Amy (Aces MC Series Book 3.5) (5 page)

I heard the door shut and breathed a sigh of relief knowing
that the man couldn't get to his children. He must have heard the same sound
and immediately stopped thrashing around allowing me to get down off his back.
I saw the tears stream down his cheeks as he rubbed his hands through his hair
and sat on the pavement as if waiting for the police to arrive.
I stood nervously questioning his new demeanour as he glanced at me quickly
before turning his attention to rolling a cigarette. "I only wanted to see
my son." I didn't respond, I simply kept quiet not wanting to antagonise
the situation further. "I haven't seen him now for eight weeks and it's
killing me."
I heard a car pull up and I glanced behind me to see two police officers exit
the vehicle and make their way over towards us.
Henry came out of the building and pointed to the man on the ground as he
started to explain to the officer what he'd seen. I slowly made my way to the
staff entrance that Henry had just come out of and couldn't understand why the
normal entrance was so complicated.
"Excuse me miss, we're gonna need a statement from you as well." The
police office said as he cuffed the dad.
"Yeah but I'm gonna need a stiff drink first."

"Hi Amy, what can I get you?" Amanda asked from
behind the bar.
I chewed the inside of my mouth as I contemplated what to drink, "Erm I
think I'm going to start with a vodka and orange." Amanda smiled and
reached on the shelf for a glass before using the optics to get my measure of vodka.
I glanced around the club, it wasn't too busy this afternoon with just a few
punters scattered around the seating areas and I was thankful of the absence of
club members.
"There you go," Amanda said placing my glass onto the bar. I smiled
and reached for my wallet when Amanda placed her hand over mine. "The
gentleman at the end of the bar bought this for you." I glanced in his
direction and smiled as I raised my glass to thank him. I wasn't looking for
company this afternoon, I just wanted a quiet drink but he was handsome, with dark
short cropped hair and a chiselled jaw. I could possibly make small talk to
help pass the time, I nodded in his direction and he smiled as he pushed from
the bar and swaggered towards me. I hadn't seen him around before but that
didn't mean he wasn't a local.

"Thank you for the drink, I'm Amy." I stated
holding out my hand. His smile grew as he politely took my offering and lifted
it close to his lips to lay a kiss on the back of my hand.
"Nice to meet you Amy, I'm James." He drawled.
"That's a lovely accent you have there, you sound very...British!" I
stated lifting my glass to take a quick sip.
James drew his brows together looking a little confused by my comment, "As
suppose to what?"
I placed my glass onto the bar, "Very Essex!" I sniggered.
James chuckled, "Right I see where you're going with this. I'm not from around
here originally but I'm now very local and visiting my father today." James
perched on the stool beside me and motioned to Amanda that he needed a refill. James
returned his attention to me, "Thank you," he stated in reference to
my earlier comment. "So what brings a lovely lady like yourself to a place
like this?" he asked raising his hands referring to the strip club.
I sniggered at his question, where was I to start and what information did I
omit to tell him through fear of scarring him off so quickly. "The short
answer is, I've had a really shitty day."
James placed a note on the bar for Amanda as he took the drink she'd just
placed in front of him. "And the long answer is?" he asked looking at
me intently.
His response surprised me, he was obviously from money by the way he spoke,
dressed and carried himself and he also had manners which wasn't something I
was used to. "Precisely that, long! We'll have to save that for another
day." The sides of his mouth curled slightly and I knew that I amused him
with my whit. "So what brings a handsome young man like yourself to a
place like this?" I asked throwing his question back at him.
"My father is in an important meeting, I asked the first person I saw
where the nearest pub was and they directed me here." He smirked.
"Did that person wear leather or ride a motorcycle by any chance?"
"How did you know?"
"Just a lucky guess."
James' phone bleeped indicating that he'd received a text, he removed it from
the breast pocket of his suit jacket and swiped the screen to read the message
before locking the phone. "I'm sorry but I've got to leave, my father is
out of his meeting."
I smiled although I felt a little disappointed, I think I could've had an
enjoyable afternoon with James. "I understand, it was nice meeting you
though."
James stood from his chair and brushed his hand accidently against my thigh but
my eyes quickly met his seeing the desire sparkle between us. He leaned in
close and I puckered to place a kiss on his cheek but James moved his head so
that my lips placed firmly against his. James pulled away far too quickly for
my liking but I saw the desire in his eyes and the cheeky smile that I'd seen a
few times during our conversation.
"Until next time." James grabbed my hand that was rested on my thigh
and gave it a light squeeze before slipping a card between my thumb and
forefinger. I glanced down at the card to read that James was a doctor which
didn't really surprise me as he presented himself to be educated. I looked up quickly
and noticed him stroll through the bar gaining attention from the other females
in the room. I placed my hand over my mouth as I twirled the card in my other
hand going over the whole conversation in my head.

"He was yummy!"
I looked in the direction the voice came from to see Amanda leaning on the bar
and smiled at her dream like facial expression, "He sure was and he's
given me his card." I stated wiggling my brows.
Amanda cackled and pushed from the bar, "Do you want another?" she
asked.
"I'll tell you what, I fancy a large glass of wine."

I had managed to drink two and half bottles of wine by
myself over the course of the afternoon but I wasn't ready to leave and I
certainly wasn't leaving any drink left in the bottle that was for sure. I'd
spent the afternoon propping up the bar and had enjoyed passing the time people
watching which was one of my favourite pass times especially in this place as
it attracted a variety of different people.
"Hi Amy," I closed one eye to help me focus better as Mark joined me
at the bar.
I gave him my biggest smile, and shuffled off the stool so I could cosy up
against him. Mark was hot, he had it all going on and was the only biker I knew
that could wear his patch as if it were a designer accessory. He was still a prospect
and the guy's had put him through his paces but I knew that he was highly
regarded among the guys and it wouldn't be long before he was fully patched. I
saw the unease on his face as I rested my body against his but I didn't care, I
needed some male company and I was hoping Mark had a couple of hours to spare.

"Hi babe, any chance you can join me for a drink?"
I asked hopefully.
Mark looked a little uneasy and shuffled to his right to put some distance
between us. "I've gotta wait for the takings so I can have a quick drink
but then I need to get back."
"That's great, what do you want my treat?" I asked giving him the
best smile I could muster in my intoxicated state. I took a sideways step so
that I was once again leaning against him, his body was warm apart from the
coldness of his leather and I breathed in his scent, Mark always smelt
delicious.
He leaned on the bar trying his best to not touch or rub against me, "Can
I just get a coke please Amanda." Mark picked up my empty glass before
sliding it across the bar, "And I'm assuming a wine for Amy?"
Amanda nodded, "Have you come for the takings?" she asked as she poured
the wine into a fresh glass.
"Yeah, no rush. I'd better keep this one company until the cavalry
arrives!"
"I am here you know and don't even think about calling Ethan." I
slurred before grabbing my drink from Amanda and taking a large gulp. I saw an
exchange between the two of them but I couldn't make out what they were saying and
I didn't care. I turned towards Mark and placed my hand on his chest, "How
often do you work out babe because you have one hot body."
He blushed slightly and grasped my hand, "Amy you need to stop this babe,
you'll get me in trouble."
I giggled and could hear how pathetic I sounded but it was as if someone else
was talking rather than me, "Ah babe, I like getting in trouble. Why don't
we go in one of the rooms out back?" I asked walking my fingers down his
torso in the direction of his belt.
I saw him gulp hard and knew that I was making him uncomfortable but I'd instigated
it now and wanted to see it through if he'd let me.
He eagerly stepped back putting some space between us and glanced around the
room as if looking for someone. I was drunk but I knew either he or Amanda had
made contact with the club to let them know I was here and groaned at the
thought of being told off again.
Mark turned his attention back to the bar, and as he moved his head I saw Ethan
stomp into the club and I instinctively grimaced trying to move my body so that
I wasn't in his eye line. He stood on the stairs and glanced around the club
and that was my cue to try and make a speedy exit.

"Mark, I'm just going to the bathroom." I stated
sliding from the stool.
He nodded his head, "Okay but if you're not out in five I'll come looking
for you."
I gave him a cheeky wink, "Yeah, you do that babe." I stated before
leaving his side in the direction of the toilets at the back of the club. I didn't'
intend to use them but the fire escape that led to the alley that ran alongside
the club was in that direction and that's where I planned to go. I couldn't
drive in my state but I could either sleep it off in the rear seat or leave it
here until morning and get a taxi home, I wasn't sure yet what I was going to
do.

I stumbled into the corridor and pressed on the metal bar of
the fire exit to release the large locks. The door opened easily and a gust of
wind swirled inside making me shiver from the cold. I pulled my lightweight
cardigan tightly together and made my way down the stairs making sure that I
held on to the railings for support. As I reached the bottom step, I gingerly
placed my foot onto the wet ground making sure it could take my full weight
before I pushed off and held onto the side of the building for support as I
made my way down the alley. I knew that this simple process was taking me longer
than someone who was sober and if I was seen I'd offer some comic value because
of my antics but the mind of a drunk person is far from normal.
"Easy does it Amy, that's right one foot in front of the other," I
said as way of encouraging myself. I glanced down the alley and smiled to
myself realising that I didn't have far to go. "That's it Amy you're
nearly there girl, not far now." I told myself aloud to keep the momentum going
and get as far away from the club as possible before I was caught.

I continued to use the brick wall for support although this
was proving difficult but I managed to reach the end of the alley and felt a
sense of achievement. I glanced around my surroundings, and heard a group of
guys cursing and being generally crass from across the road. I squinted as I
tried to focus on the group and heard a loud bang further behind me in the
direction I'd just come but my eyes were transfixed on the group in front of
me. I couldn't quite make them out and there was nothing that was overly
visible but I just had an uneasy feeling. I stared in the group's direction and
that's when I made focus and saw him. Sam was standing with the group, giving it
large to the other members, oh how things change in this fickle world in just a
couple of weeks. He hadn't been directly involved in the stabbing but he was
with the group when I'd been taken and could have possibly tried to calm the
situation or prevent me from being harmed.

I let out a muffled scream as a hand was placed roughly over
my mouth and I was dragged back into the alley. My arms were immobilised by the
persons other arm but I thrashed round and managed to kick him in the leg.
"For fucks sake Amy just behave yourself!"
"Ethan?" I stopped struggling and he placed me on the ground holding
me so I wouldn't stumble. "What are you doing chasing me down a dark
alley?" I asked swaying a little as I placed my hands on my hips.
Ethan shook his head, "You're fucking unbelievable, do you know
that?" I brought my brows together confused by his statement as he let out
a sigh. "You come out and get drunk again after all that I said last
night, come on to a prospect and try to sneak off before I catch up with you,
and that's before I've even started about leaving early this morning!" I
rolled my eyes and felt the tug on my arm before I had time to even open them
properly as Ethan pulled me down the alley and up the stairs to the club.
"Where are we going?" I asked petulantly as we entered the fire exit
at the back of the club.
"I'm taking you home and then we're having that chat."
"I'm twenty-two not twelve Ethan. Let's have that chat here and get it
over with because you're really being a buzz kill at the moment." I saw
him clench his fists and knew that I'd over stepped the mark, he'd never hit me
but he may punch someone else out of frustration and I didn't want to be
responsible for that. "Look, okay, okay, I'm sorry. Let's find a quiet
place to sit and hash the whole thing out and settle this tonight." I
smiled sweetly and took Ethan's hand to lead him up the corridor and into the
main bar. It had gotten busier and where I'd previously sat was now occupied so
I directed him to the tables where the club members usually congregated.

Rachel came over, "What can I get you?" she asked
politely.
"I'll have a jack and Amy will have a coke." Ethan stated looking at
Rachel.
"Amy will not have a coke and Amy is more than capable of ordering her own
drink. Amy will have a glass of wine, make it a large one please Rachel."
I smiled sarcastically at Ethan as Rachel turned on her heels and scurried away.
He raised his hand to rub his forehead, "You'll be the death of me."
I sighed, "I had a rough day at work and wanted to chill for a couple of
hours. It's no biggy!"
"No biggy Ames? Are you fucking listening to yourself?"
"What I'm trying to say, is that I don't have a drink problem. I just
wanted to chillax." I crossed my arms and leaned back into the chair, I
was obviously going to be here a while so I may as well make myself
comfortable.
"It's gotta stop Ames before you put yourself in danger. If you get drunk
and the wrong man comes on to you, who knows what could happen."
"I know Ethan, can we not rehash this please or try to give me a
curfew."
He sniggered and I knew I'd eased the situation with my banter. That's one of
the things I loved about our relationship, we had the ability to make each
other laugh and our fights never went on than more than a day.
Rachel placed our drinks onto the table, and Ethan knocked it back in one gulp.
I looked at him confused as he stood, "If I don't have to take you home
then there's somewhere more important I've gotta be. Either Justice or Spike
will be over shortly to make sure you get home safely."
"I don't need Daryl or Connor babysitting me, I'm going to finish this
drink and then I'll get a taxi home."
"Do you promise?"
"I promise!" I stated saluting him.
He sniggered again and made his way around the table to take my face between
his two large hands, "Know that I love you Amy Victoria Stokes and I will
always look out for you, even if you don't want me to." Ethan placed a
kiss on my forehead before he stood tall and winked leaving me with my
thoughts.
I didn't ask where he was going but it obviously involved the club or a girl,
although he was married to Amber. I giggled to myself as I picked up my glass
to take a swig of wine and let out a satisfying sigh as it slid down my throat.