She sits and nods. “Recoil… I like it. Solid name. So when are your bandmates getting here?”
The cushions on the sofa dip with my weight when I take the seat next to her, making her slide slightly so her hip touches mine. A jolt passes through me at the contact.This woman is electrifying.There’s something about her that sets my heart pounding and my cock throbbing.
I’m unsure what it is, but I could get used to it.
Her breath hitched when she slipped into my side, so I know I’m not the only one who felt something. A tint of color covers her cheeks.Is that embarrassment?Lunar is anything but timid, but when she looks away, it takes me by surprise.
Swallowing hard, I grin and tilt my head slightly. “The plane leaves in the afternoon their time, then it will take them about thirty-two hours, including a layover in Sydney, so I think theyland here about five p.m. Adelaide time in three days. It’s a hell of a flight.”
She winces. “Yeah, I can imagine. I’ve never even been outside South Australia, let alone to the States.”
I nudge into her shoulder. “Well, maybe I can change that.”
She scoffs. “Yeah, I wish. I’d have to leave the club to go to the States unless I went with the club.”
“What does that mean? It sounds like you’re the property of the club?”
She looks at me and half smiles. “That’s what club girls are, Danger… club property.”
I jolt my head back in confusion. “So you have to do what they say atalltimes? That doesn’t seem like you?” My brows pinch as I try to understand where this is going.
“Well, I did things my way and got away with it ’cause I was Steel’s girl. But now, he’s with Willow, so I doubt they’ll be lenient with me anymore.”
“So, you live at the club?” She nods. “And you work at a strip club?”
“Theirstrip club.”
“So they basically own you?” I ask.
She frowns and looks away. “It’s my choice to be there. They don’t force me.”
“And what do you get from being a club girl?” I ask because, to me, it sounds like she’s being held hostage.
She looks at me, and her intense stare softens when her body relaxes. “Money. A place to stay. Friends. I feel needed—”
“So, you crave attention?” I ask genuinely.
“No! Don’t treat me like a piece of shit, Danger. I’m worth more than that—”
“Exactly, you are! And working at a strip club and being on call to a bunch of bikers is not living normally, is it?”
She huffs, folding her arms across her ample chest. “You don’t understand.”
While shaking my head, I exhale and throw my hands out to the side. “No, I don’t. So… enlighten me.”
Lunar turns to face me and takes a deep breath. “When I was just out of high school, my dad beat my mother so badly she nearly died. We had to run, along with my brother, to get away from him. Mum was so downtrodden she couldn’t function as a person, let alone be a mother. I had to find a way to support my family. We were in hiding, and my brother was getting worse. He had trouble learning, and his behavior was strange. He wasn’t talking like he should, and the way he’d react to things, and the way he would just…be,was strange.”
Lunar sighs before continuing, “Mum finally snapped out of her funk enough to look after Stuart, but we had no money and were located in a bad part of town. Bikers ruled the streets, and if you weren’t in line with them, you were against them. I was young, seventeen, and Steel was there for me. He took me into the club, showed me around, and told me what it could offer. Being with them could provide money, protection, a life, and all I had to do was follow some stupid rules and give the men whatever they wanted. It seemed too good to l-let go…” Her voice wavers, then pauses.
“I had to have money to pay for Stuart’s medical bills. His tests were piling up, and Mum wasn’t working or providing much. Let’s face it… benefit money only goes so far. I had to step up. So, if selling myself was the way to do it, I was willing. Mum was on board. She knew the club. She was friends with Vin down at Strapless, the bar you came into the other night. She knew him from high school, so she thought it was a good idea for me to work in the club under him. Mum knew he’d look after me. So, long story short, I joined the club. The money is great. They lookafter me, they look after my family. Stuart and Mum are cared for, and three-quarters of my earnings go straight to them.”
Widening my eyes, I let out a long puff of air, not really knowing what to say before she continues, “Because I live at the club, all my needs are met. It suits me. It suits my family. Yes, I admit, sometimes having to give yourself to the guys whenever they want and however they want can be… challenging, but it’s part of it. Seeing Stuart get the help he needs and Mum being fully supported, fuck Danger, if they are taken care of, that’s all that matters to me.”
In disbelief, I swallow hard at Lunar’s incredible selflessness. If you went solely by her looks—her makeup-adorned face, her pink and yellow hair, and the tattoos—you’d think she’s entirely self-centered. At first glance, she gives off the impression of selfishness. However, I suspect her entire façade—her appearance, her demeanor—is a deliberate shield, concealing how caring and loving she really is.
“So Steel took you in at seventeen… how long have you been with the club?”
She grins knowing exactly what I am asking. “You know, it’s rude to ask a woman her age, Danger.”
