“No killing needed,” comes out with a laugh.
“I could just make you my ol’ lady. I don’t mind sharing.” He gives me a toothy grin, and I shake my head at him. “Okay. I’ll let ya think about it. Let me get your bag.” I open the back driver-side door, and he picks the bags up from the seat, gripping them tightly in his hands.
“Thank you.”
“Stay close by me, and I’m going to take you to Luca’s office.” He places his hand at the small of my back and continues to ramble on about how he’d make the perfect ol’ man for me, as he leads me inside the building.
The air inside hits me first. It reeks of smoke. Beer. Sweat. Sex.
Then the noise hits me. Loud voices, some angry. Laughter. And the sound of skin on skin.
The room is massive. Open space with long tables that I bet are riddled with knife marks and old burns. A bar runs along one wall, crowded with men shoulder to shoulder. Women are everywhere too—some perched on laps, some standing behind chairs with hands resting possessively on shoulders, some moving freely through the space like they belong there. The majority of them are naked or very close to it.
Off to the side are couches making an almost U-shape around a television. Women are on the floor in front of the men, giving them blowjobs. The place is alive in a way that feels almost feral.
“Yeah, it gets pretty wild around here.” Nic must see the horror on my face at what’s taking place around us.
“You don’t say,” I mumble.
I’ve seen shit like this at the Hellions clubhouse, but this seems worse.
Nic steers me down a side hallway, away from the main room. Fuck, am I thankful for that. The noise lessens the further we get from the main room.
“How’s your dancing friend? She ready to add me to her group yet?” He’s trying to hide the laugh, but it slips through.
“Sorry, bud. I don’t see that happening. Nor do I see her men opening their arms to you.”
“It was worth a try.” He bumps his shoulder into me, and I have to step to the right to keep my balance.
The further down the hallway we get, I start to hear Luca’s raised voice.
“Someone isn’t happy,” I say softly.
“Nope, and once he finds out what happened at the gate, he’s going to want to go on a murder spree.” We stop outside a door, and Nic gives a hard knock. “Vee’s here!” he shouts.
“Come in.” Luca’s loud voice drifts through the door.
“Let’s go, girlie.” Nic takes hold of the handle and goes to open the door at the same time it flies open. An older man, probably late forties, steps out, a scowl on his face.
I step back, not wanting to garner any of this man’s wrath. It’s clear he’s pissed, and whatever Luca said to him has him in a foul mood.
“Hey sis,” Luca says with a smile as he stands from his desk and makes his way to me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to meet you,” he whispers in my ear as he wraps his arms around me, hugging me tightly.
“It’s okay. Nic was.” I pull out of his arms and wink at Nic.
“He’s a sad replacement. Let me show you to your room so you can get settled. I placed you in the one closest to me and Nic. Just make sure to keep your door locked.”
I nod my head, swallowing hard as I take in what he said. It’s not like I wouldn’t lock it anyway, but now I’ll be double-checking that I do.
“If you want to hang out later, just call me, girlie. I don’t want you out there alone. We got too many members that still need some adjusting to the new chain of command around here.” Nicgives me my bags before leaving, but the look the two of them give each other doesn’t escape my notice.
“Let’s go before I ask why your eyes are so red.” Luca takes my bag from me as he leads me out of the office and down the hallway. “This one is mine, and Nic is across from me,” he tells me as we pass some doors.
We pass another one before he comes to a stop.
“This must be me,” I say with a forced smile.
“It is. You have your own bathroom. I’m going to let you get settled while I go get us some food.” He takes hold of the handle and opens the door so I can step inside before handing me my bag. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Lock the door,” he warns me.
