Delight (Legacies, #1)

by Erin Osborne

  “Yeah. We’ll make a decision about what’s goin’ to happen in a little while,” I assure her. “Karson, you gonna help Levi protect Santana?”

  “Yeah, Bounce. I’m the man of the house,” he tells me, his voice wavering in spite of him trying to look and sound tough.

  “Syd, you got your things ready?” I ask her, seeing she still hasn’t moved from the couch.

  “Yeah. Let me grab my bag and I’m ready to go I guess,” she answers distractedly. “Are you sure they’ll be okay here?”

  “They’ll be safe. Levi knows what to do and we’ll be ten minutes away if anythin’ happens he can’t handle,” I assure her.

  Sydney finally grabs her bag and after she hugs Santana and kisses Karson, we’re out the door and heading for my bike. I don’t say a word to her as we walk to the bike and put our helmets on before climbing on the bike. I’ll get through the meeting at Legacies and then we’ll sit down and have a talk about the man and what’s going on. If she’s in trouble, we need to know about it so we can stop it now.

  I grab onto her thighs and pull her body closer to my own before lifting putting the bike in gear and taking off. Sydney wraps her arms around me, but I can tell she’s distracted. Hopefully we can get to the club without her falling off or getting so inside her own head she doesn’t pay attention to what’s going on surrounding us.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Sydney a.k.a Delight

  BOUNCE AND I pull up to the club and I climb off his bike. He backs into the line of other bikes and gets off. I hand him my helmet and he stashes it in the saddle bags while retrieving my bag for me. When I go to walk in the club, he puts a hand on my arm to stop me. I look up at him and get lost in his chocolate brown eyes.

  “We need to talk, Syd,” I tell her. “As soon as the meetin’ is over with, you and I are sittin’ down.”

  I nod my head at him and walk through the door. As I walk into the main room of the club, I see everyone working at the club sitting at a few tables which have been pushed together. I place my bag on the floor and take a seat next to Heaven. She glances at me and I can see the questions in her eyes. Shaking my head, I turn away from her and ask Colt for a bottled water as he seems to be getting everyone something to drink.

  Bounce and Blood stand away from the table and talk quietly together. I know they’re talking about whatever was going on at my house before he showed up today.

  Santana, Karson, and I were sitting in the living room after just finishing up our lunch. I had already turned on one of Karson’s movies so he would sit down and watch it. Just after the opening credits, I heard a noise coming from the side of the house. The side the bathroom’s on and I looked at Santana to see she had heard it too.

  After sneaking down the hallway, I saw a shadow lurking close to the window and ran back to them. There’s really no place in the house to hide so we huddled together on the couch. Karson could sense our unease and huddled behind us. I’d do anything to keep him safe, so I got off the couch and ran to the kitchen to grab a few knives for Santana and me. We placed them in reach but under the couch cushions so they were out of sight.

  Before the person could get inside the house, I heard Bounce’s bike rumbling closer and took my first breath since hearing the noise. Santana looked at me and her shoulders sagged in relief as the bike got closer, shut off, and then we heard nothing for a very long time. We were still sitting on the couch and huddled together when Bounce made his way inside. He saw us sitting on the couch and I knew he visually checked all of us for any sign of injuries.

  I can’t even be mad that he waited for me to fall asleep before sneaking out of my house. I’m glad to see him and I want to run and wrap my arms around him, but I know he won’t want that so I stay seated until he asks me about my bag. He talked to Santana, but I couldn’t tell you what he said or what she said in return to him. I don’t even know what the hell him and Karson said to one another.

  When we got on the bike, I stayed back from Bounce but he pulled me closer to him. After wrapping my arms around him, he finally pulled out of my yard on the side of the house and we were on our way to Legacies. The entire time, my mind was on whoever was outside my house and what they wanted with us.

  As I’ve said, we don’t live in the best neighborhood, but my house has always felt safe. No one has ever tried to break in before and now I don’t have that. Now, I feel violated and ready to get the fuck outta there. I won’t have anything happen to Karson or Santana. Hell, she doesn’t even have to be there, but she is because I’m her friend and she’s trying to help me out.

  Now, I’m sitting at a large table with the rest of the employees of Legacies. Tonya is going over business and I’m barely paying attention as she talks about bringing more customers in and possibly hiring a few more dancers so we can have time off and the waitresses aren’t doing double duty with dancing and working the floor. I know I should be listening, but I just can’t seem to focus. Especially feeling Bounce’s eyes boring into the side of my head from his spot further down the table.

  “You okay, Sydney?” Tonya suddenly asks me and I can feel everyone’s eyes on me.

  “Um, yeah. I guess I am,” I respond.

  Blood whispers something in her ear and I watch as Tonya’s eyes widen. If I hadn’t had such a rough beginning to the morning, I’d almost laugh at the look on her face. She nods her head before turning her attention back to me.

  “Why don’t you and Bounce go in the dressing room and get your things situated. We can catch up later on about the things we decide here,” Tonya tells me as Bounce stands from the table.

  I stand up and follow him from the main room. Everyone is so silent you can hear a pin drop in the room right now. It’s unnerving as I follow the intimidating man back toward the dressing room. He opens the door for me and then follows me inside before closing and locking the door behind him.

  “I have somethin’ to show you,” Bounce says as I sit down on the couch in the middle of the dressing room. “It’s a picture of whoever was tryin’ to break into your house. Hopefully you can tell me who he is and what he’d want at your house.”

  Nodding my head, I suck in a deep breath and hold it. When Bounce turns his phone toward me, I gasp in shock at seeing a picture of Lloyd. My eyes fill with tears and I know this man is never going to leave us alone.

  “You know who this is?” he asks me.

  “Yeah. It’s Lloyd,” I answer him. “He was my mom’s supplier, pimp, and he’s possibly Karson’s father.”

  “What would he be doin’ sneakin’ around your house?” he asks me.

  “He’s been trying to get money from me that my mother supposedly owed him. I’m not sure what he wants me to do about it. I tried telling him the debt died with her, but he’s not buying it. So, he either wants money, to pimp me out since that’s always been his end game for me, or he’s going to take Karson from me,” I tell him as tears fill my eyes and spill over.

  “The fuck?” Bounce yells out. “He’s not gettin’ his fuckin’ hands on you. Ever!”

  “You can’t stop him. If it’s not him, he’ll just send someone else to get me. One way or another Lloyd will get what he wants. He always does,” I tell him.

  Bounce stands up and before I can blink, his fist is being slammed through the wall. Dry wall and paint chips fly through the air as he pulls his fist out of the wall and turns wild eyes on me. Even knowing Bounce wouldn’t lay a hand on me in anger, I shrink back against the couch and cower in fear. I think it’s mainly seeing the proof Lloyd was outside of my house.

  “I’m fuckin’ outta here,” Bounce growls out after seeing my reaction.

  Before I can move a muscle, Tonya and Heaven are rushing into the dressing room and surrounding me on the couch. Tonya pulls me into her arms and I sob against her shoulder. Other than them murmuring soothing words and rubbing my back, neither woman says a word. Not even to comment about the new hole adorning the dressing room wall.

  When
I get myself back under control, I head into the shower and quickly wash up. I change into my practice gear and meet Heaven and the other women out on the stage. We have a good practice session and I’m honestly exhausted and don’t want to work tonight but I know I don’t have a choice. If I don’t work, I don’t have money to take care of Karson and pay back Santana.

  I don’t see Bounce for the rest of the night. Instead, Breaker is at the door and Blood is the one calling us to the stage and picking up our money for us. The night drags on by as I’m scared to death to go back home. I’ve even been messaging Santana off and on all night to check on her and Karson. I don’t want something to happen to either one of them because of a situation my mother started when she was alive which is now resting firmly on my shoulders.

  My mind wanders as I’m in the dressing room to how I’m going to take care of everything. I need to move, take care of Karson, pay bills, buy food, and now I have to add paying Lloyd back to my list of things to do. The list seems to grow on a daily basis and I don’t know how I’m going to accomplish everything I need, and want, to do.

  Fuck my life!

  “Syd,” Blood calls out to me as he enters the dressing room. “Bounce will be here to get you when you’re done. You’re up next.”

  “Blood, why is he coming to get me? He left without a word to me and now all of a sudden he’s coming back for me?” I ask him.

  “Club business, honey,” he tells me. “If he wants to tell you, that’s on him. Otherwise, just know he was doin’ somethin’ for the club.”

  I nod my head because there’s nothing I can do about it. Bounce won’t tell me anything. We don’t have a relationship and we don’t talk about anything personal. Instead, our conversations revolve around work and how Karson is doing after his surgery. He doesn’t want anything personal between us. And he makes that perfectly clear whenever Santana or I bring up something remotely personal by changing the subject like his ass is on fire and that’s the only way to save himself.

  As I finish putting the final touches on my make-up and make sure my outfit is in place, I grab my robe to hang on the hook at the back of the stage and make my way out to wait before Blood has to come back and get me. He’s waiting at the edge of the stage and pulls me into his arms for a minute. Blood and Tonya are truly the parents of the club members and that’s how they treat the girls here at Legacies from what I’ve seen in my short time here.

  I offer him a small smile as Heaven rushes from the stage and pats me on the back before heading to the dressing room so she can get back on the floor. Blood picks up her money as I wait for my song to start so I can go out and dance my last number of the night.

  While I don’t stumble during my routine, I know my heart isn’t in it. Usually I close my eyes and dance as if Bounce is the only one in the room. Not only is he not here, but I can’t think of anything other than the situation with Lloyd. Maybe I should just pack up our meager belongings and leave Brighton Hills. It’s not like we have ties here and I have full custody of Karson. No one can stop us from leaving this town. Karson and I can start our lives fresh and not live under the shadow of my mother’s addiction even though she’s been dead for a long time now.

  As soon as I hit the halfway point in my routine, the air in the strip club changes. Bounce is back and I can feel his eyes drilling into me. Still, I can’t dance the way I normally do and I’m sure everyone, including the members of Kings Vengeance MC, are disappointed in my performance tonight. I can’t blame them at all.

  Finally, the song comes to an end and I rush from the stage. Blood holds out my robe for me and I can see the pity and sympathy in his eyes as I look up at him. There’s no disappointment or anything else looking back at me. Not even from Tonya who’s waiting in the hallway as I make my way to the dressing room.

  “You okay, babe?” she asks me, stopping me in my tracks.

  “I don’t know. Tonya, I don’t want to leave you short, but I think I found a solution to my problem. I just don’t see another way out anymore,” I tell her, my eyes filling with tears once again.

  “Don’t make any decisions just yet, Syd. Let us see if we can find a solution for your situation. I may not know what’s going on, but I’m here for you regardless. Anytime day or night you need someone, call me,” Tonya says, pulling me in for a hug.

  Without looking behind me, I head to the dressing room. After taking a quick shower to wash the sweat from me, I change into my street clothes, make sure my wig and contacts are where they belong, and grab up my bag. Opening the door to head out, I startle when I see Bounce leaning against the wall directly across from the doorway I’m standing in. He doesn’t say a word as he grabs my bag from me and leads me out through the back door.

  Once we’re out in the parking lot, I look around for his bike, but I don’t see it parked anywhere.

  “Over here,” he says quietly so he doesn’t startle me.

  I follow him to a huge monstrosity of a truck. It’s black on black and even the interior is black. Looks like I know his favorite color now. Bounce helps me up inside and shuts the door before running around to the driver’s side of the truck. I’m thoroughly confused right now.

  “What’s going on, Bounce?” I ask him, turning to face him as he starts the truck and puts it in gear.

  “I’m takin’ you home to pack some shit for you and Karson. You guys are gonna stay at my house for a while. At least until we make sure no one else is gonna come after you,” he says, never once taking his eyes from the road in front of us.

  “We’re not staying with you. I don’t know you well enough for that and Karson needs stability. We’ll be fine at the house because I have a plan,” I tell him, folding my arms across my chest in defiance.

  “And what’s that?” he questions me.

  “I’m gonna leave Brighton Hills. Karson and I can start our lives over and maybe I can take some classes to get a degree,” I tell him truthfully.

  Bounce snorts and starts laughing. “And how do you think that’s gonna work out for you? With little to no money and Karson just having had surgery not that long ago. You’re not gonna get very far and you’ll both end up livin’ on the fuckin’ street. Because last I knew, your car was in the shop and you haven’t gotten it back yet.”

  I sit in silence because Bounce is right. Right now is not the time to be thinking about leaving Brighton Hills. Not with Karson anyway. If I were by myself, I could manage it. But not with a five-year-old in tow. Fuck!

  “Look, I appreciate you pointing out all the ways I’m failing at life. But, I’m not staying with you. You have no clue what it entails to live with a five-year-old. And, you don’t want us taking up your space. So, I’ll figure it out. Thank you anyway, Bounce,” I tell him, keeping my voice firm so he knows I’m serious.

  “Wasn’t pointin’ out you failin’ at anythin’. You’ve had a lot of shit happen in your life and you’ve done the best you can. I’m just sayin’ you haven’t thought it all out properly. You’re panickin’ and not thinkin’ clearly. So, you and Karson are goin’ to stay at my house and you don’t have a choice in the fuckin’ matter,” Bounce says, pulling into my driveway.

  We get out of his truck and make our way into my house. Santana is already sitting up on the couch and her things are packed and ready to be loaded into her car. Karson is sleeping next to her in his pajamas and I can see three bags of his packed and sitting at the end of the couch. Apparently I’m the last one to find out I’m going to be staying with Bounce.

  Turning around, I glare at the man next to me and before I lose my shit, I head to my room. Bounce gives me no room as he follows me in and sits on my bed. When I don’t move fast enough for him, he stands up and heads to my small dresser. Opening the first drawer, he pulls out a handful of the sexy underwear Santana bought for me when I got the job at Legacies. With eyes full of lust and heat, Bounce turns to face me and just stares.

  My face is bright red as I rush to try to get the garments from
his hands. Instead of handing them over, Bounce holds his hands above his head with a smirk on his face. Any other time I’d think it was sexy as fuck. Right now, I want to punch him in the junk and he must sense that. Next thing I know, he’s got one hand covering his junk and the other hand still way over my head with my bras and panties in his hand.

  “Stop fucking around and give me my clothes please,” I say to him.

  “You’re bringin’ these with you,” he says, his voice low and husky.

  “It doesn’t matter what I wear. You won’t be seeing it unless I’m on stage at Legacies. That’s what all that is for,” I tell him.

  I finally get my clothes packed along with any other essentials I think Karson and I will need while we’re temporarily at Bounce’s house. I guess I have no choice in the matter. For now, I’ll go along with his decision but he’ll see in a matter of days what my life is truly like.

  Karson isn’t a bad child. But he’s five and rambunctious. I’m sure Bounce isn’t used to that. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure we stay out of his way, but it’s not a foolproof plan. If we have to leave Bounce’s house, I don’t know what we’re going to do. I guess we’ll come back here and I’ll take more safety precautions than ever before.

  As soon as we’re packed, Bounce follows us from the house and makes sure the door is locked behind us. I help Santana load her things up in her car and we hug goodbye. Tears are shed from both of us.

  “It’s not like we’re not going to see one another,” Santana says as she pulls from my grip. “I’ll see you tomorrow when I watch Karson for you. I’ve got Bounce’s address and he’ll be at the house when you get home. Tonya or I will be with him until you get there.”

  “I know. I’m just sorry I put you in danger because of this shit,” I tell her.

  “You didn’t do anything. This is all from that bitch that was supposed to be your mother. I don’t blame you for anything,” she tells me.