Page 14 of Speed

“Seriously, Speed, I told you the dads changed after Cutter’s death. I came back, they had those cabins built for themselves. They spent the time we were away from here, cleaning up the operations.” Crusher stopped to take a swig of his beer.

“Clean it up. What the hell,” my response came from the fact we six had planned to go totally legit when we took over. I was just shocked it was already in the works.

“They cut the ties last year with our last customer across the border. I’m sure Stroker will fill you in at Church this week.” They had been busy while we were gone. Now staying away so long, made me feel a little like shit. Don’t know about the others but I’d have liked to have been here to help out with it all.

“I can tell by your face you feel the same way we all did when we started to come back. Feel like you should have been here, huh?” Coast was always spot on in his observations, probably the reason he’d done so well as a Navy SEAL.

“What made them go that route?” The thought briefly ran through my mind that no way in hell was the old men going soft. And I do mean briefly.

“Like Jag said. Prez will fill you in at Church with everything we got going on. But, brother, you are still going to be in the dark about why. Never gave a reason for it other than he said it was done, it needed to be done.” Crusher shrugged and tipped his beer.

“Guess I will wait for Church.”

I tipped my beer toward the others, and they did the same back, then we all faced the stage when the music started again and watched the blond, curvy stripper begin her routine.

Chapter Five

Sami

I’d gotten back tothe club, and it had been a full house tonight. Tank was at the door when I came in, got his usual chin lift in acknowledgment because his eyes were keeping watch. Not so sure if his awareness toward his job was why he hadn’t spoken or if it was his way to avoid me getting on him for the cupcake sent to Spider. He might have been a big man but still a man. Avoid all confrontation with a woman if you can get by with it. News for him. I’d just wait and pounce his ass when he least expected it.

My job was trying on a good day, but I loved it. The people I worked for and worked with were great. Hadn’t been that way to start, only took my first six months to whip it into shape. And as long as my bosses were happy, that’s pretty much all I cared about.

Checked the bar as I’d passed through, checked the kitchen to make sure Perry didn’t need any extra help, then made my way to my office where I dropped my purse.

I’d just stepped out to go make sure all the girls had shown up to work when I spotted Lindy at the table in the corner. When I’d seen her lean over on the one biker’s arm, flashing her tits wasn’t what pissed me off. Nope, it was the hand she ran across his crotch. I ran this place, I’m not naïve to anything that goes on, but not on my damn floor. Take it to the back if you want to earn a good tip. Though I shouldn’t have been pissed, I was just tired and working the double day always made me feel guilty leaving Ally.

When I reached the table, all eyes had been on Lindy, so I’d cleared my throat before I’d spoken, gaining everyone’s attention. Bikers didn’t scare me, I’d wanted Lindy to get back to work, and as her eyes met mine, she’d known she was busted. However, what caught me off guard was the biker she’d been groping. He’d turned, looked up at me, and his blue eyes stopped any other words from leaving my mouth. So much so, I didn’t even hear but half of what he’d said, something about ass before he was cut off by Russ Davis, one of the bikers he was with, and my main boss’s son who went by Crusher. Lucky day for me. Not. I continued to just stare at the man until they introduced me and he didn’t believe I ran this place. Were they shittin’ him? Really?

Though still, I stood there, only now pissed that he thought I wasn’t capable. But what pissed me off more and if you could have two emotions fighting each other for dominance, I’d felt like my heart had dropped to my stomach. ‘Cause the eyes that looked back at me were my daughter’s eyes.

Well, she had asked me to bring her home a daddy. Yeah, that ran through my mind, go figure. So then my best option had been to stomp off and berate myself while I’d done it.

Hadn’t made it in to check if all the girls showed up. Nope, I’m a grown ass woman and a mother for God’s sake. Yet, into my office I went after I stopped off to tell Stem where I would be.

Once in my office, I’d immediately went to the cabinet on the wall and opened the doors to the monitors that revealed everything going on in the club, from the kitchen, the bar, the hallway leading to the dressing room the girls used to the bathrooms. I could even see my office door on the screens. If I flipped screens, I could see the front and back of Soft Tails. Everything in view. Only privacy to be had was in the bathrooms, inside the actual dressing room, and the private lap dance rooms, which sat at the end of the hall. My focus zoomed to the table in the corner where the men watched the girls, spoke amongst themselves, and enjoyed each other’s company. They laughed, slapped one another, flirted with the girls, and drank. All the while, I watched the one they called Speed. Granted he hadn’t thought me capable of being the manager, which made me mad. But what I realized more was the hurt that there hadn’t even been a flicker of recognition on his part—when every night for almost the last five and a half years I’ve dreamt of him and our night together.

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