Seeking Shadows (Royal Bastards MC Tampa Chapter Book 3)

by K E Osborn

  She glowers at me. “Hardy fucking har. Deal with your pain then, see if I care.”

  I stand from the seat, stumble slightly for added effect, and she reaches out, grabbing my arm. “Shit, you okay?”

  “Fine! You wanna gimmie a little sugar to keep me level?”

  She scoffs, rolling her eyes as she lets me go and turns, heading for the door. “C’mon! You got me!” She flips me the bird making me chuckle as she leaves. The second she’s gone, I reach out for the table to steady my damn balance. I might be fucking around, but I don’t want her to realize the hit took its toll.

  “She might not see through you, but I do,” a voice chimes from the doorway as I try to gather myself.

  I look around like I have my shit together as Scarlett stands with her arms crossed, a somber expression on her face.

  “See through me? In what way?”

  “You put on this tough guy, joker act for her, but I’ve seen guys like you, Dash. You come in here promising the world, then rip the carpet out from under her when she finally gets comfortable.”

  “That’s not what’s happening.”

  “Shadow is complicated. There’s so fucking much about her you don’t know. Guys like you, Dash, you don’t stick around. You fuck off when shit gets too hard. A woman like Shadow needs stability. She needs a strong man. Someone willing to fight for her all the time. Not just when he wants to get his dick wet—”

  “What the fuck?”

  “You wanna be with my girl? Prove to me you’re good enough. Because I love that girl like a sister. And if you abandon her when shit gets tough, trust me when I say, you think she’s the badass? She ain’t got nothing on me.”

  “I appreciate the pep talk, Scarlett, but honestly, nothing is even happening with us right now. We’re just getting to know each other.”

  “Mm-hmm… I’ve seen the way you look at her. The way she looks at you. I’ve noticed the chemistry in the air around you both. Fight it all you like, there’s something there.” She spins around, walking back out the way she came, her chastisement obviously finished.

  Is there something between Shadow and me?

  It was only a few days ago I thought I was head over heels for Ivy. I won’t be jumping straight from one damaged woman to another, especially if Scarlett is right and there’s more to Shadow I don’t know about. But let’s be truthful here, I’ve gone out of my way for Shadow ever since I met her. That’s got to mean something. I don’t bend over backward like this for every girl I meet. So there does have to be something going on, I guess. I just fucking hope it’s not rebound emotions because that’s not fair on anyone. Shadow is worth so much fucking more than a fleeting attraction.

  I need to be careful, try and figure out what the hell is going on between us before it goes too far and one of us gets hurt.

  I couldn’t handle another rejection like Ivy, not right now and especially not from someone like Shadow. She’s far more my type, anyway. The more I get to know her, the less and less appealing Ivy is to me.

  This is all so fucking complicated.

  Taking a deep breath, I steady my shoulders and walk back out to the main bar area where Shadow is finishing up with the till. She’s almost ready to head to her car. The whole point of me coming on board as security is to walk the girls to their cars, so I intend to do just that. “Shadow?”

  Her eyes shift up like she’s shocked to hear me call her that. “Yeah?”

  “Tell me when you’re ready, I’ll walk you out.”

  She closes the register with a ding and grabs her bag from under the counter. “I’m good to go. Scar, you need anything?”

  “No, babe, you go home and rest.” Scarlett waves to Shadow, who steps to my side. Scarlett places her two fingers to her eyes, then directs them at me in an ‘I see you’ action. I smirk as I lead Shadow out of the bar, and we walk toward her car in the parking lot.

  A comfortable silence falls between us as my hand moves to the small of her back.

  She doesn’t attempt to move it. “Thanks again for stepping in tonight… I’m sorry about your head.”

  We move toward her car, then she turns to face me.

  “All in a day’s work, I’ve been through worse.”

  “Two fights in two weeks, Dash. You’re gonna get a name for yourself if you’re not careful.”

  “Both over girls too.”

  “You’re a real ladies’ man, aren’t ya?”

  “Hmm… that’s debatable.”

  She leans in, planting a tender kiss on my cheek, and it surprises me. When she pulls back, she looks directly into my eyes. “You’re gonna make some woman very happy one day, Dash.”

  For some reason, disappointment floods me.

  Friend zoned again… just like that!

  My eyes drop from hers as I take a step back putting some distance between us. “Yeah… maybe.”

  She gnaws on her bottom lip, an awkward tension building between us now. I step toward her car, and she takes the hint, grabbing her keys and pressing the button to unlock the door.

  “Well, I guess this is good night.”

  “Night, Shadow.”

  She smiles up at me, but I can’t find the strength in me to return it. Her smile slowly falls as she opens her door and turns to hop in. “Night, Dash.”

  She slides in, closing the door behind her. I tap on her window twice. Her sad eyes glance up at me, then she starts the engine and drives off.

  I exhale, watching her leave the parking lot feeling like a fucking failure.

  At relationships.

  At life.

  At fucking everything.

  Whoa is fucking me!

  Suddenly, my cell starts ringing. I look at the time on my watch. It’s fucking late. Or early, depending on how you look at it. It must be the club. Pulling out my cell, my stomach tightens at the name on the screen.

  Ivy.

  I go to swipe it to answer, but then I remember Nycto’s orders—zero contact.

  But what if she’s in trouble?

  What if the club is in trouble?

  My mind races through a million different scenarios as I watch her name light up my screen until it turns black as the call ends. Letting out a long breath, I swipe my hand through my hair, unsure of what to do next.

  Then a text message comes through, and it flashes on the screen. I can’t see the full message without opening it, but I see the first few lines.

  Ivy: Dash, I’m worried. I just want to know you’re okay…

  Letting out a heavy sigh, I swipe the Messenger app to clear the message from view, so I don’t have to see it without reading it. It’s cruel not to answer her, or at least let her see I’ve read it, but I can’t go against my president in this. His orders were specific, and I must follow them if I have any chance of ever becoming a Bastard.

  Fuck the world!

  First, Ivy friend zones me, now Shadow too.

  Am I just that guy who all the girls love, but just not enough to actually want to be with me?

  Maybe I need to stop being the dependable guy?

  Why is it that the broody alpha asshole always seems to get the damn girl?

  Cracking my neck to the side, I walk back toward the Tavern where Scarlett is assessing me. “You look wrecked.”

  “Thanks, Scarlett! Got glassed in the head tonight, perhaps you didn’t notice?”

  “I noticed. I notice everything about you, Dash.”

  “Can we not do this again, Scarlett? It’s been a long-ass night.”

  She places her hand on my arm, stopping me from walking. “All I am saying is, I notice you.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  She pats my side pocket where my cell is. “I notice.” Then she turns, sauntering off. “Don’t play with one girl while you’re pining another, Dasher.”

  I scowl. “Don’t call me Dasher, and I’m not pining Ivy.”

  She peers over her shoulder. “Who said it’s Ivy you’re pining for?”<
br />
  I huff out loud in answer.

  I’m not playing with Ivy by avoiding her. She doesn’t even want me. And by what she’s said, she means I’m pining for Shadow.

  What the hell?

  Chapter Six

  DASH

  A Week Later

  Since finding out Shadow’s name, things with us have been a little tense. It’s like she’s on eggshells around me. I’m trying to get on with shit the best I can, but I can’t shake the feeling, there is something left unsaid between us. I’m just not sure what it is. I wish we could go back to the way shit was before I was glassed. Maybe Scarlett has gotten into my head, and I’m the one making it fucking weird between us.

  I don’t know.

  I felt like my time here at The Drunken Lime was meant to be, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe it is all just a means to an end until I get my ass back to the club. Maybe meeting Shadow wasn’t fate, just dumb luck. I just have to figure out where my damn head is at, and I need to do it fast because I’m due for another shift.

  Walking to the bar, my shoulders are tight, when my cell rings. Lately, it’s been Ivy incessantly calling. Texting. Wondering where I am. What I’m doing. If I’m alive. The thought she still cares aggravates me more than anything. If she plain hated me, I’d be able to handle it better than her still wanting to be my damn ‘friend’—I just don’t know what she expects from me?

  Pulling out my cell, it’s Ominous, not Ivy. My eyes widen as I come to a halt and swipe to answer the call right away. “Ominous? Everything okay?”

  “Hey,” he exhales down the line. “Fuck! Thank Christ you’re alive.”

  “Ahh… am I not meant to be?” I casually scan around the parking lot, checking for anything suspicious.

  “The club got a package today… it was a bloody heart in a box. With you AWOL, all our thoughts went straight to you.”

  A chill runs down my spine, not in a good way, as I make quick footsteps toward the bar. “Is there a direct threat to me?” I ask the question direct because I need to know what I am dealing with.

  “No, we don’t know what or who this is about. We just needed to make sure you were okay. Ivy was kind of losing her shit thinking it was your heart.”

  “Why the fuck did she think it was me?”

  “She doesn’t know where you are. Why you’re gone. She thought it was Void giving her a present.”

  My face scrunches up in disgust. “Some fucking present.”

  “She’ll be relieved you’re doing okay. You are okay… aren’t you?”

  Am I okay?

  “I don’t know, man, I thought I was, but now I’m not so sure. Can I come back? I miss the club.”

  Ominous exhales. “Nycto said that if you were okay, to tell you your punishment’s still coming. That he’d be in touch with details soon.”

  Great.

  “Fine… can you keep me updated with this heart-in-a-box situation, and whether I need to keep my guard up out here or not?”

  “Got it… keep your chin up, brother. Never thought I’d say this, but I miss your ugly mug around here.”

  “Thanks, man… oh, and hey, about the—” It’s too late, he’s ended the call. Gotta love Ominous. He never was one for the lengthy conversations.

  Shoving my cell back in my pocket, I roll my shoulders. I hate not being at the club when shit is going down. But Nycto wants me out, so I am fucking out. Remembering my punishment is coming sooner rather than later has me wondering about crap here at the bar.

  Shit is fractured with Shadow.

  I don’t know how much time I have left with her before I have to go back to the club. So, I need to make every second count. I don’t want to spend it in some sort of awkward bullshit way. I’ve had enough of this weirdness between us. So what if she friend-zoned me? I’ve been through it before and come out the other side. I’m just going to spend however long I have with my ‘friend’ before our time is cut short.

  Walking inside, I throw my hands out to the sides and grin, announcing myself, “I’m here, no need for the applause.”

  Shadow smirks, Scarlett rolls her eyes. I drop my arms to my sides as I stroll up to the bar. “Seriously? Nothing? No witty comeback? Badass, you need to up your game!”

  She wipes down the countertop. “Oh, I see, it’s like that, is it?”

  “Like what, bar wench?”

  “Just gonna pretend the last week of your moody teenage tantrum didn’t exist?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know what you’re talking about? For one, I don’t throw a tantrum, and two, I was a fucking amazing teenager. You would have been falling all over yourself for me in high school.”

  She snorts. “I seriously doubt it. I bet you were lanky and had no muscle definition. I can see it now. Dainty Dash. Probably a drama major with all the characters you’ve managed to pull out of your toolbox this last week. Let’s see… Mr. Foreboding, Mr. Macho, Mr. Sensitive… I swear, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you had multiple personalities.” Her eyes narrow on me. “Shit, do you?”

  “Yes, and Mr. Sensitive is hurt right now.” I place my hand on my chest with an exaggerated pout.

  She picks up the bar gun, squirting me with some cool water. I let out a laugh as Scarlett shakes her head with a slight smile. “Well, Mr. Sensitive, I’m glad to see you’re back to your old self. I didn’t like Mr. Egotistical Jerk-off. So, you can leave him at the door next time you wanna have one of your personality tantrums. ‘Kay, thanks.”

  Maybe I was overly sensitive last week when all that shit happened.

  She told me her name—I thought it meant something.

  Then she tossed me to the friend zone—it threw me, so I punished her for a week.

  Never said I wasn’t an asshole, or maybe bastard is more appropriate.

  I reach over the bar, grabbing her hand in mine, shocking her by the move. Her eyes meet mine, and I put on my serious face. “Shit was going on, and I took it out on you… that’s not cool.”

  She sighs. “And shit’s not going on now?”

  “We good?” I ask, even though she doesn’t know the shit was her.

  “Good.”

  “Forgive me?” I ask, blinking rapidly, trying to play cute, but me and cute are not a good pairing.

  She snorts. “Not even close. But you can start by helping me grab the keg from the back.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She turns, walking through the hall to the back storeroom and I follow. “I thought a She-Hulk like yourself would be able to tap a keg on your own?”

  She peers over her shoulder, glaring at me. “She-Hulk? You saying I’m fat?”

  “Hulk? The Hulk! The Hulk is all muscle, baby. The Hulk is not fat.”

  “I have been known to work out.”

  “Well, with what you put in your shopping cart, you’re gonna need to work it off. Those Dino nuggies, especially!”

  She turns around, giving me the middle finger as she points to the keg she needs. I step in, grabbing and hoisting it up over my shoulder. The thing is fucking heavy, but I pretend like it weighs nothing as we walk back out to the bar. “This is like old times, you and me, Badass.”

  “If only you had muscles. Then when you flex carrying that thing, you could put on a real show. Such a shame.”

  “And she’s back, ladies and gentlemen!”

  I place the keg on the floor, then slide it onto place. KC takes over replacing all the hoses and whatever other shit needs to happen. I all but tune out as I stand back in line with Shadow. “So, hear me out.”

  “Oh shit, this should be good.”

  “I think you and me… we should go for breakfast one morning seeing as we’re always here at night. I’d like to see if our friendship can withstand being outside of The Drunken Lime and grocery stores.”

  Her eyes widen at Scarlett like she’s scared, then back to me. “I can’t do breakfast,” she replies so fast I barely understand her.

  “O-kaaay, no breakfast. Got it.” I
turn to walk away.

  “But I can do lunch?”

  A slow smile crosses my lips as I spin back around. She’s gnawing on her bottom lip as Scarlett casually wipes down the bar watching every single second of this play out. “Lunch. Okay then, lunch it is… tomorrow?”

  She nods, and I pull out my cell ,handing it to her. “Give me your number, so we can organize where to meet and shit.”

  Shadow programs her number into my cell, and I look down at the number. She programmed her number under Badass. I smirk, pressing the call button. Her cell rings in her pocket, and I end the call. “There, now you have mine.”

  “Well, isn’t this fucking cute and cozy?” Scarlett murmurs under her breath.

  We both glance at her, but she’s actually smiling. I can’t tell with her whether she wants Shadow and me to be friends or not. She’s a hard woman to read!

  “I look forward to it,” Shadow tells me.

  “Yeah, me too!”

  “Now get to work. Stop chatting up the staff, you slacker,” Shadow jests.

  “If these bar wenches would stop it with these skimpy clothes, maybe a man could concentrate in here. Damn, girls, put some clothes on!” I tease even though tonight they’re all modestly dressed. Shadow picks up the bar gun again, squirting me once more as I spin to outrun the water spray. Chuckling as I take up my station at the door, I fold my arms over my chest, shaking the water from my hair and stand back, watching Shadow behind the bar.

  I’m unsure what prompted me to ask her out. I don’t know if I mean as a friend or something more. But I guess I need to keep remembering what happened last time I got my hopes up when a woman placed me in the friend zone.

  All I can do is keep my wits about me and have a good time. Because Lord knows, Shadow and I know how to have a good time together.

  Let’s hope tomorrow is no different.

  Honestly, I can’t fucking wait.

  Chapter Seven

  SHADOW

  The Next Day

  After dropping Cruz off at daycare, I’m now at home frantically trying to get ready for my date with Dash. If that’s even what this is? It was so hard to tell if he was asking me out as a friend or something more. He’s so damn difficult to read. He’s hot one minute, then cold the next. I can’t keep up with him. This leaves me with the question of how the hell do I dress for this thing? Do I dress up for him as if this is a date or casual like two friends catching up for lunch?