“Are you sure, I mean I don’t want to put anyone out.” Brick stops tattooing, I turn to look back at him. I am shocked at how pissed he seems. “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it.” I try to smooth things over, but I knew that Jag was in the same club as he was. And if the man moved because of me, I didn’t want to show my face and make him uncomfortable. Sure I wanted to go and hang out and just let my hair down, but I could do that with Zane and Todd, or maybe Kate would be down for a drink or two at the local bar.
“Which one of my boys made you need ink therapy?” Well, gee was I that damn obvious.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I state, trying to keep my face even and not show any emotion to give it away that he might be right.
“Babe, you have been coming in here for damn near ten years. I may not know you that well, but I know what heartbreak looks like. Do I need to fuck up someone’s face?”
“Uh, no. Really, Brick, there was nothing even there to begin with.” I try to tell him. Hell, it was the truth. There was nothing between Jag and me. Nothing I was just having a hard time with rejection for some stupid reason. I guess that with my mother butting into my life, her words were throwing me for a loop and messing with my head. “You are getting older; no man wants a thirty-year-old woman in his life.” Her words ring right to the heart for my situation.
“Then you won’t be putting anyone out. So, go, have a good time, and unwind that head of yours.” I nod, and he gets back to work. He does have a point what does it matter if Jag sees me? There was nothing between us, only a road that we shared, nothing more. No late-night promises of more, only one hell of a kiss that left me wanting me more than I should have wanted.
Brick was able to finish the cherry blossom tree outline and get a bit of shading done in three hours. I had time to go home and get ready now I am sitting in front of the Angels and Sinners MC clubhouse when my nerves and anxiety kick in. Some of the women that I have seen going in and out are wearing next to nothing. Here I am wearing jeans and an open back shirt. I do have on a pair of fuck-me heels, though. Taking a deep breath, I steel myself to go inside.
Before I can make it to the door, I get stopped by the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Tall, tanned, blonde hair and the bluest eyes I have ever seen. “You lost sweetheart?” he asks in a deep baritone.
“Uh, nope, here for a girls night.” I try to smile like I am really excited for a girl's night out, but I feel like I should be home snuggled up alone. He gets a questioning look on his face, but it is gone in an instant.
“Well, good luck, before you know it you might be dancing on the tables.”
“Are you suggesting that I can’t hold my liquor?” He gives me a dazzling smile as he shakes his head.
“You know what; I think you are going to fit in just right around here.” He opens the door for me; I give him a look I hope portrays that I know what he is up to. He just smiles as I walkthrough.
“Yo, Jag, you ready to get your ass handed to you tonight?” The man yells after I make it into the doorway. I don’t even look for him. Spotting the girls at the bar. I make my way to them. Korey and the teacher from the shelter see me and wave me over. There is a tall woman that looks to be at least six feet tall with them, and the bartender who is also a beauty are lip locked over the bar. A thin blonde is with them that is watching somewhere behind me as I make my way to them.
The clubhouse is clean and smells like stale beer and something else, maybe sandalwood. “I made my Ol’ Man put some wax burners in here.” Mrs. Stevens exclaims when I get up to her. “I couldn’t stand the smells when I was first pregnant.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t have Tank pussy whipped.” The tall woman tells me. “I’m Molly; this is my girlfriend, Kelsey.” She motions to the woman she was tongue wrestling with.
“You’re both so pretty.” I let it out before I can stop it. It is the truth all of these women are gorgeous. Kelsey turns a shade of red. “Sorry,” all the women start laughing at me.
“Girl, if you swung our way, I could set you up with someone. But I am pretty sure you are strictly dickly. What will you be drinking tonight.” I am pretty sure my head just spun from the conversation.
“Uh, yes, I am on team dick, and rum and pineapple if you have it. It’s Chloe.” I extend my hand to her. Molly shakes my hand, and Angie gives me a hug.
“You already know Korey, and me, this is Amy.” Angie points to the thin blonde.
“So tell me when did P start following you around?”
“Who?” I never heard of someone called P. I look around and see a platinum blonde watching our every move.
“She works for Jag. Kind of like a bodyguard. So why do you need protection?” Amy asks me with a smile.
“Uh, um, didn’t know I needed one.” What in the hell. She works for Jag. Kelsey hands me my drink, and I drink it in one sitting. “I think I am going to need like ten of these.”
“Girl spill it. Why is Jag having you shadowed?” Angie saddles up next to me, as the other girls get closer to me like I know the secrets of the world.
“We used to be neighbors; he kind of saved me from my mother and her plans to marry me off to Thomas. We had one kiss, and then he just up and moved the next fucking day. So really, I don’t know why he would have someone follow me around.” Kelsey sets four shot glasses in front of me. I take one, and then I throw back the other three.
“Well, I had intended for Korey, Molly, and Amy to drink with you, but okay.” She makes me another drink and sets it in front of me.
“Sorry, just kind of needed it.” We all laugh at my stupidity of falling for a guy I could never have. Or least that is what I laugh at. The conversation turns to Angie and her due date. Korey starts talking about the fundraiser coming up. The drinks and communication are good, really good.
“Yeah, we are going to be there too. Cupcakes and dog treats.” I can hear a slight slur to my words. I didn’t mean to get falling-down drunk. “Can I get water,” I tell Kelsey that nods and smiles.
“Cupcakes might sell pretty good; we always do barbeque. Like every year.” Amy announces to us.
“I hope we do good. The families need all the help they can get. And this way, people might want to adopt some of my babies. Well mot mine, but the shelters. Can you believe that I am nearly thirty and will probably never have babies? Never ever going to get that family. Never. Guess my monster of a mother was right.” I can feel the tears building up. “Fuck me, I need to go home.” I go to get up when P walks up to our table. This P is so damned pretty. A thought hits me hard, what if she is Jag’s wife or girlfriend. “Fuck me sideways and to the fucking moon,” I mutter under my breath.
“Chloe, I don’t think you should be driving. Baby girl, come on. I will get you in a room for the night.” I don’t know why, but Korey’s comment just brings on the tears harder. I nod at her and sit back down in my chair. I feel defeated, and my buzz is slowly going away.
“Come on, Chloe I will help you to your room.” P announces to me as she helps me up from the table. I wave to the girls and ignore all the nearly topless women. I don’t even look to see Jag anywhere in the clubhouse. “You know, he has a thing for you, right?” P adds to my already diminishing self-esteem. I grunt out my response. “Seriously, Chloe. I can tell he does. I have worked for the man for several years now, plus I can read people pretty good.” She turns right to go down a hallway full of doors. After unlocking one, the lights turn on.
The room resembles a generic hotel room with a queen-sized bed with a black quilt that has an angel and devil locked in an endless dance, an oak side table, a matching dresser where a TV is sitting on. The colors in the room need some life. A few posters of a new Harley Davidson are on the bland white walls. A door probably to a bathroom is to the left. The room is clean but not really inviting.
“Since you are here, I am going home to my husband. Being preggers isn’t what I thought it would be.” I shouldn’t feel relieved that she
isn’t Jag’s, but damn if I don’t. P leaves me to my own devices locked in a room, I have no idea who owns it, or god knows what has been done in it. Pulling open the top drawer, I pull out a shirt and open the bathroom door. A shower would feel so good right now. The bathroom is done in white and black, much like the bedroom. Black bathmat, black shower curtain. I could see some oranges and pinks, maybe some greens in this little bathroom to make it more inviting. But it's not my bathroom.
The water warms rather quickly, and it feels divine over my skin. My buzz is completely gone now. The only shampoo is manly smelling but smells good, almost like the way Jag smelled when I was close enough to smell him. Damn it, I didn’t want to think about him. I needed to find something to distract myself. The sandalwood of the shampoo and body wash takes me away for a minute to thoughts of my father. He would have the perfect advice on what to do to get my mind off Jag. It isn’t his fault that I feel this way; I should have never fixated on the man in the first place. He became my wet dream and then a one kiss reality. I was clingy to someone who didn’t deserve it. Making the motions of getting out of the shower, I was thankful that there was some toothpaste on the counter. Surprisingly it wasn’t black. Using my finger, I brushed and was ready for bed.
Tomorrow would bring new beginnings; I would talk to Zane and Todd about getting me set up with someone to try my therapist's suggestions. That should distract me for longer than a few minutes.
Chapter 11
Jag
I kept my eye on the beauty that walked into the clubhouse. As did the other brothers, Snake especially. I loved the man like a brother, but his sexual needs were getting irritating. I am thinking he might need therapy if he keeps going. I still had P trailing her. Even though she was here, P was still ever observant of Chloe.
I moved away from the house because there was no way that I could stay away from her, but I needed to. I had to keep her safe. Everything was escalating with the Grimm’s. We found out some information that I wasn’t happy about, and Chloe was the star in the middle of it all.
She didn’t know what her mother and Thomas have planned for her. We couldn’t just go in guns blazing with who the two of them were for upper society. Killing those two would be setting our club back. We worked hard to go legit and weren’t too keen on sending half of our brothers to prison on murder charges. We would do it if it came to that, but for the moment, we were silently waiting for the next move.
Chloe looked stunning with her jeans and an open-backed shirt on. It looked like she got some ink; I would have never pegged her for the ink type. But damn if I didn’t want to trace the tree branches. And those fuck-me heels she had on, damn I wanted to strip her down and leave the shoes on her and nothing else. Maybe tease her a little with a Body Wand and make her beg for release. Release that only I could give her.
Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the game that I was in with Blaze. He nodded over to the women. “She yours?”
“Nah, man. I don’t see me settling down ever.”
“Too bad, cause, that means she is fair game.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
“Leave her the fuck alone. No one is to touch her or even talk to her.” I growled out at my brothers. Blaze and Snake threw their heads back and laughed.
“Yeah, she is yours, alright. I give it two weeks before you are claiming her.” Snake said with a grin on his smug face.
“Fuck off, man.” I push him away from the table. There was no way I deserved a woman like Chloe Bowman. She was all class; she came from a good upbringing. She was light, I was dark. My darkness would eat her light and laugh while it happened. I couldn’t be the one to drag her down into my demons, I needed to stay away from her and just keep her safe the way I knew how. Behind the scenes, away from her.
The sweet butts started to arrive after an hour. Most of the men that weren’t in a relationship were getting a different kind of party started. I never had to deflect the girls off. Ginger was the only one that could handle my sexual interests, but a couple of years ago, she turned into a mole. Ever since then, I found a couple of women that could satisfy my urges. I was truthful; I wanted something more. But could Chloe handle what I needed? I doubted it, she may have been at Club Fet, but that didn’t mean she was into the same scene that I needed. Tank was headed our direction. “I see you aren’t partaking again tonight.” Tank announces. He had an idea that I had darker sexual needs that any sweet butt could handle. They may be there for the brother's needs. But it took a particular person to enjoy what I could deal out. Not every woman was able to be pleased with being tied down and played with. Or could take a good lashing that caused an orgasm or a woman that could hold off her orgasm with just a word from her master.
“There isn’t anything here that sparks my interest,” I tell him truthfully. Chloe isn’t anywhere to be found. Looking around, I see P. She nods to me. I let her know not to let Chloe drive home tonight. She was getting a little drunk, although she did look like she needed it. My phone alerts me to a message.
P: Got her set up in a room. I will be back in the morning to see her home. When you gonna give in and make her yours?
Me: Go home.
P: aye boss
“Not even the brown head that owns the shelter?” Looking up from my phone, I glare at him. I never told him who she was and what her connection was to the shelter. “Dude, I figured it was her when I saw P with her. Does she know?”
“No, I haven’t told her what we know yet. Trying to keep her away from all that shit.”
“I hear ya, but what good will it does her when they show up at her doorstep? Don’t you think she needs a heads up on what to look for?” Tank had a good point. His woman was being hunted by the Cartel last year. He didn’t share with her the club business, which is something we don’t share, but later it was discovered that she was Evan O’Malley’s daughter. If we would have known that little tidbit, we could have kept her protected better. She didn’t get hurt too bad, only being run off the road and shot once in the leg, but that was too close.
“Yeah, I hear ya. I will talk to Chloe in the morning before she leaves.” I sigh as I throw away my one beer bottle of the night. I make it a point to not drink to heavily. I don’t want to turn into the man that created the monster I am today.
“Don’t mean to dig brother. But is she the reason you sold your house?” leave it to the SAA of the club to connect the dots. “Look, you don’t have to answer, just a word of advice, talk to her, communicate. Angie and I wasted some time in not talking with each and expressing what we wanted. You never know she might be the one.” Slapping on the back, Tank takes off and gathers his Ol’ Lady Angie in his arms. Angie waves at me as they leave.
Angie was perfect for this life; she already had a head start with being raised by the Irish mob boss. She understood that the club business was just that business. Angie didn’t push Tank on knowing what was going on. She trusted him to keep her safe. And now she would trust him to keep their family safe. What they had was rare. What Brick and Korey had was just as unique. Then there was Amy and Stink. All three men were lucky to find that special someone in their lives. I just didn’t see that happening for me in the future.
Making my way up to my new home until I found another place to call home. Opening the door, I knew something was off. The bathroom light was on, and I could see folded clothes on the dresser. Folded women’s clothes. I flipped the light on and cursed P. She brought Chloe up to my room. The bathroom door opened, and my obsession walked out wearing one of my shirts. She stopped and stared at me. “Oh, um, well. I can get my things and go.” That damn blush was back.
“No, you don’t need to drive.” I motion her to the bed. Maybe the couch will still be an option.
“I told Brick this was a bad idea.” She mutters under her breath.
“Why was this a bad idea?” I need to know why her being here was a bad idea.
“Well, let’s see where do I start… I know you hate me.” Gatherin
g up her clothes and storming into the bathroom, I was shocked that she thought I hated her. The door slammed as I got my head back together. I don’t know what posses me, but I threw open the bathroom door and was stunned into silence as I took in the Angel in front of me. She had so many tattoos on her torso and upper thighs. I would have never thought that her, classy, shy, beautiful Chloe would be covered in ink.
“Woman, I am trying to keep you safe from me. That is why I moved. If I hadn't moved, I would have had you tied to the bed and fucked you so damn hard you would feel me into next week.” She doesn’t even try to cover her body as I spill my fucking words out of my mouth.
“Seriously. That is the reason why you moved. That makes no damn sense.” Hands-on her hips in all her glorious nakedness. I couldn’t help but notice how perky and large her breasts were. They were like sirens calling to me.
“You don’t know the shit that I have done. I am not light like you. I have demons. I don’t want to tarnish your beauty or your light with me.” Chloe laughs at me. Fucking laughs. She is so damn beautiful when she laughs, head thrown back without a care in the world.
“Jag, we all have demons knocking on our door. If anyone can understand them, I can. I nearly let my personal demons win ten years ago. If you expect me to believe you and your excuses, try again.” I didn’t know what to think about her own demon problems. Maybe I misinterpreted her body language. Perhaps she wasn’t as innocent I had initially believed.
“What I need only a few people can handle.” Running my hands through my hair. How in the hell do I explain what I need to her? “Chloe, I don’t do vanilla.”
“Did you ever think to ask me? Maybe I don’t need vanilla. Maybe I need something a little darker.” She states. Her words soothe an ache I didn’t know how to comfort for the past fifteen years.
Chasing Demons (Angels and Sinners Book 3) Page 8