12. Trap

12

TRAP

T he laughter catches me off guard. I don't know much about this girl, other than the fact that she faced the unthinkable last night and came out like this. I'm sure she went through some kind of shock, which was the reason that Grizzly was watching over her. Or at least part of the reason. But she seems far removed from it now.

But I don't know her personal story. I don't have any damn context for whatever this cackling is that's going on. "Tough crowd." I give her a smile and she turns to me as Grizzly comes in bearing the gift of clothes. It's a shame, though, because she does kind of look good in Grizzly's. I'd love to get her in mine too.

"I don't mean to laugh. It's just that, and you wouldn't know this, but I really don't have a family. Not in the traditional sense. It's just my dad, and well…judging from the way this all turned out"—she swirls her finger around the room for emphasis—"I'm sure you can imagine the kind of person he is and whether he gives a shit. My mom's gone. I don't have anyone else. No one else except for Harlow and our other friend."

I nod my head, trying to empathize with her. I kind of get it, because obviously, the MC is my family. Always has been.

"I'm sorry to hear that, though I'm sure you've been dealing with it just fine. There must be someone you want to talk to about this. Maybe Harlow?"

She takes a moment as she gathers the clothes that Grizzly brought for her. Then, she nods, and adds, "Could I maybe borrow a laptop to check my email? I don't have my phone anymore, and I want to make sure I haven't missed any messages from my dad."

"Sure thing, I'll grab mine while you go get yourself dressed. Take your time getting ready. And then I'll take you down for a drink. We'll wait for Harlow together."

"Thanks, Trap. I'd like that." She gives me the most brilliant smile and then leaves the room and locks the bathroom door behind her, leaving the three of us—Dart, Grizzly, and me—alone.

There's this unspoken tension between us. And the real reason Dart and I are here isn't just to check on her. We kinda wanted to know what the hell went down with Grizzly last night. It's fucking selfish of us, I know that. It's sick as hell, considering what she's been through, and I feel guilty.

Not to mention the fact that she's off-limits. She's Harlow's best friend. Grizzly's daughter's best friend. But off-limits has always been my thing. And if she isn't the sexiest off-limits thing I've ever seen, I don't know what is.

Grizzly wants her. It was clear from the moment he saw her on that stage last night. The way he got her on the bike, took possession of her. Basically staked his claim. At least verbally.

But no one's really claimed her until they've fucked. And I don't think the animalistic side of Grizzly was going to really claim her last night. Dart thought he might, but I never did.

Now that I've seen her, seen the way the two of them are acting, I know it hasn't been done. And that means that even though I'm in competition with my friends for her, she's still up for grabs.

She's a challenge. One I'm going to love winning.

But this isn't the only reason I'm going to wait with her for Harlow. Everyone needs someone they can talk to about this shit. She doesn't know me from Adam, but for some god damn reason, overnight I've come to care for this girl. So, I want to let her know I'm someone she can trust, and I want to get to know her too.

I'm not in love or any shit like that, but there's something about her. The way she just went with everything last night. Getting on the bike, just having a good time. Not complaining about everything that happened to her…

She's strong as hell. Fierce. As young she is, I know she's the type of chick who could handle being with someone in an MC. And she already knows how we operate.

I'm back with my laptop before she comes out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of jeans, tight around her ass. Looks nice and plump, and I have to readjust myself and try not to make it obvious what I'm feeling. Not only is it disrespectful to her right now, but Grizzly would bust me over the head. Probably right in front of her.

She says some awkward goodbyes to Dart and Grizzly, unspoken words and unsolved issues hanging in the air. It'll all be addressed at some point, but it doesn't have to be right now.

I offer her my arm, and she takes it. As far as anyone will know, unless she wants to tell everyone, she showed up early after some problems with her dad, and I found her.

Doesn't have to be anything more than that right now.

We get downstairs, and there are a few people sitting around chatting, shooting the shit as they get up for the day. Unless they're an officer, a lot of people don't do much of anything this early. Other than the prospects who are on shift guarding the perimeters.

I find a seat for both of us and tell her to go ahead and order from the bartender.

Meredith goes along with it and asks for a Jack and Coke. The drink surprises me. At least for someone like her. She looks like one of those good girls, one who'd never do anything wrong, who might even be the churchgoing type. The kind you love to break.

But the more I get to know her, the more I know that's probably a fa?ade. Or trauma.

"So, you said this dad of yours is a real winner?" I say, trying to break the ice.

She takes a sip and then leans her cheek into her hand. She turns her chair to face me. "Yeah, absolutely. If that's what you call someone who's always drunk and making you have to go and pick him up and hope he doesn't end up in jail. He makes a lot of scenes. And he's always at the casino. We were never that poor, not until he started gambling away everything we had. I'm glad I got a couple scholarships to get me through college."

"Well, it's unfortunate he spent so much of his time that way, making you take care of him like you're his mother or something." I shake my head and down my drink. "I never did understand men who when they're so lucky to have someone like you in front of them, they treat you like a piece of shit. Father, brother, boyfriend, doesn't matter which one. Seems like you turned out amazing despite him."

I can see that my compliments affected her. There's a little bit of water dancing in her eyes. Though, she doesn't cry. I can tell that this father of hers could use some readjusting. If she's acting like this after just a couple compliments, he's probably never told her anything good about herself at all.

"Thank you. That means a lot. Honestly, I've gotten used to some of it, come to terms with the fact that it's just who he is. I'm sure deep down he loves me. I mean, he did try to warn me to get out of the house."

As she opens my laptop on the bar and starts to log in to her email, my mood turns dark, thinking again about the fact that the Russians grabbed her in the first place. Just to pay off his debt. What does his poor daughter have to do with that? They could just take it out of his skin. They have the resources to chase somebody as stupid as that.

Hell, I know we paid the price for her, and I hope they'll leave her alone now, but a part of me is still uneasy about it. I don't want to get too crazy here, but the idea of letting her go places alone…I don't like it.

I'm about to ask her what her plan is, but then she sighs. "Speak of the devil." She reads an email and then looks up at me. "It's my dad. I guess he heard about what happened, and he wants to meet with me if I can get to him. I think I need to go face him. He needs to know what's going on, and honestly, both you and I could do with knowing more about whatever it is he's gotten himself into."

She jumps up, and I offer to walk her out. Truthfully, I don't want her to go anywhere alone. But she needs her freedom as well, especially after what she experienced.

"Well, I'll let Grizzly know to send a couple prospects to your address. At your dad's house, and at your dorm, wherever you need us. I want to make sure you have the freedom to move around, but just in case the Russians come sniffing…"

She nods as we walk out the door. "I appreciate that. I guess, if you can tell Harlow that I'd like to talk to her, that would be helpful too."

"I will. I don't want to push you into anything, so I'll have one of the prospects take you wherever need to go. You'll be in good hands. But first, there's just something I have to do to make things clear."

Grizzly's going to kill me when he finds out about this. Dart probably is too. But I lean down, put my hands on either side of Meredith's face, and kiss her like there's no tomorrow.