Losing Traction: Westbeach #1

  “What sort of bar is this?” Meadow asked, walking around to my side of the car, sweeping her long hair into a messy ponytail.

  Melissa pulled out her handbag from the back seat, shutting the door. “A swinger’s bar. I need a drink.”

  Meadows eyes widened in shock for a brief second before she shrugged. “I could do with a drink.”

  After pushing open the doors, I found that it wasn’t too busy. My mind drifted to my aching feet briefly, we just walked in and I couldn’t wait to take these boots off. I was wearing short cutoff jean shorts, mid-thigh high black boots with a high heel and a Rage against the Machine top. My hair was falling naturally down to my bottom and my face was fresh from any visible make-up. There were a few people here and there but the area’s huge, so there was enough space for everyone to spread out. Walking directly to the bar, with the girls following closely behind me, I nodded my head to Jimmy.

  “Hey Jimmy, I need to pick up those papers,” I said, pulling out a bar stool.

  “Hey, sweet stuff, sure thing. Blake let me know you were popping in,” Jimmy responded while drying a glass.

  “Can I get something strong? Hit me with it!” Melissa interrupted, demanding a drink from Jimmy.

  Jimmy looked at me for approval, so I smiled and nodded. Rolling his eyes, he filled her glass up with whiskey, sliding it across to her. “Always a pleasure to see you too, Melissa,” he mumbled, before walking off and huffing, “Not.”

  “Likewise, Jimmy.” Melissa rolled her eyes, turning her head back to me.

  Shaking my head, I laughed at her. “Can you be nice to Jimmy, please?”

  Throwing her hands up in innocence, she swung her hair over her shoulder. “I’m always nice!” She lied.

  I smiled, bringing my attention back to Meadow. “You okay babe?” I asked her. She’s chewing her lip while scanning the room.

  Nodding her head, she answered, “Yeah, I’m okay.” Her big blue eyes drifting around nervously. I’m not sure exactly what Meadow’s story is. We met each other at a pizza parlor where a homeless man was harassing her, trying to get her to buy him a pizza. She stood there, frozen, terrified. I shoved some money into the homeless man’s hands and told him to kindly fuck off before taking her arm and pulling her toward a quiet bus stop. A few weeks later, we moved in together.

  I squeezed her hand with mine. “It’s okay, Meads. You’re safe in Westbeach. Trust me. My family own this town, all right?” I attempted to reassure her.

  She nodded her head and swallowed down. “I trust you, Phoebe. You’re the only person I do trust.”

  I smiled at her. “Thank you, I love that you trust me.”

  “Holy-effing-fucking-shit!” Melissa whispered loudly from beside me.

  “What now, Mel?” Bringing my eyes to her, she nudged me with her elbow, fanning her face dramatically. Following her line of sight, I found myself looking at…

  “Isn’t that Twisted Transistor?” Melissa whispered into the air—loudly.

  I kept my eyes locked on who I knew was Ryder Oakley. He was looking back at me, his deep blue eyes set in stone. The intensity of his stare burned through me, lighting my cheeks on fire. Shit. I think he’s hotter in person. He broke our stare-down by taking a seat at one of the tables, with Ryker Oakley his twin brother and guitarist, Tommy Stevens the drummer, and Leo Adkins, the bass player.

  “Yes, I believe it is,” I whispered my response.

  “But, why would they be here?” Melissa responded to me a little loudly, again. Good thing there was music blaring from the speakers.

  “I don’t know, Mel. Why don’t you go and ask them?” I was being a little scratchy and I knew that. Meadow was staring down at her hands, looking every bit uncomfortable. Tapping her on the knee, I nudged her with my arm. “Check it out girl, it’s Twisted Transistor!”

  Her head snapped up to me, her big eyes peering through mine. “Who?” she asked innocently. I laughed, just as Jimmy returned with all the papers.

  “Twisted Transistor, you know…”

  She slinked into the bar stool, nodding her head. “Yeah, I know who they are.” She looked at the table and smiled a friendly smile at them before dropping her smile, bringing her attention to Jimmy, who was standing in front of her with my papers.

  “Thanks, Jimmy! This is Meadow…Meadow, Jimmy.”

  Meadow put her hand out to him and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Jimmy.” Jimmy had been working here since Blake opened the club. He’s originally from Queens but moved to Westbeach five years ago when he turned eighteen and finished his round in the system. He’s one of the loveliest people I’d ever met.

  “Nice to meet you, Meadow.” He smiled an equally friendly smile back to her. They began chatting about computers and technology, and that was when they lost me. It was good to see Meadow open up easily to someone, but because Jimmy had this energy that surrounded him that made you feel at ease, much like Meadow, it made it easy to open up to him.

  If you’re not Melissa.

  “Phoebs, don’t look…but Ryder Oakley has not taken his eyes off you.”

  “Mel, I have two long legs and a vagina. He’s a rock god, he will look. It’s a part of who they are.”

  She scoffed, lifting her drink to her lips. “Not Ryder Oakley. Ryker, yes, but not Ryder, no one has ever snapped Ryder with a woman…ever. People actually assumed he was gay because he’s never been seen with anyone. Whereas his brother is seen with everyone,” Melissa replied without missing a sip of her drink.

  “I wouldn’t know. I don’t follow the tabloids.” I took a sip of my water, dragging my eyes back to the table briefly. When they landed there, I was drawn back into the dark blue-gray depths of Ryder Oakley. With my cheeks heating instantly, my heart thudding a perfect strum, pounding through my ears, he silently commands my body with one slow sweep of me from head to toe. His eyes holding the intensity of a thousand suns. I may get burned, but I may enjoy it.

  That had never happened before.

  He’s stunning. Standing around six foot, leanly built with the perfect amount of muscle, two sleeve tattoos run up his arms, and a medium sized stretcher in his left ear. If that wasn’t enough to throw caution to the wind, he had a five-o-clock shadow which sat around his high cheekbones. His lips pouty, his eyelashes dark and thick almost hiding his eyes. From what I knew, the two sleeve tattoos were the only ink he had. His brother Ryker was covered, though, with one tattoo even running over his entire neck and across his jawline. Ryker looked like the twisted bad boy who loved tormenting people. Ryder seemed quiet and reserved. I don’t know which frightened me the most. Swallowing down the ball of fire that was forming in my throat, I turned my attention back to Jimmy.

  “Does Twisted Transistor always come in?”

  Jimmy looked at me then looked back to Twisted Transistor. “Not always, no.” A little clipped for Jimmy, but I get that maybe it was something that he couldn’t talk about. This bar wasn’t just any trashy swingers bar. You couldn’t just waltz in here like a dirty pervert. You had to be invited by Blake or his crazy ass ex-girlfriend who owned half the club.

  “We better get going if I’m going to make it back to the Shuttle.”

  “It’s looking good, Phoebs. Nancy has been taking real good care of it,” Jimmy replied.

  The Shuttle is what my dad named our family home. When I was a little girl, I would overhear people at the clubhouse sometimes talking about guns and killing. I asked my dad if we’d always be safe. He replied, “Always baby girl. You’ll always be safe here. This is your space Shuttle and you are untouchable here.” Then we would run around the house, shooting imaginary lasers at each other. He was a great dad.

  “That’s real good, I’m glad to hear that. How’s our little Daisy?”

  Daisy is Jimmy’s four-year-old daughter. He was now in a loving relationship with his boyfriend of two years. Jimmy is bi-sexual, he’d always gone both ways, but he said that he’s now happy with Stephen, so I was happy for him. Daisy w
as beautiful, though, and Jimmy and her mom still maintained a healthy relationship, they were almost best friends. Cassie’s a good woman. She’s from Alabama where Daisy and her currently live. She brought Daisy to Westbeach once a month, then Jimmy would fly to her the next, and in between whenever he and Stephen wanted to see her.

  “She’s getting old. She’s starting to tell me boys names at pre-school, and I’m just not cool with that.”

  Rolling my eyes, I laughed. “Jimmy, it’s okay. I had no girlfriends growing up! I turned out fine.” Pulling my phone out of my handbag to text Blake and let him know we’d arrived here safely.

  “No, you didn’t have friends because of the army of scary men that have surrounded you all your life. Having two gay daddies is not exactly going to scare off the boys. She doesn’t have big scary biker men watching over her like you did.”

  I was still texting out my text to Blake when I answered, “I beg to differ. They should be more scared, Jimmy. They have not one dad, but two, to get through before getting to her. That’s pretty threatening.” I placed my phone back into my handbag, bringing my eyes back up to him, his stress lines relaxed before he smiled at me. “Thank you.”

  I smiled back. “Anytime. We better start making our way.” I glanced over at the table and noticed that they’d gone. My chest dropped, for God knows why. Swinging my handbag over my shoulder, I headed back out the bright red doors with the girls following closely behind me.

  “Phoebe!” Nikos, one of the bouncers yelled from behind me as I was walking toward my car.

  “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Can you let Blake know that Corrin has been calling the office? She’s fucking busting my balls here, demanding to talk to him.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What the fuck does she want now?” Corrin is my brother’s ex-girlfriend. She’s bat shit crazy.

  He shrugged his huge shoulders at me. “I don’t know. She’s persistent, though.”

  “She can persist elsewhere. Thanks, Nikos.” I waved to him as I made my way to my car where the girls were waiting for me.

  Melissa pointed to Nikos and swallowed dramatically. Here we go. “I haven’t seen that sexy piece of meat in a while.”

  I laughed. “That—is you are dreaming. He has a girlfriend now, I think. Calm your heat or I’ll have to cage you.”

  She scowled at me and I laughed, opening my door, catching movement in the corner of my eye. I glanced across the parking lot to see three black SUVs parked on the opposite side with Twisted Transistor. A few people were standing outside the cars with them. And by people, I mean girls. Rolling my eyes, I sat in the driver’s seat, sparking my car to life.

  “I’m tired and need food. Can we stop at a burger joint, please?” Melissa moaned from the back seat.

  “Yeah, sounds good,” I replied, shifting into first gear and rolling out of the parking lot. Bringing my eyes to the passenger seat of one of the SUV’s, I catch Ryder’s penetrating gaze locked on mine, his eyes following my car’s slow movement. I was too busy locked onto his baby blue’s to see his idiot brother jump out onto the hood of my car.

  “Raaaa!” he laughed his wide tooth grin smile at me.

  Slamming on my brakes, I threw my hands up, mouthing, “What the fuck?” He laughed again and I decided right then that he pissed me off. I wanted to punch his face. Removing my seat belt, I swung my door open, catching in the corner of my eye Ryder stepping out of the passenger seat and around the SUV.

  “What the fuck is your problem douchebag! I could have run your stupid ass over!”

  His smile dropped, his lips dropping to a pout while he ran his finger down his face in a mock tear.

  “Ryker!” A low voice grumbled from beside me.

  Dragging my eyes to Ryder, I find him staring back at me.

  “Sorry about that,” Ryder said, putting his hands into his worn jeans pockets.

  “It’s not your fault. I’m Phoebe.” I placed my hand out in front of me, hoping he’d take it soon so I didn’t look like an idiot.

  He pulled out one of his hands, keeping his eyes on mine and grasping my hand, shaking it with his grip a little tight.

  “Ryder. You usually come here?” he asked around a smile.

  Laughing, I shook my head. “Definitely not. My brother owns the place. He needs me to handle the books until he finds a new accountant.”

  Why was I talking so much? I needed to stop talking.

  “Your brother is Blake Rendon?” he asked with one arched eyebrow.

  I nodded my head. “Sure is.”

  Melissa scoffed from behind me. “How can you not tell?”

  He paid her no attention. He paid no one attention. In that moment, it felt as though he and I were lost in our own trance.

  “Interesting,” he smirked.

  “So, what are you guys doing here? Do you come here often? Like, together?” I leaned up against my car, folding my arms in front of myself with a smile. “That’s a little creepy.”

  He chuckled, looking to Ryker beside him. “No, not usually. We have an issue that needed sorting.”

  I looked at Ryker, who was staring intently at Ryder with a questioning glare.

  “You’re a douche. If I didn’t love my twenties so much, I would have run your ass over.”

  Ryker snapped his attention to me, a crooked grin spreading out across his face. “Twenties, huh? Nah, they at least tens.” Funny, he was quoting ‘Friday.’

  “Oh, they’re twenties. You can school me on tires when I can school you on guitars.” He laughed, clutching his stomach. His laugh was infectious and it brought a small smile to my lips.

  “Like that, huh? I should have guessed it. This is a cute little toy, cute for a girl.”

  Raising my eyebrows at him, I ignored the fact that he’d just insulted me. There was no point arguing with someone like him, this much I knew. Gripping the handle of my door, I smiled over my shoulder to Ryder. “Thanks for the apology.”

  He smiled, nodding his head. “Anytime.” Quickly sitting back in the driver’s seat, I buckled my seat belt just as Ryker jumped out again, pretending to jump in front of my car. I revved my engine and flipped him off.

  He laughed, throwing his arms up, signaling for me to carry on.

  Fuckface.

  “She was fucking, banging!” Ryker was still glancing at Phoebe’s car tail lights.

  Shaking my head, I ran my hand over my jaw. “Yeah, I think she’s immune to your charm, Ryker.”

  “You think? Nah, she’s just playing hard to get.” I don’t know why, but the thought of Ryker pursuing Phoebe ground my gears. Maybe it’s because she seemed different to what was usually sniffing around us. But, I don’t think I had anything to worry about. It was evident that the girl was in no way interested in him, which brought a smirk to my face.

  Ryker narrowed his eyes at me. “What? You think I can’t score her?” I laughed this time, shaking my head and getting back into the Escalade where Rufus was sitting in the driver’s seat. Rufus is my three hundred pound, six-foot-seven Jamaican bodyguard. He’s sharing the same laugh.

  “Ry, you’re dreaming. Your mere existence annoyed the shit out of that girl.”

  From the passenger seat, I watched as Ryker slide in behind me with two groupies on his arms. He’s the biggest man-whore out of all of us, but he’s a responsible man-whore. He gets his tests and all that. I felt a kick come from the back of my chair.

  “What, Ry?” I ask in a flat tone.

  “You want her.”

  “Who?” I didn’t turn around to answer him because he would have seen it in my eyes.

  “I’m the not so smart one Ryder, don’t play dumb. Miss Speed Racer,” he answered while motor boating one of the girls in the back seat. Fuck. He knows no boundaries.

  “Not at this stage, no. But I won’t pretend that she didn’t have a different appeal about her, though. Any girl that can, and will, lay your ass flat on the pavement will intrigue me more than…” I turned in m
y seat to look at the two girls on each side from him, “…well, than the usual whores.” I heard the girls giggle. Actually fucking giggle, as if I didn’t just insult their womanhood. Disgusting.

  One of them placed her hand on my shoulder. “Oh honey, I can be whatever you want me to be,” she said licking her bright red lips and running her overly done eyes up and down my body.

  My eyebrows crossed, twitching in annoyance. “No thanks, I’ll pass.” Her face faltered then she moved back to Ryker’s lap.

  “It’s all right, baby. I’m all the man you’ll need tonight,” Ryker grumbled into her neck. I looked to Rufus and we both laughed. Fucking, Ryker.

  Tommy came to our window, tapping it. “Bikes are coming.” Nodding, I got back out of the car to see Blake, Ade, and Zane pulling up—The Three Amigos. They got off their bikes, making their way to me and Tommy, tapping each other’s shoulders in greeting.

  “Sup, man? What brings you to this side of the tracks?” he asked with a sly smirk on his face.

  I nodded my head at him as Ade leaned up against his bike with the same look he always had on his face, Zane lighting a cigarette.

  “Tommy here needs your help with something.” I pointed at Tommy.

  Blake looked to him then to me.

  “Yeah, look,” Tommy started, scratching his head. “Can we go somewhere…private? Are there camera’s here?” he asked, looking around the club.

  Blake shook his head. “Fuck no! We don’t need them. No one will fuck with this place.”

  “Yeah, all right. I just, I need someone taken care of. I could do it, but I don’t want to deal with the aftermath of it all.”

  Ade pushed off his bike, stalking toward us, the energy surrounding us thickening with nothing but pure alpha-maleness—if that’s even a word. The stare in his eyes, blank and emotionless. From the first day I meet Ade, I knew, anyone would know. He had a darkness around him that no one would ever want to cross.

  “Who? And why? Don’t do children and don’t do elderly. Anyone else, I’m cool with,” he commanded.