Soulless Bastards MC No Cal Boxset

by Erin Trejo

  Nope. I can’t go because I’m on obnoxious bitch babysitting duty.

  “I met a guy with a vest like yours today,” she says before bringing the bottle to her lips.

  I watch her for a second before it hits me. Why was there a biker in the diner where she works? Is that who is after her dad?

  “What do you mean? What did you see?” I ask when all my skills begin to kick in at once. My job is to keep her safe at night. To protect her. What the hell are those day fuckers doing if there’s a biker roaming around her job?

  “Nothing. I ran into him. Spilled my tray of food all over him. He was helping me clean it up, and I saw the vest.”

  “Cut,” I correct her. Vest just doesn’t work for me.

  “What?”

  “That’s what the vest is called. A cut. What else did you see? Any other patches like this?” I point at my enforcer patch, her eyes following my every move.

  “No. He said his name was Tic.”

  Did she just say Tic? Like my dumbass brother, Tic?

  “Tic, huh?”

  Her eyes widen and suddenly she looks afraid.

  “Oh, no. Was that one of the people that my dad is messed up with? Was he there for me? Oh my God.” The panic in her eyes is kinda cute. She looks all flustered and afraid. Taylor reaches down and grabs her dog, pulling it into her lap.

  “Hey, it’s ok. Tic’s my brother.” I tell her trying to calm her down. I can see just how much the thought affected her.

  She doesn’t say anything as I bring my beer to my lips. My phone rings in my pocket. Pulling it out, I answer it, “What the fuck you want?” I ask, already knowing it’s Dec.

  “You comin’ to this party, motherfucker?” he asks sounding a little drunk.

  I chuckle before I answer. “Nope. Workin’, remember? I got babysittin’ duty while you assholes party.” I can feel Taylor’s eyes on the side of my head.

  “Well, shit! Bring her ass here. Ain’t no safer place than here,” he says before the line goes dead. I slide the phone back in my pocket when Taylor shifts next to me.

  “You don’t have to stay with me. I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She says in a small voice.

  Running my hand through my hair, I look over at her. “My job is to watch you. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  She licks her lips, and damn, I want to taste those lips, too. Why the hell am I thinking about her lips? She watches me, watching her. Neither of us moves.

  “I know but it’s unfair that you are missing out because of me.” Her voice has softened, and she doesn’t seem like so much of a bitch. At least in the moment. That can always change. They always do.

  “Life isn’t fair. We live with it, yeah? It’s just a party. There will be more,” I say taking another pull from my bottle. It’s the truth. We have a lot of parties.

  “I wouldn’t mind going. I can stay out of the way. I’m good at that,” she says. I don’t miss the hurt in her voice either. What the hell is with this girl?

  “A club party? Darlin’ you’d go in there lookin’ like that, and the guys would eat you up.” I nod to her little waitress uniform; it is short and sexy on her long slender frame. What the fuck is wrong with me? Why the hell am I checking out my job?

  “I have other clothes, Mayhem.”

  Fuck, my name leaving those lips is making me hard. Shit, she is going to kill me. Or give me fucking blue balls. Not sure which is worse right now.

  “Like I said, they would eat you up, love.”

  “Maybe that’s what I need. Maybe I need to be eaten.”

  Is she serious right now? I look over and see the lust and want in her eyes. She has lost her goddamn mind. Leaning in closer to her, I reach for the back of her neck, pulling her the rest of the distance between us.

  “I don’t know that you can handle what I’m talkin’ about, sweetheart. I’m talkin’ big sweaty bikers with their hands all over you. Touchin’ you. Makin’ you quiver.” Her breathing catches. Lust dances in her eyes.

  “That’s exactly what I want,” she says softly.

  My dick hardens. She has to see it.

  “Oh, yeah? Why didn’t you say that? You don’t even have to leave the house to get what you want.” Sticking my tongue out, I run it across her lower lip. She gasps but doesn’t move. Her hand slowly comes to my shoulder, her nails digging into my skin.

  “Are you taking me then?” she asks softly, her voice unsure.

  “To the party or your bed?” I ask. Fuck, she is doing things to my head.

  “The party.”

  Chapter 8

  Taylor

  I step outside and take a deep breath when I look over and see Mayhem with a cigarette between his lips. I didn’t think he would say yes. I didn’t think he’d actually take me with him. I changed quick as hell, ready to get out of the apartment. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say to him. Did I want him to take me into my room and do things to me? Hell yeah! But I know what he’s there for. My protection.

  “Fuck.” He grumbles and adjusts his dick while he looks me up and down.

  “Is this ok?” I ask nodding down at my clothes. I chose to wear a pair of my skinny jeans with black knee-high boots and a shimmery tank top. I didn’t know what kind of place his clubhouse is.

  “I don’t know if this is a good idea, Tay,” he says, pulling his long blond hair into a bun at the nape of his neck. Tay. No one has ever called me Tay. I think I might like it.

  “Why not? Is it that bad?” I ask him checking my outfit once more before pulling my eyes up to watch him light a cigarette. He blows out a ring of smoke before looking back at me. Does he think I don’t look good enough to go?

  “It’s far from bad. I’m havin’ trouble keepin’ my dick in check. The boys surely won’t be able to.”

  A small smile crosses my face. He thinks I look good? Good enough to get his dick hard?

  “I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.” His eyes roam over my body. It gives me a sexy feeling all through my body. Like I’m actually pretty enough to catch his attention. Like I’m good enough in general. It makes me feel worthy as a woman.

  “I don’t know if I can handle it, though,” he admits. His eyes dance with danger. A danger I wish I could touch.

  “I’m tired of being locked inside, Mayhem. Please.” Yeah, I’ll beg. I’m tired of being locked away. Being pushed to the background like I’ve always been. I can’t handle it much longer.

  Mayhem groans before he says, “Shit, love. You stay close to me. You don’t fuckin’ go off with any of the guys without me knowin’.”

  I nod with a smile on my face. He nods once, flicking his cigarette through the air. I watch as it hits the ground in a tiny spark.

  “Get your ass on here.” He nods toward his bike. I obey. I climb on behind him quickly, not really sure about what I’m supposed to do.

  “Put this on.” He passes me a helmet. I slide it on quickly and fasten it. His hands reach back and grab mine. My body jolts from the feeling of him touching me.

  “Hold on, baby,” he says pulling my hands around his waist. My heart thunders in my chest. I feel like my body is about to explode. He gives me a sly smirk over his shoulder. My heart races, my pulse thrumming. He has to feel it. My thighs tighten around him as he takes off down the road. He feels like a giant mass of muscle beneath my hands.

  The ride doesn’t take us long. We pull up to a gate, and with the tip of Mayhem’s head, the gates are opened. He pulls in, and I see all the bikes and people wandering around. My hands tighten around Mayhem, an overwhelming feeling rushing through me. Mayhem parks and helps me off, unfastening my helmet and taking it from me.

  “I mean it, Tay. Stay with me.”

  I nod my head as bile rushes up my throat. I’ve never been around so many people in my life and I have no idea how to handle myself. When I was in school, we had a lot of people but they were kids. These are grown, men! A lot of them. My heart starts racing, and my hands are clammy. Dots of sweat prick my
forehead as a wave of nausea washes over me. I bend over and let my lunch explode out of me.

  “Aw, shit.” Mayhem grumbles. He grabs the back of my hair, holding it while I throw up. It’s a sweet gesture from a man like him.

  My insides are a mess. The fact that I’ve never been around one man like Mayhem stirred up emotions in me, but there are a ton of men like him here.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just nervous,” I say as I stand back up. The first thing I see is the sincerity in his eyes.

  He pulls out a bandana and passes it to me. I wipe my mouth when he says, “No one will hurt you here. Not when you’re with me. I promise, Tay.”

  Why does his promise feel like he’s giving me the world?

  “Ok,” I say softly.

  Mayhem ushers me toward the party. I follow right next to him. I’m probably standing way too close to him, but I don’t care. He’s right; I feel safe next to him.

  “You came!” A tall man with dark hair roars as he walks toward us. Mayhem grabs his hand, pulling him into a hug.

  “You told me to come, asshole,” Mayhem says. The guy pulls back, his eyes raking over my body.

  “This your job?” he asks nodding toward me. My insides scream to throw up again, but Mayhem’s words ring in the back of my head. I’m safe with him.

  “Yeah. This is Taylor. Taylor, this is Declan.” Declan extends his hand, and all I can do is look at it a little nervously.

  “He’s ok,” Mayhem reassures me with that calming tone. Only then do I take Declan’s hand in mine.

  “Nice to meet you. Hope you’re keepin’ him in line,” Declan says with a smile. I smile back.

  “It’s only been a few days. He doesn’t seem that bad.” The guys both laugh like I’m missing some kind of inside joke. Maybe I am.

  Chapter 9

  Mayhem

  The drinks are flowing, the pussy is dancing around, and the weed is being rolled tightly into joints. Hell yeah, this is a party!

  “You been ok, brother?” Monster asks. I nod my head. Monster’s been a good friend to me. He was a Nomad, and for him to decide to settle with us was just amazing. He’s a guy with a shit past much like the rest of us. I never expected him to end up at this chapter though. The Southern chapter? Fuck yeah, I figured he’d go there. He would fit better with them. He’s always been a little rougher both on the inside and the outside, much like the guys down south.

  “Yeah. Just livin’,” I tell him as I bring the joint to my lips. I scan the crowd, watching everyone having such a good time. They’re happy. They look happy. Nothing like me.

  “Who is the chick?”

  I look up and follow Monster’s gaze to Taylor. She is sitting on a picnic table with Brooke and Cherry and looks to be having a good time.

  “My job. Mayor’s daughter. I’m on night security,” I tell him.

  Monster laughs before grabbing the joint from my fingers. “She’s a fuckin’ hot one, brother. How the hell you handlin’ that?”

  Yeah, laugh it up, motherfucker.

  “The same way I handle every job.” I shove off the wall tired of this conversation. I don’t take my jobs lightly. This is my life. This is the way I live. I wouldn’t fuck that up. I head toward the picnic table when she looks up. Her eyes meet mine through the crowd. She doesn’t look afraid anymore. In fact, she looks almost comfortable.

  “She pissin’ you off, Son?” my dad asks as he throws his arm over my shoulder. Where the hell did he come from?

  “Not at the moment. You heard anything new from her dad?” I look up at him as he shakes his head.

  “No. He swears that he has his guys on it. I think the motherfucker is just fucked in the head.”

  I can understand that. We’re all a little off.

  “Heard that,” I say as I walk away. I head toward her, her eyes still on me. I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  “You doin’ ok? No one botherin’ you?” I ask her when I’m close enough.

  “I’m fine.” She says, her eyes lowering. What is wrong with her? Why does she always look away from me? Am I that intimidating?

  “She’s so sweet, Mayhem. I offered her a job. She didn’t want to keep working at the diner. Bring her on Monday, would you?”

  My head snaps to Brooke’s when I say, “No fuckin’ way in hell. She ain’t no stripper.” Sure that may have come out a little harsher than I meant it to but damn!

  “You’re not her boss,” Brooke snaps at me. If I didn’t love that little shit, I’d slap her.

  “She ain’t no stripper, Brooke! I’m watchin’ her for a reason, you know?” I remind her.

  “You’re not her boss! She wants to work, I hired her.” Brooke shoves off the picnic table, slamming her shoulder into mine as she walks away. I tip my head back and take a deep breath. I won’t kill Dec’s old lady. That would be wrong. At least that’s what I keep saying to myself, but that means shit these days. Brooke is enough to make any sane man want to lock himself in a padded room with a goddamn straight jacket.

  Tay’s voice pulls me back out of my own head when she says, “I asked her for the job.” I lower my head and glare at her.

  “Why? What’s wrong with the diner?” Not like it’s any of my business, but why the hell would she want to strip if she has a waitress job?

  She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not good with people. I think I’d do better at dancing.”

  She thinks? Again, what the hell is wrong with this girl? “You don’t mind men touchin’ all over you? Thinkin’ that for an extra hundred they can take you in the back and fuck you?” I ask her. She looks at me with the sliver of a tear in her eyes.

  “I’m not a whore, Mayhem!” she snaps.

  I didn’t expect that! She leaps off the table and stomps through the yard. I follow behind her. Why? I don’t fucking know. She’s testing my patience and pushing me to my breaking point yet I seem to fall right into it.

  “When did I say you were?” I roar. She doesn’t stop though. She just keeps walking. When I catch up to her, she’s on the side of the clubhouse in the darkness of night. I grab her arm, spinning her to face me before backing her against the building.

  “What is your problem?” I ask her, my teeth gritted.

  “You are! I’m not a whore!” she screams louder.

  The tears I saw in her eyes slowly trickle down her cheeks, and I’m too stupid to pull away from her. Instead, I lean down and capture her lips with mine, making all the tears stop. The overwhelming need to make her forget why she was crying to begin with overtakes my actions. Making all her doubts falter. Fuck, they are as soft as they look. As sweet as I thought they’d taste. Her hands wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to her. My dick aches for a piece of what she has to offer, but in the back of my mind I know it’s all wrong. I pull back slowly watching her face before reaching up. I brush the tears from her cheeks. “You’re not a whore. I never said you were.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I told you I’m not good with people,” she says softly trying to look away from me.

  “Don’t do that. Don’t look away from me.” She pulls her gaze back to mine, and all I see is admiration. Why me? Why the hell would she look at me like that?

  “I’m no good, Tay. Don’t look at me like I’m your savior.”

  Chapter 10

  Taylor

  I’ve spent most of my days sitting inside with Minnie. Mayhem shocked me when he kissed me that night. It hurt worse when he pulled away and said that he wasn’t my savior. I don’t know what I was looking for in him but that wasn’t it. It’s been weeks since that night. Mayhem made us leave the party right after that, and he hasn’t said much to me in the time since. To say I feel rejected would be an understatement. I thought there was something different in his eyes that night, something caring.

  He’s been pretty silent and avoiding me for the most part when he’s here. I don’t care, though. I texted Freddy from the diner and asked if he wanted to come hang out with me toni
ght. I know it was probably wrong, but I need to feel something. Anything. I feel so damn alone, and it hurts. I can honestly say that other than his looks, I don’t feel much of anything toward Freddy. He’s more of a temporary fix to the need I have growing inside of me. The need to feel wanted.

  Mayhem sits on the couch, flipping through channels like he always does, biting off his burger, and tossing pieces to Minnie. She’s grown on him, even if he won’t openly admit it. She gladly sits and eats it, too. But he seems off tonight. I don’t know what’s wrong, but this isn’t his normal attitude.

  That night at the party, I saw something different in him. He wasn’t just the biker that my dad sent to watch me. He was something more. He was a safe place. He was a protector and something that I want. Even though he pushed me away after our kiss, there was something more to it and I’m not ready to let that go yet. I don’t know when things changed. I don’t know when I started thinking about him in ways I know I shouldn’t. He’s been here for weeks, and all I can think about was the way he felt pressed against me that night. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but I do know I want to make Mayhem notice me. I want him to look at me and want me. I don’t know why but I do. That’s become the number one goal in my life. To make that man notice me.

  I hear the knock on the door, pulling me out of my thoughts, and rush toward it. I pull the door open, and before Freddy can get inside, I throw myself into his arms. I kiss him roughly, his hands holding me up by my ass. My legs wrap around his waist.

  “That’s a nice hello,” he says kissing my neck. My body burns for this. I need it. I need to feel wanted even if it’s not who I really want.

  “Bedroom,” I breathe heavily. He kisses me again and walks through the living room. I open my eyes and peek at Mayhem. He doesn’t seem to notice anything that’s happening. It pisses me off. Freddy kicks the door shut to my bedroom before heading toward the bed.