“MONSTERS”—Shinedown
Iwoke up before my alarm went off, but I was actually grateful because it meant Soleil didn’t wake up. She needed her rest. I’d been insatiable last night, and she hadn’t gotten much sleep.
Cautiously, I disentangled myself from her warm body. She stirred only once before she curled up and clutched my pillow. I took the blanket we’d kicked to the bottom of the bed and tucked it around her.
Silent as a mouse, I grabbed what I needed from my drawers and went into the bathroom to piss and take a quick shower. Then I exited my room just as quietly.
I had time to spare, so I detoured through the kitchen to find several of the club girls making breakfast. It smelled good, and my stomach growled. Cookie was sitting at the long table with a cup of coffee in hand. She gave me a knowing smirk over the rim of her mug. “You look tired, Sabre. Didn’t get much sleep?”
I flipped her off, but it was all in fun. Despite our past, there was no awkwardness. Cookie was Cookie. She was gorgeous and sweet, but the woman was a devil between the sheets. No one knocked her for loving sex, but we never got it twisted—Cookie was no club whore. I was glad she understood why any hookups we had in the past stayed there and any future ones were off the table.
“Willow, are you girls about done?” Cookie called out.
Willow glanced over her shoulder and cast me a quick wave. Cookie had brought her in as a potential club girl, but she’d kind of taken over as the club’s cook after Reva—the two-faced bitch—disappeared. Funny thing was, to my knowledge she hadn’t slept with any of the brothers. Generally speaking, she was quiet and a little shy. Yet, like the other club whores, she danced at Royal Heaven. Willow just happened to work in the kitchen at the clubhouse as well. Those were the two places she shed that shy skin and came alive.
Oh, and she stared at Facet like she wanted to eat him, but he was totally oblivious.
“Yeah, just about.” She turned to Shelly and Buffy and instructed them to start putting things on the table. Everyone already knew that it was Willow’s kitchen and did as she said in there.
When Shelly brought a platter of toast over, she plopped herself in my lap and rested one hand on my shoulder as she raked her nails through my hair. It was odd because I’d only banged her once months ago, and I never gave her the idea that I wanted another hookup. I slammed my cup on the table. “Off,” I demanded.
“Oh, come on. You can’t tell me you’re satisfied with the little red mouse you’re hiding upstairs,” she boldly declared, and then I was pissed. Without giving a single fuck, I stood up, and she had to scramble to stay on her feet.
“Her name is Soleil, but don’t worry about remembering it because from now on, I better not hear it cross your lips.” Anger surged through me at the sense of disrespect that bled through her words.
“Touchy,” she said with a sneer. “I hope she’s been worth all your suffering.”
Without a backward glance, she stormed out of the kitchen. Buffy was on her heels, but not before she cast a catty smirk over her shoulder at me.
“I’ll have a talk with her,” Cookie promised as I dropped back into my chair.
“Whatever you need to do,” I told her with a shrug. I had more important things on my mind than a club whore who had an attitude. I loaded my plate up with some food and proceeded to inhale it.
Ghost, Laila, Voodoo, and Kira came in next, followed by their dogs Zaka and Sasha. Everyone appeared to be dragging ass.
“Lively bunch we have in here,” Venom said from the doorway with his arm around Loraei and his baby girl Kristin sleeping with her head on his shoulder.
Everyone ate, and other members filtered in and out—some sitting down to eat, others grabbing their food to take back to their rooms.
“Twenty minutes,” Venom announced as he stood from the table and picked up his plate. Loralei took it from him.
“I’ve got it, sheesh,” she muttered before walking toward the sink to rinse the plates off.
As I put my plate in the dishwasher, I motioned Willow over from where she was leaning against the counter, sipping a glass of orange juice.
“What’s up?” She looked wary and I quickly reassured her with a kind smile.
“Will you take a plate up to Soleil for me? After you’re done doing what you’ve got going on here, I mean.” It wasn’t her job to serve food to someone’s room, so if she was busy, I would see if one of the ol’ ladies would take it up.
I needn’t have worried. She gave me a broad grin and nodded. “Of course.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate it. But of course, don’t worry about it if she makes it down before everything is cleaned up.”
“Not a problem. I got you.”
Once that was settled, I made my way to the chapel. I couldn’t help the quick glance to the top of the stairs to see if Soleil was coming down before I went into the meeting.
When there was no sign of her, I continued on my way and took my seat after dropping my phone in the basket outside the door.