“What the hell have you done now, Ryker?” she asked as she approached.
“Nothing, I swear,” he replied with a grin. “I’m helping this one.”
“You can’t leave my girls alone, can you?” she snapped. “I told you if you bother any of them at work, you couldn’t have your meetings here anymore.”
“He didn’t bother me,” I told Mel and wondered just how many girls he’d bothered in the past and why it angered me so much to think of it. “He saved me from a guy in the alley. And he was just leaving.”
I stared pointedly at him with that last sentence. I was irrationally pissed off at the thought of him fucking around with the dancers and I didn’t care that my ankle was still sore and his hands felt so god damned good on it.
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere, kitten,” he chuckled and slid his chair slightly closer until my foot was resting on his thick upper thigh. I gasped when I felt the huge ridge of his erection under the fabric of his jeans and could barely look him in the eye as my cheeks flared red. “I don’t think you really want me goin’ anywhere anyhow, do you?”
Chapter Four
“I told Jake to handle the garbage on his own,” Mel said. “We’ve had nothing but trouble in this neighborhood and the local police aren’t exactly keen to help a strip club keep safe.”
“It’s a bad area,” Ryker agreed. “You know, we could help you out with security if you need it.”
Mel looked him up and down, her age wizened face wrinkling into a scowl. “You know I can’t afford your particular brand of security. I’m just barely staying above water as it is.”
Ryker stared at her for a moment, then turned back to me. “I have an idea,” he said. “My club will offer protection if you let us meet here a night or two a week. After hours of course, but with Margot here serving us.”
Mel’s face lit up and she glanced nervously in my direction. “I can’t guarantee that. Margot is her own person and I can’t order her to stay past her regular shift to handle your rowdy lot.”
Her eyes were pleading though; I knew she needed this. The club was located in a terrible area and it was getting more and more dangerous for girls to even leave after the night was over. The nearest bus stop was four blocks away and taxis wouldn’t come down here anymore. Hiring private car services for the girls was getting expensive for Mel.
“What gang did you say you were?” I asked Ryker out of curiosity.
“Motorcycle club, not gang. And it’s Hell’s Warrior,” he replied. I suppressed a shudder, I’d heard of them. Of course I’d heard of them, they were infamous for being one of the more dangerous criminal organizations in our city.
“I would have to serve the whole club?” I asked with my throat going dry again at the thought of what that entailed. I looked at the table full of bikers near the stage and once again tried to suppress a shudder.
“Just me, kitten,” he replied with a lazy smile.
“And no stripping?” I asked tentatively.
“Only when you want to, and in private,” he replied in an even tone without looking away.
Mel’s expectancy hung heavy in the air and I had to admit I was intrigued. I blew a limp curl of hair out of my face and said, “Fine. I’ll do it.”
“Excellent,” Mel said with a laugh. She clapped her hands and said, “I’ll go tell the girls. I had a couple of them threatening to quit and go work for Mason’s after they heard about Margot here.”
Tawny had been hanging around the background and piped up, “I was one of them. I was so scared when I heard about my roomie here. But if you’re going to be protecting us, I’ll have to stick around.”
She slid her hand onto Ryker’s arm and hooked it there as she leaned towards him, pressing her breasts against him.
I was waiting for it once more, the moment he realized that a stunning horny woman was hanging off his equally stunning arm. The moment he forgot about me, pretty in my own right but not Tawny’s level of beauty by any stretch of the imagination.
But it didn’t happen. He looked annoyed and shook her hand off. “Where do you live then?” he asked me.
“We’ve got a place out in Angola,” I replied, hating that we lived in a tiny apartment in a part of town that wasn’t much better than this neighborhood.
“Either of you drive?” he asked.
“No,” Tawny giggled. “I got a DUI last year and Margot here doesn’t have her license. Her parents are, like, this weird religious cult from Kansas or something.”
“Nebraska,” I blurted as if that was any better than Kansas. “And I do have it, I just never drive anywhere. My parents would have let drive more me if I’d wanted.”
“It’s settled then,” Ryker replied, giving me that look that reminded me of a hawk about to devour a mouse.
“What is?” I asked.
“I’m going to make sure you get home,” he said. He looked over his shoulder at the table of bikers, motioned with his hand and one young guy with a huge black beard jumped to his feet and sauntered over. “Call the car,” Ryker told him. He nodded, pulled out his phone and stood to the side.
“Oh wow, that’s awesome,” Tawny squealed. “I hate taking the bus this time of night. It’s so scary without a big badass like you with us.”
“I won’t be joining you,” he said, shifting on the stool and I was once more reminded that my foot was casually touching his erection. Or that he had an erection. From touching me. “I have business here tonight unfortunately, but I do look forward to spending time with you the next night we’re here.” He was looking at me but Tawny wasn’t having any of it. She was so used to getting all the attention that this was driving her crazy.
“Oh good, I can’t wait either,” she said to the side of his head. He didn’t even turn to acknowledge her.
“Car’s here, boss,” the black bearded biker told him after a couple minutes.
“I can walk,” I said and tried to pull away from him and stand on my own two feet.
“You cannot,” Ryker insisted and swooped me up in his arms again. I clung to his neck and allowed myself the momentary satisfaction that this damn fine man was carrying me and ignoring Tawny.
I had a feeling I’d be hearing about it back home though.
“What about at the apartment?” Tawny whined. “I can’t help her up, she weighs so much and I’m so thin.”
“I’ll have Gus here take care of it,” Ryker said, motioning to black beard.
We got to the car, he helped me in and I heard him growl to Gus, “Help her up but keep your fucking hands to yourself. I hear that you disrespect one hair on her head and I’ll slit your fucking throat, you got it?”
“Got it, boss,” Gus grumbled.
Ryker leaned in, flashed me a dazzling smile and said, “Until next time, kitten.”
“I’ll see you soon,” I managed to croak. “Thank you by the way.”
“Think nothing of it. Anything for a beautiful woman,” he smiled.
Gus and Tawny joined me in the back of the luxurious town car and Ryker slammed the door.
I twisted in my seat and saw him watching the car drive away, that same hooded predatory expression on his face from earlier.
And again my insides melted.
Chapter Five
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Tawny shrieked from the living room.
“What is it?” I called from my bedroom. It had been four days since the incident, as I liked to call it, and my ankle was just now starting to feel better.
“Your boyfriend…again!” she bellowed.
She sounded angry, so it must be another gift from Ryker.
I padded out still favoring my ankle and limping slightly. I rubbed my eyes and poured myself a cup of coffee. “What is it this time?” I asked, looking around the kitchen at the flowers and box of pastries that had been sent yesterday.
“Car service for a freaking year!” she said as she walked to the table and tossed an envelope in front of me.
<
br /> “You opened it?” I asked, glaring at her.
“I thought it was for me,” she said trying her best to appear innocent.
“Sure. And I was born yesterday,” I said sipping my coffee.
“I’m being serious, I get stuff from guys at the club all the time. You know that,” she added.
I decided to let it go and picked up the envelope with “Margot” clearly scrawled across the front and opened it. On the thickest, most expensive paper I’d ever seen was written instructions on accessing the car service that had taken me home that night.
I ran my fingers across the paper and ink, looked at how he’d signed his name at the bottom and smiled to myself.
Even his writing seemed to exude power and danger. I hoped he’d be at the club later; it was my first shift back after meeting him.
“Can I get a ride to work?” Tawny asked after pouring herself a cup of coffee.
“Of course,” I replied and marveled at the idea of not having to lace up my knee-high army boots and hoof it to the bus stop with Tawny every day. She always managed to do it balancing on her ridiculously tall stilettos, but I couldn’t do much more in heels than serve drinks.
And even that took effort obviously. If I had been wearing my army boots that night I might have kicked that homeless guy in the balls and run away on my own. I was a fighter when I had to be.
But then I never would have been saved by Ryker and I might have looked the other way had I seen him in the club.
“I can’t believe you have Ryker Montgomery eating out of the palm of your hand. How does that make you feel?” Tawny asked me as we drank our coffee and nibbled toast she’d made for us.
“I don’t think he’s doing anything but being nice to the girl who flopped like a fish out of water on the pavement in front of him,” I replied. I needed to brush her off, her question was weighted and I could tell she was prying for something. I just didn’t know what it was.
“So you’re not interested in him?” she asked, a brow arched.
And then I knew exactly what she was getting at. She had her own sights on the man who’d shaken up my world since saving me behind the strip club.
“Why don’t you go jump in the shower first?” I asked brightly and managing to change the subject expertly. I just couldn’t handle questions like that right then, how could I answer when I didn’t really know myself?
My body was interested, I mean come on, I would have had to be dead to not respond to the way he rubbed my ankle or the way he talked to me that night. But my mind was protesting my body’s reaction. He was a bad ass biker, a freaking criminal. Did I want those hands on me knowing full well he’d probably killed people with them?
I decided to have a nap before work and ignore the mini tornado of emotions whirling in my head.
***
I walked past a table packed with businessmen and felt one of them snake their hand out and grab my ass.
“Excuse me,” I said and slapped his hand away.
“Just getting a feel for the local wildlife,” he snickered and looked around the table as his friends laughed.
“If you touch me again, I’ll have you thrown out,” I snapped. I wasn’t having any of it that night, my ankle was throbbing, the drunks were especially belligerent and to top it off, Tawny had informed me that she couldn’t afford her half of the rent for the following month. I had no idea where her massive salary went every night, but suspected it might have something to do with her insane shoe and clothing obsession. Nothing low end either, Tawny only bought couture and the best of everything.
I would have to rely on tips to help us get through until she got her shit together and paid her share. Unfortunately tips had been good, but not that good.
“Listen sweetheart,” the guy said and grabbed my wrist, “with the money we spent on drinks tonight, we should get a free lap dance or something.”
“I’m not a dancer, so fuck off,” I snapped and jerked my hand away.
The guy stood up and loomed over me. I stepped back and my heel caught on the leg of his chair. I started to tumble backwards, held my breath and tried to balance my tray while waiting for the inevitable fall.
It never happened. Strong hands caught me and even stronger arms embraced me from behind as I was about to hit the floor.
“Seems I’m always rescuing you, kitten,” Ryker’s smug, velvety voice said in my ear. He helped me straighten up and looked around me at the guy. “If I catch you or your friends in this strip club again, you won’t be going home to your wives in the suburbs. Catch my drift?”
The businessman gulped so loudly that I heard him from where I was. I stood straight and eyeballed him stubbornly. “Yeah!” I added, like it would make a difference. But still, a girl’s gotta take care of herself even when the world’s hottest biker was there to do it for her.
“Did you get my gifts?” Ryker asked as the businessmen scrambled to pack up their shit and hightail it out of the Hen House.
“I did, thank you,” I replied and turned around in his arms to look up at him. “The car service was the handiest though, it’s hard to limp to the bus stop with a swollen ankle.”
“How’s that feeling? Did you see a doctor?”
“I can’t afford a doctor,” I replied. “It feels fine though. It’s healing nicely. I could probably even walk to the bus stop now.” To demonstrate I stuck my leg out and circled my foot around, trying not to wince as a sharp pain shot through it.
“You call the service when you need to get home tonight, you hear me?” he told me sternly.
“Aren’t I working for you tonight?” I asked, unable to hide my disappointment.
“Not tonight, kitten,” he said and I saw a rush of movement to my right.
“There you are, hot stuff,” Tawny giggled and grabbed Ryker’s arm. “Should we get going?”
“Sure thing,” he replied, glancing down at me with an amused look. “You seem disappointed. Don’t be, I’ll get to you soon enough.” He winked and I flamed red with anger and embarrassment that he’d seen through my tough exterior and knew how much I’d wanted to spend time with him.
“Whatever, enjoy your night,” I replied and pulled out of his arms. I stomped to the bar, ignored my pain, and slammed my tray on the counter.
I heard Tawny laugh loudly as though Ryker had told her the world’s funniest joke and I couldn’t help but shoot them a look of disgust.
Ryker was watching me and caught my evil glance. He winked at me again, put his arm on Tawny’s lower back and guided her out of the club.
I was left stewing and wondering why I cared what a man like Ryker did with a woman like Tawny.
But as much as I tried to deny it, I couldn’t.
I really, really cared.
Chapter Six
“Where the hell did Tawny get to?” Mel asked just after she left with Ryker.
“I don’t know,” I said stiffly, “I guess she’s out with Ryker tonight.”
“God dammit,” Mel snarled, “that stupid little bitch forgot to tell me she’s working his clubhouse tonight.”
“Clubhouse?” I asked dumbly.
“His hang out?” Mel replied, dripping with irritation. “Seriously? You never watched Sons? You don’t know how these biker types work?”
“Nope, don’t even know what you’re talking about,” I replied. “I stick to old movies and nature shows.”
She released a contempt filled sigh and opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again to say, “Never mind. The long and short of it is that she’s dancing for his club tonight. She forgot to tell me this and I had her closing out tonight. Kitty is off and Alicia has the damned flu. I don’t have anyone to go up after Maria is done.”
“Oh shoot, that sucks,” I replied. I was happy to hear that Ryker hadn’t taken Tawny out on a date, but it still upset me that he would be watching her take her clothes off for him and his buddies. I forced the image out of my head and started walking towards the bar to h
elp Jake clean up a little when Mel gasped.
“Margot!” she exclaimed.
I turned around. “What?”
“You could do it.”
“Ha! You’ve seen me up there, I can’t dance.”
“You wouldn’t have to go anywhere near the pole. Hell, these guys will just be happy to see a sexy girl they’ve never seen before.”
“Yeah, not gonna happen,” I laughed and moved back towards the bar.
Mel followed me. “You’re hot as hell, and with your hurt ankle you actually walk a little sexier than normal. Just come out, strut your stuff and peel your clothes off. You don’t even have to get completely naked, you know that.”
“First of all my ankle hurts like crazy. Second of all, thanks. I didn’t know you thought I was hot,” I smiled at her trying desperately to change the subject. “And third, I am not sexy when I dance. I’m serious about that one.”
I set my tray on the bar and rolled my eyes when Jake gave me one of those looks. He was dying to know what was going on.
“I’ll pay you two grand,” she said in a completely deadpan voice.
I looked at Jake, my eyes widened and I whipped around. “Two thousand dollars?”
“Yup,” Mel replied. “I’m desperate. If I get the reputation that I can’t fill my stage with girls this place will go even more downhill than it already is.”
“But two thousand? That’s a lot of money for a crappy dancer.”
“It’s worth it if you keep the guys here drinking. And I think you underestimate the power of a beautiful woman taking her clothes off.”
I looked back at Jake who gave me two thumbs up with a huge grin. I looked back at Mel who had such a look of need on her face that I sighed deeply and said, “Fine. I’ll do it. But I’m keeping my bra and panties on.”
“As long as you’re not wearing granny panties, that’s fine with me,” Mel replied.
“When do I have to go on?” I asked, glancing nervously around at the men in the club. I served them all the time, but things would change if I stripped for them. I wasn’t sure I was prepared for that change, but two thousand dollars would cover our rent and then some. I wouldn’t have to worry about Tawny being late with her money.
Three Way, the Novel Page 2