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Chapter Six
DIRT
The hospital lobby is a cavernous expanse of white linoleum and sterile fluorescent lights, but it’s not the clinical cleanliness that strikes me as I stride through its automatic sliding doors. It’s the sensation of a foreign territory and antiseptic air. I may be out of my element, but I’m on a mission to talk to Lore and see if Tobias is awake.
The guard, a burly man with biceps like tree trunks, meets me with a wary look. I can feel his eyes studying me, taking in the tattoos that snake up my arms and the scars that crisscross my hands. I’m not surprised. It’s not every day a guy like me walks into a place like this.
“Can I help you, sir?” he asks, his voice hesitant, his hand inching toward a radio on his belt.
I tilt my head, meeting his gaze with eyes unwavering. “I’m here to see a friend,” I reply, my voice low and gravelly.
The guard’s fingers twitch, but he doesn’t reach for his radio. He knows who I am. Hell, everyone who lives near Tourmaline or Pearl knows who the Savage Angels are.
“The elevators are that way,” the guard mutters, his eyes darting around as if afraid someone might catch him talking to a guy like me.
He has to know I’ve been in and out of this hospital and know where the elevators are located. But I point in the direction of them and give him a chin lift. He nods and walks away from me, his hand resting on his belt. I suppose he thinks he’s done his due diligence by talking to me. The man probably thinks he’s the big man on the hospital grounds.
Entering the elevator, I hit the button for Tobia’s floor. When the doors open, I check in with Zeke, sitting in the waiting room.
“Hey, Dirt.”
“Zeke.” I offer by way of a greeting. “How’s it going?”
“Either I’m alone in here, or it’s filled with grieving relatives. How long do I have to babysit Tobias?”
“Until Dane tells us not to.” Zeke rolls his eyes. “Any news on Lore?”
“You mean Tobias?”
Scowling at him, I cross my arm over my chest.
“She just got back. They’re taking him off the sedatives today.”
“I thought that was supposed to happen a day or two ago?”
Zeke shrugs. “All I know is it’s today.”
I give him a two-fingered wave and head toward Tobias’ room. The nurse on duty, a wife of one of our members, nods at me as I pass the nurses’ station. Standing at a basin, I quickly wash my hands and dry them according to the laminated directions on the wall, then put on a gown.
I don’t know what I expect when I enter that room, but the sight before me still hits me like a punch in the gut. Tobias lies pale and still with tubes snaking in and out of his body, a lifeline to a world that’s slipping away.
Lore is nowhere to be seen, so I move a chair next to the bed, my knees creaking as I sit down. Looking at him, my throat constricts. There’s a peacefulness about him, an air of surrender as if he’s battling something far bigger than he ever did in life. Sitting here, I watch my friend fight for his life, surrounded by the sterile world that is so far removed from the chaos we once embraced. Tobias was never a patched-in member of the MC, but his loyalty ran as deep as any ink on leather. He’s our silent partner in this sordid world, the man who has made more than one strip club flourish under the flickering neon lights.
Tobias is good with women—not in a lecherous way, but in a way that they trust him, no questions asked. He can see beyond the allure of the stage and the flicker of dollar bills, delving into the dancers’ psyche, understanding their hopes, dreams, and vulnerabilities. It’s a rare skill that makes him indispensable in a business that thrives on the fringes of society.
Take Destiny, for instance. She was just another face in a sea of sequins and stilettos, a girl with dreams, just like the rest of them. But Tobias had a way of connecting and peeling back the layers of ambition and insecurity. He found out what made her tick and fueled her fire. In turn, she became the club’s star attraction who could command the attention of every man in the room with a single sultry sway of her hips. She was a success story, and Tobias was the mastermind behind it all. He guided her to law school, and as his headline act, she made it through without a huge debt over her head—something most of her peers never achieved.
But success in our world is always a double-edged sword. Destiny, despite her newfound fame and confidence with study, was still vulnerable. And when she was attacked, it was Tobias who stepped in, ready to protect one of his own. He didn’t need a patch on his back to be a brother.
In a world where the pursuit of pleasure can often overshadow any sense of purpose, Tobias has a knack for finding those rare gems who will work hard for us. He sees something in them, something more profound, a yearning for a life that extends beyond the confines of the strip club. He nurtures their dreams and guides their ambitions, and in return, they will give their all for the club.
Even those who eventually move on to bigger and better things, who leave behind the dimly lit stage, still reach out to Tobias. They’re still connected and willing to lend a hand when the MC needs it because they know Tobias is a man who never forgets his friends.
In the shadowy world of strip joints and motorcycle clubs, Tobias is a unique force, a silent protector, and a mentor to those who dare to dream beyond the neon lights. He’s the key that unlocks the potential of every woman who crosses his path.
I’ve often wondered why he never settled down. There was a woman, once, long ago. She came when he called after Destiny was hurt. Pulling out my phone, I go through my contacts until I find Mel’s number. I hit call and hold the phone to my ear.
“Hello, this is Melody Carter.”
