Demon, page 7
Sax bent and planted a kiss on his woman as I approached the table. Holly reached up and wrapped her arm around his neck, prolonging the contact with enthusiasm. In spite of the occasional discontent between them, the two were still going strong, and I wondered how they kept the honeymoon phase of their relationship going. I guessed it made a difference when you found the right one. Made you want to work shit out. I shifted my interest to Bobbie, watching as she rose to her feet. She reached for Holly's empty plate and stacked it on top of hers.
"You look right at home," I smirked.
She shrugged. "I remember the routine."
Sax pulled back from Holly. "We'll leave after I eat breakfast," he said. His eyes locked on to his woman's. "Babe, after I drop you off I have to head to Vegas for business. Probably will be gone a couple of days." He'd been tasked with checking into some available locations for a Vegas office.
There wasn't an ounce of resentment in Holly's eyes when she heard that club business was going to take Sax away from her. If it bothered her, she was good at hiding it. By now she had to be used to the workings of the MC, but some old ladies weren't as accepting of the fact that my decisions took precedence over their personal lives.
"Don't forget Bobbie is going with us."
"Know that," he grinned.
"Joker will go with you." I pinned my gaze on Bobbie. "To keep an eye on you, and to get you back here." I wanted to make sure that she knew it would be a mistake to try and make a run for it again. I tossed a little threat in there for good measure. "You make me hunt your ass down again, and you won't like the consequences."
She snorted, clearly not intimidated. "I guess I'd better go get my shower."
She was smart not to test me. With plates in hand, she turned toward the kitchen door.
My gaze dropped to her ass, and I swore that she added a little extra bounce to her step, as if she knew that I was looking. The way the fabric of her jeans fit snugly over the heart-shaped globes made my mouth water. I'd have liked nothing better than to sink my teeth into all that flesh.
Bobbie looked over her shoulder and caught me ogling her, and my brows lifted with surprise at her knowing smirk. Little tease! She thought this was all a game? I hoped for her sake that she was as innocent as she claimed.
"I guess I'll go with Bobbie while you eat breakfast." Holly rose to her feet, a smile on her pretty face, just as Bobbie emerged from the kitchen.
"Be ready in fifteen," Sax called after them.
The sudden image entered my mind of Bobbie in the shower, naked and soaping up her body under the water, running her hands over her smooth curves as she rinsed off. Fuck. She made me ache with want. At this rate I was going to have a case of blue balls.
I heard a snicker and pulled my eyes from Bobbie's sexy ass to Sax. His knowing grin said it all.
"Fuck off," I grumbled, my jaw tightening.
"You know you want her, Prez. Why you fighting it?"
I scowled and decided to go to the kitchen for some food. "Not fighting anything. If I want her I'll have her, but club sluts aren't doing it for me anymore."
"Yeah, that's been obvious."
I halted and glared back at him.
"What the fuck do you mean?"
Sax shrugged. "Haven't seen you with any of the girls in months. And Bobbie's not a club slut, never has been."
"Seems to me she was earning her keep on her back just a few months ago." I'd seen her going off with more than one brother, and I knew she and Gage had had something going on.
"She was earning her keep cooking and cleaning," he corrected. "Christ, is that why you won't touch her? You thought she was fucking all of us? Never stopped you with any of the others."
True enough, but that was because I didn't give a fuck about them. I grabbed a plate and started piling on the food. The frown between Sax’s eyes revealed that he was doing some serious thinking, as if he were trying to figure me out. I wanted him off the subject, and said, "Maybe I've found something better at Crystal's Palace. They've got prime pussy there."
Realization spread across Sax's face. "Yeah, you've been spending a lot of time there lately."
"We discussing the Prez's sex life?" Bull joked, stepping next to me with a plate. By the crumbs on it, it was clear that he was there for seconds.
I snorted. "Find something else to talk about." It was an order, and they knew it. "Like what's keeping you away from the clubhouse so much lately."
He shrugged it off, a grin on his scarred face as he grabbed a handful of bacon and dropped it on his plate. "Just shit to take care of."
Sax and I exchanged a meaningful look. I'd never believe that Bull was our traitor, but then I’d never thought that we'd be dealing with one in the first place. Sax's lips pressed together, but other than that his expression remained neutral. I was about to ask Bull what kind of shit he’d been taking care of, but my phone went off before I could get the words out. I set my plate down, pulled my phone out of my pocket, and glanced down at a text from Oz.
Subaru BRZ 2020
What the fuck? expensive car
almost thirty grand
I pressed my lips. anything else
cleans a walk-in clinic for money
as in singular?
yep
shes doing more than that
yep
keep checking.
k
How the fuck did Bobbie afford a car like that? Cleaning a clinic? She'd have to be cleaning more than one fucking business in Pahrump to earn that kind of money. The urge to interrupt her shower and shake the truth out of her was strong.
Bull had finished filling his plate and had already taken off. Sax was leaning against the counter, watching me as he ate. I'd suddenly lost my appetite.
"Let's go meet up with Cole."
Junior entered the kitchen. "You calling church again?"
"No."
He gave me a strange look. "As Road Captain, shouldn't I be there?"
I just glared at him as I left the room. I didn't owe Junior a fucking explanation. The brother annoyed me, but I had to admit that so far he'd done a decent job as Road Captain.
I was glad to see that the bar had emptied out as brothers went about their daily work. The only club girl present was Cherry, and she was busy down at the end of the bar flirting with Joker. The girls liked teasing the prospects. The poor bastard didn't know she'd never give it up, not until he became a patched member.
"Let the man do his fucking work," I snapped in their direction. Cherry sat back on her stool with a flirty grin but Joker jumped to attention and went to work.
"Stay close, Joker," Sax said around a mouthful of food. He was eating while walking. "You're coming with me when I leave. Get a cage ready."
"Yes, sir!" The enthusiasm was evident in his voice.
Sax laughed behind me. "Fuck, was I that eager?"
"Worse," I laughed, heading toward the door.
We were going to meet out back where the picnic tables were. I didn't want to give the impression that we were holding secret meetings. That was how fucking rumors started. The picnic tables were in the open, and anyone that saw us would think that we were just shooting the breeze while having a smoke.
Cole was already waiting for us, and I quirked my lips with amusement when I saw him sucking on a cancer stick. He'd given up smoking, but still enjoyed one every once in a while. I took out my own smokes and lit one up; straddling the bench at the table he was sitting on. Sax moved around me and set his plate down as he sank down onto the bench.
"Been waiting long?"
Cole shook his head, taking his cigarette out of his mouth. "First smoke."
"Okay, fill me in on what you learned from those assholes back in Rachel."
The snort came from Sax. "We had to do a little dental work before we finally got one to squeal."
Cole added, "What they said about buying the cuts was partly true. What they omitted was that Roland was the fucker who'd sold them. Was drunk enough to admit that he used to be with the Devil's Soldiers and had been involved in the bombing of the clubhouse."
Thank fuck for alcohol and loose tongues. Colton hadn't recognized his name when we’d asked about Roland, but maybe Roland had gone by something else when he was with the other MC.
"Apparently Roland decided to join up with the other two."
"Explains why Bobbie overheard what she did. At least their information backs up what Oz was told. We don't have to worry it's just some bullshit to send us on a wild goose chase." I took a deep drag on my smoke, feeling the rage start to build in my blood.
"I think you should mention that there's a traitor in the club at the next church." Was Cole kidding? "Drop a bomb like that, then sit back and watch."
"You think whoever it is will give himself away?" I asked, squinting at the smoke curling up in front of my eyes.
He shrugged. "Without meaning to, it's possible."
"The shock of hearing that we know someone betrayed the club might get the right reaction," Sax said by way of agreement. "And what about Bobbie, do you really think she has anything to do with this?"
Did I? I thought about her plump ass. Fuck knew that I didn't want to believe it was her. She wasn't acting like she'd done anything wrong. Wasn’t acting afraid, and she knew how we'd deal with anyone who hurt the club. In fact, she appeared angry that I thought she'd been disloyal. But then I reminded myself that she had run away, and now all of a sudden she was rolling in dough. The kind a payout someone would get for giving up information, for helping our enemies get close enough to cripple us.
Women were devious bitches.
"Whoever it is, the guilty party will either overreact or not react at all, that's my feeling."
Cole was right. I'd seen it happen before. The guilty always gave themselves away at some point. You just had to know what to look for. So far, none of my brothers had given me any reason to suspect them.
I released a harsh breath. "I'll think it over."
"I gotta head out, brothers." Sax pushed off the bench he'd been sitting.
I followed his gaze to where Holly and Bobbie were waiting for him. Jesus, I hoped Bobbie got good news after she was examined. I'd heard her break down in her apartment while she'd been in the shower, the sound nearly causing me to go to her before I realized that I probably wouldn’t have been able to give her what she'd needed. I wasn't good at comforting people. Usually, when a woman showed such raw emotion, I shut down, incompetent as fuck with dealing with emotion.
It hadn't been lost on me that a woman who lost her shit like that was doing it for a good fucking reason.
"I'll let you know when I get to Vegas. By the way, Fisher is going with me. He needs to get back in the saddle."
I nodded. "Good idea. This should be an easy trip." I knew that he would be eager to get back into club activities now that he was out of the hospital. We'd already decided to patch him in after hearing that, if it hadn't been for him, Mitzi and Tamara wouldn't have made it out of the burning building alive the day of the attack. He'd paid his dues and had proved that he was brave and loyal.
"After I drop off the girls and get my bike I'm going to swing by his place."
"He know you're coming?"
Sax was already walking away, answering Cole's question in a loud voice, "Yep. He's looking forward to it."
My phone went off and I pulled it out of my pocket. Shit. It was a text from Chantelle from Crystal's Palace.
I need you here. Annabelle is trying to leave.
I texted her back, dont let her on my way.
"Fuck." I looked up at Cole. "Something I got to take care of."
"Let me guess--Crystal's Palace?" he smirked.
"Yeah. Let LD know where I am," I ordered as I walked off.
"She must be someone special!" Cole's laugh followed me across the short field.
"She is!" I hollered over my shoulder.
Probably the most important person in my life.
Chapter 9
Bobbie
"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice." I was sitting on the edge of the examining table, dressed in one of the unflattering, one-size-fits-all gowns they provided.
"No problem at all," Doctor Rodriguez said easily. Her red hair and green eyes revealed that she'd probably acquired her last name through marriage. The huge square diamond on her finger sparkled under the bright fluorescent lights. "Lay back, please."
I did as she asked; automatically arranging my feet into the cold, metal stirrups.
Dr. Rodriguez got into position and arranged my gown the way she wanted it. "Are you trying to get pregnant?"
"God, no!" I rushed out before I could think. "Why, am I?"
"I don't see any signs that you are. The blood tests will tell us for sure. Since the lab is right down the hall, we should have those back before you leave."
Thank, God, I thought quietly. I took several deep breaths while the doctor did her thing, wincing more than once when she probed a tender spot. I relaxed only after she’d rolled away and removed her gloves.
"You can sit up now." She offered her hand and assisted me. I could tell by the worry lines between her eyes that she had concerns. "Bobbie, I see signs that tell me you were raped."
I just stared at her, unwilling to admit to anything, afraid that if I did she'd be obligated to inform the police.
"There's significant bruising and swelling, and you have two small tears to your anus."
I wasn't surprised to hear that I had bruising because I was sore down there, and I'd suspected the tears because of bleeding. Roland and his friends had been brutal in their attacks on us, sometimes penetrating our bodies with foreign objects.
Doctor Rodriguez was quiet, watching me with the patience doctors' were known for.
I took a deep breath, faking embarrassment by looking away. "This is embarrassing," I began, giving a timid smile and meeting her eyes again. "I, ah, like rough sex. I guess my partner and I get carried away."
One finely plucked brow rose high on her forehead. I could tell that she didn't quite believe me, and I knew the second she decided to let it go when her expression relaxed. I imagined that she ran into walls often in her occupation. I accepted what had happened to me, and was dealing with it on my own like I was used to. I didn't want the hassle of having the cops involved in my business. Besides, that could bring trouble down on the Desert Rebels, too.
"Well," she began, her mouth turning into a little grin, "I like rough sex, too."
I drew back in surprise at her candor.
"But not enough that my husband damages my body." She got to her feet. "The good news is you'll heal in time. I have sample-size tubes of Nitroglycerin Ointment and will give you one for the tears. We won't get the results of the STD panel for a few days, but if you'll wait in the waiting room we can let you know the results of your pregnancy test."
"Thank you, Doctor."
I released a heavy breath when she left the room. At least I'd have the answer to one huge concern before I left there that day. After missing my birth control pills for two weeks it was my biggest worry, because if I was pregnant I didn't know what I was going to do. Any baby would be half-mine. At least STDs could be treated and then be done with. A baby would be a much more complicated problem to solve.
I hopped off the table and got dressed, fighting back the burning sting in my eyes. I was determined that I would not cry again. I hadn't cried once during the two weeks of my captivity, and the one good cry that I'd allowed myself when I’d finally gotten home and was safe in my apartment had been healing.
I couldn't understand why I felt like crying now.
After slipping into my sneakers I met Holly out in the waiting room. She smiled up at me and set down the magazine she'd been going through. "Don't get up. I have to wait a little longer for blood work results." I sank down into the chair next to her.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded. "Yep." I hadn’t told Holly the details of what I’d endured during my captivity, but she wasn't stupid. She had to know that I hadn't been treated well. But as long as I left there not pregnant I'd be just great. I wanted children some day, but under the right circumstances and with a man I loved.
"Listen, with Sax gone for the next day or two, why don't you stay at our place?"
I liked that idea, but then thought about what Demon’s reaction would be. "I doubt Demon will be okay with that. He doesn't trust me. Plus Joker came to take me back."
Holly waved off what Demon wanted as insignificant. "It won't hurt to ask." She pulled her phone out of her purse and scrolled through her contacts, but when she called Demon there was no answer. "Hmm, let me try his VP."
I met her confidence with skepticism.
"Hey, LD . . . No, everything's okay. I just tried Demon, but he isn't answering . . . Oh, didn't know. Well, do you think he'll mind if Bobbie stays with me while Sax is gone?" She was silent for a minute. "Yeah I know that, but Joker is already here, he could hang around and keep an eye on her."
I rolled my eyes. Then Holly rolled hers, and then went quiet again. Apparently LD had a lot to say, which was unusual for him. I could tell that Holly wanted to cut in--she opened her mouth several times to speak, but then snapped it shut again. When the corners of her mouth turned down, I knew that she'd been turned down.
"Okay," she said dejectedly. "But until you reach Demon, Bobbie will be with me." She hung up before he could respond.
I laughed. "You're a rebel, girl."
"He's going to call back after he talks to Demon, who's apparently on his way to Crystal's Palace and not answering his phone."
My heart sank at her words. The asshole was going for a booty call. Before I could start feeling sorry for myself, the nurse motioned me over to the window. She slid the glass over and leaned in with a smile. "Could you please come back here for a minute?"
