Hunted (Dauntless MC Book 1) (18 page)

“Red? Red? Girl, you are forever late. It’s time to go to work.”

“I know,” Red whined. “I just wanted to say goodbye to Scooter.”

“Ah, love… a many splendid thing.”

“Hey, I do love Scooter. I’ve been waiting a long time to belong to somebody, or something—you know, family.”

Raven reached over and kissed her on the cheek as she spoke, “You are definitely part of the family now. Things worked out great.”

“Yeah, and to think that all that time the love of my life was standing right in front of me and I never even knew it.”

Raven reached down to grab the large duffle bag that held her dance costumes. “Well, thank goodness he finally jumped on the chance to man up and claim you as his property, even if it did take you getting abducted for it to happen.”

“Now, that was a trip.” Red’s face fell and Raven knew something was wrong.

“Come on and we’ll talk about it on the way to work.”

“Yeah, I think I do need to talk to someone. I’ve even thought about getting some professional help.”

The girls made their way out to the Cadillac SUV that Tiny had bought for Raven. He insisted that she have a dependable car. The girls falling prey to one of their rival clubs was always in the back of his head and he also didn’t want his woman stranded on the side of River Road in a broken down car.

Raven mostly worked at the tattoo parlor she and Tiny owned but she still liked to make an appearance at the club when she wanted to make extra money or just pop in and manage office issues. She had a few regulars she danced for but she never did it nude. They would beg her to sit with them just to talk and, even without undressing, she made more money than two or three girls put together the nights she chose to work. She had been known to take home as much as five thousand dollars in one night. Raven had a way of making a man feel like he was the only man on earth when she sat with him. It was one of the things that had drawn Tiny to her. Her beauty had helped with that too; the girl oozed sex appeal. He had been the one to hire Raven years ago and he swore it was love at first sight. The guys teased him and said he spent more time at the club when he first hired Raven than he ever had in all the time they’d known him. He would sit in a darkened corner and just stare at her for hours.

The girls sat in the
cage,
as they referred to it, and let it warm up a little before taking off.

“Talk to me, sweetie,” Raven asked, watching for traffic as she turned out onto River Road.

“I’m having dreams, Raven… night terrors. I see that guy’s face and all that blood. There was so much blood. It was spraying out all over the place. I guess I must have hit an arterial vein because it just kept spraying everywhere.”

“It was self-defense. He would have killed Justine. You saved her life. Shit, he probably would have killed you too. I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted to leave any witnesses. You’ve got to stop beating yourself up.”

“I tell myself that. I really do, but how do I make his face go away when I close my eyes?”

Raven pulled into her designated spot in the parking lot of the Dauntless motorcycle club’s downtown strip club. They had kept the same name as the club by calling it
Dauntless Divas
. It was a way to let everyone know it was theirs and that the women who worked there were under their protection. It was one of the more upscale joints in the area and women always wanted to be hired there, but Tiny was really picky about who he employed. He always said he didn’t want anyone involved in club business that he couldn’t trust and that included the dancers.

Of course, Raven kept a close eye on the women and she was very quick to let everybody know she would kick anybody’s ass if they were stupid enough to hit on her old man. Raven didn’t play and she had been known to whip a grown man’s ass for pissing her off. She had gained quite a reputation when she beat up a customer after he tried to feel her up. He never saw the Magnum wine bottle coming until she crashed it upside his head and then beat his ass, kicking the shit out of him when he hit the carpet face first. Needless to say, the guy never came back to mess with her again.

“Red, it’s going to take time to get past this. I hate to be so blunt, but you killed a man. The thing you need to remember is that you saved lives—your life and the life of an ICE agent. Fuck girl, you’re a hero. As bad as I hate to focus on it, you also gained street cred by doing that. I’m just trying to focus on the positive. Let’s give it a little while and see how you do. If you feel like you need to talk to a professional, I’m sure the club has references of someone cool you can chat with.” She reached over to rub the tear streaming down Red’s face and hugged her. Red soaked up the feeling of belonging. Finally, after so many years, she had a family.

Daisy sat at the bar and waited for the woman the bartender said did the hiring. She had taken her colors off because she knew she would never get a job at this club if she wore them and she really needed this job. She needed to do something before her old man from the Hell’s Demons motorcycle club killed her. She had the scar on her neck to prove it. Though her hair did a good job of hiding it, it was an ever-present reminder and one she would never forget.

“Raven, you’ve got a girl here who needs to talk to you,” the bartender yelled out as she made her way into the dressing room.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” she said, rushing back to the dressing room and not looking at either girl. The first thing she noticed when she entered was a vase of black roses—her favorite flower.

“Cool, Tiny bought you flowers,” Red said. “That’s so romantic.”

“Yeah, it’s nice to know my man stills loves me after all these years.”

“Why wouldn’t he, as hot as you are?” another dancer chimed in.

Raven made her way over and grabbed the card to read it.
I’m watching you Raven, always watching you…

The girls watched as Raven gasped and dropped the card causing it to float to the ground as if it were falling in slow motion. “Those aren’t from Tiny.”

Red ran over and grabbed her arm. “Hey, you’ve got a lot of admirers. They’re probably just from some customer who thinks he’s in love with you,” she stated after bending down and grabbing the card. She was going to make sure none of these bitches got a hold of it. If Raven wanted Tiny knowing about the flowers, it was her place to tell him, not some bitch trying to gain favor with the President of the club. She was well aware how these girls operated and she had Raven’s back.

“Don’t tell Tiny. He’ll freak and I don’t want him overreacting. You know how he is, Red. He’ll have me on house arrest.”

“Or compound arrest,” Red giggled.

“Same thing.”

“Yeah, do you want me to go with you to interview this chick?”

“Yeah, I do. I sure do, Red. Thanks.”

“Sure… I’d do anything for you. You’re the sister I never had.” Red looked over to see the girl at the dressing room table roll her eyes.

“Have you got a fucking problem, Candy?”

“No, you do. You’re so far up Raven’s ass you can’t see straight. What are you, her fucking assistant now?”

“Maybe I am. It’s none of your fucking business.”

“Oh, I forgot, you’re a killer. I guess I should be scared.”

“Enough!” Raven growled, pointing her finger at Candy. “I’ll fire your fucking ass.”

“I’m sorry, Raven. I put in for the job of being your assistant here.”

“I haven’t hired anybody because I’m a big girl and I don’t need an assistant.”

“Tiny’s the one who brought it up.”

“Tiny is overprotective. Just let it go, guys. I’ve got a lot on my mind and a dancer to interview.”

“I’m sorry,” Candy murmured, going back to putting on her make-up.

Red knew good and well Candy was jealous. She wasn’t sorry at all. This issue of her trying to get on Raven’s good side for all the wrong reasons wasn’t over yet. Red let it go for now because she wasn’t going to stress Raven out. She knew that bouquet of flowers had shaken her up.

“Come on. Let’s go, Raven.”

The girls made their way out of the dressing room and headed to the bar.

“Give me a shot of Jack. No, make it a double,” Raven told the bartender.

Red knew when she saw her order a double shot of Jack that her friend was more upset than she had originally thought. She hoped they would find out that whoever sent the bouquet of roses was just a harmless customer showing his adoration. Supporting Raven was the reason she didn’t go back and kick Candy’s ass for calling her a murderer. She’d hit a nerve when she said that and Red knew that had been Candy’s intent all along.

Raven made her way down to the end of the bar, with Red in tow, to interview the girl who had been waiting.

“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting,” Raven spoke to the girl with long, dishwater blonde hair. She noticed the girl pulled it around so it covered her neck—
odd.

“Oh, it’s no problem. I would have waited all night if it meant getting hired on here. I’m a real good worker and I need this job in the worst sort of way. I got nowhere to stay and no family.”

Red and Raven watched as the poor girl began sobbing.

“Hey, it’s okay. We could use another dancer,” Red answered as she felt her heartstrings pull.

“I’m running from an abusive boyfriend.” She left out the part about him riding with a rival club. They’d never hire her if they knew that.

“Hey, any guy who beats the shit out of his woman isn’t worth his weight in shit. You got a job.”

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re more than welcome. Now, let’s get you settled in.”