Meyah (The Club Girl Diaries Book 9)

by Addison Jane

  I placed my hand over my heart and rubbed at it. It sounded sad. My heart kind of hurt for this woman who was forced into a life she never wanted, and how it made her this ugly human.

  “So when Mom showed up that day to tell you she was going away, why didn’t Josie just pass on the message and see this as her out and her way to move on?” I asked curiously, to which Ripley snorted.

  “Because she wanted to make everyone’s life hell, and she wasn’t about to let him get away with meeting someone he might actually end up caring about, and being happy when she was already in this deep pit of hell and couldn’t see any way out.”

  I didn’t like the woman—hell, I didn’t even know the damn woman—but for a moment, my heart actually felt for her, and I didn’t feel so angry. She’d been dealt a real shitty hand. One she couldn’t escape no matter how much she or Huntsman tried.

  Following dreams was so important. So was being the person you wanted to be and making your own choices about life. Because if people really cared about you, they would support you no matter what you wanted to do, and they would love you anyway.

  Which is why I was so lucky to have Ham. Yeah, things were going to be hard, but he’d made it clear he wasn’t going to stop me from following my heart, and that we would make it work. And I knew that for sure. Nothing could stop us now.

  “It was all a fucking mess,” Huntsman carried on. “I hated it. She hated it. But we both thought that was just how it was fucking done.”

  Ripley sat looking at the table, drawing in the condensation on the side of his bottle. Even with his harsh words about his mom, it was hard to feel anger and hate toward someone who was a part of you. And whether she was a bitch or not, she still fed him, bathed him, nurtured him, and whether it was the right way or not, that didn’t change.

  “I’m really sorry things were like that,” I murmured. “I wish she’d been given a chance to make something more out of her life. It should never be like that. We should always be allowed to make our own choices.”

  Huntsman nodded as I spoke.

  “And that’s why Drake lives his life the way he does, and why Dad has never forced him to choose.”

  I raised my eyebrow at Ripley. “Okay, and who is Drake?”

  Huntsman chuckled. It was a sound I wasn’t sure I was ever going to get used to, given it was so rare, but every time I heard it, it felt strangely comforting. “Drake is your other brother. Ripley is the younger of the two.”

  Oh, right! Another brother.

  I’d spent the past two days trying to keep up with the number of club members coming and going.

  “So where is Drake?” I asked curiously.

  “He’s in China trying to secure a contract for a new building. The club owns a construction company. A big one. Drake prospected for the club, but essentially chose to run the company for the most part,” Ripley explained, surprising me.

  “Wow,” I beamed. “So he’s a patched member, but he’s not?”

  “We’ve learned over the years that you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. Drake’s part of the club, but he decided to split his time with that taking precedent. And for us, it works well not to have to take business meetings or even have the companies we work with know that over half the employees of the company are club members.”

  It was a smart move really. When you have a reputation like the Exiled Eight do, people tend to steer clear of anything to do with them businesswise because they’re seen as criminals. But with Drake taking the head man space, they had the benefit of a front man who looked the part and sounded like he knew his shit.

  “I guess I won’t be meeting him on this visit then,” I noted, surprisingly disappointed. I couldn’t wait to meet him. To see if he was much different to these guys, or if he was really just a biker dressed in a suit.

  I looked over, seeing the corner of Huntsman’s mouth curl upward. “Yeah, he’s away for a few weeks, but next time?”

  The question almost sounded hopeful, and I couldn’t help but smile back at my father and nod. “Yeah, next time.”

  “Meyah!” Dakota rushed over and swung her arms around my neck from behind. “The boys are going down to the strip. Let’s go out.”

  I started to laugh, even more so when Huntsman started to shake his head like he was going to argue.

  “I’ll go with them. Make sure they’re okay,” Ripley offered, and both Dakota and I froze for a second and looked over at him. He rolled his eyes as he got to his feet. “Look, I’ve never had a sister, and I kinda think you’re okay, all right? It’ll be nice to have someone else to keep this asshole on his toes.”

  He poked his thumb at Huntsman who glared up at his youngest son. “Fine, but you fucking watch them like hawks, the lot of you.”

  “You see her shoot that gun, pops?” Ripley grinned. “I think she can handle herself.”

  “Uh… yeah, she can,” Dakota reiterated, pulling me from my chair.

  “No boys,” Huntsman growled as he followed suit.

  “Meyah has a boyfriend, so that’s oka—” I put my hand over her mouth and pulled her with me toward our rooms. Huntsman had us a room made up with two beds right next door to his. It was kind of sweet in his kind of way.

  The instant Huntsman and Ripley heard boyfriends, their eyes lit up and they followed.

  “Boyfriend?” Ripley challenged.

  I stopped and huffed out an annoyed breath, Dakota smiling up at me, but in a way that screamed ‘oops, my bad.’ “Look. I don’t need either of your permission to have someone who is important to me. We aren’t talking about it. Yes, I have a man. Yes, I love him. Yes, we’ve been together for a while. And yes, he’s worthy. Done.”

  “Not done,” Huntsman argued, but I held up my hand.

  “Yes, done. I appreciate the worry, or just the protectiveness, but trust me when I say he will pass every damn test you try to set him, and you will not break him.”

  I could see the fierce way they both wanted to challenge me, but also the curiosity that was in their eyes.

  The fact was, Ham had proven himself and his loyalty. It just wasn’t to this club, which I knew was going to be a problem later, but which didn’t impact on me getting to know this part of me. Not yet.

  This was my time to catch up on years that had been stolen from me.

  And I was going to make them count.

  “And how exactly did you think you were going to get into any fucking place in Vegas without being twenty-one or at least having a fucking fake ID?” Ripley asked as he pulled open the door to the burger joint we’d found downtown.

  I stepped past him, rolling my eyes. “Beauty and charm?” I suggested.

  “And where might you have those things stashed? They hiding in your handbag?”

  I held up my middle finger as I continued to walk toward a booth in the corner, Dakota giggling softly behind me.

  We hadn’t really thought about going out, to be honest. I figured if we were going to drink, we’d probably just do it at the clubhouse, but when Dakota suggested going out, I couldn’t say no after the few trips we’d done down the strip during the day—the atmosphere was too electric to turn down.

  “They look about our age,” Dakota said, pointing to a group of girls across the other side of the diner as I slipped into the booth. A few of the girls appeared as if they had already had one drink too many. “I’m gonna go over there and ask if they know of any places we might be able to get in.”

  Ripley slipped in the other side, while the boys that were with us followed Dakota to the table of drunk girls.

  A waitress popped up and took our order before zipping away again, looking a little disheveled.

  “Where’d you learn to shoot?” I looked up, finding Ripley staring at me intently. We still weren’t on great terms, but I guess I was starting to learn why he was the way he was.

  With a mom who didn’t show a lot of interest and died early on, and a dad who obviously cared but didn’t really like t
o show it—it wasn’t really surprising he was harsh and moody.

  “My uncle’s ol—” I paused, reminding myself they didn’t know I came from a club background, so I cleared my throat instead. “My uncle’s wife, well… before she was my aunt. She worked with law enforcement for a while. I came home one day upset about a boy at school, she thought it might help me feel a little more empowered, and I really liked it.”

  “You’re really good,” he praised, and I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Thanks.”

  His fingers tapped on the table. I could tell he wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure why he was holding back. The impression I’d gotten from Ripley so far was that he didn’t hold his punches when it came to sharing what was on his mind.

  “Is this weird for you?” I asked, breaking the awkward silence, trying to prompt him to talk to me. I wanted to get to know him. I’d never had a big brother before. It was new to me but also kind of exciting.

  I had all these uncles back home who would do anything for me, but it had only been in the last year or so that I’d finally had them in my life. I couldn’t help but wonder what things would have been like if they’d been different.

  What if I’d had Ripley around growing up? Would he have beaten up the boys at school who looked at me funny? Or driven me crazy by hooking up with my friends? I wanted to know what kind of brother he was.

  This was new to both of us, and I wondered if he was thinking the same.

  “Weird? Maybe… a little. I dunno,” he grumbled, leaning his head back on the tacky red leather seat. Taking a breath, he leveled his gaze on me again. This time I saw a vulnerability, something more open. “I’m confused, I guess. I don’t like to think about my dad cheating on my mom, which even in my head sounds fucking stupid because I don’t remember her ever doing anything that showed me she loved me.”

  “She was still your mom,” I commented quietly, understanding how he could be torn. “Do you think he could have done more to fight for her?”

  Ripley instantly shook his head, a frown pulling together his brow. “No. I don’t remember a lot. I was pretty young at the time. But I remember Dad and her arguing about how he just wanted Mom to be happy. And her telling him she never would be as long as she was there. He tried. And I guess I can’t blame him for finding someone who made him happy and just living in that moment.”

  That’s all it was, though, a moment.

  I didn’t see love sparkling in Huntsman’s eyes when he spoke about my mom. There was a fondness, happy memories, I guess, but they weren’t in love. Maybe she was his moment of escape, a chance to just be with someone who didn’t feel like they were forced into loving him and having his children.

  “You get along with your mom?” he asked, looking at me curiously.

  I wasn’t really sure what to tell him. My mom never let me do anything fun. My mom tried to keep me locked up out of fear of losing me. My mom was controlling and overbearing, and a little fucking judgmental—but I loved her anyway.

  “Things have been tense for a little while,” I admitted cautiously, watching my words. “She lost her parents young. She lost her sister a few years ago. She doesn’t really let a lot of people get close, and she likes to be a bit overbearing and protective.”

  “You miss her?”

  “I like having a bit of freedom and independence.”

  He smirked. “You miss your boyfriend?”

  “Annnddd I think we’re done here,” I laughed, making a show of looking over my shoulder and searching for our food.

  “When do I get to meet him?”

  I turned to face my new brother, my eyebrow raised in question. “You already playing that card? We’ve known each other for a hot minute, what makes you think you have a say?”

  His amused face dropped quickly, the serious straight lips returning as he looked me in the eye. “One thing you’ll learn about The Exiled, is that blood ties and loyalty are important. You’re my sister. And to be honest, you’re kind of growing on me.”

  I couldn’t help but feel a little warmer as I looked across the table at him. “You mean you’re kinda learning how awesome I am and not sure how you lived your life without me?”

  He chuckled, the sound reminding me a little of my… our dad. He shrugged. “Hey, you’re a better shot that half the boys in the club. I’ll take whatever bragging rights I can get.”

  Picking up the ketchup bottle from the center of the table, I threw it across at him with a grin on my face. He caught it just as Dakota slipped inside the booth beside me.

  Ripley’s playful attitude dropped instantly, and he moved out. “I’m gonna go round up these assholes so we can eat and get going.”

  He was gone in a blink, the moment between us over.

  But hopefully not the last.

  I had to admit, he was growing on me too. Especially now that I’d seen a slightly softer side.

  “So the girls said there’s a place downtown that’s really casual about checking ID’s, and will serve almost anyone if they like the looks of you,” Dakota said with a wide grin on her face. “You in?”

  I could really go for a drink and some fun.

  How could I come to Vegas and not either get drunk, get married, or gamble my life savings away?

  “Sounds like a plan,” I replied with a smirk, tugging down the front of my black dress to reveal a little more cleavage.

  “That’s my girl.”

  I followed Romeo’s lead, trying to play my part as best I could without wanting to punch this careered criminal in the throat. I was going to be a buyer. And while the thought made me feel like I wanted to vomit up my dinner, it was the only way we might somehow be able to get some kind of information out of this fucking sociopath.

  The club that Isiah owned had people lined up outside and down the block. It was obviously a popular place.

  “Looks like he throws good parties,” I commented as we moved past the line, toward an alley at the side of the building.

  “It’s not the parties people come here for,” Romeo commented quietly, keeping his eyes straight ahead. “It’s the cheap drugs and the girls.”

  It was like his words went in my ears and turned to ice. The chill starting at the base of my neck and traveling all the way down my spine caused my body to shudder. I already didn’t like this fucking place, but Romeo, he was in his element. This was his playground, and I realized that the moment we stepped up to the back door of the building and the two guards who were there almost lost their jaws to the floor for a moment. They coughed and cleared their throat awkwardly, each of them looking at the other as if they would know what they should say.

  Romeo just narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. “Can one of you dipshits get Isiah on the phone? I have some business to discuss with him.”

  The biggest guy, who looked like he was the most in control quickly dug around in his pocket, pulling out his cell phone and hitting one single button before putting it to his ear. “Sir, I have Romeo here asking to see you.”

  I tried not to shift nervously on my feet, trusting my little brother not to get us into a situation with one of the notoriously vile guys in the state. I knew what this bastard was capable of. We’d lost a brother because of him, and the dodgy fucking deals he was trying to make. I needed to keep a straight head, though, if I was going to help Romeo get the info he needed.

  “He will see you now, follow me.”

  I stepped forward behind Romeo, but before I could get through the doorway, a palm slammed against my chest. One of the guards was eyeing me with a sneer, obviously, now my brother had passed he’d found his balls.

  Romeo spun around, his eyes flashing.

  He opened his mouth to let them have it, but I quickly cut him off. “You better get your dirty fucking hand off me before I remove it from your body,” I threatened, not moving my head but just my eyes so I could see the bald-headed, ugly looking little shit.

  I couldn’t let Romeo protect me. Be
cause then I’d just look like a little bitch, not like a rich bastard looking to buy a house mouse.

  Baldy suddenly looked a little nervous, like he wasn’t sure whether he should take me seriously or not. The fact I was with Romeo gave me instant street creds—I can’t say that my brother would hang out with guys who liked to just play golf and hang out at the country club.

  “You got any weapons?” Baldy finally asked, withdrawing his hand from my chest.

  I snorted. “You think I’m gonna walk in here unarmed with all you stupid fuckers trying to prove you’ve got bigger balls than the average bulldog?” I saw Romeo clench his jaw like he was either trying to stop himself from telling me to shut the fuck up or trying to hold back a laugh. When Baldy didn’t respond, just looked at me like he wasn’t sure if I was speaking English, I finally put him out of his misery. “Yes, I have a gun, dipshit. No, I’m not giving it to you.”

  “I’ll vouch for him,” Romeo interrupted. “My friend here has a lot of enemies. I’m sure Isiah would hate to lose a sale just because he takes precautions to protect himself.”

  I rolled my shoulders, all three guards continuing to observe me, scrutinizing me—the way I was dressed, the way I was holding myself, anything that might make them suspicious.

  “Fine,” Baldy grated, finally stepping aside but keeping his eyes narrowed on me. “Kero will take you upstairs.”

  I stepped inside the building behind Romeo. “You’re gonna fuck this up if you don’t keep your smart mouth to a minimum,” Romeo hissed under his breath as we followed some bodybuilding looking guy with tribal tattoos all up his arms and neck toward a private elevator.

  The bassy music within the club vibrated through my body, the constant thud was enough to almost drive you fucking crazy. The sound was so low and so deep you could feel it right in your gut. And when there was no music over the top to disguise it, it became irritating and torturous.