Chapter Seventeen
Liz woke up to the sound of a woman’s voice, and at first, had no clue where the fuck she was or who was in the room with her. She sat up, and it came back to her. She was in a room at the MC club, and Rai was there.
“Sorry. I didn’t know you were asleep.”
“Oh. Shit. I didn’t know I was either. I mean, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. What time is it?” The scent of roast beef was faint, but she could definitely smell it. Were they all downstairs eating dinner?
“Almost seven.”
Rai pointed toward a tray on a small table across the room. “I brought you some dinner. Rahab said he wasn’t sure if you were coming down.”
“Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“Don’t worry about it. He told us what happened, and said you probably needed some space and time right now.”
“You didn’t have to bring up food for me. I want to help. I don’t want to stay here on charity.”
“Hey, relax, okay? Want me to sit with you while you eat? You seemed like you wanted to talk last time we spoke.”
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“Not right now. I can stay for a while.”
“Is Rahab upset I didn’t come down?”
“Not at all.” Rai closed the door and sat in one of the chairs at the table. Liz rose and joined her across the table, taking the other chair.
“Don’t tell him I told you this,” said Rai, “but he came in here and checked on you while you were sleeping. Told me not to say anything, because I don’t think he wanted you to know he cares that much.” She rolled her eyes. “Men. They’re so afraid to admit to having any emotions.”
Liz pulled the tray over. “Well, I’m not sure he has feelings for me, beyond lust, that is.”
“Oh really? You think he just takes in people all the time, then?”
“I’m only here because my apartment was vandalized.”
“No, you’re here because Rahab wants you close. The apartment getting trashed merely sped up the process. Seriously, Liz. None of us have ever seen him like this.”
She tasted the beef and potatoes. “This is great. Did you make this?”
“I’m not on kitchen duty today. This is Meghan’s creation. Speaking of kitchen duty, although we need more help in other areas, Chloe and I would love it if you’d join that group while you’re here.”
“I’d be delighted to.”
“Great. I’ll add you to the schedule and print it out for you. There’s a board down in the kitchen where we post it each week.”
“Thanks. This is really good.”
“Eat up.”
“What did you mean by you’ve never seen him like this?”
“Over a woman. He’s a one-night stand, quickie in the private room kind of guy.”
So, she was right. It hadn’t been her imagination that Rahab was taken with her. “Is it all right to ask you some questions while I eat?”
“Of course.”
“I guess what I really need to know is why did you decide not to restart another business? You have an MBA. Doesn’t it bother you that you took the time to earn it, and now aren’t even using it?”
“I did what I’d set out to do. I ran that firm successfully for two years and built a decent customer base. Unfortunately, three of those customers turned out to be working for Vito Cinquepalmi. Their organizations were in the news when they got busted. Surely you read about it.”
“Oh, I did. They were Mob fronts.”
“Yeah. They used me, Liz. And then they tried to force me to pull in more clients who were running dummy companies to hide illegal activity. Vito basically told me to partner up with him or I’d be sorry. And when he found out I went to the FBI, he tried to have me killed.”
“But it’s not like that everywhere.”
“No, it’s not. But what I’m trying to explain is that I’ve played that game, and I’m not interested in playing it again. Having an MBA, a BA, or any degree isn’t a talisman. They don’t change who a person is inside, and they don’t automatically guarantee the person who earns them anything special or extraordinary. People have done special and extraordinary things without having graduated from high school.”
Liz chewed her food while she let that statement bounce around in her head. Rai had a good point, and it was one she’d never considered.
“I have everything I’ve ever wanted right here. Tannin is a good man, and he’s good to me. I was married once. Did you know that?”
She shook her head, wishing she’d never asked, because Rai looked and sounded angry.
“Yeah. To a guy I’d known most of my life. We got married after high school, and then he decided he didn’t want me any longer. That was after racking up credit card debt that he and his little girl toy left me with, of course.”
“What do you mean they left you with it?”
“I mean they’re in the Caribbean somewhere, in a country where I can’t legally touch them. I ended up having to file bankruptcy to pay off the debt, and then I worked my ass off to earn my MBA and build up capital to start my company.”
“Rai, that’s impressive as hell.”
“It was what it was. But that’s my point. I did all that, and sacrificed for it, and what I got for my trouble was a hit put on me by a Mob boss. Why would I want to start over and take a chance on getting fucked again?”
There was no good answer to that. Liz understood what Rai was saying, and it made perfect sense.
“I meant what I told you over the weekend, Liz. I’m happy here. I love Tannin. He loves me. I love working for Donny, and I am using all the skills my degree and running a business gave me. It’s not like my education or work experience has gone to waste.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
“It’s not only the work. The Brothers are my family now. They take care of each other, and they take care of the women here. Not that we can’t do that ourselves. I don’t mean it that way. I mean they stick together, and we’re part of that.”
She swallowed hard as she pushed away her plate. “Rahab talks about them like that, too. About them being a family.”
“That’s because they are. You have no idea the shit these guys have dealt with, but they survived because they did it together. Because they’re loyal as heck and would do anything to protect each other.”
“I never had one of those.”
“One of those what?”
Obviously, Rahab hadn’t said anything to the others, not that she’d expected him to. But it was good to have confirmation she could trust him completely. “May I tell you a story?”
“Of course.”
After Liz finished telling Rai about her past, and what she’d done so far to reach her goals, Rai gave her a tight hug. “I’m sorry you went through that. It sucks. And now I understand better why you’re asking me all these questions.”
She released the hug and put her hands on Liz’s shoulders. “But listen to me. Rahab isn’t going to try to force you to abandon your plans. Hell, Tannin asks me all the time whether I want to do something besides work here part-time for Donny.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I don’t tell anyone, because it’s private between me and him. But my point is that just because these guys are bikers and like having everything self-contained in this building, and just because their income is from a strip club, doesn’t mean they expect women to be on their knees giving them blowjobs day and night, or barefoot and pregnant, or cooking their dinner and having no more ambition than not to burn it.”
Liz laughed. It was impossible not to. Rai painted such a clichéd picture, but what she’d said was also funny.
“Sure, they like it when we’re available for sex, but what guy doesn’t want that? And they expect us to let them solve our problems, but that’s another guy thing. When it comes down to it, they also like it that we’re strong and independent. They want someone they can talk to about anything, including problems that need solving.”
“Did any of them go to college?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean they’re stupid.”
“I didn’t mean to imply it did.”
“Okay. Just making sure you understand that. They’re street smart, and that makes them shrewd businessmen. This strip club makes so much money because of them. Donny came on board after it was up and running. He offers us protection, but he’s not involved in the day-to-day running of the business. The guys do all that, and they do it well.”
Liz smiled. “I never looked at it that way.”
“If none of the women were here and they had to hire outside help to cook and clean, they’d still run Scotty’s Place just as well. Look, it’s none of my business, and I don’t know where you and Rahab are headed. All I can tell you is that none of us have ever seen him act this way over a woman, and I know for a fact he would never ask you to give up your dreams for him. He might ask you to share them with him, but he’d never ask you to choose one or the other.”
“Thank you, Rai. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
“You’re welcome.” Rai eyed the tray. “You going to eat the rest of that?”
“No.” Liz stood. “I’m going to find Rahab.”
“He’s in his room, I think. Club is closed tonight, and he said he was tired.”
“Thanks.” Liz stopped after taking a few steps, and turned around. “You want me to take that back downstairs?”
“Nope. I’ve got it.” Rai winked as she passed Liz. “Have fun.”
As Liz made her way down to Rahab’s room, she felt as if a huge weight had lifted from her mind. How foolish she’d been to assume that because he was an alpha male, all the way, he’d demand she give up her plans. She’d never given any guy a chance because of her belief that she couldn’t have both an intimate, meaningful relationship, and a career.
But if she had, she’d never have become involved with Rahab. With the new light Rai had shed on their ways here, she was now free to enjoy Rahab and see where this might lead, without holding back out of fear that she’d lose her sense of direction.
She almost opened the door without knocking, but that would be rude. Plus, if he was in there with someone else, she’d be embarrassed and look foolish. They weren’t exclusive, after all. He was free to fuck anyone here that he wanted to.
“What?” he called.
“It’s Liz. Can I come in?”
She listened for a second, straining to hear whether he was moving in there, and then the door opened so quickly she took a step back. Her heart skipped a beat at the cautious expression on his face. What the hell had she done to hurt him? Whatever it was, it hadn’t been intentional.
“May I come in?”
“Missed you at dinner. We thought you’d come down.”
That’s not what Rai had told her, but if she betrayed that confidence, she’d undermine Rai. “I fell asleep. Didn’t mean to. Rai was just up there with a tray for me. We had a nice long talk.”
His expression never changed. “And now you’re here to talk to me?”
She pushed past him and stepped inside. “No. I’m here to fuck you.”