“It’s a little late, are you going with anyone?”
My throat gets tight. Her concern surprises me. People don’t generally ask me questions like that, or care if I’m safe. No one needs to know my situation, so I wave her off and say one of my roommates works at the local twenty-four hour diner.
“Are you sure?” Lily asks, the look on her face saying she doesn’t fully believe me.
“Scout's honor.”
“Okay, well, be careful. And don’t get too disheartened about dancing. I’ve seen you practicing on that pole, you’re really good, Charley. When you’re ready, you’re going to drive them insane. And when that happens,” she laughs and rubs her thumb and two fingers together, indicating that involves a lot of cash. “Have a good night, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She opens the door to find Walker waiting. He is one of the security guards, and he sees everyone out to their cars, even though it's all behind a high chain fence so people can’t get in. He pops his head in and sees me.
“You heading out soon, Charley?”
“Two minutes,” I tell him, jumping up to get my street clothes out of my locker. I did want to get in the shower, but I’ve spent too long talking to Lily. Although I have learned something I didn’t know when I walked in here looking for a job.
Beast doesn’t look like a criminal. I mean, he wears the leather vest and has tattoos, but he’s kind of gentle, he talks softly, which makes his name really odd. Unless when he is away from here, he turns into some kind of beast.
Wonder what the other guy is called? It doesn’t matter, that’s not why I’m here, even if he is absolutely gorgeous, the kind of good looking you don’t expect to meet in real life.
A knock at the door jolts me out of my thoughts, and I quickly throw my uniform into the bag and drag on my leggings and T-shirt.
Walker sees me out to the beat-up old car I bought on my travels a few states ago. It looks terrible and one of the rear windows has a bag taped over it to keep the wind and rain out but it gets me from A to B. Walker eyes it and waits until the engine turns over after a few tries of the key, then waves. The gates are automatic, so he goes back inside.
My stomach growls, but I’m tired, and it’s late, and until I get that advance, I have to be careful with money. Decision made, I head towards home. If I can call a tiny room in an old four story house with the kind of people you wouldn’t want to find yourself alone with, your home.
A few more months. That is all it’s going to take. If I can convince Ellie to believe in me and not flake the first time I have to walk on a stage and strip.
Chapter Three
Nashville
“Have you ever thought about buying a house like this?”
Ronin is sitting next to me on a slope behind the Morris kids' house. The security around this place is insane, but we have at least established he’s here alone. It’s the kind of place whereone would have staff, and the owner is rich enough to have a property like this sitting empty.
“You think I could afford this shit?”
“You know, if you had the money.”
I like Ronin, he’s one of the good guys in the MC, strong, reliable and knows how to get shit done. If there were an opening, Nero would give him a spot on the council. He does sometimes ask random questions when we’re on a stakeout. It’s a good job it’s me he’s talking to.
“Nah, not something like this. If I had that kind of money, I’d buy a yacht with a helicopter pad. Learn to sail and fly at the same time.”
“I just think it’s crazy that someone needs more than one house when there are so many people out there living in shit situations.”
“Wow, I didn’t know that was the way you were going with this. Now I feel kinda bad.”
“It’s all good, this guy’s dad worked hard to make his money, to get this house, and his little shit of a kid is in there, hiding away with his 90-inch TV screen and gaming consoles and Rolex watches. I hate spoiled little bitches like him.”
“Don’t envy him too much. He’s about to have a really bad night.”
The security light at the back of the house goes on, and I sit forward a little. The door opens about twenty seconds after, and Dean Morris walks out onto the patio. He moves across the lawn to the swimming pool and pulls a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
“How much do you want to bet he’s so scared of his mommy he won’t smoke in the house even when he’s miles away from her?”
“Mommy will wish she hadn’t been a bitch when her blue-eyed boy vanishes.” I get up and turn on the comms receiver. “I love this shit,” I tap the device in my ear. I’ve got no idea where Blaze got it all from, but I’m loving not having to use our cell phones to communicate.
“He’s in the yard.”
