I should take another shower, but he needs space—I can feel it.
Tossing the tissue into the garbage, I pull my black bikini out of the dresser drawer. It’s the first time I’m using it. I bought it a month ago and have yet to make it downstairs to the pool.
The shower goes off and I slip on a cute white ruffled dress with buttons all the way down. While I’m grabbing some flipflops, David comes out looking like a wet sea god. He grabs his pants and pulls on a T-shirt then runs his hands through his hair a few times before he looks at me.
“You ready?”
I nod. My words seem stuck in my throat. He’s not looking at me in anger—it’s more sad, even resigned.
“Wait, what about towels and sunscreen?” I try to pass him and he grabs my arm.
“The clubhouse has everything. Charlie, I need you to listen to me on this. I want you to stay with Eve, Dolly, and your friend, okay?”
“Okay. Why are you worrying?” I reach for my bag.
He looks me up and down. “And don’t go anywhere without me. Not even to the bathroom, understand?”
“David, what the hell?” I throw my hands up. “Do you not want me to go?”
He runs his fingers through his hair, drops them, and takes my hand.
“Let’s get it over with.” He grabs his phone and cigarettes on the way out and says nothing as we head downstairs to his bike.
He’s making me all paranoid now. Is something bad about to happen?
The gravel and dust from the clubhouse driveway snap me out of my morbid thoughts as I look around. There’s no doubt it’s a party. Bikes everywhere, music blasting. We pass a bunch of mean-looking women, I’m guessing strippers, smoking over by a bonfire.
“Holy shit, this is not what I expected.”
Jimi Hendrix is belting out a tune—something about if six turned out to be nine. David grabs my hand and holds it tight. It’s only a touch, but as with everything David does, it always means more.
The place is definitely wild. People of all sizes walk by drinking, smoking, and laughing. Most of the women are in black with high heels. The men look scary, but nobody says a word as we pass.
David weaves us through the porch and into the air-conditioned house where lots of bikers are drinking and playing pool.
“Poet, Prez wants to see you in the conference room,” Edge says as we pass.
“I’ll be right there. Let me make sure Charlie’s all right.” He doesn’t even look at him and again, my heart beats faster. Something is wrong.
David pulls me toward the glass doors.
“Are you in trouble?” I stand on tiptoes. The music is loud.
“No.” He looks down at me and his eyes caress my face. “Just have fun and stay with the girls.” He slides the doors open and we venture toward the chlorine smell. The backyard is covered with grass and flowers.
“It took you long enough.” Cindy stands up. Her big boobs bounce around in her cherry red bikini. I cringe and look at David, who is busy pulling a lounge chair over for me.
“Sorry we’re late.” I look absurd standing next to these goddesses. They have bodies to die for and faces to match.
A blond girl in a pink bikini with long legs and the most beautiful face I have ever seen stands up. She comes over and I notice she has a perfectly round-shaped belly.
“I’m Eve. Welcome to our party.” She grabs my hand as David frowns.
“Thank you for inviting me.” I smile at her.
“Poet? Is this why we barely see you?” She eyes him.
“Don’t, Eve. I’m not in the mood,” he growls, and all three of them smirk.
“Whatever, you never are.” She kind of sings it. “You’ll be in good company. All of the Disciples are in shit moods.” She waves toward the house like that bad energy can’t come near us. “They’re waiting for you.”
“Thanks, Eve.”
He turns to Dolly’s chair. She lowers her sunglasses and rolls her eyes at him.
“Hey, Doll, you doing okay?”
“Really, David? I haven’t seen you in nine years. You’ve been back over a month and that’s all you can say to me?”
“I heard your place is doing great. I was getting ready to stop by…”
“Oh God. You’re as bad as him. Stop. You’re with Edge like always.” She snorts and puts her sunglasses back on.
Eve puts her hands on her small hips. Besides the cute ball in her stomach, you would never know she was pregnant.
“Dolly, just because you hate Edge right now doesn’t mean we hate Poet.”
“Christ.” David rubs the back of his neck. “This was a bad idea. Do you want to go?”
Cindy loops her arm in mine. “No, you guys just got here.” She kind of stumbles but steadies herself with my arm.