“I forgot how polite small towns are.” I took her answer as a yes and sat down.
“I like your tattoo. Can I see the top of it?” I nodded to her right arm.
She held her arm out to the side and pushed her sleeve up, revealing a peacock feather. The intricate tattoo started on the side of her pinky with the feather quill and made its way up her arm. At the top of her arm, just below the shoulder, was the black and yellow rimmed eye of the feather with its beautiful wavy blue and green strands wrapped around her arm and covering her shoulder.
“It’s beautiful. Did Ink do it?”
“Who’s Ink?”
I smiled. “That would be a no then. Ink is hard to forget. He owns the tattoo shop in town.”
“No, I got this in Denver. Is this Ink any good? I’ve been thinking of getting a new piece. I may stop in and look at some of his work.”
“You should. He painted that,” I said, pointing to the phoenix that covered the black wall. Her face said it all as she studied the flaming bird. “Tell him I sent you when you go in.” She nodded and took a bite of her burger, moaning at the flavor. “Hannah makes amazing burgers.”
“Yes, she does. I haven’t been back since Christmas last year – and even then – I left the next day. How long has this place been here?”
“We reopened a few months ago.”
“Reopened?”
“Yeah, we had someone break in and destroy the place after our first day of business.”
“That sucks.”
“Yes, it does.” We chatted a few more minutes about nothing big, then I excused myself. “Well, my break is over. I just wanted to say hi, since you were eating alone. The meal is on the house today, call it a welcome home lunch.” I started to walk off. “Oh, and I’m Ember, by the way.
“I’m Vic. Thank you for lunch.”
“You’re welcome.”
After she left, I went to bus the table. There was a tip for far more than what the meal actually cost. I went ahead and put the money into the restaurant and gave Piper the rest of the tip. “Who was she?”
“Her name was Vic. She left me a tip big enough to cover the meal since I told her it was on the house as a welcome home.” Piper stiffened beside me. “What’s up?” I asked noticing the change in her.
“Nothing. It’s nothing. So, I was thinking about the Halloween party. I need to get off early that day.”
“Sure, I’ll get you covered, if not by one of the club girls, I’m sure a blow job would convince Titan to play waiter for a few hours.” I winked and grinned at her. Subconsciously, I licked my lips at the fun of convincing Jason to help out. Hell, all I probably had to do was ask, but why deny myself the pleasure of persuading him. Piper didn’t even crack a smile, she looked torn. “Everything ok?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” She forced a smile and went to bus an already clean table. Something about Vic’s presence here threw Piper, but I had no idea why.
The drive went fairly quickly, all things considered. We followed Stone and the guys to Arlington, where we spent the night, planning out the hit with him and Bishop. Every detail was planned out, like a game of chess. Thanks to Hack, we had a detailed accounting of his daily movements. Hell, we even had his favorite restaurant and the members-only titty bar he frequented. He wasn’t going to be able to turn without us telling him which way to go.
“Hack, you’re doing great. I need one more thing before you come home,” I said into the speaker, with everybody at the table listening intently. “It’s more personal, and you aren’t going to like it.”
“What?”
“I’m going to call Philip Worthington. I’m going to go ahead and get you a position in his company. Find out whatever you can about McKenzie’s kid.”
“Fuck, I thought you were joking when you said that shit.”
“I was joking then, I’m not now, Dylan. I need to know the kid is ok and in good hands.”
“I’m not seducing her fucking mother,” Hack mumbled, but we all heard it.
“I don’t care how you do it; hacking her computer, monitoring them like you did Richards. I don’t care. I’ll owe you one.” I didn’t give out markers easily, but this was for McKenzie. Asking Hack to invade a good person’s life this way went against the moral code by which Hack lived. If the person was like Richards, there were no issues with bringing skeletons out, but invading someone’s life that didn’t ask for it and didn’t have it coming to them, wasn’t something Hack did.
“Fine.” The line went dead, and I made my next call.
“Worthington.”
“I need a favor.”
“Titan, this isn’t a good time. I’m on a way to a board meeting.”
“Then I’ll make this quick. I need you to put a man on the inside of your company for me. I’ve got somebody in New York keeping an eye on McKenzie’s daughter. We found out that her adoptive mother works at your company.”
“McKenzie has a kid?”
“Yes. Now, I need to know that she’s safe. We need to put someone in your accounting department, Hack is already out there keeping an eye on the kid.”
“No. You aren’t putting someone in my company. I will, however, find out what you need to know.” I gave Worthington the name of her mother in the accounting department.
“I know her. I didn’t know she adopted her daughter, but I know her. She’s quiet, very efficient and good at her job. I’ll talk to her, find out what you want to know.”
“Can you meet the kid?”
“I’ll try.”
“Invite her and her family to dinner at the Liberty Hotel off Eighth Street.”
“I need a reason to do this. I can’t just out of nowhere ask her and her family to join me. There has to be a reason for it.”
“So find one. You won’t put one of us on the inside, so you are all we have.”
I heard him chuckle. “So, the caveman thing works for you guys. It’s a wonder you guys ever got Abby and McKenzie.”
“Worthington, it’s not too late for me to kick your ass.”
“You could try and you may succeed, but not before I get a few hits of my own in. I’m not just another business man in a suit, Titan. Don’t underestimate me.”
“Get her to the hotel with the kid. I’ll owe you.” I hung up with a little more respect for Worthington. He was right about one thing, I shouldn’t underestimate him.
Hack was relieved to be off the hook when I called back. “He wouldn’t let you in the company. Not that I blame him, you’re a hot mess.”
“Fuck you, asshole.”
“Be in the bar at the hotel, discreetly snap a few pictures. That’s all you need to do, Worthington will do the rest.”
“How’d you get him to do that?”
“When I told him I needed a man on the inside of his company to get close to the mother, he said no and volunteered to do it himself, like I figured he would.”
“Great. Hotel bar. I can do that. Where are y’all at?”
“We’re in Tennessee, we’re stopping for dinner and coffee. We should be in Pennsylvania tomorrow morning. Did you call Stone’s friends?”
“Yes. They know y’all are on your way, but they don’t know what for. Just let me in on the story, so I know what I need to go with.”
“Keep it close to the truth. We’re simply finding and checking in on McKenzie’s daughter. They don’t need to know anything else of what we’re up to.”
“Ok. I’ll make the call. See y’all when you get here.”
“Yep. Later.” I hung up the phone, my mind going over everything, every angle.
“Hack ready?”
“Yeah. Always.”
We swapped seats again in Nashville. Legend was sleeping in the back while I drove, the music low, and the hills and valleys stretching in front of me. I set the cruise control, but still I was tempted to step on the gas. Going just under the speed limit was annoying as fuck. Cars and
trucks were passing me on their way to wherever they were headed. I fought the urge to speed up, putting miles behind us, barely keeping myself in check.
We had just passed into Ohio, when the burn phone rang. “Hello?”
“What happened to your phone?” McKenzie’s voice came through the line.
“It’s turned off.”
“Oh.”
“What are you doing?”
“I just got to the house. Declan is asleep already, Piper is having a few drinks tonight, so I’m babysitting.”
“Babysitting Declan.” I paused, looking over to see Legend sitting up, tension in his shoulders as he listened in. “That has to be fun. Did you wear him out?”
“Yes. We had fun. He’s a good kid.”
“Are you staying there tonight or headed back to the clubhouse?”
“Probably staying here. I’m watching movies and drinking some wine, so I’ll just crash in my old room. Where are you?”
“Taking care of club business.”
“I miss you.”
“Miss you too, baby. How was work today?”
“It felt good to be back full time. I split the time being in the kitchen with Hannah and on the floor with Piper and the other girls. Erin came in today looking for a job.” She paused like there was more she wanted to say, but she held back. “Becky is working out really good in the bar. Piper and I went in to have a few drinks after work. Piper stayed, and I came back to relieve Anita.”
“That’s great. Are you going to hire Erin?”
“Not sure. I want to see how everything is running over the next couple of days to see if we do need to hire another server. I definitely don’t want her in the bar.”
“Why’s that?”
“She hits on anything breathing that she finds visually appealing. I’m afraid it would cause problems.”
“It might. Your business, your choice. I’ll support you and your decision.”
“You aren’t mad, since she’s club?”
“No, and she’s not technically club either. There’s only two ways a woman can be patched. One is to marry into it and get patched in as an old lady.”
“And the other?”
“Has only been done one other time.”
“You aren’t going to tell me?”
“No, baby. I’m not. It’s not my story to tell. Anyway, club girls are just that, club girls. They get a roof over their head, food, and security. They’re taken care of, and are treated with respect, just like the Old Ladies, but they aren’t as tied to the club.”
“So, they’re basically prostitutes?”
Fuck, I didn’t want to go into this right now. “That’s one way of looking at it, but it’s not how we look at it. They are still family, McKenzie. Every one of the girls came to the club for a reason, they need the club for something as much as the guys like having easy access to sex. Think of it like a devoted friends with benefits relationship.” I looked over at Legend who was shaking his head. I flipped him off which made him laugh.
“Before I head to bed, I’ve got one more question for you.”
“Ok.”
“If things were reversed, would you be able to be friends with a man that I repeatedly slept with?”
She had me there. No. I would want to chop his balls off, and if he ever got within ten feet of her or touched her, I’d want to kill him. “No, I wouldn’t, honey. Which is why you choose whether Erin works at the restaurant or not, like you and Phoenix chose to hire Becky. It’s your business, not mine, not the club’s. Yours. Obviously, you’ve worked past your issues with Becky.”
“That’s different.”
“Why?”
“She reached out, is friendly, and is interested in someone else. Erin, isn’t. She still looks at you like a popsicle she can’t wait to get another taste of.”
“You don’t have to be worried or jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
I noticed she didn’t deny being worried, and I chose not to acknowledge it. I would put her worries and fears to rest when I got back home. We talked a few more minutes before I told her goodnight and hung up. Legend hadn’t gone back to sleep.
“Let’s get this done fast. I need to get back.”
“Do you think Legend heard?” Piper grinned as she poured another shot of tequila.
“Yes, but I want to know why.”
Piper grunted. “He drives me crazy.” She downed the shot and grabbed a wedge of salted lime, sucking the bitter juice. “He’s sexy as hell, but he knows it. He thinks he’s God’s gift to women, and by what he’s packing, he’s probably right…” She was more than a little drunk, going on and on about why she couldn’t stand Legend, then excusing whatever offense she listed.
I just sat back, sipping the wine and listening. I didn’t completely lie to Titan about the drinks. We had gone to the bar after getting off work, but I was only gone a few minutes before Piper. She just went to grab her bag before heading back home. I beat her here and relieved Anita. Declan did have fun, just not with me.
“Why don’t you give the guy a chance? He seems nice enough. He was good with Declan the one time I saw him around him.”
“He’s a jerk. That day I was dancing, he was demanding to know who exactly I’d been dancing for.” Her voice rose with indignation. “Can you believe the audacity? Like he has a right to know all my actions when he’s fucking a whole club of women.”
“You didn’t see what he did when you walked out of the restaurant with Roper the other night. I did.”
“What did he do?”
“Roper was sporting a busted lip when he left. That doesn’t seem like a man that doesn’t care, especially since these men are used to sharing their women.”
Piper’s gray eyes got huge. “Sharing?”
“Ummm, yeah.” Dammit, I shouldn’t have said anything. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I was having a hard time wrapping my own head around what went on inside the club. Enlightening Piper, needed to be done by someone who was really on the inside. “The other night at the restaurant, when you and Legend were outside arguing, Titan and I went upstairs and watched as two of the guys fucked two of the club girls.” I left names out, not wanting to create any more tension. “It was hot. I’d never experienced anything like that. Before they were even done, Titan was pulling me into the next room.” I couldn’t help the grin on my face and the fluttering in my core when I thought about him.
“That good, huh?”
“You have no idea.” I smiled and took a long sip of my wine, savoring the taste of it on my tongue. We continued talking, long into the night, refilling our glasses several times. I knew we were going to regret it tomorrow when we worked, but we just couldn’t find it in ourselves to care. I missed Titan, and Piper, I suspected, was trying to not think about what Legend might be doing in Arlington.
The sound of a camera shutter woke me, the flash that accompanied it made me groan. “Jerk.” I muttered. I felt someone move behind me, and my eyes flew open, then slammed shut at the offensive sunlight coming through the blinds. Vaguely, I heard a beeping noise, and realized someone was in the room with us. I opened my eyes to see Chink texting and grinning from ear to ear.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, though in my ears I could have sworn I was roaring at him.
“Oh, just texting Legend and Titan a picture of you two spooning down here.” He winked at me, but what he said didn’t compute.
“Mommy.” Declan came running into the living room and came to the couch. His volume was in no way controlled and I winced as he shouted for Piper, who groaned behind me, she tightened her arm around my waist and mumbled for me to go back to sleep, calling me Declan. He squealed and giggled.
“Oh hell,” I moved Piper’s arm and ran toward the downstairs bathroom. This is the second time in a matter of days that I’ve gotten drunk off my ass and ended up worshiping the toilet god. “I’m never drinking again,” I groaned, co
mpletely aware that I said the same thing last time. I heard a phone ringing from the other room, but I ignored it, taking deep breaths to calm my rolling stomach.
A soft knock sounded on the door. “You ok in there?” Piper’s voice came through. She sounded tired, but not hung over at all.
“Yes.” I opened the door and curled my lip in disgust. She already had her hair in a knot on her head and her jogging clothes on. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What?”
“I look and feel like death warmed over and you’re going for a run? That shit is just not fair. I officially hate you.” I leaned against the door frame, not sure I could walk any further without throwing up again.
“Your phone is going off. Titan’s called three times since you’ve been in there.” My phone started going off again. “Four.”
I looked at Piper and tried to smile, but it hurt too much. “How many times has your phone gone off?”
The smile she gave me was downright devious. “None. I blocked his number.”
“Dammit, Piper,” I said, torn between laughing or groaning in pain and misery as nausea assailed me. “Why aren’t you as miserable as me? You had more to drink than I did.”
“Because I don’t get hangovers. I’ve drunk many people under the table and still woken up in better shape than them. You aren’t the first, and you won’t be the last, I’m sure.”
“I really hate you. If I didn’t need you so much, I’d fire your ass,” I said as she walked away, waving.
My phone went off again, and I finally picked it up. “Yeah?” I grumbled.
“So, I’m gone one night and already you’re finding someone to replace me.” Titan’s voice came through the phone loud and clear. It was like a damn missile sounding in my ear.
“I’m going to kill Chink. You will have one less brother when you come back, Titan.”
“Go easy on him, baby, it’s a hot picture. If Legend wasn’t sitting here glaring at me, I’d have a few suggestions.”
“I would roll my eyes at you, but they hurt too much right now.”
“I think I’ll be keeping that picture.”
“I didn’t have any doubt. Where are you this morning?”
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