21. Tempe

21

Tempe

Work finally feels like a routine again.

Serving drinks.

Fending off handsy frat boys.

Spending the night cleaning up sticky floors and beer-drenched bar tops.

Sonny and Reyes chauffeur me back and forth from every shift, and thankfully, it’s been quiet. I don’t know how much longer Jameson will consider Austin and me at risk, but if it stays like this, he might send us away soon.

It’s clear that’s what he wants.

The second we slept together, he slipped back into his routine of living at the clubhouse. He ignores me, and even if I know Austin has seen him in passing while I’m at work, he avoids the house when I’m there.

It’s only a matter of time before we’re no longer worth the trouble to him, and maybe that’s a good thing. At some point, I need to build a new life for myself and my brother.

I need to show him what he can expect from here on out.

Still, I can’t help the irritation that gnaws at my nerves every time I think about the fact that all it took was one night with Jameson for him to turn into a complete asshole.

I shouldn’t be surprised, knowing what I was walking into with a biker—the president, nonetheless. My mom usually dated guys lower on the totem pole, and they were terrible enough without having the ego and the admiration of an entire club fueling their actions.

At the end of the day, Jameson is a man looking out for his best interests. This is the perfect example of why I don’t trust men.

Good job, Tempe.

He proved all my theories about bikers true, and then some. Which, I suppose, is the motivation I needed.

With Jameson avoiding the house these past few days, I’ve been focusing on my online classes. I’m almost done with my general studies, and so long as I get through this semester, I can start the physical therapy program in the fall.

Austin will be in kindergarten by then, so as long as I can time my classes for when he’s at school, I can make it work. I’ll need to set up a babysitter for late nights at the bar, which will be difficult but possible.

I’ve been apartment hunting with that in mind, trying to find something in a good school district that is a quick drive to Dirty Drakes. Someplace safe and secure. These are all logistics I didn’t have to think about when I first started school, but now they’re all that matters.

I’m going to be there for my brother.

It might take me longer to graduate, and I might have to work this terrible job longer than I wanted. But so long as I figure out how to balance the two, I’ll build a better life for us. I’ll show Austin an example of someone who works hard—someone he can look up to. I’ll show him what Mom never represented to either of us—commitment.

The first step is putting down a deposit on an apartment I found. I need to tour it first, but that requires asking Jameson for a favor, which is the last thing I want to do after catching him at the bar with one of the patch bunnies.

I get it.

My father was a biker, so I know how things work between the men and women at the clubhouse. But seeing Jameson with her after he was with me made me feel like a jealous girlfriend.

I can’t trust myself to face him until I get that in check. Not that I’ll have much choice soon. Pearl had an appointment today, so Jameson offered to watch my brother. Once I’m done at work, I’ll be forced to see him.

Marley giggles at the other end of the bar, and I look up to see her typing something into her phone.

It’s a slow night, so I’ve been reorganizing the cocktail napkins and straws while she scrolls social media .

“Who’s got you smiling so big?” I walk over as she tucks her phone in her back pocket.

“Remember that football player I was telling you about?”

“The quarterback?”

“That fucks with the stamina of a running back? Yeah.” Marley bites her lip, barely holding back her grin. “He’s taking me out tomorrow.”

“A real date.” I nudge her arm. “Look at you having an actual relationship.”

“If that man keeps fucking me like he did last night, he can make an honest woman out of me.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “That good?”

“That good.” Marley smiles. “And don’t try to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ve seen you walking around here the past few days. I’m not the only one with a guy on my mind.”

“I do not.”

“Oh yeah?” She glances over at Sonny and Reyes sitting at a table in the corner. “Then what’s with the bodyguards?”

“They’re just looking out for me.”

“At who’s request?” Marley grins, tapping her finger on her lower lip. “Could it be the knight in shining armor who came to your rescue a couple of weeks ago?”

I narrow my eyes.

“Thought so.”

“He’s no knight.” I shake my head. “And his shining armor is actually a leather cut and a million red flags reminding me to stay away from him. Trust me. There’s nothing going on there. He’s helping me out of a bad situation.”

“But how helpful is he, Tempe? Because you’re awfully relaxed lately.”

My cheeks heat with the reminder of Jameson’s hands on my body. Hating what he did immediately after doesn’t mean I can forget how it felt to be with him.

“Exactly.” Marely starts walking away when a group of customers sits at her end of the bar. “Lie to yourself all you want, but you know I’m right.”

Still, I wish she wasn’t.

Grabbing a clean glass from the sink, I start drying it, hating that my thoughts are back on Jameson. It’s impossible when Marley makes me face everything I’d rather not think about. Setting the glass down, I grab another as a body slides onto the barstool across from where I’m standing.

“What can I get you?”

“Whiskey neat.” The familiar voice sends a shiver down my spine.

I look up into eyes that have haunted me since this man first forced his way into my house and killed my mother. Eyes that showed her no mercy as her body crumpled to the ground. Eyes that became a black hole while time froze.

His dark hair is slicked back, but it’s long enough for him to tuck it behind his ears. His beard is trimmed but messy, and his eyes are pure evil.

“Hello, Tempe. ”

I take a step back, glancing behind him at Sonny and Reyes, who are drinking water and laughing about something.

“I wouldn’t do that,” he says when I open my mouth to yell for them. “You need to be a good girl if you want to protect your brother.”

“Austin’s already safe.” My voice shakes as I glance back at the man.

He’s with Jameson, and no matter what tension exists between Jameson and me right now, I don’t think he’d let anyone hurt him.

The man grins. “Safe for now . But you’ll wear your welcome out with the Twisted Kings soon enough. After all, Steel isn’t known for keeping women very long.”

My stomach sours, and it takes everything in me not to let it show.

“Who are you?”

“Someone who can help you if you cooperate.” He skims me up and down. “You can call me Dimitri.”

At least I’ve put a name to the monster, even if I don’t believe a word he says.

“What makes you think you can help me? You’re the one who set me up.”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?”

“No thanks to you.”

Dimitri leans forward, glaring at me. “Did you think I sent you in there to die? Steel’s too much of a cunt to hurt a woman. Everyone knows that.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. ”

He shrugs, shooting me a vile smile that tells me he isn’t beyond putting his hands on a woman if he deems it necessary.

“What do you want?” I ask, setting the rag down on the bar. “They already found what you were looking for. I can’t get you whatever you were hiding.”

“It’s interesting you still think that’s what we were after. Either the Twisted Kings are as stupid as they look, or Steel isn’t telling you everything.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Dimitri tilts his head. “You’ll figure it out soon enough. You already did what we needed.”

“If you already got what you want, why are you here?”

“Can’t a man just want a drink?”

“This isn’t the only bar in town.” I sneer at him.

Dimitri leans closer, pausing when his gaze dips to my cleavage before looking back up at me again. “Maybe I like the view at this one.”

“You’re sick.”

“And you’re feisty like your momma.” He smirks. “Always liked that about her until I didn’t.”

My stomach spins. “How well did you know my mom?”

“Enough to know you got all her good parts.” Dimitri wets his lips, watching me, and I step back.

I glance back over at Sonny and Reyes, and this time, I find Sonny looking at me. I start to lift my hand to signal for him, but a commotion from the other side of the bar catches his attention before I get the chance.

A guy yells, throwing his beer bottle against the wall .

I turn to see the scene play out, and Sonny and Reyes take notice, standing up and walking over as the guys begin to make a scene.

It all happens in a split second. One broken bottle and the room erupts. People are on their feet and cheering. The room swims with bodies moving around, and I get knocked by one of the bartenders rushing past me.

“Hey.” I’ve barely gripped the bar to steady myself when Dimitri hops over it and grabs me.

“Well, isn’t this convenient? Your bodyguards are too easily distracted.” Dimitri’s voice in my ear makes my stomach curdle.

I scan the crowd, but now multiple fights have broken out, and I can’t find Sonny or Reyes in the mass of people.

“Get off me.” I elbow Dimitri in the side, and he laughs, even as he grunts from the force of it.

“Is that how you like it, spitfire? Rough?” He grabs the back of my hair and tries to pull me toward a door that leads to the alley. “I don’t mind if you want to put up a fight. It gets me all riled up.”

“You’re disgusting.” I scratch his arm, drawing blood.

I can’t let him get me outside. If he does, I might never escape him.

Grabbing his wrist, I dig my nails in, kicking him as hard as I can in the shin at the same time. It’s enough to get him to release me, and I grab his wrist, spinning out of his grasp.

Dimitri lunges, aiming for my throat, but I dip in time, sinking low and punching him as hard as I can between the legs. He buckles over, grabbing himself .

“Bitch. You’re going to pay for that.” But his words come out choked as he grasps for air.

I expect him to grab at me the moment he recovers, but his gaze drifts over my shoulder, and he takes a step back instead.

“Another time, Tempe.” He grits his teeth. “It’s better you stay put right now anyway.”

A group of men hurry out the side door, and Dimitri disappears with them, making his escape right as Sonny and Reyes come to my side.

“Who was that?” Sonny looks to where I’m rubbing my wrist.

“The guy who sent me to the compound.”

Sonny tips his head at Reyes, who heads in the direction Dimitri disappeared, while Sonny stays with me.

“Are you hurt?”

I shake my head. “No, I’m okay.”

“Come here.” Sonny guides me to a barstool, forcing me to sit.

“I’m fine, really.” But he’s already pulling out his phone. “You don’t need to call him.”

Sonny doesn’t bother responding because we both know he does. It’s how the club works. Everything gets reported to Jameson Steel.

Just when I thought this was almost over.

Sonny dials Jameson while Dimitri’s words revolve in my mind. He sent me to the Twisted Kings for a reason, but it’s not the reason he told me in the first place.

I thought I had this figured out. I thought this was almost over .

I was wrong.

I assumed my role in this mess was done. Now, I’m worried it’s only the beginning.