“Flattery won’t save you from my retaliation,” I replied as I watched the prospects go through the motions of trying to take each other down like I’d shown them earlier.
“I should have left you in that run-down house,” Roark joked.
“And, I should have kicked you in the balls that day. Live and learn,” I sighed dramatically.
Roark laughed but went serious pretty quick. The man should be enjoying his time with Kendra but instead, he had to worry about beefing up security and bringing in more men to the club. Fucking land developing, rich asshole. I’m glad Roark told him to fuck off, but I hated conflict.
“Even if these knuckleheads don’t make Enforcer, trained men escorting the shipments will help.” Reaching out he tapped my hat and it fell off as he laughed and walked off to torment the prospects. “Thanks, Banshee,” he yelled as he approached the first group.
I watched him stalk around the collection of oddballs he was making me train.
Roark was a great Prez. He took care of our ragtag bunch of weirdos and made sure we were ready to protect ourselves if we needed to.
In fact, Roark never took it easy on me – which I was grateful for – it didn’t matter to him that I was a woman or smaller. His dad had been the same way. Honorable men, both of them. They took in a wild young girl, trained her, and then included her in their lives. I now knew how much of a risk they’d taken ten years ago… I shouldn’t even be alive. The shifter leaders had anomalies like me killed at birth.
My mama had risked everything to give me a chance at a good life. I would make sure she didn’t die in vain.
Stupid paranoid, superstitious assholes… I was lucky that Roark had found me. An MC who didn’t give a shit about the rules… the only group of people that would have done what this one had.
Shaking off the past, I pulled out my cell. Several messages from the girls. Damn it. Peach hadn’t shown up again and Harpy was pulling a double.
“Roark,” I yelled. “I have to hit the club.”
He waved me off but instead of leaving right away I used my stealth to sneak up around Roark’s back. Roark was focused on the two men in front of him. They looked like they were about ready to vomit from fear. Fucking weaklings, I hissed to myself. We needed to get them younger if Roark wanted me to train them.
A female yelled from the other side of the open training field and Roark turned a huge smile on his old lady. Thank you, Kendra.
Taking a running leap, I landed on the prez’s back. My momentum forced him forward and he fell to one knee. I kept moving and shoved my shoulder in as I tugged him with all of my strength so that he flipped onto his back. Straddling his chest, I looked down at him with a smirk.
“Gotcha.”
Roark glared at me until we heard the tinkling laughter of his woman. Kendra was holding her gut as she approached.
“That was awesome, Banshee.” She reached out and we high-fived as I hopped up and sprinted for my club.
I was still chuckling when I made it there.
“I don’t want to fucking hear it, Peach. You’ve already been told about not showing up. Get your shit and get out, you’re fired.” I sat behind my desk and the young girl stood in front of me with tears sliding down her cheeks.
I felt for her. I know she had a shit home life but I’d given her the tools to remove herself from it and she chose to remain. You can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.
“Here’s the pay I owe you.” Handing her a check which was actually for a bit more than I owed her, I waited for her to accept it.
“I’m sorry, Banshee,” she finally said as she took the piece of paper and slipped it into her pocket without even looking at it. “I’ll be out as soon as I get the few things from my locker.”
“Fine. Flint will accompany you.” I waved at the bouncer and he motioned with his hand to allow Peach to walk in front of him.
The huge bear shifter was the perfect bouncer. Large enough to handle any unruly ass – human or shifter – and manners until the cows came home. Flint’s mama taught him right, that was for sure.
With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair and kicked my feet up on my desk. My heavy boots clunked loudly in my small office. I grinned at how I ragged on Roark about doing the same thing. It was a bit disgusting but I hardly ever used my desk. Haught used it more than I did when he stopped in to do my books. And that male needed to get a bit dirty.
“Banshee,” someone called from the open door.
“Yeah?”
“That jerk is back.” I opened my eyes and rolled my head to glare at Lola.
“Harpy said you wanted to know when he came back.” She shuffled on her platform dance shoes.
“I did. Thanks.” Rising to my feet I hopped over my desk instead of walking around it and heading out to the bar.
Dead center of the stage I saw the profile of the large black man who had started coming around about a month ago. He was only about six feet tall but was wide, muscled, and solid. The girls were terrified of the man. He and the guys he hung with liked to grope when they gave the girls a bill.
So, he was currently yelling at Little Lolita and she was huddled behind the bar in the center of the stage. Tears were rolling down the girl’s face and my anger rose.
“Come on bitch. My money not
