by Erin Osborne
Wood is the one person I’d tell where I am. Out of all the guys there, I was the closest to him. But I don’t want anyone to know where I’m at. Otherwise, I would’ve said something before I walked out the door.
Chapter Two
Slim
I’M IN MY office going over never-ending paperwork when there’s a knock on my door. I yell out for them to come in and turn my attention back to the paperwork in front of me.
“Slim, she’s gone,” Alex says, not fully stepping through the doorway.
“What do you mean?” I ask, finally looking up at him.
“Shy, she’s gone. We just took her stuff out to her car,” he says.
“Where’d she go?” I ask, standing up and rounding my desk.
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell anyone where she was goin’,” he says, backing out of my way as I storm past him.
I walk down the hallway leading toward the house bunnies’ rooms. Flinging her door open, I see there isn’t a single trace of Shy left. Everything she had in the room to make it hers is gone. Walking into the room, I flip the mattress over and punch a hole in the wall before making my way out to the common room. Some motherfucker in here has to know where she went.
The common room is full when I walk in. All conversation immediately stops as I stand in the middle of the room and look at everyone. I’m trying to figure out who she would’ve told and come up empty-handed.
There’s no way Shy would’ve told the girls where she was going because she knows they’re the first ones I’d ask. She’s a smart woman, smarter than anyone else I’ve ever known in my life. Looking at my brothers, I notice Wood sitting at the end of the bar looking at his phone. That’s where my feet lead me.
“Where is she?” I ask, sitting down next to him.
“Who?” he asks, looking up at me and adjusting the hat that’s always on his head.
“Shy. Where the fuck did she go?” I ask, taking a shot of Jack Daniels and tossing it back.
“I don’t know. She hasn’t told me anythin’ since gettin’ back from her aunt’s house,” he says.
Slamming the shot glass down on the bar top, it smashes under my hand and the pain from broken glass slicing through my hand doesn’t even register. Next, I pick up the barstool I just vacated and slam it against the bar until all that’s left are splinters.
“I want her found,” I bellow out to the room as my brothers begin to race out the door to their bikes.
Shy has never done this shit before. Yeah, she left to go to her aunt’s house a few times over the last three years, but that’s it. She’s never actually left when she said she was going to. And I can’t call her aunt and find out if that’s where she went because she changed her number recently. No one here can find it. I’ve had Fox on it and even he can’t find anything.
I head back into my office and wait for the guys to come back with news of where she is. The only reason I’m not going out looking for her myself is that I’m the last person she’s going to want to see. I’ve hurt her beyond repair and pushed her away for the final time. She tried telling me and I didn’t listen to her.
By the time I’m sitting in my chair, anger has returned at the thought she could just disappear without telling anyone where she is. It’s not safe out there for anyone that’s been associated with the club. That’s the same reason I kept her at arm’s length and didn’t give her all of me when it’s the one thing I wanted to do. Fuck!
I scatter the paperwork in front of me and it goes all over the place. Right now, I couldn’t give two fucks about the mess I’m creating in my path. The only thing that matters is where Shy is and what she’s gonna do now. No matter what happens between us, she’s always going to be the most important person to me. She’s the only one that I’d ever put before the club and that scares the shit out of me.
After a few hours, no one has been able to find Shy. They all agree to go to Phantom tonight and hang out for a while. Knowing I don’t want to be in the clubhouse alone, I go with them.
As soon as we pull up, I can tell tonight is gonna be busy as fuck. That’s a good thing from an owner’s point of view. Wanting to drink and be alone means that I don’t want to be here. But my brothers are here and I’m going to stay for a drink before making my way back to the clubhouse. I’ll either do more paperwork, once I get the office cleaned up, or go to bed with a bottle.
When we walk in, the first person I see is Shy standing at the bar. She’s talking and laughing with Sam, Gwen, and Sally. I know that Kim will be upstairs in the VIP section and Jennifer will be wandering around here somewhere.
Tonight, she’s wearing one of the skimpiest dresses I have ever seen. It’s silver and shines as the lights from the dance floor bounce all around. Her long auburn hair is left down with curls flowing down her back, hiding the fact that there’s not a back on her dress. I can’t see her closely from here, but I bet she’s barely wearing any make-up, only showcasing her eyes. My cock instantly stands at attention and wants to go home.
The guys pull me up into the VIP section because they know if I’m left down here, I’m gonna go to Shy and demand answers— answers that I don’t have a right to ask for. I take a seat at the rail and look down at the girl that has haunted my dreams, fulfilled my fantasies, and makes me want to be a better man all at the same time.
Once we’re all seated and have a beer in hand, I look down and watch the small group of girls dancing in the center of the dance floor. Shy is swinging her hips and dancing provocatively as I watch. There’s a group of men standing off to the side, watching the girls. Killer, Stryker, and Sam are watching the men as intently as I am. If they make one move toward them, they’ll strike first and ask questions later.
It takes about ten minutes before a guy approaches the group of girls. He makes his rounds and each one turns him down flat— until he gets to Shy. A smile lights up her face as she begins to dance with him. It’s a smile that used to be reserved just for me. Now, she’s giving it away because I can’t get my head out of my ass when it comes to her.
Shy and the man dance for two songs before I lose my shit and make my way down to her. I stand close and watch as she grinds on him and dances like no one else is around her. I’ve seen her dance like that when she’s been up in the middle of the night cleaning the clubhouse and I hate the fact that she’s dancing like that now in front of everyone here.
My anger gets the best of me and I can’t stop myself from moving toward the pair. I stand in front of them while Shy has her eyes closed. She hasn’t opened them or stopped dancing. The douche canoe behind her has stopped moving and looks like he’s ready to piss his fucking pants. That’s funny as hell to me as I move around her and take his place, shoving him out of the way none too gently.
I move to the music even though I hate dancing. Shy in front of me is what I want, so if I have to move, I will. She continues to gyrate and grind her hips on me until the song is over. Without turning around or acknowledging me, she opens her mouth and what she says makes me freeze in my tracks.
“You can’t have it both fucking ways, Slim. Either you want me or you don’t. You’ve proven you don’t, so don’t act like we’re together and you need to piss on me to mark your territory now that I’m gone,” she says.
“Where the fuck did you go?” I ask, my anger coming back even stronger.
“Not your business anymore,” she says, finally turning around to face me.
“The fuck it’s not!”
“You know it’s not. I’m not in your bed, not in your clubhouse, or riding your cock anymore. You could’ve had it all and instead you chose to push me away. Why? Because you’re afraid I’m gonna let another bitch push me away? Or is it more? That you just want what you can’t have anymore?” she asks, turning on her heel and walking away before I can respond.
I stand in the middle of the dance floor and watch her head over to the bar. She says something to the girls before leaving the club. After she’s gone, I
walk out the door of the club and make my way to the clubhouse.
I don’t want company. What I want are a bottle of Jack and my room. Shy has never talked to me like that before, but she’s fucking right. I’m so scared of losing her, one way or another, that I pushed her away. Now, I’m going to act like she’s still mine when she isn’t?
Fuck that. Shy will come back to me. She may have a place right now, but she’s gonna miss being at the clubhouse. When she comes back, I’m taking what’s mine— her.
Chapter Three
Shy
AFTER SEEING SLIM at Phantom the other night, I’ve stayed at my house. It hurt so much to see him and know I’ll never be in his arms again. We’ll run into one another from time to time, I know that, but I’m not ready to get up close and personal just yet. And for him to chase off some guy I’m dancing with? That’s messed up.
Jennifer and Kim have been trying to get me to meet them for lunch or dinner, but I’ve turned them down every time. They have been keeping me up to date on the guys at the club and what’s been going on with Hound and Ghost in jail. I’m thankful everything seems to be turning around for them all, but I’m not part of it anymore.
Mercy by Brett Young has been playing on repeat since seeing Slim at the club. No matter what that man does, he is sexy as fuck. All I have to do is close my eyes and I picture him perfectly in my mind. He’s reaching close to fifty and doesn’t even come close to looking his age.
Slim’s got dark hair and a beard he keeps trimmed close. His eyes are the color of dark steel and it feels like he can penetrate someone straight to their soul when he’s looking at them. Both arms are covered in tattoos along with one on his chest. His back is covered with the club colors. Slim is covered in muscle and he works to keep it that way. When I first slept with him, I was shocked to find out he’s got a Jacob’s ladder piercing too.
Today, I’m going to see Playboy. Allure is close to re-opening and I need a job. Slim won’t be there so I’m going to find out if Playboy will hire me. I don’t know if I stand a chance with the way I walked out of the clubhouse, but I’m going to try.
I park in the back of the building so no one passing will see my car parked here. I’m not ashamed to be here, I just don’t want Slim to know.
As I walk around to the front of the building, I see the row of bikes parked by the door. Slim’s isn’t among the sea of beautiful and powerful machines. It seems every other man from the club is here though.
Slim has a black-on-black bike. The Phantom Bastards colors are painted faintly on the gas tank in a way that you really have to look for it to notice. I’ve been on his bike more than once and I fell in love with riding. It’s so freeing and peaceful with nothing but the wind whipping past you and the roar of the engine surrounding you.
Walking in the door, I take a minute to look at the new strip club. The walls are painted dark purple with small lights attached strategically around the room. There are booths along the wall and tables filling the remaining area of the main floor. In the front by the stage is the biggest table I’ve ever seen outside of the clubhouse. That’s where all the guys are parked as a girl struts her stuff onstage.
Along the left wall is the bar. It’s completely black with dark purple behind it. There’s a large mirror that covers most of the length of the bar with the club’s logo etched into the glass. Bottles of alcohol already line the shelves.
At the end of the bar sits the hallway that leads back to the dressing room and Playboy’s office. I’m still looking around at everything when Playboy walks in from the hallway. He’s heading for the table everyone is sitting at, but at the last second, he notices me standing just inside the door and changes direction to come toward me.
“Shy, it’s good to see you,” he says, pulling me in for a hug.
“Hey, Playboy. This place looks great,” I say.
“What can I do for ya?” he asks, getting right down to business.
“I need a job. I was hoping you’d give me a chance to waitress or tend bar,” I say, holding my breath while I wait for his answer.
“I have no problem hirin’ you. Not sure that my dad is gonna like it,” he says, rubbing a hand down the back of his neck.
“I don’t care what he says. Yes, Allure is a club business, but you run it. Please, Playboy, I need this,” I plead with him.
“Okay, Shy. You can be a waitress and that’s it. No dancin’. We open Friday night, be here at four. I’ll make sure your uniform is here and you’re ready to go. The only thing you need to bring with you is a pair of black stilettos,” he says.
“Thank you,” I say, giving him a hug before waving to the guys who have been watching our interaction from afar.
“By the way, Shy, you know I’ll have your address now that you’re gonna be workin’ here. You have to fill out the paperwork. Be here a little early on Friday to fill it out,” he says, watching me leave the club.
Heading back to my car, a smile covers my face. Not only do I have a job, I’ll get to see the guys again. I miss them more than I thought I would. Every guy in that club is like a brother to me and I miss the interactions of a big, boisterous family.
Knowing I have a job now, I decide to head to the mall and splurge a little bit on myself. I barely buy anything I want, usually only shopping out of necessity. But I have a guilty pleasure in sexy underwear and nighties that I haven’t indulged in a while.
Walking into my favorite store, I take my time and look at everything before deciding on a few new bra and panty sets. It feels like someone is watching, but I don’t let it bother me. I continue with my shopping and end up spending more than I wanted to at my two favorite stores.
I walk out of the mall with five bags and almost start running to my car as the feeling of being watched intensifies. Maybe I'm paranoid right now. There hasn’t been anything going on with the club for a little bit, not since those men came in and killed a house bunny.
That thought makes me move even faster to get in my car, lock the doors, and make my way home. I take backroads and all sorts of turns to ensure I’m not being followed. No one needs to know where I live and I’ll be damned if someone going after the club targets me when I’m not with them anymore.
Once I’m back home, I run inside and make sure every window and door is locked. My paranoia level is higher than it’s ever been. I knew my life would be different leaving the clubhouse, but this is the first time that I’ve ever felt like someone was watching me like that. I’m used to being followed around by Prospects whenever Slim deemed it necessary but today felt different. It felt like something bad was about to happen.
My instincts are telling me to call one of the guys for help. It’s not an option, but it would be nice. I can’t call the girls because they’d know that something is off and pester me until I told them where I live now. My house would end up crawling with guys and I don’t want that either. So, I suck it up and try to take my mind off things.
I turn on my music and blare it through my tiny house. Cold by Crossfade is the first song that plays and it reminds me of Slim. He wanted me when it was convenient for him and now that I’ve had time to think about it, I realize that’s about all it was.
It doesn’t take me long to clean a house that was already clean. The rest of the night drags on and on. Finally, not being able to stand the boredom any longer, I take a shower and head to bed. Dreams of Slim invade my sleep.
Chapter Four
Slim
TANK CAME DOWN to see me today. I’m don’t know what’s on his mind, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon. He’s heading out on a run with us because it’s supposed to be a short one.
We’re running a small load of guns from Crazy to Renegade’s crew. Crazy had another seller he wanted to try out, so we’re picking them up and running them there. Playboy, Wood, Killer, and Zach are coming with us. Boy Scout is staying home with Jennifer being so close to giving birth now. Wood is only going because we’re supposed to be back in a few
hours and not days this time.
“Let’s roll,” I say, walking from my office to the common room.
I don’t stop to talk to anyone. The guys that are meant to be going will follow me. Hell, they’ve been waiting on me while I was in my office. I’d like to say that I had a good reason for making them wait, but I was trying to get Shy out of my head. She’s there every second of every day.
My thoughts are on what she’s doing, if she’s been seeing anyone, and when she’s coming back. It hasn’t been that long since she left, but I thought she’d be back by now. Instead, I’m just getting angry that she’s not here.
We ride out and get to the drop location that’s roughly a half-hour from the clubhouse. It’s in another town, and that’s what matters to me. Playboy and Tank join me for a smoke while we wait for Zach and Killer to load up the guns in the van. Normally Killer wouldn’t be doing this shit, but we want to make sure there are no surprises in the crates, so he’s opening them all and sifting through them one by one before loading them up.
Playboy and Tank look at one another before turning their attention toward me. I knew this talk was coming and it makes sense why Tank’s here now. One of the guys must have called him to let him know what a foul mood I’ve been in. This is not what I want to do today.
“Out with it,” I say.
“What happened, Dad?” Playboy asks. “Why did Shy suddenly leave?”
“I fucked up. She came into the kitchen one day to find a house bunny all over me. I didn’t pull her off me. No, I smiled at Shy when she stopped in the doorway. She left right after that,” I say.
“What happened at Phantom then? I saw you go down to her and chase the guy away. You’re not one to dance, but you did with her,” Playboy asks.
“I didn’t want him fuckin’ touchin’ her. No one touches her,” I vehemently say.
“That’s the problem,” Tank says.
