Angel Unseen: An Unseen MC Novel

by J Bree

  Poe frowns at me like she’s wounded. “How much did he quote you?”

  After checking my watch, I sigh and bend down to do up the straps on my heels. I’ve gotta get back out there soon. “Nine grand. I can pay it but taking that money out of my savings is going to hurt.”

  She scoffs and holds out her hand. “Gimme your keys. I’ve never met a car I can’t fix and I’ll only charge you for parts.”

  I straighten up, chewing on my lip a little as I figure out what the hell to say to her. She takes my indecision the wrong way.

  “What, you think because I’m a girl I can’t do it? I’ve grown up in a garage, I could fix the Chevy in my fucking sleep. Law, tell her I can fucking do it.”

  “Posey Graves has never met a car she couldn’t fix, and that’s a fact. She’s fixing shit that no man could, I’m telling you,” Law says, his eyes firmly on the ground now I’m up and getting dressed. It’s very nice and respectful, not what I’m expecting out of a seventeen-year-old guy.

  “I’m not doubting you at all, Poe, it’s just… I feel bad for not paying you for your time! Well, that and the fact that my car is all I’ve got left from my dad so it’s kinda like my security blanket. I can’t stand the thought of not having it.”

  The fierce look on her face eases off. “Yeah, it’s a beauty. Honestly, I’m excited about getting under the hood. I haven’t seen a ’69 in such good condition before. Besides, you’re my friend. You don’t have to hang out with me and yet here you are, talking to me while the other girls are hating on me.”

  I huff out a laugh as I strip my shirt off, shoving it into my bag and grabbing her my keys. “They hate me too. Guess they don’t like girls who are on the Unseen’s radar, good or bad.”

  Law gets up and walks away, muttering under his breath about how much he enjoys breathing, which doesn’t make sense.

  Poe ignores him as she giggles at me, all sunshine and joy, and my heart clenches at the sight of it. She’s a stunning girl, one that must get a whole lot of attention, but it’s her attitude that knocks the breath right out of you. Standing here in the tiny dark back room of a strip club with a half-naked woman, she looks like she’s totally at peace with her life.

  I’m only writhing with jealousy on the inside.

  I start fixing up my makeup, fussing just to make sure it’s perfect.

  “Thanks. I really appreciate you taking a look, let me know if there’s anything I can do for you in return.”

  Poe shrugs and turns as if she’s going to leave but she only makes it a half step before she turns back. “Are any of the girls here sleeping with Rue? You see him here often?”

  Oh God.

  “Tonight’s the first night in a long time. I know Mel is obsessed with him but I’ve never seen or heard anything. Are you dating him?”

  She grins at me and twirls the keys. “I’m seventeen and this fucking close to being allowed to date. This close. Thanks, Angel.”

  I smile and get back to my makeup, rushing a little now I’m going to be late.

  Poe makes the arrangements for my car and messages me to tell me she’ll have it picked up from The Boulevard after my next shift.

  It kills me but I book a hotel in the next town over for the week so I’ll have somewhere to sleep. I reason with myself that it’s worth it to keep the Chevy and with a week of decent sleep I’ll be able to get a heap more of my classwork done so it’s definitely worth it.

  Poe’s parts estimate comes in at just under two thousand dollars so I’m still way ahead of the original quote.

  I spend the day checking into the hotel and unpacking my shit into the tiny room. There’s no safe, the room is too cheap for that shit, so I have to keep my cash on me still.

  I don’t think I could actually bear to not have it on me, the more that pile grows the scarier it is to think about losing it.

  I bite the bullet and finally pour the entire lot of it out on the bed.

  I count the giant stacks of cash and, holy shit, I’m only like twenty grand away from my goal amount. I’ve already paid for the hotel for the week so if I can keep the rest of my expenses down that’s only like two more weeks left of dancing. Fuck, if I choose to do three more I can have a nice little extra buffer and then I’m out.

  I’ll be free to buy a house, finish college, find some swanky accounting firm to hire me, and then live a normal fucking life.

  A life that belongs to me and no one else.

  My hands start to shake. I rub them together and take some deep breaths but I can’t keep the tremble out of them, no matter how hard I try.

  I’m so fucking close to being done with this shit.

  I need to figure out how the fuck to deposit this shit into a bank as soon as I possibly can. I need to start looking at houses and find somewhere right the hell now.

  I take a shower at the hotel and get ready for the night there, happy to be somewhere private and without the bullshit the other girls put me through. They haven’t been so bad lately, just vocal enough that I know they all hate me but nothing that really makes me take notice of them.

  When I’m finally dressed to the nines, my hair is perfect and my cosmetics make me look like a naughty school girl. My hair is in pigtails and I’m wearing a tiny skirt that just barely covers my ass, I’m sure this’ll get me a shit-ton of tips tonight.

  I’d rolled my eyes when I saw the posting Diamond had put up with the theme but the more I look at myself in the mirror, the more I’m convinced this is going to be a big night.

  I throw a long coat over the whole look, double check my money is secure in my bag, and then I lock up the hotel room, walking quickly to my car. I feel a little fucking teary over the thought of giving her up tonight but it’s for the best.

  I get halfway to The Boulevard when I have to pull over to answer my phone. I find a parking lot and cut the engine, cursing under my breath about the damn thing ringing. It's around the time Diamond calls when they need me to come in early for an extra time slot on the main stage but I’m too far out of Coldstone still to be able to make it in on time.

  "Hello?"

  It's definitely not Diamond.

  "Is that Miss Vaughn? It's Officer Daniels at Maryland—"

  I hang up.

  I hang the phone the hell up and then I immediately pull out the battery, grab the sim card and fling my car door open to smash the thing under my heel. I throw it into the trash can next to my car. I take the sim card and drop it in my half drunk can of energy drink and then I throw that into the trash as well.

  Then I start my car and drive the hell away, my heart fucking racing in my chest.

  Did they track me?

  Fuck.

  Have they been tracking me for a while? If they know about The Boulevard I'm fucked, like truly just beyond fucked.

  The shaking gets worse.

  By the time I wobble up the steps at The Boulevard to start my shift I’m fucking rattling around like a crackhead.

  Diamond notices when she walks into the locker room as I lock my bag up and says to me with a smirk, “If you’re tweaking you need to stay the fuck outta my club.”

  Her club, fuck, Tomi would kill her if he heard her saying that shit. “I’m not. I got some news this morning and it’s nerves.”

  She scoffs. “Sure thing, Angel. Keep your tweaking ass in line.”

  I do.

  I’m a fucking professional at faking shit until I make it, fuck that about sums up my entire time here at the strip club.

  So I dance my ass off, the outfit just as popular as I thought it would be and the green raining down onto my stage faster than it ever has before. I wait until I’m done for the night before I start thinking about what the fuck I’m going to do if they’ve really found me. Fuck.

  I’m fucked.

  Tomi stalks into the locker room as I’m coming out of the shower, my hair still dripping wet. His eyes drag over my bare arms before he snarls, “What the fuck are you on?”

  I sig
h. “Nothing. I just… Jesus, I just got some news this morning. It’s not a big deal. Test me if you want.”

  He stares into my eyes like he’s looking for the lie. I stare back at him, unwavering and honest because I have nothing to hide.

  I’m just freaked the fuck out.

  “There’s a lot of shit that ain’t adding up about you, Angel. You wanna start being fucking honest about it?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Tomi

  “Hey Tomi! Diamond is busy behind the bar but she wanted me to tell you that Angel is strung out tonight. She’s been shaking like she’s coming down from a bad high.” Mel actually manages to look like she gives a fuck when she says it too, if I gave a shit about the girl I’d be impressed.

  Instead, I’m fucking livid.

  There’s no way it’s true, Angel hasn’t fucking once looked like she’s tweaking and Diamond is a fucking cunt about her at the best of times. I’m sure this is just her next move to fuck with my girl.

  Fuck.

  Not my girl.

  She mighta ’struck me but she definitely doesn’t have me… yet. Fuck, I don’t want to think about how fucking obsessed with her I already am.

  I get into the locker room as Angel is coming out of the shower, all pink and clean, the smell of honey wafting out after her.

  Her hands are shaking so bad the makeup bag in her hand is rattling.

  I lose my fucking cool and snap, “What the fuck are you on?”

  She sighs and she looks tired. “Nothing. I just… Jesus, I just got some news this morning. It’s not a big deal. Test me if you want.”

  She stares at me, unflinching, and here in the shitty lighting of the communal bathroom she just looks… young. Really fucking young and scared, as if the shaking has everything to do with some danger she’s facing and nothing to do with a high.

  My patience with this whole fucking thing is wearing thin.

  “There’s a lot of shit that ain’t adding up about you, Angel. You wanna start being fucking honest about it?”

  The tremors get worse.

  She’s standing there staring right through my eyes and into my soul, and shaking like a fucking leaf.

  Someone is fucking with this girl and when I find out who the fuck it is I’ll be slitting their fucking throats.

  She hesitates and then brushes past me to get to her locker, hunching over the combination a little before she opens it up and pulls out her bag.

  Finally the warning bells start to get my fucking attention.

  “Is there an asshole boyfriend taking your money? Knocking you around some?”

  Angel startles at the sound of my voice like a damn rabbit. My teeth clench at the sight but I try to look a little less fucking pissed. She barely ever talks about herself and never talks about what happens to her when she leaves here so I need her to fucking trust me right now.

  The shaking is fucking killing me.

  “What? Why?”

  Deep breath. “You make double what any other girl here does. All the other girls are pissed over how popular you are so I’ve started keeping tally. You’re on almost ten g’s a week, how the fuck are you still walking around here with a flip phone and a busted ass bag?”

  Her eyes drop down to her bag and she curves around it a little more like she can hide its ratty appearance from me now that I’ve started taking notice.

  “I don’t have a boyfriend. No one is taking my money from me… except my truck, which needs some work.”

  Mel tries to walk in but I stop her with a look, waving her the fuck out. Rue and Speck walk out of the office behind her but when they get an eyeful of me they shut the door, wanting nothing to do with whatever is eating my ass.

  Smart.

  “Do you owe someone? You got family in the hospital or something? You’re not on drugs, I know a tweaker when I see one.”

  She pulls a sweatshirt on over the thin cami she had on, wincing and rubbing at her shoulder a little. She’s worked every other night this week thanks to Farrah’s time off, she’s danced her ass off without a fucking word of complaint over the long hours, and there’s no doubt she’s a little fucking sore. Diamond put her on all of next week too.

  I hate her dancing here but it sure does make it easier to keep an eye on her.

  “Nope. I’m single, sober, and just trying to survive here, Tomi. Is there anything else you need? I’m really just fucking… beat. I have classes early tomorrow and I’ll be dancing tomorrow to cover Farrah. Please just— please let me go home.”

  She slings that shitty bag over her shoulder and pushes the wet tendrils of her hair away from her face. Fuck, what is with this fucking lighting making her look so fucking fragile?

  I step aside and let her pass, my mind already planning out exactly how I’m going to tail her carefully the whole fucking way back to her place. I’ll run the address and find out who she lives with, where she grew up, fucking every little piece of her life until she’s not such a mystery to me anymore.

  I watch the security cameras until I’ve seen her get into a cab and then I dig my keys outta my pocket, ready to get out and follow her home.

  My phone ringing in my pocket stops me.

  I think about ignoring it, just fucking forgetting all about my responsibilities at the club but the patch weighs heavy over my shoulders and I answer it, cursing under my breath.

  “Get your ass to Mugshots. Grab Rue and Speck, be discreet about it.”

  King’s voice is rough but the tenseness of his is radiating down the line. “What the fuck has happened now?”

  He grunts down the line. “The whole place was just shot up. Glass and bullets fucking everywhere.”

  When we walk into Mugshots it really is fucking torn the hell up.

  Rue explodes the second he sees the damage. “Fuck. Fuck! Was anyone hurt?”

  King stalks over to us from where he was looking over the bullet casings with Hawk, the crunch of glass loud under his boots.

  “Coulson was here but he was out the back, managed to get down the back alley and call me without them fucking seeing him. He’s rattled as hell though, I got Hellion to take him back to the clubhouse for some whiskey.”

  Jesus.

  “Have the cops been here yet? Any witnesses?” I say, staring at the tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. The club can afford to cover the costs without even feeling the hit but some asshole is costing us green.

  King shakes his head. “We’re keeping the cops outta this. The less eyes on us all the better.”

  Rue nods at him and leans down to pick up a shell. “They walked in here and shot the place up. They had to have an in… or this is one helluva coincidence and Coulson has a hit out on him we didn’t know about.”

  King shakes his head again, his face fucking sour. “Can’t have been a hit. Everyone knows the bar’s empty by three, it was a fucking fluke that Coulson was even here. He was trying to figure out where the missing money has been going.”

  More missing fucking money.

  What a mess.

  Hawk stalks back over to us. “Tomi, get your ass back to the clubhouse and keep watch on your computer shit for what’s going on here. Someone has gotta say or do something after this. Rue, Speck, grab a broom. We need to get this shit cleaned up before anyone notices the fucking bullet holes.”

  I give him a jerk of my head and turn on my heel to get my ass outta there, ready to check fucking everything for a clue over who the hell is responsible for this shit.

  The clubhouse is fucking quiet when I get back there, the air heavy with the unknown threat of stray motherfucking bullets. I clap Coulson on the shoulder as I pass by him but he’s already too fucking wasted to notice much that’s going on around him.

  I jerk my head at Hellion until he follows me into the hallway. “Did he say much?”

  He looks around, his words chosen carefully. “They took down the front door and they didn’t say anything specific. Any leads down there?”


  I shrug. “Not really. Just a whole lotta casings.”

  He nods and stalks back over to our bartender who’s swaying on his barstool, the whiskey in his hand spilling everywhere as he tries to get the shit down his throat.

  I spend the rest of the night going through the security footage… nothing.

  I mean, sure, I can see the guys. They’re standing there in our bar wearing black and balaclavas, not a single patch or recognizable feature between the three of them.

  I check all of the phones and there’s been phone calls a-fucking-plenty, enough to keep me busy for a few nights going through. I pass out for five hours just to reset and then I head back to The Boulevard with my laptop.

  If some asshole is shooting up buildings owned by the MC then there’s no fucking way I’m leaving Angel exposed like that. No fucking way.

  Speck meets me there, his face just as tired and fucking grumpy as mine. “Cocksucking fucking Demons… I’m over this shit.”

  I scoff at him and get my shit set down in my office. I switch the security monitor in there on so I can keep an eye on shit while I work, mainly when Angel gets here and where she’s waiting around between dances.

  “This shit is a part of being Unseen, if you can’t handle it you better hope some college is dumb enough to let you in because Keely will skin you alive if you try to move home with fucking nothing.”

  He scoffs at me as he flips me off, walking out and getting to work watching the bar. No matter how much shit I give him, he’s a fucking good kid. He’s going to be a fucking great brother, never flinches before the hard shit or shies away from an order.

  An hour after the club opens the cab holding Angel arrives, pulling my attention away from the keystrokes reports. She barely pays attention to what’s happening around her but that’s not what catches my eye. Nope, the warning bells are fucking screaming in my head now.

  Rat be fucking damned, she has my full fucking attention.