AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hailey
It’s been four days and no Derek. He hasn’t shown up at the bar. He hasn’t returned my calls, and when I texted him, he just wrote me that he was busy dealing with club business. I feel like such an idiot. Here I was thinking that things were going to be different now, that I was going to be the priority, but man, did I overshoot that assumption. If Derek wants to be with me, then he’s going to have to not only work on his communication skills, but get his priorities straight.
I deliver the drinks to one of my tables and check around to see if anyone else looks like they could use another round. When the front entrance opens, my body freezes in place. The man I’ve been holding my breath for has finally shown up, looking even hotter than ever in his low-hung, light-washed jeans with a white V-neck T-shirt and leather jacket. Mmmm…I want to pounce on him and have a repeat of the other night, but I don’t. Why? Because he’s not alone. A girl, pretty enough to be a centerfold, is attached to his side with her arms locked around his. The two of them looking awfully cozy to just be casual friends.
His eyes collide with my stare, and instead of him giving me a smile, or coming to say hi, or doing anything to make me think that I’m reading too much into the situation between him and the one braced against him, he just tips his head at me and walks her over to his usual table. They both take a seat with the other Savage Knights, and I take a giant breath of air since mine had been sucked away by the succubus of the horrible nightmare unfolding in front of me.
I guess I have my answer now. What happened between us the other night meant nothing. If my brother were here now, he’d be saying I told you so. Bentley was right when he said Derek would only hurt me. He just did.
I turn and walk back to the bar, trying not to sink to the floor. The pain in my chest is threatening to bring me to tears, but I refuse to go down like that. I grab two glasses and fill them with ice water and place them on my tray. I turn and stack napkins. Then coasters. Clean around the garnish tray. Trying to busy myself with anything I can find to keep myself together.
How could he? How could he lead me on and then ditch me like that? How could he make it seem like I’m his whole world and then treat me like I mean nothing to him? He may not see me like a sister anymore, but he should still care about me enough not to hurt me. Honestly, I don’t know this person anymore. The person he’s become. Grit. The Savage Knight. I don’t know him. Because the Derek I once knew would never have done anything to break me. The Derek I knew spent his days trying to pull me out of the rubble of my depression and put a smile on my face.
The grief and hurt begin to churn into anger. Betrayal coursing through my veins like nails. I grab my tray and turn, walking over to their table and placing the glasses of water down. One in front of the man who broke my heart for the final time, and the other in front of the gorgeous girl who is so pretty RiffRaff is even mesmerized by her. The way Riff is staring at her right now, I’d say he wants her for himself.
“Thank you,” she says, and her voice is just as pretty as her face. And of course, she’s polite, too. “I’m JoeJoe, by the way. Johanna Joan Price to be exact.” She giggles and holds out her hand for me to shake. And as much as I don’t want to take it, I’m not going to be rude. I may be jealous as hell, but this is not her fault. She is not to be blamed for Grit’s behavior. I just wonder if the two of them were together when he and I made out the other night. Because if so, then he’s not only an asshole but he’s also a lying, cheating scumbag.
“I’m Hailey.” I shake her hand, hoping she doesn’t feel how badly I’m trembling. “Can I get you anything to drink?” I release her quickly and take out my notepad, looking down at the paper so I don’t have to look into her beautiful, friendly blue eyes anymore. No wonder Grit is taken by her.
“I’ll have a vodka soda,” she answers.
I write her order down even though I’m sure it will be forever burned in my memory. “And for you, Grit?” I keep my eyes locked on the words I just wrote, tracing over the letter v until the ink is bleeding through the paper.
“Bourbon, double.”
His voice rumbles through me, and I want to scream at my traitorous body for reacting to it. I look up toward the other men to see if anyone else could use another drink, and notice the tension that’s settled over the table. It’s as if Grit’s arrival isn’t welcomed. I know I’d be happy if he left. Then I might actually be able to get through the night without breaking.
“You guys need anything? Another beer, Trig?”
Trigger nods and gives me a wink. “Yeah, babe. I need another.”
Axle says he’s all set, and when I turn to RiffRaff, I find him still staring at JoeJoe. “And you, Riff?” I ask, trying to get his attention. Finally, he turns.
“Yeah, I do need something, pretty girl. I need some company tonight. You want to spend some time with me after you get off work?”
Riff’s question catches me by surprise. Not the question itself, but the fact that it’s laced with motive. I can hear it in the strain of his voice and see it in the hard lines etched around his eyes, and in the tightness of his jaw. Usually, he’s the most easygoing one of the bunch, yet right now, he seems angry, and I’m guessing it has to do with the girl sitting between him and Grit.
I wonder if she’s his ex-girlfriend and now Grit has stepped in and claimed her for himself. Or maybe, Grit stole her from him and that’s the reason Riff looks like he wants to break something. Either way, it’s obvious Riff’s using me to cope with or distract himself from whatever the situation is. Whether the man’s trying to make her jealous or send some kind of message to the two of them, doesn’t bother me, because I’m about to use him too.
“Sure, Riff. I’d love to. Are you going to take me to the clubhouse so I can finally see where the magic happens?”
A growl rumbles from the man to my left, but I refuse to pay him any mind. Grit doesn’t want me so I can do as I choose, and he can take his “overprotective dad” act and shove it where the sun don’t shine.
“Oh, pretty girl, there’s only one place where the magic happens. It’s in my room. And I’ll definitely be giving you the full tour.” Riff winks, giving me a charming smile, but there isn’t a single flutter in my stomach. I’m just playing a part here. We both are playing roles, so no magic will be happening between us. Once we’re back at the clubhouse, I’ll confess to him what my intentions were. I may not want a fuck buddy, but I definitely could use a friend.
“Looking forward to it.” I wink, giving him a sexy little grin of my own, trying to play my part with perfection. “Now, do you want anything more to drink right now?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, babe. I’m going to save myself for later. There’s only one thing I want to drink.”
This time, Grit is over the table and has Riff by his neck. He looks like he’s ready to kill him, and Riff doesn’t even blink. He’s not fazed at all by the lethal looking man. “You have a problem, Grit?” Riff asks, sounding impassive, as if taunting the beast.
“She’s fucking off-limits, and you know it. Club rules. So unless you want to pay for your crime, then I suggest you back the fuck off.”
Oh, right. This is the whole sergeant at arms thing they were talking about. Grit is the enforcer of the MC laws. I’m just wondering how that has anything to do with me.
“I assumed you took back your claim, seeing as you brought Joe out tonight. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks to me like you’ve moved on, which means Hailey is now fair game.”
What the hell? Claim? Moved on? Fair game? There was nothing to move on from, because apparently, Grit never started anything. Though it sure felt like he had.
