Page 8 of Fang (Lotus MC: San Antonio #2)

A pril seventeenth. Just another day to everyone else, but not to me.

No, today is my birthday.

Not that anyone will know that. There won’t be endless phone calls and texts wishing me happiness for the day. I won’t be surprised with a party later. I won’t even get a piece of cake to wish on.

I never cared in the past, but for some reason today feels different. Maybe it’s because this is the first one I’m truly spending alone. Barbara isn’t waiting at the trailer to beat me and degrade me for ruining her life.

No, there will be no one to acknowledge today.

The melancholy fills me as I sit in my room wondering what to do today. I almost wish Fang had scheduled me a shift today. Even stripping for strange men would be better than sitting at home doing nothing.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. I can make today better. I shouldn’t do it, but I pull out some money as I grab my keys and head toward the door.

I’m driving around town wondering what to do when I see it. Blooms. I always wanted someone to give me flowers. Then again, what was it Miley Cyrus said in that song? Something about buying herself flowers. Damn right, Miley. We can buy our own flowers.

Pulling into a parking spot, I walk into the shop. The woman behind the counter is helping someone, so I walk around.

I don’t know the difference between flowers. I have never had the need to know anything about them, but they are all pretty. I smell each one as I go, loving the different scents. I love this place.

“Hey, sorry about that. My name is Penelope. I’m the shop owner. Can I help you find anything?” the woman asks.

I turn, giving her a small smile.

“Do you have any cheap bouquets that I could buy?” I ask. “Maybe some that are on their way to the trash?”

She frowns. “Are you on a tight budget?”

I nod, “Yeah. Sorry. I guess I should have gone to the grocery store instead.”

She shakes her head. “Gosh no. Let’s get you something. Is there something special you are celebrating?”

I smile. “It’s my birthday. I wanted some flowers to brighten up my dorm room.”

“Oh, happy birthday. You’re a student? What are you studying?” she asks.

“Hospitality management. I hope to work in the service industry. Maybe hotels or something. I haven’t really decided yet,” I tell her, watching as she starts plucking flowers.

They all look so good, which has me worried about how much it will cost.

“Oh, you have plenty of time to figure that stuff out. Enjoy the experience. What’s your favorite color?” she asks suddenly.

“Orange,”I answer, looking at some of the little bits of candy on the counter.

Maybe instead of a cake, I can eat a small piece of chocolate. I turn it over and see the four-dollar price tag and put it back down.

“Orange is such an underrated color. It’s bright and happy. I don’t know why some people hate it.”

“I think some people think it’s too loud. People like things more muted,” I mumble.

She turns to look at me. “That is very insightful. You’re going to do amazing in school.”

I can hear a motorcycle in the distance. This time, I refuse to look even when it sounds like it turns off right outside.

When I hear the doorbell, I lose the battle and turn. I frown when I see who it is.

“What are you doing here?” I hiss.

Penelope turns to look at the man. She frowns too.

“I come here all the time. I’m not stalking you if that’s what you are insinuating.” Happy crosses his arms to look at me.

“It’s unfortunately true. He comes in several times a week for flowers,” she tells me.

“See, so chill out,” he huffs at me.

“Ignore him. Happy, I’ll be with you in a minute. Look around or something. Stop scaring my customers.”

Happy rolls his eyes, walking toward the end of the shop.

“So any big plans for tonight?” Penelope asks.

“A night in with a book,” I tell her.

I leave out the fact that the book is a schoolbook and will likely put me to sleep.

“A good book can cure a lot. Here you go. What do you think?”

The bouquet she sets on the counter has me gasping. It’s so beautiful. It’s also huge and full, which makes me cringe at the idea of the cost. The flowers are orange and white with wisps of green pieces between them. It’s a masterpiece.

“Wow, it’s beautiful. Seriously gorgeous. I don’t think I can afford it, though,” I whisper to her.

She laughs. “Nonsense. It’s free. Consider it a birthday gift. No one should have to buy their own flowers on their birthday.”

My cheeks heat at the charity.

“I can pay. Really. How much?” I tell her.

She waves me off. “You want to pay me? Enjoy them. Marvel at them. That is all the payment I need.”

Happy comes up then, ending my argument. I don’t need him hearing I’m low on money.

“Thank you. Seriously, this is the sweetest,” I tell her.

“Of course. Happy birthday.”

As the words fall from her lips, I cringe.

“Birthday?” Happy asks.

“Yeah, it’s her birthday.” Penelope smiles.

“Happy birthday, Cami. Here. Take this. Pen can add it to my bill.”

He picks up several of the four-dollar chocolates I passed on and hands them to me.

“Oh no. That’s not necessary.”

Happy shoves them into my hands. “Stop being so stubborn and take the chocolate. Enjoy your birthday. I hope you aren’t working tonight.”

I hope to God he doesn’t tell Penelope what that work entails.

“Nope. Going home now,” I tell him.

He smiles. “Good. Have fun.”

“Thank you again,” I tell Penelope. “You too, Happy.”

Then I leave.

At my car, I buckle my flowers to keep them safe before settling into the driver’s seat.

Smiling over at my flowers, I let the joy they bring me settle in.

It might not be much, but to me they are the world.

I swear, when it rains, it pours.

It’s been a long couple of days. The club is making more profits, but managing women has never been so difficult. It’s like none of them can get along. The worst part is that a lot of it seems to be aimed at Cami.

She wasn’t wrong when she said the other girls wouldn’t be happy with her having a guard while they don’t. I really don’t give a fuck, but it is causing me a headache.

My phone rings as I pull up outside the clubhouse. I see the club number and groan.

“What?” I bark into it.

“One of the patrons touched me and I didn’t like it,” Venus cries into the phone.

“Did Jim take care of it?” I ask, referencing the security guard on shift tonight.

“Yes, he gave the guy a warning, but if I had my own bodyguard it wouldn’t have happened.” She whines.

“Venus, I mean this in the best way possible. You would sell your left toe if someone were willing to pay enough. You barely hit triple digits on the stage. I can’t afford to have a guy on you when you literally do extras all the time. It doesn’t make sense.”

“So I need to be a prude to get a brother watching me?” she hisses into the phone.

“You need to learn how to dance, stop letting every guy from here to Mississippi play hide the salami, and tone down the makeup before you get a brother watching you. You knew what you signed on for. This is my decision, so if you don’t like it, I hear the Flamingo across town is hiring.”

“That’s mean to say. They take seventy percent of the money we earn.”

I do know that. We only take thirty. That’s why the girls like working for us.

“It’s your choice. Don’t call my phone with this bullshit again. It’s for emergencies.”

I hang up, rubbing my head as I move into the clubhouse. Something sweet has me following my nose toward the kitchen.

“Hey, Pres. What smells so good?” I ask Savage as I step into the kitchen.

He nods over to Bailey at the stove. “Ask her.”

“Whatcha making?” I ask Bailey.

“Cookies. I’ll bring you some when they are done.”

I smirk at her. “I knew you loved me most.”

“Watch it. I can find a new road captain,” Savage growls.

“Aww, but they wouldn’t annoy you like I do.”

“Get in the meeting room,” he hisses at me as he stalks over to kiss Bailey senseless.

I stare a moment before I pull myself away. I have a longing to find what they have. Not just them. Reaper, Colt, Wrath. Even Midnight. I heard that grump found himself a woman to love.

Everyone is finding their person, and yet I still feel stuck. I thought moving to Texas would help the emptiness inside disappear, but it didn’t. It only added more stress to my life and made the emptiness grow.

I’m not upset that I moved here. Savage needed help managing this place, and the guys have become brothers to me.So I don’t regret it, but I do sometimes miss Vegas and my family there.

“Hey, there you are,” Happy says, walking through the front door as I walk through the main area.

“Don’t tell me there are more issues with the club.” I groan.

Happy has become my second-in-command. After he was fully patched into our chapter, I was happy to give him the designation. He helps me manage the club and keeps me sane most days.

“Nah, everything’s good. I left Erin in charge with Prospect One watching over the girls.”

I nod. “Good.”

“I did see your girl Cami tonight, though,” he says.

Just hearing her name has me on edge.

“She’s not scheduled tonight. You need to go back and watch over her. I don’t want the prospect on her detail. He’s green. He will fuck it up.”

Happy’s smile grows, which only looks creepier with the scars he has on either side of his mouth.

“Oh, she’s not working. She was at the flower shop getting flowers,” he tells me.

“I see,” I tell him, letting my anger dissipate.

She’s safe.

I hate that my main priority is her safety, even over the club.

Seeing her so scared flipped a switch in me.

She tried to hide it, but I could see how it shook her up being touched against her will.

It makes me wonder what she endured that wasn’t in her files.

I want to protect her the best I can inside and outside the club.

“Yeah. I guess it is her birthday, and she wanted flowers. Don’t worry. I bought her some chocolates too.”

I let the words sink in. It’s her birthday.

Fuck. Why do I even care?

It doesn’t matter. I do care.

“The flower shop, you said?” I ask.

He nods. “Penelope knows her favorite color too.”

I nod. “Thanks, brother.”

“No problem. Just doing my job.” He winks at me.

He jogs off toward the backyard. His party is tonight to celebrate his patch. It’s also the first time the prospects are going to see how we do things.

First, we have the meeting, though.

Pulling out my phone, I call Blooms.

“Thank you for calling Blooms. This is Penelope. How can I help you?”

“Yes, Penelope. A friend of mine stopped by earlier. It is her birthday. I was wondering if you could send her a bouquet of flowers for me. I have her address. While you’re at it, could you stop and grab a cake too? I’ll pay extra.”

“Oh, that’s so wonderful to hear. I was worried she had no one when she came to buy her own. I guess she should have waited, huh? Give me her address and I’ll get it to her. Do you want to leave a message?” she asks.

“Happy birthday, Cami. May all your dreams come true.”

“That’s sweet. What about your name?”

“I’d rather remain anonymous. Can you take a card over the phone?”

After I settle up with Penelope, I hang up the phone and smile. It’s something small, but I hope it makes her smile.

Happy birthday, Cami.

I wish I was spending it with her.