“You had no right to take my job from me.”She shook her head and turned to leave, truly fearful that she might start slapping the shit out of him right there on the street where the whole world could see.It was bad enough that she saw Race and a few other brothers standing with their faces all but plastered to the window of Ink Envy, watching the show unfold as it was.
“Where are you going?”Jed followed a couple of steps behind, a dumfounded expression on his face as she walked backward toward her car.This conversation was getting her nowhere.
“Look, stripping at Bottoms Up isn’t my dream job, but it pays well.And in case it escaped your attention, I’m doing this all on my own now.I don’t have my brother’s support any longer.Do you have any idea how hard it is to be the responsible one?The one who’s supposed to have all the answers?News flash.I don’t have any answers.In fact, the only time my brain isn’t running like a hamster on a wheel is when I’m out there dancing on stage.My mind goes blank for three minutes, and it’s amazing.The music takes over, and I don’t have to think about anything other than keeping time with the music.I do three dances a night.That’s nine whole minutes twice a week that I can just let go of all my problems and worries.Nine.Minutes.And you took that away from me.”
Done with Jed, she got in her car and drove around to the back.She still had groceries that needed to be put away, and her phone call with Tom and then her argument with Jed left her emotionally drained.She felt like she was on the verge of tears, and it pissed her off.She wasn't a crier, damn it.
Once she parked, she got out and opened the trunk.She stared down at the number of bags she had to cart up all those stairs, and her shoulders slumped a little.It was going to take more than one trip to carry it all up to the apartment.If Oliver were here, they might have gotten it done in one.Well, he wasn’t here, so it was up to her to cart them upstairs.See.All on her shoulders.
She grabbed what she was able to carry in one trip and shut the trunk until she came back for the rest.Trudging up the stairs, she couldn’t help but miss her house in Taos.There, she didn’t have to lug everything up 224 stairs every time she brought something home.Yes, she was exaggerating; it wasn’t nearly that many stairs, but it sure felt like it right now.She still hadn’t gotten over whatever bug she’d had over the weekend, and thanks to Tom and Jed, she felt a headache coming on.
She set a couple of bags on the porch and unlocked her door.She grabbed her bags and moved inside, using her foot to push the door closed behind her.She placed the groceries on the kitchen table and thought she really should empty her bladder before she went back down for the rest of the bags.She’d been holding it since the grocery store, and now she really needed to pee.Hitting the bathroom, she flipped on the light and stopped.Something wasn’t right with this picture.
“Huh.That’s weird.”She could have sworn that she’d put the seat down to use it right before she left to drop Oliver off at school.Peeing was always the last thing she did before leaving home.“Whatever.Just get on with it.”She lowered the seat and did her business.Once she was finished, she went to carry up the rest of her groceries.
She pulled a gallon of milk from the bag and went to put it in the refrigerator.Her attention was snagged by an empty beer bottle sitting on her counter.What the heck?“Where did that come from?”The only time she ever kept beer in her refrigerator was when her brother was alive.
Maybe one of the brothers from the Sons had stopped in for some reason?She was sure one or more of them had to have a key to the place since it was the Sons' property.They could have brought the beer inside with them and then, when they were finished drinking it, left it on her counter.But why would they be here in the first place?And why not throw the bottle in the trash?An uneasy feeling settled over her, and she wondered if anything else was out of sorts.
She checked out the living room first and found nothing unusual.Next, she checked Oliver’s room and again, found nothing out of place there either.Going to her room next, she flipped on the light, her breath freezing in her chest.Her brain might not be firing fast enough right now to explain what she was seeing, but that inner part of herself that warned there was danger was firing on all cylinders.
Was that her panties in the middle of the bed?She stepped closer.And why were they wet?“What the hell?”Someone had been in her apartment!
She spun on her heel and fled her apartment, too afraid to stick around in case someone was still there, planning on doing something to her.She ran down the stairs so fast, it was a wonder she didn’t fall and break her neck.As soon as she made it to the bottom, she swung right, heading for the back door of Ink Envy.She beat on it as if her life depended on it.The whole time she banged on the door, she kept scanning the alley for anyone suspicious.Answer the door!Answer the door!
She stumbled and almost fell to the ground when the door flew open.Thank God, Race had quick reflexes.He caught her before she face-planted on the floor at his feet.
“Sadie?What’s wrong?”Race asked.
* * *
Jed
Sadie drove away, leaving Jed standing all alone on the sidewalk, shaking his head.What the hell?The woman drove him nuts.From the very first time he’d met her, she’d had him spinning in circles.One minute, he wanted to fuck her, and the next, he wanted to strangle her.He hadn’t been this frustrated with a female since junior high.
He wasn’t gonna lie.There was no denying that he was physically attracted to her.He’d have to be dead not to be.She was hotter than hell without even trying, and he doubted she even realized it.She had a natural beauty and confidence about her that he didn’t see in a lot of women today.And don’t get him started on the way she danced on stage.Fuck.Just the memory had his dick stirring.
It confused him the way he enjoyed her lap dance, then hoped like hell she didn’t give every man a lap dance like the one she’d given him.He refused to examine the why of that too deeply.He admired the way she cared for her nephew and had to respect the fact that she wasn’t too proud to strip to pay the bills.And oddly enough, that sassy mouth of hers turned him on.Like the way she’d just chewed his ass in front of God and everybody.See.She had him seriously fucked up.
She had an independent streak that was both a blessing and a curse.On the one hand, he liked that she wanted to do everything on her own, while on the other hand, he also worried that it would hamper the club’s ability to protect her.They’d claimed her as one of their own, and they would do what was needed to keep her and Oliver safe, regardless of how she felt about it.Case in point, telling Tom to take her off the schedule until they’d dealt with Tinker.
By far, the worst offense of all, even above the fact that she was actively avoiding the club, was that she had him second-guessing himself after she told him how she needed the job at Bottoms Up.Not only for the money, but also for those nine minutes of not thinking or worrying about everything that she got twice a week.She made it sound like the time she spent on stage may even be more important to her than the money.She’d made him feel like an asshole for trying to keep her safe.
Circles.He was spinning in circles, and he didn’t like it.
Fuck it.He’d done what he’d done to keep her safe, and that was all that mattered in the end.As he turned and started walking back toward Ink Envy, he found Race, Dagger, Chris, and Trick all standing at the window with their faces damn near plastered to the glass.They scattered like a bunch of rats when they saw him heading their direction.
He pushed the door open to find all of them casually sitting on the couches with cups of coffee in their hands, the perfect picture of innocence.Yeah, right.Like they hadn’t just witnessed Sadie tearing him a new one out on the sidewalk.
“You fuckers enjoy the show?”He walked past them, making a beeline straight to the coffee pot behind the counter.He took a quick drink, added some sugar, and then went to have a seat.No sooner did his ass hit the cushion than Dagger was already starting in.
“Sadie looked pretty mad.What’d’ya do?”He grinned behind his mug.Everyone had remained surprisingly quiet until then.Now they all sported grins and snickered like a bunch of prepubescent boys.
From his seat next to Trick, he replied, “I got Tom to take her off the schedule until Tinker’s dealt with.”
“You got her fired?!”Trick asked incredulously.“She’s got a kid to take care of.How’s she supposed to feed him and keep a roof over his head without a job?”He shook his head like he thought Jed was a moron.
“I didn’t get her fired.”Jed scowled at all of them.“She can go back after we deal with Tinker.”
