But, my brain kicked in, and I knew I needed to break away. One thing I didn’t do was sleep with brothers. It caused too much tension, and I didn’t want to deal with that shit. Mustering every bit of energy I could, I pulled away from him trying to catch my non-existent breath. I stared into his penetrating blue eyes, and I for once wished my brain would shut the hell up. I wanted this man.
Licking my lips, I walked to the door reaching for the door handle. “Too bad for you, I don’t fuck the brothers.” I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I turned quickly strolling out of the shop towards the clubhouse leaving him with his dick in his hand.
My body was ignited from the taste of his lips. I wondered what that body of his could do to mine. After our brief exchange, I knew he’d turn me inside out. Sad part was; I wanted to know how his touch would feel… how he would make me scream because there was no way a man like him wouldn’t make me scream… repeatedly.
G.T. was waiting in the common area. Sitting out on the park bench, his eyes were not on me. His focus was on the hot blonde bending over the engine in the shop, Casey, which really didn’t surprise me. She’s a very beautiful woman, and my brother, God love him, loved women. “You think I can’t handle myself, Brother?” I said climbing up sitting next to him on the bench, trying to calm my raging body down, and catching his attention away from Casey.
G.T. held out his pack of smokes, and I reached for one. Placing it between my lips, he lit, and I inhaled slowly, feeling the burn. While inside, I wasn’t allowed to smoke, new rules, some shit about fire codes, whatever. I sat there actually feeling a little head rush from the nicotine, which made me suck harder.
“I know you can take care of yourself. How are you?” We stared out across the courtyard watching the action around the shop, people coming and going, mechanics working on cars and bikes. Everyone going on about their lives without a care in the world.
“I’m good, now that I’m out.” I hadn’t felt this good in a long damn time. Being locked in a cell was something one should never have to do, especially if you’re in there for something you didn’t fucking do. Blackmail, yeah, right. If I’d actually did that shit they accused me of, I wouldn’t have been so stupid to leave so much evidence around. “I’m so sorry you were in there. I should have done something,” he said shaking his head back and forth. I knew he felt guilty just like the other brothers, but there was nothing that any of them could have done. The lawyer said so.
Placing my arm on his back, I began rubbing it up and down. “There was nothing you could do. I was set up, and somehow she had her shit together. That’s no one’s fault, but hers.” And mine for not trusting my gut.
“You gonna take care of it now?” G.T.’s eyes wandered back to Casey, who was talking animatedly with her hands to one of the mechanics.
“Hell yeah. Those bitches won’t know what hit ‘em.” Spending the last two years planning their demise, I went from fast and furious to slow and painful. It would all depend on my mood that day on how it’ll all play out. It took a year of being locked up to figure out it was even Babs that did the set-up. I didn’t want to tell Ma because I knew she’d tell the brothers, and I wanted that bitch. But I did anyway, knowing they deserved to know what happened. But Babs disappeared off the radar for a while. I didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “But, I need to think and get my shit together first.”
“You need to be smart. I don’t want you back there… ever.” His eyes bore into mine at the seriousness of his statement. I took it deep to heart.
“I’m not going back. I made a mistake trusting the wrong person. I should have known better. It won’t happen again.” Stomping out the smoke on the table, I leaned back feeling the heat of the sun warming my skin.
“Love you.” G.T.’s hand landed on my leg and squeezed. My heart warmed instantly.
“Love you, too.” Sitting there in silence for quite a while, we let the everyday noises of the garage fill the void. It was nice having the sun on my skin and not having to move for anyone. If I wanted to stay all damn day, I would. Yeah… never going back. “So, what’s new around here? Ma couldn’t tell me much when she came up.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t come.” None of the club members had been up to see me the entire two years. Part of me felt deserted by them, but deep down, I knew they were doing it to protect the club. One wrong word and they could all go down. I couldn’t live with that.
“No worries. Tell me.”
Blowing out a deep breath, G.T. began laying out the new shit going down and even some old shit. I knew he couldn’t tell me club business, so he just kept to the basics and more about the people and families than anything.
“What about my studio?” Two years before I went in, I started Studio X. The club owned the business, but it was mine. I built it from the ground up, making it the number one strip joint in Sumner. Every town needed one, and people came from miles around to partake, mostly married men who needed a little escape. I’m not one for cheating, but in my world, it happened all the time. As for me, I’d never tolerate it.
I took really good care of my girls and paid them exceptionally well. The club provided me with security that I was too busy to handle, and I handled the girls and money. The manager, Liv, handled all the scheduling, and whatever the girls needed she brought to me. Or that was how it was before I went inside.
The strip club was a legal way for the club to make money, and I was glad to help. Not to mention, the paychecks I received allowed me to live very comfortably. Win… win. But while I was gone, who knows what the hell happened. I knew I was ready to get back to it, though.
“X is doing great. Liv’s been running the show, keeping everything in line. Any issues we’ve taken care of. Nothing too much. Couple of the girls got roughed up. Money’s good.” G.T. said blowing out the smoke from his cigarette and paused. “You going back to work?”
“Yep. I’m gonna check in on everything tomorrow. Tonight is about partying.” Standing up, I brushed the ass of my jeans getting whatever dirt off. “I’ve gotta go say hi to Diamond.”
Out of the corner of my eye, Cruz walked out of the shop, putting his sunglasses on and making that already sexy body even sexier. Was that even possible? When his head turned, and he met my stare, he shook his head and kept walking. “What’s his story?”
“Patched in about a year ago, completely trust him. Came out of the Marines, and he’s an honorable man. He’s proven himself over and over again.” My mind flashed to Cruz in uniform, and I liked what I saw.
I spotted a man in the corner of the garage wearing a Prospect rag sweeping the blacktop and nodded his way. “What about him?” The man’s straight long hair covered his face, but his dark beard was long enough to see beyond the ends. His body was lean and lanky, but his movements were fluid and knowing. G.T.’s eyes followed mine.
“That’s Rocky. Pretty quiet, but talks when it’s important. He’s only about six months in.” I tilted my head to the side trying to get a better look at him. Something about him seemed familiar, but nothing I could pinpoint.
I turned to G.T. “I missed you,” I said, pulling my baby brother into a tight hug, which he reciprocated effortlessly. Ever since we were kids, he’s always acted like my big brother instead of younger. He taught me more than any one man in the club. He’s been in the ring with me, at the shooting range, and by my side throughout all these years coaching me to be the woman I am today. G.T., also known as Gage Thomas by birth certificate only, was the rock that I would fight for till my dying breath.
“I missed you too, Princess.”
Nodding, I began heading in the direction of the clubhouse with Cruz a few feet in front of me. “I know you’re there, girl.” I could get lost in that deep drawl of his voice. I didn’t slow my pace, but I did answer.