14. Priest

The clubhouse isbusy when we arrive. There's a jukebox playing and the lights are dimmed and the beers flowing. Our clubhouse isn't a complete shit show; the guys don't fuck out in the open, but as I put an arm around Bella, I know it's sending a message. They're gonna want to know who she is, but if I don't lay my claim, then I've no doubt she'll be approached and I don't like that idea.

Nevada and Riot are the worst, followed closely by Bronco, who will fuck anything in a skirt. That's not happening on my watch.

After this morning's roll in the hay… Jesus, what was I thinking? I'm supposed to be the one person she can look up to and trust, and here I am taking advantage of her because she crept into my bed. It's no excuse. I should've sent her back to her room, or left her there and took the couch.

I run a hand through my hair, unable to focus because of my wayward thoughts.

Bella is beautiful. Absolutely stunning. Her breasts are perfect. I inwardly groan at the memory of me sucking on her nipples and fingering that tight hole. I should hand her over to Dan and let him sort out her future plans, for the sake of her own virtue.

I'm not a man who just takes what he wants, when he wants. I've never been that way. My inner beast only comes out on those that hurt others, then all bets are off. Like Rueben, for example. He's mine to deal with. Every man has a breaking point, and him hurting Bella — or anyone for that matter — is mine.

I'll have to leave Bella with Stella or Jas for a bit while I talk to the boys about finding Rueben. Fuck knows which new victim he's moved onto now. Some poor, unsuspecting girl who can't defend herself. An easy target. That's his modus operandi and that makes him a coward.

Immediately Brandi sidles up to me, ignoring Bella as she throws her arms around my neck. I wince when her breasts squash into my chest, almost spilling out of her top.

"Priest! I haven't seen you in so long," she purrs.

It's not wasted on me that the sweet butts around the club all have a bet going to see which one of them can break me from my bout of celibacy. Not that I've made that public knowledge, but they know I'm not fucking anyone right now.

"Nice to see you, Brandi," I reply. "This is my friend, Bella."

Brandi casts her eyes over Bella as she looks her up and down. Seeing no threat there, she kisses me on the cheek. "Good to have you back." She leans up to my ear. "Don't be a stranger. I'll be here all night, big guy."

Big guy? Oh, brother.

I look down at Bella and she's fidgeting with her hands, her bottom lip trembling slightly. Her mouth forms a thin line as Brandi steps away, sashaying her ass as she strolls off.

"Wow. Rude much?" she mutters.

I clear my throat. "Sorry about that."

Bella stares after her and I can't read her expression entirely. It's a mixture of surprise and annoyance. I can tell by the frown on her face and the way she folds her arms over her chest. "So, is that one of the girls who hangs around the club for sex?"

I turn to look down at her, surprised. "How do you know about that?"

She shrugs. "I have the internet, Priest. I'm not totally dumb."

Got it.

"They don't just hang around for that. They help out when needed."

She snorts. "Yeah, she looks like a really handy kinda girl."

I roll my lips. I guess she has a point as Brandi skitters across the floor in her giant heels, her mini skirt showing off half her ass.

"I bet she knows how to use a power tool," she goes on. "On turbo mode." I can't help the laugh that bursts from my chest as I imagine such a thing. Clearly, I know she doesn't mean an actual power tool. Looking up at me, she can't hide her smile.

"You done?"

"I don't know, are any other beautiful women going to throw themselves at you?"

Beautiful?

Of course, Brandi isn't unattractive, but I don't see her that way.

"I hope not."

"I mean, I can understand. You're a good looking guy, and I'm here hanging off your arm looking like I don't belong."

"Who says you don't belong?"

She gives me a withering look, making me chuckle again. "Don't overthink it. Stick with me, okay?"

She sighs like this is a hardship for her. We get about another ten paces when Nevada appears in front of me like a phantom. Oh, great. Just what I fucking need.

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal son returning from the prairie. Where have you been?" He flicks his eyes to Bella and I tighten my arm around her.

"You know where I've been; the Soup Kitchen, helping people in need. Somethin' you could be helpin' with instead of pretendin' to look busy."

"Is that where all the pretty girls hang out?" He smirks, ignoring my insinuation. "Aren't you goin' to introduce us?"

Of course, Nevada is the most popular with the ladies.

I take a long intake of breath. "Bella, this is Nevada, Nevada this is Bella."

He holds his hand out to shake hers, and when she extends her arm, he pulls her hand up to his mouth and plants a kiss on her knuckles.

"Enchante." His eyes don't leave hers.

I shake my head. Fucking French?

"Parlez -vous francais?" Bella says as I look down at her in surprise.

Nevada frowns, not expecting that.

She smiles. "O in Italiano, se preferisci?"

Nevada's lips part and he looks off kilter for a second, making me laugh. "That sounds hot. Do you know any swear words you can teach me?"

She shakes her head. "I'm a good Catholic girl."

Something about her words is teasing. A low rumble forms in my chest, a protective surge coming over me as I stare Nevada down.

"Well, well, looks like you've got a little minx on your hands," he says, finally meeting my gaze. "She yours?"

"Yes." I steel my jaw. "Now kindly fuck off so I can get the girl a drink."

Nevada laughs, sizing her up. I want to punch him in the face, but I know that won't discourage him. Just ask Tag; he's landed a punch more than once and Nevada still gets up. He's a tough motherfucker.

"Come on now, I'm just bein' friendly."

I lean closer to him. "You know what I think about you bein' friendly to one of my girls." I don't like saying it because it makes it sound like Bella's a piece of meat, but it's the only language he'll understand.

Nevada holds his palms up. "Now, now, no need to go gettin' all upset over it. You fuck up my face, you'll only have the sweet butts to answer to. Pissed off pussy ain't good for anyone." He winks at Bella.

I inwardly cringe at his words. All the guys speak like this, it's the nature of the club and I've heard it all. But I rarely indulge in the crude way they speak about women sometimes, even when women aren't present. Nevada does it because he thinks he's tough. I can't wait for the day some chick comes along and knocks him on his ass, literally. It'll be a day that I howl with laughter. Payback's a bitch, after all.

"Do you kiss your mother with a mouth like that?" Bella retorts.

I chuckle as Nevada moves to let us by. "No, but I know how to get a woman off just usin' my tongue, if that helps?"

She frowns, her cheeks flushing slightly as my mind flicks back to my fingers buried inside her pussy this morning and how it felt. How her orgasm — rippling through her entire body — sent my cum flying out of me into my fucking pants. Pussy whipped, as Nevada would call it, and I haven't even been inside her.

I'm hard.

I'm fucking hard.

I take a deep breath, settling at the end of the bar where I can discreetly hide Bella until I find Jas or Stella to stay with her, or one of the girls who I know won't try to claw her eyes out.

I can feel the stares from the people around us, but I ignore them. It won't be long before someone else approaches to find out who she is. It's not unusual for one of the guys to bring someone new to the clubhouse, but they don't expect it from me.

"He seems like a handful," she whispers.

I chuckle. "That's puttin' it mildly." I clear my throat. "Sorry about that. He's just trying to shock you."

She plants her ass on the stool. "He needn't bother. It'd take more than a few foul words to shock me."

I smirk. Her bravery makes me want to laugh. She's such a sweet little thing, but I know there's a powerful woman underneath that demure mask just begging to be let out. I get the feeling that Bella has had a hard time being accepted in her home life, that affection — or any kind of attention — was hard to come by, except from her Nonna who she talks about so warmly and openly.

I cock a brow. "You sure about that?"

"I'm not as fragile as I look," she reminds me. I bite down on my bottom lip, afraid if I grin too much, she'll see just exactly how much I'm enjoying her company. "What would you like to drink?"

"I suppose a champagne cocktail is out of the question?"

I grin. "Amber makes cocktails for the girls sometimes, but I doubt we have champagne."

"I'm kidding." She rolls her eyes. "Just a coke. I don't drink."

On cue, Amber walks toward us. "Hey Priest." She gives me a chin lift. "Who's your friend?"

"Hi, Amber. This is Bella. Bella, this is Amber."

Amber is one of the bar staff who don't sleep with the guys like the sweet butts do. Most of the staff who work here are not here for the same reason as the sweet butts, it just makes things complicated. Though, I'm not saying they don't try, but Amber can hold her own.

She smiles at Bella. "Hey!" She holds her hand out and they shake.

"Uh, hi," Bella replies, suddenly shy as she tucks a lock behind her ear. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise. What can I get you?"

"A coke, and my usual," I answer for her.

Amber nods, walking away.

"What's your usual?" Bella inquires.

"I've been laying off the booze for a while," I tell her. "I normally drink tequila, the good stuff. But I've never been a big drinker, not for a long time…" I trail off. Talking about bad things takes me back to my youth, when not every decision I made was good or ethical. I've come a long way since then, but still. "But it's been a week. One shot is my limit, since I'm also drivin' you home." It'll take the edge off, which is exactly what I shouldn't be using alcohol for.

"Home," she mutters.

I stare at her, aware there are eyes on us still.

"I meant…" I run a hand through my hair. "My house."

I see a small smile forming on her lips. "I like your house. It's cozy."

"That's also another word for small."

"No. It's a good word. It's a word that most homes wish they could be. You can have a big house and it be cold and empty, like a museum, marble floors and counters making it look like a freaking hotel lobby." She wafts a hand in the air. "Or small apartments that lack any kind of warmth or character. They're all a dime a dozen. But your place has character. I like it."

"Good. I'm glad." I lean on the side of the bar. "Was that what your house was like? Cold and empty?"

She looks down at her hands. She does this a lot and I want to break her of the habit. I want her to know she can tell me anything. "Yes. It was cold, empty and like a museum. No life there at all. Nobody to talk to…"

"You were there alone a lot?"

She nods. "Aside from going to school, yes. Then we moved and I postponed my classes at the end of term. I was homeschooled for most of high school, my dad… he was very strict, but he wasn't home a lot. So I had my cousins come over sometimes, but we didn't really get along."

"What about friends?"

"I don"t make friends easily."

I frown. "Why not?"

She shrugs, swallowing her real answer when she says, "I don't relate to many people. I'm socially awkward, at best. So I've found it's best to just keep to myself for the most part."

"That sounds like a lonely existence."

Her bottom lip wobbles. Has this woman been deprived of affection this much? She felt that lonely in her own home? No parents to talk to when she got home, no siblings to hang with, or friends. Just cold, monotone walls that held many secrets.

I know Bella is well off. I had that inclination from the start, but I also know she doesn"t have access to money.

"It is." She swallows hard. "But like I said before, I'd rather this than to give myself to a man I don't love, nor do I respect."

Her words hang between us as Amber returns with our drinks. I give her chin lift and she smiles back at me. "There ya go, holler out if you need anything else."

I nod. "Thanks, sweetheart."

The bar is busier than usual being Friday night, and I try to shield Bella away as much as possible. I didn't want to bring her here so soon, but until I find Rueben, I don't trust that he isn't still watching. If he wants to come in through those clubhouse doors, I won't stop him, but I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon.

I turn back to Bella. "I'm glad that you won't stand for anything less than you deserve," I say. "But it has put you in this unfortunate position, one that I'm sure you haven't ventured into lightly."

She sips on her drink through the straw. "I had money, but I can't access it without giving away that I'm…" She clears her throat. "That I ran away… That I did what I did."

I know she has secrets. I know there is a lot she's not telling me, but she will in her own time and I've gotta respect that.It's bad enough she had to fake her own death.

"It's very brave. To get out of a bad situation is one thing, but to uproot your whole life is somethin' else."

"Tell me about it. But I won't be down for long."

I take my shot and down the entire thing. The sting on the back of my throat feels good. "I was thinkin'," I say suddenly, "that we go to Texas the day after tomorrow. It'll be quieter on the road."

"Can we go on the motorcycle?"

I look up at her, surprised at her words. "It's more than a four hour trip."

She shrugs. "Can you handle it?"

I smirk. "I can handle it. The question is, can you?"

Her cheeks flush and my eyes flick down to her chest. Her breathing has accelerated and I know what my bike does to her. That only makes the wood between my legs stand to attention. For fuck's sake. Why does this woman have this hold over me?

"I can handle it." She leans forward. "Were you staking your claim earlier with that Nevada guy?"

I don't take my eyes from hers. "Like I said. Sometimes you gotta talk shit to get rid of the turds, you know?"

She giggles. "Nice analogy."

"Trust me, speakin' Nevada's language can only lead to foul things comin' out of my mouth."

"He's cute, though."

I'm not a jealous guy. I've never really cared about anyone enough to get jealous. We fuck the same girls at the club all the time, but something about her saying that makes me a little edgy.

"If you like that sorta thing."

"He's obvious with it," she goes on. "Obnoxiously so."

I chuckle. "Yep. Just about nailed that on the head." I know I should end it there, but the words are out before I can stop them. "Do you like that sorta thing?"

"Obnoxious men?" That furrow between her brow appears. "Safe to say, that's a no. I don't do that whole macho act. I've had enough experience being around men who think they're tough to last a lifetime."

"Are the men previously in your life still a threat to you? If they knew the truth?" I know the answer, but I need to hear her say it.

"I don't want to talk about any of that." Her voice is barely a whisper. "I want to forget they ever existed."

I swallow the lump in my throat, thinking I've upset her when I turn and see Stella bounding toward us with Summer, Jett's ol' lady.

She immediately hugs Bella, almost knocking her off her stool as she introduces Summer. Good. The cavalry have arrived so I can go find Cash and leave her with the girls.

Our conversation will have to end there for the moment.

"You good to watch Bella while I go talk to Cash?" I give the girls a chin lift.

"Translation, keep the boys away?" Summer singsongs with a laugh. "You can count on us, Priest."

I smile. "Good." I pinch Bella's chin lightly. "I'll be back soon. And if Nevada comes back, feel free to knee him in the nuts." I extend my gaze to Summer and Stella. "All of you."

Bella laughs and I push off the bar.

My mission is to find Rueben, and when I'm done with that, we're going on a road trip.