Avenged (Angel's Halo MC 7)

I didn’t move for a second, too stunned by my sister’s revelation. Kelli loved me? Not one damn thing had even hinted to me that was the case. She was too closed off. At times, I wondered if she even had feelings at all. No one knew what she was thinking, ever, so how could my baby sister know that Kelli loved me when I had no clue?

Yet, even as the skeptic in me was scoffing at the idea that Kelli Murdock might have feelings for me beyond the need for my cock, I wondered if it was possible for her to still love me now.

Biting back a curse, I drove through the gate and headed in the direction of Paradise City.

Despite the chaos that was going on with the MC, the parking lot in front of the strip club was overflowing. College kids kept this place in business, along with locals from the surrounding counties. Paradise City might not have been up to the level of some of the Vegas clubs, but it sure as hell wasn’t a seedy little joint. The girls were classy strippers, and it was all because Topaz ran a tight ship for Bash and Spider.

Seeing Kelli’s car parked in the back parking lot, I let out the breath I’d been holding during the drive over. I parked beside her vehicle and headed for the back entrance where the girls went in.

One of the new bouncers was standing guard. The guy was bulky, more on the heavy side than actually muscular, but his pocked face was intimidating as hell. Which was exactly what Topaz wanted. Recognizing me, he stepped aside with a nod.

“She’s already onstage,” he informed me.

“Yeah, thanks,” I muttered.

I had to w

alk through the dressing room to get to the stage. Girls walked around in various stages of nakedness. Some in just panties, others in nothing at all, while a few were still in the casual clothes they were supposed to come to work in. A few called out to me, but I was too focused on getting to Kelli to do more than nod in their general direction.

The sultry beat of Kelli’s usual music was making the walls outside the stage thump. Stepping up just out of sight, I stood there watching Kelli move to the music in nothing more than her panties and the wig she always wore while working.

As she slid down the pole, her ass twerking, agonized groans and wolf whistles echoed over the loudness of the music. But under all the sexy and seductive moves, there was a gracefulness that told me she must have spent years taking professional dance lessons. From the first second I set eyes on Kelli, I knew she didn’t belong in this world. Fuck, I hadn’t been sure what world she did belong in, but I knew mine was too harsh for her. Just as I knew she was only passing through this small town and my life.

That hadn’t stopped me from going after her, because with one smirk of those sexy lips, I’d been hooked.

Now, I wasn’t sure if that was her plan all along or if she had been genuine.

My gut, something I had always trusted and lived by, told me it was genuine.

The music changed flawlessly, and suddenly, Kelli’s panties were flying in my direction. I caught them before they hit the floor and stomped out onstage. Grabbing her by the elbow, I pulled her out of view of everyone else.

There was only so much of this shit I could watch without losing my fucking mind. Seeing my girlfriend naked as her tits bounced and she flashed her bare pussy at these motherfuckers was too much on a good night. Right then, when I was already pissed at the world, someone would end up bleeding on the ground at my feet if I had to listen to one more hoot from those losers.

Kelli jerked out of my hold, her eyes full of ice as she glared up at me. “I’m working.”

“Your shift is over,” I bit out, taking her arm again. “I told you it’s too dangerous for you to be here right now. You’re putting not just yourself at risk, but every girl back there. Those Italians are out for blood, in case you missed that little news flash. They won’t hesitate to shoot this place up and not even blink at hitting anyone innocent.”

She snorted. “Like I give a fuck what happens to anyone else in this place.” She tried to pull free again, but I tightened my hold, pushing her in front of me and toward the dressing rooms.

Topaz was waiting as we entered the room, but after seeing the look on my face, she threw a curse at me and headed back to her office without giving Kelli shit about cutting her last song short. “Fucking bikers,” she muttered as she passed me.

“Clothes. Now,” I told Kelli as I pulled her over to her vanity where her gym bag was sitting on the floor and makeup was spread out on the small table. “I’m hungry and not in the fucking mood to play games with you, Kelli.”

“So, go eat. I’m busy making a living here.” She grabbed a new pair of bottoms out of her bag and pulled them on before sitting down at the vanity and grabbing her lipstick. Touching up the dark red color, she glared at me in the mirror. “While you’re at it, head back to your clubhouse, but I’m not going there again.”

“What the hell is your problem?” I demanded, fighting the urge to tear the whole room apart in my frustration with this female. “I told you I don’t want you to go.”

“Oh, you mean when you said I couldn’t go until you said so? That was you telling me you didn’t want me to go?” she asked with a lift of her dark brows. “Sorry. All I heard was you being a dick and trying to pull that alpha bullshit again. I didn’t hear you ask me to stay, so I guess I got confused.”

“Kelli,” I gritted out.

“But I remember telling you that this is over. I’m done. With you and everything even remotely related to anything that touches you.” She picked up her mascara and brushed a few swipes on the lashes on her right eye. “That includes staying at the clubhouse.”

“We’re under complete lockdown after what happened last night at the bar. It’s not safe for you to be away from there right now,” I reminded her.

“It’s not safe to be anywhere around you. I think I’ll be just fine as long as you’re not in the same vicinity as I am,” she assured me with a careless shrug. “It’s not like I’m one of the ol’ ladies or even one of the sheep. Fuck, after this past week, I’m not even sure what I ever was to you.”

I fisted my hands at my sides as I tried to rein in my anger. “You’re my girlfriend. You’re important to me.”