“I’ll see you tomorrow, Babe,” he breathed as he revved the bike’s engine again.
Lexi stepped back from the road and waited on her driveway as he thundered off down the street and her pulse quickened. She was hot all over and almost panting with desire. It had taken all of her willpower not to invite him inside, but as she watched him disappear into the night, there was a part of her that wished they could have spent it together.
She heard the click of the front door come from behind her, and she spun around with shock to see her mother standing in the doorway.
“Who the fuck was that, Lexi?” she demanded. Her voice was so loud it cut through their quiet neighborhood and set some of the local dogs off barking.
“Mom!” she hissed. “Keep your voice down!”
“Me?!” She was drunk and aggressive and Lexi found herself backing away. “You’re telling me to be quiet, you little slut? What the fuck were you doing with one of those bikers? What have I told you about them, huh?”
“You can’t control me forever,” Lexi threw back at her. “I’m twenty-two, I can see whoever I want.”
“Not while you’re under my roof!” her mother hollered into the night.
Dereck appeared blurry eyed from behind her and looked ready for a fight too, but Lexi wasn’t going to stick around and find out. She turned and marched off down the street, away from them both while they shouted after her and called her every name under the sun.
She didn’t have King’s number, and she didn’t know where she should go until she remembered that Tammy had asked her to let her know how her night had gone. She sat down on the curb at the end of her street and watched the lights go out at home and pulled out her cell phone. She reluctantly pressed dial and held it up to her ear.
She answered on the second ring, but she still felt guilty.
“Tam?” Lexi asked shakily. “Tam, I’m so sorry to call this late… but would it be okay if I came over?”
***
In Tammy’s small kitchen, they huddled together and drank cocoa while Lexi filled her in on the events of the night. Her eyes sparkled with excitement but hardened with both sympathy and anger when she heard of how she had been treated by her mom.
“You’ve got to get out of there, Lex,” Tammy said, shaking her head. “They’re destructive.”
“I know,” she said. “I’m not too far off now,” she smiled optimistically.
“I’m so glad you’ve got this new job,” Tammy pulled her robe around herself and yawned.
“God, I’m sorry,” Lexi got to her feet and tidied away the mugs and biscuits. “I just didn’t know where else to go. You get yourself to bed, I’ll be fine on the couch.”
“Never apologize,” Tammy laughed. “This is what I’m here for.”
She stood up and hugged her, and then the girls both made their way to bed.
As Lexi lay awake on the couch, she looked up out of the window above her at the stars. Even though she had just had the most up and down two days of her life, after meeting King, things could only get better… she could feel it.
7.
The following morning, she waved Tammy off to work and pulled herself together. The sun was blazing high in the sky again, and she could tell it was going to be another hot one. She couldn’t face going home and having to deal with her mom and Dereck, and she had hours before she had to make her way back over to The Bleeding Bullet, so she decided to raid Tammy’s closet and look for an outfit she could wear for her first shift. Even though the previous evening was all turning into a blur of excitement and new faces, she had noticed that most of the bar girls were wearing denim hot pants and tight black tees. She flicked through the clothes in Tammy’s walk-in-closet and pulled out the only thing that would remotely come close to The Bullet’s uniform…a low-cut tank top to wear with her jeans. King hadn’t given her any direction in the clothing department, so she didn’t suppose it really mattered. But at the same time, she was desperate to make a good impression to ensure she clicked and fit in with all of the other employees as soon as possible.
She went back through to the front room and flopped down on the sofa. She had another long day stretching out ahead of her, and she didn’t want to leave the house for fear of bumping into her mother. She knew if she heard that Lexi had taken a job at The Bleeding Bullet, she wouldn’t hear the end of it and may even be kicked out of the house. But if Lexi avoided her, she wouldn’t have to lie or get into an argument.
She cast her mind back to the night before and began to daydream. She conjured up the images of the other bikers that King introduced her to and how they all had the same dangerous edge.
Tanner and his sandy blonde hair and dragons breathing fire etched all over his skin, Carter and his shaved head with thorns creeping up his neck and down across his knuckles. And Lynx with a portrait of the ferocious cat with the same name right across his back. They had all been so wild, but also easy to talk to, and she had been so surprised so far by what she had seen. From what her mom had told her, she had expected evil criminals, but these men all seemed to have a genuinely decent side, and Lexi found it unbelievably endearing.
King. She had barely known him twenty-four hours, but he was consuming her thoughts with every waking moment. She lay there on the couch and imagined his rough hands all over her. Undoing her top and pulling it down to expose the huge swell of her breasts. She imagined him parting her legs and pushing his huge weight down on top of her until she felt him rock hard and stiff, bulging out of his leathers and begging to be adored. Her heart was racing, and she had the overwhelming urge to slip her hand into her panties and touch herself while she thought of his incredible body and no doubt even more impressive manhood, but she stopped when she remembered where she was… She couldn’t do that in her best friend’s house. She was a guest. If she had been at home, alone, in her own room, then she would have peeled them down and slipped a finger inside herself and felt her delicious wetness. She craved his touch so badly, she didn’t know how long she would be able to hold off spending the night with him. She wanted to be a good girl, but bad was in her blood. She had been wild before she met him, and even though he was bringing out a good side in her, he was definitely also appealing to her own wicked desires. She breathed out deeply and closed her eyes.
Stop, she coached herself. You only have a few hours before you see him again.
And although she knew that was true, her lust still raged on…
***
Tammy returned home from work in early evening as Lexi was in the final stages of getting ready for her first shift.
“You look incredible,” Tammy smiled.
“Thanks,” Lexi laughed. “I’m sure you recognize the top.”
“Sure do,” she said as she sat down. “But what’s mine is yours, yada, yada, yada…”
“I know,” Lexi beamed.
“How are you getting over there? Want a ride?”
Lexi could tell that Tammy was desperate to check the place out for herself.
“Sure,” she smiled. “Why not?”
“Awesome.” Tammy started to unbutton the top of her diner uniform. “Well, I better get changed, just in case any of these hot bikers happen to look in the car and see me!” She skipped off into her bedroom and Lexi giggled as she watched her go.
As it came closer to seven o’clock, Lexi was fully ready and waiting for Tammy to finally appear with her car keys. She was starting to become nervous about the night ahead and what it would be like being brought into The Forsaken Riders MC.
Tammy appeared at the doorway and smiled.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yep,” Lexi got to her feet and linked arms with her best friend. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
They drove down Main Street, carried on past the water towers and to the other side of town. Tammy seemed both nervous and excited for her, and she tapped her hands on the wheel as she sang along to the radio.
“I can’t wait t
o see this place,” she laughed. “Maybe I should quit my job at the diner and come and work here with you.”
“That would be amazing!” Lexi slapped her hands together. “Imagine us both dancing on the bar and pouring whisky into guys’ mouths.”
Tammy roared with laughter. She had always been the more conservative of the two and Lexi couldn’t imagine her ever being that kind of girl.
They rounded a corner and it loomed up out of the darkness in front of them. The red beams pierced the night sky and made it look like the gateway to Hell. Bikes and bikers lined the streets, and it looked much busier than the night before. Not only because of the clientele, but also because there seemed to be cop vans swarming along the street. Lexi’s mouth dropped open as she tried to squint and see what was happening, but from what she could tell, they were just surveilling the place.
“Jeez,” Tammy said. “You sure this is safe?”
Lexi nodded her head and felt the familiar dance of butterflies in her stomach.
“I sure hope so,” Lexi said. “Welcome to The Bleeding Bullet…”
***
Tammy watched her from the safety of the car as Lexi strode on ahead and walked towards the main door. She weaved in and out of bikers and cops and kept her head down as she got to the foot of the stairs. She turned back and waved at Tammy before she began to climb them and found herself at the entrance. Her nerves were subsiding, and as she could hear the gentle pounding of music coming from inside, it reignited all her excitement from the previous evening.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside. The bar was busy, but as it was still early it didn’t seem as out of control and loud as the night before. Lexi stood in the doorway and looked around. She could see a few familiar faces that King had introduced her to, and she smiled and made her way over to the bar.
The girl who had been serving the night before was there, and she smiled and waved her over.
“Lexi?” she called as she leaned over towards her.
“Yes!” Lexi smiled.
“I’m Sasha. King asked me to keep an eye out for you.”
“Is he here?” Lexi asked, leaning in closer.
Sasha nodded and motioned towards the back of the room.
“He’s out back,” she smiled. “Why don’t you come around here, and I’ll get you started. He’ll be out any minute.”
Lexi smiled and accepted Sasha’s invitation. She had felt a little intimidated by her the previous evening, but now she was being friendly and King had obviously told her that Lexi would be starting.
“I haven’t seen you around here,” Sasha said as she poured one of the bikers a drink. “How do you know King?”
“We just met,” Lexi admitted. “I lost my job and he offered me something here.”
Sasha smiled and handed her a cute little apron to tie around her waist.
“You might find this useful, or you may just want to throw it in the trash,” she laughed. “Not many of the girls wear ‘em.”
She started to explain to Lexi where everything was behind the bar and told her she would get the hang of it in no time. Even though she had barely poured a drink in her life, she threw herself straight in and started serving customers right away with a big smile. The men in there certainly seemed to appreciate her, and she could tell that she was a topic of conversation for some of the regulars. She flicked her hair and worked the bar like she had been there forever, and it wasn’t long before she felt like she really had been.
She turned and watched Sasha climb up onto the bar. It was nearing 8:00 pm, and she leaned over to Lexi and whispered, “This is the time things really start to heat up in here.”
She climbed up onto the counter top and with a bottle of whisky in each hand, she stomped up and down, clicking her heels together and motioning for the music to be turned up louder. Lexi laughed and looked on in admiration. She couldn’t wait to get up there and do her thing, too, but she wasn’t sure if King would want her to…
As if he had read her mind, she suddenly sensed a pair of eyes on her and she looked to the back of the room to see King leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette and watching her with a smile. Lexi blushed and stroked a strand of hair behind her ear before she waved shyly and waited for him to come to her.
She didn’t have to wait long. Within moments, King was by her side and pulling her into his arms and running his hands through her hair.
“You look amazing, Babe,” he breathed. She could taste the intoxicating mix of liquor, smoke and mint.
“I hope this is alright?” She held out her hands to show her tight little outfit, and King exhaled and nodded.
“It sure is,” he grinned.
“You didn’t give me much guidance,” she said playfully. “It’s a good thing I pay attention, huh?”
He pulled her close to him again and nibbled her earlobe playfully.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “Is Sasha showing you the ropes?”
“Yep,” Lexi smiled. “She’s great, I like her.”
“She is,” King nodded. “She’s worked for us for a while, and she’s definitely the girl to show you around.”
Suddenly Lexi felt an overwhelming urge to thank him again for everything he was doing for her.
“I really appreciate all of this, you know?” she smiled. “I won’t let you down.”
“Babe, you could just turn up here every night looking sexy as hell and I’d be happy,” he winked. “I’ve got to get back to the office,” he motioned to the back of the room. “There’s a meeting going on in there. I take it you saw the cops?”
“Yeah, what’s all that about?”
“Same old,” he sighed. “Trying to pin some bullshit on us and just looking for facts to back up their claims…which they won’t get, so don’t you worry.”
He leaned in and kissed her again before he trailed his fingertip down the side of her cheek and walked away. Lexi stood and watched him leave and a wave of disbelief washed over her. She still couldn’t believe that she had met someone that she could see herself falling for.
She hugged her arms around herself and smiled before Sasha stamped her boots down on the counter in front of her and waved for Lexi to join her up there.
“Come on, New Girl!” she called. “You’re up!”
8.
The night passed quickly, and by the time 2:00 am rolled around, Lexi was exhausted. She and Sasha had danced up and down the bar and poured vodka into each other’s mouths and tequila into some of the customers’. They sang and grinded and had the time of their lives. Lexi couldn’t even believe that this was going to be her job, to basically party and have fun. She thought working at Red X was easy, but this was even easier. At least at The Bullet she didn’t have to take her clothes off and keep men happy.
She felt the protective gaze of King all evening, and although he didn’t seemed to mind her dancing on the bar with Sasha, she could also tell that he had a spark of jealousy in him. He watched her shaking her hips and licking her fingers, and she could see the desire in his eyes. The second she had come down from the bar, he had swept her up in his arms and told her how incredible she was.
Now her shift was over, and although the bar was nowhere near closing, King had his arm around her and was whispering in her ear.
“Come back to the clubhouse,” he said as he flicked the tip of his tongue up the side of her neck.
Feeling him against her like that was driving her wild with lust, and she knew her only other option was to go back to Tammy’s. She couldn’t keep her hands off him any longer, so she smiled and nodded and let him lead her out of The Bullet and towards his ride.
As they flew through the streets, she let her arms fly free above her head. The booze had made her confidence shine, and she was no longer scared of the speed and power that came with the bikes King so dearly loved. He howled and laughed as they weaved around the roads. Before long, he was pulling off the highway and into a parking lot just on the outskir
ts of town.
Lexi had heard about this place, but nothing could have quite prepared her for what she was about to see. She had heard that the bikers had a secret clubhouse, off the beaten track and hidden from view, but she had wondered if it was just the stuff of legends. Now she was there with King and they were crawling slowly up a dusty dirt road, out and away from any street lights and into the shadows of a thousand sparse trees.
“Where is it?” Lexi asked him.
“Where we won’t get disturbed,” he grinned over his shoulder.
She wrapped her arms tightly around him and nuzzled into his neck. The further they went, the darker the road ahead of them became, and the stars shined brightly overhead. King slowed right down and suddenly the road dipped and disappeared into a steep drop. She clung to him and looked down ahead of them. She could see a scattering of lights in the distance and the outline of a big building with smaller ones all around.
“This is it,” he said. “The Forsaken’s Clubhouse.”
Lexi looked on in awe. Even though the darkness was keeping it all the more secret, she could tell that it was going to be impressive.
The house was three stories high and old and rickety on the outside, but on the inside it had been transformed into something else entirely. It had shiny surfaces and barely any furniture. It was a place for men to gather, but it looked as if it had been cared for by a woman. They seemed to be the only people there, and although it was big and cavernous, Lexi felt claustrophobic in the dark. She clung to King’s arm and let him lead her towards the big staircase in the center of the hallway.
“Do you live here?” she asked.
“No,” he admitted. “I’ve been staying here for a while, but I have my own place.”
“And where’s that?”
“Not far from the bar,” he grinned.
“So why are we here?” she asked curiously.
Shifter Romance: BODHI (LOST CREEK SHIFTERS NOVELLAS Book 4) Page 70