Page 69 of Eagle

“Goddammit, Jeannie,” I said with a sniffle. “You should have a daytime talk show.”

“No thank you,” she said. “I prefer working under a pseudonym and milking men for all they have.” We both had a good belly laugh. I enjoyed dancing for the dressing up, but having so much control was fun, too. “Seriously, though. I don’t need any women looking up to me. What few nuggets of wisdom I spit out are balanced by all the bad decisions I’ve made and all the strange dick I’ve had.” She gave me a wink then went to sit in the living room.

I headed back to my room and looked around. If Shiv wasn’t coming, I’d pack it all up and head to the clubhouse after work. But I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about the bikers. We grew up in an affluent area and she was a highly educated woman. I knew she graduated medical school from the last time I spoke to her, but it seems she went back to college. She mentioned lots of initials after her name, and that could be anything, but it meant she was someone. She’d done something amazing with her life and may not be comfortable with a bunch of outlaw men andscantily dressed ladies.

She knew I was a dancer after the periodic times I caught up with her after I left home. But she didn’t know about Tony, and I’d have to fill her in later on Eagle and my current living situation. One thing about Shiv was she never was pretentious. Everyone else around us was. That’s probably why even though at the time she seemed so much older and wiser than I was, we bonded so easily when she was my nanny. As an adult, the six years’ difference wasn’t much at all.

Deciding I’d leave it up to her where we slept, I grabbed my clothes and things from the bathroom. Honestly, I still didn’t have much to my name, so it wasn’t a lot to carry around, even if we ended up coming back here later. Maybe she wasn’t even planning to stay. I could be overthinking this. She could have just changed her flight to have a connection through Atlanta long enough to say hello and then leave. We didn’t really get into details. If that was the case, I’d go to the clubhouse afterwards.

Being back in his room and surrounded by everyone just felt right. Jeannie’s home was lovely, but she and I were like two ships in the night anyway, since our schedules were different. At the clubhouse, I was never alone. And I missed that almost as much as I missed Eagle.

Just in case I didn’t make it back here, I tidied my room and did a quick cleanup in the bathroom. I wanted to leave it as I found it. After I finished up, I put my coffee mug away and cleaned up the kitchen before I finally left for work, giddy at all the possible events ahead.

Chapter 32

Lacy

I’d asked Mama Hen about leaving a few minutes early to meet a friend and she was fine with that. Today was also the first day Butch wasn’t there, and it was a relief to not have him looming around. I figured he’d be there more on the weekends, but from what I gathered, he was there nearly everyday and only took off for club business.

Weird that he wasn’t here the same day Eagle said he had stuff going on. If they were working on the same thing, hopefully they didn’t kill each other. Maybe it would do them some good to be stuck with each other. And I wouldn’t mind if Eagle went all caveman and laid claim to me with Butch. Maybe then he’d chill out around me.

Either way, that was their problem for now. I was too excited about seeing Shiv to worry over their pissing contest. Work was much busier than the previous days, and I really considered staying on day shift if this was how well I could earn. Surely the nights were banging, but I just needed enough to pay some billsand have some set aside, just in case. I’d made up my mind that I was going back to the clubhouse, but after the year I’d had, I wasn’t going to find myself in the same position again.

I couldn’t wait to tell Eagle my decision, but I wanted to tell him in person when he wasn’t busy with club stuff. I wanted to give a little cash to Jeannie for the short time I’d stayed, too. Although, I’d probably have to sneak it to her somehow. I’d offered her some after my other shifts and she wouldn’t take it. It may have been only a week, but the time away was important to help get my head clear and get Eagle’s head out of his ass. Maybe my head was in my ass, too, but I didn’t think I’d admit that to him.

Shiv had messaged me that the flight was getting in much later, but it didn’t make sense for me to drive all the way home, then leave again to drive all the way back out here, so I went to Mama Hen again and asked if I could stay longer.

“I don’t mind if you do some lap dances and rooms, but the stage lineup is done.”

“I may just wander around. I don’t want to take from the regulars, either, but it seems silly to go all the way home just to come back this way,” I said.

“Fine with me, honey.”

I didn’t want to take a cut from the ladies on the schedule already, so I decided to hang around a while longer for a few table dances, then I could go grab some dinner between work and the airport to kill some time.

Once my shift was winding down, I snuck off to change into street clothes and tried to get some of the sparkles off me. Shiv knew what I did, but I didn’t know if she’d want to be seen out with someone with stage makeup and stripper shimmer. She was a doctor. Probably all business with fancy pant-suits andstilettos.

Rayne had the music going and I waved as I was walking out, so he pushed a few buttons and bounded down from his stage in my direction. “Hey girl, finally heading out?”

I threaded my arm into his and we walked toward the front. “Yeah, meeting an old friend at the airport, so I hung around a bit longer. It’s been a good day, though.”

“Oh, honey, you should see it later tonight.”

“Do you work all the time?”

He laughed as we walked out, looking around the parking lot. “Oh no. We switch off but the weekends are packed and the cash flows freely. Where’s your boy?”

“Oh, he’s busy but, check it out,” I said as I pulled him over to my car. “This is mine now.” The lights around the parking lot were on and making my new ride glow.

His mouth dropped. “Girl, did you make that much in a few days? Get it!”

I smacked his arm playfully. “No, I wish. Eagle gave it to me.”

Rayne cocked a brow. “Don’t be stupid, girl. Did you get that title?”

My brows shot up in mock surprise, but I opened the door then leaned in and pulled out the paper that had been signed over to me. “I’m no fool,” I said with a wink. “But seriously, I don’t think he’d fuck me over like that.” Rayne pursed his lips, so I rolled my eyes and said, “We had a little breather, but things are better. Perfect, actually.”

“Well, if he signed this over, he can’t hang it over your head, anyway. Maybe you’re right. I hope you are, anyway. Oh, don’t let these idiot customers see you get into your car.”

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