by Erin Trejo
“Your dick wasn’t that great anyway,” she mumbles as she heads for the door with her clothes in her hands. I can only laugh at that. I grab the Jack off the nightstand and take a long pull before dropping back onto the pillow. I have to picture Becca just too fucking get off. I wonder what that means for me? It’s been four fucking years. Four years, and I can’t seem to get myself past her. All I want is her sleeping peacefully in my fucking arms like she used to.
Her long blonde hair fanned out over my chest. Her sparkling blue eyes shining with love. But that’s gone. All of it. Every last piece of her is gone, and my fucking heart went with her. Knocking pulls me out of my thoughts of the past.
“What the fuck?” I yell. The door opens and my dad walks in looking a little on edge.
“What’s goin’ on?” I ask, shoving myself up. I sit and watch him running his hand down his face.
“You know Reg walked, right?” he asks. I nod my head. Reg was a Nomad who was supposed to stay with our chapter but decided he couldn’t handle it. Declan saw that shit coming a mile away too but no one listened.
“Yeah. So what?” I ask yawning.
“So, we need more manpower, Mayhem. You think you can run up North with Dec next week? Griz wants to expand. I told him we’d back him, but we’re fuckin’ short. Monster will get voted in, that’s not even an issue. The guys all trust him, but he’s needed here.”
I nod my head, already knowing all that. We’ve had some shit luck around here lately.
“Yeah, I can do that. Griz owes me anyway. Mouse still hangin’?” I ask him. Mouse is a prospect who has been around for a while. He does what he’s told, but he’s just not ready to be patched in yet.
“Yeah. Him and Nuts. That motherfucker is as insane as you are.” He laughs. It’s a real laugh, too. It’s nice to hear my dad laughing. He’s always so serious with all this club shit that he doesn’t have a chance to just let go.
“Don’t worry about it, Pop. We’ll get some new guys in here, and shit will all work out.”
Chapter 4
Taylor
“Is this really what you want?” My dad’s words are rude and make feel unwanted – again – as we look around the apartment. His attitude has been shit since I got back, and I’m just ready to be away from it all. I want to start over. I want to start a life. My own life.
“Yeah. I will get a job and help pay for it,” I tell him. It’s the truth.
His eyes sweep over the apartment before coming back to meet mine. “It isn’t about the money and you know it. There have been some problems so I will be assembling a security team for you.”
I watch in disbelief. Trouble? I don’t know anything about his kind of trouble and frankly, I don’t want to. The only trouble I’ve had is with him and his constant accusing.
“I don’t need security.” I brush him off. I don’t want it.
“I didn’t ask you. If this is what you want to do, I will have a team on you. I don’t need any more issues with you.” He says it as if I’ve always been a problem. I suppose to him, I have been.
“Fine.” I give up. There is no reason for me to sit here and argue with him. I won’t win anyway. It’s always been easier to just let him have his way. I reach down and scratch Minnie’s head. Yes, I have a chihuahua named Minnie. She’s adorable and keeps my mind occupied. I got her in Rome a little while before dad sent for me to come back. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to have her in the dorms, but I hid her well.
“They will be here around the clock. I expect you to be accommodating to the night security.”
Is he serious?
“Night security? You mean someone will be here with me at night?” I asked clearly shocked by the whole thing. I don’t want a fucking roommate!
“I spent a lot of money on you to go to school in Rome, and yet you ask some of the stupidest questions.” His eyes pierce me without saying a word. I know I’m a disappointment to him. I always have been. Why I thought coming home would be different, I will never know.
“Fine. I’m sorry, Dad.” I apologize for nothing - much like I have my whole life. I was a good kid, despite what he thought or the blame he tried to lay on me.
“I have to go. I have a meeting to attend.” He turns on his heel and walks out.
I watch him go. Now I’m left alone. Alone is something I’m used to. I can handle being alone to a point. I have been since I was eight years old. This isn’t anything new but that sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach has returned with a vengeance.
I don’t like that feeling. I don’t like that I’m alone, either. My idea of family hasn’t been the same since I was sent away. I watched the other kids have family weekends. I was the one who sat alone in her room hugging her favorite bear to her chest. Thinking about it, I stand and head into my new room. Unzipping my suitcase, I pull out Teddy, the bear my mother gave me. It’s the last reminder that I have of her.
“You’re it, aren’t you, Teddy?” I ask the bear as I sit down on the bed and pull my legs up to my chest. Minnie runs around the room yipping like crazy. I hear someone knocking, and I can only imagine that it’s my new night security. I climb off the bed and head toward the door. I must say that despite everything, I’m feeling pretty good right now. I have my own place. Finally. Now all I need is to get a job and out from under my dad. I throw the door open with a smile ready to welcome the person.
“Are you security?” I ask until I look up and see the man standing in my doorway. My eyes slowly move over him, taking him in. There is no way he’s my security. My dad would never send a man looking like that here. The man stands there with his mouth hanging open. I heard him gasp when I opened the door. I don’t know what the fuck he’s staring at, but it’s getting annoying now. His eyes burn with an intensity I’ve never seen before.
“Who the hell are you?” I ask when I’m sick of seeing that hot as hell, long blond-haired man staring at me like I’m a figment of his imagination.
“Are you Taylor Masters?” he asks, quickly regaining his composure.
“Yeah, who are you?” I ask once more.
“I’m Mayhem. Your new security,” he says with a shit-eating grin. He brushes past me and walks inside looking around. Oh, hell no! He is not my security! Where the hell did my dad find this idiot? On the corner selling drugs?
“You can leave the way you came in,” I tell him, crossing my arms over my chest.
He turns with an amused smirk on his face before he says, “I will. At exactly six in the mornin’ when the day shift is here. What the fuck is that?” He turns on his booted heel and walks around the living room as he points at Minnie yipping at his heels. I watch with my mouth gaping open when he drops onto the couch.
“Get off there! You are filthy!” I rush toward him, slapping at his shoulder until he jumps off the couch.
“What the fuck?” he says looking at the couch before dragging his eyes back to mine. “They told me you were a little off. I didn’t realize you were insane,” he says before dropping back down on the couch.
This asshole! “I’m not insane, and you are not staying,” I protest pulling at his arm. He doesn’t move. He just sits there watching me like I just might be insane.
“Let’s get one thing straight. If you are gonna be touchin’ on me, you are gonna me ridin’ my dick. This grabbin’ thing is not my style,” he says, kicking his feet up on my coffee table.
I can’t believe this!
“I’m not fucking you! Get out of my apartment!” I scream. The guy watches me with his eyebrows raised.
“Certifiable,” he mumbles.
“I’m not crazy!” I yell once more. He laughs, but he doesn’t say anything else.
Chapter 5
Mayhem
This is great. Really, really great. I’m on security for a complete nutcase! She’s beyond fucked in the head. So am I though. But she has this little ankle bitter that yips nonstop. I want to strangle it already. In fact, when she isn’t looking I might
throw it out the front door or off the patio.
When the girl, Taylor, opened that door, my heart stopped for a minute. Her long blonde hair was hanging around her shoulders, her blue eyes full of light. I thought I saw a glimpse of Becca in her. It took me a minute to pull my shit together, but now I see they are nothing alike. This chick’s nuts.
“Yeah, you keep sayin’ that, but you’re runnin’ around here yellin’ and shit like you just escaped the mental hospital.” I wave my hand through the air dismissively as she yells a little more. She doesn’t seem to like that much.
“Can you just leave? I don’t know who the hell you are or why you’re here.” She huffs holding a small raggedy teddy bear in her arms.
“Oh, where are my manners. My name is Mayhem, love. You can call me sir, master, sexy…whatever works best for you.” I grin at her. Her cheeks redden as she takes a step back.
“My dad sent you?” She asks like I’m not really here in front of her.
“Your dad hired my club. Seems your dad and mine have a deal goin’. I’m here until further notice, love.” I pull my feet from the coffee table before glancing around. “We sharin’ a room? I don’t do dogs in the bed though.” I wink her at before nodding toward her mutt. Her cheeks flush, her grip on the bear tightening.
“You’re gross. Stay on the couch,” she says turning and heading toward what I assume to be a bedroom. She calls after her dog. Minnie? Really? Delusional much? A fucking two-pound dog named Minnie. I shake my head at that.
I’m curious though. Or maybe I’m just too damn nosey. I shove off the couch and head toward the door. I find her sitting on the bed with tears in her eyes. Something inside of me shifts. I don’t want to see her cry. I didn’t mean to hurt her.
“Hey, I was only fuckin’ around,” I tell her as I lean against the doorframe. Her head comes up and her eyes meet mine. There’s so much sadness in her.
“It wasn’t you. I’m sorry. I didn’t know my dad would hire someone like you to stay here,” she says.
Someone like me? Curiosity is getting the best of me with this one. “What is someone like me?” I ask.
She shakes her head and looks me up and down. “You look like you sell drugs on a corner.” She waves her hand up and down my body.
I look down at my torn jeans, my dusty boots, and my cut. I think I look normal. A drug dealer? No. “I don’t do street corners, but if there’s somethin’ you’re into, I can get,” I tell her. I see the flicker in her eyes, which again makes me wonder what the real deal is with this girl.
“I’m going to take a shower.” She grumbles.
“Is that an offer?” I ask. She looks up at me again, and her cheeks turn pink. Jesus, it’s easy as hell to get a reaction out of her.
“You’re disgusting. Don’t you have anything else to wear? I don’t want my new furniture all nasty.” She shoves off the bed and walks around her little room.
I wonder what her problem is? Daddy issues would be the first thing to tick off on her sanity sheet. The girl has an attitude from Satan himself.
“You know what? I was tryin’ to play the nice card with you, but fuck that. Fuck you. I’ll be out on that overpriced couch of yours if you need me,” I tell her before turning and leaving her room.
I pull my cell out and check my messages when I hear the water turn on. I hit the call button and call my dad.
“You find the place?” he says without a hello.
“You sent me to the pits of hell, Pop? What have I ever done to you?” I ask. He laughs into the phone, but I don’t think it’s all that funny. If she keeps up with that attitude, I will kill that bitch before any of her dad’s enemies get a chance.
“What’s wrong?” he asks slightly amused.
“She’s a vile bitch. She doesn’t want me here, and she has this little squeakin’ ass dog. Why didn’t you send Dec for this shit?” I already know the answer to that. I’m the fucking enforcer. I get these kinds of jobs.
“She can’t be that bad; she’s just a kid, Mayhem.” He laughs. Yeah, laugh it up, motherfucker.
“She yelled at me for sittin’ on her couch, Pop.” He laughs harder into the other end of the phone. “How long am I here for?” Hopefully not long; I take this shit.
“As long as there’s a threat. He’s got his guys lookin’ into it, but we may need to step up eventually. Just get some sleep, Son.”
The line goes dead, and I’m left to the silence of the evil woman that’s in the shower. It doesn’t help my dick to know that there is a sexy ass woman in there naked.
I adjust my dick and groan.
This is going to be hell.
Chapter 6
Taylor
“I can’t thank you enough for letting me have the job.” I smile at April as she wipes the counter.
“It’s no problem. Beth said you needed the work, and I need the help.” She smiles back at me.
It isn’t the most elegant job in the world, but it gets me out of the house. It’s a start. That’s what I keep telling myself. We all have to start somewhere.
“Let’s get you started.” April beams with the happiest smile I’ve ever seen on one person. She is truly happy with her diner.
I follow April around for a majority of the day learning the ropes. It isn’t all that hard to do. Basically, I’m taking orders and serving food. I’m a waitress, how hard can that be? When April feels I’m ready, she lets me go on my own. I find it easy to talk with all the customers even though I’ve never really been good with people. Partially because I’ve never been around many.
At school, I tended to stay to myself which worked out in the long run for me. I didn’t want to make friends just to have them ripped away from me like Beth was. I wanted more than that. but my reality didn’t agree.
“Can I get you anything else?” I smile down at the guy in the booth. He’s cute. Probably around my age.
“No. You were great for your first day, thanks.” He says with a smile. I smile back and turn on my heel, heading toward the kitchen.
“Another order!” I call out like Beth told me to. I stick the paper in the hanging clip when I hear a man speak.
“A new order and a new waitress?” he asks. I turn to look over my shoulder when my mouth hangs open. That man is gorgeous as he stands there over the stove. He smiles with perfectly straight teeth. He’s tall and well built, but not like Mayhem. He has more of the swimmer-type body. I’m captivated by him.
“You’re new, right?” he says breaking the awkward silence between us.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. I’m Taylor,” I tell him shaking my head. Damn, I haven’t felt so weird talking to a guy in a long time.
“I’m Freddy. Beth’s brother. Nice to meet you.” My breathing kicks up as he walks closer to me. His hand is extended and waiting. I watch him for a long minute before I take his hand.
“You too. Sorry, I’m just a little off today.” His hand is warm and comforting.
“I hear you. First days are always rough,” he says, pulling his hand away. I don’t say anything else. I turn and grab my tray and head back out. As soon as I walk through the door, I slam into someone, my tray and all its contents falling to the floor.
“I’m so sorry!” I say as I drop to the floor and pick up the mess I’ve made. This is bad. How can I fuck up so badly on the first day? Welcome to my life. This is what I do. I fuck things up.
“Don’t worry about it, darlin’. No big deal.” I look up at that voice. It’s deep and commanding.
The man’s green eyes burn through me as he watches my every move. I let my gaze sweep over him. That’s when I notice the leather vest he has on. It looks a lot like the one Mayhem wears. This guy’s says Tic, though.
“You ok?” he asks.
“What happened?” April squeals as she drops down next to us. She looks up and smiles at the guy.
“Hey, Tic. Didn’t know you were coming in today!” Oh, God. She knows him. That’s great. I just slammed into him, dumping half
of someone’s lunch down the front of him, and my boss knows him. What a great first day impression.
“Yeah, Jameson wanted a burger before I head in,” he says. He lifts the rest of the plates off the floor and sets them on the tray, but his eyes stay on me. I can feel them.
“Taylor is new. Sorry.” She apologizes for me.
“You know I don’t mind gettin’ hit on by the hot girls.” He winks at me. My cheeks heat. Is he flirting? Oh my God.
“I’ll get you his burger.” April stands and walks away leaving me with this hot guy. I stand up with my mess of a tray trying to head back I toward the kitchen when he grabs my arm.
“Hey,” he says. I turn to look at him, my body on fire.
“I really am sorry.” I look down. His fingers come to my chin, lifting my face to look at him.
“It’s fine. My name’s Tic.”
“I’m Taylor.”
He gives me a soft smile before turning and walking toward the counter. Thank God this day is almost over. I don’t know how much more I can handle. The hot guy covered in food and the hot guy making said food? I’m fucked.
Chapter 7
Mayhem
I lean down and sniff a line off the pretty little coffee table princess doesn’t like me touching. Fuck this bitch. I’ll do what I want like I always have. The door opens and I hear her saying bye to her lovely day shift security. I lean back and take a long pull from my beer when she sits next to me. She lets out a huge sigh, but I don’t bother to look over at her. I don’t give one shit what her problem is.
“Got another one?” she asks. I close my eyes and let out a breath before looking over to see what it is she wants.
“What?”
“Beer. Do you have any more? My day has been shit.”
I shake my head before grabbing a beer out of the case sitting next to me. I pop the top off and pass it to her like a goddamn gentleman. I don’t ask her why her day was shit. I don’t care why it was shit. I’m pissed that my night is now shit. I wanted to be at the fucking clubhouse celebrating with the guys. We patched Monster in today, and there’s a big fucking party tonight.
