by Nicole Fox
“I have your things in my office. Come on. I don’t know who shot everything up, but I do have gossip, which will help, since you apparently don’t have any sort of idea on what’s gone on here.”
I followed her back to her office. There were workers going up and down the halls, and they gave us looks as we walked along, curious about my appearance there. I supposed that I couldn’t blame them for that curiosity. It didn’t matter when she led me to her office and we were alone. She gestured for me to sit, and I did so, plopping into the seat across from her. I saw Ana’s duffle off to the side, as well as some other things that belonged to the boys that had been left behind. I’d take those with me, too.
“So, you said you had gossip?”
“Not a whole lot, but some of the guys and girls who work here got a glimpse or two and seemed to know a little, possibly, about your friend who decided to blast holes all through my establishment.”
“Go on.”
Mel reached into her drawers and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, lighting up the stick between her lips. She took a deep drag and blew it out, letting the smoke billow out.
“They say they’ve been hearing of a little group that’s been building itself up. Bunch of druggies and junkie scum, you know? They’re not really organized or anything, but apparently their leader has some kinda long standing beef with an MC. They do whatever they want—usually real violent types. They’ve caused some trouble here and there over the last few months and it’s just gotten worse. No one knows where they operate from, however, so anyone putting a stop to them on their own has been out of the question for a while. It’s impossible to stop what you can’t catch, you know?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“Anyway. My girl, Tracy, thinks that maybe your mystery man was a part of that group or something. They don’t discriminate; apparently they’ve been giving trouble to anyone and everyone that they possibly can.”
“Explains why I don’t know who the fuck they are; I haven’t been causing problems with anyone.”
“I sure would hope not, Grizzly. You’ve already had enough heartbreak and heartache on your plate to last yourself an entire lifetime, you know.”
“You’re telling me.”
Mel smiled.
“Like I said, that’s what I know. Which isn’t a whole lot, but it’s at least a little bit to go off of. Maybe you can find out some more information from that and put a stop to whatever this is before it has the chance to really start.”
“That’s the plan,” I said. “Is that all? I didn’t have anything else that I needed to get from here. I’m gonna head back out before it has time to hit nightfall.”
Mel waved her hand at me, shooing me off.
“Go, go. You got some things that you need to take care of, don’t you?”
“Yeah, a lot.”
I grabbed the duffle and gave Mel one last hug. I paused for a moment, though.
“Don’t hesitate to call me if you need help,” I said. “I’ll send some of the boys down here to help you out, along with some cash—”
“Grizzly, don’t you dare—”
“I insist.”
Mel leveled a look at me, and I could tell that she would have argued with me if she didn’t know any better. I was as stubborn as she was—maybe even more—and this was likely more my fault than hers.
She rolled her eyes when she realized this and waved me off again.
“Do whatever you want, Grizzly. I’m not going to turn down your money. This time.” She smiled wryly. “Go on and get. Handle your business.”
I gave her one last smile, picked up the other things that had been left in the rooms, and headed on out. It took a little bit of finagling, but I managed to get everything situated under my seat. I would just need to ride with the duffle slung over my back, but that wouldn’t be much of an issue. It wasn’t like Ana had a lot of things. It bothered me a little bit that that’s all she had to live with, but I supposed that couldn’t be helped. I made a mental note to maybe see if she’d be willing to let me help her out and buy her some things.
Now, don’t even do that shit. With the way that she behaved when you offered her a place to stay, she’d probably think that you were trying to treat her like a charity case instead of a normal person who you just want to make sure is safe and sound and doing well.
With that, I slung her duffle over my shoulder and slid onto my bike. Something caught my eye, however.
Someone else in the parking lot, just a ways away. He was sitting on a bike of his own. He was in all black and looking directly at me.
There was something familiar about the man, but I couldn’t place it other than that this was a little too similar to the day that the motel had been shot up. I kept my eyes on him as I rode on past. He didn’t make to follow me, but he did keep his eyes on me as I went past him. It was creepy as fuck, but I let it slide. I didn’t have time today to go chasing down weirdos in motel parking lots, and I sure as fuck didn’t have time to get myself into trouble with people that I didn’t even fucking know.
I got back into town at a relatively decent time. Like I’d ordered, the boys were bunkered down at the clubhouse. A couple of them sat outside on the porch, sharing a drink or two around. I brought what had been left at the motel and set it on the porch.
“You all can figure out whose stuff is whose,” I said. “I’m gonna take Ana’s stuff up to her.”
“What a prince charming,” one of them teased. I rolled my eyes.
“Fuck off, asshole.”
Laughter faded into the background as I entered. I waved and greeted those who were inside and headed up the stairs before anyone could think to stop me. When I came to Ana’s room, I knocked softly before calling in.
“Ana? You around?”
“Yeah. Come in.”
I opened up and walked in. She was sitting by the window, looking out over the property. I set her duffle on her bed and walked over to her.
“You know, you don’t have to stay cooped up in here,” I told her. I had an urge to reach out and touch her, but I kept my hands to myself. She looked up at me, her head tilted.
“I know. I guess it’s just. Odd. You know? I haven’t been with an MC since ...”
“Since back then.”
“Yeah.”
I frowned a little. I hadn’t thought about that. I had never stopped being in an MC. The Skinners had been fucking decimated, but the Butchers had come out of those ashes—I’d have been damned if we were going to be broken and disbanded so quickly. But Ana ...she’d spent her time running from everything, staying away from MCs. I hadn’t thought about what it would do to her to be back here.
“If it’s too much—”
“It’s not,” she said, before I could finish. “I just didn’t expect myself to be thinking about things as much as I am, that’s all.”
I was curious.
“What are you thinking about?”
She shook her head.
“You wouldn’t want to know.”
“Of course I would.”
She sighed. I had the feeling that whatever it was, it was a little heavy. I almost regretted asking her, but she went on before I could tell her that she didn’t need to right now.
“I was just thinking about what Rodent would say about all of this,” she said. “The new club. You being president.” She looked up at me again. “Us fucking, I guess.”
Ah.
“I think that he’d be proud of where we came from, after all that shit with the Skinners ... As for us—We wouldn’t have, if he were still around. It’s not like it was wrong.” It’s not like we haven’t always wanted it.
“I didn’t say it was wrong,” she said. “I just was wondering what he’d think about it. You know how he was before everything went down. He was changing. Getting more ... paranoid.”
“What do you mean?”
She shrugged.
“I don’t know. He was getting into some things that h
e shouldn’t have and he was always thinking, I guess. Things were going on.” She shook her head. “I don’t see why, but that’s neither here nor there anymore.” She quirked her lips. “Thanks for bringing my bag back for me. I’m gonna take a nap or something since I, for once, don’t have anything to do right now. I’ll mingle a little later. You know. Since I’m going to be here for a bit.”
I smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s fine. You’ve been through a lot the last few days. So. You know. Rest.”
“Thanks, Griz.”
“Anytime, Ana.”
Chapter Eleven Ana
I watched Grizzly leave, though I was tempted to call him back. Being back in this environment was forcing a lot of feelings that had already begun to resurface to the forefront of my mind, and I was uncertain how to confront these things, let along deal with them. While Grizzly was gone, my mind drifted off to Rodent— the boyfriend that had been killed when the Skinners had been decimated.
There had been a time that I had loved him, that was true. By the time that he died, I hadn’t. I had only been with him because of the baby that I was carrying and the sheer terror of bringing it into the world alone. That attack on the Skinners had left Rodent dead and ... I’d lost the child that never was that night. I left because of that loss, though I knew that everyone probably thought it was because of Rodent. It left a guilty feeling in my heart.
If I had been with Grizzly, and if that had been his baby, I knew I would have stayed.
I sighed and slid off the window seat. There was no point in dwelling on it at the moment, and while I was here I needed to be social. Who knew, it might do me some good.
I laughed outright at that. Right. Sure, it would.
I took a quick shower and dressed up again, heading down the stairs. From what I’d made out when I’d gone down to get some food earlier, Grizzly had given them the order to sit still for the rest of the weekend, stay at the club, and not get themselves involved in anything that they didn’t need to be getting themselves involved with. As such, I was greeted heartily when I came down the stairs, by Butchers and girls alike. I waved, smiling, unused to such a huge amount of attention like this—not since I’d been a club girl myself, that was, but those days were decidedly behind me for good.
“Hey. I was just going to get some food.”
“Come, stay down here. Play some pool or something!” one of the Butchers—I think they called him ‘Tiger’—called over.
I was tempted to say no, but they all looked ... hopeful? Was that the word for it? It was so strange. I had expected judgement or, I didn’t know, lecherous stares and men trying to cop a feel. Maybe Grizzly had talked to them ...
The idea was a little more appealing than it should have been. Had he told them just for my sake, or did they think that I was his in some way? The little flutter in my belly told me which option I preferred, but I pushed it down.
“You know what ... Yeah. I’ll play. After food. I’m starved.”
There was a cheer all around from the Butchers, and I couldn’t help but smile. One of the girls that was there came over to me, greeting me happily and nudging a little at me.
“Hi, I’m Candy. You’re the girl staying up there, right?” She leaned in, a grin on her face. “The one that Grizzly invited to stay in the room beside his, right?”
I hadn’t realized there was already talk about me, but it shouldn’t have surprised me. Club Girls loved to gossip and loved to get the dirt on everyone. I hoped that malicious intent wasn’t why this one—Candy—was askinge. I bit my lip a little as I moved into the kitchen area, towards the back and away from the bar. She followed me. I didn’t tell her to go away or anything, more so I was curious about what she wanted, especially if it had to do with me and Grizzly. Was she a lover of his? Would I have to deal with jealous exes? Neither of those things were on my list of shit to have to deal with while I was here. I’d just as soon pack up again and leave than have to deal with something as silly as that, if I were honest with myself.
“Yeah, I’m the one,” I said. I eyed her a bit before I began to rummage through the cabinets and the fridge, looking for something to fix for myself. “Is that a problem?” Her brow rose and, then, catching on, she laughed.
“What? No!” She giggled. “You know, no one has ever been invited up there. Like, not by Grizzly. The rooms are for people that are like, you know. Permanent. The boys. The old ladies.” She sounded positively thrilled about that, for some reason, and I backtracked, realizing the implications of the president himself inviting me to stay. In my own room. When no Club Girls were allowed those kinds of privileges.
“No, no, you have it all wrong. I’m not—I’m not his old lady,” I said.
“But he likes you,” she pressed. “Like, I mean, you know how bikers are, they stick their dicks in anything, but Griz has never been serious—”
“Not even once?” I asked.
Candy shook her head. “Not even once, doll face.” She smiled at me. “You know, I came from another MC about a couple years ago. Club Girls aren’t treated the best, you know. But this one ...” She trailed off, shaking her head with a shudder. “Your boy Grizzly was in the bar the Pres ran. Saw the boys beating up on the girls and doing really not okay stuff with them just out in the open. Roughed ’em up real good and then said any of the girls that wanted a better place while staying in the life were free to come with him, after seeing what it meant to be a Butcher. Some left, some stayed—I came with Grizzly. Ain’t regretted it ever since.”
“That sounds like Grizzly,” I said. “He’s always been like that ...”
Candy smiled.
“Yeah, well, he’s always been a distant guy, too, so believe me when I tell ya, you’re special. You get it, girl.” Candy winked at me, and was about to bound off when she turned back to me. “You want anything, you just ask for me, all right? I’m the smartest ditzy blonde you’re gonna find around here, and a girl needs another girl to get her used to things and comfortable more than any man can,” she said, giving me a wink.
I smiled.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Candy.” She left the kitchen and I turned back around, deciding on getting myself a sandwich since that seemed pretty easy and it wouldn’t take me all that long to get through making it and eating it and then I could go unwind for the day. I didn’t notice that as Candy had left, someone else had come in, until said person spoke, startling the shit out of me in the process.
“She’s a nice girl.”
I jumped, and turned around. It was Grizzly.
“So I can see. She had a lot to say.”
Grizzly raised a brow. “I bet she did, she’s a terrible gossip.”
I grinned. “I like her.”
Grizzly smiled at me.
“Soo ... I hear that you agreed to some pool,” he said. He came up to me and leaned against the counter. He seemed to like doing that—being in my space. It was barely moments ago that he had been doing that, getting in my space, making his presence known.
I swallowed, taking my eyes off him. I nodded. “Yeah. I figured since no one was doing anything today, it wouldn’t hurt for me to socialize. It couldn’t hurt, and I’ve been in the room all day. I shouldn’t be so ...”
“Reclusive?”
“Yeah.”
I half expected him to say something about how the old Duchess would have never been a recluse. How the old Duchess would have been the first one to suggest a round or two of pool on her own without prompting. To my pleasant surprise, he did neither.
“I’ll bet you ten dollars that you can’t beat me.”
I raised my brow at him. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m in for the night. I’ve got leads that I’ll work on later. Right now, it’s time for some unwinding.”
“Uh huh. And what are the stakes, huh? I’m not exactly rolling in money to be making a bunch of bets like that, you know.”
“Who said anything about money? No one.”
He thought about it.“Watch some movies with me.”
I stared at him blankly.
“What?” he asked. “It’s a simple request.”
“I don’t know, I expected something more ... Hm. Daring.” I laughed.
Grizzly rolled his eyes. “Look, you know that collection of really old classics that I kept around? From my parents?”
“Mhm.”