I followed his wordless instructions and realized he wasn’t what I thought he would be. I came in with my pre-judgements, but he’d garnered my respect a little bit. I remembered Naomi talking about Smoke at the club.
“We have a son together, and he’s a wonderful man. I feel like I have a real family now, Mia.” Naomi didn’t dance at the club anymore, but she still looked out for the girls.
I refocused my attention on the conversation I was having with Numbers.
The more I talked to him, the more attractive he became. He seemed level-headed even though he had a carefree, devil-may-care attitude. Numbers was like my drink ? refreshing. Problem was, I didn’t want too much to do with bikers. They were bad for business as far as I was concerned. I took the case on, planned to collect my check and move on from the situation.
“I understand. It’s good to have someone to have your back,” I stated. I didn’t want him thinking I was interested, because he was from a motorcycle club and I know what went down in them.
Numbers nodded in agreement. “Okay, keep going down Almore Street, and he’s the brick house at the end.” He went quiet for a moment and then he asked, “I know you look out for the girls at the Sweet Spot. How did that come up?”
I rode out the length of the street as I replied, “I was representing the girls before Naomi came on deck, but when she got involved, I started dealing directly with her. There was an increase of men trying it on with her girls and they were getting scared. She wanted some backup ? more like scare tactics to keep the men away from the Sweet Spot.”
“That’s very cool of you. How long have you been representing them? I bet you charge them a pretty penny,” he presumed in a flirty tone.
I ignored the tone as I pulled up close to the curb by his friend’s house. “I don’t charge them. They call me when they need help and if they are being hassled by either clientele or men.” I stopped the car in front of a normal suburban home with a path leading to the front door and neat cut grass out front.
Whoever lived here was immaculate. Everything looked neat and in its place. With no peeling paint or dusty driveway, and no overgrown bushes either, like some of the other houses in Holbeck. A Harley Davidson sat out front with a jet black chrome finish glimmering in the light.
Seeing the bike made me remember being on the back of one when I dated that Devil Rider. Thomas ‘Rip’ Brody. Except the only thing that guy did rip was my heart right out of my chest. Deep down I knew better, but I wanted to taste danger, and it was only supposed to be a bit of fun for me. Rip got his claws into my heart, and the more I saw him, the more addicted I became to him. He was a dealer, mostly running drugs for the cartel. I never saw him do drugs, so I made that the justification to see him. I was younger then and I let my primal instincts take over back then. Now, I was wiser and hopefully smarter, in the man department.
He was a cunning liar and a pretty good cheater ? not good enough though. I busted him right in the Devil Riders’ clubroom. I would never forget the humiliating moment when I bounced into the club. I’d been excited that day because we’d said those three little words the week before. I was floating on cloud nine, or so I thought, but really I was floating on cloud stupid. I thought we might have something special, something we could build on. When I walked into the club, some of the crew were casually playing pool and drinking beers. The others were sitting down with drinks on the table while engaged in conversation. The club always smelled like whiskey and leather, a smell I felt accustomed to.
The lighting in the club was dim. They never would fix the small things needing to be worked on there. All they cared about was getting money and owning their territory. They didn’t care who they hurt or how they had to get it. Rip had eyes dark as midnight, and when he looked at me, I imagined he was looking right into my soul, ready to snatch it out of my chest. He was tall too, just how I liked my men. He stood at over six foot with ink-black cropped hair. Both of his arms were covered in tattoos from the shoulder to his wrist…the epitome of a bad boy. He knew what he was doing in the bedroom as well, which helped keep me blinded to the fact that he was sketchy as hell and the biggest player in town.
My smile faded as I spotted him tucked in the shadows with a possessive hand over a blonde’s throat, kissing her lips as if there was nobody else in the room. The same way he kissed me. Her mane of gold locks covered the side of her face, so I couldn’t make out who it was. I adjusted my eyes because there was no way in the world that he would do this to me, right?
Turned out, oh yes, he would. He lifted his head and cast his steely gaze my way as I inched closer. Tears at that point were already burning in my eyes and I felt like a fool for coming down to the club.
“You fucking prick. What the hell is this?” I threw a hand up to him and her.
The girl with blue eyes stared back at me as if I was crazy.
“It’s not what it looks like babe ? besides, we ain’t exclusive.” He had the nerve to say that to me when I was staring right at him and the blonde locking lips right in front of me.
“What does it look like? Because that’s sure as hell is not your cousin!” I screamed. I winced as I thought about how I lost it that day.
His deadpan face just stared at me from top to toe. “Go home, relax and I’ll call you later. You don’t need to stress out about it.” He’d put a hand underneath my chin and stroked it.
I swiped it away as I flew out of the club to my car. That had been the end of that relationship, thank god.
I smiled now though, as I rolled to a stop where Numbers had directed me.
Numbers slid back into conversation, breaking me out of my old memories, “That’s commendable. Did you used to dance there? Is that how Naomi knows you?” he asked with curiosity. The car had stopped, but he didn’t budge or try to open the door.
“No, umm, kind of embarrassing actually. I tried to dance there. I thought it might help me pay for my law degree. Turns out, I’m not so good at dropping it like it’s hot. I almost fell off the stage in those crazy-ass heels they make you wear.” I ran a nervous hand through my hair and laughed. It was a moment in time, and now I could look back and giggle about it.
He turned his knee inward towards me with a mischievous grin. “You are interesting. A woman with a colorful past, I like it. I didn’t expect that from you, and you’re loyal.” He gave me a look of admiration.
Internally, I rolled my eyes, because he still didn’t get that I was merely doing my job. “I am, to a degree. I’m not blindly loyal, however,” I clarified. “I made a few bucks that night, but it’s fair to say I’m better off the stage than on.”
Numbers’ stunning blue eyes lingered on my face.
A flame of heat rose up through my belly to my fingertips. I gulped, trying to tame it. I wasn’t trying to be attracted to a criminal client.
“I don’t know about that. I think you’d be just fine on stage,” he replied with a low voice.
His tone made me squirm in my seat. I released a husky laugh. “Thanks.”
“Mia, I’d like to get to know you a little better, maybe we could catch up some time?” Numbers’ blue eyes stared at me.
I paused. “I don’t know about that. I’m representing you. I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You have my number now, should you need anything else legally.” I didn’t want to date the guy. From my experience with Rip, I knew I didn’t want any affiliation in my private life with a biker. I was done with bikers and especially those with a criminal background.
He nodded his head in what looked to be disappointment as he opened the car door to get out. “Thanks again, Mia. I’ll be seeing ya, hopefully.”
“Okay. Have a great day, Numbers.” A flood of heat, not just from the weather, flooded into the car as he gently closed the door. I watched as he strode off to the front door and gulped down the desire fluttering in my belly.
Bikers.