Not long afterward, Bull called for everyone’s attention to tell us it was time to eat. I followed Madisen to an empty table where Rebel had directed her to have a seat. We sat down to chat more. Rebel said he’d be back as soon as he got her some food. I thought it was so sweet he was waiting on her.
“You should go get your food, Jess,” Madisen said.
“No, I’ll wait until the crowd dies down. I’m not that hungry.”
It wasn’t long before Rebel came back with a plate of food for Madisen. I smiled at how much he’d piled on it for her. He had given her enough for a few meals. I jumped when Ajax set a plate in front of me and sat down beside me. I gave him a questioning look.
“I didn’t know what you liked, so, I got you a little of everything. If you want more of something, let me know.” I didn’t know what to say. He’d gotten me a plate of food? Why?
“Thank you.” I mumbled. I didn’t know what else to say. He nodded and then dug into the plate of food he’d brought for himself. We all ate in silence. I tried to enjoy the food and not obsess over why Ajax was sitting with me and waiting on me. Had the club assigned him to be my guard for some reason?
When everyone was almost finished eating, music started to play. I watched as most of the women and some couples got up to dance. Madisen started to bug me to death to get up there with her. After listening to her for several minutes, I finally gave in so she’d stop. I let her drag me to the dance floor.
After a stiff start, I decided to forget where I was and to let the music take me. I loved to dance. I just usually did it in the privacy of my home. But no one here seemed to be paying anyone too much attention. I closed my eyes and let the music flow through my body.
Madisen and several of the women crowded around me and teased me about why I’d been hiding my mad dancing skills. I laughed. I grinned when I saw Rebel come up behind Madisen and put his arm around her waist. She turned and kissed him before they started dancing together. He had her pulled up tight against him.
As I watched, more of the guys came up to claim their women for a dance, now that a slow song had started. I turned to head back to the table while the slow songs were playing. I ran into Ajax’s rock-hard chest. He gently pulled me into his arms. I looked at him in shock.
“Dance with me, Jessica.” I didn’t know what to do, so I just nodded and let him pull me close to his body. I closed my eyes as he danced me around the floor. I let my mind wander and pretended that he was mine and we were dancing together as a couple. I wasn’t sure how many songs went by before he pulled away.
“You and the girls have some more fun dancing. I’m going to go get a drink.” He walked off. I saw the other guys had done the same. Madisen gave me a knowing look which I ignored. He must have known I felt awkward, so he’d danced with me. I tried not to look in his direction as I continued to dance with the other ladies.
The rest of the evening sped by with us dancing, then taking short breaks at the tables to have a drink. Ajax never left the table. Soon it was dark, and the kids had gone inside for the night. Looking around, I saw several women come slithering into the crowd. They were dressed in barely any clothes, which showed off their sexy bodies. I instantly felt even more unattractive. No wonder guys never looked at me. Why would they when there were women like these around?
I knew from what Madisen had told me, these had to be club bunnies and hang arounds. She’d explained who they were to me one day. I couldn’t imagine being one of them. Just to be there to hook up with any guy who wanted you? Or more than one at a time? I shuddered at the thought.
I watched them rubbing up on various men. Some took them up on their offers. I looked away. I decided to head to the bathroom. Maybe when I got back, I could tell Madisen I needed to leave. No way did I want to see Ajax with any of these women. I hurried inside. When I came back outside several minutes later, Ajax was waiting for me. He held out his hand.
“Come on, Jessica, let’s go join the others.” He gestured to the table where I saw Madisen, Rebel, Devyn, Ace, Terror, Harlow, Savage, and Janessa sitting. I nodded. He wrapped an arm around my waist and started in their direction. We’d taken only a few steps, when out of nowhere a woman stepped in front of us. She had a pissed look on her face. She glared at me and narrowed her eyes.
“Who the hell is this slut, Ajax? You don’t need her. I can take care of you, just like I always do,” she sneered. I jerked as pain shot through me. She was obviously one of the bunnies, and from what she just said, Ajax and she were a regular hookup. My stomach twisted. I had the urge to vomit. I tried to remove my arm from his hand, but he held tight.
“Get the fuck out of here, Daisy. Jessica isn’t a slut, and I don’t need or want anything from you. Go bother someone else, why don’t you?” I pulled out of his grip and held up my hands to her as I backed away. Ajax tried to grab my arm again, but I evaded him.
“Get back here, Jessica. Don’t pay any attention to Daisy. She doesn’t know her damn place,” he snarled. He tried to reach for me again. I knew I had to get out of here. I couldn’t take this kind of thing. I saw other people heading in our direction. I broke away and ran toward my car, and I heard Ajax swear. I kept running and didn’t look back.
With me no longer having to have a guard, he could take Daisy up on her offer. I jumped in my car and raced to the gate, which thankfully opened on its own. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes. I zoomed out of the parking lot and headed toward town and my apartment. I dashed away the tears so I could see the road.
The whole way there, I ached inside. Why couldn’t I be someone who could find a man to love me? One who would look at me like the Warriors did their women? One who would be faithful to me and want to have a life and family with me. I knew I’d been fantasizing tonight that Ajax was with me for more than guard duty. I let myself pretend he wanted to be with me. Daisy had burst that bubble. I’d never have him or anyone else. I’d die old and alone, probably a damn cat lady.
I pulled into my apartment complex and parked. I raced up to my apartment and ducked inside. I sank down to the floor with my back to the locked door. Sobs racked my body. I hung my head and let the tears fall. I was so tired of being alone. I didn’t know how long I sat there before I heard what sounded like the roar of a bike. A minute later, there was a bang on my door. I jumped.
“Jessica, open up. We need to talk.” It was Ajax. Why was he here? Shouldn’t he be with Daisy, having sex right now?
I took a deep breath and called out, “I’m fine, Ajax. I’m going to bed. Go back to the party. You’re off guard duty for the night.” I stood up to head to my bedroom.
“Goddamn it, Jessica, I wasn’t on guard duty tonight, and I don’t want to go back to the party, not without you. Let me in, babe.” Hearing him call me babe made me shiver. I knew it didn’t mean anything. Guys called women babe all the time.
“I’m tired. I’m going to bed. Good night, Ajax.” I kept walking. He called out and pounded a few more times, but I ignored him and got into the shower. By the time I was done, he was no longer pounding on my door. Good, he’d gone back to the party. I crawled into bed and closed my eyes. Visions of him and Daisy wrapped around each other in his bed teased me. I tried to forget it. I knew tonight was going to be a rough night. My memories would be haunting me. Why had I let myself want someone I could never have? God, I was an idiot.