CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Lake
Blaze would have let me sit out there and listen to whatever the guy had to say. I couldn’t believe he’d trusted me like that. Was he naive? As the president of an MC, I didn’t see how he could be, but hell, he hardly knew me. Then again, he could trust me: I wouldn’t betray him. Maybe he was a good judge of character. Still, the knowledge warmed me from the inside out.
Lifting the curtain, I peered out the window in time to see the haggard-looking guy climb on his bike and rev it up. Blaze continued to sit out in the cold for minutes after his visitor had disappeared down the street.
I should mind my own business.
I opened the front door.
“Everything okay?”
Blaze didn’t even look my way. I stepped out onto the porch.
“Blaze?”
“Huh?” He looked up at me, eyes dazed with thought.
“I was just wondering if everything was okay. You must be getting cold out here.” I felt awkward asking, but the smile Blaze gave me made up for it.
He stood and rubbed his hands on his jeans. “Yeah, everything’s cool. Oh, hey…Julianne sent you something. I left it in the riding bag.” He walked down the steps and across the lawn to where his Harley was parked in the driveway. He came back with a takeout box.
“Hope it didn’t get all messed up in the bag. She said to tell you she couldn’t eat another bite and hoped you’d enjoy it.” Blaze walked past me into the house, and I followed, closing the door behind me. I took the food to the dining room table.
“You can heat that up in the microwave,” Blaze offered, but I shook my head and dug in, moaning at the first taste. Chicken Parmesan. God, so good, even almost cold. I hadn’t eaten all day.
Blaze leaned against the doorframe between the kitchen and dining room and scrolled through his phone before lifting it to his ear.
“Dante? I need you over here, pronto.” He disconnected, and I wondered what was going on as Blaze brought the phone to his ear again.
“Matteo? Hey. Listen, we’ve got a problem.” He glanced at me just as I was sucking sauce off my thumb, and the heat that flared in those beautiful eyes went straight to my cock. My hand froze mid-suck.
“What?” Blaze said into the phone, blinking. “Oh, yeah, hold it.” He cleared his throat. “Everybody’s at work, but I need to talk to you as soon as you can get your ass over here.” He pocketed his phone and avoided my gaze.
Uneasiness crawled up my spine, although I wasn’t sure what I was afraid of. I didn’t know much about biker clubs except what I’d seen on TV. I hadn’t gotten the impression this club wasn’t anything like those.
“Thought you said everything was okay,” I said.
Blaze pushed off the doorframe and squeezed my shoulder. I automatically tensed, not because I was afraid of Blaze, but because I hadn’t expected it, and Blaze’s touch brought my body to life.
Blaze removed his hand.
“Just business. Nothing for you to worry about.”
I finished my meal and cleaned up. By the time I returned to the living room, Dante was there. I almost made a U-turn but felt weird hiding in the bedroom.
“Hi,” I said, walking over to the sofa and sitting down.
“Hey.” Dante glanced at me. He didn’t seem surprised to see me. Blaze must have told him why I was there. Blaze walked into the room from the kitchen, cell phone still in hand.
“I haven’t been able to get in touch with Zeke,” he said to Dante.
“Call Morgan,” Dante said.
“I don’t want to scare him.”
“Zeke’s more likely to flip out about this than Morgan is.”
“True.” Blaze turned back toward the kitchen, phone against his ear.
I wanted to know what was going on, but Blaze had brushed me off when I’d asked. Indignation made me want to pry the information out of Dante, but before I could say anything, I heard the roar of a motorcycle outside, and Dante leaned over the big leather chair to look out the window.
“Bullseye,” he said, as though to himself.
I moved to the edge of the couch to get a glimpse of the guy climbing off his bike. I remembered him from the night Blaze had first been to the Banana.
“What’s he do? In your club, I mean,” I asked, discomfort crawling over me for some unknown reason.
“Second-in-command.”
I figured that meant like a vice president. He and Blaze were probably close, and I realized with annoyance that bothered me.
“Why’s Blaze helping me?” I asked Dante as he crossed the room to open the door for Bullseye.
“Because he’s a nice guy,” Dante said before Bullseye stepped inside, clapping a hand on Dante’s back as he did so.
Bullseye was olive-skinned and dark-eyed with shoulder-length dark hair. Pretty damned sexy, but with a predatory look that made me inwardly cringe. He seemed familiar, but I knew I’d never met him before.
“Well, look who we have here,” he said, eying me up and down. “This is the most dressed I’ve ever seen you, pretty boy.”
“Don’t call me that,” I said, taking a step back without meaning to.
Bullseye laughed, and I couldn’t stop the blush that rose to my face. I didn’t like this guy.
“Besides, those shorts I wear at the club aren’t exactly practical for a motorcycle ride,” I said with a sneer, trying to cover my discomfort.
Bullseye’s eyebrows went up. “You were on a bike? Whose?”
“Blaze’s,” I said.
The man surprised me by grinning.
“Awesome.” He held out his hand to shake. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced, and Dante here’s too rude to do the honors. I’m Matteo Costa.”
“Lake Adams,” I said. Matteo’s hand lingered a little too long against mine as he studied me intently.
I pulled my hand back. “I think I’ll go rest before work,” I said, and turned to go. Suddenly, I remembered I had no way to get to the club. Damn. I couldn’t expect Blaze to drive me everywhere I needed to go.
“Is Axel around?” I asked Dante.
“He’s over at mine hoping for a glance from Caleb,” Dante said.
Matteo’s cocky expression morphed into concern as he turned to his club brother. “You think he stands a chance?”
Dante sighed. “I don’t know. Isaac and I have talked about it, and while he thinks it’s sweet Ax is working so hard to gain Caleb’s trust, I can’t help but think it’s going to hurt Ax in the long run. I mean, Caleb’s taken some strides forward, sure, especially now he has Duke. But at this rate, Ax will be an old man by the time he reaches first base.”
I didn’t know who the fuck Isaac and Duke were, but that didn’t stop me from throwing in my two cents.
“There’s more to life than sex, you know.” Both men looked at me, and I crossed my arms over my chest. “Maybe Axel doesn’t give a damn about reaching any bases. You ever think of that?”
Dante and Matteo looked at each other in confusion, and I let out a breath. “The reason I asked about Axel is I need a ride to work tonight.”
“I’ll give you his number,” Dante said. I handed him my phone and watched him put in the contact before heading for my bedroom. After calling Axel and arranging for a ride to the club, I slipped off my shoes and lay down on the bed, feeling out of place. I wanted to know what was going on, but damned if I was going to beg for the information. I could hear the guys talking in the next room, and my heart jumped when Blaze’s voice joined in.
I must have dozed off because I jerked at a rap on the door, my eyes snapping open.
Blaze stuck his head in the room. “Hey. Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.” His eyes ran over me, and my body responded by sprouting goosebumps.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “It’s okay.”
“You’ve been in here a couple of hours. We’ve made dinner and hoped you’d join us.”
I swung my legs off the bed and nodded. I cleared my throat, which was scratchy from sleep.
“Sure. Just give me a minute.”
I used the bathroom, splashed some water on my face, and combed my hair. When I entered the dining room, Zeke’s husband was there, and so was Axel. The big man smiled at me. Dante was nowhere to be seen, but Matteo sat at the table, a beer in his hand. He winked at me, and I barely managed not to cringe. What was it about the guy that bothered me so much?
I nodded to everyone and slipped into an empty chair.
Zeke’s husband was cute, lithely built with big dark eyes and a dancer’s body. He reminded me of that gay, British diver who’d married the American director. Khan and Stephen had a calendar full of the guy posing in his Speedo.
The muffled sound of a bike motor out front heralded another arrival. Didn’t any of these guys drive cars?
It’s a biker club, stupid.
“I’m not the best cook,” Blaze said, placing a casserole dish of steaming food on the table.
“I’m not picky,” I said, accepting the ladle and placing a portion on my plate. It smelled good. My stomach rumbled.
The front door slammed, and Zeke strode into the room, a scowl on his face. He spotted Morgan and only then did his face relax. He put a hand on his husband’s shoulder, and Morgan smiled up at him and covered the hand with his own.
“What’s going on?” Zeke asked Blaze gruffly. “I don’t like getting a message telling me Morgan was here, there might be trouble, and nothin’ else. Then your goddamn phone kept going to voice mail.”
“Yeah, well, if you’d have answered when I called, I wouldn’t have had to leave a message,” Blaze said evenly. “Where were you?”
“At the house talking to the construction workers who are building our back porch.”
Morgan turned in his seat. “Have they made progress? What’s it look like?”
Zeke’s flinty eyes softened as he looked down at Morgan again, and a funny, twisty feeling took hold in my chest. I looked away and concentrated on eating.
“It’s looking really good. Now, what’s goin’ on?”
“Sit down and eat,” Morgan said.
Glancing around the table between bites, it crossed my mind that it should be weird—this roomful of bikers who had more than one gay relationship among them—but somehow it wasn’t. And a person would have to be a fool to say something derogatory within their hearing range.
“Dave Watson paid me a visit today,” Blaze said when Zeke had been served a plate of casserole.
“Who the hell is that?”
“You’d remember him as Jackal,” Matteo said.
Zeke put his fork down. “The guy kicked out of the Pistons for talking to the cops?”
“Yep.”
“What the fuck did he want?”
“Said he owes me because my brother once saved his life. Warned me someone’s offed the newest Hogs president. Strung him up and skinned him.”
The bite of chicken and noodle I’d just swallowed lodged in my throat, and I reached for my water to wash it down. Skinned him? I glanced at Morgan, who’d paused mid-bite and looked as sick as I felt. He met my gaze.
“Watson told me the new guy in charge doesn’t give two shits if Sniper rots in jail—may even off him inside,” Blaze continued. “Said Spoons is intent on getting his retribution.”
Zeke stood up so fast, his chair toppled over. Morgan grabbed Zeke’s arm, and Blaze got to his feet.
“That’s why I wanted Morgan here,” he said, voice remaining calm and even.
I’d wanted to know what was going on, but now that I did, I wished I could erase what I’d heard from my memory.
Zeke wrapped his hand around Morgan’s, but his gaze never left Blaze’s. “He ain’t gettin’ his hands on Morgan.”
“Of course he isn’t,” Blaze said. “That’s what we’re here to make sure of.”
Zeke’s tension eased marginally, and Blaze sat down again. After a moment, Zeke righted his chair and did the same.
“Stay here tonight,” Blaze said.
Zeke and Morgan exchanged looks, and Zeke nodded.
We finished the meal in near silence, and when the dishes were cleared, Blaze drew me aside before I could escape to my bedroom.
“Sorry all this is happening while you’re here. We don’t usually have drama going on.”
“I can hardly complain since you’re giving me a place to stay,” I said neutrally.
Blaze shook his head. “I intended to give you a safe place to stay.” He looked at his feet. “Listen, is it okay with you if I sleep in your room tonight?”
My breath caught. I knew the request had something to do with Zeke and Morgan staying over—it wasn’t like Blaze was saying he wanted to sleep with me—but the room only had one bed, and it wasn’t very big.
“Zeke and Morgan need my larger bed, and there’s a trundle under yours,” Blaze explained.
The words sank in, and I nodded jerkily, following Blaze down the hall and watching as he crouched and pulled a bed out from beneath the one I’d slept in the night before.
“You can ride with Ax to work,” Blaze said, pausing at the door. “Thanks for being such a trooper.” He left.
I turned and sank down onto the mattress. Fat chance I’d be getting any sleep with Blaze lying a few feet away, no matter how exhausted I was after work.
***
Between waiting tables and dodging grabby patrons, I thought about my predicament.
No apartment, no vehicle other than my bicycle—which I needed to pick up from Cal’s place soon or his boyfriend would likely throw it out onto the curb—and the usual anxiety twisting my gut about having enough money to live on. Yep, my life was a mess, all right. I remembered how scared I’d been when Ron had pinned me down with his bulk and quickly slammed the door on that train before I could imagine what would have happened if Blaze hadn’t followed me into the building that day, replacing it with the memory of Blaze’s hands around Ron’s thick neck and my foot meeting Ron’s nuts.
Totally worth getting thrown out of the place.
I reminded myself my current situation was only for a week. Khan and Stephen would get back from their trip, and I could leave the clubhouse.
I sighed. Khan was going to drive me crazy. I’d have to find a new place fast. No question it would be a dump.
“Lake.”
I jolted and turned to find Axel watching me, the drink order I’d requested waiting on the bar in front of me.
“Oh, thanks.”
“Something wrong?”
I shook my head and hefted the tray, carefully balancing it on one hand before I moved into the crowd. Saturday nights were always busy, but that night the Banana was particularly crowded. I was having trouble maneuvering through the throng while being careful not to spill the drinks, and several patrons took the opportunity to squeeze my ass.
Keeping a smile on my face became more and more difficult, and by the time I reached the table, my nerves were on edge.
“Here you go.” I gave out the drinks, remembering the vodka tonic went to the guy with the septum piercing, the whiskey sour to the goth twink, and the bourbon on the rocks to the bearded third at the table.
“Took you long enough,” the man with the piercing said.
“Sorry, but, as you can see, we’re packed tonight.”
Good thing Vince had hired a couple new guys, or we’d be in serious trouble. Septum eyed me.
“How’s about a lap dance to make it up to me?” His arm snaked around my waist like a thick vine, tugging me into his lap before I knew what was happening. Suddenly, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Dropping my tray, I scrambled out of the guy’s grip and into the crowd.
I avoided that table for the next half hour, not caring if the guy told the manager. When I headed for the bar with my next drink order, my heart skipped a beat when I spotted Blaze sitting on the corner stool. Another emotion entirely hit me when I noticed one of the new waiters leaning close to him.
Tad. I’d met him briefly when I’d arrived that night but hadn’t paid much attention to him then. He was short, wiry, and had dark hair that stuck up all over his head with the assistance of a shit-load of gel. Combined with his sharp nose, eyes that were too close together, and the way he was practically humping Blaze's leg, I thought he resembled a horny porcupine. Was that what Blaze liked? Because if it was, I didn't stand a chance; I was a million times better-looking than that little rodent.
Annoyed and indignant, I strode forward and slapped the new tray I’d picked up on the bar, heart all but staggering when Blaze flashed me a dazzling smile.
I tore my eyes away and glared at Tad. “Vince doesn’t like us standing around idle.” I sounded every bit as stuck up as people had always called me growing up. Funny how easy it was to slip back into that attitude. From the moment I’d seen Tad flirting with Blaze, I’d regressed seven years.
Tad barely glanced at me, his focus entirely on Blaze. “I’m just waiting for Axel to fill my order.”
I had the sudden urge to pinch the bitch so hard he squealed.
I glanced toward the big bartender, who seemed to be taking an incredibly long time mixing drinks. He wore black pants and a black T-shirt that hugged his muscular form. Strange how I’d never really noticed how good-looking Axel was before, probably because, next to Blaze, everyone else paled in my eyes.
Calm down, I told myself, but it was like I’d lost control.
“I need a margarita on the rocks, a Bud Light, and a Long Island tea if you can step it up,” I told Axel icily before turning my attention back to Tad, who was talking in Blaze’s ear and giggling. I thought I heard Ax chuckle, and that made me even more angry.
Nostrils flaring, I grabbed Tad by the back of his shirt and jerked him away from Blaze. “Go wait on the other side of the bar,” I said, giving him a shove.
Tad shot me a poisonous look but did as I said. I took his place beside Blaze.
“What?” I asked when I saw Blaze was smiling.
Blue eyes crinkling at the corners met mine. “Nothing.”
I lifted my chin. “He’s new. He doesn’t know the rules yet.”
“If he was breaking the rules by standing here talking to me, you’re doing the same thing right now,” Blaze pointed out.
My cheeks heated, and I turned away from him. I thought about claiming we weren’t allowed to flirt with the customers, but Blaze would know that was a lie.
“I’m only teasing.” Blaze ran his hand down my arm, and I couldn’t control the shiver that raced through me. Memories of the way he’d held me when I’d cried flooded my mind, bringing with them an odd mixture of arousal, humiliation, and tenderness. Why did the guy have to be so damned nice? Is that why I couldn’t seem to resist him? Give me a little kindness, and I rolled over like a beaten dog? See someone flirting with what was mine, I bared my teeth?
Blaze isn’t yours.
“I’m glad you got rid of him,” Blaze said, mouth an inch from my ear.
I looked over my shoulder and our cheeks grazed. My stomach did a flip. “Why?”
Blaze’s smile melted something deep inside me. “Because I’d rather talk to you.”
Oh, God.
“Here you go, Lake,” Axel said, placing three drinks on my tray. Sure, now he picks up the pace. I lifted the tray and scooted past Blaze, purposely brushing against him when I didn’t really need to but making sure my back was turned to him. I was hard, and the stupid shorts weren’t hiding it. I delivered the drinks as quickly as I could and made a beeline for the back, thinking a couple strokes in the bathroom would take care of matters.
“You sporting that wood for me?” an unexpected voice asked when I’d shut the door.
I spun around.
“You’re not supposed to be back here,” I said, unease taking hold when I saw it was guy from earlier with the septum piercing. He’d been standing behind the bathroom door, obviously waiting for me.
He stepped toward me.
Good God, did I have a fucking sign on my back or something? Was this really happening to me again?
Victim. The word materialized in my mind, followed by my father’s voice. You’re weak. You’ll never make it on your own.
I scowled at the guy. “Get out of here.”
Septum smiled. “I don’t think you mean that.” He took a couple steps toward me, reached out, and twirled a strand of my hair around his meaty index finger. I held still, not wanting to appear afraid of him. I was, though. I’d be stupid not to be, as he was much larger than I was. The recent memory of Ron’s heavy body on top of me and what he’d promised to do set my knees to trembling. Blaze wasn’t going to save me this time. Nobody was, and I probably deserved it.
“I felt something between us before,” Septum said, vodka-laced breath fanning my face.
I lifted my chin and kept my voice even as I moved away from him.
“This room is for employees, and you’re not supposed to be back here.”
Septum took another step closer and I stepped away again. He’d managed to move me halfway across the room in this manner. “I won’t tell if you won’t. Come on; you can’t tell me you don’t bring guys back here all the time. You’ve been tempting me with that ass all night, babe.”
I gritted my teeth. “Prancing around in these shorts is my job. Now get out.”
When Septum only looked amused, I stepped to the left, intending to skirt around the couch and head back to the door. Music thumped through the walls and floor, the sound of the laughter and partying of an unusually rowdy crowd rising above it. No one knew I’d left the floor or would hear me if I yelled. Rocco and Steve, the bouncers on duty, had their hands full, and I wasn’t sure they liked me enough to care anyway.
“How much?” Septum asked.
“What?” I’d lost the thread of the conversation.
“You’re holding out for money. How much for me to plow that ass?”
“I’m not a fucking whore,” I said, drawing myself up to my full height, which was still considerably shorter than the man in front of me. I took another small step in the direction of the door. How in the fuck had I gotten so far away from it?
“Didn’t say you were, but I know how things work in these clubs.”
“Not with me.”
“I’ll give you a hundred, but no more. Even your ass isn’t worth more than that.”
“Fuck off.” I’d almost made it to the end of the couch.
“You’re backing away like you’re afraid of me, pretty boy. I promise I won’t hurt you. Unless you want me to, that is.” His smile sent chills down my spine. “I can be nice, but if you enjoy a little pain with your pleasure, I’m more than up for that.”
He kept advancing on me, and although I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me scared, I was two seconds from running. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest and stood my ground.
“You’re not hearing me. I don’t sell my body. You need to leave before I get one of the bouncers in here.”
“Didn’t see any bouncers close by,” Septum said before licking his lips in a way that made my stomach turn. “Stop playin’ hard to get.” He reached down and pressed his palm against his erection. Any stiffness my dick had experienced after talking to Blaze had disappeared long ago.
Faster than I would have thought a big guy like that could move, Septum lunged at me. I managed to step back just seconds before he could grab me, forcing him to stumble into the couch. I jerked the door open and had one foot in the hallway by the time Septum caught up with me, gripping my arm and twisting so hard, I cried out in pain.
I looked down the hall and spotted Tad standing in the entryway to the main room.
“Tad!” I yelled.
He looked over his shoulder at me, glanced at Septum’s grip on my arm, and deliberately turned his back on the scene.
Why, that little snot. The fight ran out of me. I stopped struggling, and Septum jerked me backward against his hard chest. Taking a deep breath, I turned and leaned into him, a coy smile playing about my mouth as I looked up into his gruff face.
“All right, no more teasing,” I said, walking my fingers up his broad chest.
“That’s more like it.” Septum’s grip on my arm relaxed. Taking advantage of the moment, I formed a V with my fingers and shoved them into his eye sockets. With a yowl, Septum let go of me, and I ran as fast as I could down the hall and out into the crowd. I might have knocked Tad on his ass in the process.
Looking around for Vince, I caught sight of him near the stage. The leer he gave me when he spotted me was a cold reminder that I’d recently barely managed to avoid a night fending off his advances.
Victim.
I changed direction and walked to a table in my area.
“May I get you anything?” I asked the group, barely seeing them, a fake smile plastered on my face and heart hammering in my chest. I’d left my tray and notepad in the back but would manage without them.
Focusing on the order, I repeated it over and over in my head and spewed it out as soon as I arrived at the bar, earning me a strange look from Axel. Blaze was nowhere to be seen.
“What happened to you?” Axel asked, rinsing an aluminum shaker in the stainless-steel sink.
“Misunderstanding with a patron,” I said, crossing my arms and making fists with my shaking hands.
Axel glanced up. “Did he look like an angry bull with a ring through its nose?”
I stilled. “Yeah.”
“Don’t look now, but here he comes.”
The hand that clamped down on my shoulder almost sent me to my knees.
“I need to talk with you,” Septum growled in my ear. In the safety of the main room with Axel’s large presence only a few feet away, I was less frightened than I’d been alone in the back room, but on a busy night like it was, Septum could probably throw me over his shoulder and walk outside without anyone intervening.
“This guy giving you trouble?” Axel asked.
“Yes,” I said.
Septum glanced at Ax. “Ain’t you a Hedonist?” He wrapped a proprietary hand around my upper arm.
“Yeah, I am. Aren’t you with the Sinners?” Axel leveled his gaze over my shoulder at Septum, and I suddenly felt like a rabbit between two junkyard dogs.
A few words were quietly exchanged between the two men over my head, and Septum released my arm.
“I don’t want no trouble,” he said before disappearing into the crowd.
“Fuck,” I said, letting out a shaky breath. I met Axel’s eyes. “Thanks.”
“No sweat.” Axel finished my drink order.
“What exactly did you say to that guy?” I asked, leaning over the bar to get another order pad and tray.
“I just told him you’re a special friend of Blaze’s.”