by J Bree
I stop her in the hallway and jerk my head at her so she follows me into my office, shutting the door behind her.
I don’t have it in me to be subtle or gentle with her. “Where the hell is your phone? That one is even fucking worse than the last."
She looks down at the busted ass burner clutched in her hands, the blood red of her nails starkly luxurious against its shitty cover. Her hands still have that fucking tremble, only now her lip has this little fucking quiver that I don't wanna ever see outside of the goddamn bedroom. "I broke the old one. No big deal."
I feel like anytime the words no big deal come outta her mouth it's a giant fucking warning sign and it's a big fucking deal.
"Did you break the old one or did someone break it for you? Stop fucking lying to me, Angel.”
She blinks up at me like this is all out of left field. “I broke it. What the hell has happened? Why do you suddenly care about my shit? I do my job well and I’m no trouble to you, why am I the only girl here you question like this?”
She’s still standing there by the door with her trembling fucking lip and I lose my goddamn mind. “Why? Why do I care? Because you showed up here and messed with my goddamn stripclub. You’re nothing but fucking trouble! Tell me what the fuck is going on with you so I can get you the fuck outta my head. I’m sick of wanting some stripper who blows hot and fucking cold all the damn time!”
Her face crumples for a split second, just long enough for me to swear I’d seen it but it’s replaced with something I’ve never seen on her before.
Rage.
“I didn’t ask for you to want me! Hell, I’d rather you didn’t! I am nothing but trouble and that shit isn’t going to stop any time soon! There’s hundreds of girls in this town that want you and aren’t dirty strippers. Bring one of them back here to drop down to their knees for you.”
My jaw clenches as rage fills my fucking veins. It’s as if her words are a knife in the fucking gut. “Shut your fucking mouth. You’re mine, end of fucking story and you’re gonna stop fucking dancing.”
I don’t know where those words came from but the second they leave my lips I know it’s all I want. I fucking want her and I want her out of this place. I want her in my goddamn bed and impaled by my cock three times a fucking day for the rest of our lives.
Fucking cuntstruck.
“You’re firing me? It’s the last you’ll see of me then. I need the money.”
This fucking girl. This fucking stripper. “Why? You tell me why the fuck you need that kinda money and I’ll fix the fucking problem.”
She throws her hands in the air. “Are you God or something? I don’t see how you can fix my shit.”
“If I take on your problem, my brothers do too. You got something that needs to be taken care of and it’s fucking done. No one takes on the Unseen. Who the fuck is taking your money?”
Her eyes squeeze shut. “I don’t want trouble.”
I want to throw her over my fucking shoulder and carry her home. If she wasn’t so fucking touch-phobic I would. “I’ll sort them out, just fucking tell me.”
There’s a knock at the door and then Speck’s voice carries through the solid wood. “Is Angel in there? She’s due on stage.”
Her eyes open and she whispers, “I can’t.”
Chapter Nineteen
Angel
My stomach is in knots after my showdown with Tomi.
I get through my dances, I’ve danced under worse pressure to perform than this, but I still just feel as though I’m losing my fucking mind.
He said he wants me.
He said I belonged to him.
Hell, I’ve heard those words a hundred times before and it was always fucking terrifying to me. Terrifying. What is it about him that makes me want to push through the fear and the panic to… let him own me. I think maybe I want to own him too.
As soon as I think that I want to vomit.
He’s a biker and a fucking hot one at that. He has a family and a job and a whole-ass fucking life that has exactly nothing to do with me.
I have nothing to offer him.
When I get off from my last dance Law meets me at the back of the stage, his eyes on the ground and very far away from me.
“Tomi and Speck got called out. Rue sent me down here to keep an eye on you until Tomi can get back here for you.”
I clear my throat but my voice still comes out all thready. “Uh, thanks. I’ll just— uh, grab some clothes.”
He walks with me to the locker room, still not looking at me, which I kind of find sweet. It’s a little like Speck, that respect they all have around me.
For bikers, they’re very considerate.
I get a bra on and a pair of shorts while Law stands with his back to me, watching the door and running his mouth at a mile a minute.
“They got called into the clubhouse. Nothing to worry about, he’ll be back soon.”
I don’t get why he’s acting like I’m waiting around here for Tomi. After our little chat in the office I was planning on grabbing my shit and running out of here the second I was done for the night.
I shrug at him even though he can’t see me do it. “Honestly, I’m good. I’m going to call a cab and head home. No big deal.”
Law blows out a breath and scrubs a hand through his hair, glancing over his shoulder at me and then turning once he realizes I’m mostly covered. “Tomi was very clear about keeping you here until he gets back. I volunteered, it’s no problem at all.”
I chew my lip a little, trying to figure out how to get him to let me go but he misreads me and just tries to reassure me instead.
“My dad is back in Coldstone to see me and Lyn. Makes shit a little… uncomfortable around the clubhouse. He’s from another charter and there’s always tension with the crew over in Mounts Bay. Anyway, I’m happy to hang here and keep an eye on you.”
I nod and pull a shirt over my head. I don’t realize until the last second that it’s one of Tomi’s, the one he threw at me after Poe’s birthday and has the Unseen patch on the back, until it’s on and Diamond is scowling at me.
“He give that to you? If you took it from him you’re gonna get yourself killed.”
I falter but Law’s lip curls at her and says, “You really can’t see a fucking thing that’s in front of you, can you? Tomi will do more than fire you if you keep it up, Diamond.”
She huffs and walks off. I let out a breath and sit next to him, careful to leave enough space between us that we won’t touch and he grins at me. “Ignore it. They’re all just writhing with jealousy over you and him.”
I shrug. “Is there really a me and him? I’m not sure what he’s trying to do but I’m just trying to survive.”
He grins and gets out his phone, tapping away at the screen and then flipping it over to show me a text from Tomi.
A bullet between the motherfucking eyes. You touch her and that’s what you get.
I blink at it.
He chuckles and tucks the phone away. “I was raised in Keely and Hawk’s place. They all call me and Lyn ‘the extras’. The extra kids they took on to keep us safe and, fuck it, loved. Tomi’s been the closest thing to a big brother we’ve ever had and, I promise you, he’s dead fucking serious about killing me if I touch you. I’d say what he’s trying to do is keep you for himself.”
Oh hell.
Oh hell in a handbasket, this isn’t fucking good.
There’s a whole lot of shit Tomi is going to lose his mind over when he finds out I’ve been lying to him and the club. If he really does… want to keep me, I’m fucked.
Royally, totally, completely fucked.
Good thing I’m great at thinking on my feet, something you learn as a gutter rat pretty quick on the streets.
I clear my throat. “I’m actually really tired. Is there any way you could drop me off home? I can talk to Tomi tomorrow or whenever he’s not busy with the club stuff.”
Law frowns a little and grabs out his phone, tapping aw
ay with a little frown that looks so out of place on his face. “Okay, yeah, Tomi said I can drive you home.”
There’s a nice block of apartments a few streets over from the hotel I’ve booked for the week. As long as I can convince him not to walk me to the door then I’ll be okay.
I smile and grab the rest of my shit together. Once I’m ready I nod at Law and he starts running his mouth again, lots of shit that just doesn’t make sense to me but I smile and nod along anyway.
He gets three steps out the back door before he abruptly stops, cursing viciously under his breath. “Get back inside, Angel.”
I turn around but the door has auto-locked behind us.
“There’s that sweet ass. Get lost, kid. We’ve been waiting too fucking long to get a piece of that bitch.”
Law’s shoulders are pulled in tight but he doesn’t react in any other way. I glance around him and see three guys, all of them older and bigger than him. They’re all regulars, never been the type to try anything but I guess they’ve wanted to.
“Stay behind me and get Tomi on the line. Or Rue, you got his number?”
I don’t, I don’t even have a working phone but Law just throws me his own phone.
I dial with shaking fingers, thankful I can remember the number and the dial tone is loud in my ear as Law presses me back into the door with his body. Even knowing the gesture is protective, my heart starts to thump in panic and I want to puke.
“You got her home safe or not, dipshit?”
“It’s me. We need help.”
He curses down the line right as Law lurches away from me and throws himself at the guys. He knocks one over and punches another in the face with a sharp right hook. He’s stronger than them, faster, and better trained, and I watch on as he effectively and freaking brutally takes the three of them on and wins.
I’ve definitely been underestimating the smiling, happy twin.
By the time the roar of the motorbikes hits our ears Law has one of the guys out cold, another groaning and choking on his own blood next to him, while he straddles the last guy and beats on him.
My legs hold me up until the motorcycles park and Tomi comes stalking over, then I slide down the door until I’m parked on my ass on the gravel.
“The fuck happened, Law? Where the fuck was Mike?”
Law smashes his fist one last time and then stands, his chest heaving but other than a ripped shirt and bleeding knuckles he looks just fine. “He’s inside watching the floor. There’s been a big crowd tonight, no way I could grab him without risking the other girls.”
Rue curses and stalks inside The Boulevard without another word.
Speck spits on one of the guys as he passes. “Lemme guess. They wanted something that wasn’t for sale? I know Brandon, he’s a fucking piece of shit.”
Their words are all sort of… wrong as they make it to my ears. Disjointed, like they’re making their way through a tunnel to get to me.
Oh.
I’m in shock.
“Angel. Can you get up or do you need some help?”
I startle and flinch back at Speck’s voice but he doesn’t attempt to touch me or get too close. Just stands there and waits for my answer.
Law and Hellion start scraping the guys up while Tomi gets on the phone. “Yeah, we need a clean up. Three guys attacked one of our girls. Law walked in on it, dealt with it. Yeah… yeah, we’ll get her home safe. She’s not interested in your kinda help.”
That’s not exactly what had happened but I’m sure he has his reasoning for… tweaking the truth.
“I’m… I’m okay. I just need a minute.” My voice sounds hollow and kind of wrong in my own ears but Speck doesn’t comment, just nods and leans against the wall next to me.
“I’ll take you back to the clubhouse when you’re ready. It’ll be best to keep you close for the night, just in case. There’s a bunk room that you can crash in… or Tomi’s room, whichever you want, Angel.”
I nod and scrub my hands over my arms. I don’t want to be lost in my own head after this but, hell, the clubhouse is still freaking terrifying to me. I’d take a night with the cattiness of the strippers over the looks from the bikers there.
Tomi stalks over and pulls me to my feet, his eyes fucking furious as he takes me in.
“Help the others, Speck, I’m taking her home.”
The club is pulsing with music and laughter and life.
I’m instantly uncomfortable. The last time I was here I barely saw anything thanks to the warm beer and the crowd, but the entire bar area is freaking overflowing with bikers and women now.
There’s hands everywhere and as I walk through behind Tomi there’s more than one set of hands grabbing at my ass. I plaster myself to his back, trying desperately to keep away from the men, and when we finally make it to the hallway he glances down at me and snaps, “Why are you still fucking shaking?”
I roll my eyes. “Did you not just see the amount my ass got groped? Fuck, if I didn’t have shorts on I probably would have had fingers inside me thanks to your fucking brothers.”
His eyebrows draw down low. “Get your ass in there.”
Great.
He’s just been reminded that I’m a woman who sells her body on a fucking stage and now he’s pissed about wanting me again.
What the hell is wrong with me? Why can’t I ever keep my shit to myself? “Look, maybe I should just—”
“Angel. Get your fucking ass in my room before I throw you in there myself.”
It’s terrible and probably a sign of Stockholm Syndrome but that just sends a shiver down my spine, the deep growl just taking over my body until my nipples are peeking through my shirt and my thighs are clenching together.
Why does he just keep getting that response out of me?
Maybe it’s just my natural response to always being in danger around him, maybe my instincts have gotten all messed up and now all I know how to do is fuck or flight.
I’ve been choosing the second option for so long, the first one never really something I craved, so now I’ve found the man that has changed the response I’m kind of… scared. Scared about how much I think I want with him.
I don’t deserve a second of his time.
Gutter rat.
His eyes drop down to my tits and even in the shitty lighting of the hallway I can see his pupils dilate. “If you want me to throw you around, Angel, you only have to ask.”
I take another step backwards, farther into his room, and even though I’m still fucking scared, he’s already proved to me that he’ll stop if I want him to.
Maybe this time I won’t want him to.
He watches me, his eyelids dropping down low and his eyes smoldering. I don’t know how to tell him that I want him but, I mean, I’m a stripper right?
I drop my bag to the ground and pull his shirt over my head, dropping it and watching his eyes flare wide.
He’s seen it all before, they all have, but he stares at me like this is uncharted territory he’s fucking dying to explore. I get my denim shorts down my legs before he moves, stalking into the room and slamming the door shut behind him.
I hope it has an auto-lock or something, because Tomi doesn’t stop, he just charges up to me and pulls me into his arms, his hands going straight to my ass, grabbing it so hard I’m definitely going to have bruises.
When he kisses me it feels like a punishment to us both, bruising and hard and all-consuming until I’m fucking shaking with need.
One of his hands slips around my body to dip into my panties, finding my pussy wet and when a stuttering gasp rips out of my throat he breaks away from the kiss.
“No more fucking flinching,” he snarls, and I pull his head down so I can kiss him. His lips are like a fucking drug, numbing me out until I’m not just okay with his hands on my skin, I fucking crave it.
Even when he pushes two fingers inside me, I can’t think about the fear still creeping into my mind, all I know is the feel of his tongue stroking min
e and the hand on my ass kneading my curves like he wants to take a fucking bite out of me.
His fingers work me over, his thumb pressing down on my clit in maddening circles until I’m gasping and clenching around him, my legs like jelly and only my arms around his neck keeping me standing.
He moves his hand away and my pussy clenches at the loss of him. “Get on the bed, I want to taste you.”
I turn around in his arms, gasping when he slaps the bare part of my ass peeking out of the thong. His bed is unmade, piles of shit everywhere in the room like he really is some outlaw too fucking cool to clean up after himself.
When I lay back on the black sheets I can smell him there, no perfume thank God. He strips down until he’s naked, his cock already hard and straining against his belly. I have to calm my breathing down a little but… I also really want him to fuck my throat.
I never feel more powerful than when he’s grunting and pumping his hips as he fucks my face.
I try to sit up but he presses me back down onto the bed with a palm to my chest as he crawls over me.
I don’t understand how that makes my pussy get even wetter but nothing about tonight makes any sense.
“Stay fucking still. When I want you taking care of me, I’ll tell you.”
I throw an arm over my eyes, just like last time, and wait for him to eat me out. I haven’t let myself think about last time, not the parts where it was so fucking good before my trauma ruined it, but now thinking back… Jesus, the man can really use that tongue of his.
“Angel, get your fucking arm away from your face. Eyes on me.”
I take a deep breath and meet his eyes, my heart stuttering in my chest.
He doesn’t even bother taking my panties off, just moves them to the side and holds my eye contact as he falls onto my pussy, licking and sucking, grabbing my hips to drag me closer and closer to his lips and tongue. It feels a little like worship, like he’s been craving the taste of me just as bad as I’ve wanted his touch.
Why didn’t I do this before?
Why did I flinch away from him?
I come twice more before he finally moves away, my pussy so fucking wet that his face is dripping and he climbs back up my body to kiss me and share the taste between us. I groan into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck as he grinds his cock into my pussy, making my groans turn into moans, low and throaty.