by Erin Osborne
I walk out of the dressing room after slipping my heels on. Bounce is standing in the hallway waiting for me. With my heels on, I come to just over his shoulder. Looking up at him, I recognize the lust and want filling his eyes. His pupils dilate and his lids lower so his eyes are hooded. I can feel myself starting to get wet and there’s nothing I can do about it because he’s staring so intensely at me I feel like I might combust at any second.
“Let’s get you out there. Colt needs some help gettin’ shit ready for tonight and Vanish hasn’t shown up yet,” Bounce tells me, his voice low and husky.
A tremble goes from my head to my toes at the thought I can turn this man on. Moving in front of Bounce, I make my way out to the bar. I can feel his eyes on my ass but I act as if it’s just another day in my life. Spotting Colt behind the bar alone, I quicken my steps to help him. There’s a few catcalls and whistles as I quickly maneuver around the tables separating me from the bar.
“Shut the fuck up and get your eyes off her,” Bounce growls out. “She’s off fuckin’ limits.”
I stop dead in my tracks for a second. What the hell just happened? I’m not off limits to anyone unless I choose to be off limits to them. Bounce and I are going to end up having words if he doesn’t quit his shit.
“What do you need me to do?” I ask Colt.
“Can you make sure everythin’ is stocked for me? I haven’t had a chance to do that yet,” he asks. “Just make a list of what’s low and we’ll go grab it as soon as I’m done here.”
Nodding my head, I let him finish slicing up whatever he’s cutting and grab a pad and pen off the bar. I go through each row of alcohol on the shelves and then the coolers under the bar. The big one at the end is almost completely wiped out, so I look at the labels and write everything down. The entire time I’m working, Bounce never once takes his eyes off me. I’ve never been able to feel someone looking at me like I do when it comes to him. I’d say it’s a little unnerving but there’s really nothing I can do about it.
Before I know it, the bar is stocked, Bounce has disappeared toward the front door of the club, and the music begins to blare from the speakers.
“Delight, this is what’s gonna happen tonight,” the man called Vanish says to me. “I’ll help when I can on the floor and the other girls will when they’re not dancin’. Go out, take the orders and bring them back to us. We’ll keep you goin’ as fast as we can. It shouldn’t be too bad tonight. And if anyone gives you any trouble, let us know. No one is to touch you unless you give the okay for a lap dance. You haven’t hit that point yet. I’m sure Bounce will be watchin’ too.”
Vanish has a smirk on his face as he looks at me. I’m sure he’s heard about Bounce putting me off limits and it’s a shame. The man standing before me is as tall as Bounce is putting him well over six feet tall. He’s got black hair that’s so black it has a blue tint to it with startling blue eyes. I don’t see any tattoos on him like the rest of the guys from the club I’ve seen so far. Vanish has a dangerous air to him and he’s definitely someone I don’t want to cross. But, he’s also sexy as hell. I swear all the men in the club are sexy and it has to be some sort of requirement for them to join. What the hell have I gotten myself into?
“Bounce doesn’t have a say in what I do or who I talk to. He can watch me all he wants, but it’s not going to change a damn thing. I’m here to do a job and that’s it,” I tell him, letting Vanish know in no uncertain terms that I’m not owned by anyone.
“Keep tellin’ yourself that, sweetheart,” Vanish replies as I walk over to the first table of men.
“Hey guys! What can I get for you tonight?” I ask, pasting a smile on my face.
“I want a piece of you,” one guy responds. “You’re new here. How about a lap dance?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t do lap dances,” I reply.
“What woman in a strip club doesn’t give lap dances?” the man questions me. “We come here for a good time and that’s what we expect.”
I can see the anger beginning to build on his face. This isn’t how I want my night to go, but I’ll be dealing with it all night I’m sure.
“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t dance yet so I can’t give anyone a lap dance. What I can offer is a cold drink while you watch the dancers on stage,” I say politely and offer him a sweet smile.
The two other men at the table order their drinks and as I turn my attention back to the man wanting a lap dance, he finally orders a drink. Anger laces his voice and I know I’m going to have to watch myself around him. This isn’t my first time around drunks who want what they can’t have.
For the rest of the night, my shift goes much the same. I’m touched, asked for lap dances, and listen to lewd remarks about me by drunk men. Out of the corner of my eye I watch Bounce keep an eye on me and he’s getting pissed. Finally, it’s time to leave and he walks me to my car. Only I don’t have a car right now.
As soon as the last person is escorted out the door, we clean up. I’m carry trays full of empty beer bottles and glasses. There’s nasty things all over the place in the club and I make sure to scrub the tables down with the sanitizer and disinfectant. Honestly, it’s not much different than the way I used to clean when my mother was alive.
Vanish and Colt help me get everything wiped down and picked up before they take care of behind the bar. There’s a crew who will come in later to do a deep cleanse of the club. So, we don’t have to go to into detail right now. It’s nice to know a professional crew comes in to make sure the place is thoroughly cleaned because I’m sure it’s not like that in a lot of other clubs.
“Where the fuck is your car?” he asks, his voice a growl.
“It broke down on the way here. I walked the rest of the way and plan on walking home,” I answer him, hiking my bag further up on my shoulder.
“The fuck you are,” he growls again. “I’ll let Vanish know I’m takin’ you home.”
“That’s not . . .,” I begin.
Bounce is already gone back inside. He’s probably expecting me to follow him. I’m not going to. Instead, I walk around the front of the building and start the two-mile trek home. I haven’t made it very far when I hear the rumble of pipes coming down the road. Looking over my shoulder, I see Bounce riding toward me and without seeing his face, I know he’s pissed.
“Get on,” he growls when he pulls over in front of me.
“It’s not . . .,” I start.
“Get. On,” he growls again.
Knowing I’m not going to get out of this, I slide the strap of my bag across my body. Once it’s at my back, I try to climb on behind the big man in front of me. I’m not graceful and the only help from Bounce I get is him positioning my feet on the pegs so I don’t burn myself. As soon as he wraps my arms around his solid body, he takes off and roars down the road.
The feeling of the wind in my hair as it whips around me and the fear lacing my body has me holding on for dear life. Bounce takes a hand off the handle bars and lays it on my hands covering his rock-hard abs. He gets me home without killing me, crashing his bike, or me falling off. I’m honestly in awe of the way Bounce handles the machine as if it were an extension of his own body. It’s like nothing I’ve ever witnessed in person before.
“Thank you for the ride,” I tell Bounce once I climb back off with his help.
“I’ll be here to pick you up tomorrow,” he grits out. “Get inside and lock the fuckin’ door.”
“I always do,” I return, walking away from him and toward the house.
Once I’m inside, I make myself something to eat and go to my room. Santana and Karson are already asleep and there’s nothing for me to do except go to bed myself. I’m so tired from walking around the club all night and having to stop the assholes from groping me it’s not long before I fall into a deep sleep, filled with visions of Bounce.
Chapter Twelve
Sydney a.k.a Delight
WAKING UP, THE first thing I do is look at my phone. I have a messag
e from Bounce.
Bounce: Car’s at the garage. I’ll be there to pick you up for work.
Me: I can’t afford to pay for the repairs.
The thought of Bounce taking it upon himself to have my car taken to a shop gets on my last damn nerve. It’s one thing to want to help me out, but another entirely to take control of the damn situation and let me have no say in the matter. He doesn’t know if I can afford the extra expense of repairing my car or anything. What the fuck is it with men who just do what they want to?
The beeping of my phone alerts me to a new message.
Bounce: Not worried about the money. The club has it.
Me: Don’t want the club footing my bills. I already owe for groceries and the other things you brought to the house.
Bounce: Not arguing about this. See ya later.
“Arggh!” I growl out.
Getting out of bed, I see it’s way past my normal waking time. It’s almost noon and I’ve missed over half of Karson’s day already. Fuck my life!
Walking out to the living room, I see Santana and Karson sitting on the couch. They’ve got their lunch in their lap while they watch something on the TV. I’m not even sure what the hell it is at this point and I don’t care. The only thing I care about as I walk by and ruffle Karson’s hair is coffee.
“Late night?” Santana asks me.
“You could say that. Car broke down on the way to work,” I answer her.
“What the hell?” she yells out, coming to the kitchen with me.
“It just stopped while I was driving. I managed to get it to the side of the road and then I walked the rest of the way to work. Bounce brought me home and he’ll be here to pick me up in a little bit. For now, it’s at a garage and I don’t know how the fuck I’m gonna pay for it,” I tell her, leaning my hip against the counter.
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“Bounce said the club has it, but they’ve already done so much to help me,” I tell her, the first tears beginning to leak from my eyes.
“Take a deep breath and just let it go for now,” Santana tells me. “He’s going to do what he wants and you can’t do anything about it right now. We’ll deal with the rest when the car is done.”
Nodding my head, I wipe my tears away and make my way to the living room. I don’t want to think of this right now. I’m going to spend some time with Karson and my best friend before Bounce gets here to pick me up.
Sitting on the couch, Karson climbs up in my lap and lays his head on my chest. Yeah, he’s too big for this and I have to shift my position for both of us to be comfortable. But my brother is all I have left in this world for family and he just went through something massive. So, I let him cuddle up to me and pull his blanket over us as we watch one of his animated movies on TV. It’s one I’ve seen a million times with him so I let my mind drift as he slowly falls asleep.
I don’t have the heart to move him, so Karson naps in my lap when I should be getting ready for work. Or trying to figure out all the bills I have piling up. The rest of the house and everything else I can’t be bothered with right now. Bills and Karson are the only things I have to worry about at this very second. Nothing else matters to me and I’ll be damned if I let Bounce or anyone else get in the way of what I need to accomplish.
“You want me to move him?” Santana asks me.
“No, he’s good here,” I answer her.
“Look, Syd, I know you think you’re all you got in this world. I have your back and I’m pretty sure Bounce, Heaven, and the rest of the Kings Vengeance MC has your back too. It’s not you and Karson against the fucking world. Let us in, all the way in, and help you,” Santana says, her voice pleading and tears shimmering in her eyes.
“You won’t look at me the same if you knew my story. I’m not ready to share that much with you just yet. It’s the one thing I’ve held back from you and I know you’ll hightail it as far away as you can get once you know. Just give me a little bit of time. Please?” I ask her.
“Syd, you’re not getting rid of me. I don’t care what your past is; it’s the past and not who you are right now. Now, you’re an amazing woman who’s doing a great job raising her little brother and putting her life on hold to make sure he has everything he needs. You live in a shithole because you can’t afford anything better and won’t let anyone help you get out. Syd, you’re stubborn as hell and someone I’m proud to call my friend and sister from another mister. I love ya, bitch,” Santana tells me, both of us crying now.
“Thanks, slut. I’ll tell you my full story one day. I just need some time. And I’m working on the rest. I know it’s not Karson and me against the world. But you’re the only person who truly has my back. Not the club, Heaven, or Bounce. He got what he wanted from me and there’s nothing else there,” I tell her. “Now, I’m going to lay him down on the couch so I can get ready for work. I’ll have to start setting my alarm so I can get up earlier than I did today.”
“Don’t worry about that. Karson and I had fun this morning,” she tells me.
“That may be, but I’m not going to lose out on time with him. Not like today,” I answer her. “These are the best years we’ll have and I don’t want to miss a second of them.”
“I get where you’re coming from,” she says.
I gently get up and lay Karson down on the couch. He stirs slightly and then settles back down. Once I tuck his blanket back up around him, I walk in my bedroom and get my clothes for the day. Today I’m wearing a pair of jeans and a halter top. People are going to see more skin when I’m on stage tonight, so I shouldn’t be concerned. I’ll throw a light jacket on over my shirt when Bounce gets here. It’s going to suck ass in the heat already beating down on us, but I’m not going to risk getting hurt worse if something happens.
As soon as my shower is done, I brush out my hair and braid it. I’ll be able to tuck it up once I’m ready to put my wig on. There’s no point in putting any make-up on because it’s just going to melt off my face. So, I brush my teeth and pull my clothes on before heading back out to the living room.
Coming out of the hallway, I stop dead in my tracks when I see Bounce sitting on the couch with Karson sitting in his lap. Karson seems to like Bounce for some reason and I’m not sure why. Bounce seems comfortable as hell while he holds my brother. It’s not a look I’m used to seeing on him; holding a child.
Every other time Bounce has been here, he’s talked to Karson and included him, but he’s kept his distance. He’s never held him or let him get close enough to climb on his lap. I’m not sure what changed today, but this is a sight I could get used to seeing.
Shaking my head, I let the thoughts of Bounce permanently in our life go. It’s a pipe dream that’s never going to happen. So, there’s no point going down that road. Ever.
“Ready to go?” Bounce asks me.
“Almost.”
Walking into my room, I grab my things and stuff them in a backpack instead of the duffle bag. It will be easier to carry on the bike. As I walk back out into the living room, Karson is now sitting on the couch by Santana.
“I’ll be home later on,” I tell Karson. “I love you, little man.”
Karson kisses my cheek and goes back to watching his movie. Bounce and I head out the door after a hug from Santana and saying goodbye once more. His bike is parked where my car was yesterday and I look at the sleek machine as we get close to it.
On the tank are skulls and roses airbrushed so you can only see them if you’re looking for them. The sun has to be hitting the tank just right in order to make out what you’re looking at. Chrome and black are the only colors on the bike since the designs are made to blend into the paint job. Kings Vengeance colors are the only other designs on the bike. It’s on the front and back fenders and the gas cap.
“You ready?” Bounce asks as I look at his bike in the daylight.
“Uh, yeah, sorry,” I answer.
Today he hands me a helmet and helps me latch the strap once it’
s on my head. Bounce gets on the bike without a helmet. He just ties his bandana around the lower half of his face and slides his sunglasses down over his eyes. I get on behind him and wrap my arms around his muscled body again. My chest is pressed to his back as he starts the engine and pulls out of the makeshift driveway.
It’s just about time for my first dance of the night. I’m honestly not sure I’m ready to be working the night shift since I haven’t worked a single day shift, but Heaven put me on the rotation. So, I go with the flow and get ready for my first dance. I’ll have two tonight. In between, I’ll be out meeting customers and helping the waitresses. Heaven and Gabby are the only two on tonight. That’s not good for a Friday night.
I’ve done my make-up the way the girls told me to the other day. The wig is in place and I’m about to put on my outfit for the first dance. I’m wearing a black halter tube top with hidden buttons down the side; makes it easy to get off quickly. There’s a leather mini skirt that doesn’t hide much of my ass, but since I’ll be down to a G-string shortly it’s not like it matters. White angel wings are over my shoulders and will be the first thing I remove.
My hair is curled and the make-up is done light other than my smokey as hell eyes. I’ve got red heels on that accentuate my long legs and make them look even longer. I’m nervous as hell to be going out in front of the crowd dressed like this. Even more nervous to be stripping down to my G-string and pasties covering my nipples.
“You ready to go?” Bounce asks, sticking his head in the door.
“Oh, um, yeah,” I murmur back, taking one last look in the mirror before turning toward him.
“Fuck!” I hear him mutter as I walk toward the door.
“You okay?” I ask him, breezing past the man.
“I’m good.”
Bounce walks away and lets me head to the stage myself. I pass Tonya and Heaven on the way there and they offer me smiles of encouragement and a few words.