AX (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 10) Page 5

  She tried to avoid the wandering eyes of the few truckers that were slumped over the tables right at the front of the stage, whilst Chi-Chi was grinding her hips and shaking her tits, but she was aware of some of them following her and for the first time in forever, it actually made her skin crawl.

  The lights leading down to the changing room were all off and a small sliver of light shone through from the window on the door at the end of the corridor. She could hear the rattling of pipes coming from above, and the echo of her heels as she clipped down the linoleum. She found herself looking over her shoulder, with the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her starting to creep right up her back. And when she stopped and spun around, she realized her heart was racing and her breath was quick.

  “Stop it, Jill,” she whispered. “What’s gotten into you today…”

  She turned and moved quickly toward the door of the changing room and as she swung it open and flicked on the light it was with a great wave of relief that she could see her wallet right there on the dressing table where she had gotten ready the night before.

  “Thank God for that,” she said with a smile as she stepped quickly forward and picked it up.

  She opened it and flicked through but it was easy to see that nothing had been disturbed. She felt bad for doubting any of the other girls who worked at Tanner’s, but with some of them being there for such a short time, she had seen their ruthlessness come out in the most wicked of ways. She had known some of them to steal from the house, and some of them to steal from the other girls, and she just didn’t want to find herself in a position where she was going to have to accuse a fellow dancer of taking her things.

  She shoved the wallet into the back pocket of her jeans and turned off the lightbulbs around the mirror. With only Chi-Chi dancing on the day shift, she didn’t see the need for all of the lights to be on in there. Surely, no one would be coming back in for at least an hour.

  As she turned and spun around, she stopped dead in her tracks and gasped as the huge silhouette of a man was blocking the doorway. He stood there with his arms bent and raised above his head, she could see how muscular they were, even from within the shadows. He looked like a warrior standing there, as if he was ready for battle, and the way the light was shining behind him from the door to the parking lot made it impossible for her to see his face. But she could tell by the shadow of the shock of hair on his chin who it was, and she instantly felt her heart race a little more.

  “Ax…?” she whispered nervously.

  The man let his huge arms fall down to beside his waist and he stepped forward into the darkened room.

  “The one and only,” he said gruffly.

  Jill swallowed hard as her eyes adjusted to the light and the features of his face came bursting into focus. He looked serious and calm, but his eyes were bright and glistening, the whites of them only enhancing the darkness of the centers, they were so big and engulfing, it was as if she could have fallen in and never found her way back out. He reached up and rubbed his chin with a huge, rough hand and then brought it down to rest on his belt buckle. Jill couldn’t help but follow it and realized she was staring directly at his groin, and she gulped as she saw the heaving bulge he was hiding beneath his zipper.

  She quickly averted her eyes, hoping he hadn’t caught her, but when she looked back up to meet his gaze she could see he was already smirking.

  “I looked at the diary,” he said, “You’re not in until tonight…”

  Even though her journey down to Tanner’s had been completely innocent, the way he was looking at her suddenly made her feel as if she had done something she shouldn’t have.

  “I…I…” she stammered as she held up her wallet and tried to find the words to explain what was happening.

  He raised an eyebrow and took a step forward with an outstretched hand, but Jill laughed and pulled hers away.

  “I left my wallet here last night,” she finally managed to blurt out. “I didn’t want to be without it, you know how it is.”

  He stopped and looked at her with a wry smile.

  “I guess I do,” he said before he crossed his arms over his chest. The muscles in his forearms were so big and swollen she could see the thick veins bulging out of them and it was making her chest heat up and neck burn.

  “I might need your help tonight anyway,” he said. “I haven’t been back in the game here for a long time, as you’ve probably realized.”

  Jill couldn’t stop focusing on him and those eyes. There was something about them that screamed animalism and brutality, but it was so intoxicating she couldn’t tear herself away.

  “Well, we’ve never met before, so yes… It must have been a while,” Jill nodded.

  The air between them felt electric with tension, and even though there was no reason for there to be an awkwardness, it was impossible to ignore that there was something big brewing between them. Jill bunched her hands up and curled her nails into her palms and slowly and gently dug them into her skin.

  He’s a man…. And men are no good… she told herself. Don’t fall for it Jill, you’re smarter than that.

  “It’s criminal that we’ve never met,” he said suddenly, breaking her thoughts. “If I’d have known that a girl as beautiful as you were working here, right in the heart of The Forsaken, then there’s no way I ever would have left Slate Springs.”

  As soon as he had said the words his body language seemed to take them back. He looked down at the floor and shifted on the spot.

  “Where did you go?” Jill found herself asking, getting caught up in the moment.

  He looked at her and smiled before he shook his head and wagged a finger, like he was telling off a child.

  “No, no, no,” he grinned.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You don’t get to ask those kind of questions,” he said cheekily.

  Jill felt dumbfounded. One moment he was laying it out there and then he was taking it away. She crunched up her face and shrugged.

  “Sorry,” she said. “I thought you were opening up a conversation…”

  He took a step forward and smiled.

  “But I don’t know you yet,” he said almost in a whisper. “But if I have my way, all of that will change very soon.”

  His words were strong and confident. It was as if they had reached out and wrapped themselves around her, pulling them closer to him. She wanted to take a step forward, to feel the heat of his body close to hers, but it was dangerous and she knew it.

  Don’t, the voice in her head practically screamed. Don’t be a fool. He’s a biker!

  Jill stepped backward and smiled uncomfortably. But that only seemed to spur him on, and he took another step closer to her.

  “I better get going anyway,” she stammered, trying to not lose her footing as she made for the door.

  Ax smiled and watched her as she went. She felt the pull back to him, and everything in her body was telling her that next to him was where she needed to be, but her mind was shouting nothing but warnings.

  “Nice to see you again, Jill,” Ax said, and it stopped her in her tracks. Her heart was raging and her palms were hot and moist, just like her panties were getting with each passing second she was in his company.

  “And you,” she said as she smiled and turned around.

  She didn’t want to leave, not really, but what good would possibly come from her staying to chat? She would only end up in even more of a state. She had been caught off guard and it had startled her. She needed to go home and regroup, pull her head together and make herself calm.

  “See you tonight,” he said. “I’ll be here from dusk until dawn.”

  As he said the words, it made her spine tingle. The thought of spending a full night out in the desert with a man like Ax was more than a little exciting. And it was also the first time since she had started working in the club that she was genuinely feeling outwardly sexual about dancing in front of someone.

  He was going to see
her naked.

  Her pussy twinged.

  “See you tonight,” she whispered as she walked backward out the door and knocked her shoulder slightly on the frame.

  She smiled sheepishly and watched the naughty grin spread out across his face. He lifted up his hand and waved at her, and Jill couldn’t help but wave back like a schoolgirl.

  She turned and walked as quickly as she could down the corridor where she burst through the swinging doors and into the main body of the club. Her mind was swirling with confusion and her vision was almost blurred. She had no idea where she was walking, or what was happening around her. All she knew was she needed to get out of there as fast as her legs would take her.

  7.

  As the day wore on, all Jill could think about was what had happened back at Tanner’s. She replayed over and over the way her heart had skipped a beat when she had turned around and caught sight of Ax leaning inside the doorway. The way his shoulders and arms were so muscular and large that he looked like a super human. He was so big and tall he could crush her in the palm of his hand. And for some reason, that turned her on. She had never been attracted to the idea of someone being able to physically dominate her in such a way, but when she thought about Ax, it was all that crossed her mind. His hands were so big and he was clearly so strong, he would surely be able to hold her in place with little effort and have his wicked way with her. She would be completely at his mercy. She felt her heart begin to race again and her sex began to pulse. She bit her lip and fanned her face.

  Stop it, she told herself. You’ve got to stop thinking this way. This is the last thing you need.

  She stood in front of her closet, looking in the mirrored doors and flicked on some mascara. Normally, when she was working nights, she would wait until she got into the club to start preening herself, but now that she knew Ax was going to be around, she couldn’t even comprehend turning up there without it. She ran a comb through her hair and pulled out her tongs to create some silky smooth waves, before she roused up her cheeks with blush and dabbed on some dark lipstick. She was halfway between vamp and innocence, and even though she didn’t feel one hundred percent herself, she felt as if the tide was changing, and that maybe it wasn’t just her home that needed a bit of a new look.

  She shoved all of her usual work items into her purse and tried not to think too much about the night ahead. It was just going to be a normal shift. There was no need for her to be nervous about anything. For all she knew, Ax could have been called into The Bleeding Bullet or back to the club house, there was no certainty that he would even be there.

  She hated herself for even thinking about it. Why would she bother giving a man so much of her thoughts? She slapped herself on the wrist and winced.

  As she locked her front door and made the few steps down the driveway to her car, she realized how fresh and alive she felt. She had been so miserable that morning, but something inside her had definitely woken back up. As she started the engine and backed down the drive, she hit the big round button on the stereo and let dance music blast through the car. It may have been a Sunday, but she was getting ready to perform on stage and she didn’t want to turn up at work feeling tired and unprepared. She was a showgirl and she wanted to feel like one.

  As she made her way toward the highway, she let the routines she knew so well all flicker through her mind. She had no idea what she was planning on doing once she got there, it would all depend on how many people were in the club, and what the atmosphere was like. But she couldn’t imagine, after the chaos of the night before, that it was going to be overly busy.

  She slowed as she approached the familiar sight of the club. It stood proudly on the side of the highway, set back ever so slightly from the imminent rush of trucks and other cars passing through. Jill pulled straight around the back and into the private parking lot. Her eyes darted around as she turned off the ignition and tried to make out whose cars or bikes she could recognize.

  There seemed to be many more bikes there than usual. On any given night of the week she had only ever seen three or four of The Forsaken’s bikes at the club at the same time, but on this particular occasion, she was sure she could count at least twelve. Her heart pounded again.

  She stepped out into the warm night air and slammed the door behind her. From inside the club, the music filtered out to meet her and made the excitement in her belly tumble even more. For a Sunday night, she could tell that inside was busier than usual. The sound of loud laughs bellowed through the hallway and she moved quickly into the changing room.

  Chi-Chi was in there gathering her belongs and smiled a half- smile when Jill entered the room.

  “Hey,” Jill said.

  “Hey,” Chi-Chi said with a yawn.

  “Rough day?” she asked.

  Chi-Chi shrugged and then nodded.

  “The bikers have been hanging around here since midday,” she began. “And now more of them have turned up and they’re all drinking heavily.”

  Jill found herself rolling her eyes.

  “Oh great,” she said with a laugh.

  “They’re being okay, don’t worry,” Chi-Chi laughed. “In fact, the tips have been awesome.”

  “Good,” Jill grinned. “Hopefully, they’re still all feeling generous.”

  “Oh, they’re all in for a long night, I can tell,” Chi-Chi said as she swept her bag up onto her shoulder. “I’m actually kind of bummed to be going home. It’s buzzing out there.”

  “Many others?” Jill asked as she sat down on the bench and began to slip on her high sandals.

  “Nope,” Chi-Chi replied. “Just the bikers.”

  Jill’s stomach did a little flip.

  “I offered to stay and help out if they thought they’d need me but Bull said if the place started to fill up they would scram and go to The Bleeding Bullet.”

  Jill found herself nodding even though secretly that wasn’t the news she wanted to hear.

  “Anyways,” Chi-Chi said as she smiled and stood in the doorway. “Have a good night. If you need me, get my number from Bull and I can always come back.”

  Jill smiled and said thanks. For a new girl with a clearly fake name, Chi-Chi actually seemed pretty nice and genuine. She almost felt bad for worrying that there was a possibility she would take her wallet and disappear.

  “Thanks,” Jill called to her. “See you next time.”

  Chi-Chi waved and disappeared out into the hallway. When Jill was alone, she looked around and sighed. It felt weird not having Star there with her, and now that it was really coming down to it, she felt unnerved being the only girl in the club that night who was actually going to dance.

  She rolled out her shoulders and breathed slowly.

  “For God’s sake, Jill,” she said aloud. “Stop being such a wimp. This is your club, you’ve been here for years. You don’t need to feel unnerved.”

  She threw her head back and whipped off her jacket. Beneath it, she was wearing a tiny little pair of shorts, and a bikini top. She undid the shorts slowly and peeled them down to reveal the matching bikini panties, and then she kicked the shorts to the side of the room. She was getting more pumped and ready with each passing second, and her nerves began to evaporate when she thought of how good tonight could be for her. She was the only girl working the floor and the stage, and she was sure to make up for the money she had lost the previous evening because of the cheating security guard.

  She thought of everything she could do with the money. She thought of putting it away for a rainy day and using it for a vacation in a few weeks when she was ready for a break. She thought of all the things she could buy to compliment her newly refurbished home. And she thought of handbags, shoes, make-up and jewelry. Even though she was the kind of girl who could go without all of that material crap, she still liked to daydream about it from time to time, and when her cash flow was good, she didn’t see anything wrong with treating herself on the odd occasion.

  “Let’s do this,” she smi
led at her reflection as she winked and headed for the door.

  The air felt different and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she approached the swinging doors that led into the main body of the club. The music was different than normal. What was usually terrible dance music had changed to something hard and heavy. Dark rock music blasted through the place and shook her to the core. When she pushed open the doors and stepped inside, she couldn’t help but smile. The club wasn’t quite as busy as Chi-Chi had made it out to be, but it was certainly full of life, and swarming around the bar, all doing shots and cheering each other on were the biggest group of Forsaken Riders Jill had ever seen in one place at one time.

  She made her way over slowly, slinking across the dance floor and right up to the bar. She was in work mode and her confidence oozed as if she had never doubted herself once. She was back.

  “Hey, Jill!” Lynx called over to her as he leaned over the bar and shook a beer from side to side before he drank from it. “When’s show time?”

  Jill rolled her eyes but tried to appear flirty. She could tell that he was drunk and she also knew he had a serious girlfriend.

  “Good things come to those who wait,” she smiled.

  “That’s what I’ve heard,” the familiar voice cut through the noise and was suddenly right beside her.

  In all of the hustle and hive of activity, she hadn’t even seen him. It was as if he had sensed she was there and had appeared right next to her at the right time.

  “Evening, Ax,” she said curtly.

  She wanted to be friendly, but at the same time, she didn’t want to lead herself up any wrong paths. It was clear he liked her, and she liked him too, even though she would never ever admit it. Just being close to him again made her skin prickle and the tension in the air was a heavy weight between them within an instant. Her nipples hardened beneath the tiny triangles of fabric that were covering her breasts and she wondered if he could see them.

  She swallowed nervously.

  “Can I get you a drink?” he asked as he looked down at her with his deep, deep eyes.