Page 100 of Straight to Me

VP laughs to himself as Jack walks off to the kitchen area across from where we sit. “Speaking of murder,” my eyes dart to VP as he reaches into his pocket for his cigarettes, “Saviours tried running us off the road on our way here. Shot at me in the back of the car. Good job Jack was driving.”

He lights one, looking down as the end glows orange. It's a pastime indoors, but no rules apply here I’m guessing.

“Fuckers must have seen you arrive. Which means they saw Mads with you.” Everyone pauses lost in thought. “You’ll have to stay local lad.”

VP doesn’t move. The realisation that I’m surely now in the mix makes his face drop. This isn’t how we’ve spent the past few days together. This is completely off the other end of the spectrum, and we’re not even a day in.

“Here.” Jack places a mug in my hand, then rounds the bar to pour three whiskeys for the men. In unison, they swig back the amber liquid.

“So, what’s next?” VP asks Ronnie.

I can’t help but yawn as Ronnie answers, “First, you go rest.” I feel eyes on me as he stands, ending their conversation. “The guys are all here tomorrow, then we’ll sit and talk business.”

Jack walks back round the bar towards us. Ronnie and he exchange a handshake before VP stands to say his goodbyes.

“You know where to go, Deano. The girls made up a room for you, lad," Ronnie says.

“Appreciate it.” They shake hands, then Ronnie dips his head to me.

“Get some rest girl. Might take a few days to adjust.”

“Thanks, I’ll try.”

Ronnie walks off to a separate area of the clubhouse, whilst VP, Jack and I head to the west side on the building. There are a few rooms, a bathroom and even a small weights room. My guess is at its maximum, three hundred or so people could be here all at one time.

“I’ll stop here, give me a shout if you need anything,” Jack says outside one room.

Opposite, VP opens and inspects another. “Looks like this is for us.”

I say goodnight to Jack then walk in ahead of VP.

The room is nicely made up, clean towels have been placed neatly on the bed. To the side is an ensuite bathroom with a shower. The room even has a telly. It very much feels like a hotel room.

Chucking my bag down, I grab my wash stuff and immediately head for the bathroom. Tying my hair in a high ponytail, I decide on a quick cool shower.

The sensation of washing has never felt so good. Sleepily, I let the stink of the aeroplane fall off me, the cool water massaging the tension from my shoulders. Before knocking the water off, I can’t help but think back to earlier. How different mine and VP’s time had been spent back home. Shopping, cooking, going for rides on his bike, and now? Now I have the worry of Rocco and future car chases.

This doesn’t seem real.

In my dream-like state, I’ve forgotten the towel from the bed. “VP?” His footsteps tread closer to the bathroom as I call him.

“What’s up?” He opens the door letting the steam escape.

“Can you grab a towel off the bed for me?”

He turns back to the bedroom. A few moments later he returns to the bathroom. “Thank you,” I say, pulling back the shower curtain and stepping into the towel VP’s holding open.

He wraps it around me and rests his chin on my shoulder. “You smell nice,” he says on a breath against my neck. Gliding his lips across my skin, his smooth hands rub up and down my wet arms.

If Rocco gets his way, I’m going to miss this. Miss him. His smell, his body, the way he kisses me so tenderly.

My eyes fill. A flooding sensation all of a sudden takes over my face. I can’t hold in the tears anymore. I pull the towel to my eyes, mopping up as much as I can.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Just overtired,” I manage to sob.

“It’s been a very long trip, you’re exhausted.”

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