“Anyone ever actually use that thing for pool?” I ask as I approach the bar.
Hustler overhears my question and shrugs. “That table probably has more STDs than a truck-stop whore.”
“Lovely,” Lilly murmurs so low only I hear her.
I squeeze her hand and she squeezes back.
“You two look miserable.” I lift my chin at Teller, then Murphy. “Why not head home? Things are cool here.”
Murphy’s actually looking past me and I’m not sure he even heard my question. His jaw locks. “He’s such a fucking asshole.”
Teller follows his line of sight. “Are you joking? What, are you jealous?”
“Fuck no.” He shoves Teller. “Doesn’t mean I want him hurting any of the girls here, though.”
We all glance over to where Murphy’s focused.
“Oh, shit. You’re right,” Teller mutters.
Yeah, Murphy has a point, all right.
Shadow has one slab-sized hand wrapped around Serena’s forearm as he yanks her into the hallway. She digs her heels into the carpet and shakes her head. It only forces him to tug on her harder.
When she curls her fingers around the corner of the wall, hanging on, I set down my beer.
“Ow.” Her high whine rides over the noise in the clubhouse. People stare, but no one seems to want to do anything.
In another MC, no one would think twice. An unpatched woman steps inside a clubhouse, she’s fair game. Serena’s been around here long enough that some of the guys feel entitled to use her as they see fit.
That ends now.
We don’t tolerate that bullshit in our clubhouse upstate. We don’t look the other way. No matter how precarious my situation is with downstate right now, I’m sure as fuck not standing by and watching any woman get hurt.
“Z, what are you—”
Lilly doesn’t even get her whole question out before I’m stalking across the room. It’s dark and the music’s loud enough that the only people who notice me are the ones I shove out of my way.
“Shadow, stop. Please, no.” The distress in Serena’s voice propels me into action.
“Let her go. Now.” My warning’s low, but I know he hears me by the way his body tenses.
He doesn’t release her.
I knew this wouldn’t go down easily. And that’s fine. I wrap my arm around Shadow’s throat and jerk him backwards into a choke hold until Serena’s able to free herself and stagger backwards.
Turning, I lift my chin at Lilly and she reaches for Serena, pulling her away from us.
Things are about to get ugly.
“What the fuck you doing?” he mumbles with the last bit of air in his lungs.
“She said no.”
“So what?”
Wrong answer.
I spin him and slam his back against the wall. “Did she look eager to you?”
“She always says no.” He snorts. “She likes it. Eventually.”
I’m not stupid. I’m aware some couples enjoy playing that game with each other, but it’s pretty obvious that’s not the case in this situation.
“Why isn’t she standing here defending you then?”
“Huh? Who fucking cares?”
“I care.”
He twists and tries to free himself, but my hold on him can’t be broken.
“That’s what she’s here for,” he whines like the weak little bitch he is. “Why are you making a big deal about a whore?”
Christ, this motherfucker’s worse than I thought. I’ve run into plenty of guys over the years who think hurting a woman makes him a real man. Thinks it shows the world he’s in charge.
A real man would rather cut off his own dick than hurt a woman. Any woman.
“That’s not how I run things. If she’s not interested, find someone else who is.”
“Fuck you. She ain’t patched by anyone.” He choke-laughs. “Ain’t ever gonna be patched by anyone.”
As if being patched by this asshole would be some prize. “That’s not the point.”
“You want her, have at her.” His gaze skips to the space behind me. “You already got a hot—”
I cut him off by pressing my forearm against his windpipe even harder. “Don’t speak about my woman. Don’t even look at her.”
“You got…no right…to interfere.” He gasps out each syllable.
“No?” I tilt my head in Serena’s direction. “She’s under this club’s protection. I’m the president. That gives me the right. End of discussion.”
By now, we’ve attracted a bit of attention. A couple guys form a half-circle around us. Lilly slowly backs up, taking Serena with her, and Teller moves them away from the scene.
“No means no.” I raise my voice to make sure I’m heard by the other brothers. “Anyone who has a problem with that can leave their cut on the way out the door.”
Rooster steps up beside me, arms folded over his chest, and stares Shadow down. “As it should be, Prez.” His deep, rumbling voice doesn’t invite discussion or disagreement.
Shadow’s eyes widen. “What the fuck am I supposed to do? Have a bitch sign a form every time I want my dick sucked?”
I slam his back into the wall. “I expect you to not act like a scumbag.”
Again, I raise my voice. “This is a club for grown-ass men. Not a hideout for weak little boys. Real men do not hurt women. Period. Am I clear?”
“With all due respect, Prez, she’s a clubwhore.”
Scowling, I search the crowd for who uttered that bullshit. A younger brother, Tiny, I think, backs away under my glare.
“She’s a friend of this club. No one under our protection loses the right to say no because they walk in our front door.” I look around the room. “If anyone has trouble grasping that simple concept, you’re not fit to wear Lost Kings colors. Leave your cut on my desk and get out. Now.”
Jigsaw steps slightly away from the other brothers, the girl he was with earlier clinging to his arm behind him. “This shouldn’t even need to be said.” He glares at Tiny. “Why you looking so shocked, bro? You want to behave that way, go join the Vipers or a dozen other shitty MCs.”
Tiny shrugs and glances away. “Sorry, Prez,” he mutters.
Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd, but I also note scowls on a few brothers’ faces. Maybe this wasn’t the best time for this demonstration, but fuck it. Waiting for a more convenient time, when I know a girl’s being taken advantage of, makes me as guilty as the rest of them.
I shove Shadow once more. “Don’t make me have this talk with you again.”
“Sure, Prez. Whatever you say goes.”
Why don’t I feel convinced?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lilly
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Serena keeps whispering as I take her down the hall.
“Shh.” I push the door to one of the quieter lounges open. It appears to be empty and I close the door behind us. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Z didn’t have to do that for me. Shadow’s only going to be more pissed and take it out on me later.”
I don’t bother asking why she keeps coming to the clubhouse or any of the dozens of other shitty questions I’ve had thrown at me in the past. Instead, I put my arm around her and offer support. “Did you want to be with Shadow?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “He’s never really concerned with my wants. I mean, sometimes he can be nice. But that seems to be less and less often lately.”
He’s never struck me as nice before, but I nod and ask if she wants something to drink instead.
“Please.” She rubs her arm where a dark bruise is already forming. It matches one around her neck that’s visible when she pulls her hair back.
This life…club life is so complicated.
Teller opens the door and shuts it behind him. “Everything all right? You want Charlotte and me to give you a ride home, Serena?”
“Will she mind?”
“Not at all.?
??
“Okay.” She stands and brushes off her jeans with shaky hands. Without warning, she pitches forward and hugs me tight. “Thank you, Lilly.”
“Sure.” I squeeze her back. “Thank you for all your help this week.”
The door opens again and Charlotte smiles brightly. “Are we staying or going?”
“I’m going,” Serena says.
Teller frowns. “You don’t have to. No one’s kicking you out.”