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I had the money saved, and I had made a few calls. There was a one-bedroom apartment above The Drip that I could move into. There was no tub for rust to grow in, because all it had was a tiny shower, a toilet, enough room for a twin bed, and that was it. But I didn’t care. It would work for now.
Red’s hand came to her hip, fire engine red manicured nails shone under the lights in the kitchen. Her eyes focused on my face, her lips twisting to the side as though she were thinking it over.
“I put you near the men, Prez will come in here tearin’ through every one of them until he finds you.”
I forced a smile.
“See he won’t because I saw him leave with Natty.”
Red laughed, while keeping her focus on me. Laser sharp.
“Oh honey, you’re pretty. Too pretty and too dangerous for that boy, but you’re about as dumb as a box of rocks if you think there’s anything to him taking Natty anywhere.”
“He offered her his jacket and took her on the back of his bike.” I bit out in return because those two things meant something in this club. Perhaps all clubs, but especially this one. You didn’t ride on the back of another member’s bike unless it was an emergency, or you were fucking him. You especially didn’t ride on the back of that member's bike while wearing his colors, unless it meant you were his old lady.
Red’s façade cracked. Her eyes took on a new luster of interest, her gaze searching my face as if I could explain what I’d done to lose the interest of the wolf.
“Basement. There’s a room with a bed. It’s a twin and there’s no bathroom. You’ll have to use the one down there, but the only other member who goes down there is Giles. He’ll keep you safe, and I know you two get on okay.”
This was better than I hoped.
“That’s perfect.” I beamed, gripping the strap of my duffle.
“Sheets will be in the linen closet down there. A pillow too. Check for a heater, it’ll likely get cold as a witch’s tit down there.”
Red gave me one last glance, then reached out and gently gripped my shoulder before turning to leave. It was something I liked about her. She was stern and strong, not overly emotional but still fair. You knew she was thinking things, even if she didn’t say them, and she was always protective of the girls here. Even the Sweetbutts.
The club was in mild upheaval tonight. Extra members had been called in from the looks of it; there were more people here than usual. It felt like it did the night of Killian’s induction. I passed people, ducked and smiled. Avoiding men who tried to grab me or corner me to talk.
Soon, I was passing a group of guys who were talking near the entrance to the stairs. I’d need to skirt past them in order to head down to bed. It was still shamefully early, but I wasn’t hungry, and anything else I needed would be downstairs.
I hedged close, hoping to go unnoticed when I heard the men talking.
“Now that the Roman has taken over, we’re not allowed to move on the Death Raiders. It’s complete and utter bullshit. I heard it was from some deal Ryan made back when he was president. Killian wouldn’t stand for old bets and promises. One of the reasons he’s going to turn this club around. The second he gives the green light; I’m gettin’ one of them fuckers.”
The man who was talking wasn’t a regular member, not from what I could tell. He might show up for weekend rallies and a few parties, but I didn’t recognize him.
A new voice piped up, this one from a man I did recognize. Riley from earlier, the biker who’d driven me here. His focus was on the floor while he sipped from a glass bottle of beer.
“Honestly, I like the peace. I’m tired of all the fucking fighting. I lost my brother to a war with those fuckers. Enough is enough.”
Three of the men yelled, clapping shoulders, the other four yelled their dissent. I chose that moment to slip past them and down the stairs. A dark hallway greeted me, so I pulled out my phone and used the flashlight app to navigate.
The noise began to fade as I stepped off the last step and my feet sank into plush carpet. Finding the light switch on the side of the wall, the space illuminated, revealing a spacious room. Three leather arm chairs, in addition to a long leather couch, faced a massive flat screen television. A pool table sat off to the side. Behind it was a darkened bathroom, and next to it was a space for a simple top loader, washer and dryer. A closed door sat on the opposite end, and another tucked farther back, almost hidden away.
Making my way back in the direction of the hidden space, I relished the quiet. Down here was even better than Killian’s space. Somehow the room seemed to completely muffle the party from upstairs. It was a wonder that no one was down here, unless the members just instinctively knew that this area was off-limits. This was the first time I had ever been down here, or even realized it was here, and I’d been here for three months.
Just as I suspected, the hidden room was the empty one that Red had mentioned for me to use. A single twin bed rested against the far wall, and a small side table and lamp were next to it. The rest of the space was sparse.
Setting my bag on the floor, I went searching for the linens Red had mentioned. They would likely be near the washer and dryer, or the bathroom, so that’s where I headed. The silence wrapped around me, cocooning me in a way that I hadn’t realized I needed. The chaos of the club and rage of the party couldn’t reach me down here. It almost felt like I could just breathe for a second and forget where I was. Forget Killian and Natty, and the way their actions felt like a knife to my chest, digging into a place they had no business being.
I knew better, I knew falling for him would hurt. He’d warned me; from the first moment I met him, he was a walking, talking, red flag.
Yet, I wanted him.
I craved his destruction, the devastation I knew he promised. I had some sick and twisted desire to hurt. There was no other explanation as to why I let him under my defenses. It was the stupid nickname he called me, and the way he was so protective of me. It confused me, nothing more. It was a stark contrast to what I had grown up with. My father, being the mayor when I was little, made me feel like we were living in a glass snow globe. One wrong move and our world would upend, or even shatter.
When he became governor of the state, it only got worse. Then he became senator, and I couldn’t stick around any longer.
