“Mitzy?” Leona muttered to me.
I shrugged. “No clue.”
“You think that’s his old lady?”
“Ol’,” I hissed. “Old lady is like your grandma.”
Playboy’s eyes cut to me.
I plastered a smile on my lips. “Shut. Up,” I grunted to Leona. What happened to keeping her mouth shut? I didn’t care if Mitzy was Barracuda’s ol’ lady. If she had any info about Billie Jean, I wanted to talk to her. “Maybe we should talk to Mitzy, too.”
“Have Playboy do the talking,” Monk instructed. “The girls know to keep their mouths shut if they’re talking to someone they don’t know.”
“Oh.” Well, what was the point of me being here then?
A woman dressed in black tight pants and a skimpy white tank top walked up to our table and leaned toward Barracuda. Their voices were low, and I couldn’t make out a word they said.
Leona leaned toward them. “I used to be able to read lips,” she muttered.
Dear God. Did she not know how to be less obvious? “Stop it,” I hissed.
“There’s a bear at the bar, and he left his lettuce in the safe.”
Playboy choked on his beer, and I slapped my hand over my face.
“His lettuce in the safe?” Mace asked.
Leona closed one eye and tipped her head to the side. “Pineapple?”
Playboy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Pineapple and lettuce don’t even sound the same.”
Mace shook his head. “And why is it in his safe?”
The woman walked away, and Barracuda sat back in his chair. “You four done acting like fools?”
Apparently, we weren’t talking as quietly as I had thought.
“What did Mitzy want?” Monk asked.
So that was Mitzy. I couldn’t get a feel of whether or not they were together.
Barracuda grabbed his drink. “Memphis hasn’t shown up for her last four shifts.”
Say what?
“Anyone check on her?” Playboy asked.
Barracuda shook his head. “Mitzy said she went to her house before she came in today and she didn’t answer the door. Her car was in the parking lot.”
“I’ll head over there.” Monk drained his glass and set it on the table. “Maybe she’s just passed out inside or something.”
I looked at Playboy.
He shook his head and leaned close. “Just stay calm, pretty girl. This might have nothing to do with Billie Jean.”
It was too much of a coincidence, though. Billie Jean was missing, and now, another girl from the club was gone.
Barracuda stared at me. “Stop by Billie Jean’s on your way back, Monk,” he called.
Even Barracuda knew something was going on.
I cringed and felt deflated. “Uh, I didn’t bring the key to her apartment with me.”
Monk smirked and stood. “I think I’ll make do without it.” He walked away from the table and into the crowd of people.
“I’m assuming he doesn’t need her address either,” I mumbled.
“Talk to the girls. See what you can find out about Memphis and Billie Jean,” Barracuda instructed Playboy and Mace. He turned to Leona and me. “You two stay here.”
“What?” Leona scoffed. “How are we supposed to help find Billie Jean and now Memphis if we just sit here?”
Barracuda leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. “Because from the looks of you two, you’ve never stepped foot in a strip club before and it’s best if you kept your asses planted in those seats.”
“Billie Jean is my sister,” I pointed out. “No one here would even be looking for her if it wasn’t for me. I need to be the one out there looking for her.”
Playboy laid his hand on my arm. “Just stay here, pretty girl. Mace and I will split up and be back quick.”
“That’s not fair,” Leona pouted. “I was all ready to get my Nancy Drew on tonight.” She held up her purse. “You would be surprised at the things I managed to cram into here.”
Barracuda nodded to Playboy and Mace. “Go. I’ll keep an eye on these two.”
Mace gladly stood and took off toward the stage where a woman was swinging around on a pole. Playboy pressed a kiss to the side of my head and walked in the opposite direction of Mace.
I watched him disappear into the crowd and tried not to squeal at the fact he had kissed me. Granted, it was the side of my head, but it was still a kiss.
My feelings were like on a huge pendulum that swung back and forth. First, I was sad about Billie Jean being missing, but then, Playboy would send me a text or kiss the side of my head and I was carefree and giddy about Playboy. I was going to get whiplash from bouncing around all of the time.
Leona sighed and set her purse on the table. “I can’t believe I’m not going to be able to use my stun gun tonight.”
“Stun gun?” Barracuda narrowed his eyes on Leona. “What the hell did you think you would need a stun gun for?”
She shrugged and unzipped the zipper. “One never knows when the occasion might arise where a good stunning is called for.”
“Don’t you dare empty that thing on this table,” Barracuda rumbled.
Leona’s fingers froze on the zipper pull. “Uh, what happens if I do?” She batted her eyes at Barracuda.
Oh, Jesus. Now she was going to try to turn her charm on Barracuda. I kicked her under the table and glared at her. “Knock it off,” I hissed. Keeping Leona reined in was freaking exhausting.
“I’d kick your ass out and send you home in a taxi.” Barracuda tipped his head to the side. “And that’s just to start.”
“I feel you might have some issues that you’re masking with rage and assholiness.”
Leona was going to get us kicked out. She had completely forgotten our plan of keeping our mouths shut and had let her crazy ass run free.
Barracuda glared at Leona.
She rested her elbows on the table and plopped her head in her hands. “So, how does one become a president of a badass MC?” she asked. “Is that like a two or four-year degree?”
Yup, Leona was going to get us kicked out of here.
I downed my drink and looked around for the waitress. I was going to need about ten more of these.
*
Chapter Eight
Playboy
Wanna come in?
“She left with a guy.”
“A guy?” I asked. Why in the hell would Billie Jean be leaving with a guy after her shift?
Violet nodded and snapped the gum in her mouth. “Yeah.”
“You know who the guy was?”
She shook her head. “Never saw him before that night. He sat in her section all night and seemed fine.”
“He hit on her or anything?”
Violet rolled her eyes. “Watching Billie Jean isn’t really something I can do while I’m waiting on my section.” Violet was a straight up bitch. She had tried hitting on me when I first started talking to her, but as soon as she figured out I wasn't interested, she flipped her bitch switch and kept snapping her gum.
I was two seconds away from ripping it from her mouth and shoving it up her ass. “Do you remember what kind of vehicle she was in?”
Violet rolled her eyes. “It was a black car.”
“You remember what kind of car?” A black car was pretty fucking vague and made it hard to pinpoint the right one.
“I don’t know, Playboy. It was a week ago, and I’ve got other things on my mind than what kind of car Billie Jean drove off in.” She looked over her shoulder to the back door. “Are we done now or do you want to keep eating up my break?”
I turned away from her and headed back to the table where I had left Raelyn. Violet didn’t deserve another word from me. Thank Christ I had never given her the time of day.
Barracuda had four beer bottles in front of him and was staring at Leona as she talked with her hands flailing all over.
Raelyn wasn’t at the table.
/> What the fuck?
“Where did Raelyn go?” I demanded when I got to the table.
Leona tipped her head back and tried to focus her glazed over eyes on me. “Howdy there, biker dude.” I think she tried to wink at me but just closed her eyes for five seconds and then opened them. I had only been gone for forty-five minutes. Leona was a lightweight, or they were mixing the drinks pretty strong for a Tuesday night.
“She went to the bathroom,” Barracuda butted in. “She said she was gonna wait until you came back but couldn’t hold it any longer.”
“You couldn’t go with her?” I asked him.
Barracuda turned his glare on me. “Didn’t know I needed to hold your girlfriend's purse while she pissed.”
I headed to the bathroom. It wasn’t worth it to say anything more to Barracuda. Raelyn wasn’t his responsibility so he didn’t care about her.
I barged into the women’s bathroom and startled Raelyn who was standing in front of the sink washing her hands.
“Playboy,” she gasped. She gripped the sink with one hand and held her other to her heart. “What are you doing in here?”
“You weren’t at the table.”
She blinked quickly. “I was gonna wait until you got back to go to the bathroom but uh, well...”
I had barged in here like a maniac as if she were robbing the place or something. “You could have texted me.”
“On your prehistoric phone? I didn’t know if you had a text limit or something.” She laughed lightly and turned back to the sink.
I moved over to the other sink and leaned against it. “You don’t seem to be as wasted as Leona.”
“Uh, no. Leona seems to be downing her drinks a little bit faster than I am. She’s on number five while I’ve only just touched number three.” She grabbed a paper towel and dried her hands. “The drinks are pretty strong here.”
“Not normally. It may have to do with the fact you’re sitting with Barracuda and they know not to skimp on the booze when a Royal Bastard is at the table.”
She tossed the paper towel in the garbage. “Well, I’ll have to remember that if this happens again.” She sighed and smiled wonkily. “Getting drunk in a strip club isn’t what I normally do on a Tuesday. Or any day, for that matter.” She stepped toward me and stumbled.
I grabbed her around the waist and steadied her. “Whoa there, pretty girl.”
“I might be a little more tipsy than I thought I was.”
“Just a little,” I chuckled.
She laid her hands on my chest and tipped her head back to look at me. “This has been the strangest week of my life, and it just keeps getting stranger.”
I brushed her hair from her face. “But it's a good strange, right?”
“Parts of it are pretty good,” she whispered.
I pulled her close and delved my fingers in her hair. “Time for a good part, pretty girl.” My lips brushed against hers, and a sigh escaped her mouth.
She tipped her head back more and leaned into the kiss. Her lips were like velvet, and her taste was as sweet as sugar.
Addictive.
I wanted more but was afraid I would never get enough.
Her hands balled into fists and clenched my shirt.
“More,” she gasped when we finally came up for air.
“Later, pretty girl. I don’t want the first time I fuck you to be in the women’s bathroom at a strip club.”
“I’m okay with that.” Her eyes bugged out as soon as the words fell from her lips. “I mean...”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door. “I kind of like it when you blurt out whatever you’re feeling without thinking about it.”
“Stupid seems to come out of my mouth when you’re around,” she muttered.
I glanced over my shoulder at her. “Honesty comes out of your mouth, pretty girl.”
We walked out of the bathroom, and I sat back down at the table, but this time, I pulled Raelyn onto my lap. I needed to talk to Barracuda about what Violet had told me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have Raelyn close.
Never in my life had I been possessive of a woman before. If one wanted to leave or didn’t want me, I would just find another.
With Raelyn around, there wasn’t anyone else who could hold my attention. She was more than satisfying everything I wanted and all I had done was kiss her.
Leona pointed her finger at us. “This. This I like,” she slurred. “Though I would like it better if it was happening to me, but choosers can’t be beggars.” She hiccupped loudly and held up her empty cup. “I’m fill. Empty me.”
“Oh, Leona,” Raelyn laughed. “I think we should probably cut you off. You’re going to fall off the back of Mace’s bike.”
“She’s getting a taxi,” Mace grumbled.
Somehow Leona and Mace had not hit it off like I had thought they would.
“I’ll take her home.” Barracuda finished his beer and dropped a fifty on the table.
Oh. Now this was something I didn't see coming.
Leona held her hand out to him. “You’ve got a deal, Snake.”
“Snake?” I asked.
Raelyn laughed. “Leona thinks a barracuda is a snake.”
“Well, at first she thought it was a big black cat,” Barracuda laughed. “We cleared that one up pretty quickly, though.”
“Uh, isn’t a large black cat a black panther?” Mace asked. “How the heck do you think a black panther is a barracuda. It’s a deadly fish.”
Leona sloppily waved her hand at Mace. “Those are all details.”
This was going downhill fast. “How about I tell you what I found out and then we can all head out?”
Barracuda nodded. “I haven’t heard from Monk yet, but I’m assuming he ain’t finding shit.”
“Well,” I drawled. “I managed to talk to Violet, and she saw Billie Jean drive off in a black car with a guy after her shift Tuesday.”
“Oh, my God!” Raelyn gasped. “Who was the guy?”
I shrugged. “Violet said she hadn’t seen him before. He hung out in her section for a good part of the night and then she left with him.”
“Buuuuut,” Leona drawled and interrupted, “Billie Jean likes kitties.”
Mace, Barracuda, and I looked at each other trying to figure out what the hell Leona was talking about.
Raelyn drug her hand down her face. “She likes girls, she means. She was saying kitty as like...” Raelyn dropped her eyes. “Down there.”
“Pussy?” Mace asked.
Leona tapped her finger to her nose. “Ding, ding. Tell him what he’s won, Alex.”
“Jesus,” Barracuda groaned. I wondered if he was thinking of changing his mind about taking Leona home. “I’ll have someone going over the tapes from last Tuesday and see if they can pick anything up. At least it happened on a Tuesday so it won’t be as packed. We should be able to pick out guys who aren’t regulars.”
“But why would she leave with a guy she didn’t know?” Raelyn asked.
“Maybe she did know him,” Mace suggested. “It sounds like you were close with your sister, but maybe she didn’t tell you everything.”
Mace’s words were harsh, but they hit the truth.
I squeezed her leg. “We’ll figure it out, Raelyn.”
She looked at me warily. “She wouldn’t have gone off with some random guy.”
Right now, we didn’t know that. Maybe he had tricked her somehow or something.
Barracuda stood up. “I’ll have Rebel and Tank go over the video tomorrow. They are here the most so they should be able to pinpoint the guy Violet is talking about.”
“Are you still riding me?” Leona shook her head. “I mean am I still riding you?” Leona slowly turned to look at Raelyn. “Am I talking out loud? Tell me I’m dreaming.”
Raelyn reached out and patted her hand. “This will all be a faint memory when you wake up in the morning, honey.”
“That’ll be nice,” Leona sighed. “Bye, bye R
aelyn and biker dude.”
Barracuda managed to get her out of her seat and led her to the exit by only half carrying her.
“You really think she is going to remember any of this?” I asked.
Raelyn shrugged. “For her sake, I hope she doesn’t because I’m pretty sure she is going to die of embarrassment if she remembers asking Barracuda if he was going to ride her.”
“If she doesn’t remember, I’ll be sure to remind her the next time I see her,” Mace laughed.
“Let’s get you home, pretty girl.”
*
Raelyn
It was going on nine thirty, and I did have to work in the morning.
We said bye to Mace and headed to the door. Playboy’s hand was splayed on my back, and he guided me through the crowd and tables. I watched the woman on stage for a couple of seconds and had to appreciate how easy she made sliding and flipping all over the floor and pole look. If I tried that, I would have ended up on my ass and panting like I had run fifty miles.
“You sure you’re okay to ride?” Playboy asked once we were out of the club.
“Yeah. All I have to do is hold and try to lean into the turns.” Easy peasy. I looked around to see if Leona was still here, but they must have taken off pretty quickly.
“What’s wrong,?” Playboy asked.
“Uh, I was just wondering if Leona was okay. I hope she holds onto Barracuda.”
Playboy climbed on the bike, and I got on behind him. I had a slight check of my balance and feared I was going to tip over when I lifted my leg, but I managed to mount the bike without biting the dust.
“She’ll be fine, pretty girl, but if you are worried about her, we can give Barracuda a call when we get home.”
That was nice of Playboy to offer. I didn’t intend to sound as if I was doubting the fact Barracuda would take care of her. He definitely was arrogant, but along with the arrogance, he seemed completely competent.
The drive back to my house was entirely too short, and I had been half tempted to ask Playboy to take the long way home.
We pulled into my driveway fifteen minutes later and parked behind Leona’s car.
Playboy followed me to the front door, and I quickly unlocked it. I wasn’t sure if he intended to come inside or if he was just walking me in.
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