Cooper wrenched his arm out of my grasp. “Who says I want that broadcasted? Wasn’t like it was the best night of my life.” With that, he walked off.
A piece of me wished I could say the same. Sure I’d been with a couple guys here and there. It was Vegas after all, and running wasn’t my only activity to let off a little steam, but I hadn’t expected last night to rank in the top five. Not even in the top two.
Didn’t matter. I’d be gone by the time the club found out. And they would find out. Not through me, but secrets never stayed buried between members.
“Cherry.” Trish sauntered toward me with bandages in hand. Her baby blue doe eyes centered on the carnage of my face. She pushed her long black hair back behind her shoulder.
“Hey, Doc. I’m fine.” I wiped at my nose, hoping it wouldn’t come away with blood. Not my day. Fresh blood coated the side of my index finger. “Shit.”
“I can see that.” She stepped forward, wiping some of it away.
I let her. No point in arguing with the club doc.
“Who’s dark and serious over there?” Trish lifted her chin toward Cooper.
“Cooper Something. Just met him. S.A.’s new VP.” His name tasted sharp on my tongue as flashes of last night crossed my mind. Technically, I wasn’t lying. I did just meet him. Just. Not. Here.
My gaze darted across the room toward the subject of our conversation. A small, pink line showed on the back of his neck from beneath his T-shirt. I’d definitely left claw marks down his back. I hope it hurt.
“He’s cute,” Trish said. She strapped a bandage over my nose, sending pain throughout my entire skull.
“Ow!” I jerked away. “What the hell was that for?”
She looked at me pointedly. “To keep your head in the game. He’s off limits.”
Anger flashed hot in the center of my chest. Who the hell did she think she was? I’d had problems with anger management before, but against my better judgment, the court-mandated classes actually helped. I closed my eyes. I used my six months of newfound education to breathe in deep and bury the urge to make Trish my broken-nosed twin. I forced the anger out through my exhale as I’d been taught.
When I opened my eyes, I smiled. “It’s like Romeo and Juliet, don’t you think?” I turned on my heel. Trying to soothe the pain in my face with quick caresses from my fingertips, I nearly ran face-first into the club’s Sergeant at Arms.
“Whoa, Cherry, where you headed? Prez wants to see you.” Talon’s bright blue eyes darkened when he caught sight of my face. “Jesus.”
“I’m fine.”
“Who did it?”
Always the protector, but I guess that was his job. “Nobody. Listen, can you buy me a few minutes? I just need to...” I motioned to my face. “Clean up.”
Talon ran his hands through a few strands of curly, dark hair. “Yeah, yeah. Sure. Don’t take forever though. I got a hot date.” He glanced behind me, nodding.
I turned around, catching sight of a smaller version of Blondie. Stick thin, shot bleached hair and four-inch heels. Club Groupie. “Just don’t break her. I’ll be right back.”
My original intention had been exactly what I’d told Talon. I went to the bathroom to clean up and chugged a couple Tylenol I kept in my pocket. Always be prepared. As I observed the damage to my nose in the small mirror, something occurred to me: Ryder wanted to see me.
Not good. Only two subjects could possibly grant this kind of meeting: either he was about to hand me my walking papers with a blowtorch for the deal-gone-bad or call me out on my whereabouts last night.
Neither seemed beneficial to me.
I pulled the thousand bucks from my bra. Wasn’t much, wouldn’t take me far, but it was a start. A scoff left my lips as I remembered Blondie’s offer. I had a little over a thousand frozen in a block of ice in my freezer, but I imagine the club had already found it. That is, if my gut instincts were right. Either way, no matter what topic Ryder brought up, I wouldn’t walk out of that room in one piece.
I nodded to myself. I had to leave.
Talon would come knocking if I didn’t show up soon, but it wasn’t like I’d be able to squeeze through the tiny window to escape. Ryder had sealed the window when the club took over the building, probably for situations like this.
I’d have to walk out the front door.
“You can do this. You’ve prepared for this.” I ran through the lines I’d designed should the occasion arise.
My hand trembled over the doorknob. I took another cleansing breath in order to keep my focus and quietly opened the door. No one seemed to be guarding me or even looking for me. Too easy.