Banished Souls MC (3 page)

Caine ignored him, waiting for her answer.

"No," she said, finally. "Not at all." She didn't want to say anything further, more out of pity than mercy.

The black haired man said, "Now that you've invoked a little employee training, can we go eat? I'm hungry."

Caine was still watching Cherish intently, more curious than anything else. Then his face broke into a smile. And to Cherish it was beautiful to behold. Caine nodded his head toward the other man. "T-Bone always thinks with his stomach. Don't mind him."

"Yeah, well a good beating always makes me hungry," T-Bone said.

"You didn't even hit him," Caine said.

T-Bone shrugged. "Watching a beating makes me hungry, then."

Cherish found she could not speak, entranced by this man's smile.

Caine indicated she should stand up. "Come on," he said. Cherish did as she was told. She felt she would do anything this man told her to do, and happily.

All three of them left Lloyd to cry and weep in private.

Outside, all the women waiting were paralysed with fear. Eyes wide.

Caine smiled at them all, Cherish standing beside him. "It's okay," Caine said to the group. "We just had a meeting, and it was decided by our manager that we'll skip this part of the audition."

Some of the women gasped dramatically. Others applauded.

As Caine addressed the crowd Cherish found he had put his hand on the small of her back. An unconscious gesture? Or did it mean something? The flesh beneath the part of her dress he touched tingled as if electrified.

"You can all come back for the dance portion on Friday night, as planned."

The women were very happy now. They obviously knew of what had been expected of them behind that office door. Now it was no longer a worry.

Cherish found herself grinning like a fool, savoring Caine's touch.

The same hand he slapped Lloyd with, she thought. Slapped him because of me. She felt a strange mix of emotions.

Oh, here I go again, she thought. Sucked into this world by a handsome biker. She shook her head. I got to leave here before things get worse. I don't need another mess.

She then noticed Addie, standing to one side of the group. Their eyes met, and Cherish smiled at her. But Addie was not smiling back. Not at all. She actually looked annoyed.

Caine had finished talking, and smiled at Cherish. Keeping her composure as best she could she smiled back and said, "Thanks again, for that."

The handsome biker said, "Anytime."

Cherish felt deep down inside that he really meant it.

Run, girl! She thought. Leave, now!

She casually stepped away from him, and Caine turned to speak with another woman who was practically throwing herself bodily onto him to get his attention.

As Cherish headed for the exit Addie intercepted her. The other woman's expression was now friendly and smiling but more reserved. The complete opposite of what it was moments ago.

"Guess it worked out for you, huh?" Addie said. There was no maliciousness to her tone, but Cherish sensed something deeper. Resentment?

"I guess," Cherish said, wanting to just detach herself from everyone in this place, but not wanting to be too rude. "But I still feel this isn't the right time for me. To get back into stripping."

Addie visibly perked up at this news. "Oh, well that's too bad, honey. You know you can come back anytime that you want. But maybe it's for the best."

Cherish didn't know this woman long enough to tell if she was serious, or just emotionally flaky when expressing herself. And if Cherish was really being honest with herself she didn't want to care. She was gone. Poverty be damned. If she had to live on the streets, eating out of dumpsters and begging, then so be it. No stripping, no Devlin, no bikers, no heartache.

She just had to get out of her and never look back, before something changed her mind.

"Hey," said a familiar voice from behind her.

Cherish whirled around, and caught her breath. Caine was standing there, close, grinning down at her.

"Need a ride?" Caine asked.

Chapter 4

Cherish

"Uh," Cherish said. It was all she could say to Caine at that very moment of decision.

Addie rescued her by inserting herself between the two of them. "Hey, Caine," she cooed. She was positively beaming.

And who could blame her, Cherish thought. Or at least tried to think. Her insides were quivering and all tingly just looking at him. Caine was so damn fine, and handsome and... fine.

Caine just glanced at Addie, then dismissed her from existence to ask Cherish, "You live near here?"

Cherish found herself nodding. "I'm staying at the Hemlock Motel."

"Okay," Caine said. He brushed past Addie and put his hand against Cherish's back, guiding her toward the door. "Then lets roll."

Cherish let herself by gently pushed along, her mind in a fog.

The heat outside hit her like a smothering wool blanket. But it was still better than being inside Lloyd's office. Other girls were now leaving, some being picked up by waiting cars.

Cherish paused. Again, she found herself looking for that blue mustang. She couldn't see it.

"You coming?" Caine asked her when she had stopped.

"Yeah," she said, and followed him.

"How long have you been in town?" he asked.

"Uh, I dunno. A couple days." For some reason, talking about her self made her even more nervous. Get a grip, girl.

"You came for the audition, huh?"

"Yeah, read about it online." The heady feeling she got while talking to him was fading a little. Making it easier to concentrate on what she was saying. But he still had one hell of an effect on her.

They approached a candy apple red camaro which glinted in the sunlight.

They both stopped to admire it. "This your car?" she asked.

"One of them," he said, indicating for her to go around to the passenger side. "Get in."

As she walked around, she looked about the lot in confusion. "Where's your bike?" She actually expected him to drive her back with it. That got her excited.

"Took this today," he said, grinning. "In case it rained."

Cherish looked up at the cloudless blue sky. Then they both laughed.

She got in. Nice leather seats. Everything looked brand new, or at least newly refurbished. "Wow," she said. "Sweet ride."

"I always give sweet rides," he said, the grin never fading from his face. And with that he started the engine and revved it up.

Oh, I bet you do, Cherish thought, that flutter in her stomach returning.

They pulled out of his parking spot and did a slow cruise by the women near the front door. All of them stared at the beautiful car, then at the beautiful man driving it.

Cherish couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself. Out of all those hotties he had chosen her for some attention.

Addie was standing right at the edge of the sidewalk watching Caine drive past. He didn't acknowledge her and Cherish noticed what could be tears in the other woman's eyes.

Then they were on the highway, heading in the direction of the motel.

"I think that Addie woman really likes you," Cherish said.

Caine frowned a little at this. "Yeah, we had a thing once, but it's long over. Nothing there anymore."

Maybe for you, Cherish thought. She hoped she wasn't prying too much, but he seemed cool about it.

"Where you from, anyway?" he asked.

"Up north," she said, trying to be as nonspecific as she could. "I just wanted to get away and maybe start something new, ya know?"

Caine smiled at this. "Yeah, I get that. I just started something new myself."

"What's that?" Cherish asked, happy to change the subject to him.

"Got patched in to the Club a few days ago," he said. It didn't sound boastful. More of a statement of fact.

To Cherish, it sounded like a very big deal. Which it was. "Wow, that is cool. Congratulations." And without even thinking she patted his thigh. Then she quickly pulled it away.

Go slow, girl, she thought.

He seemed to pretend not to notice. "Yeah, it was a long time coming," he said. "I've worked hard to get it, It's not something that just gets handed out at a street corner. It is something that had to be earned."

They stopped at a red light, and he turned to look right at her. "I like to earn my rewards," he said.

Cherish was a puddle. His look, his smell, his closeness was starting to overwhelm her again.

And his interest in her was most definitely a good sign. Wasn't it?

They smiled at each other. Cherish was speechless.

Then the light changed and they were moving again.

"How long have you been with the Club?" she asked, genuinely interested but at the same time just happy to be talking with him.

"Years, and years. The Banished Souls have been around since forever, even before I was born. There as much a part of this town as anything else I know. And probably will long after I'm gone."

She could hear the pride in his voice. The Club meant a great deal to him. But was it all consuming? Devlin wallowed in his own membership of his Biker Club, the Krimson Klowns. Something to flaunt, like his hot stripper girlfriend.

Ex-girlfriend now.

Cherish pushed the thought of Devlin from her mind. Caine and Devlin were bikers, yeah. But when she looked over at Caine she felt something there she never had with Devlin.

Caine was no Devlin. Or so she hoped.

Suddenly, ahead of them a light was changing from yellow to red. Caine stepped on the gas, and sped through the intersection. Waiting at the front of the the oncoming lane was a police car.

Cherish held her breath as the cop looked over at them as they went by.

But nothing happened. They cop didn't turn on his lights or sirens to pursue them. Cherish couldn't help but giggle at this.

"They're not a problem," Caine said. Cherish sensed she shouldn't ask what he meant.

They arrived at the Hemlock Motel and pulled into the lot. Cherish pointed. "Room 7," she said.

"Lucky number," he said.

He pulled up along side her door and stopped. "You're home safely." He didn't put it in park. Wasn't making any assumptions.

Cherish found herself a little moved by this gentlemanly gesture from such a big bad biker. She knew right then and there that she wanted him to come in her room with her. Impulse, maybe. But more like a need. She didn't want him to leave now. She may never see him again.

"Gotta go?" she asked trying not to sound too desperate to keep him around.

"Yeah," he said. "Got business to attend to."

"How about just a quick drink? We can talk a little more."

Caine smiled, melting her heart. "A drink, huh? At ten in the morning? Well, why didn't you say so?"

Cherish laughed at this and got out. As Caine parked the camaro Cherish fumbled in her purse for her keys.

You know what you are doing girl? She thought to herself. This guy is insanely hot and all, but is this really what you want right now?

She watched Caine as he got out of his car and sauntered in her direction.

Yup, she thought. Yup, yup, yup.

Inside, her room looked like a disaster. Clothes everywhere. Bedding a mess.

"So much for room service," Caine said, eyeing a bra left hanging off the bathroom doorknob.

"You get what you pay for," she said as she hurriedly shifted mountains of fabric around. "Here," she said pointing to a newly discovered chair. "Sit."

As Caine settled in she grabbed two beers from the fridge and handed him one. "The last of their kind."

She sat on the edge of the bed opposite him, trying valiantly not to stare at the large bulge in his jeans.

Sheesh, she thought. And that thing is at rest. She contented herself with sucking a few sips from her beer bottle, then asked, "So, Booty Bumps? Really? Who came up with that name?"

Caine grinned. "It's had several name changes over the years. Every time there was some violation or legal crap pops up and the joint can't be run under its name anymore, it gets re-branded completely. This time is Booty Bumps."

"What was it before?"

"Booby Bumps."

She laughed. Funny guy. That's a major plus.

"Yeah," he said, "Bumps is practically my second home, if not my first now that I'm a full patch. The Club is there all the time. Every night, usually."

"I'm use to peeler bars, as you can probably tell by now. Been in and out of them for years, too," she said.

Caine drank, too, but watched her intently. His gaze was like a hot sun, something for her to bask in and feel warm.

"Look," Caine said, leaning forward a little. His expression was a little more serious now. "We should talk about something first."

Cherish was all ears. "First?" she asked, a little baffled.

"Yeah, before we become better... friends."

Cherish almost choked on her drink. "Better friends than we already are? A little fast, don't you think?" She tried to sound playful, but it didn't seem to feel that way when she said it.

Caine's smile was firm. He was all business now, and Cherish stiffened a little.

Is this when the trouble starts? She thought to herself.

"No," he said. "I mean. You know who I am. What I am, right? You get that I'm not some ordinary citizen. I'm something else. Different. Being with the Club especially."

"Yeah," she said. "I do. You're a biker. An outlaw. I'm familiar with your kind." She smiled and she was relieved to see it returned.

"I figured," Caine said, relaxing a little. "So you know I... we.... the Club have to be careful who we let into our little circle. Learn who we can trust. Even with just friends we hook up with occasionally."

Now Cherish felt her heart freeze in her chest. This was bad, now. Real bad. What was he really saying here?

Caine leaned forward more, crooked an eyebrow at her and said, "Are you a cop?"

Cherish suddenly burst into laughter, getting beer all over herself. "Oh, my God! No! Hell, no!" she shouted with relief.

Caine grinned, and even chuckled. "Okay, then. I believe you." He dropped her a wink and took a sip of his beer.

He's messing with me, she thought in amusement. She knew if he really felt she was a cop, he wouldn't even be here.

Or maybe she would be dead right now.

That last thought sobered her mood a little. Yet, her eyes were drawn to his bulging crotch. This guy was made to where jeans.

"Why," she asked. "Do you normally share a beer with a cop who wants to strip for you?"