CHAPTER ELEVEN
Starlet
His unexpected presence is throwing me off in a big way—like I want to run as fast as I can and never look back. My heart skips a few beats and my mouth goes instantly dry. Now I have no choice but to leave Juanita’s. She can’t afford to let me stay, not with another biker sniffing around.
She left her old man on uncertain terms, though under better circumstances than mine. Her ex replaced her quickly, giving her the freedom she needed to start over. Not me. I’m Devil’s Crusaders royalty.
Juanita breaks the awkward silence and directs my customer to the register. I still can’t look Brick in the eyes, so I just stand there like an idiot, waiting for something to happen.
Once my customer leaves the shop, Juanita locks the door behind her and turns back to me. “I couldn’t get the asshole to leave,” she says, throwing Brick a fuck-you look.
“Is that how you treat all of your customers?” he asks. “No wonder this place is fucking deserted.”
They stare at each other for a long minute before I finally find the courage to speak up. “I’m okay, Juanita. I’ll take care of him.” She studies me, then nods. “I’ll be in my office. He paid for a session, so give him the VIP treatment. Tell him the worst of it, that he’s going to be burned at the stake, his cut stripped off his body and shit on by rabid dogs.”
I watch as she walks down the hallway, leaving me to face the biggest mistake of my life.
“Why’d you lie to me, Starlet?” Brick asks.
“I-I don’t know…” It’s the truth. I never expected to see him again, especially in Shreveport. “I don’t like surprises.” I meet his intense gaze, those eyes burning holes in my already damaged soul.
“I could give a fuck about you not liking surprises … you lied. I deserve an honest answer.”
He shifts on his booted feet, disappointment written all over his handsome face.
“I moved to Shreveport to get lost.”
“Why? Who are you running from?”
I hug my middle, uncomfortable with his questions. “Wouldn’t it be easier to walk through that door and never look back? I didn’t promise you anything, Brick. We slept with each other, nothing more.”
He chuckles. “That’s what I thought at first.” He reaches inside his vest and pulls out a folded piece of paper. I groan as he opens it, recognizing my own handwriting. “This note says different.”
“Another mistake.” I toss the explanation at him with a shaky voice. Stupid liar, I tell myself, knowing he’ll see right through my useless defensive wall. “I was caught up in the moment. Orgasms can do that to a girl.” I force a smile.
He takes a step closer, reaching for my face. I flinch, retreating several feet. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Touch me.”
“Okay.” He spreads his arms wide. “I’m not here to hurt you. Just want to know what’s going on.”
“Nothing you need to worry about. Please…” I beg, my voice coming out as a whisper. “Pretend we never meant.”
“I can’t do that, Starlet.”
I roll my eyes, trying to force the memory of being naked with him from my mind. But I can’t. I know what’s hidden beneath his layers of leather and denim. Muscles and ink—all brother—all bad ass biker. “You paid for a reading.”
“Yeah,” he says dismissively. “Already told you I’m not into that shit. Keep the money.”
“No.” I head for the register but he catches my arm, his hand light on my skin. I close my eyes, his touch hard to resist. “I’m sorry.”
He reels me in slowly. “Does this have anything to do with the property of the Devil’s Crusaders tat on your left shoulder?”
Jesus Christ. I whip around, knowing I took extra care to cover my tattoo with waterproof makeup. How did he see it in the dim lighting of our hotel room? And my hair—it covered it so well. I swallow hard, staring up at him—mesmerized and afraid. Brothers protect the interests of brothers, even if they’re from rival clubs. “Get out!” I want him to go away, need him to.
He shakes his head and clutches my upper arms, holding me in place. “Whose old lady are you?”
Tears burn my eyes. I’m busted. That’s the new reality I’m going to have to live with. All of this … my gaze darts around the shop … was for nothing. The money I stashed, the escape, the risks I took… Brick is going to haul me back to the Devil’s Crusaders and collect a nice reward. Then I’m going to get a beat down and be forced to marry Silver, if I survive the violence.
“Tell me,” he presses, giving me a gentle shake, his eyes searching mine for answers.
“S-Sammy,” I stutter, all my strength sucked out of me the moment I utter my dead husband’s name.
“Fuck.” Brick releases me and scrubs his chin. “Do you know what this means? You deceived me, girl. Put me and my club in danger.”
“How?” I demand. “You picked up a stranger on the side of the highway.”
“Damn it, Starlet. I knew there was something wrong … should have asked more questions.”
“Save it,” I say. “Sammy is dead and buried.”
“What?”
“You didn’t break any bylaws, Brick. My husband is dead, killed in a bike accident a few weeks ago.”
He leans against the nearby counter, shaking his head in disbelief. “So, I fucked a grieving widow? Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“No. You slept with an ex old lady who’s trying to start over.”
“Short mourning period?” he asks sarcastically.
I snort. “There’s no mourning for Sammy. He was an abusive asshole who fucked anything in high heels. Now that you know the truth, will you please go?” Please. Please. Please. I can tell by the way he’s looking at me that Brick has more questions—that’s he’s not satisfied with my explanation. When brothers die, the charter usually takes care of his family.
“You have a thing for leather?”
“If you consider a death wish a thing,” I shoot back.
“Why are you on the run?”
“Listen.” I straighten my posture and fist my hands at my sides, ready to face this mess. I take a second look around the shop. This is the first time in my life I really have something worth fighting for. I’m not going to let Brick or anyone else trample on that. “It’s a free world.”
“If you live in that world,” he counters, twirling me around and pulling my tank top strap down on my left shoulder, staring at my ink. “DC royalty,” he reads aloud. “That’s not normal—it means something more than being an old lady. You’re a goddamned lifer. Either born into it or paid for.”
I shrug away from him, fixing my shirt. “The door is that way.”
“Starlet…”
“Go. Please.”
He growls, his stubborn nature coming through in spades. “I won’t walk away without knowing…”
Juanita appears in the hallway with a gun in her hands, aimed at Brick. “You heard the lady. Leave.”
“Sonofa…” He pulls his own weapon out and cocks it, aiming it at Juanita.
I can’t believe this is happening. Why can’t everyone just leave me alone? I insert myself between them, hopefully blocking the trajectory of any bullets. “Put your weapons down and we can talk this out.”
Brick gives a humorless laugh. “Tell your pit bull to lower her gun first.”
I nod, and turn around to face Juanita. I know she’s only trying to protect me, but by pulling a gun on Brick, she’s taken this to another level. Threatening a brother is a serious violation. “Juanita, please put that pistol away. Brick hasn’t threatened me at all. He just wants answers.”
“Answers you don’t want to give,” she reminds me.
“Yeah,” I agree, glancing over my shoulder at Brick again. “But it looks like I really don’t have a choice anymore, do I?”
“Maybe not,” Juanita mutters and reluctantly lowers her gun. “I hate this, Starlet, I really do.” She sighs and returns to her office, slamming the door.
“So do I,” I whisper.
It’s time to purge my soul.