It’s the hangover that wakes me. Hot piercing pain bounces from one side of my head to the other, unrelenting and unforgiving. Nausea ripples through me like a dog’s teeth snapping at my heels but not quite reaching. My mouth as dry as the baron wasteland out back of the clubhouse on a hot summer’s day. I stretch and visions of last night slowly return and from what I hazily remember, there were a lot of vodka shots. And there was a woman I haven’t seen around town before. She was hanging off of my every word. Did I bring her back to the club with me?
Cracking my eyes open, I adjust to the dim light in the room and see that I’m not at the club.
Rolling onto my back, my question is answered when the woman from last night is still passed out beside me. Lifting the sheets, we’re both naked. Fuck me, I hope I could get it up with the amount I drank. This is what happens when I drink alone, I have no one to cut me off. Ever since Grim returned to Mercy,I’ve been drinking enough for the two of us and I wake the next morning with none to little recollection of the night before.
Pushing through the sickness and the headache from Hell, I slip out of the bed and retrieve my clothes from where they’ve been thrown around the room. The woman doesn’t wake as I dress and let myself out.
I strain to keep my eyes open to the sun shining over the motel. I have no memories of coming here last night, so I’m hoping my truck is still parked over at Josie’s bar.
Lighting a cigarette, I make my way up the street to Josie’s hoping I don’t need to stop and hurl along the way.
I need coffee and breakfast and that’s what I order as soon as I’m in my truck and stopping at the diner to order to go. While I scoff down my breakfast, I try to recall last night’s sex. A vague memory of stumbling through the door resurfaces but nothing else. Perhaps I should’ve stuck around and found out her name. I laugh to myself, like that was ever going to happen.
Dashing the trash on the backseat, I rest my half-drunken coffee between my thighs and head for home. It’s still pretty early and the soft morning breeze holds the nausea at bay.
I plan on heading to bed for a few hours and then seeing what the rest of the day brings. I fucking love this life. There are no set hours. No rules, as such. Just being free to be who I want and do what I want. Only, my plans fall to shit when I pull into the club and Leo and Zach are waiting by my bike. I grab my cut from the passenger seat and climb out. Sliding my shades on top of my head, I quickly rectify that mistake and cover my eyes from the sun again as I head toward my president.
“Where the fuck have you been? Or do I not want to know?” Leo barks.
My smirk says it all. He shakes his head, and says, “You’re riding to Dog City with Zach.”
Ignoring the fading headache and the nausea, I nod. “Fine by me. I take it we’re leaving now?”
“You take it right.” His heavy gaze falls to my hand. “Why the fuck aren’t you wearing your cut?”
Without answering, I slip it on and that’s that. Leo hands a small package to Zach.
“Give this to Victoria, it’s from Holly.”
“Will do.”
“I’ll see you fuckers when you return. Don’t ride like assholes on the way back, don’t wanna give any reason to be pulled over.”
“It’s not my first time, Leo,” Zach retorts.
Leo walks off and Zach’s full attention lands on me.
“Let’s go, or do you need a bitch minute to get yourself together?” he sarcastically mutters.
To be fair, I do need a bitch minute or hour, but I keep it to myself and climb on my bike.
“So, who was theunluckylady last night?” He snorts.
“I have no fuckin’ idea. Can’t remember much and didn’t stick around for the update this morning.”
Zach shakes his head and starts his ride. I bring my machine to life and together, we ride out of the club and head for Dog City.
I enjoy visiting Luca’s chapter. The city noise makes a change to the quietness of Willow’s Peak.
We stop for gas once and don’t waste a minute before we’re back on the road. Traffic is light and we have a smooth ride until we hit the city and we’re slowed by grandpa drivers. We swerve in and out of the traffic and make it to Luca’s clubhouse in good time.
Konan is out front smoking a cigarette and is quick to open the side gate for us. We ride through and the first face I see is Victoria’s as she comes out of her greenhouse.
Normally she’s all smiles and offers warm greetings, but since the death of her father and grandfather, she hasn’t been her happy self. Sometimes you can physically see the energy she uses trying to hide her grief.
“Hey, how are you doing?” Zach asks her as she walks over to us.
“You know, everyone telling me to live life and move on.”
