by Avery Abbott
“What is it?” I asked cautiously since my mind went right to Shaw. Or the rebuild we were commissioned to do. It could be either of them.
“That dude who paid Harley five smack to dance for him…” he paused when Carla came over with our beers. I practically barked at her to leave us alone for a minute. She did, but I could tell she was pissed. I didn’t care; she was Smokey’s headache, not mine. Carla came around the club here and there looking for Smokey for a good time, so she always ran to him with her problems.“He came back to the club a few nights ago, even had some chick with him watching the girls. Howie pointed him out to me saying he’s been dumping money left and right there. No V.I.P. room, but he made her an offer no girl, stripper or not, could refuse.”
My heart dropped. “What kind of offer?”
“I was chatting up with Jody and she mentioned Shaw was propositioned from this dude. His name is Charlie Conley. He offered her fifty G’s, man, for one weekend in Santa Barbara. One weekend. She’s hurting for cash; my guess is she’s going to take it.”
“She hasn’t yet?” I slammed my beer back, trying to hide my fury.
“No. She’s apparently thinking on it. She has some time to mull it over, but you can bet your ass he’ll be back in the VIP room soon enough trying to convince her to say yes.”
“Prick likes her.” I mumbled. “Can you call that cop you’re cozy with pull some info on him?”
He nodded, then said, “What’s not to like? She’s every grown man’s dream, Scout.”
“So, I need to figure out how to stop this?”
“Yeah, if she really is what you want.” Slider lifted his hand to call Carla back over. He yelled out for some wings and that was when I saw Fiona.
I called Fi over.“Where’s Shaw today?”
Her eyes bounced from me to Slider and then back to me. “She was fired a few weeks ago, I thought you knew.”
“Fired? What the fuck for? Why didn’t you call me? I could’ve stopped Jordan from letting her go,” I rambled, furious.
“I called Smokey and told him, but the till was missing three hundred bucks. He found the cash in her locker. I know she didn’t take it. She couldn’t have. I met her on the beach last week and she saved a damn jellyfish. She’s too sweet to steal, and besides, we’ve become good friends, so I just know it wasn’t her.”
Carla stepped up with another round of drinks, having noticed we were almost done ours, and placing them down. “Don’t forget, she’s a coke whore.”
I shot a scrutinizing look her way. If she wasn’t a chick I would’ve swung. “What did you just say?”
Fiona shooed her away. “Shaw promised me it wasn’t hers and that she was set up. I believe Shaw, but Jordan wasn’t having it. He ordered her out on the spot.”
I looked to Slider. “That’s why she started dancing. Fuck! Why didn’t she tell me?”
Fiona smacked my shoulder. “Didn’t you go see her that night when I told you she had one too many?”
I sat back, annoyed. “Yeah, why?”
“That was the day she got fired. I just thought she would have told you; if not, Smokey, he said he’d pass on the message.”
Slider sighed and took a swig of his beer before standing. “Thanks, Fi. Cancel the wings.” He dropped a fifty on the table and called for me to follow. I jogged after him stunned on both accounts—neither Smokey telling me, nor her.
“I can call Hound and get an address if you want to go talk to her.”
I waved him off. “No need. I know where to find her.”
He grinned. “Color me surprised?”
We bumped knuckles and he took off. I started my bike up and headed to her place on two missions. One to get her to say no to that little trip, and two, to get her to stop dancing, period. I just had to figure out how to do it without pissing off Smokey and the club.
Chapter 13
SHAW
I was sitting on the counter in the bathroom applying my go-to OPI color, Rice Rice Baby—it was the perfect shade of pale pink, not too flashy, but not too subtle either—when a knock sounded at my door. And, then I remembered rent was due today, so I jumped down, toes up and grabbed three hundred bucks from my hiding spot and made my way to the door.
I swung it open expecting to find, Jerry, but came face to face with Boyscout. He looked me up and down and I noticed the corner of his lip twitched. He didn’t wait for me to ask him what he was doing here or even an invitation to come inside, he just skirted past me.
My eyes followed him as he took in my small room, then stayed on him as he plopped down on the corner of the bed. “Shaw, come here and talk to me for a minute.” His voice was raised, but not angry.
I swallowed but hesitantly listened to his order. “What are you doing here? Where have you been?” I pouted.
“You have a little habit you didn’t tell me about?”
I sat, wringing my hands nervously. He saw, placing his big hand over mine, keeping them still. “Habit?” I asked, no clue what he was talking about. “You mean the dancing?”
He sat beside me and his boots brushed up against my toes. “No. I went to the restaurant to see you today. Carla and Fiona said you got fired for coke and stealing cash over two weeks ago. Is that true?”
I shook my head. “No, I mean yes, but it wasn’t me.” I looked down at my now smudged toes and frowned. “You messed my paint job up,” I mumbled.
He sighed heavily. The next thing I knew my chin was being lifted by his hand, his eyes trained on mine, darting back and forth. “You swear?”
“I don’t do drugs, and I would never steal a thing.”
He searched my eyes. “Good. Now, why didn’t you tell me you got let go? I could’ve stopped it.” He released my chin and stood. He didn’t say anything at first, just paced, biting his nail. He stopped and his head swung to mine, looking for an answer.
“I was embarrassed. You got me the position and then I let you down. I thought it would be better, not to mention the fact, I was definitely set up. Scout, I think it was Carla.”
“I’ll take care of Carla if it was, but you thought it would be better to strip then come to me? I could’ve lent you some cash to get by.”
I closed my eyes and whimpered, remembering the last time a man lent me money. “Don’t judge me, Scout. I’m doing the best I can.”
“I’m not trying to, Babe, but you give me nothing to work with.” He sighed, raking his hand down his face. “Tell me anything about yourself. Any fucking detail.”
He came down in a squat, studying my face.“Why?”
“I told you a little about me and I want the same consideration from you.”
“Scout…”
“Johnny,” he corrected me.
“Okay, Johnny. It’s my story and I don’t want it to be told anymore.”
He shook his head. “What’s that mean?”
He took my hands in his. I stared down at them, loving the way they felt holding mine. “Please, one detail. Anything,” he pleaded. “I’d even take your favorite color at this point.”
I swallowed. “I told you my mom died. It was only three months ago, and my boyfriend hurt me, hence the black eye, so I ran, scared out of my mind. I’m having a hard time without her, she was my everything.” I told him and I didn’t even know why, but there was this pain in his eyes that drew it out of me.
“Shit, I’m so sorry.” A tear fell from the corner my eye and he wiped it with the pad of his thumb. “I know what it feels like.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.”
I cleared my throat. “Anyway, she was all I had, and we were so close, and then she was gone and so went the life I knew.”
“Why did you come here? Why San Diego?” His eyes searched my face.
My gaze drifted to the nightstand with the reason tucked safely inside. I noticed he caught my stare, but he remained quiet. His forehead wrinkled, watching me. I liked Johnny, maybe too much, so I gave one more piece of me before I could
n’t give him anymore, not even my friendship. He was one of them. He’d choose my dad over me, I knew this.
I wasn’t stupid. “Yes, there was a reason I came to San Diego. I thought I needed something to make me complete. I was basically broke, scared and I’d never taken care of myself, so I came here to find that missing piece of me, but now I don’t need to.”
“Why stop now?” his eyes were sincere, but curious.
“Scout...Johnny, I met this man who offered me a ton of money for one weekend and already has given me over seven thousand dollars in a week’s time. I’m already getting ready move out of this dump soon, and anyway, I’m thinking of saying yes. I wouldn’t have to strip anymore. I could save it and maybe find a new job or buy a little studio and open up my own yoga business.”
“No, don’t, Shaw. This is more than lap dances if you do. He’s going to expect all of you, Babe. Every beautiful inch of you.”
I knew he was right, and I was afraid to say yes to Charlie, but I needed the money. I knew my mother and Tommy would be ashamed, but I had no choice. “I’m nineteen, not naïve, Scout. I know what he expects.”
“And you’re prepared to do that?” he asked, shocked.
“No,” I admitted. “But I’m going to have to be.”
His jaw ticked. He looked away. “When?”
“Late August.”
“A month from now?”
I nodded.
He muttered something under his breath, words I couldn’t make out and then stood, pacing the floor. “Johnny?” I called out as I watch him practically tearing out his hair.
His eyes landed back on me. “I want you, Shaw. Like really want you, as in all kinds of want. Don’t do this. If it’s about the money, you don’t need it. I’ll take care of you. Give me a chance to show you. Fuck, I’ll take you tomorrow to find a studio if you want to teach people how to stand on their heads.”
I rose and went to him. I placed my hands on his hips as we both stared, searching each other’s eyes. Every part of me wanted him, but two reasons I had to turn him down: The Rebels, and I was afraid to love him only to lose him. “I want to say yes, so bad, but I can’t ask you to do that for me. I’m not worth it.”
He cupped my face. “Yes, you are.”
I pushed up on my tippy toes and brushed my lips against his. He was shocked at first, but then hauled me to him, deepening the kiss. I didn’t even realize he was walking us back to the bed until I fell back with him landing on top of me. “Sunshine, say yes? It’s one easy little word.” His hands ran through my hair, his mouth a breath from mine. Both of us breathing hard, hearts pounding. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t hurt him like this. He was the one person I refused to upset.
And when I run, which I would, I would end up hurting the only person besides Fiona who I’d come to care about in this town.“I can’t.” I looked away.
He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Why not? Biker not good enough for you?”
“It’s not that. I’ve danced for just over four weeks, Johnny, and you want to know a little secret?”
He blinked, his jaw tensed. “Yeah.”
“I’m starting to hate men.”
He gingerly removed his hand. “So why are you doing it? Why him and not me?”
“Because he doesn’t mean anything to me, and you do.”
“Fuck, Shaw. You mean something to me, too. Please, stop dancing and just say yes to me, and I’ll make you trust men again. We’re not all scumbags.”
He tucked loose strands of hair behind my ear.“It’s more than about saying yes to him. I think I need to bury my past and just look ahead.”
He was still on top of me, but he used his elbows to hold his body slightly apart from mine. He closed his eyes. “Again, Sunshine, cryptic fucking messages. What do you mean by that?”
I cleared my throat. I went to push him off me, but he kept me in place.
“Tell me! Why are you so scared of a possibility of an us?” he ordered.
“You are entangled with something I don’t think I want opened anymore, okay? I’m sorry. I am. If you were anyone else, I would jump in your arms right now and not let go.”
He stared into my eyes like he was assessing what to say and as he did, I was pretty sure cryptic just went out the window. He jumped off me, scrambling faster than I’d seen anyone move. His hand grabbed the knob to the drawer in my nightstand.
I dove on top of him, banging on his back, but he acted like I was more of an annoying gnat than hurting him. “Stop, Johnny!”
He yanked it open so hard everything went flying. The motel Bible, some money, and two pieces of paper I had hidden inside that Bible flew out. His eyes landed on them. He was hanging over the bed attempting to look them as I continued to pound on his back, begging him to stop. Last minute choice, I decided to hurdle over him to get to them first, but I wasn’t quick enough.
I heard a sharp intake of his breath as he held the truth in his hand. My birth certificate. “I knew it. I fucking knew it the moment I laid eyes on you, but I didn’t want to believe it. Fuck!” He roared so loud it scared me.
I backed off him and leaned against the headboard, knees to chest, an attack ready to blow full speed ahead. “Get out, Johnny.” My voice was hoarse and I could hear the shaking in it.
Rule # 14 Know when to fold your cards. Once they can read your hand, it’s over.
He was still draped over the bed and I knew he must be reading the letter now. “Please get out,” I whined.
“Shaw, Babe, you need to tell him,” he said, his voice dangerously low.
“I just told you, I don’t want to anymore. Charlie is paying me enough money, so I don’t have to go find dear daddy anymore.”
His eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. “That dear daddy is one my closest friends who would want to know.”
“Look,” I swiped away tears that had fallen. “You’re a good guy and I thank you for being my friend, I do, but this is none of your business. I’m moving in to this awesome condo next to Fiona overlooking the beach soon. Like, I said, I have a plan. I’m going to dance for a little longer, invest his money and maybe open my own yoga studio, and make enough money and buy my own house. I don’t need or want a dad anymore, especially one who is obviously a bad man according to that letter.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, head down. “Smoke is not a bad man.”
“I choose to believe my mother over you.”
“Shaw,” he came down on his knees in front of me, cupping my face. “He was, I’ll admit it. He did some bad shit back in the day when he came home from Somalia. He buried five brothers over the years and six more are permanently residing in San Quentin. Yes, they were a motorcycle gang back then, but now we are a legit club who happens to own a well-earned shop, and we partially own M&B and the strip club. Smoke made a deal with them a few years after he got back. He and Hawk were out of town visiting another charter up North about expansion, thank fuck, and walked free. I’m asking you to tell him, and I want you to stop dancing. If it’s about money, I can help you out.”
“Don’t you get it, Scout? I don’t want to meet him now. I did, I admit, but I never read the letter when I first got a hold of it. I felt like I was invading some private moment between the two of them, and then one night while here and lonely, I decided to invade it. I didn’t like what I read. I don’t want to be involved with a man who had people murdered.”
“Babe, you’re putting me in a really bad position. This is a big fucking secret you’ve been carrying around and hiding from me.”
“You found me, not the other way around. And no one asked you to keep it up, but you did.” I was letting the bitch out. Once in a while, I needed her and right now she was my main girl, helping to get me out of this.
“I did. And, I’m glad I got to know you, but he’ll flip if he learns you’ve been stripping for his own fucking club.” His jaw ticked. “Dammit, Shaw, I made room for you in here, which is rare thing to begin
with.” His fist punched his chest. “And if I’m being honest, I don’t even know how the fuck you got in there.”
That stung, and I flinched, but I refused to back down now. “I didn’t ask to take up that space.” I mumbled. I knew I was being mean, but I couldn’t have him running to Smokey. I needed him to not care about me.
“Jesus Christ, Shaw, are you so pissed that I know the truth, that you’re willing to turn into some fucking icy bitch?”
He was right and he didn’t deserve my hate. I just knew he shouldn’t feel for me, not now. “I’m sorry, but I’m not telling him, and I’m not quitting dancing. Not yet; the money is too good.”
He sighed heavily, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “We can fire you. As soon as I tell him the truth, you’ll lose your job.”
“Feel free, Scout, but fair warning there’s more than one strip club, one city, one beach I can go to if you do.”
“Yeah, Babe, there are. And guess what else is out there?” He paused, glared at me and then continued. “A lot of bad seeds who go to those strip clubs. Leather and Lace is upscale; if you end up in one of the others, you prepared to have unwanted fingers up your pussy? You prepared to be called a whore? Because, Babe, listen close, you’re gonna become one if you keep this lifestyle up.”
“I’m not a whore for dancing. You need to apologize to me right now.”
“I’m not apologizing for shit. Because the moment you say yes to Charlie for fifty large you’ll become his whore.” He sighed and took away the unexpected flow of tears with his lips, peppering soft kisses down my cheek until he moved them back to my lips.
He softly brushed against them with his. “Make the right choice, Shaw.” He pulled away, gave me a strained smile. “You got a few weeks to come clean.” And then he left, slamming the door behind me and I knew it was for the best.
Unfortunately, those words and his heartbreaking eyes dug deep into my soul, leaving me shattered and in tears the rest of the day. I couldn’t get the disappointed on his face as he slammed the door out of my head. And, I couldn’t stop wondering if he was going to spill to my father before I got a chance to earn enough to split.
