“Hello, Echo,” I say.
Echo’s leaning against a shiny black car. His jaw is clenched, and his hands are twisted into tight fists as anger and frustration pour from him. His eyes seem to blacken and smoulder as he turns his gaze to me, spearing me with furious intensity. I step back, shocked. His silent sneer sends waves of apprehension pulsing through me.
Brandi seems oblivious to the charged standoff Echo and I are engaged in. She hops in front of me, breaking the connection and pulling my attention to the guy standing beside Echo.
“Olivia, this is Sleaze,” she gushes.
His arm pulls her in close, and she nestles into his chest as he lifts his chin to me in greeting. “Olivia,” he says, his voice deep and gruff.
My fingers salute him in an awkward wave, and his mouth twitches to an amused half smile. “Hi,” I squeak.
Echo slaps the roof of his car. “Let’s roll. Party’s going without us.” Then he lowers himself into the sleek black leather seat, his glorious muscles flexing as he moves.
Climbing into the back, Brandi buzzes with excitement. “This is gonna be so much fun.”
I laugh, getting caught up in her enthusiasm. “Don’t you go to all of the club parties?”
Her smile changes to a grimace. “Some. Old ladies don’t really mix with the club whores. Some don’t come to the club at all except for the family days.” Brandi wiggles her hips, dancing in her seat, and I grab her wrist to draw her attention.
“Whores, like actual prostitutes?” I say with wide eyes.
She laughs. “No, just skanks that hang out at the clubhouse. Girls that just want to fuck a biker and don’t care which one.”
We slow down as we pull up to a high metal gate and a guy bends down, leaning against the car window. “Echo, you’re missing all the fun, brother.” He’s young, maybe nineteen or twenty, and when he glances into the back seat, he sees me and licks his lips. He lifts his eyebrows as his gaze drops to eye fuck my boobs. “I see you brought us a little bit of fun back with you. I wanna call dibs on that one. She’s one fine bitch.”
I don’t see Echo’s arm move until his fist’s wrapped around the guy’s shirt and he’s dragging him through the window and into the car.
“Daisy, I’ll cut out your fucking tongue if you ever speak like that about her again. You won’t think about her. Hell, if you ever touch her, I’ll fucking kill you. You get me?” Echo growls.
Daisy nods quickly, his eyes widening in fear. “Sorry, brother, I didn’t know she was yours.”
Echo drops Daisy’s shirt and pushes him backwards. “Open this fucking gate,” he snarls.
“Things just got interesting.” Sleaze chuckles softly.
We pull to a stop in front of a massive warehouse. The building is utilitarian and imposing against the black night sky. Music blares from heavy open metal doors, and people spill from inside, loitering in groups beside the fire pits that are dotted around. I’m grateful when Brandi hooks her arm through mine and leads me into the club.
The room is masked by a smoky haze, yet the scent of sex permeates the air. Half-naked women dance on the tables as horny men watch with hungry eyes and blatantly hard cocks. My gaze darts around the room before landing on a bald man. His head is thrown back in ecstasy, his fingers tangled into a blonde’s hair, controlling her movements, pushing and pulling while she sucks his dick.
My heart pounds in my chest with either disgust or desire, but I’m not sure which.
Moans of pleasure float across the room from a silver fox in a worn leather waistcoat. His hips thrust back and forth, pounding into a curvaceous woman, her body bent over the arm of a sofa. I can’t drag my eyes from the woman’s face. Screaming with orgasm, she’s basking in pleasure, completely uninhibited by her audience.
“It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” Brandi says. I nod, and her hold tightens on my arm. “Come on, doll. Let’s get a drink into you.”
We move further into the room, my hands shaking slightly from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I feel eyes watching me. Looking over my shoulder, I search for Echo and his intense gaze, but he’s gone, and a heavy weight of uncertainty settles on my chest.
The guy behind the bar is a beautiful giant. His skin’s a warm caramel colour, and his high cheekbones are pronounced like a model’s. His bright, friendly smile dims as we reach him. “Brandi, girl, you can’t be here on a party night on your own. You know the rules.”
Brandi scowls and snaps out, “Smoke, I’m old enough to be your momma, so don’t you be telling me what I can and can’t do.”
Smoke rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “You’re barely five years older than me, so cut the bullshit. You know I’ve got to call Sleaze and tell him his woman’s here. Don’t make me do it again, Brandi, come on.”
Brandi throws her hands in the air and shouts, “Oh my God, Smoke, that happened once, years ago. Sleaze is here, so can we get drinks now?”
“I call bullshit. That man of yours likes your ass pinned to his lap. I don’t see him, so go home before you get us both in the shit,” Smoke snarls.
She smiles smugly as the crowd parts. Sleaze reaches us and slings his arm possessively around her. “Baby, Smoke’s refusing to serve me and Liv,” she purrs up at him.
Brandi peers around Sleaze’s huge body and pokes out her tongue at Smoke before turning back to snuggle into her man’s chest. Her face is so childlike and heartbroken, I cover my mouth to hide my grin.
“You refused to serve my old lady and her friend?” Sleaze growls.
Smoke visibly cowers against Sleaze’s anger. “I told her she couldn’t be here on her own, man.”
Sleaze kisses Brandi’s forehead, then turns to Smoke. “You think I’m stupid enough to let my hot-ass old lady come here alone?”
Smoke rubs his mouth with the back of his hand. “No, man, course not.”
Sleaze nods. “Now you show my old lady some respect and do your fucking job.”
Rising on her tiptoes, Brandi leans in and kisses Sleaze sweetly. “Thank you, baby.”
An unexpected wave of jealousy washes over me, and I look away. “Well hello, sweetheart.” Smoke’s voice purrs melodically, and his gaze roams my body as he checks me out. “What can I get you?”
“Beer, please,” I say, smiling.
He narrows his eyes into a seductive smoulder, his lip twitching with a confident smile. “Is that the only thing I can do for you, sweetheart?”
He’s so smooth, but his lovable rogue act isn’t really working for me, and I laugh at his obvious flirting. “Just the beer, please. I think I’m good for everything else.”
Amused by my blatant brush-off, he slaps the bar. “Offer’s always open, babe. I got loads of suggestions of things I can do for you… or to you.” He slides a beer towards me with a wink before walking away.
Brandi and I weave our way through the mass of bodies till we reach the makeshift dance floor. Music pulses through me, and the heavy bass guides my body. Head back, arms in the air, the rhythm consumes me and my inhibitions melt away.
Several tracks later, I pull my hair from my neck. Sweat runs down my heated skin, but my hips still sway to the music. The sensual beat of the song morphs into an energetic bounce, and Brandi and I laugh, twirling around, carefree and happy.
My dress is sticking to my damp skin, my hair’s a wild mess, and my feet throb. I motion to the bar, and Brandi nods, following me. Grabbing drinks, we move across the room to where Sleaze is sitting. His eyes track Brandi, and as soon as she’s within his grasp, he pulls her into his lap. Whispering into her ear and holding her close, the mountain of a man claims all of her attention.
I collapse onto a sofa and groan with pleasure. Stretching out my legs, I point my toes and wiggle my bruised feet. The sofa cushion next to me depresses, and I turn my head. The man is sitting too close, his presence crowding me. Shoulder-length, white-blond hair frames his angular, beautiful face, and piercing silver-grey eyes draw me in. An intense sense of fear has me edging away, my skin crawling at his overpowering energy. He watches as I try to move, angry eyes narrowing in displeasure.