Seeking Shadows (Royal Bastards MC Tampa Chapter Book 3) Read online

  I can’t help but imagine Dash standing here trying to decipher the difference between wings and no wings. “Honestly, it’s kinda nice for a brother to do this for his sister. Shows what kind of guy you are, Dash.”

  He rolls his shoulders. “A sucker is what I am.”

  “No, a gentleman.”

  “Lot of good that’s gotten me.”

  Placing my hand on his shoulder, I tilt my head. “Stop letting shit define you.”

  “You’re right. I need to get the fuck on with my life.”

  “That’s the spirit!”

  His eyes shift to my cart and the corner of his lips turn up. “I see you have the appetite of a toddler. There’s no nutritional value in Dino nuggies, Badass. Where’s your protein?”

  “I’m not a bodybuilder, Dash.”

  “No, but there is such a thing as basic food groups.”

  “There is such a thing as minimum wage.”

  He widens his eyes and tuts. “I see! This a money issue? Well then. Let’s go shopping. You buy anything you want, that’s nutritional, and I’ll pay for you—”

  “I don’t need your damn pity nor your handouts, Dash.”

  “Then don’t think of this as one. Think of it as a reward for saving my ass from the feminine hygiene aisle.”

  Tension rattles through me. What I wouldn’t give for a fucking steak. Hell, just some chicken which isn’t processed would be nice. The offer is tempting, but I don’t do handouts. I’ve made it this far on my own. Why should I start now?

  “Dash, it’s too mu—”

  “Pweeease?” he asks in a voice that sounds remarkably like Cruz’s—it hits the mark exactly where it needs to. I don’t have to get food for me, I can buy decent things for Cruz. If Dash is willing to help me, he will help Cruz by default.

  Even if he doesn’t know about him.

  I can’t deny Cruz a decent meal.

  “Fine! But when I get enough money together, I’m paying you back!”

  “No, you’re not. But if it helps you sleep better at night to believe that, then sure, pay me back, a dollar a week.”

  I smirk. “Asshole.”

  “Bar wench.”

  I wrap my arm around his, and we take off around the supermarket. I let him lead, and I have to admit, it’s nice to have someone taking care of me for once. He adds in fresh produce and proteins, including the steak and chicken I am so desperately craving. Then we head for the frozen section, where he grabs two tubs of ice cream, the real good stuff Cruz loves but never gets. After that, we make our way up and down every aisle, grabbing things from here and there until the cart is overflowing. I shake my head as we make our way to the checkout. “Seriously, Dash. Are you sure about this? You hardly know me. There’s enough food and shit here to last me for a month.”

  “That’s the idea, Badass.”

  His generosity is overwhelming, but I push back the tears, composing myself as we reach the checkout. He starts placing the items on the register belt, and I stand back as he talks frivolously with the clerk like he’s known her for years. There’s something about Dash, something that has me letting my guard down.

  But I can’t.

  Not for a second.

  No matter how charming and witty he is. No matter how fucking gloriously good-looking he is. I have to remember my street smarts. I’m here for a reason. I’m in this for a reason. I have to keep up this pretense for…

  … a reason.

  I can’t let my guard down because he has a smart mouth and a gorgeous smile.

  The man also has baggage.

  A woman he’s addicted to. A woman who wants nothing to do with him. And not to mention, the fact he’s a fucking biker. That, in itself, rings warning bells. I should be running, running away from him with every chance I get. But every damn time I see him, he pulls me closer. I need to reinforce my defenses, though. The fucking asshole somehow convinced me to let Vince hire him at the bar. And now, groceries.

  What in the ever-loving hell was I thinking?

  “Badass… Badass?” I’m nudged to the side as I’m shaken from my endless thought spiral.

  “Sorry, what?”

  “Do you want this shit in bags?”

  “Yeah. Yes, please, thank you.”

  Dash steps to my side, his eyes narrowing in on me. “You okay?”

  “Just a little overwhelmed.”

  He wraps his arm around my shoulders pulling me to him. “You’re welcome.”

  The clerk rings up the total, and when it comes to over three hundred dollars, my eyes burst out of my sockets. “No, Dash, that’s too mu—”

  “Shhh… charge the card, thanks, Latesha,” Dash tells the clerk who doesn’t even look at me and swipes his card through.

  “You did not just shush me!” I bark out.

  Dash smirks as Latesha chuckles. “I think he just did.”

  Dash scowls. “Hey, Latesha, I thought you were on my side!”

  “I was until you shushed her.”

  I giggle, leaning over, high-fiving Latesha. “This store has great customer service,” I say.

  Dash rolls his shoulders with a smirk. “Where’s the gratitude?”

  I push up on my toes, pressing my lips to Dash’s bruised cheek. His eyes widen when I pull back. “Thanks. I mean it.”

  His cocky demeanor all but seems to have disappeared as he bows his head. “You’re welcome.”

  With all the groceries packed, we take them out to my car, and Dash loads them into the trunk for me. I stand back watching the way his muscles flex, moving with the weight of the bags, and I can’t help but be affected by how fucking good he looks. The guy is a walking libido kick. His brown hair is spiked up roughly, his luminous green eyes, with those alluring flecks of gold draw me in. His boyishly handsome face is still somehow rugged with his five o’clock shadow. And don’t even get me started on how fucking sexy his nose ring and his sleeve of tattoos make him. It gives him that bad boy edge that screams at me to stay away, but it’s also the very thing that is drawing me to him. He’s sex personified as I stand here staring at him.

  Placing the final bag into the trunk, he turns and lifts up his shirt, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. My eyes instinctively duck down to catch a glimpse of the sculptured abs beneath his shirt, and I clench my thighs together at the Adonis standing before me.

  Sweet baby Jesus.

  “You okay? You look a little flushed?” he asks, his eyes floating over my body.

  Clearing my throat, I begin to pull my shirt in and out from my chest to cool me down. “It’s hot out today, right?”

  He shrugs. “It’s Tampa, it’s always hot.”

  Letting out a long breath, I try to regain my composure. “You got your sister’s—”

  He holds up the packet of pads cutting me off. “Right here.”

  I close the trunk, and we move to the side of my car. “Honestly, Dash, I can’t thank you enough for all this.”

  “Thank me by eating better, aaand by getting me this job tonight, so I can pay for all your groceries.”

  I widen my eyes. “Oh God, please tell me that wasn’t like your last savings or anything?”

  He grips my shoulders staring into my eyes. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Nothing to worry about… I’ll see you tonight for the interview with Vince, yeah?”

  Nodding, I open the car door, sliding into the driver’s side. He pats the window twice like he did last night. Giving him a curt wave, I start up the car. My eyes meet his again, a mutual understanding passing between us. He understands he just did something massive for me. He also realizes I’ll never be able to repay him. It takes a lot of kindness from a man who barely knows me.

  Dash is unlike anyone I’ve ever met.

  And that scares the hell out of me.

  Turning, I face the front and take off back toward the apartment. Looking in the rearview mirror, he’s watching me leave. I can’t help the feeling Dash is going to be watching me in everything I do from no
w on.

  That thought should terrify me.

  But the thing that scares me the most is the fact it doesn’t terrify me at all.

  Chapter Five

  DASH

  My meeting with Vince went as well as can be expected. I wasn’t sure whether to mention I’m a part of the MC or not, but Badass brought it up, and it actually seemed to seal the deal with Vince. I guess it makes me more qualified. Either way, I’m glad I get to spend each night making sure nothing happens to Badass and the other girls who I have grown fond of.

  It is only an interim position until he finds someone more suited, but for now, I’m standing by the door, wearing all black, my arms crossed and trying to keep my eyes on the Tavern crowd, but my eyes keep finding their way to Badass.

  The fact I still don’t know her name grates on my very last nerve. Maybe I’ll ask Frank if he comes in tonight. He’s sure to know. She’s fucking good at this job. Standing back, I watch as she does her thing. She really knows how to work the crowd. Not only is she good at talking to people, but she keeps them under control too.

  A few times, I make a move to step in, but Badass sends them packing with just her words before I can even get to them. Now I understand why they had Garth, the tiny security guard, here because simply put, Badass is their security. Shaking my head, I chuckle while she winks at me.

  The night drags a little. The crowd thins out, my feet are becoming tired from standing for hours, but as the last call is announced, a table of men gets rowdy. I tense as Badass makes her way over to collect their glasses. Stepping closer, I already see the telltale signs of an issue as she leans through the drunken men over the table. One of the guys reaches out, slapping her hard on the ass.

  My eyes widen as I rush over.

  She pulls back shoving the guy in the chest, but he grabs her wrist yanking her to him aggressively. I reach out, pulling Badass away from him, placing her behind me as my fist balls tight, and I slam it straight into the guy’s cheek.

  My knuckles burn as he falls off his stool. The other two men stand abruptly while I turn to check on her, but suddenly she screams, and that’s when I feel a beer bottle smashing over my head, the shards of glass instantly cutting. I grit my teeth, turning for the asshole who glassed me. Anger flares inside me so insatiably hot as I grab his shirt and lift him by the collar and drop him on top of the table, the wood smashing and splintering under his weight. The third guy steps to my side pulling his fist back, but I reach around grabbing my gun from down the back of my pants and aim it at him sideways, more as a threat, than for aim.

  His hands immediately go up in surrender as he backs away, reaching down for his two dickhead buddies. He pulls them both up off the floor. “C’mon guys, she’s not worth it.”

  I flip off the safety, letting out a low growl. “I think you’ll find it’s you three fuckers who aren’t worth it. Now… get the fuck out before this itchy finger needs scratching.”

  Their eyes widen as they scurry off, tripping over their own feet as they run out of the Tavern like the scared little shits they are. As soon as they leave, I flick the safety back on and stow my gun.

  Badass shifts in front of me, her hand moving to my bleeding forehead, touching it softly, and I wince. “Shit, they got you good.”

  Vince storms out of his office, takes one look at the mess, and asks, “They deserve it?”

  “They deserved a whole lot fucking more if you ask me,” Scarlett calls out from behind the bar.

  “Everyone all right?” Vince rolls his shoulders.

  “I’m sorry about your table, man. Heat of the moment and all that,” I tell him. “Take it out of my wages.”

  The corner of Vince’s lips turn up. “Tables can be replaced, people can’t. You were protecting my staff. You did your job. How ‘bout I give you a bonus instead?”

  “What?”

  Badass grabs a rag from her hip and presses it to my bleeding head.

  “Get him cleaned up. I’ll stay back and get the table dealt with. Everyone else, close up as normal. Good work tonight, people.” Vince turns, walking back to his office at the rear of the building as Badass loops her arm with mine.

  “C’mon, I’ll take you to the break room and have a closer look at your wound.”

  “You gonna be my very own personal nurse? Mmm… I like the sound of that.”

  She rolls her eyes, slapping my chest as we head off to the break room. My head’s fucking pounding as she sits me down at the table. She moves over to the sink, opening the doors underneath and grabs out a first-aid kit. She places the kit on the table and starts pulling out random shit.

  “Do you know what you’re doing?” I tease.

  “I’ll have you know, I have four years of taking care of bumps, scrapes, and boo-boos.”

  I raise my brow. “Four years, huh? That some kind of college course?”

  A warmth envelops her like she’s living a fond memory. “Something like that. Okay, you wanna peel off that cloth for me so I can get a good look?”

  I pull the cloth away, a line of blood drips down the side of my face immediately, and I’m concerned I am going to need sutures. Badass steps in between my legs, her breasts in line with my face as she stands close, so close, in fact, I smell her delicious strawberry and alcohol scent wafting over me again.

  She pulls out a pair of tweezers, dipping the end in the rubbing alcohol solution, then she leans in closer. “Tell me if this hurts too much, okay?”

  “I’m fine, just do what you gotta do.”

  All I want to do right now is motorboat those gorgeous tits that are staring me right in the fucking face.

  She gets to work removing the glass from my forehead, and I grit my teeth as she pulls the small shards out, one by one, dropping them into a container on the table.

  “He got you good. I can’t believe you took a hit like this for me, Dash.”

  My hand darts out, sliding up the outside of her leg. She stills, her breathing stops as my hand stalls just above her knee. She licks her lips as a tension wafts over us. My eyes shift up to hers and hers fall to mine. She swallows hard as we stare at each other for a moment, my breathing coming fast, hers nonexistent. There’s so much being said in the silence of the moment, but nothing is being said at all. I have no idea what’s happening right now.

  Her lips part as she sucks in a quick breath. She goes to say something, but Scarlett rushes inside the break room. “Hey babe, you in here?” She rounds the corner spotting us as we both drop our eye contact from each other, turning to Scarlett. Her eyes now firmly on us both.

  Scarlett bites down on her lip as she starts to slowly back out of the room. “My bad, never mind… please, continue.” Then as quickly as she entered, she’s gone.

  Badass clears her throat with a slight shake of her head. She reaches across, grabbing some gauze and some more alcohol—the moment now well and truly gone.

  I slowly drop my hand from her leg, hating the loss as she gets back to work patching me up.

  “I don’t mind, you know?” I break the tension.

  She turns to look at me again. “Sorry?”

  “Taking a hit for you. If it means you’re safe, I’ll take a hit any day of the week.”

  She stills again, her eyes beginning to glisten like she’s holding back tears. She goes to speak. Hesitates. Then exhales. “Shadow.”

  I furrow my brows, completely confused. “Uhh… I’m not following.”

  She rolls her shoulders like she’s uncomfortable, her eyes meeting mine. “My name… it’s Shadow.”

  Warmth radiates through my body, my heart drumming in my chest rejuvenated by adrenaline. My grin cannot be contained as my hands snake out around her legs, pulling her in against me. Even though my head is practically in her cleavage right now, I don’t care as she giggles along with me.

  “Thank you!”

  She exhales, pulling me back from her. “This doesn’t mean anything, though.”

  “It means you trust m
e, and that means a lot.”

  She rolls her eyes. “It means I had a moment of weakness.”

  I relax back into my chair, staring up at her. “Shadow…” It rolls off my tongue effortlessly. “I like it. The name suits you.”

  “Shut up and let me fix your hard head.”

  Snickering, I let her go, and she swabs at my wound to clear away all the blood. “What’s the verdict, doc? Am I gonna live?”

  “Debatable at this point.”

  “Shadow,” I repeat, smiling like a fucking idiot, liking the way it sounds on my tongue.

  “Jesus, I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

  “It’s a pretty cool-fucking-name, though.”

  She grabs a few butterfly strips, placing them carefully on my forehead. “I like to think so. Now, stop wriggling. I swear you’re the worst patient ever, Dash.”

  I sit still, letting her finish up. I can’t help it. Even though I’m in pain, she’s sent a rush of excitement through me. I haven’t had to wait excessively long to hear her name, but this past nine days has been driving me batshit crazy! “Maybe you’re the worst nurse,” I tease.

  She grabs a clump of my hair and yanks it to the side, jerking my head. The movement is making my wound ache like a bitch, but I burst out laughing. I adore her tough girl attitude. “Even though I love your name, I’m still gonna call you Badass.”

  She purses her lips together. “I can deal with that! You’re all patched up.”

  “Do I still look pretty?”

  She shoves my shoulder. “Don’t worry, dynamo, nothing could stop you from looking pretty.”

  “Wait? Did you just compliment me?”

  She moves about packing up while shaking her head. “No, you misheard me. I said you were never pretty to begin with. You’re practically a car wreck.”

  A slow smile lights my face. “That’s better, can’t have you flaking out on me.”

  She turns, winking at me as she throws her used supplies in the trash. “Well, I suppose we better get back out there and finish up for the night. You need some drugs or something, you got a headache?”

  “You guys carry drugs on-premises. How very outlaw of you.”