I LIE NEXT to my mom on the bed, replaying what I just witnessed in my head over and over again. If Rhys didn’t think twice to put his hands on that woman, would he do that to me? After what happened with my mother, I can’t deal with a guy like that. While I may feel safe and protected in his arms, the fact that those hands could hurt me at any time is like a knife to the gut. He has scared me from the moment I met him, with the tattoos lining his body and the stare that could kill something by just a single look. It’s definitely not something I want in my life.
What life? Dagger and Rhys say we have to stay here, but shit. How much longer? Mom seems to be getting better, so we need to just cut our ties and leave, get away from this place. Listen to me. I sound just like my mother. Running. Since when did I turn into that woman? I’m not. I’ve always faced things head on and figured out ways to make things work.
I’m sure Rhys has an explanation. Right?
A slight tap comes to the door as it opens. “Hey, can I come in?” Princess asks, carrying a little boy.
“Sure.” I sit up as my mother stirs.
“Who’s this?” my mother asks.
“This is Cooper. Mine and Cruz’s little guy.” Princess’s face lights up like a football stadium when talking about the little boy. He’s unbelievably cute and definitely resembles Cruz.
“Hi, there,” I say, standing from the bed.
“Hi. I Cooper,” he says, wiggling down from his mother.
“I’m Tanner, and this is my mom, Mearna,” I tell him, and my mom smiles.
“Mearna …” He puts his finger on his chin like he’s pondering something. “Like Brave!” he yells and looks at Princess.
“Merida is Brave, but close.” I have absolutely no idea what in the world they are talking about. As Princess looks up at me, she smiles. “It’s a Disney movie. He’s watched it about a million times.”
“Okay.” I haven’t seen one of those since I was kid. I couldn’t even tell you the last one.
“I go pay?” Cooper says, looking up at his mom.
“Yep. Daddy’s in church. Stay away from the doors,” she orders. Cooper doesn’t waste another second, darting off down the hallway. “He’s a handful, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Cute kid.”
She enters the room and comes to the bed. “So, how are ya feeling?” she asks my mother.
“Pretty good. As long as I don’t move certain ways, I’m good.”
“So, pretty much when you’re still?” Princess chuckles.
“Not exactly, but something like that.”
“It’ll take a while to heal.” Princess looks at me. “And you?”
“I’m good.” I want to talk to her, but I really don’t want to do it with my mother sitting right here.
“I have something that I want you to see. Will you come with me?” Princess asks, and elation fills me. Is she a mind reader or something?
“Yep, I’ll be right back, Mom.” I kiss my mother’s cheek then follow Princess out of the room and down the hall. She opens a door, and we step inside.
“This is mine and Cruz’s.”
I nod as she shuts the door. The bed is perfectly made, something that doesn’t happen in Dagger’s room unless I do it, but my mother is usually lying on it. I can’t complain. At least all the sheets and blankets are clean.
“Have a seat.”
I take a seat on the bed, one leg bent at the knee and the other leg hanging off the bed.
Princess seems so happy in her own skin. She just exudes confidence, and I admire that.
“What’s on your mind? And don’t tell me nothing, because I know something’s there.” She sits, a mirror image to me with her hands on her legs, looking at me expectantly.
“Rhys scares me.”
She laughs, full-out, no-holds-barred laughs. “Girl, he scares everyone.”
“No, I know like that, but he scares me.” I suck in a breath. “Having sex with him is like no other. He does things to me that I’ve never experienced.”
“So he fucks you right. Good for him. What’s the problem?”
I sigh. “The problem is I can’t distinguish between my heart and just sex. I’m not the type of girl who does that. And then …” I trail off.
“Then what?” she presses.
“I saw him push a woman on her ass in the main room. Is he violent with women?” I twist my fingers, not wanting the answer, but needing it.
“You’re talking about Sandra.” She shakes her head. “I wanted to go out and beat her fucking ass myself, but Cruz wouldn’t let me.” I stare at her with wide eyes. “That bitch fucked this whole club, and the only reason no one touched her out there is because she’s Rhys’s shit to clean up. He brought that bitch into Ravage, and he needs to get her out.”
“Get her out?” I ask. God, I sound so pathetic.
“Sweetheart, I know you’re new to this shit, but you need to be a fast learner, especially if you want to be on Rhys’s arm, and from the look on your face, you do. That’s a whole other issue for another time. This right here—Sandra—she fucked with the club; therefore, she is dealt with. Most of the time, that means she will disappear and never be heard from again.” Princess quirks her brow, and I read between the lines. Holy shit, they are going to kill her? “Now, to be in this club, that shit needs to roll off you.”
“But …” Princess holds her hand up, and I stop.
“It’s something that is learned over time. The best thing you can do is forget it. It doesn’t exist. You are no part of it.”
My mind whirls with everything she just said. They kill people. Is that what they did to Griff and Officer Miller? Did they just make them disappear?
A hand comes to my arm, and I look to Princess.
“I get that you’re freaked out. This isn’t the life you were a part of before. This is our life. This is how we settle scores. If someone comes after us or ours, then we take them out.”
Princess proceeds to tell me several stories. One is of her fighting for her son Cooper when he was kidnapped by his biological mom, which shocked me. It ended with several dead. One is where the old president of the club was gunned down and the retaliation that took place. Then there were the things that happened to Blaze that are beyond terrible. However, the thing that sticks out to me most is that each of those men had each other’s backs. They may put the club first, but they never hesitated to take care of the women and families.
“I don’t know what to say.” I sit there, speechless, playing all the new information in my head over and over again.
“You are part of this life now. Dagger is your father, and we have enemies. Don’t be surprised if you have protection of some sort.”
“What?” I breathe.
“There seems to always be shit going down or coming up. Protection happens, and with you not knowing this world, I’m sure Dagger will be extra cautious with you and your mother.” She raises her brows. “What’s going on there?”
I shrug. “No clue. I’ve got enough going on.” I’m not sure how I feel with Dagger getting close to my mom again. I don’t know where that would leave any of us in the long run. “We’ll be leaving as soon as we get the okay and Mom is better.”
“You’re really going to go home?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t we?”
She eyes me, and I feel a bit freaked by the inspection. “Because you’re sitting ducks up there.”
“We’ll have to go back for the funeral.” That reminds me. “I don’t even know when that is, but surely my mother would need to go.” I make a mental note to do a Google search.
“You need to talk to Dagger about whatever you choose to do.” She eyes me skeptically.
“What?”
“Why do you want to leave? Guy at home or something?”
My mouth gapes. “No. I wouldn’t be with Rhys if I did.” Princess laughs. “Seriously. I’m a hair stylist, and I need to get back to work for cash. I’m not hurting, but being off too long isn’t going to do me any good.”
“Really?”
I nod.
“I could use you at the club,” she says.
“What club?”
“X. It’s a strip club. Gotta have someone to keep the girls looking good. The better they look, the more money we make.”
“You own a strip club?”
“The club does, but it’s my baby. I built it from the ground up. Blaze helps me run the place. I’ll take you there sometime soon so you can see for yourself.”
I don’t know whether to be flattered or run the other way. “Thanks?” It comes out as more of a question than a comment.
“You sure are innocent. No wonder Rhys is drawn to you.”
“I told him what you said about him having someone else in his bed. I told him that I don’t do that. It’s either me or not.”
“Shit,” Princess grunts. “Oh, well. Good for you. I hope for your sake that it works out that way.”
I’m a bit confounded, but power on. “You think he can do it?”
She shrugs. “No idea.”
Bang, bang, bang comes to the outside of the door, and my eyes dart to it.
“Princess, open the fuck up. I need Tanner.”
Rhys. I don’t know whether to be nervous or excited. He has me all twisted in knots.
“Come in,” Princess yells, and the door flies open, crashing into the wall. “Damn, be careful. Cruz hates to have to replace doors.”
“You’re lucky all I’m doing is blowing your door off,” he growls, and with the shiver going down my back, I don’t know if I’m excited or afraid.
“I know. I know. Tanner already told me. At least it’s out of the bag, and you both know what you’re getting yourself into,” Princess says as he stalks into the room.
He points at Princess. “I’ll have Cruz deal with you.” Those eyes meet mine as he pulls me from the bed by my hand. “Come on,” is all he says as I wave bye to Princess, and she stifles a giggle.
He pulls me down the hallway.
“Rhys, where are you taking me?”
Two seconds later, we are in his room, and he has me up against the door, his lips on mine, devouring me. I melt into him. Shit, he can kiss. What was I supposed to be thinking? Forget it.
The hardness of the door behind me makes this feel erotic and different. I’ve never had a man who needed me so badly he had sex with me against a door because he couldn’t wait. This would make twice that he’s blown my mind doing these things.
Down on all fours, he takes me hard and rough. I love every second of it. So much so, I pass out.
“HOLY SHIT,” I whisper, walking into Studio X, the strip club that Princess runs. She insisted that I come with her tonight since the guys had club business and asked Ma and Cooper to stay with my mom. I didn’t balk at the idea, because truth is, Princess is kind of scary, and I’m glad I’m on her good side.
The entire place is blood red and black. It gives off almost a classy feel, if that is possible for a strip club. Men line the floor around the stage. A woman with only a thong and a small scrap of fabric over her breasts works the huge stage while other women work the small side stages on either side of it. They line the whole back wall of the place. A huge bar with tons of people lining up to get orders is on the other. Small tables and chairs fill the space, and lights flash every which way with a spotlight on the dancer on the big stage.
“Welcome to my baby,” Princess says, pulling me out of my amusement. “This is X.” The smile on Princess’s face is huge, showing me her pride in the place, and I can see why. Men hold up money like it’s scraps of paper they found lying on the floor. Some are even throwing it at the dancer as she moves near them.
Between the whistles and the music, my ears are thumping hard.
“Come on. Let’s go see if Blaze in the back.” She walks toward the back of the space as I follow quickly through a heavy, velvet curtain where a guy nods at Princess and looks me up and down, assessing.
“You new here?” he asks in a deep voice, and my eyes widen.
He thinks I’m coming to strip here? No way. I would never have the guts to get out there in front of all those men and expose myself. Between my ass and tits, I’m not sure I would fit the profile.
“No,” I say, making his smile falter.
“Shame. With an ass like that, I’d love to give you a ride,” he says just as Princess steps in his face.
“Doug, this is Rhys’s woman.”
The man’s entire body stiffens, and his mouth opens and shuts, but no sound comes out.
“You want me to tell him you’re hitting on his woman?” His head shakes emphatically. “Then do your job and keep your fucking hands to yourself.” Princess growls exactly like the guys do when they are pissed off. Guess growing up there did turn her into one of the guys.
I think for a moment about my life if I had grown up here. Would I be like Princess? All badass and scary? Would Dagger have taught me about the club and what everything means? Would my mom and I have been happy?
I push those thoughts aside and follow Princess into the well-illuminated back, giving Doug a small, apologetic smile. Poor guy didn’t need his balls in a sling.
Girls in various stages of dress flitter throughout the room in a whirlwind of commotion. Some are at lit-up makeup tables, putting their faces on and fluffing their hair, while others are putting on, taking off, and adjusting what little clothes they have on. It reminds me a lot about the club mommas I’ve been learning about.
The rustling sounds of the back area muffle out the boisterous music from the dance floor.
The beautiful brunette I now know as Blaze is sitting on the floor with a needle and thread, sewing one of the girls’ barely-there shorts that ripped as we walk up to her. Her eyes lift briefly, the needle with a long piece of hot pick thread dangling from her lips. She clasps it, pulling it out and begins to sew the woman’s shorts.
“What’s going on, ladies?” she asks, her attention on her task.
“Showing Tanner around. You know she does hair?”
Blaze stops and now looks directly at me. “No shit?”
“No shit,” I say back with a smile.
Blaze goes back to her sewing as she talks. “We could use you around here. Some of these women need some serious help with their color and cuts.”
“Hey,” one of the girls chimes in, but she is silenced at Princess’s intense glare. I take it she runs a very tight ship here, and not just that, but I get the feeling the woman here really respect her.
“I’d be happy to help while I’m here, but I don’t know how long that it’ll be. Mom’s supposed to get a call tomorrow to let us know when the funeral is, so I suppose, after we go to that, we’ll just stay up in Tennessee,” I say, still looking at all the motion in the room. It’s actually very intriguing seeing how things work backstage. I’ve never had the opportunity to do this before.
Blaze looks up from the shorts at Princess, who gives a soft smirk. “You really think you’re going home?” she asks, tying a knot in the thread and cutting it with scissors.
“Thanks, Blaze,” the woman says as takes her shorts before scampering off quickly to the makeup table.
“Yeah, I have to go home. I have a job, and I’m sure my mother wants to go back.” After I say the words, my mind races. Would my mother want to go back home? There isn’t really anything keeping her there now. She doesn’t have a home and only a few friends.
I make a mental note to talk to her about that when I get back to the clubhouse. The scary thing is I don’t know if I want to go back. I shake my head.
“What about Rhys?” Blaze asks, tossing her thread in a basket and rising gracefully to her feet.
What about Rhys? Isn’t that the million dollar question?
“What about him? We both know this is a fling. He knows I’m leaving, and I’m sure he’s happy about it. I know he’s not the staying type, but he did promise me it would only be me while I am here,” I tell them as they usher me into a room and shut the door. It’s set up with the same makeup mirror as outside with a large couch that I’m pulled to and led to sit on.
“Wait. You said you told him you didn’t want him to sleep around, but you never said he told you he would try. He seriously agreed to that?” Princess asks. From her tone, she is truly surprised at that little revelation. To be honest, so am I. I just hope he means it.
“Yep. You think he can do it?” I don’t want to know the answer, but at the same time, I do. I don’t know much about the man, only what Princess told me. But it’s him. His presence is so over the top and powerful. I’m sure he could have anyone he wanted, and those mommas are dying to get their hands on him.
As the two women give each other a look, I wish I knew them well enough to know what it means. However, I fear it’s not good. It’s only for a few days. Surely I can keep him sated enough that he doesn’t need to go looking for anyone else.
Before he left for the day, we screwed twice. I’ve gotta hand it to him, though; for being older, he sure has a hell of a lot of stamina.
“I don’t know, but it’ll be interesting to find out,” Princess says, leaning back into the couch. “See, Rhys doesn’t open up much. As long as I’ve known him, we’ve never talked, and I never have learned anything about his biological family except he doesn’t have any contact with them.” She shrugs. “Rhys is Rhys.” In other words, if he wants someone else, he’ll do it without question. If he does, though, we’ll be over. I’m not that kind of woman. Sure, they are out there, but he’ll have to go searching for that one, instead, because I’m not her.
“Whatever. I’m sure we’ll be leaving here soon enough, and I won’t have to worry about any of it,” I tell them, feeling a small pang of dread hit my gut, but I shake it off.
“Well, we’ve got shit to do. You wanna hang back here with the girls, or you wanna come out on the floor?” Princess asks.
“I think I’ll see if any of them need help with their hair. It’ll give me something to do.” And stop all the thoughts of leaving Rhys from plaguing my thoughts.
“Sounds good. I’ll be back here off and on,” Blaze says, standing up. “Gotta check some numbers and I’ll be right back.” I have no idea what she is talking about, numbers? But whatever.
After they take off, I find the girls very welcoming as I offer to do their hair. Blaze wasn’t kidding about these ladies needing colored and cut. Some of them have hair that is so beat up I’m surprised they can get a comb through it.
After a couple hours of hair, I feel light and back in my game. It’s only been a couple of days, but I miss doing it. It’s been a passion of mine since I was a little kid. I feel calm and more centered now.
Princess and Blaze haven’t come back from wherever they went. I push open the heavy curtain blocking the back from the front. Doug smiles at me and says nothing. He must be really scared of Rhys. I can’t say I blame him.
There are twice, maybe triple, the amount of people now crushing the room. By the sixth excuse me, I give up and just start barreling through the crowd, hoping to get to the bar. At least I can get a drink while I look for them. I figure my jeans, pale blue shirt, and toned down hair will tell all the guys that I’m not a dancer here. There are a few women, but men are the majority.
An arm comes around my waist, pulling me into a hard, pudgy stomach. My hands immediately fall on the one gripped around me.
“Look what we’ve got here.” The man’s alcohol-laced breath comes to the side of my face, and I want to gag.
“Let go,” I tell him, wiggling out of his grasp. Unfortunately, he’s strong, reminding me of James. Heat pours through me at that thought just as two more men step to the front and beside me. Oh, hell no.
Rearing back with my elbow, I give him a savage thrust into his gut at the same time I stomp hard on his foot, thanking God I wore boots. His grip loosens, and I move, but I don’t get far before one of the guys snatches me and the other slaps me hard across the face. The burn from the blow radiates through my face and down my neck.
I pull my chin to my chest and slam my head back hard into the guy holding me. From the wetness on my neck, I know I at least bloodied his nose.
His arm leaves me as he starts calling me a stupid bitch and saying, “I’ll get you whore.” The guy who slapped me grabs my hair and pulls it hard, each strand straining to stay inside my scalp. He begins to drag me, but I refuse to let my feet move. Where in the hell is security in this place?
My hair is abruptly released, and I tumble to the ground from the force of trying to get it out of the man’s grasp. My breaths come out in pants as I rush to my feet, assessing my surroundings. Rhys stands in front of me, his eyes full of unleashed fury.
My heart races. I have to admit, he’s scaring the shit out of me with that look.
“You okay?” His tone is angry and fierce.
Instead of words, I nod my head just as Princess runs out of the crowd, coming to stand next to me.
Rhys turns behind him where Dagger, Cruz, GT, and the other brothers are holding the guys with their arms behind their backs as the scramble to try to get away from them.
“Princess,” Rhys says, eyeing her.
“Got it.” She pulls my arm. “Come on. Let’s get you up to the office. Blaze, make sure everything is smooth,” she calls out as we walk up a curved staircase that has a wide view of the floor below. My eyes immediately find Rhys, who is throwing punch after punch on the guys who tried to hurt me. My eyes well with unshed tears, the actions of the men racing through my head.
Princess pulls me into an immaculate office in the same black and blood red as downstairs. She leads me to a chair and has me sit. I don’t move, too stunned, as she comes back and places something cold in my hand. I look down to the bright blue ice pack and remember the fire in my cheek. I place it on the side of my face with a wince.
“What the fuck happened out there?” Princess questions, sitting on the edge of a huge desk, her eyes pinned on me.
“I was coming out to find you and Blaze …” I tell her everything in a rush, not taking a breath as I explain.
“Fuck. I’m gonna kill those fuckers,” she growls.
“The guys?”
She smirks. “Fuck no. The boys are dealing with those asses. I’m talking about my security. This shit isn’t supposed to happen here, and they damn well know it.” She pulls out her phone and types something then sets it down.
“What are they gonna do to them?” I ask. My head and jaw hurt, but I’ve had worse, and I’m not about to let it get to me.
“Teach them a lesson, ban them from the club.” She shrugs. “Who knows what else?” Just like they did with Griff. A shiver quakes me. “It’s my fault. I should have told you to stay in the back or call me if you wanted to come out.” Princess moves to the chair behind her desk and takes a seat.
“You couldn’t have known,” I tell her because there is no way she should blame herself for the actions of a few morons. “I’m sure it’ll all work out, right?” I don’t know if I am trying to reassure her or myself at this point.
“I’ll have to fuck up security again. Motherfucker.” She picks up her phone, speaks into it, and then slams it down to the holder. “Blaze is coming.”
I nod. “Why ‘again’?” I can’t help asking.
“When Blaze danced, she had an asshole jump up on stage and tackle her. Tug took care of the guy, and I upped security, or so I thought.” I don’t process most of what she says. I’m stuck on the Blaze dancing part. She’s beautiful, and I bet she brought home a serious amount of cash. I don’t ask, though, even if it’s on the tip of my tongue to do so.
The door burst open behind me, and I leap to my feet, dropping the ice pack to the ground. Rhys stands at the door, heaving with blood dripping from his hands.
I clutch my hands together and put them against my chest, knowing his mood is anything but happy.
“Come here,” he orders, the rise and fall of his wide chest and flaring nostrils freaking me out. He’s so pissed right now I’m not sure I should go to him, so I hesitate. “Sprite,” he says tersely.
I can’t stop my feet from moving toward him, my body trembling the whole time. Not that I believe he would hurt me; it’s just the first reaction. After James and then what just happened, I can’t stop the fear.
His hand cups my chin, turning it so he can look at where the asshole punched me. I have no doubt it’s red.
“It should mix in well with all the other fading bruises.” I wanted my tone to come out teasing, but it’s more flat, and Rhys hears it.
“Fucker won’t touch you again.” He pulls me roughly into his arms, and I wrap mine around his back, barely able to meet my fingers.
The nerves that were spiking uncontrollably begin to settle at his touch as I burrow myself into him, my face in his neck. I soak every bit of comfort I can from him and let his strength settle me.
His hand moves up to my hair, leaving fire on my skin as he threads his fingers through my tresses. I wince at the touch.
“Fucker pulled hard?” he asks, already knowing the answer.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t be surprised if I left some on the floor out there.” My words come out muffled into his neck, but I’m not ready to move yet. I want to stay right here in his warmth.
I ignore all the warning bells going off inside of me, telling me this is a bad idea. I shouldn’t feel this way with this man. Nevertheless, I cast it all aside and soak in the moment with him.
“I’ll kill that son of a bitch.” Those words make me move quickly.
I look into Rhys’s eyes that are filled with so much clouded anger I’m not sure I could help him at this point. “You can’t kill him. You’ll go to jail,” I whisper, moving my hand to his face then stopping myself. He doesn’t like to be touched there, I remember. I place my arm back around his waist.
Princess laughs from the other side of the room, but says nothing.
“You let me worry about those dickheads. I swear to you, they will never get near you again.”
I burrow my head and inhale deeply. Rhys smells like wind, outdoors, and plain out sin. I can’t get enough of it.
He pulls my head out the crook of his neck and kisses me hard. I don’t resist falling into the hungry kiss and enjoying every second of it. When he pulls away, I whine. I want his comfort. I want him.
“Sprite, stay with Princess for a bit. I’ll be back in a few, and you’re on the back of my bike.” He kisses me again, releases me, and like smoke, vanishes quickly.
“Well, fucking hell,” Princess says.
I stare at the door, willing him to just come back and hold me, but he doesn’t. Instead, I grab the ice pack and put it on my face.
I look up into Princess’s dancing eyes. “What?” I fall down into the chair, my legs sprawled out and head resting on the cushion. My head feels so heavy.
“Sister, Rhys doesn’t put women on the back of his bike. Ever.” None of this means anything to me, so I stare at her. She shakes her head, coming closer to me. She stops, her eyes squinting in thought. “Remember I told you about biker hard?”
How the hell could I forget? It scared the shit out of me.
“Yeah.”
“Part of biker code is only allowing women on the back that they choose. Rhys doesn’t allow any woman on the back of his bike. In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him take one.”
My eyes narrow. “And this is some big deal?”
Princess chuckles. “Tanner, are you ready to be Rhys’s ol’ lady?”
I still, my body not even taking a breath. Princess has lost her mind.
“I’m only here for a bit longer. I’m sure the funeral is in a couple of days, and we’ll have to head back.”
“Whatever you say, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”