It would be easy to blame Kerri for my situation, but she never made me go with her. I should have known not to bother with the club. I remembered enough from high school to know these assholes were bad news. After Mom died, I didn’t have anything. Every penny I had went to her bills and her funeral expenses. The few friends she’d had all jumped ship when she took a turn for the worse. People just can’t stand to watch death take over a person’s life.
Coming back to Spring Valley hadn’t been my first choice, but I knew I’d be able to get some work and find a place to rent that I could afford. I only wanted to crash at Kerri’s for a while, just until I got on my feet. When she mentioned the club, I should have ran. Hell, when she told me she was dating the VP, I should have ran and taken her with me.
I pulled the nursing brochures out again. Mason had fished them out of the trash and left them on my dresser. Jayson couldn’t stop me from taking a class. Just one, in the mornings, before I needed to tend bar for the men.
Imagining life outside the club was dangerous, but for the moment, I let myself wander. Working at a hospital would be nice. The day shift, so I could go home at night and have dinner with Mason- wait. No. Mason was just another biker. How’d he get in my daydreams? I needed to push that idea away and quick. Being with Mason would just be a team change, the game would be the same. And I’m sick of the game.
The evening shift on a Friday never left me longing for excitement. The strip club did twice as much business, which meant the girls would be busy out there all night long. Leaving me to deal with the members that didn’t feel like strolling the five hundred feet to the club. Jayson never let the members fuck around with the girls on busy nights. They were for paying customers.
“Lucy, a little bird told me you were with Mason yesterday.” Lucas took a long pull of his beer.
“You need a new bird.” I wiped down a few glasses. A group of guys racked up the pool balls in the far corner, carrying on about a bet.
“He’s trouble, Luce.” The big brother tone made me smile.
“So are you.” I winked and moved on to the next glass.
“I’m serious. Jayson will have your head-”
“Lucas, I have no interest in Mason or any other biker. When I’m done here, I’m moving on. Away from this town, this club. So relax okay?”
“He’s never gonna okay that nursing shit.” He scratched his chin under the beard that was long overdue for a clip.
“I know.” I nodded. “But maybe you could talk to him?” I leaned over the bar, letting my breasts press against his hand. His eyes went straight for my cleavage and he sighed.
“One day, I might just visit your room there, little lady.” He threatened. It was the same empty threat he made every time he stepped in for me with Jayson.
“You’ll do it?”
“I’ll try.” He sighed. “I’ll tell him we could use someone with medical skills around here.”
“He’ll hate you for it.” I grinned at him again. Whatever hold Lucas had on Jayson, worked to my benefit. But, I knew there was something there- something that gave Lucas an edge.
“He can’t hate me.” Lucas slid the empty bottle toward me and stalked off into the back room. Two other guys followed him. “Beers, Lucy!” Lucas’s voice shook the wall. Asshole. Just loved to throw his weight around after he got through being sweet with me.
“You really think Lucas is going to be able to help?” Jessica asked as she tied her apron on.
“I don't know. But I have to do something. There has to be something after all of this.” I leaned pulled out a few bottles of beer from the cooler.
“Look. Jayson hates the Inked Reapers. If he thinks you're starting to hook up with the Mason guy- it could be bad for you. Real bad.”
“I’m not hooking up with anyone. I just want to get through this nightmare and move on.” I cradled the beers in my arms and headed off to the back room. I could feel her staring at my back. She knew how bad I wanted out of the club, but she also knew how bad Jayson could be about it.
Lucas sat at the table in the back room with Jayson and a few of the other patched members. I barely knew their names, and really couldn't have cared less about them. One of them, the guy with piercing through his tongue, I knew him. He came to my room once in a while. Never wanted to fuck, just wanted me to jerk him off. I could feel him eyeing me as I handed out the beers to the guys.
“We can’t let them get through the next month. They have to fuck up.” Jayson slammed his hand on the table just as I placed his beer down. He glared up at me, like it was my fault he almost spilled the bottle. “Get out.” He jerked a thumb toward the door.