“Did I push you too much?” he asks. “Was last night too much?”
“No,” I say, taking his hand. “You were really nice. I’m glad my first time was with you,” I lie. “Maybe in a few months, we can get together and see where we’re both at, but right now, I can’t be with you.”
Ryan nods sadly. I feel an instant relief when he walks away. The guilt lifts and I head back inside.
“What can we name the puppy?” slurs Eva. She’s been sneaking shots when Cree’s back’s been turned and now she’s drunk.
“Diesel.” I smile. “I’m calling him Diesel.”
“Ladies,” comes Brick’s voice. We all look up at him from our position on the couch. He’s with a man the size of a wrestler. He’s huge. His muscles bulge and his piercing blue eyes are like crystal. “This is Blu. He’s joining us for a while as our enforcer.”
Gia stands and smiles. “I’m Gia,” she says, holding out her hand. He stares at it but makes no move to take it.
“I thought you were supposed to be here weeks ago?” asks Anna.
“Had some business,” he growls.
“That’s rude,” Gia butts in. “I was being nice.” Blu glares at her. “Shake my hand,” she hisses. I hide my smirk. She looks set to stamp her feet.
“I’m not nice,” he growls. “And I don’t shake hands.” He turns and walks away, followed closely by Brick.
“What an ass,” snaps Gia. “Did you see how rude he was? Who the hell does he think he is?”
“You totally want to bang him,” laughs Anna.
“I totally want to bang him,” agrees Gia and we laugh.
I get into bed with Diesel by my side. I notice a message on my phone and open it.
Chains: Princess, have the best birthday.
I deleted Chains’ telephone number after he left which was pointless because I’d already memorised it. My heart rate picks up. It’s the first time I’ve heard from him since he left. I snap a picture of me and Diesel and I send it to him. Within a few seconds his reply comes.
Chains: Riggs finally caved and got you a puppy?
Leia: No. Vinn.
I wait for a reply, but it doesn’t come. I contemplate texting to explain there’s nothing with me and Vinn but then talk myself out of it. It’s none of his business, and why would he care? He’s got an ol’ lady now.
I’m woken by a knock at my door. It’s ten in the morning. Diesel whines and I put him on his puppy mat so he can pee. Opening the door, Gia almost knocks me down as she pushes past me. “I have a situation,” she whispers. She opens a bag and shows me four pregnancy tests. “I did three, two came back negative, but the first had a very faint positive. I feel sick and I missed my period. So, I got four more tests.”
“If two say negative, then that’s a good thing, right?” I ask.
“Pee on one for me to check they’re working,” she suggests.
“I’m not taking a test.” I laugh. “You did two negatives. They must be working.”
“Please, I’m freaking out.”
I snatch the bag from her and she follows me to the bathroom. “Who have you slept with?” I ask as I concentrate on peeing. “You never said you were seeing anyone.”
“That’s because I’m not seeing him. It’s Vinn’s head of security,” she mutters.
“Christ, Gia, talk about living dangerously.” I pee and place the test on the side.
“I know,” she groans and covers her face. “I have to stop going for assholes.”
I wash my hands and then leave the bathroom. “I wouldn’t worry. Tests are usually accurate, and I’ve heard of false positives before, but if you had two negatives, then I think you’re in the clear. Take another to be certain.”
“Erm, then maybe you should do another one,” she mumbles and I turn to her. She holds up my test. “This says pregnant and the time’s not even up yet.”
I snatch it from her and stare at the two lines. “Get me another test,” I snap, snatching it from her and marching into the bathroom.
Three tests and three positives. I slide down the wall until my ass hits the floor. “Shit, Leia. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think for one second that would happen,” says Gia, holding her fourth negative test.
“Maybe they’re all wrong,” I groan.
“Three positives, I don’t think so.”
“Fuck, Gia. What the hell am I gonna do?”
CHAINS
I glare at Dolly as her head bobs up and down in Scotty’s lap. His head lolls to the side and he grips her hair tight. “That’s it, take it all,” he groans.
“You done?” I growl and Dolly’s guilty expression pales as she scrambles towards me. She’s off her head on drugs. Her eyes give it away. It seems to be the thing here in the Manchester club—sex and drugs.
“Shit, Chains. He made me,” she cries and I shove her away from me.
“Fuck off,” I snap. “You’ve been making eyes at him for days. I’m not stupid. They got me out there shovelling shit and you’re in here sampling coke and fucking like the club whore you are.”
“I’m sorry,” she wails.
If this happened in the London charter, I’d be within rights to kill Scotty. The unwritten rule is once a club member claims an ol’ lady, she’s off the market for the rest of the guys. But I’m not in London. Here, I’m pretty much being treated like a prospect and there ain’t shit I can do about it. I wanna keep my head down so I can get a good picture of what’s going on cos it sure ain’t legit shit. Not that London is either, but these fuckers seem shady and Riggs will wanna know about it.
I leave them to it. I can’t stand Dolly anyway. These last few weeks have shown me how miserable having an ol’ lady makes me. She’s never happy and spends her days bitching and complaining.
I’m collecting up her shit from our room when Raven comes in and flops on my bed. We’ve become close, but not in a sexual way. She’s cool. I can talk to her and she hates being here just as much as me. “Whatcha doing?” she asks.
“Getting that bitch outta my bed,” I mutter. I gather the heap of belongings and pile them up outside the bedroom door. Going back inside, I lock it and lay next to Raven. “What about you?”
“I spent the morning being thrown around the bed by Tank. That motherfucker is a beast.” She sighs, lifting her top and showing me the bruising on her midriff. “He seems to think he’s the enforcer. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“It was, but I think Cobra wants me to prove my worth. I can’t be bothered with that shit. I think I’m gonna stay another week or so, then move on. I haven’t got anything to take back to Riggs. They play their cards close to their chests here,” I say.
“Maybe tonight will bring you something,” she says and shrugs. Tonight is a big party for the prospects who are patching in. It’s a big deal, but I’m concerned the two guys they’re patching haven’t been prospects for long enough. Sometimes guys prospect for years, but in this case, it’s been two months. From what I can gather, none of them have links to any members— they simply walked off the street and offered to prospect. They could be anyone, and now they’re getting patched in and they’ll have access to everything club related.