Chapter 16

16

AMITY

W e finished breakfast, and thankfully, even though I brought the mood down when I gave G a rundown of my past, he quickly lifted it again, making sure I didn't regret sharing my story.

I don't hide what happened to me. It's hard to explain how I got into stunt work without mentioning it. Same with answering questions about my family or my scars. Everything's tied together in one ball of tragedy.

Maybe it was how understanding he was—the way his gaze met mine with sorrow and horror, but never pity. Or maybe it's because he never reacted to my scars when he saw them in the RV, and even when I mentioned them today, he never asked about them with morbid curiosity like others have in the past. Whatever it was, when he suggested going back to the Raven Souls clubhouse to give them a second chance at making a better impression, I agreed.

Now, as we pull through the gates and into the warehouse, I can't help but wonder if this was the right choice or if I'm just a glutton for punishment.

He waits for me to climb off before getting off himself, taking the helmet from me and setting it on the seat next to his. Then he takes my hand and leads me outside and toward the clubhouse.

"I know we didn't make the best first impression, but I swear we're all good guys. I know a lot of MC's have a bad rep and with good reason, but we spent a lot of time turning shit around. Our main source of income now is made through protection and security. When shit hits the fan, these are the guys you want at your back."

"And the prospect?" Because that guy's definitely not a good guy, and if G disagrees, then that'll tell me all I need to know.

"You don't have to worry about him anymore. He was kicked out of the club, and I reminded him exactly what we do to assholes that pull shit like that."

I look up at him, trying to figure out whether he's telling the truth. I have no reason to doubt him, but I don't know him well enough to know if he's really a good guy or just a really good liar.

Just as we reach the laundromat, the door flies open, and a gorgeous blonde with legs up to her armpits storms out. She spins around and points her finger at someone inside, just out of view.

"Fuck you! I'm done with your bullshit," she shouts before turning, freezing when she sees us.

Her skin flushes pink, but she pulls back her shoulders and holds her head high. "Sorry about that, I was just leaving?—"

"The hell you are, Legs!" a familiar voice roars from inside. Midas stomps out, crossing his arms over his chest when he sees us, but keeps his glare on the woman I assume is Legs.

"I'm not your woman, old lady, or property," she snaps back.

"Yeah, well, that tattoo on your wrist says you're property of the Ravens, so that means you have to do what the fuck I say. You might be a favorite club girl around here, but you're not special."

Her face goes white at his words, and I shout at him, "Hey!"

"Not cool, Midas. Not fucking cool," G growls, his eyes locked on Midas.

Looking at Legs, I can tell she's two seconds away from falling apart, so I make my way over to her, linking my arm through hers and moving her away from Midas. "Hey, can you show me to the ladies' room?"

"There's no ladies' ro?—"

The look I throw over my shoulder shuts Midas up as I walk Legs toward the clubhouse, knowing G will handle Midas. I think back to how he was with Nevaeh last night and can hardly believe it's the same guy. Maybe his name's ironic. Instead of turning everything to gold, everything he touches eventually turns to shit.

"I… um… well, we really don't have ladies' rooms. But I'm sure you can use G's bathroom," she tells me quietly, her voice sounding hollow.

"Can you show me where it is?"

She nods and leads us through the clubhouse, which is pretty quiet, heading up the back stairs, ignoring whoever calls her name. Once we reach G's room, she goes to leave, but I stop her. I turn the handle, surprised to find it unlocked, and pull her inside with me. Guiding her over to the bed, I sit beside her as she lowers her head and the tears that she'd been trying so hard to hold back slip free.

She starts to sob, her whole body shaking as I wrap my arms around her. I don't say anything because, aside from Midas acting like a giant tool, I have no idea what's happening. I just offer her a little comfort so she knows she's not alone.

When she finally calms down, I pull back and look around the room for some tissues. Not seeing any, I pop into the attached bathroom and grab some toilet paper. Returning, I offer it to her, and she takes it from me with a watery smile before wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.

"I'm so embarrassed."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Midas was being a dick."

"He's not wrong, though. He just put me in my place." She looks down at her wrist, where there's a small raven tattoo.

"Midas said you're a club girl," I say quietly.

She looks at me warily before nodding. I realize then that she's probably expecting me to ask if she's slept with G.

I sit back down next to her. "You're a stronger woman than I am. I would've murdered half of them in their sleep."

She chuckles, the tension easing from her shoulders.

"Just to be clear, I don't care if you've slept with G, as long as it doesn't happen again while I'm here. I'm not big on sharing. If he does sleep with you, I'll be pissed at him, not you. I know you don't really get the option to say no." I wince at that. I don't have a problem with the club girls. If they want to fuck the guys, that's their choice. My issue is with the blurry line when it comes to consent. I get that they signed up for this, but what if they're not feeling well or just don't want to that day?

"It's not that bad here. The brothers are pretty respectful, for bikers anyway. They don't force us. We can say no if we don't like what they're into. Like, if a guy's into inflicting pain, for example, I'm out. But there are girls here who are into it, so it works out."

"This isn't the first club you've… um, worked for?"

She smirks as I stumble over my words before taking pity on me. "No. I started at the Chaos Demons' mother chapter, then went to their new club, and now I'm here. I've been happier here than anywhere else, though."

"Right." I nod. "So what was today all about, if you don't mind me asking? Of course, you don't have to tell me. It's none of my business. I'm just not sure I understand."

"That makes two of us. Shit, I'm sorry about all this. I'm Legs, by the way. You're Amity, right? G's mentioned you. He was worried you'd never come back after what happened the other night."

"I wasn't sure I would, to be honest. But it's hard to say no to those puppy dog eyes and that damn tongue piercing of his."

She giggles, crumpling up the tissue in her hand. "He's awesome. He'll mess up because he's a guy, and that's what they do, but he really is one of the good ones."

"Yeah, I think he is." I bite my lip. "So you and Midas?"

"Ah, no," she says, rubbing her hand over her face before getting up to toss her tissue into the wastebasket next to the desk.

"I'm a club girl, like he said, but I've spent a lot of time with Midas over the past year." She pauses, her voice softening. "It wasn't on purpose. I started working for him at the pawnshop, and we got close. I thought we were friends who fucked." She shakes her head.

"But a friend wouldn't have spoken to me like he did, not just because I want to move out."

She zones out for a moment, looking lost and scared.

"I want more," she says quietly. "G already knows this because we talked about it the other night when he told me about you. I want to find a man who doesn't want to share me with his friends. I want someone to come home to—someone who'll still be there when I wake up. I want someone to love me and only me, and I want kids. Even though I've been happy here, there's more to life than what this place has to offer. And as my friend, I thought he'd be happy for me, like G is."

"But he's clearly not. What's his problem?"

"He says he doesn't want me to go, that it's not safe out there without the Ravens' protection, and that this is my home. I told him all the reasons why I needed to leave, and he just brushed them off like they were nothing. He says I'm still young and have plenty of time for that."

"Well, that's not his decision to make."

"He seems to think it is. That's why I keep reminding him that I'm not his old lady."

"Maybe he wants you to be. You said you two became friends. Maybe the thought of you leaving made him realize that he feels more for you than friendship."

"Um, no. He's made it perfectly clear that he'll never go there with me. He doesn't want a woman his brothers have been with."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugs. "Don't be. I knew what I was signing up for, but I'm not a patch chaser. I never hoped to be an old lady. Sure, over the years, there have been brothers I've been closer to. One or two I might've wanted something more with than a quick and dirty fuck. But I'm not that girl, and they didn't see me as worthy of wearing their patch anyway because I spread my legs for them."

"And yet they all get to sleep around, and that's okay? Because men are studs and women are sluts," I snap.

Legs looks resigned. "It's the MC way. I'm not saying I agree with it, but I've spent a long time playing by the rules. I know what's expected of me and what's not. And I'm just over it all."

"Well, I think you're brave."

"I don't feel brave. I'm fucking terrified."

"But you won't let the fear stop you, will you?"

She shakes her head. "I can't. If I stay and give up all the things I've dreamed of since I was a little girl, it'll eat me alive, and I'll end up bitter. And for what? So I can settle for the scraps of attention these guys throw my way? No. I've had fun, but now I want more. I deserve more."

"Then fuck what Midas thinks."

"I agree."

We both turn at the sound of G's voice as he stands in the doorway. He walks over and pulls Legs into his arms, watching me over her shoulder, his gaze reassuring me that he's just trying to comfort his friend. I give him a small smile, surprised by how much I already trust him. It might be stupid, but I don't care. Until he proves himself unworthy of my trust, I'll keep giving him the benefit of the doubt.

G releases Legs and steps back. "He's a dick, but I know he regrets it. He's just not handling it well."

"What's there to handle? This really isn't about him, G. It's about me. He can fuck any bunny he wants. He won't even notice I'm gone."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."