Chapter 17

 

Jayce

 

 

SHE FASCINATED ME and it wasn’t just her looks. There was a hidden strength inside her that would pop up every once in a while. I couldn’t begin to imagine the kind of horrors she’d suffered growing up. Not to mention she’d not only survived, but here she was all alone in a big city, trying to get her shit together. It was very admirable, considering she couldn’t have been more then twenty-three or twenty-four. As far as her relationships with the opposite sex, I began to wonder if she might be might be batting for the other team, or maybe both teams. Especially after being hurt in the past by shithead men.

Fuck it. I decided to ask her if she was gay.

“I have a personal question for you. You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to.”

Her eyebrow raised. 

“I’m just curious,” I said, trying to be subtle, “has it been hard? Trusting men?”

“Depends on the man and the situation.”

That didn’t help. “What about relationships? Have you gotten close to anyone?”

She shrugged. “Not really. I tried dating a few times, but not everyone is as patient as I’d like them to be.”

“What about other women?”

Candi smiled. “I tried that, too. Once. It didn’t work out. Besides, I told you earlier I wasn’t really into chicks.”

That’s right. “So, you really haven’t had a decent relationship with anyone?”

“Not romantically. No. What about you? We keep talking about me, but you’ve never actually talked about your love life. I imagine being a Gold Viper, and as handsome as you are, women are always hitting on you.”

“I get my share of dates.”

She laughed. “Dates? Nothing serious?’

“I haven’t had a real relationship with anyone for a long time,” I said. “Hell, I’m too busy.”

Of course, I still got laid whenever I wanted to. I didn’t much care for sharing women, though, and it was always the same chicks hanging around the clubhouse. They were basically open to having sex with any of us, any time, and any place. I wasn’t into sloppy seconds, so I stayed clear of them. If I was in the mood for sex, I used Tinder for quick anonymous hookups. It had been a few weeks since the last time I’d logged into the app. Obviously, I wouldn’t be getting anything tonight. Trying to get Candi into bed, after everything she’d told me, would make me a monster. As much as I wanted her, I wasn’t going to be a fucking asshole.

“You want another drink?” I asked, noticing she was on her last sip of whiskey-sour.

“No, I really should get going,” she replied.

“Are you okay to drive?” It had been two hours and she looked sober enough, but it was hard to tell with some women.

“I’m fine. I should probably use the bathroom, though.”

“I’ll follow you there and then walk you out to your car. Are you parked outside of the shop?”

She nodded.

I quickly finished the rest of my drink and then we both headed over to the restrooms. She stepped into the Ladies’ and I waited in the hallway. After a few seconds, Tarot and Peyton appeared as well.

“Having fun?” Peyton asked.

I leaned against the wall. “Yeah. Definitely.”

She winked. “We can tell.” 

Peyton disappeared into the restroom and Tarot waited with me.

“You and Candi seem to be hitting it off pretty well,” he said, checking his phone for messages.

I smiled. “Yeah.”

He looked up from the screen. “This your first date?”

“First and probably last. She’s just passing through town.”

“Oh yeah? Why is that?”

“She’s trying to ‘find’ herself,” I said in a low voice.

“Maybe she needs you to do that for her,” he said with a devilish grin.

“I wouldn’t mind, let me tell you,” I replied. “Anyway, she’s had a tough time of things and needs to be handled with kid-gloves.”

Tarot’s smile faltered and I could tell that he was suddenly a million miles away.

“What’s up?” I asked, recognizing that he was having some kind of premonition.

“I don’t know,” he said. “For some reason, I just had a flashback from last year.  I keep seeing Blade’s smug-ass grin.”

“What do you think it means?”

Tarot shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t know. He’s long gone, but I feel like I’m not done with him yet.”

“What if it just has to do with the Blood Angels?” I asked.

“Could be. Maybe they’re plotting more shit, although Cane and Jet are gone, too.”

“His club brothers could be plotting some retaliation.”

Tarot nodded. “Yeah. Retaliation,” he said, looking troubled. “That’s the vibe I’m picking up. We’d better keep our eyes open.”

“Agreed.”