Smokeyis having an affair?
She couldn’t even bring herself to picture Harlow and Smokey together. Ava tried to think of their interactions over the past few months. It was rare for Smokey to come to the shop. Harlowwas always her buoyant self. Was that why Smokey had stopped coming to the shop as much?
He didn’t want her to find out that he was cheating on her?
“I think I’m going a little crazy, little man. There is no way Harlow and Smokey are having an affair. Itjust … no.”
Ava still thought she was losing her mind after shecleaned up the shop, closed it for the night, and then after loading Umberto into the back of the car, she found herself heading to the Hell’s Bastards MC clubhouse.
She didn’t pull into the parking lot.
There wasn’t a lot of light, but as she was about to drive off, she saw Harlow coming out of the clubhouse with Smokey. The two stood at the main door, and right in front of her eyes, she watched as Harlow hugged Smokey and then stepped away.
Chapter Six
“Thank you so much for seeing me, Smokey. I doappreciate it,” Larissa said.
Smokey sat back in his office chair and looked at Larissa. He had already told her that anything she saw within the clubhouse, she couldn’t tell Ava about. Seeing the confusion, he explained to her that he was planning a surprise for his woman and didn’t want it to be spoiled.
At which point Larissa promised him that her lips were sealed.
“I’m not going to lie to you, Larissa. I don’t have much in the way of work. In fact, all I do have available at this time is that of a cleaner, and I don’t think your dad is going to appreciate you cleaning this place up.”
“It’s work, and my dad believes in hard work.”
“Even at the clubhouse?”
Larissa nodded. “I know you andmy dad are friends in some kind of way. He loves Ava, Abriana, and Raven. He knows you’re all good people.”
She was way too trusting.
Smokey knew that if he took her on as a cleaner, he was going to be fucked. He’d have to put a protective mark on her. Let all of the club know she was untouchable. This didn’t sound like fun to him.
There were plenty of women forthe boys to enjoy.
“I’m a good cleaner,” Larissa said. “In fact, it was one of the roles I had at the library. I’ll be good, and I promise I won’t get involved with anyone. I know what I’m doing.”
He didn’t believe that she did. She was a good person. The club had its run of bad shit. This was fucking wrong. The clubhouse was better than sending her to the fucking porn studio. At least here, he could keep an eye on her.
“How about we have a probationary period?” Larissa said. “I work for you for, say a month, and if you don’t like my work ethic, you can fire me.”
“Look, it’s not about your work ethic. I know you’re a good kid. This club, we’re, it’s…”
“Smokey, I’m not a fool. I know that your club might not be quite above legal at times. I’m not blinded by that. I get that there is a lot of sex that goes on, and parties.”
He was going to burn in hell for hearing Larissa say the wordsex.
“I alsoknow that something bad has happened to Ava here. Again, I don’t know everything, but a lot of people talk and there are a lot of rumors.”
“And you’re not terrified?”
“No,” Larissa said. “You have only ever been nice to me. Why would I be worried or troubled by that? Rumors can be fake, Smokey. I never trust gossip or the wholehe said, she said.” She shrugged. “That’s how lives can be destroyed.” She stood. “I can see having me here makes you uncomfortable, and I honestly don’t want that.” She held her hand out. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity.”
“Larissa, I’m not saying no, okay? I will gladly have you on for a month, and if after then, you haven’t been scared to fucking death, we’ll talk.”
He didn’t need to hire her. There was no reason to help her, but she was Jonah’s kid, and a nice one. It was Christmas, and losing a job and struggling to find another was bad enough. He couldn’t just let Larissa go.
Larissa smiled. “Thank you so much. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.”