***
Shadow takes me to work today. He seems more open with me since he has discovered I’m not so different from him. That last barrier of trust I feel like I couldn’t break through, I have since crushed with my darkness. Now we have each other to pull through the depths of violence and maybe together we will figure out a way to have mercy on those who cross the line of the Devil’s Dust.
“Hey, so next week is a fundraiser. I need you to bring a date and dress in something nice,” Mila informs me, redoing her blonde hair into a tight bun.
“A fundraiser?” I question, taking off my slippers.
“Yeah. I partner with another ballet studio in town, and once a year we have a fundraiser together. The governor will be there along with many other high profiles, so you have to be there,” she answers, shutting off the lights to the studio.
“Yeah, I’ll figure something out,” I say unsure. I finish changing, the whole time wondering how I’m going to swing bringing a date to this fundraiser. Shadow is not going to want to go.
I walk outside and see him picking his nails with a knife. When he looks up and sees me walking toward him, his face lights up.
“Someone’s happy to see me,” I chide.
“You got a nice rack, who wouldn’t smile,” Shadow says cockily.
I laugh and grab the helmet from him before swinging my leg over his motorcycle.
On the ride to the apartment, I think about how I’m going to ask a badass, outlaw biker to attend a ballet fundraiser, and to dress in a tux for that matter. My mind is a complete blank; I have no idea how that is going to happen. I am just going to have to go by myself.
I climb off the bike and hand him my helmet.
“What’s on your mind?” he asks, grabbing my wrist as I begin to walk away.
I look at him dumbfounded. How does he do that?
“I have to go to a fundraiser next week,” I finally say.
“So?” he responds flat.
“I’m supposed to bring a date.” Shadow eyes me quizzically. “And it’s a dress-to-impress event,” I croak.
“Fuck. That,” Shadow says, rushing past me.
“The governor is going to be there along with other important people.” Shadow stops suddenly and looks at me with those gorgeous blue eyes. “I understand if you don’t want to go, but I have to,” I shrug. Shadow looks off into the distance, the wind blowing his black hair around, he places his hands on his hips.
“What, and let one of those rich tools try and pick you up again?” he asks, looking at me with the most drop-dead smile.
I smile foolishly along with him. “So, you’ll go?”
Shadow grins even wider. “Yeah, I’ll go.”
Not being able to contain my excitement, I squeal with delight and jump at him. He catches me with his muscled arms and smashes his lips to mine.
“Only you could get me to dress in a fucking tux,” he whispers against my lips.
SHADOW
“Wake the fuck up, Shadow!”
“Go away,” I mumble into the pillow beneath my head.
The door is thrown open and slams against the wall.
“You’re going to miss church again,” Bobby whines.
I nearly fall out of bed trying to find my underwear, but ultimately, I find my pants and pull them on. Buttoning them up, Bobby throws a shirt laying on the floor at me. I grab my socks and pull them on, along with my boots without tying them. I lean over and give Dani a light kiss on the head as she sleeps, then I grab my cut and make my way towards the chapel. I remember Bull reaming my ass out for missing yesterday, he’s not going to be happy I nearly missed today.
The last three days have been a mess. The other day, I nearly missed a run with the boys because Dani and I were at the beach too long. I missed church yesterday because Dani and I were up all night playing strip poker, and last night we were up all night fucking, something I’ll never get tired of. Before Dani, there were nights I didn’t sleep, instead, I was doing runs or partying. But she is, by far, my favorite reason for not sleeping. She has my focus elsewhere and is a huge distraction, but I can’t say I hate it.
I push the doors open slowly, hoping I can slip in unnoticed when my foot trips over my shoelaces and I stumble in the chapel. Shit. I sit down in my chair and look around the table, all eyes are on me. My eyes stop scanning the brothers when I come across Bobby’s face of humor. He points toward my cut as if something is wrong. I look down and notice I have it inside out, so I pull it off and put it on right.
“As I was saying,” Bull continues, his eyes lifted with annoyance as he stares at me, “we have no leads on Babs’ hit and run, and apparently Locks doesn’t give a fuck.” I look at Locks’ place at the table and see he’s missing. He never misses church, what the hell?