Tainted Bastard (Tainted Knights 4)

My gym bag tossed over my shoulder, I walked into First Bass behind Aubree and Genesis. With Gen and London practically at each other’s throats lately, it was kind of a relief when one or the other decided to come in later with Peyton. Not that either one of them got along so well with Peyton any more than each other. Those three alone for more than a few hours at a time could turn our apartment upside down with the fights they had.

Aubree thought it was funny—and hot. She would rather sit back and watch them tear each other’s hair out than stop them. I, on the other hand, only wanted peace.

For years, all London and Genesis have done is fight. I didn’t even know when it really started, because in the beginning, all four of us were so close I never expected it to be any different. Then the bickering began. But soon it became full-on fights so bad it left them both with scratched-up faces and bald patches on their heads. Aubree joked that they were too much alike, but I suspected it had something to do with a guy they both wanted. It was only a guess, though, because neither one of them ever spoke of it.

The club was empty with the exception of the bartenders setting up for the night, a few waitresses helping out. Nate, who worked upstairs as the only bartender on the VIP floor, whistled down at us.

“I’ll bring you some drinks, ladies. Give me ten,” he called down.

Genesis fanned herself as we headed back to the green room. “Jesus, that man is delicious.”

“Leave him alone, Gen,” Aubree told her as she tossed her bag on the floor and pulled out her clothes for the show later. “Nate seems like a really nice guy. Sweet, even. He doesn’t need you fucking him over and changing that.”

“What?” Genesis asked with mock surprise. “I would never!”

Aubree and I shared a look, then snickered. “Sure, babe,” Aubree soothed. “Because you never turn a guy into some raging bull by the time you break his heart.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad.” Genesis tried to defend herself. “They know the score going into a relationship with me.”

“You sound like a guy,” I laughed as I pulled my hair into a high ponytail so I could do my makeup. “That is totally something they would say.”

“I hate double standards,” Genesis complained, carefully laying out her clothes. “Why is it they’re patted on the back for fucking around, but I’m deemed a slut?”

“Because you are a slut,” Aubree confirmed.

“Well, yeah.” She grinned.

“Suck it up, buttercup. And I don’t mean Nate’s dick. Don’t fuck around at work, bitch. You mess this up for us, and I’ll cut you.”

I sat down at the small vanity Harris put in there for us to do our makeup, something Peyton asked for weeks ago and he’d readily given in. Our boss had been helping us out left and right since we started the month before. I wasn’t sure if it was because he liked Peyton—and according to her, he was already obsessively in love with her—or if the guy liked the business we were bringing in. Either way, it was getting us the shit we wanted, plus he was introducing us to the connections we needed to get somewhere once our contract was up.

Sadly, we hadn’t been afforded the same offer our predecessors had with the infamous Emmie Armstrong. I blamed Peyton, London, and Genesis for bickering so much when the redhead showed up one night to give us a listen. The way those three were sniping at each other and practically showing their claws, it was no wonder the manager didn’t want to deal with our shit.

It was okay, though. There were a hundred other managers out there, maybe not as good as Emmie, but they could get us moving in the business. Just not as fast as the redhead would have. Tainted Knights was already on the radio, and they didn’t even have a record label yet. I heard them almost every day, and while I was happy for them, I was a little jealous too. I would have happily given up both of my oversized tits just to be in their shoes right then.

A tap at the door alerted us to Nate’s presence. He walked in, not seeming to notice or even care that Aubree was only in her panties and bra. I liked that he wasn’t all leery and crude, his eyes barely brushing over her before moving on to offer me a genuine smile and a wink for Genesis.

Everyone knew Aubree was a lesbian, including the bartender. She made no secret of it, having hooked up with a few chicks at the club. My soul sisters and I would have slaughtered anyone who tried to give her shit about it.

Dropping a cooler full of cold bottles of water on the table between the two couches, he straightened. “Need anything else, ladies?”

“Nope. Thanks, handsome,” Genesis told him with a wink.

He grinned, making his face look young and carefree. “Let me know if that changes. Have a good set tonight. Roanna, I’ll make sure someone brings you that honey concoction you like for your throat after your set.”

“Th-Thanks,” I stuttered out, and I felt the heat flood my cheeks.

As he left, Peyton and London were walking in. London brushed against him as they passed each other, giving him a look that told him without words she wanted to fuck him. I could practically see the steam starting to bellow out of Genesis’s ears. This was going to be a disaster, I could already tell.

Groaning, I jumped to my feet. “Stop it. Right now. I mean it.”

All four of them turned to me in surprise. I never raised my voice to them, to anyone, ever. Hell, I could barely speak half the time. But I couldn’t stand to see the train wreck that was already starting to derail in front of me. “Ro—” London began.

I lifted a hand, cutting her off. “We are family. And yes, I know families argue sometimes. But I’m tired of you two constantly being at each other’s throats. Now you’re going to start fighting over a guy? Really? That’s so juvenile and beneath both of you. Not to mention, it’s going to cause issues here at work. So just… Stop!”

Genesis grimaced, shamefaced. “You’re right, Ro. I swear, from here on out, Nate is off-limits.”

“Yeah,” London agreed. “We won’t do anything to mess with work. Don’t worry, Roanna. I promise you, we won’t fight over Nate.”