’t work.
It does, however, piss me the fuck off. But before I can react, he shoves me hard, sending me crashing into the foot of the stage.
Bianca tries to back away, but he grabs her wrist, yanking her down.
Her heel clips the back of my head as she tumbles over me, hitting the floor.
The impact makes my vision blur for a second but I shake it off, recovering fast.
“Let me go!” she snaps, her voice shaking with both fear and anger.
“You’re coming with me, bitch!” he sneers, dragging her as she struggles against his grip. “Still got that fire in you, I see.” He looks down at her, his expression darkening with promises of making her night a living hell.
“That’s a bad move,” I threaten, as the other Reapers close in on me.
Knowing I couldn’t wait for backup anymore, I grab Blade’s arm, twisting it just enough to make him let go of Bianca.
She scrambles away, the other girls circling her in a wall of protection.
Cursing, his face twisting with rage, he turns on me, shoving me harder. I stumble but keep my ground.
“You’re a dead man,” one of the other Reapers snarls, stepping closer, his hand moving toward the gun tucked in a shoulder holster.
Just then the unmistakable roar of motorcycles cuts through the air and the assholes freeze, glancing at the entrance.
Soon after, Maverick, followed by three of the Royal Bastards enter the club, his eyes sweeping over the scene, landing on me.
“Y’all are so fucked,” I whisper, leaning close to Blade’s ear. Maverick’s face darkens as they walk towards us, his presence commanding and lethal. The room seems to shrink around him as all eyes land on him.
“Looks like you boys are in the wrong place,” he growls, his voice dangerous and low. The anger in his eyes is barely contained, the threat rolling off him in waves. No one moves a muscle.
The Reapers exchange glances, weighing their odds, smirks still plastered on their faces.
They know they’re outnumbered and would be dumb as fuck to continue down this path.
This isn’t the fight they came here for but judging by the look on Blade’s face, this is far from over.
Not by a long shot. They stirred up just enough trouble to send a message, but they knew they’d meet their end if they pushed us today.
The patrons watch nervously, unsure if their night will carry on or spiral into complete chaos.
Blade looks me up and down again, his silent stare carrying a clear, unspoken message.
“This ain’t over,” he finally says, backing away as his crew trails behind him toward the door. The cockiness in his voice has faded, but the obvious threat lingers. “We’ll be seeing y’all real soon. And Bianca, it’s only a matter of time before you’re back where you belong.”
Maverick blocks his path while Steel, Nightmare, and Avalanche flank him, daring his crew to flinch.
“Your first mistake was coming into my club. Your second mistake was putting your hands on one of my girls, and I promise there won’t be a third if you ever come here again,” he snarls.
He steps closer, towering over Blade, who takes a step back.
“You don’t mess with mine. Ever! If I even smell your rancid ass near my club again, I’ll be the reaper that buries your ass! ”
The look in Maverick’s eyes make it clear…
he isn’t issuing a threat, he’s making a promise.
Without a word, the Reapers turn and leave as the crowd breaks into applause.
I finally exhale, realizing I’d been holding my breath.
Glancing over at Bianca, wanting to check on her, I see her girls already by her side.
She gives me a small, grateful smile before heading backstage with the others.
With the night already fucked, Maverick calls it and shuts down the club early.
We’re only a couple of hours from closing anyway, so it’s all good.
“Hey Mav, you know this isn’t over, right?”
“Yeah, I know. Just more shit I don’t need right now.”
“It’s not safe for Bianca to go back to her place. You think this is reason enough to bring her to the clubhouse with us.”
Maverick nods, his face grim.
“After what happened with Ember, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he says, glancing over at Steel. “Stay behind and help lock up. The rest of us will make sure the Reapers aren’t hanging around.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I head backstage to check on the girls, while Steel helps the staff shut everything down. This Reaper problem isn’t going away and once Blade finds out Bianca’s at the compound with me, we might be looking at an all-out war.