by T. L Smith
Sliding my hands into my pockets, I nod my head at them. They look past me to the gates that keep them out, then back to me. “You aren’t what we were expecting,” the mother says.
“I never am,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.
“I know your answer will probably be no, but I wanted to ask if you’d like anything of hers? We’ve been going through all her things, and we found this.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small pendant with a heart on the end. Reaching for it, I unlock it, and inside is a picture of her with me kissing her cheek. You can’t see my face as it’s buried in her dark hair, but it’s me.
“They found it on her body that night.” Her mother hiccups as she tries to stop herself from crying.
The loud sound of bikes is heard as a few of my boys drive past us, getting back from their road trip and ready to go out for the night.
“You keep it.” I go to hand it back to her.
She shakes her head. “No, please. You keep it. And thank you. Thank you for meeting with us. And thank you for trying to help.”
I don’t want to tell them that I didn’t do as much as they think I did. Tanika would come here to the clubhouse to get fucked-up. And no matter how hard I did try to stop her, it was her only outlet for something I didn’t fully understand. And as a man, I may never be able to.
Her father reaches out his hand, and I look at it confused. He lowers it as I reach up and shake. “If you ever need anything, come to us. Please.”
I nod, having nothing else to say to him.
No one has ever offered me help without expecting something in return. So I know I won’t take it.
I watch as they leave, knowing full well that will be the last time I see them, and in some way, I hope it helps them heal.
Chapter Six
Kat
“Miss.” Sparkle knocks on my door again the next night.
“What’s up, Sparkle?”
“Rebecca is here with those guys that come in to see her. I’m due to go up on stage. What if they do something?” She bites her lip, looking down.
“They won’t.” I walk around to her and tap her on the shoulder. “You look great. Ignore her, I’ll be out there shortly.”
Sparkle nods and runs off.
Clipping my phone on my black pants, I lock the office and head out. The club’s at capacity already. And tomorrow night will be even busier. I haven’t seen Steve since he walked out the other night, and it feels good to be back. Even if I am tired during my days with Annabelle, it’s worth it.
When I work, I earn great money.
When I don’t work, I don’t.
It’s as simple as that.
Annabelle deserves a good life, and that good life comes with the money I can earn to give it to her.
The blue room, which is what we like to call the center stage down from the bar, is where everyone sits ready for the performers. Sparkle’s taken Rebecca’s opening act, so she is first to come out. Stepping down to the blue room area, which isn’t exactly a room as it’s very open, I look around. Above the area is two steps where you walk to the bar and the entrance. Then, of course, we have a few private dance rooms.
“Please welcome, Sparkle,” the DJ shouts as the room dims and Sparkle walks out onto center stage. I look around for Rebecca, knowing she will be close to the stage, and spot her straight away. She’s leaning on it, which is against the rules, and she knows it. I beeline right for her and stop short next to her. Her face is plastered full of makeup, and when she turns to me, she sneers.
“You.”
“You,” I say back to her with an eyebrow raised. “Explain why you are here.”
“I’m a paying customer.” Rebecca shows me her money in hand, then turns back to look at Sparkle.
“You’ve come to support Sparkle. How nice,” I say, not moving from my spot.
“Do you plan to stand there all night?” She looks me up and down.
Why on earth did I hire this bitch to begin with? Oh, that’s right, she can dance. Pity her personality sucks ass.
“I do. Well, until she’s finished,” I say, nodding to Sparkle.
I hear a few boos as Rebecca opens her mouth again.
“Told you my guys wouldn’t be impressed she’s stolen my spot.” Rebecca turns her nose up at me and looks back to the stage.
“If you do anything to her, Rebecca, you will regret it.” I turn to look for the source of the booing, and when I do, I smirk.
“They your guys?” I ask.
Rebecca turns and grins, but doesn’t answer me.
“This is going to be interesting.” I hear her laugh as I walk past the stage, where Sparkle still dances, and to the source of the booing. It stops the minute I step in front of them.
My lips turn up as I notice him. His lips, well, they turn down. Far, far down.
“Boys.”
“Oh, now, come on, Kat. I’ve shown you I’m no longer a boy,” Snow says, his hand going to his junk, which I’ve found out he likes to show everyone. Even if his junk is impressive, not everyone needs to see it.
“Tell me, why are you here? And why are you booing one of my girls?” I cross my arms over my chest.
“You? Fuck, you’re the bitch boss?” one of the guys asks, his vest reads ‘Prospect.’
“Yes, that’s me. Now, if you would kindly stop booing my girl, I would appreciate it.”
Snow taps the seat next to him. “Sit, princess, sit.”
Flicking my eyes to Blaze, who hasn’t made a sound and still looks like someone just pissed in his drink, I smile. “No, I’m good. But if you don’t stop, I will kick you all out.” I turn, and just as I do, Rebecca climbs onto the stage.
Oh, fuck!
Oh, fuck!
Moving as fast as I can, Sparkle freezes when she sees Rebecca and stops her performance. Climbing up, I manage to reach Rebecca just as she starts removing her top. Pulling her backward off the stage, I march her out the back. She’s trying to get out of my grip and manages to pull her arm free.
“You fuck,” she swears. As she does, she waves over my shoulder as I reach for my phone. “Oh, you plan to call security and get me kicked out again. Hey, bitch?” she yells, rather pleased with herself. I do just that, call my security as she stands there, smugly smiling at someone behind me.
When I turn, I see Blaze standing there. His side is leaning against the door, his arms are crossed over his chest, and one of his feet is over the other one. I have to remember to breathe, and that I hate this man. I desperately want to break his fucking heart. But I also want to fuck him, there’s no denying that.
“Can I help you?” I ask him, almost forgetting Rebecca is there. Almost.
“Yeah, he can help you. Why don’t you tell the president of the Exile MC how you want to kick me out?” Rebecca shoots back at me.
“I want her kicked out.” I smile at him.
Blaze looks past me to her, and I don’t have to turn to know she has a smile on her face.
“Rebecca, you should leave.”
I hear a heel stomp behind me and turn to see her shocked face. She looks to me then to Blaze.
“Leave, now,” I say as security reaches us. I tell McPherson to escort her out while Blaze steps closer to me. I can now sense and smell every part of him.
“My night started out shit,” he says, reaching up, touching a lock of my strawberry-red hair and pushing it back. My heart beats hard in my chest at his words. His eyes drop to my lips, and I think he’s about to kiss me, which cannot happen. He can’t make me fall for him. I don’t want to do that. It’s meant to be him falling for me. “Now I guess it will end shit,” he says gruffly, dropping his hand but not stepping back as he examines me with his eyes.
If I leaned up right now, my lips would touch his. They could linger for two seconds too long, and I would be in heaven. But then I’d be thrown straight to hell.
Managing to gather myself, I look at him with what I hope is steel in my eyes and na
rrow them. Leaning in, so my chest is touching his chest, my tits are now pressed on him. Blaze does good, though, and he doesn’t look down.
“You and your boys are going to go out there and tip Sparkle real good for ruining her performance, or I will come and visit you every day, making you my new baby’s daddy.”
“I would say you wouldn’t dare, but I have a feeling you would.”
I nod. “Damn straight, I would.” My chest is still touching his, but finally I step back, needing distance between us.
I can’t touch him.
I don’t want to touch him.
I shouldn’t want him.
“You run this place?” Blaze asks, sounding almost impressed.
“I do. And from now on out, don’t bring your little friend in again. She isn’t welcome.”
“But I am? Welcome, I mean?” he asks, prying.
“If you pay, of course you’re welcome.”
“Miss.” I’m called and turn to see Sparkle standing there with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I’ll be a minute.”
She nods, wiping her face and ducking off.
When I look back to Blaze, he’s still watching me. “You’ll fucking shower her with money and apologize right now. Won’t you?”
“Miss?” he asks in amusement. “I like it.” Then he turns and walks back out, leaving me standing there confused by his words.
Turning, I walk out the back to Sparkle, whose makeup is running down her face as she looks up at me. “I’m so sorry.”
She really needs to leave this line of work and go somewhere else.
I hear the music change as my next girl goes on stage. Silver—who even knows where she got that name from—should hopefully cause a distraction and make everyone forget about the crazy that was on that stage a few minutes ago.
“Miss, the group is asking for Sparkle to serve them,” one of my waiters says.
Sparkle wipes at her eyes, and I reach for her makeup brush, helping her fix her face.
“You can do this. You are strong. Rebecca’s just jealous.”
Sparkle nods and walks out past me to head out the front. I listen for the music to change and wait a good five minutes before I go back out there too. When I do, Sparkle is smiling and laughing with the group of bikers, and when Blaze spots me, he holds up his drink and tips it. I don’t nod back. I simply walk straight past them, as if they’re regular clients, and continue with my job.
It’s late. The guys stayed all night and tipped Sparkle well. By the end, you wouldn’t have been able to tell she was crying at the beginning of the night.
Closing the place down is always the highlight of my night. When everyone is gone and the place is silent, it’s actually quite peaceful. It’s very rarely silent, and the only people who are left now are one security guard, whose job it is to stay until everyone has left, and me. I didn’t say goodbye to the bikers, and I didn’t watch them leave either. I stayed far away from Blaze for the rest of the night, with only the occasional quick glance his way here and there. And every time I looked, he was watching me anyway.
“I’m ready, Fred.”
He smiles while opening the front door. When he does, about ten bikes sit out front, all on and loudly revving. Fred stays next to me as I look up at Blaze who is front and center, his eyes looking my way. “Care for a ride, Miss?”
“That’s not my name,” I retort back to him, pulling my jacket tighter around my body.
Blaze leans on his handlebars as he watches me. “Oh, I know. But it’s growing on me,” he teases.
I look to Fred. “You can go. Thanks for tonight.”
“Are you sure, Miss?”
I nod, then Fred walks past the bikes and to his car.
Walking over to Blaze, who sits up straighter when I get to him, I smile.
“What do you say, Miss?” He taps the seat he’s sitting on. “Care for a ride?”
I look down between his legs where his jeans hide his cock, which I know from grabbing it, it’s impressive, then back to him. “No,” I answer simply.
His mouth drops open, and I walk around him to where my car is parked and open the door as he yells, “Playing hard to get, so you can break my heart. Isn’t that right, Miss?”
I turn, smiling at him, then offer him a small wave as I slide into my car. Not looking back, I drive off and straight home.
The sitter is on the couch studying when I arrive. When she sees me, she closes her books and stands. “Annabelle was an angel. Hasn’t made a sound since she went to sleep.” She collects her belongings as I pull the cash out to pay her.
“Thanks so much.”
“It’s no issue. She’s easy.” She smiles, then turns and walks out to her car, leaving. When she does, I go straight for Annabelle’s room and see her curled up in a ball in her crib.
When she was first born, I was told not to co-sleep with her, but that was hard, and she ended up in my bed every night anyway. Now, well, now she has her own room and doesn’t need me as much as I need her.
Lifting her up, I carry her to my room and barricade the pillows around her as I take my work clothes off and climb in next to her.
When she’s in my arms, everything in this world is perfect, because she is perfect.
Chapter Seven
Kat
“Is today your day off?” Rochelle asks.
I’ve been working all week and today was my day off, until it wasn’t.
“Can you watch her, please?”
“You know if you just called Mom, she would, right?”
“Rochelle,” I warn her.
“Okay, okay. Marcus will have to bring me around. I don’t have my car. It’s getting fixed, and he needs his for work.”
“What, so he can cart dead bodies around in it,” I scoff at her. Because not only does he work at a crematorium, he owns it.
“Please, they won’t fit in his car.” She laughs at me. “Okay, I’ll be there soon. Bye.” She hangs up, leaving me to bathe Annabelle and feed her before she arrives. My phone bings, and when I look at it, I see a number I don’t recognize, so I leave it. Then it rings, and this number I do recognize.
“Hi, Mother.”
“I’m cooking dinner, would you like some?” she asks, not even bothering to say hello.
“No.”
“Okay. How is Annabelle?”
Annabelle says my name, and I smile down at her as I place her in the highchair.
“She’s great.”
“Do you need anything?”
“No, Mother.”
“Okay, good.” Then she hangs up.
Gosh.
I feed Annabelle and read to her, and just as I’m finishing, the front door opens, and Rochelle comes in with Marcus behind her.
“What time will you finish?” Rochelle asks, sitting down next to me.
Marcus stays where he’s standing.
“I should be back by four in the morning. Will that be an issue?”
“No. But one day you will have to let me come into this bar you work at and give me free drinks. Why you keep it a secret, I’ll never know.” I look up at Marcus to see him watching me. The look he gives me, which is silent and steady, tells me he knows. It’s not that I’m ashamed of what I do, I just don’t want the judgment that will come with it. And the biggest judgment will be from my parents. I should tell Rochelle, but I just never have been able to.
“It’s easier working knowing I don’t have to worry about people who know me.”
“Sure, sure,” she says with an eye roll. “Marcus has to get back to work and won’t be finishing until late anyway. So, take your time.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Marcus says as Rochelle takes Annabelle. He leans over, kisses Rochelle, and tells her he will be back as soon as he can.
I grab my bag, and he does as he says, walking me out.
“You know, don’t you?” I ask Marcus after the door is shut and we reach my car. He simply nods his head but says nothing
. “I will tell her. I just haven’t been able to.”
“She has your back, you know.” It’s all he says before he turns and walks to his own car.
I slide in mine and head straight for work.
When I arrive, I see a line of bikes already parked out the front. The night has already started, and when I walk in, the club is full. Men sit all around the stage as Sparkle dances, and I spot him right away.
Blaze gets up and walks toward me. “We should talk.”
I nod and head off to my office, holding the door open for Blaze to come in. He looks around and I see what he sees. Nothing. Nothing personal. “I see you’ve made yourself at home,” he jokes, pulling out a seat and sitting on it.
“What do you need, Blaze?”
“I need you to move on. This will never work.”
My mouth drops open in shock.
What the actual fuck?
He sits in his seat with a sinister look on his face. And it takes everything in me to not reach across and slap it.
“But why? Why would I do that? You are such a catch, Blaze Stone,” I say while fanning myself. “All that willpower. All those men you command. I mean it can really turn a woman on. And you… on a bike…” I lean forward, my hand waving myself cool. “A girl just can’t contain herself.” When I sit back up, his eyes are boring into me. His lips are thinned, and the scar that’s in his eyebrow is raised.
“You find this amusing?” he asks, all jokes aside. His voice is strong and demanding. “You really do think of me as a joke, don’t you?”
I keep my lips sealed and don’t answer him. Blaze slams his hand on my desk, and I manage to not jump at the action or the sound he creates.
“I don’t play with girls, Katarina. And I fucking don’t play games either.”
“How did you know my name?” I ask him.
Yes, he knows me by Kat, but not by my full name.
Ever since I was ten, I demanded everyone call me Kat. No one is to call me Katarina. Yet, here is an asshole doing just that.
“Goodbye, Katarina.” Blaze stands and turns away. As he reaches the door, his rough hand grips onto it, and he turns back to look at me with his eyebrow raised. “I will be fucking one of your staff tonight, just so you know.”
