Five days he’s been gone with no word. I haven’t dared to give my heart back to him. I may be bold, but even I have limits of how much I can take. It’s Friday, and the clubhouse has a party with some members who are coming into town from the Las Vegas chapter.
I love Stryker and his wife. He’s the Mother Chapter’s president. Even though the timing couldn’t be worse, I respect them too much not to go and say hello. They are my uncle and aunt by choice. Most of the men from the other chapters, I haven’t met yet. When they are up, it’s usually serious business, and no one is invited to the clubhouse during those times except members.
I’m terrified of what can happen when I get there. I do the best I can to prepare myself before I walk in. My face is masked in everything I love, makeup helping me to feel like a brave and beautiful woman when at this moment, I feel anything but. My eyes are heavily lined in black with a wing, pink blush, and blood-red lipstick. I am wearing leather pants and the tallest boots I have. With every step, I feel more powerful, beautiful, and sexy than I have felt in days. I need confidence more than anything else right now.
There is a knock at my door, and before I can answer it, Dana, Jenn, and Jazzy come in, geared up in their own outfits, ready to go out. Jenn holds a bottle of tequila in her hand, and Jazzy holds the limes and shot glasses.
“I’m driving, but you guys get warmed up.” Dana smiles. They all heard how bad it’s been this week and understand I don’t want to talk about it. Dana got me to crack when she got home. I asked her to tell everyone else, and I also needed to be left alone for a while. They all have been supportive, and when I texted them to say I needed a ride because I was planning on not remembering tonight, they all came here for me. I love them.
“Alessia, I have to tell you,” Jazzy starts, and the laughter in her voice is contagious. This will be good.
“What?” We all round the small breakfast bar in the kitchen. Jenn pops the lid off the bottle and starts to pour three shots. Pulling a knife and plate out, I start to cut the limes Jazzy hands to me.
“After we left, one of the other Ol’ Ladies told me Misty came running out of one of the brothers’ rooms asking for someone to take her to the hospital. Still dressed in her slutty lingerie. The whole club spread the news like wildfire that her crotch was on fire and thinks she has an STD. Fucking perfect payback. There isn’t a dick there that touched her that isn’t getting tested this week.”
“Perfect, and her crotch will be on fire for another few days with all the underwear we got ahold of. Cheers.”
The three of us raise our glasses, “To paybacks.”
“To paybacks being a bitch.” Jenn hits glasses with mine.
We take two more shots each before we head over to the clubhouse. By the time we get there, I am full of laughter with my girls, the tequila doing its job to help me forget the brokenness my life has become. The four of us hit the bar. The prospect hands us each a beer, and we take our drinks to the pool table and make a scene.
When in Rome and drunk, you do what you need to for fun. We bend over, showing as much ass and cleavage as we can get away with. Jazzy is my partner in crime a hundred percent. We egg each other on. She bends over and takes aim. I wait for it, and just as she is about to drive her pool stick forward, I smack her leather-clad ass, making the room pop with an echo.
The brothers enjoyed it, and I get a round of high fives on my walk back to my side. Jazzy pretends it stung bad and rubs the spot. Shaking my head, I’m about to take my shot when my pops, Fuego, calls me over. I hand Jenn the pool stick and strut over. Every foot that hits the floor sounds with a force, and the energy from it pours through me. Getting through the crowd, I find Poppa with Stryker.
“Tío! Uncle Stryker!” My arms wrap around the hulk of a handsome older man.
“How are you, sweetheart? It’s been a while.” When I pull back, the eye contact startles me. The man has these piercing light hazel eyes. He sees everything and picks up right away that I can’t look at him.
He leans in, wrapping an arm around me. “You need me? I have a big clubhouse down in Las Vegas. You are welcome to move down there or stay as long as you need.”
“Thank you.” I press my cheek into his chest and squeeze before I let him go. “Tonight, though, I just want to celebrate you being here.”
He nods his head, understanding. “Well then, I brought my son for you to meet. He just walked in, let me go get him. Don’t move.”
As soon as he walks away, a man instantly takes his place and wraps his arms around my waist, tugging me in tight. I’m about to push whoever it is away when he murmurs, “Alex, it’s me.” Hawk breathes into my ear.
I close my eyes for a moment, and when I open them, Stryker smiles and heads in the other direction. Everything around me blurs, the alcohol and broken pieces of me take control. My bravado starts to fade. He’s here.
I can’t look, so I clench my eyes shut, wanting to lock away the ache. Being near
