AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Kinda nice that no one from the club is here, huh?”
I laughed, my eyes wide. “I know, right?!”
She crowded closer to me. “It’s part of why I like to leave the club so often…sometimes I just need a break from them.”
Jack slid a Moscow mule in front of me, and an amber liquid shot in front of Natty, followed by a can of Diet Coke.
“Honestly, I assumed you didn’t mind it.” I sipped my drink, loving the bubbly feel of the ginger beer against my tongue.
Natty tipped her head back and swallowed the shot with a hiss. “I don’t…I mean, honestly, I really don’t. But every now and then, it just feels too repetitive. I think it’s why they ride.”
I watched her sip her Diet Coke and we fell into easy conversation, learning new things about each other.
“You knit?” I asked, my brows hitting my hairline. A new singer had taken the stage, and this time, everyone was clapping as he belted a Matt Maeson ballad in a deep, melodic voice.
Natty nodded. “I do, but for some reason I can only knit these tiny squids. It was the tutorial I had initially used to learn how to do it, and I know I can simply try a new one, but for whatever reason, it always ends up resembling a squid.”
“I have to see these for myself.”
Natty suddenly slid off her stool. “Let’s go back to the club, I’ll show you.”
We were laughing again when Jack came back over with a small envelope in his hand.
“For tonight.”
The cash was likely close to one hundred dollars, which is about what I made out in tips every time I did a set here. I flipped open the white tab on the envelope and pulled out half the cash and tucked it into Jack’s tip jar.
He clicked his tongue, but I ignored him, shoving the rest of the money into my pocket.
The cash would help me save up for a new place. I flicked a hesitant gaze at Natty as we wandered to the coat rack.
“I won’t say anything about you singing here.” Natty vowed as we pulled on our coats and began ascending the staircase up to the first floor.
“I’m shocked more people don’t already know I sing here.” We walked through the bookstore and then pushed outside. The fog was cold against our faces, and off to the side of the house was Natty’s one-seater, motorized moped, which I knew she’d be driving home. It wasn’t big enough for the two of us.
“I don’t mind if people do, but I don’t want them to think I need to focus on the club job. It’s a good job; I just like the extra money.” I talked to keep my teeth from chattering. I was also determined to cut ties with the club once I was able. I didn’t care what Killian thought.
Natty unhooked her moped and walked back over to me.
“You okay to get back?”
I waved her off. “Of course, I am.”
She turned toward her transportation. “We could try to both fit.”
I snorted first, then Natty followed with a full bellied laugh.
“How do you ride that and live in a motorcycle club?”
She shrugged, then began stroking the pastel yellow handlebars. “They would never make fun of me. At least not to my face.”
We both began laughing again, and then she finally grabbed her helmet, bid me goodbye and zoomed off.
I inspected my cell and saw the time.
Shit, it was nearly eleven at night. While I didn’t mind walking, and I knew Natty would have walked with me, I didn’t want her to because I knew how early she had to get up for work.
The fog thickened, and I realized I didn’t want to walk back. My thumb hovered over Killian’s name, the text thread with him was still untouched from three months ago. His last text still unanswered.
