by K E Osborn
“Sorry, what?”
“Oh… I said raspberries. They’ll go nicely with this flavor.” I put on the biggest of fake smiles, and she nods and grins back at me.
“Oh, yes. Perfect! This place is great. I like it when you make suggestions. I’ll be sure to tell all my friends to come here from now on.” She beams as I hand her a cup of froyo with a warm smile, and she shifts off to Xav to pay.
I turn to see Ari watching me, and she giggles stepping up while wiping her hands on her apron. “So, you’re in a mood, have been since you started your shift.”
I snort and go about cleaning my station. “Am not.”
Geez, great comeback, Heeley.
She moves in beside me as the couple walk out, and Xav steps up to join us. “You are, too. I’m guessing you’re still annoyed about last night, and the bad boy biker trio showing up in here…Did you tell Mom and Dad?” Xav asks.
I slowly shake my head, then it becomes more vigorous as I realize what he’s said. “What? Are you kidding? No way. If they knew we were harboring felons, they’d keel the fuck over.”
Ari giggles while shaking her head. “How do you know they’re felons? They might be Christian bikers.”
Raising my brow, I tilt my head. “Right, and I’m going to quit medicine and take the dairy industry by storm…” I pause and roll my eyes. “Both things are highly unlikely, Ari.”
Xav shrugs. “I don’t know why you’re so dead against working here. I like this place. I, for one, am happy to be taking over when the oldies decide it’s time.”
“Well, that’s good. You do that. Then I can take care of all the customers that come in with diabetic ailments which need treatment from all the sugar you’re feeding them.”
Ari and Xav both laugh as the door to the store opens, and a young man steps in. That usually wouldn’t be something to cause alarm, but this young man has scruffy brown hair, a face full of an almost neat beard, tattered jeans, a tight black tee and a black leather cut. I stiffen my posture as I look at the young guy. He has a cigarette dangling from his mouth, the smoke billowing through the air as he walks into the store and looks around, taking in our store with not one shit to be given.
I glance to Ari, and she subtly reaches for the broom. Not that it will do much against this guy, but it’s better than nothing.
I’m the first to make a move stepping forward to the dividing bench—which was fixed first thing this morning—and give him a long hard stare.
What is it with these bikers?
Are they all genetically enhanced to be good looking?
“Are you one of Torque’s crew?” I ask gaining his attention as he stops looking around the store and brings his attention to me with a sly smile. He pulls the cigarette from his mouth and blows out a waft of smoke, the smell of tobacco filling the air as he steps up to the divider. His demeanor should be intimidating, but there’s something about his sideways smirk and kind eyes that has my nerves calming a notch.
He points to a patch on the top of his leather cut. “The patch says Defiance MC. So, that’s a giveaway, right?” He takes another drag on his cigarette, and I flare my nose at the smell he’s sending through the store.
I point to the ‘no smoking’ sign which is clearly visible on the counter, and there are signs on the door as well. “You know this is a smoke-free zone, right?”
He chuckles as I fold my arms across my chest. With one swift action, he reaches up grabbing one of the froyo cups and then proceeds to dab out his cigarette in the bottom of the cup.
“Apologies. I kinda forget sometimes you can’t smoke wherever the fuck you want these days. It’s a bad habit. So, ah… I’m guessing by the spirit in your tone you’re Heeley?”
I jolt my head back. “What? Why?”
He shakes his head. “Don’t look so nervous. I’m only here to give you this.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out an envelope and places it on the counter along with the cup that contains his still-smoldering stinky butt. “Torque would be here himself. But he had some…” he pauses searching for the right words and then continues, “… business to attend to.”
I let out a huff. “So what are you? His lackey?” I’m really annoyed, but more at myself for being crappy that Torque isn’t here instead.
He chuckles and nods. “Well, basically, yeah. I’m a prospect for the club. So you can call me a lackey, a minion… hell, you can call me a slave. I don’t fucking care. Think what you like. Way I see it, I’m doing my part for the club I love, for the brothers who protect me and my own. So yeah, I might do the shitty jobs, but at least I’m a part of something real. Something that wraps up your life and takes care of you like a family. I know you won’t understand, but to me having an opportunity to gain my patch is everything. I’d give and do anything for this club, for my president because they’ve given me everything.”
My stomach flips slightly with the amount of devotion oozing from this guy. He believes every word he’s saying, and I have to admit it sounds intriguing. I don’t know much about bikers, other than what you read or hear about in the news, and well, that’s never favored on the good side of things, but maybe they get a bad rap. Who knows? Perhaps there’s more to them than meets the eye.
“Well, I’m glad you’ve found a place that’s right for you.”
He smiles. “And what about you, Heeley? Are you where you need to be?”
A furrow forms in my brows wondering what he means by that. He shoves the envelope forward a little more on the counter, and with a wink, he turns and heads for the door.
I’m a little shocked by his words. It’s like somehow he knows I want more in my life than this froyo bar. Almost like he’s aware I’m studying medicine, but how can he? I glance up at the man walking away from me and take a deep breath as tightness engulfs my chest. “Wait… what’s your name?”
He doesn’t turn back, he doesn’t stop walking, he merely opens the door with a chuckle. “Tremor,” he merely replies before he walks through the door, and it closes behind him.
I let out a long breath and look to Xav and Ari who are both standing there wide-eyed and mouths open.
“What the hell was that?” Ari asks.
“I have no idea,” I reply with a shake of my head.
“Well… open the envelope,” Xav blurts out impatiently.
I’d almost forgotten about it as I turn to see my name scribbled on the front in semi-legible handwriting. It’s even spelled right. Raising my brow, I pick it up and turn it over slipping my finger behind the flap and rip it open. There are four green fifty-dollar bills looking back at me.
Blinking a few times, I pull them out and scrunch up my face. “What on earth?”
Ari grabs one from my hand and raises it to the air, looking through the subtle hints of blue and yellow obviously to check if it’s counterfeit, while I examine the inside of the envelope again to see a note which I pull out.
“It’s not fake,” Ari yells as she yanks on both sides testing the bill once more.
Shaking my head, I stare at the handwritten note and begin to read.
Heeley,
First, I want to apologize for not coming in tonight to see you and give you this myself. I have something I can’t get out of, but if I could, I would be there in person.
I hope you will accept this money for the yogurt my brothers and I took from you last night and to fix the counter divider.
If it doesn’t cover the cost, let me know, and I will top you up with the remainder.
I’m glad it was your store we ‘ran’ into. Meeting you was a breath of fresh air in an atmosphere of staleness.
Keep that smile on your face, and that sass in your tone…
It’s sexy as hell.
Torque
I can’t help it as a slow smile creeps across my face, and Ari looks over my shoulder as Xav throws his hands in the air.
“Well? The anticipation is killing me,” Xav almost yells as he lurches forward looking at the note w
hile Ari giggles over my shoulder.
“Biker’s got a boner for you, Heels,” Ari gushes.
With that, I groan while rolling my eyes, and throw the note onto the counter and shake my head. “He does not. He’s just paying the damn damage he caused, that’s all.”
“Pffft… whatevs. And from the way you’ve been moping about, I’m guessing you’ve got him on your mind, too. Not that I blame you. Guy’s a total hottie…” Her eyes glimmer as she smiles. “He needs to work on his game, though,” Ari chimes.
“His game?” My eyebrows snap together.
Xav snatches the note from my hand and scans it over. I choose to ignore the giant grin as he reads.
“Yes. See if he was good at his game… the bearded, broody, badass would have come in here himself to impress you. But instead, he sent…” she looks up at the ceiling like she’s trying to recall his name and then she nods her head when the thought pops into her mind, “…Tremor. And I can tell you that prospect made my lady parts more than tremor, but that’s beside the point. That mad biker made Tremor come in here and give you a note rather than spend more time with you, and that’s a strike in my book, Heels,” Ari says, and I tilt my head.
“But, Tremor said Torque had important business to attend to. So what if the Andrettis are like attacking or something… and he needs to defend his people. Wouldn’t you rather him be a brave protector than let everyone die…” Xav pauses his bullshit story with a wink and then continues, “… just so he can pay us for some froyo he didn’t even eat? I mean lives are at risk here, Ari. People are dying. They’re dying, girls…” Xav almost yells the part and does some dramatic effect by covering his heart and forehead with his hands which makes me giggle.
Ari shakes her head letting out a yawn and moves over to the register, opening the drawer and places the fifties inside. “The way you said defend his people makes it sound like some kind of Sci-Fi movie. He’s the President of the USA, and he’s going to save us from an intergalactic battle with aliens from Uranus,” Ari quips making Xav let out a loud laugh.
“And then the bikers come to the rescue. Badass bikers who save Uranus from the clutches of doom,” Xav says bringing his fists into the air for dramatic effect.
“Wow,” I murmur as they giggle to themselves. “You guys seriously need to lay off the tequila before work.”
“Oooh… tequila, I’m in. And it’s Saturday night. When we close, we should go celebrate Heeley’s new lover boy, and my need to get laid,” Xav says.
“No… I don’t want to go out—”
Ari rushes to my side gripping my arms tight and looks into my eyes like a lost puppy dog. “Pleeease. C’mon. I have to go out with your crazy ass brother all the time. We need our trio back. You’re so swamped, you need to let yourself have some fun occasionally.”
Groaning as they both look at me pleading with their eyes, I guess a night off wouldn’t hurt. And I do feel like I’m in need of something a little stronger than coffee tonight. So fuck it. Drinks it is. “Fine! But I go begrudgingly. And I am not, I repeat not, getting wasted. Get it?”
“Yes! Okay. We get it. We’ll all meet at my place to get ready. I will dress you in something amazing, and we will drink and dance and party like it’s nineteen ninety-nine,” Ari says, and Xav chuckles.
“I wonder how they actually partied in nineteen ninety-nine? Like was it as fun as it is now? Or was it even worse? It feels like that’s a whole other world. They really should update that song,” Xav says, and I snort.
“I don’t think party like it’s two-thousand and ninety-nine, has the same ring to it. Anyway, it’s nearly time for us to close, so let’s clean up, and then we can all head back to Ari’s to get dressed.”
“Awesome, I want to try this new club I’ve heard about. It’s downtown and looks amazing. I hear they have cages for dancing,” Xav says.
I crease my brows and wince. “Oh, Lord, sounds like a real decent place. Is it a gay bar?” I ask, and he chuckles.
“No, definitely not. But it seems really lit. I’ve wanted to go for weeks. We have to go. Come on, please?”
“Okay, fine. Let’s finish up so we can get out of here.”
CHAPTER THREE
HEELEY
Our Uber pulls up at the front of the club, and the line outside is already a mile long. Okay, maybe not a mile, but it’s deep in people, and I take a steadying breath wondering why I agreed to wear this. I know it’s a lukewarm May night in the heart of Chicago, but the slight breeze is making my skin prickle in goosebumps as we step out of the car and onto the curb.
The heavy bass from the music inside rattles my very core as it pummels through me, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s this loud out here, how on earth we’ll be able to hear each other inside?
“Yes. I can’t believe I’m finally here. I’ve been waiting for this for weeks,” Xav beams straightening his shirt and adjusting the glasses on his face. His hair is pushed up in all directions looking completely messy, but somehow it works on him.
Ari steps up next to me, wearing a pair of barely-there torn-to-shreds short shorts and a strapless crop top with ruffles. It shows off her perfectly toned and tanned skin, not to mention the tribe of tattoos she sports going up and down both her arms. She’s a real canvas of artwork and looks tough. She even acts tough most of the time. Hell, if the bikers were to pick a girl, I’m sure it should be her. She seems way more their type than me. On the inside, Ari’s a big softie, and I love every inch of her. Her ombré hair is up in a high pony, and her nose ring shifts slightly as she twitches her nose from side to side as she says, “Can you smell that?”
I shake my head. “Smell what?”
Ari smiles. “Tequila,” she beams looking me up and down. “Let’s go!” Grabbing my hand, she rushes forward and into line. I giggle and grab Xav as we head for the back. I hate waiting in line, but I guess when a club is this exclusive, you have to bide your time. “So, Heels. You look fantastic, doesn’t she, Xav?”
I look down at Ari’s dress which she insisted I wear in ode to a biker crushing on me. She said I needed to dress like a bad girl, and I thought, fuck it. My wardrobe changes constantly. Some days I’m in all white looking like a virginal saint, then the next I’ll be wearing a death metal rock and roll T-shirt. I honestly have no sense of style. I take in the short, black leather dress. I think it’s half cute, half sexy. The top connects around my neck and then below the neckline on the chest it opens up into a heart shape showing my cleavage, but not in a distasteful way, just enough for it to showcase my girls. The bodice is leather clinging to me tightly, and then the skirt flows out to just above my knees with enough fabric so if I did a twirl, it would fan out. It’s adorable but has that hard rocker vibe, or I suppose biker vibe that I’m sure Ari was going for. Either way, I think I look hot as my blonde hair falls down in soft curls on both sides of my made-up face.
Xav nods and links his arm with mine. “Well, if you weren’t my sister, and if you weren’t a woman, I’d totally find you hot.” He chuckles.
“You’re an idiot,” I murmur.
Walking toward us down the line I notice what looks like a security guard. That’s weird. Usually, security stay at the front of the line? He keeps walking toward us, and I glance at Ari and raise my brow wondering what the hell is going on. Maybe it’s a private function tonight, and we’re going to be asked to leave?
The security guard steps up to us, and everyone around us turns to watch whatever’s going to unfold, and it makes me tense up slightly. “Excuse me, miss. If you and your two companions could please come with me?”
We all look at each other wondering what the hell this is about.
“Umm… have we done something wrong?” I ask.
“You’re being put through as priority. If you’d step this way?” He sways his hand through the air gesturing for us to follow.
Xav’s eyes light up, and he nods racing forward, while I shake my head at Ari. She shrugs and grabs my ha
nd as we move off with the security dude and take off down toward the entry of the club.
I glance up at the sign above the door to see the logo, Club Modesty, then the tagline, Leave yours at the door. Swallowing hard, I begin to wonder where the hell Xav has brought us. Quickly, I step up to his side and lean in next to his ear and whisper, “Xav, what is this place?”
He chuckles as we walk straight through the front entrance without having to pay a surcharge. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s just a club, sis. A normal, run of the mill, everyday…” he pauses as we walk into the main room. The bassline is thumping, the pink lights are strobing, and I open my eyes wide noticing this is most definitely not the typical dive bar we’re used to. This place looks like a palace in comparison.
A very sparkly palace.
The walls are accented in silver, which has an almost glittering effect with the strobing lights. There are plush couch benches lining the length of the walls. Out from them small tables are placed strategically, and then square stools line the tables around the edge of the dancefloor, but each table is sectioned off with a row of crystal beads hanging from the ceiling. The shards of light from the crystals send a mirror effect around the room, and it’s incredible to watch.
This place has to have been designed by a woman. It has that flair of sophistication and elegance only a woman could bring. It’s fabulous. As I look further, I see small stage areas, and they’re surrounded by thin layers of tubing lit up with neon lights making it look like a cage, and the floor is illuminated as well. I squint slightly trying to see past the people where I notice there’s a pole pierced through the floor of the small cages and it’s attached to the ceiling.
Spinning quickly, I glare at Xav. “You brought us to a strip club?” I yell in his ear.
He laughs shaking his head. “No. It’s a normal club. But sometimes they get dancers in the cages to work up the crowd. And then sometimes they let the public in them to dance. It’s just for show, Heels.”
I give him a curt nod as the security guard leads us to the back where there’s a sectioned-off area. A private bar stands over in the corner, and there are fewer people. In this part of the bar, it appears like there’s a private party going on. I have no idea why we’ve been invited, but hell, I’m not going to complain either.