by Avery Abbott
“I don’t believe you.” And, I didn’t know what to believe. He’d spent time with me, but I had no clue what he was doing all those times he went missing. And they did have a reputation that preceded them.
“Ask her yourself. I told her she can tell you after we talked.”
“Why would you do that?”
He bent down, his hand pulling my hair to the side. “Because I needed to know I mattered.”
“You don’t,” I lied.
His eyes crinkled. “Keeping telling yourself that.” He pressed his lips to my cheek. “Make sure Joe walks you out tonight.” And then he left, leaving me speechless.
Not to mention, he just foiled my latest and greatest escape plan.
Love sucked.
Chapter 22
Chapter
SLIDER
Cheyenne had texted me to come pay her a visit before she started her shift at Leather and Lace. I didn’t know why I continued to go back every time she beckoned me, but I’d go running. I wasn’t positive but I was pretty damned sure it was because she was fabulous on the pole and even more so at riding my dick.
I was balls deep, and her in the throes of an orgasm when my cell rang and by the ringtone, I knew I had to pick up. I smacked her ass. “Sorry, Babe.” I pulled out and nabbed my cell on the couch.
“What’s up?”
“You still with Cheyenne at L&L?” I turned to look her naked body sprawled out on the stage.
“Yeah.” I grinned.
“We got a hit on Eddie. He just used his card at M&B of all places. Fiona is going to try and delay him. Go now and we’ll find you.” Once we got his real information, I’d tapped into his bank and had been tracking his card. Whenever I was gone, Kick or Scout would look for anything.
I pulled off the condom, tossing it on the stage. We were in one of the private rooms before the club opened for the night. “Get rid of that.” I grabbed my jeans and slipped into them.
“Where are you going?”
“Got to bolt. Club business.”
“I was just starting to come, asshole.”
I zipped up my fly and slipped into my boots, grinning. “I’ll come back later and finish you off.”
“You’d better.”
L&L was three blocks from M&B so I got there in record time. Pulling open the door, Fiona was coming toward me. “You just missed him. I tried to keep him here, but he got skittish when I tried to make small talk. He took off toward Pacific Beach.”
“What’s he wearing?”
“Pink polo shirt, tan shorts. Tall, brown hair, early twenties and cute.”
“Thanks, Fi.”
I picked up my pace, trying not to look too suspicious. It wasn’t everyday a biker was hauling ass running down the boardwalk. My cell rang. “You get him?” Scout asked as soon as I picked up.
“No, he split. I’ll get him. Make your way down to Pacific Beach. Hold up, just caught a flash of pink.” I pulled the cell from my ear and started to move even faster. “It’s got to be him. He just crossed over Garnet and Mission. Where are you?”
“Kick and I are four miles out. Traffic, stuck at a light right now.”
“I got him in my sights. What do you want me to do?”
“Light changed. Hold him.”
I followed him, watching as he went inside a surf shop. He came out not a minute later sporting some oversized beach hat, head down like he was trying to disguise himself. He hung a quick right down an alley that led to the main drag.
I grinned, knowing I had him. I could hear the rumble of Harleys in the distance, so I shot a quick text to Scout.
“Yo, Eddie?” I called out.
He stopped and turned. “Yeah?”
“I’m a friend of Shaw’s.” The bikes were even closer.
I could tell he heard them, too.
I cracked my knuckles.
By the look on his face, he knew what was coming. “Head start?”
I shrugged, grinning, figuring why not, it’ll make it more fun. “Better run fast.”
He sprinted but barely made it twenty feet before Kick and Scout closed off his exit. Before I could even suggest the abandoned building off to the right, Scout had jumped off his bike and cold clocked him, knocking him out with one punch. “Nice one.”
Scout stood over him, his face full or rage. “Thanks.”
“Your ass is carrying him.” I flicked my chin toward the building.
“Kick, help me out?” Kick lifted underneath his shoulders while Scout took his feet and hauled him inside while I watched guard. That was the last thing we needed. Smokey and the others had no clue what we were about to do to protect Shaw. Kick agreed to help, knowing her secret, but insisted Scout tell Smokey after this message was delivered.
Once inside, there were old blankets and dirty mattresses lying on the floor in what looked like ‘Squatters R’ Us.’
“Fuck, let me make sure no one is lurking around in here.” They tossed him down, his listless body bouncing off the mattress and rolled to the hard, dusty floor.
Securing the building, I joined Kick, watching Scout kick Eddie awake. He moaned, his jaw shifting side to side from the punch. As soon as his eyes opened, he scrambled until his back hit the wall. “What do you want?”
Scout took a few steps, pulled out his piece and crouched down. “Revenge.”
“Shit, man. I’ll leave. She’ll never see me again. I promise.”
“I know,” he growled, spitting at his face. “Problem is, I made one to her, too, and I don’t plan on breaking that promise.
Eddie held up his hands in protest. “Dude, please, I’ll do anything.”
Scout stood, pacing in front of Eddie. “Tell me, why Shaw?”
“It was just a job, man.”
“What was the score?”
“It wasn’t her. It was her mother. I met Shaw by chance at the mall and we hit it off. She made it sound like her mom owned a fitness studio. I figured I could steal from the business, once I got in. She didn’t own it though, I found out a month in.”
“Then what?”
He didn’t answer.
“Tell me!” Scout roared.
Kick nudged me, a slow shake of his head.
“Fine. I liked her, okay. I spent six months trying to get into her pants. She wouldn’t let me and it pissed me off. I got anger issues and mix it with drugs and took it out on her.”
“So you beat her because she turned your punk ass down?”
“I was high as fuck, dude.”
Scout paced back and forth. “Why come back for her now?”
“She still owes me a grand.”
Scout turned, quickly looking at us, perplexed. “Where did you get that kind of green?”
“Bonnie, my friend, and I have been stealing for years. I thought Shaw would be good for it. Her mom died and it crushed her. I felt bad, so I lent her the money for her cremation. I was thinking, with Dee gone, she’d let me in and I’d steal any insurance money. Maybe even unload the Beamer and cash in.”
“But, she didn’t?”
“No, she paid me back one grand and said she didn’t have the rest. I was furious. Bonnie noticed the money missing and was pissed at me. She liked Shaw, too, and I didn’t tell her that I lent it to her, so I coked myself up and went to collect one way or the other. Bonnie’s like my sister; I couldn’t let her down with everything we’d been through. Anyway, Shaw said no again, so I hit her. She stabbed me, I was ready to beat her and rape her, maybe more, I don’t know. I was in a fucked-up place. Her nosy-ass neighbor heard her scream, then asshole, Tommy, came so I ran.”
He rubbed his jaw, rage flaring in his eyes. “What do you think, boys? Live or die?”
Kick moved closer to Eddie and kicked him hard in his ribs. “Cut him loose. We don’t need this heat.”
I shook my head when Scout turned for my vote. All I could think of was my baby sister. “Fuck no. End him. He just admitted he was going to rape Shaw. She won’t be the la
st girl he tries that with and you know it.”
“Sorry, Eddie, two against one.” And then he pulled the trigger. Blood instantly pooled from his chest and then he slid down to the ground, slumping over.
“Dude, I thought we were coming to send a different damned message, as in kicking the shit out of him.” Kick yelled, agitated at not knowing the plan was taking a turn, a turn that could land us in jail.
“Yeah, well, he received a different one, Kick. I’ll take the heat if we get busted. It’s all me,” Scout fired back, and smiled looking please with the outcome.
“What are we going to do with the body?” I asked them.
“Burn it?” Scout suggested.
“I’ll go get some bleach to cover our tracks. Scout, pull out his teeth while I’m gone and slice up the pads of his fingers so they can’t trace him. I’ll be back in five.”
Scout ran out and came back in with a pair of pliers, yanking the first tooth out before I left. “Fuck.” I muttered, unsure what the fall back on this would be. I shook my head. The shit I do for him.
Chapter 23
SHAW
“Harley,” Joe called to me as he knocked. The door was closed for the dancers’ privacy between sets.
I opened it. “Yeah?”
“Private party. Room two. Bachelor night.” He propped himself up against the door. He was big and burly, like a giant teddy bear that you wanted to squeeze.
“Great, lucky me.”
I scrambled back, adding some lip-gloss and sprinkled some gold dusting powder on my shoulders, and then hurried back to him.
“They paid for a half hour strip and a lap dance.”
I hated these. And the more men asked for them the more I was inclined to stop this gig, regardless of the money, but figured since it was a man about to get married, maybe he wouldn’t be too handsy. “Okay, thanks.”
I took a few deep breaths and then nodded to the two-way mirror for Howie to cue up the music. I had chosen Guns ‘N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle.” The room was all decked out in cheetah and leather and I figured young guys would like this song.
Before I had even stepped out they were screaming and hollering for me. Part of it felt nice to be requested over the others. The other part of me felt like a slut, but I chose to ignore those thoughts.
There were at least a dozen of them. I tried to count, but they kept moving around, or I was busy swinging on the pole. A few held cash up for me to come and get it; the others just watched. I got closer and felt a hand grab my ass, so I went back to the pole and stayed there as long as I could get away with.
“We paid for a lap dance. He’s getting married next weekend.” He yanked some guy with a drunken smile plastered on his face over to him. They were drunk. All of them. Even as I danced they were continuing celebrating with their shots and cracking open fresh beers.
I shook my head. “Not getting a good vibe. I’ll get your money back,” I yelled over the music. I started to leave. The third song kicked on when he grabbed me and hauled me off the stage.
“Where do you think you’re going, Sweet Cheeks?” Suddenly, I was thrusted back into an old memory with Garrett and could only pray this one would end differently.
My heart pounded in my chest. I looked to the mirror, signaling for help but no one came. He and two others groped me, and they had all formed in a circle around me.
Asshole one grabbed my chest, so I lifted my feet and connected with his groin. He fell back, howling. “Don’t touch me,” I seethed. As I turned to storm out, another hand shot out, ripping my top off while another grabbed my shoulders, holding me still. A hand firmly locked on my breast. The roars grew louder as I felt another hand attempting to rip away my fishnet stockings.
I did everything I could mentally to calm myself as I screamed for help over Motley Crüe’s, “Girls, Girls, Girls,” but no one could hear me. The guy I kicked got back on his feet, angry.
I could see the guy coming for me as the others shoved me back and forth like a pinball when I was ripped away and blindsided with a hard smack across my face. “You’re nothing but a cheap, fucking-hot whore.” He started to unbuckle his belt when the music suddenly stopped, the room went eerily quiet. The door suddenly slammed open and fists flew.
One by one they went down to the ground in a matter of a minute. I could hear flesh against flesh, murmured curses, familiar voices. I was shaking like a leaf when I felt the warmth of leather cover me. “I got you, Shaw.” I felt like I was having an-out-of- body experience, but I knew the voice. It soothed me as it had before.
“Scout?” I whispered and could hear the quake in my voice.
My head lifted and his rugged lips grazed mine softly. “I’m not going to hurt you, Babe. It’s me, Johnny.”
“Is she all right?” I heard someone ask.
“I think so. She’s looks like she’s in shock. Find that bastard, Howie.”
“Sunshine, I know those eyes are open, but you’re not here with me. I need you to get here. C’mon, look at me, Shaw.” His tone was kind and loving. I wanted to listen to it as his hands held my face so sweetly.
I forced myself to obey the voice by closing my eyes and counting to twenty and then opened them again. “There she is.” I climbed his body like a tree, needing to feel his safe arms around me. He took the hint, holding me tightly. I wrapped my legs around his waist and buried my head in the crook of his neck, crying as he spoke softly in my ear. “Shh, I got you. I got you.”
After a minute or so I heard voices join us. “Shaw, I’m putting you down for a second.”
I shook my head.
“Baby, c’mon. You can hold my hand. I’m not leaving you.” I saw Slider and the other guy, Kick, staring at the two of us oddly.
My eyes glanced down, taking it in as he placed me on the stage. I peered around at the bodies on the ground, stirring. I clutched his jacket around me.
“Dear Jesus, what happened?” Howie asked when he entered.
Scout started to leave me, but I gripped him tighter and he stopped moving. “Where the fuck were you? Girls are watched at all times in here.”
He roared so loud, I flinched.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Joe found Jewel doing a speedball. I thought she’d be okay with these guys for a minute. They seemed nice.”
“You thought wrong. Thank fuck, the three of us came in tonight. She could’ve been gang raped.”
I cowered and whimpered at hearing his words.
He turned briefly. “You’re okay, Shaw.”
“I know,” I mumbled.
“She’s done for the night and get an ice pack.” He lifted me up and onto my feet. We grabbed my stuff from the back room and he walked me to my car, holding my hand.
“Keys?” he asked.
I dug inside my bag and pulled them out. He took them and let me in my side door and then went around, starting the car.
“Where we going?”
His face was rigid. “I’m taking you home.”
I held the ice pack Howie gave me to my cheek. “Are you okay?”
“Fuck no,” he said harshly, and his tone was incensed.
I sat quietly, watching his face as he drove until the car came to a stop on the side of the road.
“Shaw?”
“Yes,” I muttered, hoarse.
“Did they touch you?”
I nodded, my hand going to my chest. I glanced around, but it was unfamiliar surroundings, and too dark to discern. He slammed his hand against the wheel.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
He shook his head. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “What if I didn’t come in to see you? What if Howie didn’t get back from dealing with Jewel in time?”
I gripped his hand tighter. “I don’t know.”
“You do know, Shaw.” He didn’t look at me. He stared straight ahead. “They would’ve raped you, and more than one of them. You have to stop working there,” he ordered, fury all over his face. And then th
e car started again.
I leaned against the window, knowing he was right.
Once inside my condo, he started the Jacuzzi tub as I watched silently behind him. I was still shaken up by what had happened. “Can you stay me with tonight?”
“No,” he said flatly.
“Why not?” My voice quaked.
He hadn’t turned around; instead he was checking the temperature of the water. “You know why.”
“You promised me you’d stay with me.”
He sighed, raking his hair back with his wet hand. He sat on the edge of the tub, holding his hand out. I went to him and sat on his lap. “My promise was to protect you and I will, but we, you and me, have to stop.”
“Why? I need you,” I pleaded.
“Sunshine, c’mon, you know why.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “I want to say yes, I do, but I’m getting tired of this back and forth, hot and cold from you. I mean, I don’t know if you need me or just someone, and frankly, I’m tired of you pulling my chain.”
“I don’t mean to be like that. I’m just scared.”
“What are you scared of? Me?”
I nodded slightly. “Letting you in.” I wanted to finish, but couldn’t admit I was scared he’d leave me, too, like my mother.
“Finish that thought,” he demanded.
I remained silent and tucked my head onto his shoulder, unsure of what to say.
He sighed. “I guess I was holding onto this hope the whole time that what happened between us would be enough for you to hold the fuck on and let me in, Shaw.” He placed me down, then stood and pressed his forehead against mine. “I heard what you said the night we spent together. I’m doing the best I can to figure this out. Until then, I have to go, and I have to let you go.”
“You’re just leaving me?” I searched his eyes, trying to figure out if he was really leaving me for good.
He kissed my nose. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.”
I cried out his name over and over as I ran after him. He stopped at the door, but didn’t turn around. “Goodbye,” he mumbled. And then left. I fell to the ground and cried by the door he walked out of for over an hour.