STRIKE: Storm Runners Motorcycle Club 2 (SRMC) (13 page)

CHAPTER 16

G
race wasn’t sure whether she was disappointed or relieved when she woke up alone in her bed. The spicy, fresh scent of Tom’s cologne still hung in the air and she rolled over in her soft sheets, closing her eyes at the surge of longing that ripped through her. Even with the torment in his eyes the night before—and the anger in the fisted hands at his side—she’d wanted him so much that her skin ached with it.

Pressing her face into the pillow, she gave a short scream of frustration when she looked at the clock before she pushed herself off the mattress and headed into the bathroom to get ready for the day. A quick brush of her teeth and a little soap, moisturizer and sunscreen later, she was ready to pull on leggings and a t-shirt so she could head out the door to the gym.

The day was brisk and she regretted not bringing her coat, even though the gym was only blocks away and the early afternoon sun was bright in the sky. She jogged a little faster to get out of the wind, looking down at her feet to shield her face from the harsh chill. Once she walked into the scents of metal and sweat that greeted her at the door, some of her tension melted away. The gym had become her happy place since moving to Detroit and she was more than ready to get to work.

An hour on the treadmill had her panting and sweating. She’d run like the hounds of hell were on her ass—but she wasn’t done yet. Grace made her way over to the free weights and started working her way through her routine. The repetitive motion and the burn in her muscles made her feel stronger. With every motion of her body, her breathing evened and she was able to work on coming to terms with what had happened the night before.

Seeing Mandi get snatched out of the club had set her nerves on edge and made her skin feel like she’d plunged into a February ocean. Despite all the night patrols and shifts in dangerous neighborhoods, Grace had never felt ice coat her teeth and quickly spread down all her muscle fibers. As she pushed through the crowd to the back door, to Mandi, that ice had made it difficult to move. Difficult to breathe through the chill.

She’d never frozen before.

She hoped she never would again.

Mandi was safe at home, though. When Grace woke, there was a text from her thanking her for the night before and promising that she’d decided to take a few days off.

Grace’s thoughts turned to Tom. She’d never seen a man as wrapped in fury as he’d been the night before when she’d walked out of her bathroom. Still, she hadn’t been scared of him—not really.

Everything in her body wanted him desperately. Even when he was raging at her, the planes of his face were so attractive that she’d been tense with arousal.

His anger in the face of her betrayal was so at odds with the way he’d gently held her in his arms, the stress of the night overwhelming her desire to stay awake and talk. The warmth of his body helped too, she admitted. Something about his large frame wrapped around her slight one made her feel so safe and so cared for.

But he was gone when she woke. Which was for the best.

She put down the weight and headed for the door and home. Outside, the cold was welcome on her heated skin, at least until she’d made it two blocks toward her apartment. At home, she turned on the shower and made it extremely hot, letting the water spray her skin until it was red and everything felt loose and easy.

Stepping out, she wrapped herself in a fresh towel, put more moisturizer on her face and headed into the kitchen, padding over the hardwood floor. Hunger was a dark pit in her stomach that had her pulling out fresh sliced bread, roast beef, cheddar and more from the fridge. Layering the meat and cheese on the bread, she sliced a few thin pieces of red onion and arranged them on top. A healthy dollop of mayonnaise and mustard completed the sandwich and she used a sharp knife to make a diagonal cut across the bread, splitting it into two halves.

She slid the sandwich onto a plate and brought it into the living room. With a sigh, Grace sat down on the couch and turned on Netflix, clicking to continue the episode of Daredevil she’d been watching two days before. Losing herself in crime she didn’t have to fight, she ate the entire sandwich and the better part of a bag of chips before it was over.

One of the benefits of working at the Ladies Night was that she didn’t worry about fitting into her slacks anymore. Working the pole was a tough job that burned a lot of calories.

Once she cleaned her dish and turned off the TV, she went into the bedroom and got dressed. Unsure what to do with an entire day off, she was about to head out in search of new clothes when her cell phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Grace? It’s Tom.”

“Oh.” Awkwardness coated everything in her at the sound of his voice. The last time she’d heard it, she had been slipping into sleep while he warmed her with his body. She wasn’t about to admit it to him, but the thought that they might do more when she woke had been at the forefront of her mind.

“I hope you don’t mind me calling.”

“You were gone when I woke up.” Stupid, stupid. She sat down on her couch again, berating herself for the needy, useless words.

“Club business,” he said. “I didn’t leave because of—anything with you. I…” he trailed off and she said nothing, waiting for him to speak. “I like being with you.”

“I liked having you here.” It was the least she could give him. It sounded like the confession had been ripped from him against his will, so how could she not respond in kind?

“I want to see you again. I want to help you on the case.”

“How?” He was a normal person with no experience catching criminals. Even though she felt useless, Grace wasn’t sure how Tom’s help would make it much better. At the same time, she didn’t want to turn him away. The idea of spending more time with him was more stimulating than anything had been in a long time.

The truth was, working the case alone was such a burden. Her chief was always around to listen to her reports, but he was fielding information from multiple sources that he wasn’t willing to share with her. She understood why, maybe. He trusted her enough to let her work the case, but he wasn’t willing to risk any of the people he’d put in the same position.

So she worked alone and every night without new information made her tired and worn down. Nothing would have pleased her more than having someone to talk to. To work with. Maybe Tom wasn’t the ideal candidate, but he knew the sleazy side of the city in a way she couldn’t match. As a police officer, she hadn’t exactly been welcomed by the criminal element before she went undercover.

Besides, he owned and operated a bar. Maybe he’d be able to set up security and keep an ear to the ground for information. Even though she was aware she was grasping for a reason to take him up on his offer, she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

“I can go with you to places you wouldn’t want to go alone,” he said, breaking her out of her reverie. “You’re a strong woman, but two is safer than one and there are people who will talk to me. People who trust me. They don’t know you.” His thinking was along the same line as hers, she realized. Maybe he would be able to help get her closer to the information she needed to start taking the bastards down.

“Where would we go?”

“Are you off tonight?” She could have sunk into his deep voice like a hot bath.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll come by at 11. When we’re out and on the case, you’re still Dakota.”

“Of course.” The day stretched out ahead of her in her mind, long and boring while she waited for him to come over.

“Actually,” he said, “why don’t I come over a little earlier? Maybe 7? Do you like Chinese?”

“Chinese?”

“Yeah. We could…talk about the case.” She could almost hear the smile through the phone and it made her go soft and warm between her legs, which she squeezed tighter together.

“I like Chinese,” said Grace. “Anything spicy with chicken.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll see you at 7,” she replied, clicking to end the call before she could say anything she’d regret.

Most of the clothes she’d purchased as Dakota were specifically for walking into and out of Ladies Night. In other words, too tight jeans and strategically ripped shirts. She was going to need something else for wherever Tom took her tonight. Excitement was electric in her limbs when she grabbed her purse and opened the door. Maybe the shopping trip she’d planned was going to be a little more exciting than she’d anticipated.

_____

Mandi joined her at a coffee shop downtown, each of the women ordering a chocolate croissant and a drink so sweet that they were practically vibrating by the time they left. The weather was warmer now that the afternoon had matured and they walked slowly down the street, discussing the merit of one store over another before Mandi stopped and put a hand on Grace’s arm.

“I totally forgot to tell you. He called me this morning to apologize. He was so sweet and it sounded like he was on the verge of tears the whole time.”

“Brian?”

“Yeah,” she said, her candy-pink lips curving in a gentle smile. “I guess his parents make him nervous and it wasn’t that I’m a stripper—it’s that they were in town unexpectedly. So we’re going to Florida this week and when we come back, he’s going to introduce me to them.” Her grin widened and she twirled rapturously, making nearby pedestrians stare.

Grace hoped deep down that the man would keep him promise, but even if he didn’t, Mandi would bounce back. She was like a rubber ball down a never-ending flight of stairs. Never in her life had she met such a happy, positive woman.

“What kind of look do you want to go for tonight?” Mandi was already back on the topic of clothing, making Grace sigh with exasperation. For their entire breakfast, she’d talked about the merits of one shade over another, until Grace got her a refill on her mocha just to keep her mouth busy for a few moments.

“Maybe a mix of badass and kind of…trashy. Is that something I can pull off?” She envisioned herself maybe in leather, or something short and tight. Something she’d never wear on her own time.

“With my help, you can pull off anything.” Mandi wasn’t bragging without cause. Grace had seen her pull some pretty horrible items together into a good looking outfit on the girls at the club. It was what she was known for and more than once a woman had come in on a night off, begging for advice before a big date.

Mandi took her to a little shop down near the stadium. The proprieteress and Mandi proceeded to use Grace as a doll to dress up for an hour, making the most of her long black hair by choosing bright shades of red and jewel toned outfits.

“This one isn’t going to work,” she said, sliding a snake print dress over her head. She wanted to fit in wherever Tom was taking her, but she drew the line at wearing animal print. The dress was so low that it almost exposed her nipples, too, which looked more lurid than sexy to her eyes.

“I agree,” Mandi said, lifting a manicured finger to her lips. “You need something that fits like a second skin but doesn’t show all of it.”

“Maybe something like this?” The woman working with them pulled out a red slip dress and handed it to Grace, who unceremoniously yanked it over her head. The silky material fit like a hug, highlighting her breasts and the curve of her hips. Assessing herself, she realized they’d found the outfit and she sighed, so close to escaping the store. The pile of clothing that built up on the discard rack was too large for her taste and made her anxious to look at.

“I think this is it,” she said, turning in a circle. The neckline was suplice and dipped low on her breasts, but the real beauty was in the back of the dress. It hung off her shoulders and left her entire back exposed, showing the long curve of her spine. If it settled any lower, it would show the curve of her butt.

She moved around a little and watched the silky dress move with her, like it was glued to her skin. “I’m surprised it doesn’t slip around more.”

“It’s made to cling,” said Mandi. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to wear it anywhere decent.” Her smile widened as she circled Grace. “Please tell me you’re going to do something more in this dress than go to the club. That handsome man better be a part of your plan.”

“He is.”

“Good. Because you can’t be all work in a dress like this.”

“What’s the fun in being focused on work anyway when you’re this hot?” Asked the shop woman with a laugh. “Now, let’s move onto the next phase.”

“Next phase?” Grace felt her eyes go wide. “What do you mean?”

“You still need accessories and something to wear over it when you go out. It’s too cold to wear the dress alone and besides, a garment this stunning needs to make an appearance. Pull off the top layer in one go for maximum effect.”

“Maybe something like a cape?”

“Come look at a few things. I’m sure we’ll find something.” Correctly pegging Mandi as the star of the show, the lady led her back onto the shop floor. Grace turned in the mirror. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, but that was where the resemblance to herself ended. She didn’t look like Dakota either, not really. With the right makeup—she’d look sexy, and dangerous.

Was there any better way to attract a man like Tom?

Not that she was dressing up to please him, of course, she assured herself. She was definitely doing it to find more information on the missing women. No harm in having the dress pull double duty, though.