Lost Soul (The Dirty Souls MC Book 1)

by Emma Creed

  I shake my head, and laugh at how cock twitchingly cute she is.

  Some girl drags her inside the house, and I sit back and fight all my urges to take Hayley up on her offer and go in after her.

  I distract myself by trying to get my head around the latest shit we have with the Bastards. We still have no idea how they are managing to undercut our deals, and it’s becoming a real pain in our asses. Things have only just started to cool down between our clubs, since we’d got our retaliation for what happened to Mary-Ann. Unlike them, we didn't kill women and children, so it was six of their soldiers that had to pay the price, and with almost half their Charter taken out, they’d been no real threat to us for some time now.

  Recently, things were heating up again. They’re starting to rebuild in numbers, and I have no doubt in my mind that there’s a lot more than luck behind their sudden run of good fortune. They are managing to outbid us on deals with the Russians, deals we were already scrimping our asses on just to stay in the game. So how they were coming in with higher bids and still making money doesn't add up in my head. Something is coming, something big. I can feel it brewing like a midsummer storm, and I don’t like it one bit.

  It’s been a few hours since I’ve seen or heard from Hayley. The party doesn’t look like it’s out of hand, but I’m starting to have enough of playing childminder. I’m fed up of watching lame ass teenagers who can’t hold their liquor spew into bushes, I should be with my brothers, drinking and dipping into pussy.

  I take out my cell ready to text Hayley and tell her it’s time to leave. Then notice them both stagger out the house, two drunk messes using each other as a prop before they slump on a porch swing, giggling like pair five-year-old girls.

  It feels good seeing Hayley connect with someone other than me, she’s always so quiet around other people, but then I only ever see her at home, where she’s kinda sanctioned away from everyone else.

  I can’t decide if she’s generally having a good time with the girl or if this is all a part of her devious plan. If she’s acting, she’s scary good. I watch the girls for a little longer, both of them contrasts of each other. One blonde the other brunette, Maddy shy even in her drunken state. While Hayley seems to ooze confidence.

  Some guys headed over to them and start trying to hit them up. I look on as Hayley chats to one of them, clearly enjoying the blonde guy’s attention. I remind myself that she’s a teenage girl and this is the sort of shit she should be doing. Not spending her evenings alone in her daddy’s lodge. Maybe I could talk to Prez, see if he can loosen her reigns a little. She’s eighteen now, how long does he expect us to shelter her for?

  The taller one of the guys tries sliding his arms behind Maddy, and she shrugs him off politely. Clearly, she’s not interested, even I can see that and from all the way over here. Which makes me wonder why the fucker still ain’t getting the hint himself and continues to get in her personal space. She stands up and stumbles clumsily to the other side of the porch. Resting against one of the wooden posts that are keeping the porch roof up she fumbles through her bag, eventually taking out her phone.

  She’s tipsy, I can tell from the way her eyes are squinting to focus on the screen.

  Mister can't-take-a-fucking-hint struts over to her, stretching out his arms to lean on the pillar she’s using as a prop and caging her body between them. She looks uncomfortable, especially when the guy's hand moves up and begins playing with the loose strands of hair that falls around her face.

  I want to kill him for it.

  Slowly, and with something blunt.

  She closes her eyes, and for a moment I wonder if she’s gonna let him kiss her. It sets all my rage bubbling to the surface, and it only shimmers slightly when she pushes his hand away and makes it even clearer that she isn’t interested.

  The stupid fucker seals his fate when he decides to take her wrists, pinning them to the pillar behind her, then forces his lips hard on to hers. I see the way her tiny body struggles against him, her free hand pushing at his chest, and I’m done watching.

  Shrugging out of my cut, I quickly tuck it under my seat. Hayley’s right, the girl would run for days and not look back if she knew what I am, now isn’t the time for that. She’s been scared enough by the jack ass who’s currently trying to force his tongue into the back of her throat.

  I jump out of the truck and march across the street, on to the lawn, and right up to the son of a bitch. I vaguely hear Hayley scream my name, but it’s drowned out by the blood pumping red-hot through my ears.

  I pull back my elbow, ready to pound my fist into the asshole’s face, who by now has at least had the sense to pull far away enough from Maddy to see me coming. Before I set hell free, I make the mistake of looking at her, and something makes me pause.

  I've never been this close to her before, and her big, bright eyes are all the more fascinating up close. Clenching my fists tightly at my side, I attempt to cool myself the fuck down, I don’t want her to see me like this. A merciless monster who feeds on pain and is starved of a fight.

  I planned on having the guy eat the top step of the porch, my boot seated firmly into the back of his head, but the innocence in her pretty little eyes seem to plead with me not to hurt him.

  "I think the girl made it clear that she ain't interested." I struggle hard against the instinct to hurt, and manage to get the words out through my teeth. The fucker shows his gratitude by folding his arms and shooting me a ‘whatever’ face that tests every single one of my restraints.

  "Seriously you should just go," Hayley tells him, her voice coming with a warning from behind me, that, and the glare I’m giving him should tell him that listening to her would be a really fucking smart idea. The pussy backs the fuck off, grabbing his beer from the porch and gesturing with his head for his mate to follow him into the house.

  I stare him all the way back into the party, the guy’s pride will be a little dented, but he's come out lucky. I look back at Maddy, her eyes dancing over me in shock, I feel them prickle my skin. She opens her mouth, like she’s about to say something but suddenly stops, the color fades from her face and her eyes expand in horror.

  "Oh god, I think I'm gonna throw up," she manages to stutter, slamming her hand over her mouth and quickly spinning around just in time to aim over the porch and into the flower bed. I throw a look at Hayley who’s already snorting with laughter, but abruptly stops when she stumbles herself. She’s in just as bad a state as Maddy, but at least she’s managing to keep it down.

  "Come on, I'll get you girls home," I say, pulling Hayley by the wrist and scooping Maddy’s tiny waist up in my arm, her limp body tucks perfectly into mine as I try to keep both girls moving towards the truck. In her drunken state, I don't think she realizes that she’s leaning against me, and my fingers twitch against the fabric of her dress, so close to feeling how smooth her skin is beneath it.

  I manage to get them to the truck and hate having to let her go so I can open the door. Still, I can’t risk letting go of Hayley, who is most definitely a flight risk. She's been protesting and trying to pull her wrist from my grip since I dragged her off the porch, I’ve just been too distracted by touching Maddy to really notice. I guide Maddy, on to the back seat of the truck, and her body launches itself forward across the seat, unintentionally pushing that peach perfect ass right up in front of me. I moan out loud and hope the pair of them are too drunk to notice.

  "Ouch you’re squeezing me too tight," Hayley complains. Trying to wriggle her wrist free. I ignore her, pushing Maddy further into the truck and managing one handed to get her in an upright position, so I can buckle her in.

  Slamming the door, I take a deep breath before attempting to get Hayley into the passenger seat. She pulls stubbornly out of my grasp and tries to straighten herself out, brushing me off and insisting on getting in the truck by herself. So I let her, immediately having to catch her again when she slips on her heel and starts to fall backwards. She giggles, and I roll my eyes b
efore helping her into the truck, this time she doesn’t protest.

  When I eventually get behind the wheel myself, I realize I have no idea where Maddy lives, and I doubt Hayley’s in any fit state to ask her.

  "Hey darlin’, where we headin’?” I turn around to ask, Maddy's head is rested back against the seat and her eyes are already closed.

  "Granderville Street, 279," she manages in a sleepy whisper.

  "Pssst. Nice area," Hayley says with a laugh that spills straight out of her nose. Granderville Street is in the roughest part of town, and I’m a little shocked myself, I didn't think anyone from around there would have the funds to send their kids to the college Hayley goes to. Fees are high, unless she’d gotten herself a scholarship, which would mean she’s super smart. Looking at Hayley I shake my head sharply, there’s no need for her to say out loud what we both were thinking, even if Maddy has already fallen asleep in the back.

  "Lost your cut, rider?” Hayley asks, her eyebrows raise and a sarcastic grin spreads right across her drunken face. Shaking my head, I avoid the question by starting the engine. I don’t have the tolerance to deal with her shit right now, and I’m still debating whether or not to go back and teach the guy who put his hands and mouth on Maddy the lesson he deserves.

  "So much for prying it from your cold, hell-ridden body." She laughs, and although I try to ignore them, her words hurt. I've never been ashamed of who I am or my club before. I've worn my cut with pride since the day I got it. My eyes lift from the road up to the rear-view mirror. Maddy is sleeping peacefully, her forehead pressed against the window.

  I’d already come to terms with the fact I’m bad news for a girl like Maddy Summers, but tonight’s proved something I hadn’t expected. Turns out, Maddy Summers is real fuckin’ bad for me too.

  I wake up to no less than five messages of apology from Maddy. Apparently, she also feels like she’s died, and since I’m playing host to a banging headache myself I struggle to find sympathy for her.

  I still play nice though, and when she asks if I want to meet her in town for lunch later, of course, I take her up on her offer. She’s my new best friend after all.

  When I finally manage to haul my ass out of bed and into the kitchen, I’m greeted with the smell of bacon and Jessie’s handsome smug face waiting at the breakfast table.

  “Mornin’…” His eyes give me a once over. “…Pretty girl.” his cocky smirk alerts me to the fact that I probably look like I’ve just been resurrected. I realize that the annoying black thingy catching the corner of my eye is one of the fake eyelashes I must have been halfway through peeling off when I collapsed on to my bed last night. Tugging it off, I toss it into the trash before attempting to flatten down my unruly bed hair.

  “Made you breakfast.” His eyes move to the plate of bacon and eggs laid at my place at the table.

  “Thought you might wanna line your stomach,” he says, shoveling a fork full off his own plate and into his mouth.

  “I don’t know why you're looking so smug, I didn’t do anything last night that you and your friends don’t do every night in that filthy clubhouse of yours,” I remind him, picking up my fork. Christ, the smell of the food alone was making me wanna vom.

  “Difference darlin’, is that I can handle it.” He laughs as he gets up from the table, putting his plate in the sink then moving towards the door.

  “Wait where are you going? I was gonna ask if you would take me into town, I’m meeting Maddy…” He stops at the mere mention of her name, then turns around slowly.

  “Sorry. No can do, Prez called church. Last night while I was playing babysitter some shit went down with—” Realizing he’s about to divulge too much he stops himself mid-sentence.

  “Well I’ve made plans.” I cross my arms over my chest. I’m doing this for him, the least he could do was help me out.

  “Then I’ll get Nyx to take you.” He smiles cleverly.

  “If Daddy let me have a car I could take myself. I have a license, remember.”

  “You’re lucky your daddy lets you take a poopy by yourself, princess.” He laughs again. As he turns to leave I pick up an apple from the fruit bowl and launch it, aiming for his head. He snatches it from the air like he’s something from the matrix, rubbing it against the leather of his cut before crunching his teeth through it on his way out the door.

  I wait to hear his bike pull off before I scrape my breakfast into the bin. I didn’t want to be ungrateful, but there’s no chance I could stomach it. What I need is a shower and a magical cure for a hangover, because this afternoon I’m gonna need to be on my game.

  Nyx picks me up an hour later. I have no problem with him, other than the fact he isn’t Jessie. He’s around the same age as me, maybe a little older, and undoubtedly handsome with muscles in all the right places and beautifully chiseled features.

  Nyx has an edge about him, a darkness that keeps him inside his own head that I imagine would be violent if unleashed.

  Our car journey is silent, apart from the mumble he gives me when I get out to say he’ll pick me up at 2pm. That gives me three hours with Maddy. Three hours which hopefully I can use wisely.

  I meet her in a cute little coffee shop in town. The exact sort of place you’d expect to find someone with a name like Maddy Summers. It’s bright, clean, and decorated with pastel colors. I order myself a black coffee because I heard that’s what people drink when they’re hungover.

  It tastes like piss. Bitter and lukewarm. Not that I’ve ever tasted piss before, but if I ever do I imagine it will taste just like this coffee.

  Maddy sits opposite me, her hair loosely tied on top of her head, wearing not a scratch of makeup. She’s clearly put no effort into her appearance, and it annoys me that she can still look so flawless. Just another reason for me to hate her.

  She stirs her hot chocolate slowly, watching the creamy froth spin around the giant mug.

  “So, on a scale from one to ten, how big a fool did I make out of myself last night?” She looks up and cringes.

  “Well, you were sick in Mitchel Renton’s Mom’s shrubbery if that gives you a basic idea.” I fake a giggle that seems to relax her a little.

  “I feel like such an idiot. I’ve never drank before, now I know why. I feel like I have a brass band playing in my head. Thanks for getting me home safe. It was a good job your boyfriend showed up when he did.” She smiles perfectly over the rim of her cup before she takes a sip.

  “Jessie isn’t my boyfriend,” I correct her, feeling a little stabby when her eyebrows raise enough to suggest that she’s pleased at that information.

  “Sorry I just assumed.” She places her cup back on the table gracefully. My god, conversation is dry with this one. It’s time for me to liven things up a little.

  “So, that guy last night. The one who jammed his tongue down your throat. He was hot, right?”

  “I don’t really do the whole boy thing…” she tells me timidly. I feel my smile widen all the way to my ears. Who would have thought, Maddy Summers into girls? “I mean what with school and everything I haven’t really got time,” she adds, shrugging her shoulders and pissing all over my excitement.

  “So were your parents mad at you for being late? We tried to be quiet when we dropped you off. Didn’t want to wake them,” I casually delve for some information on the folks.

  “My mom was at work, she’s cool about stuff like that though. What about your parents? They cool too?” I’m surprised she even asked, everyone in town knows who my dad is and what happened to my mom.

  “It’s just my dad and me,” I answer. “And yeah he’s cool, just a little… overprotective.”

  Understatement of the century.

  “I never knew my dad. He took off when I was a baby, so it’s always just been Mom and me,” Maddy admits, sounding a little sad.

  “Well, that’s one thing we have in common then,” I say, taking her hand in mine. “Both of us have single parents.” I take the opportunity to act up
on this whole friendship thing, impressed at how naturally it comes.

  “Yeah, it can be tough sometimes, my mom works a lot. She’s not around very often, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly popular at college.” Her finger traces around the rim of her mug as she speaks. “Why did you invite me to that party?” she asks me bluntly, like she’s been trying to find the courage for some time. “You have a ton of friends, you didn’t need me to go with you.”

  Shit, I hadn’t prepared for this...

  “None of those people are my real friends. Sure, they talk to me, and they hang out with me around campus, but none of them really know anything about me. I guess I just thought you and I could get to know each other a little better. You seemed lonely, and I guess deep down I am too.” I’m shocked at the relief saying the words out loud brings me, especially when I realize just how accurate they actually are… I am lonely. I don’t have anyone who I can call my real friend, apart from Jessie.

  “Well, there’s another thing we have in common.” Maddy smiles warmly. “You wanna come back to mine? We can listen to some music, and you can teach me how to do that thing you did with your eye makeup last night. It looked hot.”

  “Yeah sure. Sounds good.” I finish up my mug of lukewarm piss, and we leave the coffee shop together. Me, and my new best ‘friend’.

  We spend the afternoon hanging out at Maddy’s, the place is small and very minimal. But it’s neat and cozy. Her mom isn’t there, and I wonder if she’s gone back out to work again already. Figure she must work hard, being a single mom and putting Maddy through college.