Pres laughs behind him.
“What?” Whip says his tone annoyed.
“That rule worked out real well for your dumbass back in the day.” Pres laughs again.
Whip doesn’t respond but simply turns back to me. “That one understood?” I nod. “Two, we make sure her intentions are what she says they are. Last, you get Lucy’s blessing first. Are we clear on all those?”
“Yea, but I—“
“No, no bullshit. We’ve all been there. We can see it brewing.” Whip walks back toward the head of the table.
“Our other business is this.” Pres reaches under the table and tosses a jacket on top of it. “We voted last night. Welcome to the club brother.”
I just stare at it for a moment. I would’ve never guessed that this was the reason they called me in here. Standing up I walk over, “thank you.”
It’s all I can manage to say at this point.
“You got it.” Pres claps me on the back. “We are planning a party tonight to celebrate. Just so we understand each other, you are still to watch over Emma. Today part of that means she needs to understand how the club runs. You let her in, she’s your responsibility. From what Lucy says she’ll be eighteen in a couple weeks.”
"You got it." He nods to me, and I slip on my cut. "I'll go head down there and see how she's doing."
Whip’s voice stops me as I’m on my way out of the room. “Also she needs clothes. Take her out to town, but be discreet. We don’t know if people are looking for her.”
“No problem.” Heading out of the room I can’t help the smile on my face.
I’m in.
I've wanted this since high school, and it feels fantastic to have finally gotten it.
Walking down the hallway, I stop at Emma's room. I knock on the door and hear a bunch of banging inside followed by a muffled voice.
The door opens, and she is standing there seemingly out of breath.
“You okay?” I laugh as she blows some stars hairs out of her face.
“Yea, just my feet like to trip over themselves.” She smiles and goddamn it’s the most beautiful; thing I’ve ever seen.
“You feel like heading out and grabbing some clothes?” looking down I see she’s wearing the same outfit from last night.
“Is it okay? I mean, I just don’t know—“ she bites her lip. I pull my ratty baseball hat off my head and set it on her head. “Why is it that whenever someone wants no one to notice them the first thing people think of it that a hat makes you invisible?” she laughs as she looks up at me.
“I’m sorry do I know you?” I tilt my head at her.
“Ha ha, so funny.” She rolls her eyes at me as she steps out of the room closing the door.
I walk into the main room and grab the keys to one of the trucks. I'd take my bike, but I can't have her on the back of it.
Watching her do a jump just to get in the truck has me laughing.
"You know it's rude to laugh at short people. Totally beyond my control." She gives me a dirty look, but it only makes me laugh more.
I flip on the radio and head toward town. “So it’s part of my job to explain to you how the club works. Do you have any questions before I start?”
She pauses for a moment, “Why does everyone call each other by different names?”
“They’re called road names. You get assigned one soon after you become a brother.” She nods although the look on her face tells me that she doesn’t totally get it. “There are a lot of things that come with being a part of the club. Lucy and the other girls you met last night. They’re all called old ladies, it’s a term that comes after a brother claims you.”
“What do you mean claim?” her body turns toward me and I feel like all of a sudden she’s tensed up.
“It sounds worse than it is. It basically means that we are making it known that you are with us. No one else can touch you, and it earns you a certain level of respect in the club." We pull into the parking lot in the shopping district. "Just know the most important thing is that club business is club business, it's something that only the brothers are allowed to be involved in. You'll always be kept safe, but sometimes that means that you get left in the dark."
"I guess it will all take getting used to. This is so different than anything I've ever known." Her hands fidgeted in her lap.
Placing my hand on her knee, I try to give her some comfort. I don't know her story, but I've heard a little of Lucy's from different people, so I know it probably isn't great. "Let's go get you some stuff."
She offers me a smile, and I get out of the truck, making my way over to her side just as she opens the door. I offer her my hand to help her jump down, taking it she moves and falls into my arms. I catch her my hands wrapping around her tiny waist. "You okay?"
“Yea…remember my feet just tend to trip over themselves.” She smiles her hands resting on my shoulder.
She's so close that the strawberry scent of her hair fills my senses. Realizing I'm a second away from kissing her I place her down on the ground. As much as I don't want to, I let her go. I place my hand on her lower back guiding her out toward the street.
We walk into the first store, and I take a few steps back to let her explore. Watching her, I'm completely confused. She holds up a piece of clothing looks at it like it's the best thing she's ever seen then puts it back. Do all girls do this? Is it a thing? She walks toward me with what seems like disappointment on her face.
“Want to try a different store?” she nods in response to my question and wordlessly lets me lead her next door.
I watch her go through the same motions as she did in the other store. Walking up to me she doesn’t even meet my eyes, “next store?” She walks out before I even have a chance to answer.
I find her sitting on the bench outside. “Are there any goodwill or thrift stores around?”
I look at her in confusion. “Not sure, why?”
Shrugging her shoulders, she still won’t meet my eyes. “These stores are nice, but they're all so expensive. Everything I actually liked was way too much."
Jesus. Now I get it.
"Emma," I wait for her to look at me but she doesn't. I grasp her chin between my fingers. "For today I want you to completely ignore the price tag. Trust me when I say that I have more than enough money to buy out every single store on this block. Whatever went on with you in the past, whatever you're used to leave it behind." My hand cups her cheek. "Today, I want you to have a good day. You get to be happy."
Her face breaks out in a huge smile. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
I'm not a bad guy, but I am absolutely not the good guy. I've done shit and been through shit most people haven't. Hearing her say that to me actually makes me feel like I'm doing something right. "Let's get back in there and fill up a dresser for you."
She stands up, and I follow her in, when she pauses at the door I lean in to whisper in her ear. "Start grabbing stuff you like, or I'll just throw a bunch of crap on the counter."
Her arms wrap around my neck. “Thank you.” She places a kiss on my cheek before walking over to a table of jeans.
I’m frozen in place.
My cheek burns from the heat of her lips on it.
I’m so fucking screwed.
Chapter Six
Emma
The back of the truck is full of shopping bags as we drive back to the club. Mikey and I spent the day laughing and talking. It felt so normal and so right. Almost as if this were the life I was always supposed to lead. I never felt like I fit it in before.
I was so nervous at the beginning of the day. We usually made our clothes and anything else we paid very little for. I was picking up shirts that were fifty dollars, and pants that were over a hundred. I couldn’t imagine that any of those would be acceptable.
Pulling into the lot Mikey turns to me. “Have fun today?”
I can’t help my smile, its been stuck on my face all day. “Probably the best day I’ve had.”
/>
"Happy to hear it." He gets out of the car, and I follow, walking inside with him. I look around noticing how many people are here today than there were before. Tables are being set up, and I see large speakers being hooked up over near the pool tables
I'm not watching where I'm walking, and suddenly I hit something and am falling backward. Someone catches me, and I look up to see Whip. Looking in front of me I see that I ran into Mikey. "You okay?" Whip says to me as he stands me back up.
“Yea, just feel like I ran into a tank,” I laugh.
“Hmmm,” Whip looks between Mikey and I. “That might actually work, Tank.” He walks over next to Mikey, “looks like you just found yourself a road name.”
Mikey looks over at me and laughs. “At least it’s better than some of the ones that came from old ladies, right Whip?”
This time it's me laughing, and Whip walks away finding neither of us funny.
“So there's gonna be a party tonight," Mikey says as we walk down the hallway toward my room. "You can come out if you want but it can get pretty wild, and I don't know how much of it will be your scene."
“I’ll definitely come hang out. I like to have fun you know.” I wink at him.
Who the heck winks? Ugh, I’m such a dork.
We walk into my room, and I plop down on the bed, not realizing how exhausted I was. Mikey sits next to me, he pulls my feet onto his lap and slowly unties each of my sneakers and slips them off. "I'm glad you had a good time today, it was nice getting to see you smile."
Leaning up on my elbows I look over at him. “I really appreciate all of it.”
“I know you do.” His hands slowly start to rub the arch of my feet. “That is exactly why you could ask me for anything.”
Feeling my cheeks turn red I look away. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
"Feeling is mutual gorgeous." His hands continue to rub the aches out of my tired feet, and I close my eyes. "So I have to ask…” he says after a few minutes pass.
“Hmmm…” I say sleepily as his hands are making me so relaxed I’m almost passed out.
"What's your story? I mean I know a little bit, but not very much." He isn't looking at me when he asks, and I appreciate that because my past isn't really something I want to talk about.
"Well, my mom died when I was just a baby. My dad had three wives after her and sixteen children aside from me." His hands stop moving, and I look up to see him wide-eyed. "Yea, our house was crowded, but I loved it at the same time." Just talking about them my eyes start to fill with tears. I don't even know if losing them has really even resonated with me yet because I haven't had a chance to breathe since I left.
Mikey lays down next to me his hand brushing the hair from my face and swiping the tear that escaped. “You miss them?”
"More than I ever thought I could." He places his hand on my side drawing slow circles to try and calm me. "They're gone though, and that's a huge reason that I left."
His hand stops moving, “what do you mean by gone?”
I tell him the story about my would be marriage, the purity house, and the turmoil that came after it.
He doesn’t say anything for the longest time and for a minute I almost regret spilling my guts to him. My chest hurts from trying to swallow the tears and from recounting all of the tragedy that the past week brought. His hand wraps around my waist as he pulls me close to him. I rest my head against his chest and let the sound of his steady heart ease the tension that is racking my body.
I can feel myself slipping away, the emotional exhaustion taking over and pulling me under.
I hear Mikey’s voice but I’m not entirely sure what he says, it sounds like “you’ll never be alone again.”
***
A knock on the door jolts me awake.
"Come in," I say my voice laced with a yawn.
Lucy peeks her head in, “hey I wanted to see if you were up. The party is going to be starting soon.”
I stand up, “it is?” my bags from earlier are piled in front of the dresser. When I catch a glimpse of myself thought I groan in annoyance. I look like a bum. My hair is a mess, looking like I haven’t brushed it in two weeks. I want to look like the other girls, I want Mikey to notice me. “You think you can help me get ready?”
“Sure!” Lucy’s face lights up with a smile. “Let me go grab some stuff.”
I look through the stuff I bought today and find what I wanted to wear. I slip on the ripped jeans with a red off the shoulder shirt, I didn't realize it, but it's cut a little short, and you can see a small bit of my stomach peeking out at times. Some of the girls wear almost nothing sometimes, I feel practically naked with an inch of me showing.
My door opens, and Lucy walks in with Tracy. "Sorry, she heard I was helping you get ready and then I couldn't lose her."
“Whatever,” Tracy pushes past her. “I gave you your first ‘I want to look like a hot MC chick’ makeover.”
Lucy laughs, “I can’t even argue with you.”
“I have to say you did pretty decent with the outfit MJ” Tracy circles me almost like a lion with its prey. “I know what will complete this.” She leaves before saying anything else.
"You really do look great Emma. Don't mind Tracy, she picks on you out of love. If she didn't like you, then you'd basically be invisible." Lucy pulls a curling iron out of her bag and plugs it in before resting it on the dresser. "I know from experience that you probably have no idea how to use all this makeup. Tell me what you're comfortable with. A little bit, or the full monty?"
I think back to the kinds of girls that will be here tonight, and to how much I want Mikey to notice me in a sea of gorgeous women. “I want it all.”
"Okay, let's get to work then." Lucy pulls a chair over and gestures for me to sit down.
"I'm back and with the completing pieces." Tracy shuts the door behind her. When she turns around, I see tall black leather boots with a heel on the bottom. "Knee high boots are a must, and it will drive the used to be prospect crazy. Also," she holds up a large pair of hoop earrings. "These will be sexy as hell, kind of like a Sandy at the end of Grease feel." I look at her not understanding what the heck she's talking about. "Right, sheltered. Never mind."
Lucy and Tracy start unpacking the different kinds of makeup, and she is totally right saying I have no idea what half of this does. Lucy starts my hair while Tracy goes to work on my makeup. I almost feel like I'm in one of those movies where someone gets a makeover. After what feels like an eternity they both take a step back from me with a smile on their faces.
"Hell, yes," Tracy says as she starts to put the makeup back in the bag. "Tank is definitely gonna be firing his missiles tonight."
"Tracy!" Lucy slaps her on the shoulder. "She's my niece, and she isn't even eighteen yet."
“Says the girl who was making out with Whip in the strip club dressing room at seventeen.” She walks toward the door. “Pot calling the kettle black, Luce.”
Tracy leaves, and I turn around to look in the mirror. I barely recognize the girl looking back at me. My hair is full with large curls that frame my face and flow all around me. My eyes pop with the grays, and silvers Tracys used. I slip the boots she gave me on and wobble a little when I first stand up.
I can totally do this.
“You ready?” Lucy looks at me.
“As I’ll ever be.” I offer her a smile and follow her into the main room.
Chapter Seven
Emma
There are more people in here than I have seen before. I scan the room trying to find Mikey, and I see him at the bar. He's sitting with his back to me, talking to another brother, bee in hand. Lucy and I start to walk toward them and the closer I get the more nervous I become. The guy he's talking to nudges him and nods in our direction. Mikey turns around, and his eyes go wide as he looks at me.
He stands up walking over to use. “Emma, you look…” his eyes travel up and down my body and as much as it feels like I should I resist the urge
to cover up. “Amazing.”
"I'll leave you two," Lucy says before walking over toward the group of girls I met yesterday.
“So you really like it? The outfit is something I got today.” I pull at the hem of the shirt.
“You look absolutely gorgeous, but just so you know…” he takes a step closer to me bending his head low to my ear. “I think you look gorgeous even without all this.” He pulls away with a smile.
“Thanks.” I can feel how red my cheeks must be and I’m praying that the makeup is able to hide it. “So I noticed you got a new jacket. It looks nice.” I smile hoping to ease the awkward silence.
He laughs, but I'm not really sure why. "So the one I used to wear was my prospect jacket. It meant that I wanted to be a brother, but I was still in my trial period. Being a prospect is like the lowest man on the totem pole. You get all the crap jobs, and you're not considered an actual member of the club. I was given this one this morning. It means I'm officially a brother now."
“That’s great!” I give him a hug and notice that he doesn’t really return it. I pull away quickly not really understanding his reaction.
Mikey offers me a smile, but it feels like something is wrong. "I need to go talk to a few people. I'll come find you later, okay?"
I nod not trusting my voice. He walks away and heads over to where Lucy and Whip are now standing. Looking behind me I see Tracy and a couple of the other girls. I wander over hoping to blend in and not look as completely confused as I feel.
“Have to say MJ, you can totally pull this look off.” Nikki smiles at me, great the nickname has actually caught on. “Plus I hear you got your man assigned a road name too. Busy day for you.”
“He’s not…I mean we’re not…” I trip over my words trying to explain something that even I don’t understand.
"Whatever you say, girl, we all have eyes." She nods toward Mikey, and I look over at him.
Anarchy (Deathstalkers Book 10) Page 3
