by Erin Osborne
I open the door and call for Levi and Charlie to come on out. They come out and we lean against the building until the truck is unloaded. It takes the two men about twenty minutes to set everything down on the ground. Thankfully the mattresses are covered in plastic and aren’t getting dirty.
Signing the paperwork to acknowledge receipt of what I bought, the guys get back in their truck and leave the clubhouse. Levi, Charlie, and I begin taking everything in my room. We start with my bed so I can judge where to put everything else. This bed is bigger than the old one and I won’t have a lot of room to maneuver once it’s set up.
It takes us a half hour to get the big bed setup and against the back wall of the room. Running to the laundry room, I switch the clothes over and rush back to the other Prospects. We get everything else set up while the sheets and blankets are drying. By the time we’re done putting furniture together and getting rid of the garbage, the other two men leave me alone to sort the rest of my mess out.
I place the clothes in the dresser, leaving half of the drawers for Emersyn and Zoey. After that’s all taken care of, I put everything back in the nightstand on my side of the bed; leaving the other nightstand for whatever Em wants to put in it. More than likely it will be things for our Princess because that’s just how my woman is.
Looking around the room, I take in the new appearance, the smell of fresh paint and wonder if my girls will truly like it here when we have to be here. That’s what I want more than anything; their happiness means everything to me.
Running to the laundry room once again, I grab all the warm, fresh bedding and make my way back to my room. I start with Zoey’s crib so she can come in here again with me. After putting her princess sheets on the crib mattress, I lay the pink blanket on top and set about making my own bed.
I’m putting the finishing touches on the bed when the door to my room shuts behind me. Turning around I see Ginger leaning against the door. She’s looking around the room and her eyes light up as she takes in the crib and new appearance of the room. When her gaze finally reaches me, they light up even more. But I can tell she’s high as fuck on something with the way her pupils are and the flushed face.
“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” I growl out, not moving toward her.
“Baby, don’t be like that. You know you want me. Look, you’ve already got our room set up ready for our baby and everything,” she purrs, attempting to be attractive as she stumbles toward me.
“Bitch, you aren’t pregnant with my baby. And you’re sure as fuck not allowed to be here anymore. My mom banned you and your bat shit crazy friend,” I tell her, walking to the door and skirting around her.
“Colt, you love me. Stop lying to me, and yourself. You want us to be a family and only us. Get rid of the whore and make me yours,” she tells me.
“Bounce!” I yell out, opening the door to my room and stepping in the hallway.
He enters the hallway and thankfully doesn’t have his daughter in his arms anymore. Seeing my face, Bounce practically runs the short distance to me. Bounce looks around the door of my room and his face turns red and a vein pops out in his neck.
“The fuck she doin’ here?” he growls out, his anger evident.
“Thinks I just redid this room for her. That we’re goin’ to be a family and she’s goin’ to have my babies. Called Emersyn a whore and told me to get rid of her,” I inform him.
“How did you get in here?” he asks her.
“Walked through the fucking door, dumbass,” she tells him.
I look to Bounce, and he’s really pissed now. He walks past me into the room and grabs Ginger by her arm. I’m not sure what the hell he’s going to do with her, and I really don’t give a fuck at this point. She’s not supposed to be here, and she knows it. Ginger is unstable and I’ll be glad when she’s gone for good.
Bounce doesn’t say a word as he leaves my room with her. Ginger on the other hand shrieks and screams the entire way through the clubhouse. Hopefully the babies aren’t in the common room while he takes her out of here. Unless, he takes her out of the kitchen and toward the shed we have out back. I’m sure my mom would love to get her hands on the skank again.
Walking to the common room after locking my door, I find Sydney sitting on the far side of the room. Her eyes are glued to the kitchen and I know Bounce is taking Ginger to the shed. That’s where she deserves to be because she obviously doesn’t know the meaning of ‘Get out’. My mom or whoever else will deal with her and we won’t have to worry about her anymore.
“You good?” I ask Syd.
“Yeah. What happened?” she questions me.
“Bitch showed up in my room thinkin’ I did all that for her and me. Like we were gonna have babies together and I was goin’ to make her my ol’ lady. Not givin’ Emersyn up for anythin’ in the world,” I tell her.
“Stupid bitch.”
Grabbing Zoey and her diaper bag, I make my way out of the clubhouse. It’s time to pick Emersyn up from Legacies. Then, we’re going to spend the night at home. Alone. It’s the only thing I want today. Yesterday was her birthday and we spent it with family. Today is all about us. It’s time we need to build on what we have started already.
Chapter Seventeen
Emersyn ‘Sky’ Wilkes
WAKING UP, I’M nervous as hell. Tonight is the first night I’ll be dancing at Legacies. Heaven and I have been practicing my routine and starting from the top of the pole before coming down for the last week. I love it and Tonya does too. She’s watched me on several occasions and I’m ready to get the first performance out of the way.
What I’m not looking forward to is having Colt there tonight when I take the stage. And he’ll be working there tonight. We’ve talked about it and I know he’s pissed I’m still going to be dancing when I’m with him and pregnant. Well, you can’t tell I’m pregnant yet and I need to earn my own money. Like I told him.
I understand where Colt is coming from. He doesn’t understand where I’m coming from. I’ll only be going down to my bra and panties instead of fully nude like I’ve heard some of the girls do. Sydney didn’t either. It’s the same as going to the beach and wearing a bikini as far as I’m concerned. Colt doesn’t believe it’s the same thing and doesn’t want me shaking my ass on a stage for guys looking for a good time to see me.
Sliding out from under Colt’s arm, I check on Zoey and head out to take my shower and then make breakfast. It’s my normal routine and one I’ve been doing since Zoey was born. Well, it is now that I don’t have to fight through bruises, body aches, and every other thing I’ve battled after a beating from Jeremy.
After taking a quick shower, I get dressed in a pair of short shorts baring the bottom of my ass if I bend over and one of Colt’s tee-shirts. I tie his shirt on my hip so it doesn’t hang down and make it look as if I’m not wearing anything underneath it. Heading back to the bathroom, I quickly brush my hair and throw it up in a messy bun and brush my teeth before I head out to the kitchen.
Grabbing eggs, pancake mix, and sausage, I set about preparing breakfast for Colt and me. I have Zoey’s cereal and baby food on the counter so it’s ready when she wakes up. As I finish mixing up the batter, there’s a knock on the door. I hesitantly walk over to it. I’m nervous, but not as scared as I would be without Colt in the other room.
Looking through the peephole, I see Logan standing on the other side of the door. He looks freshly showered and ready to start his day. I open the door and he sweeps me up in a large hug. There’s a clearing of a throat from behind us as I laugh. Logan never does anything half assed and if he’s going to hug you, then expect it to be over the top. At least with me.
“What’s up?” Colt asks his brother, his voice still laced with sleep. “And what the hell are you wearin’, angel?”
“I’m wearing shorts and one of your tee-shirts,” I answer him. “What are you wearing?”
I can’t stop myself from being a smart ass right now. Colt seems to think
he can question what I’m wearing when I’ll be showing more tonight so I’m going to question him. He’s only wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and they aren’t hiding anything. Damn!
“Eyes are up here, angel,” he says, walking up and pulling me into his arms.
“On my way to work,” Logan says. “Wanted to say congratulations on the baby. No one else knows I take it?”
“No. I want to wait until we know everything is okay,” I tell him. “Your parents are the only two who know at this time. And now you.”
Before anyone can say anything, I hear Zoey waking up from the bedroom. I excuse myself and go in to get her. Walking in, she’s rumpled from sleep and is rubbing the sleep from her little eyes. When she sees me walking in the room, a smile lights up her face. Zoey usually wakes up happy. The only time she doesn’t is when she doesn’t feel good or she’s made a mess.
After changing her, I walk back to the kitchen to see the brothers talking quietly among themselves. Instead of trying to butt into their conversation, I get Zoey’s breakfast ready so I can feed her, make Colt and I breakfast, and get a few things done before I have to leave for work. It’s going to be a long ass day.
“See ya, Emersyn,” Logan says, brushing a kiss on my cheek and the top of Zoey’s head before leaving the apartment.
“I’ll see you later,” I respond, continuing to feed Zoey.
Colt walks his brother to the door and then starts in on making our breakfast. He’s quick in the kitchen and gets everything cooking and ready to eat by the time I’m done feeding Zoey and cleaning her up. We eat our food and I clean up before getting Zoey ready to head to Gloria’s. Tonya will pick her up later on and keep her here until I get home from the club.
Walking into Legacies with Colt is different. There’s a different air to the club and so many more people are here than what I usually see. Bounce is on the front door and gives us a smile as I’m led in. Tonya catches us as soon as we step foot in the dark interior and ushers me back to the dressing room and away from her son.
“What’s the rush?” I ask, my voice laced with confusion.
“You’re up first tonight. We had to change up the rotation, so you’ll have two sets. The first set will start in a half hour. You need to get ready,” she answers me.
Heaven is already waiting in the dressing room as Tonya ushers me inside. For the next twenty minutes, there’s a whirlwind of activity surrounding me and I’m a little dizzy. While Tonya is putting my wig on and making sure it won’t fall off, Heaven is doing my make-up. I’m stuffed into a white lace bra with matching boy panties. A sheer nightie in white goes on over that with a pair of angel wings in white. Tonya curls the wig once she’s sure it’s in place. The final touch is the pair of heels I’ll be wearing for my set. They are clear and add at least five inches to my height.
There’s no time for the nerves I’ve been feeling all day long to catch up. It’s go time and I have to do this. If not for myself then for Zoey. She deserves everything in the world I can give her. The money from here will allow me to accomplish this.
Heaven leads me to the stage where there’s only dim lighting. It’s hard to see what I’m doing, but I only need to get to the pole so I can climb up it. The second I’m in place, Heaven leaves the stage and as the curtains begin to raise, Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Ray begins to play.
“Please welcome our new dancer to the stage, Sky!” the DJ announces just before the curtain gets to me.
As the curtain gets beyond me, I begin my slow descent on the pole. I’m twisting, twirling, and performing moves where my body is writhing down the pole. The crowd is in absolute silence as I finally land at the bottom. My gaze goes directly to the bar and I see Colt. He’s got his eyes locked on me and I can see the jealousy in his eyes from here.
When I get close to the end of the stage, a man grows a set of balls. He walks directly to the stage and reaches out to touch me. Instead of shying away like I want to, I don’t falter in my dance. Not even when I hear a loud commotion from beyond the stage. In seconds, the man disappears at the hands of Logan.
Looking back up, I see Blood and Bounce restraining Colt. He’s fighting against them and I know if he gets free, the man who attempted to touch me is going to have an ass beating come his way. Locking eyes with Colt as I continue to dance, I silently plead with him to let it go. We’ve been talking about this and he assured me he’d reign in his jealousy and anger while I was on stage. This is definitely not what we talked about.
Finally, Blood and Bounce get him out of the strip club and take him through the back. His head is hanging, and I know we need to talk about this. It will have to wait as I begin to slowly remove the nightie I’m wearing. It floats to the stage as I continue to move my body around the stage.
When I’m back to the pole, I perform another series of moves and the money begins to fly on the stage. What seems like an eternity finally comes to an end as the music begins to fade out and I land at the bottom of the pole in a split with my head down and the angel wings covering me.
The spotlight shuts off and I get up so I can make my way to Colt. Breaker hands me a robe and then begins to collect my money from the stage. This started when Sydney began working here and I like that I don’t have to spend any more time on the stage than the time I’m dancing.
Bounce is standing outside the office door. He looks at me with sympathy in his eyes. If anyone knows how Colt is feeling right now, it’s him. When Sydney first started dancing, he had to watch her on the stage and see the men in the audience leer at her and try to get their hands on her body.
“He’ll be okay,” Bounce tells me as I put my hand on the door handle. “He just needs to view you as the rest of the dancers and not his woman.”
“If it were Sydney, could you do that?” I question him.
After a minute, Bounce shakes his head in response. He knows Colt won’t be able to let this go; just like I know he won’t.
Opening the door, I see Colt pacing the office while Blood sits behind the desk. He’s looking at his son as if he’s going to try to make a break for it out of the room at any second. Colt picks his head up and stops in his tracks.
“I can’t handle it, angel. I really thought I could, but I can’t. Not when men are tryin’ to get what’s mine,” he tells me, his voice low and shaky.
“I know, Colt. I’ll find another job. But, until I have one, you’re going to have to deal with it. You can’t be trying to get every single customer because they’re looking at me. It’s my job to make them want me; to make them feel as if they have a chance with me. I don’t like it, but I have to think of Zoey and what she needs,” I tell him.
“I have money,” he tells me. “Let me take care of you both. We’re a family.”
“That’s just it, Colt. I need to prove to myself that I can earn money and provide for my baby. And for this one coming now. Yes, you’re my family and I truly do love you. While I don’t like you being at the clubhouse, I know you have to be there. Just like you’re here when I’m not. We have to put up with these things because we want to be together. If we can’t make it through this, then we need to go our separate ways now,” I tell him, tears filling my eyes and spilling over.
“Angel, you know I’m never goin’ to cheat on you. The women here and at the clubhouse don’t mean fuck all to me,” he says, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close to his body.
“I know, babe. So, until I can find another job, let me do this. I don’t want those men. You’re the only man I want and that hasn’t changed since before I even knew what love was,” I say, lifting my eyes up to look in his.
“I love you, angel. Always will,” he assures me, bringing his lips to mine in a sweet, gentle kiss.
“You both got your shit handled now?” Blood asks, breaking up our moment. “Or do you have to leave for the night?”
“I’m good. I won’t do anythin’ else,” he promises his dad.
“Good. I’m outta here.
Colt, don’t make me regret leavin’ you here,” he says, passing us and leaving the office.
“Get back to work. I need to rest before I go back out there,” I tell him.
Colt nods his head and makes sure I’m safely in the dressing room before heading back to the bar. Vanish has been out there alone for the last twenty minutes or so and I’m sure it’s busy. Sitting in front of my dressing table, I grab a bottle of water and slowly drink it. I don’t want to get sick, so I know better than to chug it. Even if I’m thirsty as hell.
The rest of the night goes by smoothly. Colt stays behind the bar during my second set. He doesn’t watch me like earlier. Instead he keeps his head down and stays busy working. When my second set is done, I take a deep breath and make my way to the dressing room once again. This time, I put my sweats and tee-shirt on before grabbing my bag and stowing my outfit inside it.
As I get out of the dressing room, I see Colt leaning against the wall waiting on me. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close for a minute. When he’s gotten his fill of me, he grabs my hand and leads me out back. Someone brought his bike here and we’ll be going home on that tonight.
“Really need to get a truck. Can’t have you on the bike,” he tells me, making sure my helmet is in place.
“I know. Just get us home,” I tell him, placing a kiss on his cheek. “I trust you with our lives.”
Colt kisses me deep for a minute and everything besides us vanishes into thin air. We’re the only two people in the world in this moment. These are the moments I live for, along with ones including Zoey.
Chapter Eighteen
Emersyn ‘Sky’ Wilkes
TODAY I HAVE the day off. Colt is at the club already and Zoey is awake. I don’t want to be cooped up in the house all day, so I get her ready to head to the park. She loves swinging in the one Blood and Tonya have for her. So, maybe she’ll love the swings at the park too. Plus, we’ll get some sun and out of the house for a while.