Trace

14 - What the fuc.k have you taken?

Trace

That was possibly one of the hardest things I’ve ever witnessed in my life, and I’ve done and seen some fucke.d up things in my time.

When I rolled into town after three days away, I didn’t expect to hear half the club was at Vine Achers Hospice. Even weirder when Coral explained how Red was Fallon’s brother’s father.

Yeah. Total shocker. I couldn’t get my head around it. None of us had made the connection between Fallon’s brother and Red.

But how could we?

The girl had been using a fake name for years.

Of course, I asked if Red was Fallon’s dad also. But Shepard told me that he wasn’t, and no one knew who her father was. I felt hurt for Fallon. Everything she believed was a lie.

Nova told me that Fallon and Red were at the hospice, switching off Scott’s machine. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like for her.

And Red?

Goddamn, the man has been friends with my old man for years. He’s the real reason my father came around to me being part of the club. It took my mother a while to come around to a man who got his name by shedding blood like he was spilling water. Though Red soon won her round with his natural charm. I call it manipulation, but whatever.

I fuckin.g felt for Red and what he was going through with his son. I couldn’t imagine what I’d do if it ever happened to me. Which it won’t because I’m never having kids. Don’t want the little monsters.

I rode over to the hospice as quick as I could. I hadn’t even been home to shower and drop my stuff off. I just wanted Red to know I was there for him, but most of all, I wanted Fallon to know I was there for her.

And I was there for her, for both of them. Although Red didn’t need me, the Brothers were there for him, as was Tammy. Fallon cried as she said goodbye to her brother. She kissed his head, then walked away. I called after her, but she ran.

I still haven’t been able to find her.

How can one small girl disappear so damn quickly?

I ride around the streets of the town, out of it and into the next, and then back to the clubhouse. I don’t know why I think Fallon would be at the clubhouse. I’ve never once brought her here, so I don’t stay. I don’t even go through the gate. I turn around and keep looking.

I haven’t seen Fallon anywhere so far.

Where the fuc.k could she be?

I don’t know where the hell to look.

I ride over to Stilletthoe. I don’t know why I think she’ll be here, but it’s the only other place I can think of. I park my motorcycle and make my way inside. The club is packed out as usual. Since we took over, the place is always pumping. It’s doing as well as every other strip club we own.

Tammy and Tessa have really cleaned up. They brought in new girls and got rid of some of the old ones who couldn’t stick to the rules. The Brothers and I put the word out around the city that our titty bar is the best around. Probably scared off a few cunts, but drop the name Draven Vidal, and every man comes running.

I make my way over to the bar, pushing my way through the rabble, watching the show on stage. Some busty black girl with a big ass, shaking everything she’s got for the crowd. In normal circumstances, I’d be watching the show and giving the girl the eye, ready to take her out back and fuc.k her. Because the Lord knows that girl is really something. As it is, my mind is on Fallon and nothing and no one else.

“Jimmy?!” I bang my fist on the bar to get his attention. He holds his hand up for me to wait ’til he’s finished serving. Big fuckin.g mistake right now!

I jump the bar and storm over to Jimmy, grabbing him by his shirt front. “When I fuckin’ call you, you come runnin’. You get me?” He nods with bugged-out eyes. “Where’s Fallon?”

“Bal-Balcony!” He stammers.

I yank him closer, a warning not to mess with me, before pushing him away from me with force. Prick stumbles back against the mirrored wall that holds the liquor. Bottles and glasses clang together, but right now, I couldn’t give a fuc.k if they all crash to the fuckin.g ground and smash.

I let out a growl at the fucker.s staring at me.

Cunts!

They soon look away.

I jump the bar and push past the idiots, making my way out the back toward the stairs that lead to the outside balcony. It’s more of a smoking spot for people. Titty bar is a no-smoking zone, after all.

“Trace!”

The hand on my arm stops me with a roll of my eyes, and I grit my teeth. “What is it, Tessa?” Ace’s Old Lady is a good woman, just like Tammy, but I don’t have time for this right now.

“I’m assuming you’re here for Fallon?” I nod. “Good because I can’t get through to her.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s high, Trace,”

My eyes widen. One thing I can’t bear is a druggie. I understand Fallon has just done and gone through the most challenging thing she’ll ever go through, but drugs? That shi.t won’t help!

“What?! How did she even get drugs into the place? Was no one checking?”

Shepard will string Fallon up if he finds out about this!

Tessa shakes her head. “She must have taken them before she entered the building because she had nothing on her when Carlos checked. No one saw Fallon take anything. They must have kicked in shortly after she arrived. I tried to kick her out, but she refused to leave. I was about to call you when you turned up.

“I don’t know what she’s on, but this ain’t good. We can’t have this here, Trace. Fallon is too young to even be in the building. We could lose our license.”

I narrow my eyes.

What the hell?

“What are you talking about?”

“Our license states no one can strip under the age of twenty-three. Sheriff wanted it that way, same as every strip club around here.”

“So? Are you saying Fallon isn’t old enough to be here?”

“Yeah, she’s underage. Fallon is only twenty-one, Trace. Just gone twenty-one, and that’s why she won’t be working here anymore. Fuckin.g fake I.D. Should’ve picked up on it right away, but we didn’t, and we can’t change that now.”

Fuc.k! I knew she couldn’t have been twenty-six.

“I’ll deal with it,” I say no more.

I take off up the stairs. I can hear the loud cheering before I’ve even opened the door. The second I do, I see Fallon dancing on a damn tabletop with her shirt off. Nothing but her bra is covering her tit.s — men, at least five of them, yelling for her to take it all off. My blood is boiling in a way it never has before. I can feel it behind my eyes!

Fallon’s eyes are rolling all over the damn place. She can hardly stand up. Her skin is glistening in sweat, and she’s beyond drunk and higher than a fuckin.g kite.

“Why don’t you come here, pretty lady?”

Fat piece of shi.t only gets out of his seat and reaches for Fallon, and I’ve got him pinned to the floor and beating the shi.t out of him before he can blink. I sense the rest of those fuck.s run for it. I don’t give a shi.t about them. However, I know I can’t kill this cunt here, and I have Fallon to deal with.

Shi.t, Fallon!

I spin on the spot and get to my feet just in time to catch her. An inch to the left and Fallon would have gone right over the damn balcony! It’s a two-story drop, for f**k’s sake!

“What the fuc.k have you taken?!”

“None of your business. Let go of me!”

I hold Fallon tighter as she struggles. There’s no way I’m letting go. “You stupid little bitc.h!” I grab her arms, checking for needle marks. There are none. Thank God. Which means she snorted or ingested something. “What the fuc.k have you taken?!” She laughs in my damn face! “Tell me!”

“Pills. Nice little pills.” She laughs again, and I’m fighting the urge to slap her face for being so stupid.

I manage to spot her shirt hanging over the balcony. I snag it and force it over her head, ignoring her protests that she’s too hot. Fallon mumbles something while I drag her arms into the sleeves. I’m not fuckin.g interested in anything Fallon’s got to say right now. I’m so damn angry I could kill!