I slam my car door shut with much unneeded force as I stomp my high heeled ass into the club house, on a mission to find Shank and murder his ass.
Schiz sees me and smiles like usual as he comes up to me. "Surprising me at work?" He teases. Any other time I would laugh at his corny ass jokes. But today is not any other day.
"I'm here to see Shank, he wasn't at home." I tell him through clenched teeth.
Schiz raises a brow at this. But he's still Schiz. "I might be jealous if you didn't have a look of murderous rage on your face." He jokes.
I give him a pointed look, telling him now is not the time for fucking jokes. He raises his hands in mock surrender before disappearing into the hallway to find Shank. It's kinda weird how they seem to be cool with each other, given everything. But they're brothers.
Swaggering out in no shirt and opened jeans, Shank is the fucking cover to a porn magazine. God, I could kick those abs.
Down, Missy.
Schiz.
I still haven't figured out what's fully going on with us. We fuck and he spends a lot of time with Shane and me at the house, but I don't know what he wants in the long run. With Derek, it was easy to tell because Derek and I told each other. At first, friendly sex. Then, Derek wanted more and I made it clear I didn't. Easy. But Schiz is just all laugh and jokes. He never takes anything serious, so why should I think he takes us seriously? He could be sleeping with multiple other girls, for all I know.
Then again, I'm the only ones he's claimed. So far. That's a mess for another time.
"You called?" Shank grins.
"I had an interview today. Over at the prison. Only they tell me that they have orders from YOU not to let me work there ever again. What. The. Fuck." I shout. He glares at me.
I'm out of place, Talking to him like this in front of the club. But this whole damn club is weak so what the fuck are they gonna do?
Schiz grabs my elbow, pulling me to whisper in my ear. I snatch away from him. This is not his business.
"I don't want you working at that prison again." He says simply, and of discussion.
I laugh. Like a deep belly laugh.
"Well, I don't give a rats ass what you do or do not want, Shane. We have a kid that I have to support. I can't do that unemployed." I tell him.
"I will cover anything Shane needs." He shrugs like its just that simple. He gonna pay bills at two houses? He gonna buy my shit too?
I take a step back from him and lift my arms to sweep my body. His eyes follow, like they always do.
"Do you see me Shank?" I ask him, knowing damn well he always sees me.
I'm in an expensive Smokey grey pencil skirt suit with a red blouse under the jacket and black pumps that cost $200 at least. A white long soft fabric coat tops off my sophisticated look. Because I'm a fucking sophisticated woman.
"You can't afford me too, Shank. So I need a fucking job. And you need to back the fuck off." I tell him.
His glare hardens at my words and blow to his ego. "You're pissing me off, Missy Ann." I've heard these words about a million times the past week. It's his new thing now. He says that anytime I piss him off and he's about to explode and say some shit he'll regret later. I take a deep breath to calm down.
"And you're pissing me off, Shane." I retort.
"Get a job at the hospital." He says a lot calmer now.
"The hospital? The hospital!"I shout, pissed off again. "Do you know what kind of crazy hours they work? I'll probably never be able to see Shane!"
He growls and runs a hand down his face. "Fuck! I'll figure it out. Give me a day to think. You fucking stress me out, woman."
I smile sweetly back at him. "You fucking stress me out. We're equal. Now, what the fuck is this?" I motion behind him where some poor girl is trying to pole dance on a raised platform. And failing epically.
"We're trying to open a strip club for more legit earnings. Todays try outs." He makes it sound like high school cheerleading. I scoff.
She stumbles more than she takes steps. I move closer to the stage, Shank moving with me. I guess the criteria needed for the job was pouty lips and big tits. Catchy.
"Maybe you should learn balance first, then try dancing with those shoes." I point to her 6 inch ugly ass blue heels. She glares at me.
"If you think it's so easy, you come do it." She snaps.
I look around to find the others watching, no doubt waiting for a chick fight. But I've never fought a day in my life. And a stripper will not be my first. Not now.
"Ok." I shrug off my coat and hand it to an opened mouth Shank.
"Missy!" He warns me. I wave him off and jump up into the stage with my arms.
"May I?" I point down to her heels. She smirks and kicks them off. I do the same with mine and step into hers. I take a step to test them out and stumble just a tad before I get used to them.
"Ok. Music!" I call.
Whiskey reaches over the bar and hits a button. Cherry pie blares and I take a second to laugh. How fitting. By now, the whole damn club is watching. Most with curiosity. Schiz is horny. Shank is pissed. What else is new.
I don't have a routine memorized, but I do enough to show that child I know exactly how to work a pole. I climb up that bitch, slowly spin with one leg around it and slide back to the ground upside down and leg spread so far, my skirt hikes up- flashing my black lace. Swinging my hips to the music I stare her straight in the face, then slide down the pole again, landing in a split.
Again, not the best. But I haven't danced since college. I pop back up, switch heels, and fix my skirt before smiling at her.
"Paid my whole way through college by stripping." I step down from the stage.
Shank isn't glaring anymore. His gaze holds the same look it used to in the infirmary. I shake my head at him. We will never go back to that.
Schiz grabs me, smacking my ass. I laugh and shove him away. "We're installing a pole in your room. Or my room, it doesn't matter." He grins like the Cheshire cat.
I shove his shoulder with a grin and a roll of my eyes. Dream on, Schiz.
"How come I never knew you used to be a stripper?" Shank asks, his eyes still clouded with lust. Lust for me. That's the only thing he'll probably ever feel for me.
Well, no. He did tell me he hated he last week. I don't know which one I like less.
"Well, we never exactly talked." I shrug and take my coat back. My words only further darken his eyes.
Schiz pulls me to him, noticing Shanks gaze. I turn in his arms and kiss his cheek.
"I gotta go get Shane. You still coming over later?" I ask him. He nods with his boyish smirk.
Once at Margos for Shane, she hurries me inside and starts telling me about the last minute things that need thrown together for Lynol's birthday tomorrow. She plans on having it at the house and shes already told him about it - saying that if she doesn't throw him a surprise birthday, he thinks he won't get any surprises at all, thus making her baby announcement that much more surprising. Complicated, I know.
But I just nod and go with it. Her house, her husband. Oh, god. I hope she doesn't do one of those trendy baby reveal things. Jesus lord.
Her big plan is to take her ultra sound picture and make it Lynols cake. I have to admit, that's pretty freaking smart and I bet his face will be really freaking funny.
"So what do I do?" I ask her, watching her check off a list shes made of everything that needs to be done by tomorrow.
"Can you cook?" She asks me.
"Mom makes awesome pancakes!" Shane chimes in. I laugh and scoot him back to the living room.
"Yeah, I can cook. Bring anything?" I ask her. She twitches with her hands, thinking quickly for anything specific.
"He just loves food. Anything." She answers. I nod.
"I can take the kids tomorrow, if you want. All of them. Give you Lynol the night to yourselves." I offer. She looks like she could use a night of relaxation.
Her whole face lights up in excitement. "Really?" She asks. I nod.
"Of course. I love kids. We can build forts and watch movies or something. They'll have plenty of fun." I assure her.
The next day, I balance home made potato salad in one hand and marinated chicken in the other to be grilled. Shane jumps out the car to open the door for me and we walk through the house to the back where the whole club is laughing amongst each other and talking. Like a big family gathering.
Margo hugs me and takes the chicken over to Patch to cook. Ed watches me place the potato salad down and move out the way so he can come grab a healthy serving of it.
"Babe." I turn to the sound of Shanks voice. I glare at him.
"I'm not your babe." I tell him. He hands me a grin that promises nothing good. I expect no less.
"I miss your cooking." He glances back at the now half empty bowl of potato salad. My heart jumps at the memory of me bringing him food from home to eat because it was better than the prison food.
"Well, better get some before Ed kills it all." I say quietly, not trusting that my voice won't give away how touched I feel at his omission. Means everything to me and nothing to him.
The same look he gave me in the club the day Schiz claimed me flashes across his face again and I almost ask him what he's thinking but its gone.
"Brought chicken too." I add before making my way to Schiz. He sits at a lawn table with a big overhead unbrella watching shank and I. I smile at him before plopping in his lap. He kisses me. A hard and brutal kiss. Showing Shank who I belong to.
"Play nice." I bite his lip, feeling him grow under me. He smirks, suddenly playful.
"I don't play, babe." He replies.
We all sit around laughing and talking and eating. Shank stands the whole time, half watching me with Schiz and half watching Shane. I just ignore him. I don't know what his problem is or what he wants from me. I know what he doesn't want from me. To be with me. To be his old lady. That much is clear.
"Lets dance." Schiz rubs his nose across my neck, making me jumps away laughing because I'm ticklish there. Schiz notices this and a mischevious gleam appears in his green eyes.
"Don't you dare! Lets dance!" I pull him up by his hand. He grabs my waist and starts twirling me around Lynol and Margos pool. I throw my head back, laughing as we spin together and he slips me down low. He brings me back to his chest and I throw my arms back around his neck as we slow dance to Pearl Jam's Last kiss.
He leans down and gives me a long slow kiss. I melt into him and his kiss, forgetting completely that were in front of others or even at someone elses house.
"Damn, woman. The things you do to me. You got Shane tonight?" He asks. I snuggle my face into his neck, breathing in the smell of leather and dirt from riding and a hint of his cologne. Its amazing.
"I have all the kids tonight. Wanna come build forts with us?" I ask him, mumbling into his neck.
"I would love nothing more, babe." He kisses my forehead and runs a hand through my hair and down my back, landing on my ass where he gives it a smack.
"Happy birthday to you.." Margo appears from the kitchen holding Lynol cake. The others start to join in and I glance at Lynol to see him glaring at all his shit eating grinning brothers.
I pull Schiz with me, making my way over to them too. I want to see his face when he sees the cake.