“I know I didn’t make the best impression on you yesterday at Mallory’s. I wanted to offer to take you for lunch.”
“No thanks… you can go now.”
He puts his hands on his heart and drops his jaw. I have the strong feeling that no isn’t something he hears a lot. As arrogant as he was at Mallory’s, I want to say yes and beg him to take me away but her warning rings over and over again in my head.
“Wow you wound me, and here I thought you were so sweet.”
I shake my head and slide my headset on. I would much rather be at home curled in a chair with a good book and Rose. One of the reasons that Mallory and I clicked so fast was that we both loved to read. I found out fast when I walked into the office one day with a book in hand and she about tackled me to the floor wanting to read it.
“Goodbye, Boog… What kind of nickname is that anyway? Makes me think of that stupid bear in that movie.”
“I assure you I am no cute, cuddly bear. It’s short for Boogie Man,” he replies and winks.
I don’t know why, but I feel like my heart is trying to run a marathon out of my chest and my hands are so wet with sweat that I have to keep wiping them off on my jeans. He stands from the chair and walks towards the door. Once he makes it there he turns back to me and smiles his signature arrogant smile and walks out the door yet again leaving me with my mouth hanging open.
You would think that with me living here my whole life and knowing most of the town I would know all about Boog and his little club but my father worked really hard to keep me away from that crowd. I don’t know what they do that makes them so bad but whatever it is he is very certain that he wants me nowhere near them.
I lean back in my seat and run my hands down my jeans. We have only met twice and each time he makes me hate him and wet all at the same time. I shift in my seat a little and hold back the moan that threatens to come out as my jeans rub me in all the right places. It so wouldn’t be good for me to get a call right now and have to try to help someone.
I slide my phone off the desk and text Mallory.
Me: Boog was just in my office.
Mallory: Are you serious? He willingly walked into a police station? That’s a first! What did he want?
Me: To take me to lunch…
Mallory: Shit, listen, Britt, please I am begging you stay away from him.
Me: Mall, I didn’t go to him…which part of he was in MY office did you not understand?
Mallory: ik, I will see you in a few…k?
I type back a quick K and lay my phone back on the desk.
***
The rest of the day is just the same as all the others – quiet and uneventful. Mallory comes in when it’s her shift. I usually work nights but I go in during the day too if needed. Mallory’s hair is up again and she has no make up on. She doesn’t say much to me as I clock out and question her about her day. I soon find out why when I walk down the stairs of the station. Boog is standing against the rails leading to the parking lot with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
When he sees me he nods his head, smiles and looks away and that is all it takes for me to know I need to go home and take a cold shower. I never understood that saying until yesterday. But now I understand it all too well. Once I make it to the safety of my car I sit and watch Boog. Watching as he raises his arm to take the cigarette from his mouth and blow out a puff of smoke. I observe the body language of other people as they walk down the stairs and see him standing there. Some nod and say hello while others scrunch up their noses and shake their heads. He never once makes a remark back, never stands up for himself or tells them he’s a good guy.
Why is he even here? I fight with my emotions of going to talk to him and asking why he’s here or running home and staying as far away as possible. Finally, I crank my car and glance up at him as I drive away towards home.
I walk through the door and look around my quiet house. I have lived here for years and never thought about how dangerous the silence was. In the silence all your thoughts come out and you have time to talk about them and walk through them whereas if you were in a full house you would make your decision and go on with your day.
I shake my head and go take my shower. The water feels amazing on my skin. Once I’m out I get dressed and walk back towards the door. I don’t want to be stuck in the house the rest of the day and another TV dinner doesn’t sound that good for tonight.
Bucker Meal has been here for as long as I can remember. It’s exactly what you would think when you think about a café in Alabama. There are Alabama football memorabilia covering all the walls and each table has a fun fact about the team on top of it with photos to go along with it. It’s fun to read all the facts, unless you have lived here so long you know each one.
I walk to my normal table in the back beside the biggest window and sit down. I love sitting here and watching the town go on with life on the outside. I used to make up their lives when my parents would come here. Most of them were vampires and wolves. I giggle to myself and jump when the waitress comes to take my order. She looks out the window to find the source of my giggles and shakes her head when she finds nothing.
“What can I get ya today?”
“Bacon cheeseburger and fries.”
“Great choice and drink?”
“Coke.”
She writes down my order and goes to get my drink. I turn my attention back to the window. The town is getting ready for the parade that is coming in a few days. Our big Fourth of July parade. My dad will lead it with lights flashing and sirens blaring.
“Here you go.” The waitress slides my drink on the table in front of me.
The bell above the door dings and a man walks in with two others. All three of them look like what I can only describe as trouble. The first one is tall with hair so dark brown it’s almost black. He has on dark sunglasses. His hands are balled into fists at his side. The other two behind him have the same look of hate on each of their faces. They are about the same height as the first man and they look like they could be twins. Both have dirty blond hair, only one lighter than the other. All of them have on cuts but I can’t see the back to know which MC they belong to.
As weird as it sounds they make the hairs on my arms stand on end and my nerves feel scattered. Like something is fixing to happen and nothing I do will stop it.
The man in front looks around the room and nods his head towards the table in front of me. No one else in the restaurant seems to take notice of them. They are just another customer coming to get a burger. They all sit on the same side and wait.
The waitress who just took my order walks to their table and I hear them order their food. It feels so weird to me that no one else thinks there is something strange or unusual about them walking through the door like they own the place. The bell above the door dings again and my heart speeds up. Boog, Andrew and another guy walk in. They look around and spot the guys sitting in front of me and start walking towards them.
Boog’s eyes lock with mine and I can see the muscles in his jaw tense. The waitress picks that moment to bring my food and sets it in front of me. I give her a fake smile and continue to watch Boog. He sits in front of me and leans up as his cut raises in the back and I can see his gun tucked into the back of his pants.
“What are you doing here?” I hear Boog ask.
I can’t hear the others reply but I can tell by Boog’s body language that it isn’t anything he wants to hear. I wave to the waitress and ask for a to go plate, my appetite is gone and being alone in my house looks like heaven compared to being here. I can feel the tension rolling off Boog.
I pack my food in the to go box and walk out. The sound of Mallory’s warnings are playing over and over in my head and now have a new meaning of truth.
Chapter Four
I run to the kitchen and grab my phone off the counter.
“Hello?” I answer dabbing the water off my face.
“Britt, what the hell? What took you so long
?”
“I was in the shower, Mallory. What’s going on?”
“The club is having a cookout.”
“So you warn me to stay away and then you call and invite me to the club’s cookout?”
“Not my idea.” She lets go of a sigh.
“No thanks, Mallory, I have a burger from yesterday.”
“I heard.”
I shake my head and wrap the towel tighter around my body.
“Well enjoy your meal.”
I go to hang up the phone and hear her yelling my name.
“Brittney Ann!”
“What?!”
“Why are you so short with me?”
“You press into my head to stay away and I try but he keeps popping up all over the damn town. Which isn’t that big mind you. Then you call me and invite me to their clubhouse thing? You are so full of mixed signals you are making my head spin.”
I dry off and throw the towel on my bathroom floor promising myself to clean it up later.
“You don’t know how many times I have tried to walk away from Andrew. Do you know how many serious relationships I have seen Boog in? None. He takes women to his room, fucks them, and sends them on their way with their ego bruised thinking they would be the one to tame the Boogie Man. But for some reason he likes you after meeting you only one time.”
“So what do you want me to do, Mallory? Stay away or not pick a side and stay there.”
She’s quiet for so long I start to ask her if she’s still there when I hear her take a deep breath.
“Does it matter? I can’t control him. Just be ready in thirty.”
“I told you no.”
“Britt…”
“Fine fucking come get me and I will tell him myself.”
She sighs and hangs up the phone.
I look in my drawer and find one of my favorite shirts. It’s my go-to shirt for any occasion. I wear it when I am going out and don’t know what else to wear or when I just want to feel comfortable. Call it weird but the shirt works… sometimes.
The shirt is black with a big skull on the front of it. It has thin straps and one side hangs off my shoulder showing my white cami underneath. The sides are short with the front and back of the shirt hanging down like a short dress. I slide it on and take a small comfort in feeling it wrapped around me.
I put on a pair of white shorts and black sandals that wrap around my calves and up to my knees and make a bow in the back.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t at least trying to look pretty. I walk to the bathroom and put on makeup and curl my blonde hair that falls right below my shoulder blades. I keep my makeup simple just adding a little color above my green eyes and add a light shade of pink lip gloss. I have a beauty mark right below my lip on the left side. There was a rumor going around school that I used to paint it on. I think everyone finally gave up telling the same rumor about me over and over when the beauty mark never disappeared. By the time I am dressed and ready Mallory is knocking on my door. I take a deep breath and open the door. Mallory’s mouth drops as soon as she sees me.
“Kill him with hotness?”
Her words cause me to blush and I straighten my shirt just a little. She is dressed in a pair of black leggings and a red shirt that is longer in the back than it is in the front. It dips down a bit in the front showing cleavage that is accented by diamonds all around the neck of her shirt.
Mallory motions for me to follow her out the door and I feel like my heart is in my throat.
***
Mallory pulls up to the clubhouse and my heart feels like it is going to beat out of my chest. It reminds me of one of those movie scenes where the guy sees a girl he likes and his eyes bulge out of his head and his heart beats out of his chest. The parking lot is full and does nothing to help my nerves. Mallory walks around the car and holds out her arm for me to grab.
“You are going to be fine.”
She squeezes my arm and walks us towards the door. The building is big and gray with Masters of Destruction written above the door. Mallory opens the door and the noise floods out. I step in the door and it slams shut behind us causing me to jump.
It feels like the final period in a book after the words The End – there’s no going back, no changing things.
The inside of the clubhouse is nothing like what I thought it would be like. The walls are black with pictures of motorcycles and naked women. I figured that would be there. What I didn’t expect to see was motorcycles lining the wall – seven of them. A bar lines the far back wall with all the beer and liquor you could ever imagine. I spot Boog standing in front of the motorcycles talking to another woman. The type that you would picture a man like him with – tall, leggy, and big boobs.
I shake my head and walk past him towards the bar with Mallory to where Andrew is standing.
“Hey,” Andrew says when we make it to him.
He wraps his arms around Mallory and kisses her. They look cute together. She looks happy with him. He pulls away from her and turns his attention to Boog. When I look in his direction, he continues to talk to the girl in front of him his eyes never leaving her face. He has to know that I am here. He’s the one that told Mall to bring me. Andrew shakes his head and walks to the back of the bar passing Mallory and I a beer.
“Come on, I think they are going to make food soon I will introduce you to the other guys.” Andrew walks back around the bar and takes Mallory’s hand.
A group of guys are standing by a wall full of naked women. They all turn and look at us when we walk up.
“Guys, you all know Mallory, this is her friend Britt. Britt, this is Temper, Tango, Slate and Marco.” He points at each of them as he introduces me. I smile and nod to each one and accept their handshakes suddenly feeling like I am under a microscope with their eyes roaming my body from head to toe.
I realize Temper is the one who was with Andrew and Boog when they came to the restaurant. He is about the same height as me with brown hair that looks like he does the head flip to slide it to the side of his face. Tango is a little taller than Temper and his hair is cut so short it looks like he is bald. When he smiles you can see small dimples in each of his cheeks and one in the center of his chin. I don’t know why he is called Tango but if I was the one handing out nicknames I would have called him dimples. Marco is tall with jet black hair, a mustache and hazel eyes that just seem to catch your attention.
After a few seconds they break off into their own conversations and Mallory and I each go sit on a barstool, closer to the drinks I know I am going to need tonight.
There are various guys in cuts that say prospect on the back and doing things like getting drinks, cleaning the messes off the floor and anything else that needs to be done. I watch each of them and wonder which one is Seth or if his mom actually won and he took it off and gave it back.
“I’ll be right back.” Mallory slides off her barstool and goes to Andrew.
The clubhouse is also full of women walking around in clothes that are so small on them that if they got any smaller they might as well have been walking around naked. I can hear my mom now talking about how their momma’s should have busted their asses and made them go back inside to change. I was never even allowed to wear a spaghetti strap shirt. Boog catches my eye and I watch as the girl he’s been talking to since I walked in runs her hand along his arm and leans in close. He smiles and whispers something in her ear. I know I have no room to be jealous or be hurt at what he is doing and as much as I try not to I can’t help it.
“Hey want another beer?” one of the prospects asks.
“Yeah thanks.”
He slides me another beer and walks off without another word. I look around the room and realize Mallory is right. I don’t belong here. As much as I like the sound of a motorcycle and love riding I don’t want to be here any longer. Boog may have wanted me here but if his reason was so he could show me that he didn’t have to chase me then point taken by all means, don’t bother. I sigh and sli
de off the stool in search of Mallory.
I find Temper and Tango standing where I left them.
“Hey, have y’all seen Mallory?”
“She and Andrew went to the rooms upstairs. You good?” Temper says.
“Yeah, thanks. Just need fresh air.”
I don’t even give him time to respond, I just turn and walk towards the door and walk past Boog and his friend of the night.
There are more people outside and the smell of food fills the air. The yard of the clubhouse has areas set up with lawn chairs and tables before the makeshift parking lot. I walk to the one table that no one is sitting at and drink my beer. I know I can’t drink and drive being a cop’s daughter – I can hear my father yelling now.
My cell phone dings a text message so I pull it from my pocket and find a text from Mallory.
Mallory: WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?
Me: Outside……
I look up and see her run out the door looking around until she spots me and motions for me to come back inside.
“Why are you out here?”
“I told Temper to tell you. I couldn’t find you.”
“Sorry. I was just talking with Andrew. You ready to eat?”
“No thanks. How are we getting home?”
“We aren’t going tonight, Britt, we have all been drinking.”
“And where am I supposed to sleep?” I ask the sound of my voice rising.
She looks to the ground and kicks invisible rocks with her feet.
“Mallory?”
“Upstairs… there are rooms up there.”
“Are you kidding me? You brought me and knew we wouldn’t be going home?”
“I’m sorry, Britt. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Fuck you, Mallory. Show me to a damn room then.”
She holds the door open and waits for me, then lets it slam yet again behind us. When we walk in Boog and his friend are gone. Mallory turns right and starts up the stairs. When we get to the top there is a hallway full of doors. She walks to the last room on the left side and holds open the door.
“This one has the best bed. Better go ahead before someone else claims it. All the doors lock so no one can come in on you. The bathroom is right there,” she informs me and points to the door straight across the hall.
Destruction (Masters of Destruction Book 1) Page 2