Page 23 of In Too Deep

My heart beats fast, and I can hear someone talking to me, but I can’t look away from his stare. He has me mesmerized.

Then suddenly, our connection ends when Shooter taps my dad’s shoulder, and he’s forced to look down at my father.

My father smiles. Can you believe it? He actually smiles.

How does he know this man?

My dad points to the spare barstool beside him, and the stranger sits down.

“Darlin,’ poor this man a beer.”

Doing as he says, I reach for a glass under the counter and pour him a beer. As I slide it over to him, our eyes connect. And this time, I feel my knees turn weak.What the hell is going on? And who is this hot-as-hell man?

“Thank you.” I make out above the noise, and his attention turns to my dad. I wish I could turn down the music so I could hear what his voice sounds like, but that is not going to happen.

An hour passes, and I notice he’s only had one other beer, which I like. He’s not drinking as much as the other men, who are either drunk and passed out or acting like idiots.Occasionally, I feel his eyes on me, and when I look up, he turns back to my dad to continue their conversation.What could they have to talk about? I doubt they have anything in common.

Shooter is hanging on to his every word, and a few others have joined them.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I look up to see what’s giving me this sense of panic. Sitting in the corner of the bar is Mikki, staring at me. His look makes me uncomfortable, but I don’t show it. I just continue drying the glasses and placing them back under the bar.

Loud cheers carry across the room, and I look up to see who the guys are cheering that have just entered our clubhouse. It’s Lynx and Sue, the president and the VP of the RB’s North Bay Chapter. Lynx just turned fifty not long ago. He’s attractive for an older man and is quite muscular. Sue, the VP, has long black hair that’s always kept in a braid. He’s tall, and I’d say he’s in his mid-forties. His blue eyes are striking. I’ve never had deep conversation with them, but when they’ve spoken to me, they’ve seemed nice enough. Dad also said that the Montreal, Quebec Chapter would be coming here tonight, which means the party is going to get wilder. Not that it makes a difference from any other club party, but when a few of the chapters get together, there’s just no stopping how crazy things can get.

Turning to head into the kitchen to get more clean glasses, I find some in the dishwasher and begin to unload them. I sense someone behind me and whip around to find Mikki standing there, a little too close. My eyes widen, and I glance over his shoulder to find that he’s closed the door that separates the bar from the kitchen.

“What do you want, Mikki?” My voice comes out tough and stern, not exactly what I’m feeling on the inside. “Do you have a death wish or something?”

He smiles, revealing his disgusting yellow teeth. Raising his hand, he runs his calloused fingers down my cheek, and I pull back. He lets out an evil laugh.

He reeks of beer and cigarettes, and the combination makes my stomach churn. He has drunk too much, as always, and when he’s like this, it’s dangerous, and there’s no getting through to him.

He hasn’t been able to get me alone all day, but tonight he has, and he’s done it with my father just outside.

“Oh, sugar, I’m going to have some fun with you.”

“My father would kill you if he knew you were in here with me.”

He points at the door. “Your dad, pumpkin, is too busy being caught up in that fucker’s every word. It’s as if he’s put a trance on him or something.”

I know exactly who he’s talking about. I’d be in a trance, too, if he spoke to me.

“I saw the way you two were looking at each other. Do you want him, sugar?” he asks, leaning in further and sniffing the side of my head. I want to run, but I can’t. He’s caged me in. My knee comes up to hit him in the balls, but this time, he’s prepared for that move and protects himself. He yanks my hair and pulls on it, causing me to cry out in pain.

“Try that again, sugar, and I will have you on your knees with your mouth full of my cock.”

Oh God, I want to gag. Tears pool in my eyes, and I plead, “Please, let me go, Mikki. They’ll be looking for me. They’ll want their drinks.”

He lets out a laugh. “No, they won’t because guess who just turned up to take over your shift?”

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

“That’s right, sugar. Peggy is here.”

Just as I’m about to beg him to let me go, there’s a loud bang on the door, and I sigh in relief. Someone has noticed I’m missing. The door handle rattles as they try to open it, but Mikki has locked it.

Mikki releases his grip on my hair, and I stretch out my neck to ease the sting from his pull. He turns, pissed, strides to the door, unlocks it, and swings open the door.

To my surprise, it’s not Peggy or one of the members. It’s the stranger who has been talking to my dad all night.

---