Unlawfully Yours (Lawless MC #1)

20

“ID please.” The huge burly bouncer stood at the entrance gives me a quick once over with his palm outstretched and I’m flattered I still look too young to be entering a nightclub without being asked for identification.

Flipping open my purse, I pull it out and hand it to him.

I didn’t plan on coming to Hillcrest to do a little recon on Tobias Grimes and his little gang, it was more of a spur of the moment thing. The whole situation with Myles’ son has me feeling things I haven’t felt for twenty years. What happened to him hit too close to home and with no official leads to go on, I figured this is as good a place as any to start. Besides, I welcome the distraction. I keep revisiting my conversation with Myles the other night and I’m driving myself crazy. This is exactly why I should keep my distance from him, I can’t allow myself to get attached, because I’ll undoubtedly get hurt, and he in return. I hate how easily he fits into my life, how I’ve come to await a knock on my door in the hopes it’s him.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

The club’s name, The Snake Pit is illuminated in neon green a couple of metres above my head and there’s nothing on the outside of the building to give anything away as to what is inside.

If it was The Cobras that killed my dad all those years ago, then they could be the same people who are behind Kit’s shooting. I don’t know exactly what I’ll find beyond the double doors in front of me, but maybe it will give me a better idea of who they are and what I’m up against.

The bouncer hands me back my ID and turns my friend next to me who’s got her jacket wrapped tight around her, her collar turned up to protect her neck from the brisk breeze whipping around us. “And you, babe?”

“Oh, right.” Maddie digs through her purse, pulling out everything but her ID.

The longer it stretches on, the people in the line behind us begin getting impatient, as does the beefcake in front of us, crossing his thick arms over his chest, sighing.

“Sorry, I’m just…” Maddie continues rummaging through her bag before finally pulling out her license, holding it up in front of the bouncer triumphantly before passing it to him.

He hands it back to her a few seconds later. “Are you ladies watchers or players?”

“Excuse me?”

“Will you be joining in with the entertainment or watching?”

I have no idea what is going on, and whatever awaits beyond those doors, I don’t want to be signing up to just anything.

“If it’s your first time here, I’d suggest you watch tonight,” the bouncer suggests.

Um… “Okay…?”

He secures a white ribbon to each of our wrists before unhooking the barrier and stepping to the side.

What the hell kind of place is this?

“You ladies have a good evening, as I’m sure you will.” He gives us a wink as he ushers us through.

“What are we doing here again?” Maddie asks as we near the door.

“I’ve heard good things. Thought a night out might be fun.” I say it with such confidence that I’d believe every word myself if I wasn’t lying through my teeth.

The deep bass of rock music bounces off the walls, the reverberations rippling through me as we head down the corridor, the heavy beat gradually getting louder. The walls are set in a deep emerald green which is almost black in the limited amount of light. The walls seem to shimmer, flecks of gold glittering under the dim lighting. I hate to say it, but it’s beautiful. I had it in my head that this place was going to be as seedy as the people who own it, but I’d be lying if first impressions don’t impress.

But those impressions don’t last long, because as we enter the main room, my feet fail me, suddenly feeling like they are set in blocks of concrete as I take in the scene before me.

For a second I have to wonder if I’m dreaming, but I’m not even sure my subconscious mind could conjure up anything like this.

Maddie gasps. “I thought you said it was a nightclub?”

“I thought it was.” I’m unable to tear my eyes away. Apparently ‘nightclub’ doesn’t even come close to what Maddie and I have walked into and it’s now I understand the huge difference between watching and playing.

Sex. Everywhere .

“It’s a fucking sex club,” Maddie gasps, clutching my arm, her mouth gaping open as her eyes dart around, not sure what to look at and what not to.

Bodies. Lots of bodies, in all various states of undress fill the main floor. Some standing, some sitting, there’s not a flat surface that doesn’t have a naked body sprawled out on top of it; these must the players. Their moans of pleasure blend together with the music that pulses through the sound system, the deep heavy beat adding to the erotic charge that fills the room.

Like Maddie and I, the watchers are the ones that are still dressed, some single, some as couples who have come to enjoy a little voyeurism. The only difference between them and us, is that they clearly knew what they were walking into when they left the house tonight.

There’s a balcony that looks down over the main floor, mostly made up of men as their gazes drift over the sea of tangled and sweaty bodies below.

“Shall we get out of here?” she asks, and I’m half tempted to say yes, but then I’m reminded of the main objective for tonight, the reason I came here in the first place.

“Let’s stay a while. Just a drink or two then we can head home.”

“Um… Okay.” Her mouth twists and I can tell she’s unsure, probably thinking that there’s a million other places she’d rather be than here, but she nods weakly.

We head to the bar and it’s only a minute or so that the half-naked barmaid heads our way to take our orders.

I steal a glance at my friend, who’s still in a state of shock at what is going on around us as she sips her drink, hiding behind her gin glass and shrinking into her jacket like she wants to be the smallest thing in the room.

“Guess this’ll be an interesting tale during story-time at school on Monday,” I joke in an attempt to lighten the mood and she chokes on her drink, narrowing her eyes at me.

I almost feel bad for dragging her here. When she told me she doesn’t have many friends and that most of her weekends consist of eating Doritos in her pyjamas with a glass of wine watching cheesy hallmark romance movies, I saw an opportunity to get her out of the house and do a little unofficial off-the-books detective work.

I lean in, resting my head on her shoulder. “Sorry I brought you here, next time we can do food and a movie, okay?”

She smiles down at me and nods.

Something up on the balcony catches my eye and I squint to get a better view. A small group of men peer down over the main floor, laughing and drinking, Tobias Grimes at the forefront, his eyes eating up the activity below.

My hand tightens around my glass as I take him in. He’s not wearing his kutte tonight, but even without the President patch, it’s clear who is in charge, how his men around him form a circle of protection, standing in formation with his Sergeant-at-Arms on his right.

I’d hoped he’d be here when I decided to check out his club, but there was always that chance that he wouldn’t be.

A girl is pushed out of one of the rooms behind them, into the open arms of one of his men who gropes her roughly, taking her chin and slamming his mouth down onto hers. She looks young, her hair a matted mess on her head and her underwear nowhere in sight.

If I wasn’t already on high-alert, the man who follows the girl out of the room zips up his jeans with a satisfied grin on his face. Something seems awfully familiar about him. He leans in to whisper something into Tobias’ ear and Tobias slaps him on the back, squeezing his shoulder, almost as if they’re old friends, and it’s not until he pulls back, letting his gaze drift over the room below that my heart stops beating.

Vaughn .

Myles’ right-hand man.

What the hell is he doing here?

The man that was kissing the girl moments ago pulls back and tosses her away like she’s nothing, and she’s passed around his friends until she lands in Grimes’ waiting arms.

He grins down at her, leaning in and claiming her mouth like his friend had done moments ago, and she doesn’t seem to mind. She claws at him, not out of fear or to get away, but as if she can’t get close enough.

She likes it. Being used by them. She wants to be there. They’re rough, tossing her around between them like a toy for their enjoyment. Why would anyone want to be treated like that?

The men around Tobias disperse, leaving just him and Vaughn who talk for a little while longer before they disappear down a corridor.

I drop my drink onto the bar. “I’ll be right back, okay?” I say to Maddie.

She snatches my arm. “Don’t leave me here! I could get dragged into an orgy or something!”

I stifle a laugh. “Just stay at the bar, you’ll be fine. I won’t be long.”

My feet are on the move, crossing the main floor and heading up the steps, hoping everyone is so busy watching the spectacle below that they don’t notice me.

It’s dark up here and I use it to my advantage, sticking close to the shadows as I head in the direction Tobias and Vaughn went. I pass by a series of closed doors, my interest piquing when I hear voices through one of them, the light from the room seeping through the gap at the bottom of the door.

I lean closer, struggling to make out what the voices are saying over the pounding music from below but before I can hear anything, shadows grow darker under the gap in the door as someone gets nearer.

Shit .

I dart around the corner just as the door opens. I slip away back down the corridor as quickly as I can, but just as I reach the stairs, a voice stops me.

“Well, well, well… Funny seeing you here. Thought it was you,” Vaughn says.

I spin to face him. “I could say the same. Does Myles’ know you’re here cosying up to his enemies? You and that Grimes guy look pretty tight.”

Vaughn gets in my face. “You don’t know a fucking thing, so keep your pretty little nose out of it.”

“So you don’t mind if I go ahead and ask Myles if he knows you’re here?”

“Knock yourself out, sweetheart, but then won’t you have to explain what you’re doing here? I’m sure Myles would be just as interested to know why you’re here.”

“I just came to have a drink and maybe catch sight of a little dick, but then here you are. Seems luck is on my side tonight.” I grin.

He fakes a laugh. “You’ve got some balls for a little thing, I’ll give you that. We both know you won’t say shit to Myles.”

“And why is that?”

“Because you don’t want to find out what happens if you do.”

“Threatening a police officer? Seems I’m not the only one with a big set of balls, huh? You know, Myles might find it interesting to know how his closest friend is plotting his demise with his enemy, because what else would you be doing with Tobias Grimes? I think for information like that, I might just have to take a risk.”

He’s on me in a split-second, thrusting me up against the wall harshly. The back of my head cracks against the hard concrete behind me and for a moment, I’m light-headed from the blow. His large hand snakes around my throat, both my hands secured together with one of his. “I don’t know what you think you saw or heard , but let’s get one thing perfectly clear, bitch . You do not threaten me,” he spits, his face just inches from mine. “Cop or not, I would have no problem snapping your fucking neck like a twig. Now I suggest you run along home before I change my mind.”

The pure unrestrained hatred in his eyes is enough to have fear wracking through anyone’s body. I should be scared, and anyone else in this situation would be, especially with the way his fingers tighten around my neck, but as I’ve said before, this prick has never scared me. The big bully act never has and never will work on me.

I bring my knee up and drive it between his legs. He falters, releasing my hands and I use the second of distraction to my advance. I reach up to the hand around my neck, yanking one of his fingers back so hard the sound of the snap cracks through the air, loud enough to hear over the music.

He roars in pain, clutching the finger that is bent back at an unnatural angle. It’s the second finger on his right hand, the same finger that bears a gold signet ring of what looks like a snake.

“That is the last time you touch me like that, asshole. You don’t take threats? Well, neither do I, especially from the likes of you. You might see me as some meek little woman who’s easy to scare, but that I am not . You don’t scare me, or your little asshole Cobra friends.”

“You little bitch, you’ll regret this,” he snarls, still clutching his broken finger.

“It is beyond me how Myles can call a man like you a friend. You’re poison.”

“And it’s beyond me what the fuck he sees in you. You must have some golden fucking pussy to have him so whipped.”

“This isn’t over, Venom .”

“I’d be sad if it was. Until next time, Allison .”

I don’t know why, but him using my full name knocks me off balance but I do my best to keep walking.

Thankfully, I find Maddie at the place I left her, still fully clothed but a little more relaxed, though that’s probably thanks to the line of empty glasses on the bar beside her.

I grab her hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Thank fuck.” She’s on my heel as we wade through the crowds of people.

I can’t help but look up to the balcony where Vaughn’s eyes burn into mine until I’m safely through the door.

When we step out onto the street, I welcome the cool air against my heated skin, my heart still pounding in my chest from my encounter with Vaughn.

I pull out my phone. “I’m gonna see if there’s a cab in the area,” I tell Maddie, but before she can reply, a shadow falls over me.

“That won’t be necessary,” he says at the same time my phone is plucked from my hands.

Myles .