Enough(19)

“You go out there and lay one on him, claim him before they do.”

I heard a muffled yell outside the door.

I definitely couldn’t pee in peace.

“Shit, that’s Mal, I gotta go. You do what I say.”

I finished my business and washed up, staring at my reflection while I decided if I really had to go back to the table. I had all I came with in my pockets. With a stop at the bar to pay Rachel, I could go freely away from bikers and back to my safe little world. It was a solid plan. A very solid plan, one I’d have done in an instant six weeks ago, even three weeks ago, but not tonight. If this was going to be my home, I couldn’t let a couple bikers or their babes scare me away from the few friends I’d made.

When I came out, the table had done some kind of shuffle game. Rock sat where Zayn had, Jericho was over between two of the girls, and one of the three was sitting in my chair chatting up Dare. The exit looked ever so tempting, but I made my feet move, right, left, right, left, back to the table. I pulled out Jericho’s old chair to sit down, Rachel could bring me another tea.

“Charla, move out of Red’s seat.”

Her red-painted lips parted.

“Now,” Dare barked at her.

She jumped out of the seat in a flat second, moving to the bikers at the head of the table.

I continued to sit in Jericho’s seat, not wanting any part of whatever had just transpired.

“Red, take your seat,” Dare said.

I did, but only so I could tell him just what I thought of a bossy boss.

“Why did you make a scene?” I spoke low but with fierceness. He needed to understand my irritation.

“I didn’t.” He downed the rest of his glass of whiskey. “You ready to jet?”

Had he read my mind? I so wanted away from this place because they played by different rules that I obviously didn’t understand. Dare stopped at the bar. “Everything on Jericho. He gave me his card.” He handed it to Mal. Rachel’s face lit up like it was Christmas Day.

He didn’t say anything as we walked out the door and the few feet to my place. “If you’re ever there with the guys, and a bunch of club members come in, you jet. That’s not your scene.”

I nodded, searching for something to say. “I thought about just paying up and leaving when I came out of the bathroom—”

“Nah, you did right tonight because I was there. Besides, they needed a lesson in manners.” He stared at me with that brooding look of his.

“You know you don’t scare me.” I don’t know why I said that.

“Yeah, can’t figure that one out, but then you just called the meanest biker I know an idiot, so either you got a big pair hiding in those jeans or you’re an idiot.” He chuckled.

Oh shit. “Did I screw up?”

“Nope. You can’t go wrong being you, Red. See ya tomorrow.”

I let myself in the building without turning back to see if he’d headed for the bar. Some information I didn’t want to know, even if I’d already told him no. I’d just entered my place when I heard the familiar sound of his bike roar out of town. I didn’t know where he was going, but I took comfort in where he wasn’t.





Chapter Five: Lila

Thursdays were a slow day at the shop, and I’d gotten in the habit of opening and taking off until about five when things picked up. Today, I’d meet Rachel for lunch before she had to go in at four. We might do some shopping.

We met at the diner, which was only two doors from Marked Man, and it had the best food ever. Today I had a fried chicken salad, which Rachel swore by. We ordered two of them and two sweet teas.

She assessed me for a long time, like several seconds. “So how long have you been here?”

“Getting close to two months.” It was hard to believe. “It’s gone by in a flash.”

With a grin, she gave me a knowing look.

“What?”

“If I had Dare in my bed, I’d make time stop.”

“Um, well, I don’t. I mean have him in my bed.” I picked up my tea and drained a third of the glass.

“Why not? He’s totally sniffing you up, down and sideways. I was sure you two hooked up after the way he rushed you out of Blue’s.” Rachel frowned at me in this way that clearly said she thought me mental.

“Nope.” I blushed. “I’m trying to avoid men a while.”

The waitress dropped off the salads, which were smothered with ranch dressing. I forked up my first bite and fell in love. Hot chicken, cold cheese, lettuce and ranch—divine. Rachel hadn’t steered me wrong.

“Bad breakup.” She nodded, stuffing her mouth with salad.

“How’d you know that?”