Page 55 of Devils Cut

I grinned back at her and grabbed the cleaning spray and a rag, the scent of lemon and bleach already burning my nostrils. As I scrubbed the bar, the grime came away easily under my steady hand. The bottles lining the shelves sparkled as I wiped them down, their surfaces reflecting the dim light from above.

"Damn, girl," Amanda said, watching me work. "This bar ain't never looked so clean since you came along. When the new girls take over the back bar, I'll get you to train them up."

"New girls?" I asked, raising an eyebrow while continuing my task.

"Yup," Amanda laughed, her voice light and carefree. "Corvus gave 'em their two weeks' notice. They're bein' replaced and banned from the clubhouse too."

My frown deepened at the news, curiosity getting the better of me. "Why?"

"Those bitches were well overdue to go," Amanda said, shaking her head. "Corvus just kept 'em on 'cause of Lisa havin' a kid with Trey."

"Wait, Trey has a kid?" I asked, pausing my cleaning to look at Amanda. Her laughter rang through the bar, echoing off the walls like a mockingbird.

"Damn, Tempest, do you not pay attention around here?" She wiped a tear from her eye as she continued, "Trey's got a one-year-old boy with Lisa. Now that she's gone, his mom takes care of the little guy most of the time while he's working. He used to hang around the clubhouse a lot, but since Lisa's been out of the picture, he's been staying at home more, being a full-time dad." She blushed slightly, glancing away for a moment.

"Hey now," I said, narrowing my eyes as I caught her blush. "What's that look for? You got a thing for Trey?"

"Um, I might..." Amanda stuttered, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red.

I set down my rag and walked over to her, leaning against the bar. "Ohhh, you gotta tell him! Why haven't you told him yet?" I prodded, genuinely curious.

"Because I'm scared, okay?" She confessed, wringing her hands together. "He isn't the type to choose an old lady, and I don't want to be just another notch on his bedpost."

I leaned in closer to Amanda, my curiosity piqued. "So what actually goes on in the clubhouse? Do all the girls sleep with every guy?"

Amanda laughed, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Yes and no, sugar. You can work for the club and not touch the men if you don't want to. But a lot of the club whores do. They love the attention and dream of becoming an old lady. Honestly, though, maybe one out of a hundred girls ever reach that status."

"Shit, those odds suck," I muttered, "But what about you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. "Do you ever mess around with the guys in there?"

Amanda's laughter grew louder, practically echoing through the dimly lit bar. "Hell no! My old man's part of the Devil's Cut. I've been around these guys my whole life. We live in the clubhouse, so I see the shit that goes down, but I stay in my room when things get wild. And truth be told, I've had a thing for Trey since we were kids. We grew up together, y'know? But he's... well, he's the typical biker type. Just fucks anything with two legs and works his ass off."

"Damn," I mused, "That's rough. But hey, maybe one day he'll realize what he's missing out on, huh?"

"Maybe," Amanda sighed. "But for now, I'll just stick to watching from a safe distance."

"Suit yourself," I shrugged, turning back to the bottles and glasses I'd been cleaning.

"Alright, we're open girls!" Killer announced, swinging the front door wide with a flourish. The daylight streamed in, slicing through the dim haze inside the bar like a knife.

"Morning, Tempest," one of the regulars greeted me with a nod, taking his usual seat at the far end of the bar. I tossed him a casual salute and grabbed a beer from the fridge, sliding it down the counter to him with practised ease.

"Thanks, doll," he said, popping the cap off and taking a deep swig. His eyes flicked over to Amanda, then back to me. "So, when's your next performance? Don't think I've ever seen Corvus miss one of those."

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The smoky haze in the room seemed to part as Corvus sauntered through the door at 4:30 sharp, a devilish smirk playing on his lips. I couldn't help but wonder if his meeting had gone well – he looked like he was in a dangerously good mood.

He made his way over to the bar, slipped behind it, and also behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle, his breath brushed against my ear as he whispered,“You're up soon, Princess".”

"Alright, VP," I replied, leaning back into his strong embrace. The scent of leather and gasoline mingled with the faintest hint of whiskey, comforting and intoxicating all at once.

"No more 'VP.' I like my name on your lips," he said, his voice low and rough.

"Whatever you say, Corvus," I murmured, feeling the heat of his body against mine as he pulled away and took his seat at the front of the stage. I couldn't help but watch him as he settled in, his presence commanding the room even in repose.

Amanda glided across the dimly lit room, her hips swaying as she carried Corvus's whiskey over to him. I watched her for a moment, admiring her confidence and grace. She returned to the bar and leaned in, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "You know you could take him the whiskey too? The men would part for you; you're his old lady now. No one's gonna touch you. You don't need to be scared of walking over to him."

I smirked, wiping down the counter as my thoughts raced. "Oh, I know. I ain't scared of the men touching me in here anymore." A wicked grin spread across my face as I continued, "I like making him sit there and sweat on me singing."

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