Duke (Aces MC Series Book 2) (9 page)

Taylor

Word was
getting around about the service we offered and today had been very successful
with a range of new and regular customers. It was nearing 5.00pm and I was
conscious of time as I had to be over at the club for 6.00pm.
“Chanel, do you fancy some overtime this evening?” I asked hoping that she
would come to ease some of the pressure.
“Yeah sure, anything so that I don’t have to go home!” She said with a sad
smile.
I looked at her confused by her last comment, “Why what’s going on?”
Chanel shrugged, “My Dad recently lost his job and has been dealing it by drinking
a lot which makes him shoot his mouth off. It would be good to stay away for an
evening.”
“His loss is my gain, start packing away and we’ll head over to the club.”
Chanel would be a great help this evening but I may have a fight, trying to
keep the club members away from her as Chanel is gorgeous with her long dark
hair, hazel coloured eyes and classic looking features.

We
arrived at the club a little after 6.00pm. “Sorry we’re late Bear.” He simply smiled
as I walked further into the room.
Chanel was mesmerised by the place and stopped suddenly taking in the place,
“WOW! I never thought it would look like this Taylor. I thought strip joints
would look seedy and dirty.” Bear sniggered at her statement.
I grabbed her hand gently and directed her to the back of the club before she
upset him with her lack of diplomacy. She’d already piqued the interest of some
of the guys at the bar and I wanted to keep her away from the main area as much
as possible. She was also underage and although it wasn’t a crime to be in here
at seventeen, I didn’t want her to be tempted by anything.

“Hi
Savannah!” Chanel shouted across the dressing room.
“Chanel, I didn’t know you were coming this evening.” Savannah stood to give
Chanel an air kiss on either side of her face.
“Your outfit is beautiful, did you make it yourself?” Chanel asked in awe of
the stunning outfit Savannah was wearing. She crouched to feel a piece of the
material between her fingers.
Savannah wiggled, “I make all my costumes.”
“Chanel, settle down and give Savannah room to move.” I said in a clipped tone
as she was getting over excited.
She smiled sweetly as she left Savannah’s side to unpack the hair and beauty products
that I’d left here last night.
Savannah walked over to give me a hug, “How have you been?”
I released her from me hold but held her at arm’s length, “I’m good. Now what
are you having this evening?”

Chanel
and I worked solidly for four hours and I was starting to feel tired.
“Let’s take a break, I’m exhausted.” Chanel was jigging around to the music
like she’d been doing for most of the evening.
“You’ve got no stamina Taylor.” She said with a giggle as she continued to
twirl and lip sync.
She was right, I was still aching from my last encounter with Duke!

I opened
the door leading Chanel to the bar. Tracy, a club regular was on the stage
dancing provocatively to ‘Should’ve Known Better’. The punters were in full
swing, clapping and cheering as she swung around the pole. I turned and caught
Chanel staring at Tracy.
“Close your mouth Chanel.” I said amused by her reaction.
“She looks fantastic Taylor. Did you see what she just did up that pole?”
I shook my head, “Don’t get any ideas.” I stated firmly as I pulled her towards
the bar.
We perched ourselves on the barstools directly in front of the bar. “What are you
drinking ladies?” Natasha the manager asked with a bright smile.
“Two cokes with ice, please.”
“Taylor, Chanel,” Diesel said with a nod, “The girls have looked lovely this
evening, thank you.” Natasha handed us our drinks and I eagerly took a sip as I
was parched.
“Well if you’re happy then I’m happy. We’re gonna have a quick drink then
return to work. We haven’t had a break yet.”
“You’ve done enough this evening, please stick around for a while and keep me
company until Spike arrives.”
I looked over at Chanel, to see that she was deep in conversation with one of
the prospects.
“Is he okay?” I asked pointing in their direction. “She’s young, I don’t want
him taking advantage.”
Diesel laughed, “Buster, look after Chanel. See that no harm comes to her.”
He smiled and continued the conversation with Chanel who was hanging on his every
word.
“How’s the salon going?” Diesel asked looking genuinely interested.
“It’s going better than expected. The beauty side of the business has also
taken off and with this gig, I can’t really complain.” He nodded and took a sip
of his drink. “So where’s Spike tonight?”
Diesel laughed shaking his head slightly at my question. “He’s probably with
his latest project!” He must have seen my confused state, “He’s a fixer. He
likes to fix things and people. If we’re in a room full of people, he will be
able to sniff out the person who has the most problems and then try to fix
them, it’s what he does.”
I couldn’t make out if Diesel was mocking or admiring this
characteristic, “That’s not a horrible quality to have and he has a kind heart.”
I couldn’t help my outburst.
“And you have a smart mouth.” He stated taking another sip of his drink
maintaining eye contact.
I fidgeted in my chair, pulling my dress down as much as possible to
cover my thighs.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend or speak out of turn.”
Had I annoyed
Diesel?
That was the last thing I wanted.
“He’s ribbing you Taylor. He likes a girl with a smart mouth.” Spike draped his
arm around my shoulder. “You’re on par with Ink.” He said with a wink.
“We were just talking about you. Have you been with your latest project?”
Diesel asked mockingly.
Spike looked annoyed, “No, I’ve been with Duke this evening. He went to visit
Viper.”
Diesel looked surprised and jumped off the stool, “Is he still there?”
Spike knocked back his drink and placed the empty glass on the bar, “Don’t
panic, he’s back at the club house. He just needed time to sort his head out.
He’s had the weight of the world on his shoulders lately but he just needs to
learn how to unwind.”
I was confused.
Who was Viper? And why did Duke need time to sort his
head out?
I felt the urge to go to him.
“Erm…is it okay for me to knock off early Diesel?” They both looked at me as I
interrupted their conversation.
“Yeah, of course you can. Is everything okay?” He asked concerned as I grabbed
for my car keys. “I’ve just remembered that I have to be somewhere.” I turned
to Chanel, “Grab your things, we’re gonna make a move?” She was still deep in
conversation with the prospect and pouted at my request.
“Taylor don’t worry, I’ll make sure she gets home safely.” Spike rose from the
chair he was sitting in and leaned closer, “You go and take care of your man.”
He whispered quietly in my ear. I smiled before turning on my heels and rushing
to my car.

I drove at a steady pace, arriving at the club house in good
time. I hadn’t been here before and was hoping that I would recognise one of
the guys so that they’d allow me to see Duke. I wasn’t familiar with the
protocol but I’m sure I couldn’t just turn up and ask to see him!
I got out of my car and walked past the parked Harley’s towards the main door
of the club house. “Well, look at what we have here!”
I could just make out the men standing by the doors in the dimly lit carpark,
and as I got closer I could see that they were no older than twenty.
“I’m here to see Duke.” I stated in my most confident voice.
They looked at each other with a questioning look and then back at me, “Is he
expecting you?” The slightly taller man asked as he moved closer invading my
space.
I was starting to get annoyed by my delay, “No but Spike said it was okay for
me to come over.”
He shrugged, “Sorry love, Spike’s not here to confirm that, so I can’t let you
in.”
I stood there placing my hands on my hips as I tried to keep my temper under
control.
“It’s late and I’m tired and I want to see Duke. I know Spike isn’t here
because I’ve just left him at the club. Now you can either let me in or call
someone to confirm who I am but I will be going in!”  
The door opened and Bear stuck his head out, “Oh it’s you making all the
fucking noise,” he said with humour in his voice. “Hurry up, I aint got all
fucking day.” He held the door open so that I could enter the building. I turned
and smiled smugly at the two men as I stepped into the club house.
“Thanks Bear.” I tried to keep up with him as he stalked through the room. I looked
around at the modestly decorated bar area and could see several doors leading
off of the far wall. I recognised a few of the guys and some acknowledged me
with a nod as I rushed past trying to keep up with Bear’s strides. What I
didn’t anticipate, were the naked women roaming around.
I wasn’t a prude but
was it really necessary?
Bear held open a door indicating for me to go through.
“Where is he?” I asked looking around.
He nodded in the direction of the corridor, “Fourth door on the left.”
I pushed back my shoulders and tried to muster some confidence.
“Taylor!” I stopped in my tracks and turned slightly, “I’m glad you’re here, he
needs a friend.” I smiled knowing that I’d made the right decision in coming
here this evening.

I knocked on the door but there was no answer so I decided
to try the handle to see if it was unlocked. The brass knob turned easily and I
pushed the door open slowly, stepping into the dimly lit room. Duke was curled
up under the covers and I could hear his steady breathing as he lay there
peacefully.
Not wanting to disturb him, I closed the door quietly and stepped further into
the room. I hadn’t decided what I wanted to say or do when I got here, I just
knew that I needed to be close to him. He may wake and push me away but that
was the chance I was willing to take. I slipped off my heels and took off my
dress, carefully folding it and putting it on the chair in the corner of the
room.

Gently pulling back the duvet, I quietly slipped into his cold
bed and made my way slowly over to his side. His breathing was still controlled
and I was relieved that I hadn’t woken him. I rested my head on his bare chest
as I moulded my body against his.
As I lay there in the darkness, I started to think about the events that had
taken place over the past two weeks. This, whatever this was had knocked me for
six. I knew it was wrong but I was starting to develop feelings for Duke. This
man had forced himself into my life and I was now finding it difficult to shake
him off.
He obviously couldn’t give me what I wanted but was I prepared to
sell myself short and settle for a causal relationship?
The thought of
sharing made me feel sick which made my head spin but I wasn’t in the right
frame of mind to analyse my thoughts further tonight. As I lay there, I could
feel my eyes drooping as I quickly nodded off to sleep.

Duke

God I was hot! I opened my eye’s adjusting to the darkness
and could see from the alarm clock that it was just after 12.30am. I tried to
roll over but was stopped in my tracks. As I looked down I saw Ash wrapped
around me.
What the fuck was she doing here?
Not that I minded but I
couldn’t understand why she’d come here after out disagreement on Friday
evening.
This is why I didn’t commit because I couldn’t figure women out, they blew hot
and cold all the time and came with drama, so much fucking drama!
I briefly thought of the conversations I’d had with Ames and Spike over the
past couple of days. I’d sorted my head out this evening. Spike should be a
fucking therapist! I didn’t realise that I’d bottled up my emotions and hadn’t
given myself enough time to grieve for Viper. Spike had implied that I was
depressed but I wasn’t gonna see a councillor or take any pills like he’d
suggested. I’d try to deal with this in my own way.
Everything just happened so fast. Viper died and then I became president with a
huge amount of responsibility overnight. Viper must have thought I was capable
of leading this club as he’d made me VP but he was grooming me for a job that
he thought I would inherit a lot later than I actually did! I was never one to
bitch and moan and didn’t want to come across weak so I just got on with
things. Because I’d lost my confidant in Viper, I turned to Savannah and Amy
but it wasn’t the same. They had their own lives to lead they didn’t want to be
burdened with my problems. All of these things had shaped me into the man that
I had now become. I wasn’t proud of how I’d dealt with everything, the
situation with Ash included but I was only human.

Taylor looked so peaceful lying on my chest and I could hear
her steady breathing and the little noises she made in her sleep. I gently caressed
her shoulder moving down her back in gentle strokes. I could hear her breaths
deepen as I touched her further and she started to stir from her sleep.
Taylor opened her eyes slowly looking up at me.
“Hi,” I smiled as I continued to stroke her back, “To what do I owe this
pleasure?” I asked still intrigued as to why she’d come here.
She gently rubbed her eyes and slowly raised herself off my chest.
“To be honest Duke, I don’t know.” She fidgeted and as she did the covers
lowered slightly so that I could see her beautiful tanned body. “I heard Spike
talking to Diesel about you dealing with some issues and thought I may be able
to help?” 
Ash placed her hand on my chest and started to gently rub across my pecks. I
let out a loud sigh as I laid there enjoying her caress and could feel myself slowly
getting hard. If I let her continue, things would progress which would make the
situation even more complicated. As soppy as it sounded, I just wanted to spend
some time with her.
I grasped her hand and raised it to my lips giving it a gentle kiss. My simple gesture
took her by surprise as she looked at me with questioning eyes. I used my
weight to roll her over onto her back and positioned myself so that I was lying
between her thighs but supporting my weight on my elbows. Her eyes searched
mine and she unconsciously licked her lips waiting for my next move.
“Tell me about yourself.” Taylor searched my face in wonder.
“What do you want to know?” She asked resting her hands behind her head which
pushed her generous sized breasts into the air.
I smiled at her blatant attempt to affect me. “Everything! Where did you grow
up? How did you come to live here? You genuinely intrigue me and I want to know
more about you.”
“I’m really not that interesting.” She said with a smirk. “My mom and dad had a
whirlwind romance and married six months later. Seven months after their
marriage I was born, followed by my sister two years later.” She smiled and I
assumed it was regarding her sister.
“Are you close to your sister?” I asked as I stroked her arm with my thumb.
There was a long pause as she contemplated my question.
“Not as close as I’d like to be. She’s in New York, heavily pregnant with her
third child. We speak as much as we can on the phone or skype but it’s not the
same. Her husband Brad is a salesman so he travels a lot, leaving her to cope
with the kids. Don’t get me wrong, Sophia’s a fantastic mother, I just think
that a marriage should be a partnership and both parents should play an active
role in the upbringing of their children.”
I totally agreed with her statement. I’d watched my parents fight and bitch my
whole life and my mum finally resented my dad as she felt he had more freedom
by being associated with the club. Not that he did now, serving time at her
majesties pleasure, ironies a bitch!
“After the birth of my sister my mother was diagnosed with postpartum depression.
She became very emotional, had difficulty sleeping and generally couldn’t cope
with us. To prevent us from going into the system, we came to live with my
aunt, here in England. We lived here for ten years and by the time we went back
to the U.S, I was in my early teens.”
I noticed that her expression had changed slightly and she looked a little sad,
even bitter.
“I didn’t want to go back. I’d bonded with my aunt and uncle and had made friends
here making it my home but I understood my parents desire to have the family
reunited and that it would help with my mom’s treatment. After that, I visited
at any given opportunity and spent all of the summer holidays here, hence my
mixed accent and love for anything English.”
“I did wonder about the dodgy accent!”
“Ha-ha!” She said dryly.
“So like I said, not very interesting. What about you?” She asked adjusting
herself on her elbows so that her face was level with mine. I didn’t want to
share anything personal. I was a private person and wanted to keep it that way.
“Have you got any siblings?” she asked, to start the conversation.
“Yeah, I have a sister Katie.” How did I go about telling someone that I hadn’t
seen my sister for twenty years? She’d run away when she was thirteen and
although I’d tried to find her over the years it was to no avail. I’ve never got
to the truth of why she ran away but have always hoped that one day she may return.
I decided to change the subject quickly as this was something I didn’t wish to
discuss.
“I’ve been with the Aces since I was seventeen and have worked my way up
through the ranks becoming VP at the age of twenty seven. After the death of
Viper I was voted in as President which made me the youngest ever leader in the
clubs history.” A flicker of something crossed Ash’s face but it was gone as quickly
as it came.
I said this with pride. I’d worked fucking hard over the years to prove I was
worthy of wearing the clubs colours. I didn’t want people to think that I’d
been handed anything because the president was my uncle. And because of that I’d
worked harder than any other member over the years to earn the respect of the
guys. Being made president was one of the happiest days of my life it’s just a
shame that Viper wasn’t here to see it.