Page 49 of Bound by Family
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BRISTYL
He’s coming. Excited isn’t even the word to describe how I feel inside. I’ve been busting my ass today, trying to get all caught up so nothing will tie me down. He says he has to work, which is totally fine. I just don’t want to be returning phone calls when I could be spending time with Cooper. He said he would spend a couple of extra days down here with me, too. So, no way am I letting work get in the way of that.
To have days of just him and me alone … My body quivers remembering how he felt inside of me. That one on one, face to face time is what I crave every moment of the day, and now we’re going to have it for more than a night.
A knock comes to my office door, and when I look up, Racer is leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
“Well, hello, brother,” I say, giving a small wave then going back to my papers.
He says nothing as he steps inside the office. The distinct sound of him closing the door has my head popping up. My door doesn’t get closed unless it’s something serious. I don’t want serious right now. The high of having Cooper here is great, and I want to ride the wave.
“What’s wrong?” My mind immediately goes to either a brother or my father being hurt, and my chest tightens at the thought.
He takes a seat in front of me, elbows to his knees, eyes on me. “Got shit goin’ down.” Racer pauses. Racer never hesitates. It’s not in his nature. Again, unease washes over me. “I drew the short straw. Bristyl our Pistol, you gotta know this isn’t what any of us wanted for you. Time’s come, though. Decision is on you, but you gotta pick.” He runs his hands through his hair in obvious frustration. “Shit burns me to say, but Bristyl, Sterling, he’s stepping up and will claim you. You gotta either take his property patch as an ol’ lady, or Bris, you gotta be a whore.”
My jaw falls to the floor, picking up every speck of dust possible, and my throat becomes impeccably dry. He didn’t just say that to me. Holy fuck, he did. Never in my life would I ever think those words would escape my brother’s mouth.
“You want me to become an ol’ lady or a … whore? What’s gotten into you?”
“I know Dad’s talked to you.”
“He’s said that I’m not an ol’ lady, so I don’t have the same rights as the ones here in the club. But he said that I’m an employee of the club. He never said anything about becoming one, let alone someone who sleeps with the entire club.” Sickness rolls in my stomach, threatening to expel from my body. That is so not my gig.
“Great, he left that up to me.” My brother looks at the ceiling like this is killing him. Well, if only he knew what it’s doing to me. “Look, Bristyl, we have club rules here. You being our sister gives us some leeway on protecting you, but it would be better if you were a part of the club so we can really enforce that. We’ve pushed as hard as we can, but we’re gettin’ some flak for it because no one else gets what you get from the club. Shit’s gettin’ deeper than ever before for the club. Dad, Stone, Hunter, and me, we need to know you’re protected. Sinisters can do that and will do that, but only if you take it on your back or the back of a brother’s bike for life.”
“So, you’re saying that I’m in danger and if I don’t buddy up with someone, I’m going to be hurt.”
He leans back in the chair, casual as can be. “You have two options in this club. Ol’ lady or a club whore. There is no in between. Both we protect, each at different levels. You being the sister is lower on that totem pole. So, if you became an ol’ lady, we could work with this better.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me.” I realize I’m holding a pen in my hand and toss it on the stack of papers in frustration. “I’m not going to be either. One, I’m not spreading my legs for guys here to take their turn with me. That doesn’t fly with me. Some women it does, and good for them, but not me. Second, there is no way I’ll be Sterling’s ol’ lady. He doesn’t even like me, just wants me on his arm. How can you even ask this of me?”
“No one said you had to like the guy. Just keep him happy. Then we have the clout with the club to keep you under protection.”
“So, in turn, fuck him so I’m protected? This is absolutely the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t believe you’re sitting there, saying this to me. I don’t want to be an ol’ lady in Sinisters.”
He shrugs. “Then you become a whore. At least you know four of us who won’t touch you.”
My stomach curls again. “No, I’m not.”
He rises from his chair and stretches so damn nonchalantly that it pisses me off. It’s like he doesn’t realize he just flipped my world upside down.
This isn’t happening. I’ve been bound to my family for years, but them asking this of me … No, it’s not happening.
Racer opens the door. “Think about it. We want an answer next week. Got shit to do.” Then he leaves. Gone. Poof. Like a cloud of smoke.
I’m pissed as hell and hurt. How can my own brother, my own family, want to pimp me out to his friends? Either way, that’s what this is. It’s either one or all of them. How can a man I’ve known all my life suggest this to me, let alone expect an answer by next week? He’s lost his mind. This has got to be a cruel joke.
I march from my office and search for my father, finding him in the back room, talking with Wolf. The hesitation is only a second, but I knock as his eyes lift.
“Can I talk to you?”
“In a minute. I’ll be in your office. Close the door,” he dismisses me while Wolf gives me a look that has me darting from the door.
All those old feelings of when I was younger come rushing back. I’m not good enough unless I’m what they want me to be.
Sitting in my chair, my leg bobs up and down, never stopping. My nerves are going haywire.
