Jack Read online

  4

  Jack was restless. Nothing he did seemed to turn out right anymore. He had taken over the bar from Rider years ago and he liked it. He even still slung drinks on occasion too. He like the feel of the bar, the smoke, the dimness of the lights and yeah, the girls weren’t bad either. He mostly liked the way the place felt in the early morning hours just after everyone was gone. Sure it smelled and was usually trashed, but there was something strangely comforting about those twilight hours. The whole place seemed to take a deep breath as soon as the doors closed for the night. Yeah Jack liked that time best of all.

  He had become Rena’s handler too after she almost lost her shit over Choo-Choo. That was less fun. That woman always seemed to have a bee up her ass about something and now it fell to Jack to keep her from causing trouble, but she was a person and she had a soft side too. Jack had seen it a couple of times when she’d talk to the new girls. She was tough as hell and demanded the girls follow certain rules, but she made sure they knew that most of those rules were for their own good and kept them safe. She also made sure that the girls knew they were still women and not just pets for the boys.

  That was something Jack respected very much. He had heard one of the girls crying one night about how some hang around had treated her and he’d listened to Rena soothe the girl before he’d gone and kicked the shit out of the little prick.

  Jack blew out a breath. He felt responsible for the girls in a twisted sort of way. He wanted them to be safe in his place and it pissed him off that they weren’t always. It made him feel inadequate and he hated that feeling more than anything in life.

  In a way he and Rena shared an odd partnership. They both knew it, but had never talked about it. He was her boss and she answered to him, but he relied on her too. God help him, he did.

  Jack wanted to laugh. That woman had gone nuts when she’d seen Choo-Choo with Josie that first morning. If that bastard Eddie hadn’t taken her, Jack wasn’t sure Rena wouldn’t have killed her.

  Choo-Choo hadn’t even noticed and hadn’t cared.

  Jack shook his head. They were all bastards. Once they found something they wanted, what they had been using wasn’t worth a thought. Not even common curtesy mattered, human decency. No, when a brother found his old lady he didn’t see anyone else and he didn’t give a shit what an ex felt.

  Rena was one scary woman. Most men wanted a girl they could control in the bedroom, but Rena was always in control. The brothers didn’t know what to do with her, but a few liked what she offered. They liked a woman who knew what she wanted and showed no fear.

  Rena still hated Josie, but Josie didn’t seem so pay her any mind at all, which made Rena angrier, but she didn’t dare cross the line. Rena had a nice life here and she wouldn’t throw that away over jealousy. She would shake her ass for Choo-Choo every chance she got, but he didn’t even look at her anymore, never had really.

  Why the fuck did people go after what they couldn’t have?

  His door opened and he looked up. He welcomed the distraction. Something was off in the books and he needed to clear his head to find it.

  Gator walked in and plopped down in the chair across the desk.

  “Who you got coming in early today?”

  Jack felt his eyebrows shoot up. Gator rarely showed interest in the club girls. He preferred to find a fuck at a bar or somewhere less complicated. Not to mention, it was early, even for Gator.

  “Naughty is due in around ten. She is usually a little early. Wanted to work on a new routine.”

  Gator seemed to consider it. “Who else?”

  “Nobody comes in this early. Naughty likes the quiet and the extra money she gets from helping restock some shit.”

  “What she need the money for?” Gator’s eyes narrowed.

  Jack shrugged. Spec took care of making sure the girls weren’t into anything, but they had a right to their personal lives.

  Jack heard the back door open downstairs and Naughty’s voice humming as she closed and locked the door behind her. The muscle worked in Gator’s jaw, but he stood and stomped down the stairs. Jack was surprised when Naughty walked in smiling a few minutes later. Her dark brown hair tied up on her head in a messy wad. She wore a pink t shirt and a pair of old jeans with sneakers. She looked nothing like the stripper she was. She looked like Tiffany, just a regular woman.

  “What needs doing today boss?”

  Her grin was open and happy. Jack had seen her that way a few times, always in the mornings and always when it was just the two of them. She seemed to feel safe with him and he liked that. She was haunted and carried shadows in her eyes, but she could pass for normal this morning, if you didn’t look too close.

  “Gator was looking for you.” He said without thought and watched her smile vanish and her eyes go cold.

  “I saw him. He just walked by me without a word. Guess he changed his mind.” She shrugged.

  “Guess he did. Nothing much to do here but restock the bar. Might get busy tonight. Make sure beer is ready and plentiful. You go on at eleven tonight, but you can come in whenever you want to.”

  She nodded.

  “Something going on with you and Gator that I should know about?”

  Naughty sent him a wink over her shoulder. “Not one little thing sugar.”

  Lie. These girls were impossible to read, but he was pretty sure that was a lie.

  He went back to looking over the books. The numbers just didn’t add up. The check had been written for sixteen cases of beer, but only fourteen were in the inventory. Maybe they had been taken to the clubhouse or something. Someone should have written it down. He hated things like that.

  Jack picked up the phone and called over there.

  He told the prospect to count the cases of beer, but there wasn’t any extra. Something was definitely fishy.

  He sent an email out to Spec to take a look and let Preach know something was off, but he couldn’t get his head on straight. Maybe he should give Naughty a go himself. It wouldn’t be the first time he had, but for some reason the club girls hadn’t turned him on like they once had. They were all dead eyed like dolls. He hated the look they got when the men touched them. It made him sick.

  He had given them that look too. He had caused them damage as much as any other man. Jazz’s face swam into his mind. She had been beautiful, but she had lost her humanity long before she’d taken Jack to bed.

  He heard shouting downstairs and decide to go check it out. It was better than staring at these numbers anyway.

  Jack got to the bottom of the stairs and saw Naughty facing off with Gator. Viki stood beside her looking pale.

  “What the fuck is going on here?” Jack demanded.

  “Gator thinks he can put his hands on her just because she had tits and a pussy. She’s not club property. No means no.”

  “She works for the club, same as you. You jealous or somethin’?” Gator spat.

  “Fuck you Gator. She’s not your pet. She isn’t even a mouse anymore.” Naughty shouted. “She’s a normal woman who doesn’t want to be pawed at.”

  Jack had never seen her so angry. She was almost vibrating with rage.

  “I was just going to talk to her Tiff. I wasn’t going to even touch her.” Gator’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t have to though do I? I don’t have to say one fucking word because you just answered my questions with this bullshit didn’t you?”

  “Viki, what the fuck are you doing here?” Jack demanded.

  “Mrs. asked me to come over and get a case of beer for the clubhouse. Well, I volunteered since I was going to be coming by here anyway. I didn’t think there would be a problem.”

  “The club has beer, I just called and checked.”

  Viki looked shocked. “I looked before I left. There was only one case in the back.”

  “This is bullshit! When I find out who’s fucking with me, I’m going to kill them.” He stomped to the back and grabbed a case of beer and walked past Viki, ignoring Naughty and Ga
tor all together. Let them figure out their own shit. Somebody was playing games with him and he was too pissed to make nice.

  Viki hurried to catch up with him. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m taking this to your car.”

  “I don’t need your help.” She tugged on his sleeve.

  “Tough shit.” Jack spat.

  “Well I certainly don’t need you to be an asshole.” She said under her breath.

  He turned on her. He was tired. He hadn’t slept well. His books were fucked. He sure as shit didn’t feel like standing out in the blazing morning sun arguing with this little mouse about his attitude while he tried to help her.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” His voice was harsher than he’d planned.

  She looked like he’d slapped her. “My problem? I just don’t need to owe you anything! Ok? I know how you guys are. I can take that and be on my way. I’m not the club pet anymore. I can’t afford to owe any more favors.”

  Jack frowned. “What the fuck does that mean?”

  She actually rolled her eyes at him.

  “I mean it. What are you talking about? You don’t owe me shit. I’m carrying a case of beer to your car for Mrs.! I would do the same for Naughty or Mace or any other woman around here.”

  “Whatever. Just give it to me and let me go.”

  Jack felt rage building in his gut.

  “What do you mean ‘whatever’? I said tell me what the fuck you’re talking about.”

  “You do me a ‘favor’ and I have to return it, right? Then every little thing in life becomes a favor or a threat. Well, no thanks. I learned that lesson the hard way. I would rather strap that to my back and crawl to the clubhouse than to ask you for help.” Viki spat with more venom than he had ever seen come from her. “You boys are all the same.”

  He sat the case of beer on the roof of her car and shook his head. He had a pretty good idea what she was talking about and it made him sick. If she would just tell him who was hassling her he would make sure it stopped, but he could tell by the look on her face that she didn’t trust him.

  “I don’t expect anything Viki. I was just being nice.”

  “Nice.” She spat the word as if it tasted bad on her tongue. “You people don’t know what that word means. You only know how to use and take.”

  Jack stepped back as Viki grabbed the case of beer and climbed into her car. He watched her wipe her face and felt like a jackass. Somebody was really screwing her over and for some reason his protective instincts roared to life. He pulled his phone out and dialed Spec.

  “I just got your email. I’ve been watching things over there and I think I may know what’s going on with part of it, but the other is a mystery in a way. Doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Care to explain it?”

  “We can talk about it in church. Nothing you did and you caught it almost as quick as I did. I was just going to check it over from another angle to make sure before I gave you a head’s up.”

  “I’m glad you got it figures. Hey I’m wondering if you could look into something for me.”

  “I can, probably.”

  “That mouse, Viki. I think one of the new boys is hassling her or something. Can you look into it and just see what’s going on, she was acting strange just now when she stopped by.”

  “Yeah. I’ll do that. Might explain something too.”

  “Appreciate it Spec.”

  “Not a problem.”

  Jack disconnected hoping that Spec would be able to give him some answers.

  Just one more thing he couldn’t figure out. One more thing to make him crazy.

  He stalked back into the bar and slammed the door. He didn’t see Naughty or Gator, but he heard voices coming from upstairs. He made his way to his office and heard them more clearly. They were obviously arguing, but it sounded like they were fucking at the same time.

  Jack shook his head. It was like he had fallen through a fucking rabbit hole or something and landed in some warped version of his life, but wasn’t that the fun part of living this life? Wasn’t that what they were all looking for? An escape from reality?

  He pulled a beer from the mini fridge in his office. Yeah it was only about ten in the morning but he didn’t care. Who knew what was alright anyway?

  He didn’t have a fucking clue anymore.

  He wanted his seat at the table. He wanted to be an officer. Those were the only men who seemed to know what the hell this life was really about.

  There had to be more than this.

  5

  Viki drug herself into the tiny apartment where she lived. She hated it. She hated the scarred paneling and the burnt orange carpet with the big stain that she tried to cover with a rug that she had found at a thrift shop. She hated the crappy couch that had a smell she couldn’t identify and felt like sitting on concrete, but mostly she hated that it was the best she could do. No matter what she did, no matter how hard she worked, this was the best she could do. Her mother would be so ashamed of her and how would Jen feel about Bobby living in this dump?

  She felt tears dampen her eyes. She had lived in such a pretty home growing up, such a pretty town and Jen had always had a flair for decorating so her home always looked like it had come straight out of a magazine, but this was nothing but a dump. Viki couldn’t even afford to spruce it up any. She had to take the cheapest crap the thrift store had. What she would give for a matching set of towels or a plate without a chip in it, but this was all she could afford.

  There were no lacy curtains fluttering at the windows, just old, bent mini blinds. There were no candles sitting on the table or flowers or even a decorative plant. No, all Viki had was one framed photo of Jen holding Bobby and that had been something she had taken from the apartment Jen and Bobby had lived in after they’d left Jerry. Bobby’s room was a little better. She had brought a few of his things along to make anyplace they lived feel like home, but it still had the nasty looking carpet and a simple mattress on the floor.

  Bobby deserved better, but she didn’t. She was just as ugly as this place and just as low class. She would never belong in a pretty place, not ever again. She would always belong in the dirty places of the world, in the shadows.

  Viki tried to shake off the mood that had been dragging at her since she’d left the bar, but she had been up since three a.m. and it was getting to her. She was tired and feeling useless and that was a luxury she couldn’t afford either. She’d talked to Naughty and been reassured again that everything would be alright and that she should tell Fish to fuck himself, but she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t risk something happening to her. What would happen to Bobby if the club killed her?

  “Aunt Viki?”

  She sighed. He was worth it. He was worth it all and so much more. “It’s me Bobby. I’m home.”

  Her heart ached in her chest for the little boy who looked up at her from his simple wheelchair. He deserved so much more.

  “You were gone a long time. I was getting scared.”

  His little face held worry. Bobby was too young to worry like that, but he knew his father was still out there and he was afraid. She ran her hand over his honey colored hair, so much like his mother’s had been.

  “We are safe here Bobby. I promised to keep us safe, remember?”

  He nodded, but still looked worried.

  “What’s up little mister?” She asked as she squatted near his chair.

  “Are you working so hard because of me? Is it my fault that you are always so tired?”

  “I’m working hard for us. I want us to find a better place and better doctors for you. I want us to be safe and happy. That’s all I want.”

  “I miss her aunt Viki.”

  Viki felt her heart constrict. “I miss her too baby.” She wrapped her arms around his little body. “I miss her so much, but I have you now and I will do my best to take care of you. She loved you so much.”

  Jen had been so full of life and she had loved Bobby more than a
ny mother ever had as far as Viki was concerned. A man, a man had ruined everything. Jerry had been good in the beginning. He’d had a good job, been a good father, but that had changed when he’d lost his job and started drinking. Then he’d started slapping Jen around. When he’d made the mistake of taking his anger out on Bobby, Jen had walked away. Jerry had gone into a rage and vowed to find her. He’d said no woman would walk away from him and if she tried she would be sorry. Jen had started saving that day and it had only taken her a little more than a month to scratch together the money to leave town. A lawyer friend had helped her and had filed the divorce papers for free. Viki had given Jen every penny of savings she’d had in the bank and sent every prayer she knew with her and her little boy. Their only hope had been escape and Jen had known it.

  It had taken Jerry almost a year, but he had found them. He ran them over as they crossed the street after leaving Bobby’s first day of Preschool. Bobby had been badly injured, but Jen had died on impact. Viki had been called and had stayed by Bobby’s side as he fought for his life. He won his battle, but the injury to his spine had been too extensive and he lost the use of his legs.

  He’d lost everything because of one jealous man. One man who thought he should have everything he wanted just because he said so. One man who had thought he could treat a good woman any way he chose just because he was stronger.

  Viki had sold everything she’d owned to pay for Jen’s funeral and Bobby’s medical bills, she would be paying them off for years, but he was worth everything she had to go through. He was all she had left in the world and she would do anything to see him smile.

  “Are you sure he can’t find us?” His little voice shook with fear.

  She wasn’t sure, but she couldn’t tell him that. Jerry had been arrested, but he had fought the charges. He’d gotten out on bail and had skipped town with help from a friend. Custody of Bobby had been awarded to Viki and she had vowed to keep him safe even if she knew the police could do little to actually help her. Instead of staying in town where Jerry knew he could find her, she’d disappeared and had left a trail out west before doubling back and becoming someone else. She and Bobby had changed their names and she had found a guy who made fake identification. She and Bobby had started a new life and Sherry Dunn and Matty Parker had become ghosts.