"Baylee, you all right? You need anything?" Sebastian called through the door.

I snorted. "No, I'm peachy."

My response must've been m.u.f.fled from the door, because he didn't pick up on the extreme sarcasm I'd infused into that comment.

"Okay, well I'm going to head out. Shiloh went to the locker room to see James. Do you remember how to get back to your seat?" He asked me.

"Yes." I clipped.

"Okay."

He left after that, and I gave it another five minutes before I left the locked bathroom.

To my relief, the office was empty when I made my way out.

The papers that had recently been on his desk were gone, leaving only the gleaming top of the ma.s.sive wooden desk in its wake.

Had he put them up because I was in here alone?

What did it even matter if he did?

That's right, it didn't. If he'd wanted me to know, he would've told me a long time ago, wouldn't he?

The door opened across the room from her, and Tillie sauntered in, the skirt she'd been wearing before replaced by some spandex number that left even less to the imagination. It'd seemed impossible to me before, but now I knew it was, in fact, possible to be wearing less, with more on.

"Sebastian sent me in here to show you to your seat." she sneered.

I smiled, sadly. He hadn't wanted my in here by herself.

"Actually, can you take me to Shiloh?" I asked sweetly.

After giving me the once over, she turned and huffed her way out the door.

I was about to follow her when the black hat that Sebastian always wore caught my eye, hanging on a peg right next to the door frame.

On a whim, I pulled it off and stuffed it up the back of my sweatshirt, thankful that the garment hung loosely on me or I'd never have been able to pull it off.

I had to hurry to catch up to Tillie's bounding strides, and was nearly panting in exertion as I finally came to a stop at a room that was labeled 'locker room.'

"They're in here." She said, indicating the marked door before stomping away.

Instead of entering, I knocked, and only had to wait two or so minutes for a very disheveled Shiloh to open the door.

"Hey," she said breathlessly.

I smiled. Well, tried to, but I didn't think I was very successful.

"I need a ride to my car. Can you take me back to Sebastian's place? Something came up." I lied.

Shiloh stood up straighter and nodded, pulling the door open all the way and stepping to one side. "Sure, I didn't drive, but James'll let me take you in his truck."

James was leaning against a padded bench with his arms crossed over his naked chest.

He was wearing a sweaty pair of gray cotton shorts, and sweat was dripping down his body in rivulets.

I really wasn't in the right mind because the sight of the man leaning in front of me did absolutely nothing for me. Not even a twinge.

"Is that all right, J?" Shiloh asked James.

At his nod, she walked over to a bag in the corner of the room and pulled out a key ring with no less than thirty keys on it.

I avoided eye contact with the very perceptive James, and moved slowly out the door so I didn't have to answer the man's questions that lingered in his eyes.

"You sure you're okay?" Shiloh asked as she joined me.

I nodded but didn't say anything.

"Alright, well James parked in the back where the club parks. This way is easier." she said, indicating a different direction than the one I was taking.

I turned and started heading in the direction Shiloh had indicated.

It was a much shorter way to go.

Well, figures. Sebastian had dropped me off at the front door. She'd thought originally it was because he didn't want me to walk far. But the back way, where Shiloh was leading me, was much shorter.

Shiloh led me past a long line of bikes, Sebastian's truck, and then even more trucks until she stopped at James' truck and hit the locks.

The lights flashed as the doors unlocked, and I climbed painfully into the truck, thankful that there was a step that came down when the doors opened and a handle for me to hold on to.

"I'm sorry! I should've helped you. Do you need me to help with the seatbelt?" She asked in concern.

"No, I got it. Thank you." I said.

The ride to Sebastian's house was quick and silent, Shiloh sensing that I was not in the mood for chitchat I thanked her quietly as I slid from the truck, only jarring myself slightly when my feet met the uneven ground beneath me.

Just as I was about to close the door, Shiloh stopped me with a statement. "He's a good man, don't give up on him."

I slammed the door a little harder than I'd meant to, annoyed that I'd been so transparent.

Sebastian would know shortly that I was mad at him, but I didn't care. I was beyond caring at this point.

Shiloh left once the lights of my car flipped on, pulling out of the driveway in a spray of gravel and dirt.

Starting my car and rolling down my windows to feel the cool night air on my face, I pulled out of my parking spot, thankful that I'd gotten out without Sebastian stopping me.

It wasn't until I was back on the interstate that it dawned on me that he might follow me home.

Knowing that I couldn't handle seeing him right now, I turned around and headed back to Shreveport. I'd stay in a hotel for the night. h.e.l.l, maybe I'd even gamble my last twenty dollars on the c.r.a.ps table.

'Cause that was where my life was right now. In the c.r.a.pper.

Chapter 16.

It's better to lose a lover than to love a loser, a.s.shole, b.a.s.t.a.r.d, lying, son of a c.o.c.k wh.o.r.e.

-Life lesson Sebastian "What do you mean she's not here? How'd she leave? Where'd she go?" I snarled at my men. The men that I'd a.s.signed to watch her tonight, and help her anyway she needed it.

Stupid f.u.c.king prospects.

"Sir, she was with your sister. We didn't think you'd want us to interfere." Tunnel, the newest prospect, hedged.

"Well you thought f.u.c.king wrong. Where exactly is my sister?" I snarled.

The two men pointed in the direction of the bar, and I turned and stomped away without another word to the two useless human beings.

"Where is she?" I asked as soon as I made it to within hearing distance.

I was tired, aggravated, and needy. I wanted my woman in my arms, and I wanted her there now.

Shiloh turned from the conversation she was having with their father and scowled at me. "Not that it's any of your business, brother, but you f.u.c.king gutted her today. Why the h.e.l.l didn't she know you had an office? And why the h.e.l.l did you not tell me that she didn't know? I would've never brought her back there if I had known. You made me look like a s.h.i.t. Why'd you have Mandy in your lap, anyway? That was just f.u.c.king stupid."

I was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, Mandy, the one that did your tape for your hands? Yeah, when Baylee saw that, her eyes told everyone that was looking at her how devastated she was. Why are you even talking to me?" She snarled.

"Jesus Christ, Shiloh! It was the Warehouse's trainer! What did you want me to do? I don't know how to do tape!" I snarled right back.

"Yeah, well she didn't have to sit on your f.u.c.king lap!" She screeched.

I threw my hands up in annoyance. She wasn't sitting on my lap...was she?

James, who'd been sitting quietly beside Shiloh, watching the family drama play out, turned and held up his hand for silence. "How about we go take a walk." He suggested.

Knowing I wouldn't get anywhere with the craziness that is my sister, I agreed and walked with James down to my office.

The office felt very empty all of a sudden, like something important was missing and I knew exactly what it was. Baylee.

"I'm not going to tell you how to run your life, but I think you need to make a decision about letting Baylee in, or letting her go. You have two parts of yourself that you try to keep separate, and it's not going to work for much longer. If you let her in to only half of your life, you're going to lose her." James said right before walking out.

I walked to my desk and sat down heavily.

My sweaty back stuck uncomfortably against the leather of my office chair, and I stared at my wall, wondering what the h.e.l.l to do.

I wouldn't be telling her anything about the club without a few promises from her end first. My life was with my club, and it always would be. To let her in that part of my life, she'd have to be a permanent fixture. She'd have to want to be there, and to this day, she hadn't made the effort.

The more I sat here and thought about it, the more upset I became. Did she not want to know that part of my life? h.e.l.l, he'd share with her in a heartbeat; but club life wasn't for everyone.

With her father and brother being in law enforcement, she had a better idea than most civilians did when it came to what a motorcycle club was. She had to know they weren't all angels.

Then I noticed my hat was gone.

Knowing what I had to do, I picked up my phone and made a call that could very well change my life.

I ran my fingers over the fine st.i.tching, looked up at Porter's old lady and smiled. "You did good, pretty girl. It's stunning. I really appreciate you staying up this late and getting it done for me." I thanked her.

Minnie blushed at the compliment before wrapping the work she'd done in tissue paper, and then placing it into a box. Her fingers worked nimbly as she tied a bow on it, and then used her scissors to do some fancy s.h.i.t with the bow, making it twirl around and in on itself.

"My girl is the s.h.i.t. She always has been. Always will be." Porter said approvingly.

Minnie blushed even more, smiling wide at her old man.

They'd been together for seventeen years now, and never once had I seen them fight. Minnie was the perfect woman. Strong. Intelligent. Giving. Supportive. Everything an old biker like Porter could ever need.

Porter had exactly what I wanted. A woman that would be there for me through thick and thin. Who would forever be by my side.

"Alright, I've got places to be. Thank you again." I said, picking the box up and tucking it underneath my arm before heading to the door.

"Bring her by to see us." Porter ordered, as only one of the oldest members of The Dixie Wardens MC could do.

I smiled over my shoulder and nodded my head in confirmation. "Will do."

Once I was at my bike, I stowed my package in my saddle bags and mounted the bike before pulling my phone from my pocket and making one more phone call.

"Get anything?" I asked without a h.e.l.lo.

"Yep. I'll text you the address. She's at the Horseshoe. Her credit card was used at the ATM. She withdrew twenty bucks. Nothing else since." Kettle said.

I thanked him and hung up.

Twenty minutes later, I parked my bike in the garage parking, glared at a couple of kids that were eyeing my bike with appreciation, and walked into the casino.

I nodded at the man shining shoes at the entrance, and again at the guard that was checking IDs at the door.

I didn't stop when a waitress offered me a beer, and kept circling the room until I spotted her in the very corner of the room at the c.r.a.ps table.

Surprisingly, she had a stack of chips in front of her, and upon getting closer, I realized that she had nearly a thousand dollars in three stacks of chips.

Jesus Christ.

Baylee looked pitiful as she rolled. Her arms were resting on the edge of the table with one supporting her chin. The other hand was extended out in front of her as she threw the dice towards the far end of the table.