She grabbed my bicep. “What about your fancy cooker? You can’t leave without that.”
I smiled. “I have to go. And if you’re feeling nice, maybe you can bring it to me. We exchanged numbers yesterday. I’ll text you.”
She hung her head, her hand dropping away, and I beelined to my bike.
Even if it brought me the wrath of a dozen or more bikers, I went straight to Har’s house to gather as much of my shit as I could fit in my saddlebags.
He had told me my futon had been slashed to hell, which I found myself grateful for because if I’d walked into this room unaware it would’ve sent me over the edge of the devastation I was keeping at bay. As it was I struggled against my tears of anger because what that bitch did to my bed went beyond the pale.
Or so I thought.
While I pulled clothes out of my dresser, I thought my room smelled like a public toilet. With a bundle of clothes in hand, I paused to sniff and my face twisted at the foul odor.
“God! What the fuck?” I breathed out. I wasn’t angry any more, I was livid.
I shoved the clothes into a shopping bag since I could squish that into the saddlebag. It would be nice to take more of my stuff, but such was the downside of riding a bike.
As though fate stepped in, I noticed four bungee cords dangling from a shelf in the garage. Braving the smell, I returned to my room to pack a small suitcase. Back in the garage, I used the bungee cords to strap my overnight bag to the back of my bike. It wasn’t ideal, but it would hold up since I wasn’t going far.
Once I parked my bike in the employee parking lot, I unstrapped my luggage, took my duffel out, and relocked the saddlebag.
When I went through orientation, the human resources woman had made a big deal about how employees got a steep room discount on property. I hoped she hadn’t been blowing smoke because I damn sure needed the discount.
Thirty minutes later, I walked into my hotel room and hung up my clothes. While I should have been watching all my pennies, I couldn’t stop myself from ordering room service. It was the least I could do to dull the ache growing in my heart.
I had been on the brink of tears since Har insisted his brothers wouldn’t take pictures of me without my knowledge. His declaration showed blatant disregard for my feelings and what had happened to me. Now that I was alone, I could let myself feel the bitter resentment and severe disappointment of another man letting me down. He said he understood a week ago, but as usual there was no way a man could ever understand having your power stripped without your knowledge, let alone your permission.
It was a toss-up as to what hurt worse, the fact he could be so ignorant, or the fact he showed how little he understood...or the fact it was just him. I expected him to understand – no didn’t expect, I thought for certain he did understand. Yet again, I was wrong.
Yet again, men couldn’t be trusted.
Or maybe my instincts about men weren’t to be trusted.
Which is why you should be done with men, the little voice said in my head. That voice sounded a helluva lot like my mother. A woman who couldn’t stay married to four different men. All of them good, upstanding men. The one common factor was my mother, and yet again I wondered if I could hack it in a serious relationship.
My phone rang with Suzy’s ring tone. “Hello, big sis.”
She sighed. “Hello, yourself. I want to preface this by saying, Turk is obligated to call you.”
Of course, Turk was the reason she was calling. “He’s obligated, huh? He doesn’t just want to shoot the shit with me like old times?”
“He’s right here,” Suzy said.
I turned my head to the side. “Shoulda picked up on the fact I’m on speaker.”
Turk’s tone when he spoke was tighter than I’d ever heard it. “Yeah. You should have, Steph. Now, where the fuck are you? I don’t like having any Riot brother breathing down my neck about shit, but damn sure not a president.”
“I’m in a hotel room.”
“You sure that’s not a motel room?” Suzy asked.
I scoffed. “No. It’s a well-respected and reputable property.”
Hearing my words, I realized I laid it on a bit too thick and gave myself away.
“So you’re staying at the casino?” Turk asked, but continued, “You damn sure need to be vigilant about security since we don’t know where Wycliffe is.”
I sighed. “I know I have to look over my shoulder, Turk. And I will keep all the locks on the door engaged. Do not tell Har where I am, please? I’m sure this is falling on deaf ears, but seriously, I need some time and space from him.”
After a moment, I heard Turk sigh. “Hate to say it, honey, but he wants even more space away from you.”
I pressed my lips together to keep from asking, ‘what’ and to keep from bursting into tears. After a deep breath, I steeled my spine. “Well, now you can report back, and he shouldn’t be breathing down your neck. Sorry he dragged you into this, Turk. You have a good night, all right?”
“Stephie,” he started, but Suzy’s voice came at me and I knew she’d taken me off speaker.
“Honey, I’m worried. Do you need to talk? I can call you back in five minutes as soon as Turk leaves.”
I shook my head. “No, Suze. Life’s a bitch, right? And she’s damn sure a bitch who keeps on serving up lessons I have to learn. Just sad I have to learn the hard way every damn time.”
Someone knocked at the door.
“Suze, I’m thinking room service is here, so I’ll call you tomorrow,
