Page 76 of Word to the Wise

Mason reaches over, sliding a hand onto my thigh and squeezing it. But he doesn’t take his eyes off Steel, who is motioning for a girl behind the bar.

Her hair’s nearly white it’s been drowned in so much bleach, and she’s beaming at Steel as she walks over in her skintight jeans and cropped T-shirt.

I never understood the girls who hung around the clubhouse. They always seemed so desperate for attention. It wasn’t until the first time Carter got rough with me that it all made sense. Sometimes you stick with what’s familiar, even when it’s not good for you.

These women are also trapped by their life choices. Except, unlike me, the men here don’t hurt them. They have a mutual understanding, and everyone benefits in some way. The girls use the club for housing, jobs, and a good time, and the guys use them so they don’t get lonely.

“What can I get ya, baby?” The platinum blonde leans on the counter, pushing her tits up and winking at Steel.

He orders a whiskey before her gaze moves to Mason, and she bats her lashes at him.

“Water.” He nods.

“Make that two.”

“You got it.”

After a moment, she’s back with our drinks, and I take a long sip. It’s a nice day outside, but the clubhouse is warmer. I’m not sure how any of these guys are walking around in leather.

Steel downs his shot in one swig as a man with dark hair stops beside him. Every inch of exposed skin is covered in tattoos from his neck to his hands.

He hands Steel a piece of paper. “Here you go, Prez.”

I barely catch a glimpse of his pale-blue eyes, peeking through the dark strands of hair that fall to his lashes before he once again disappears.

“A present from Ghost.” Steel holds the paper up for Mason.

Ghost.

The name is strangely fitting, even if it leaves a chill running down my spine.

Mason unfolds the paper, and it’s a VIP invitation to a party at one of Zane’s hotels tomorrow night. We could probably get in with one phone call to Mason’s dad, but he refused to reach out before we got to town, so this is the best way to do it.

I don’t know the details surrounding how he left things with his family, but I’m under no illusion it was positive.

“Tomorrow night.” Mason glances at me, and I nod.

“Hope you get what you came for.” Steel slides his empty glass across the bar. “Because if I have anything to say about it, Rick Zane will be six feet under next time you roll through. No offense.”

Mason smirks, shaking his head. “Have at it.”

The dark amusement in Steel’s gaze has my spine tingling. Mason might not want any part in whatever Steel is planning, but he isn’t opposed to it.

“Well, good luck. I’ve got shit to get back to.” Steel’s gaze moves to the building in the distance, and the fire in his eyes is terrifying.

Luckily, Steel’s comment has Mason eager to leave as well because I don’t want to know what he’s referring to.

Mason leads me out of the clubhouse, and we climb into the car. The countdown is ticking. All I can do is hope Mason’s dad is more reasonable than Mason seems to think.

If not, we might be walking into a worse situation than just going face-to-face with Carter.

24

Reed

“What is this place?”My eyes scan the desert as Mason’s car rolls to a stop on a large piece of land miles away from the Las Vegas Strip.

Directly in the center of it is a stunning home. It’s modest in size but stands out with the simple lines and modern feel. The exterior is white and bright, like the sun hovering directly over it. And there are more windows than I’d expect with it sitting in the middle of a desert.