Ten minutes later, after I smoked three cigarettes, I heard loud pipes in the distance. About thirty seconds later, Mace pulled into the driveway.
He parked next to my bike and shut it off. “What in the fuck are you doing in this part of town?” he hollered.
I rolled my eyes and dropped my cigarette on the driveway. I ground it out with my toe and moved toward Mace. “You think you could keep your fucking voice down?” I was sure Raelyn’s neighbors were already wondering what the hell was going on over here with my bike being parked on the street most of last night.
“Bro, do you see where we’re parked? Unless this is your fucking grandma’s house, I don’t know what the hell you think you’re picking up here.”
“Oh, my God. They’re multiplying.”
Mace looked over my shoulder and pulled his sunglasses off his face. “Well, shit,” he mumbled.
I turned to the sound of Raelyn’s friend. She was talking, but I was looking at Raelyn.
She looked nothing like she had ten minutes ago.
Her silky hair was down in waves around her shoulders; her lips were painted a light pink, and her eyes had a dusting of peach on them which was only enhanced by the dark frames of her glasses.
She was wearing the same jeans she had been before, but now, she had on a black shirt that hung off one shoulder over the tank top. Her bare feet were gone and covered with black heeled boots. She was dressed simple, but she was without a doubt the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on.
Her friend was definitely a looker, but she was nothing compared to Raelyn.
“This what you needed help picking up?” Mace asked.
I glanced over my shoulder and nodded.
“Do I get to call dibs on one?”
I curtly shook my head. “You get the blonde.”
Mace shrugged. “Not my first choice, but I’m willing to adapt. Surprised to see your tastes have changed, though.”
Raelyn’s friend was my typical type, but she wasn’t doing anything for me. Raelyn was the only chick I wanted right now.
“Uh, everything okay?” Raelyn called.
“How is everything not okay with these two handsome men in our presence?” Her friend extended her hand to me. “I’m Leona. Raelyn was kind enough to invite me along for our little excursion tonight.”
“Invite?” Raelyn scoffed. “Pretty sure I told you no four times, if not more.”
Leona flitted her hand at Raelyn. “Details, babe.”
I hitched my thumb over my shoulder toward Mace. “That’s Mace. He’s your ride for the night, Leona.”
Leona batted her eyes at Mace. “Charmed to meet you.” She strutted over to him and laid her hand on his shoulder as she threw her leg over the bike.
“Are you sure this is okay?” Raelyn asked me softly. “If you don’t want both of us coming with you, we can just stay home.”
“We’re good, pretty girl.” We were. Not exactly what I wanted for tonight, but it was going to be fine. Mace obviously knew I was interested in Raelyn and would keep Leona busy the whole night. “Let’s go.”
She followed me over to my bike and waited while I climbed on. “Been on a bike before?” I asked.
She nodded. “I used to drive a dirt bike in high school.”
“Dirt bike?” I asked, amazed. I did not expect her to say that. I figured she hadn’t ever been on a bike before.
“Yeah. It was the only thing I could afford.” She got on behind me without hesitation and rested her arms around my waist.
“You lock up?”
“Yup.”
I cranked up the bike and backed around.
“Club?” Mace called over the roar of our engines.
“Yeah,” I called.
I headed in the direction of the club with Raelyn at my back and Mace following behind with Leona.
Time to figure out where the fuck Billie Jean was.
*
Chapter Seven
Raelyn
Try to keep your mouth shut…
I had been on a bike before, but it had been almost eight years. As soon as I had graduated from high school, I had traded in my dirt bike and gotten an actual car. In that time, I had forgotten how freeing it was to be on a motorcycle. Add in the fact I was wrapped around Playboy and it was even better.
Fifteen minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of Skinz and parked in the front row
“Perks of owning the place?” I asked when Playboy turned off the bike.
“Definitely, pretty girl.”
“Looks like 'cuda and Monk are here,” Mace called.
“Who is 'cuda?” Raelyn asked.
“Prez and Monk is our VP,” I answered.
I slid off the bike and stood off to the side. “Is it bad that they’re here?” she asked.
Playboy shook his head. “Nah. Pretty typical for most of the club to be here. 'cuda and Monk tend to move in tandem, though.”
Yeah, no idea what that meant. “They don’t know anything about Billie Jean?”
Playboy shook his head and got off the bike. “Haven’t heard anything.”
That sucked.
Mace and Leona had parked next to us, and it looked like they had snuggled up pretty closely. Maybe Leona was going to end her drought of a love life tonight.
Playboy grabbed my hand. “Stay with me in the club, yeah?”
I tried to focus on his words and not the feel of his hand wrapped around mine. I tipped my head back and nodded. “Okay.”
“I mean it, Raelyn. You gotta go to the bathroom, you tell me and I’ll take you, okay.”
That seemed a bit drastic, but this was Playboy’s world. I was just living in it until I figured out where Billie Jean had disappeared to. “Got it. You and I are stuck together like glue.” Gah. Here I thought maybe I had stopped saying stupid things in front of Playboy.
Yeah. Not so much.
“I can pee alone, yeah?” Leona asked.
Mace slid his sunglasses on top of his head. “Do whatever you want, doll.”
Playboy led us into the club, and I trailed behind him with my hand in his. Walking into the club this time was way different than the last time.
I didn’t have to stand in line. I didn’t have to show them my ID.
Everyone seemed to stare at us, though. I scooted closer to Playboy as we wove through the crowd and tables. He glanced over his shoulder at me and gave a nod. “Stay close.”
I could totally do that.
Hell, I liked that.
“Drinks,” Mace called. He split off from us with Leona in tow.
I had the urge to grab her hand and keep her with me, but she seemed to be more in her element than I was. Leona was definitely more outgoing and fit in here.
She had tried to make me dress up a bit, and while I didn’t wear my typical sweatshirt, I still looked pretty much like I always did.
Leona, on the other hand, had black, skintight pants encasing her ass, a red cropped top with bell sleeves over her ample chest, and silver booties on her feet. Her blond hair was piled on top of her head, and it didn’t look like the wind on the ride over had messed it up at all.
I knew for a fact that my curled hair looked like a rat’s nest on my head. This was why no one ever looked my way. The art of looking good was completely lost on me.