I placed the order with the waitress and asked for the check, when all of a sudden, a creeping sensation spread across my body. I looked around, trying to see if anything looked out of place, but the restaurant was pretty empty, and everyone seemed to be minding their own business. I glanced outside the window across from our booth, but there were too many people outside for me to really focus on anything.
I shook the feeling off as anxiety over returning to the pub. It was the first time I had been back as well, and maybe Charlie heading for the bathroom was triggering some lingering stress from the last time we had been there.As soon as she was visibleagain, I calmed down, easily dismissing those feelings once she sat back down at the table.
The rest of lunch was spent planning Friday, Charlie slowly revealing more about her thoughts regarding going into law. I was excited for her, and was eager to help.
She had brought so much to my life in the short time we knew each other. I was excited at the opportunity to help her. She walked me down the block to my office building before pulling me in for a hug.
“You’re the best, Fee. You’re MY best friend. I hope you know that. You see me in a way no one else does, and you have no idea how much it means to me, how much your support means to me. So, whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me forever now!” she finished on a chirp. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re my best friend too. I’d like to see you try to get rid of me. See you Friday. One warning, though: if you try to make me watch another fucking hair video, I will find a way to get you banned from every law school in the USA.”
“Fuck you, bitch. You look fabulous. You can’t complain.” I laughed. She started walking backward, then yelled, “See you Friday! Mwah!”
She blew exaggerated kisses my way before turning around and heading to where she had parked her car. I shook my head as I walked into my office building, ignoring that lingering feeling of someone watching.
The rest of the day passed by quickly. I had received some new documents to review while I was at lunch, so the past few hours, I was busy getting lost in the familiarity of numbers and calculations. When the end of the day rolled around, a coworker had to tap me on the shoulder to get me to look up.
The crick in my neck let me know that I had zoned out for hours, and a look at the clock confirmed it was time to leave. Ifinished up the calculation I was working on, then closed down my computer.
As I walked toward the elevators, I was surprised at how empty the office was already. I checked my watch and saw it was nearing seven, so I guessed I had stayed later than usual. I stepped outside and was taken aback at how dark it was. I tightened my coat around me, then fished through my bag for my keys as I entered the parking lot.
The creeping sensation from earlier returned full force the further I got from the building. I got my keys in my hand and slipped them between my fingers, like I was taught in one of my self-defense classes. I got them in place as I was closing the last few feet to my car.
Just as I was about to unlock the door, a hard body hit my back, shoving me against the side of my car. I was whirled around and then slammed onto the ground. My fingers tightened on the keys between my fingers as large hands closed around my throat.
Bash
It was after 2 a.m., and the folder sitting on my desk was holding me hostage. It sat there like Pandora’s Box, taunting me. If I opened it, every detail of Fiona’s life was in my hands. Fuck, did I want to read it. I knew Charlie was meeting her the following day for lunch, and I should just give her the information then, but something was holding me back.
Alone, in the middle of the night, I could admit to myself that I still couldn’t get the girl out of my head. After one meeting and just hearing about her from my sister, she had wormed her way into far too many parts of my brain. When Keys had given me the folder earlier, I should have given it straight to Charlie, let her hold on to it.
Fiona washerfriend; it was Charlie’s request. I shouldn’t have had anything to do with it. But there I sat, a manilla envelope taunting me. I wiped my hands down my face and fell back in my seat. I needed to sleep. I needed to stop thinking about the girl and focus on all the shit I was juggling.
I opened the top drawer of my desk, dropped the folder in, locked it, and then left my office before heading to the main floor of the clubhouse. It was the middle of the week, but there was still a small crowd hanging about. I headed for the bar and grabbed a beer before surveying the room.
Most of the Brothers were gathered at the pool table, with three of the club girls hanging around. They clearly had been drinking for a while and were definitely in full party mode. Behind them, a club girl was on all fours, blowing the Brother in front of her while Crow went at her from behind. A third Brother watched on, his cock out, waiting for his turn.
Uninterested, I turned away and headed across the room to where I had seen Bull, the club Enforcer, sitting. I made my way over to him, pulling out the chair across from him before plopping down. Bull looked up from his phone and scanned my face.
“You doing okay, Bash?” he asked, his voice was thundering even when he spoke quietly.
Bull was a huge man—6’7 and covered in muscle with some mean-ass-looking scars covering him head to toe. The thickest scar stretched across his face, bisecting his nose and ended under his left eye. It was puffy and jagged, as if it had never healed properly after getting stitched together with a needle that was too big.
Bull had spent years in the underground fighting circuit. The combination of brute strength with precise skill was quite effective. He was also the only openly gay Brother I knew of. When Bull joined, he made it clear that he was into men. Iremembered him saying he had no interest in where we stuck our dicks, and therefore, we shouldn’t care what he did with his.
I liked his blunt approach. Not to mention, I had seen him fight, and he was a fucking force. He knew the club scene, understood the rules, and had even ridden with us on a few runs before. Prez let him join the club, and told everyone if they had an issue, to take it up with Bull. Anyone who did… Well, Bull took care of them quickly.
When the time came to vote him in as Enforcer, it was a no-brainer at that point. Bull had saved all of our asses on multiple occasions, and just having him at your back was enough to cause most people to rethink any sort of attack.
To everyone’s surprise, he formed a quick friendship with Scythe, who did all the wet work for the club. No one knew how to pry answers out of a guy like him. The toughest of men were left begging for death when he was done with them. Scythe was reclusive and quiet, but quickly bonded with Bull over their mutual appreciation for violence. It was fucked up, but it worked.
Looking at him then, his heavy beard masking most of his expression, I knew he wouldn’t budge until I said something. Giving in, I sighed.
“I’m exhausted, man. I just feel like I’m always on the go. If it isn’t something at the garage, it’s the club or my family. Then, as soon as I get home and can get some sleep, I can’t. It’s like my mind is wide awake, just going in circles.”
“We got a run tomorrow,” he replied, looking back down at his phone.
“Yeah. What about it?” I asked, already knowing about the trip to the SC charter.
