Page 41 of Mimic

I just had to get away from the clubhouse, and then I could slip away without being seen.

My mind made up, I took a shower and got dressed for the day. I stuck my phone in my back pocket and a stash of money in my shoe. I would never understand why women put money in their bras. It was itchy as hell. And who knew where it had been. At least in my shoe, my sock provided a small layer of protection between my skin and the germs that money was laced with.

I opened my door and stepped back when I almost ran into Archie.

“What are you doing out here?”

“King asked me to guard you.”

“Guard me? Am I a prisoner?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest and glaring at him.

“No, ma’am. King wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“Am I not safe in the clubhouse?”

“No, ma’am. I mean, yes, ma’am, you’re safe here.” Archie shook his head. He was flustered, and I wondered how he would make it in a motorcycle club being as nervous as he was.

He’d been in the studio a couple of times, adding to his tattoos. As I looked him over, all visible skin was clean. Untarnished. But I knew under the clothes he wore was a world of ink that told a story that would give men nightmares.

“Are you supposed to follow me around all day?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Archie. Please stop calling me ma’am.”

“Yes, ma’am, I mean... sorry.” His head dropped, and he looked defeated.

“Where are you from?”

“Georgia.”

I nodded. “That makes sense. I guess I can let the ma’am shit pass. I don’t imagine it’s as easy to let it go as it was to put it there.”

Archie chuckled as he followed me downstairs.

“No, ma’am. Been saying it since I learned to talk.”

That meant he was raised by someone who loved him. Someone who’d made sure he learned manners and respect. Archie had a gentle soul, but there was something in his eyes. Something fierce that said he shouldn’t be underestimated. And I wondered about his life before coming to Diamond Creek. What brought him here? Why not join a club close to home?

The main room was quiet. I looked around, and the only people milling around were the club girls and the prospects.

“Where is everyone?”

“Sam went into labor last night,” Brandy explained. “We’re holding down the fort while everyone is at the hospital.”

“Everyone?”

“Yup,” Crystal replied, popping the ‘p’ at the end of the word. “Whores don’t rate high enough to visit the precious old ladies.” She looked me up and down and raised an eyebrow, as if to say that I was in the same category as her.

And I was, but she didn’t know that.

“Hey, Indie. You hungry?” Johnny asked.

“Starving.” I followed him into the kitchen and sat at the table while he fried up some bacon and eggs.

“Don’t listen to Crystal. She’s bitter that Big Ben won’t fuck her anymore. She thought he’d make her his old lady.”

“He won’t?” I asked, pretending as though I knew nothing about motorcycle clubs. I’d learned the basics from Apollo.Though he’d kept me away from the club. He’d never brought me to the clubhouse; the only brothers I’d met were the ones who came in for tattoos.