Bouncer by Kim Jones Page 0,4

have the ability to sober me? Or is it the cold water doing that?

Maybe it’s both.

I shut off the water and wrap myself in a towel. Leaving a trail of water, I tiptoe to the sink and fumble for the hair dryer in the cabinet beneath it. There’s a stocked supply of everything here—lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, new toothbrushes, etc. Everything an out of town guest might need and not have. Especially one like the Nomad who was supposed to occupy this room tonight.

From what I’ve gathered, he basically lives on his bike. Not much room on a motorcycle for things like toiletries. But what do I know? I’m just the weird chick with a drinking problem who cleans the clubhouse.

Yes.

That’s right.

That’s who you are now.

I kick the bathroom door shut to conserve the heat as I blow dry my hair. The girl in the mirror wearing only a towel, with a freshly washed face and long, silky hair is the same girl the people around here see every day. But I look different. I’ve gotten good at blurring my true identity with oversized clothes and messy hair. It makes me smile.

At least I’m doing one thing right.

There’s some blackberry-vanilla scented lotion hidden in the very back of the cabinet. I slather my body with it—liking the scent so much I make the decision to steal it. I brush my teeth. Then brush them again. And again. I tidy up the bathroom, out of habit, and grab my clothes.

I pad back out into the room and lock the bedroom door. The bed looks inviting, but I know it’ll be too soft for me. So I grab a pillow and blanket from the closet and make a pallet on the floor in the three feet of space between the wall and the bed.

I shove my clothes under the edge of the bed, snuggle under the blanket and unplug the wax warmer from the wall, encasing the room in darkness. I’m finally exhausted enough to find sleep, but not quick enough to escape the memory.

They’re gone.

You’re here….

Even if you shouldn’t be.

Three

BOUNCER

“You look like you could use this.” Cassie passes me a joint across the bar.

I take it and give her a nod. I want to ask about Apple. I want to know what she’s doing here. Who she is. Why the fuck she wears those gloves. But the smoke filling my lungs distracts me long enough to remember who I am.

I’m not a man who asks questions about people who don’t matter. Apple is one of those people. She’s probably a friend of Bash’s Ol’ Lady, Savannah. North’s Ol’ Lady, Aspen, has a kid. Maybe Apple is her babysitter.

Fuck, I hope not.

When Cassie walks back over, I extend the joint back to her. “Nah. I’m good. I have class in the morning.”

“Then you should be in bed.” My voice holds a hint of firmness.

She blushes sweetly and drops her head.

I drag my gaze over her body—remembering what she looked like spread eagle on my bed. Her hands tied together and resting between her perfect tits. Her back arching, hips twisting, trying to alleviate the pain from her just-spanked ass.

Cassie was fun to play with. But topping from the bottom isn’t my thing. So a few months ago when she started fucking up her life just to get my attention, I severed all ties. Our relationship was strictly sexual, so there were no hard feelings.

It’s good to hear she’s back in school. I make a mental note to talk to Chaos about cutting her hours on school nights.

“Hey, Brother. Didn’t know you’d made it.” North speaks as he approaches.

I stand and embrace him. “Yeah. Been here a while. Why’s no one at the door?”

He grins. “It’s all good. Relax.”

“I would relax. If you had someone at the fucking door.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Quincy. He stands in the background until I wave him forward. He rips a page from a notebook and hands it to me.

“Anything I need to know?” I ask, scanning the paper.

“Nothing stands out.”

“Good. Watch the door. If anyone gives you an uneasy feeling, tell them to leave. Someone asks who gave you that authority, you tell them my name.”

“Will do.”

North doesn’t bother hiding his smile at my paranoia. If it was someone else, it might irk me. But we have history. And he’s part of the reason I’m here.

He killed his step kid’s dad not long ago. Who just so happened to be a cop. No