Beyond Redemption: Joker (Serpents MC Las Vegas Book 1) Read online

  He turned toward the stairs and left them in the capable hands of Astrid. Another beauty with straight black hair and almond-shaped eyes.

  Daisy leaned into his ear. “I get comped here, so order anything you want.”

  Joker furrowed his brow. A high-end club, bypassing the list, and free drinks in the VIP room—most of his buddies would’ve been all over this and telling him he was a jerk-off for questioning such a sweet setup, but he couldn’t shake the uneasiness deep in his gut.

  He ordered his usual Jack Daniels, and she ordered champagne. Somehow Joker wasn’t surprised when the hostess returned with a silver tray overloaded with mixers, ice, an assortment of snacks, and a liter of Jack while another server set up a full bottle of Cristal on ice. Astrid poured Daisy’s champagne while he broke the seal on the whiskey, then splashed a generous amount into the cut-glass tumbler.

  Astrid faded into the shadows, and Daisy turned toward him, her champagne glass raised. “Here’s to the nicest days I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Why are you doing all this?” The hardness in his voice shook her bright smile.

  “You don’t agree that we’ve had a good time?”

  “Not what I asked.” Her evasiveness jacked up every street-smart bone in his body.

  She placed the champagne flute on the table in front of them, and her long, slender fingers rested on his knee. “You sound mad. I thought you’d like this.”

  “I like it fine. I just don’t understand it.”

  “Is your world so hard that you can’t understand someone doing something nice for another person?”

  He focused on her eyes. They were sincere, unblinking, and—sad? His world was hard and tough, with few people ever doing anything for anyone without a big payoff.

  “Not many people and even fewer men have ever stepped up and defended me the way you did the other day. And you’re right, I do know many people in South Beach, but I live here and conduct business here. It’s a small community, and we try to help each other when we can. That scene in the cabana could’ve turned ugly, and this is my way of saying thank you.” Daisy uncrossed her legs and pushed back from the table. “But if you feel that uncomfortable, we can leave.”

  She placed her palms on the table to stand, and he reached out to her. “Okay, I’m being a dick.”

  She relaxed in the seat. “No, you’re cautious, and I understand that. Probably more than you know.”

  “You’re right. I’m not used to people doing things just to be nice.” Joker drew in a deep breath. “More like, people screwing with you the minute your back is turned.”

  She stroked his leg again; only this time, she rested it much higher on his thigh. “Again, I understand. Life and people can suck most of the time. That’s why we shouldn’t miss it when something good happens.”

  He searched her eyes looking for bullshit, but only saw truth. Again, Joker asked himself who this generous woman was. Most women he knew in a club like this would have asked him to score drugs or have run up the tab so high he’d have to sell his bike. Unbelievable, but she was right. He’d surrounded himself with hard-ass people for so long that he didn’t know any other way.

  He raised his glass. “Let’s make that toast again.”

  Daisy raised her glass. “Here’s to good things and not letting them slip away.”

  They clinked glasses, and she sipped at her champagne while he gulped half of the harsh amber liquid. Strange that hanging with someone nice screwed with his head more than defending himself in a bar full of fuckers looking to take him down. He needed to relax and chill the fuck out. If this meet went well tomorrow, he’d be done. Free of the club and able to give his son the life he deserved. Maybe he’d hop on his bike before he went back to New York and take a trip to the Keys—with Daisy.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” She smiled, and he pictured her on the back of his bike, holding him nice and tight while the wind whipped through the tangled waves of her hair. Oh man, he could almost hear his buddies laughing and calling him a pussy for that thought.

  “Just thinking.”

  Her soft laugh washed over him. “Thinking. Very dangerous.”

  “You ever been on a motorcycle?”

  “Yes—No, I mean—” She fidgeted in her seat, then rearranged the cocktail napkin under her drink.

  “There’s no right answer, babe. Just wondering.”

  “A long time ago,” she mumbled.

  He sensed her tension but didn’t understand it. “Did you like it?”

  “I don’t remember.”

  Odd response. People usually remembered their first ride as either exhilarating or terrifying. Maybe she’d had a bad experience, but he’d turn that around. He refilled his glass. “I thought that stuff in movies was bullshit. You know, the couple meets in some weird way and then they get together.”

  “Sometimes movies come from real life, and sometimes real life can be pretty crazy in a good way. Like us.” Her eyes darkened when he uncrossed her legs and slid his hand past the hem of her dress. The dress rode up her thigh, and he savored the soft skin under his calloused palm. She leaned into him, shifting in the seat to give him better access. He scanned the room, but the dim lighting, the situation of their booth, and the fact that everyone else up there was into their own entertainment inspired him.

  “I bet I can make you come right here, right now.”

  Her sharp intake of breath encouraged him. Joker stretched his left arm across the back of the booth while his right hand moved her silky panties aside, letting his fingers explore.

  Daisy’s eyes slid shut, her shoulders pressed into the leather seat, and she shivered. Then she eased her hand under her dress and tugged at the delicate material of her panties. The white silk skimmed her thighs as she smoothly dragged them over her knees and past her stilettos.

  Joker’s heart hammered against his chest in wild anticipation. He was on the brink of getting her off in a crowded club, but public sex wasn’t exactly new to him. Plenty of club girls were more than willing to do anything with the VP of the Raiders, either behind doors or right out in the open, and they usually did. So why the thrill now?

  Fuck, if this woman didn’t have him twisted up. The way his breathing caught and his heart banged against his ribs, you’d think this was his first rodeo.

  He found her clit with his thumb, and when she bucked against his palm, he knew she was close. He leaned in and sucked on the tip of her ear, then whispered, “You feel so good, baby.”

  Joker cut off her moan with his mouth, shoving his tongue deep, claiming her in his own way and making her his. He couldn’t even believe the thoughts that were bouncing around in his head: taking her to New York with him, making a commitment, even introducing her to Derek.

  He pressed his fingers deeper into her perfect wet heat, and Daisy shuddered against his palm, squeezing his fingers just as she’d squeezed his dick earlier. He broke away from her mouth and rested his forehead against hers. “Fuck, baby, that was hot.”

  Her breathing came in shallow gasps as her fingers grazed the scar on his jaw. “That was beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

  He barked out a laugh. “That must’ve been one hell of an orgasm if you think I’m beautiful.”

  “You are.” She shimmied closer and nuzzled his neck. Realistically, he didn’t think he could get any harder, but apparently his dick proved him wrong.

  Daisy opened her palm, revealing her silk panties, then balled them up and shoved them in his pocket. “For the rest of the night, you and I will be the only ones who know I’m naked under this dress.”

  That did absolutely nothing for the unbelievable throbbing in his dick. Joker wanted to haul her onto his lap, slam her down hard, and ride her rough, but that might be going a bit over the line. His girl was way too classy. His girl? Fuck, he was screwed.

  He used one of the napkins to wipe the sweat on his forehead, then poured himself another healthy glass of Jack. She leaned into him as he drank the whi
skey. They were silent and content, and he couldn’t help wondering what she was thinking.

  “I should go to the ladies' room.” She grinned. “Freshen up a bit.”

  He nodded. “Just don’t be too long.”

  She kissed him and slid out of the booth. He watched her disappear behind the VIP bar to where he assumed the restrooms were.

  Chapter Six

  Joker surveyed his surroundings. Couples and groups occupied every booth and banquette in the room. Amazing how much these clubs pulled in a night. His friend Eddie owned one of the biggest nightclubs in Manhattan, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but Joker still couldn’t believe that people were willing to fork over almost ten times the amount of money on a bottle of booze to sit in a designated area. People really were idiots.

  He sipped at his drink, refilled Daisy’s glass with champagne, and glanced around the room again. It seemed she should’ve been back by now. Women and the bathroom were a mystery to most men. What the hell did they do in there anyway? Another five minutes went by, and his concern slid to unease. After ten minutes, his unease amped up to worry. She hadn’t drank that much so she couldn’t be sick, and a beautiful woman like Daisy sure didn’t need much repair work, so where the hell was she?

  He slid out of the booth in search of her, or maybe that guy Darius could help him. He circled the room and then headed for the bar, which was mostly a service bar since all the customers sat at private tables. One of the hostesses directed him to the restrooms, and as he made his way down the back hallway, another thought hit him. Maybe she did another one of her disappearing acts. She hadn’t really disappeared though and came back with an amazing breakfast.

  He’d use the john, and if she still hadn’t returned, he’d get one of the hostesses to go in and check on her. Not knowing where she was bugged him. Being in control of every situation pretty much kept him alive—but who was he kidding?—he cared about Daisy and that bothered him more than the lack of control or the not knowing. For the hundredth time tonight, he cursed himself.

  The hall was empty except for two shadowy figures at the very end. From the closeness of their bodies, maybe they were doing that public sex thing that he’d fantasized about.

  “Darius,” a breathy female voice whispered, and Joker smirked. It seemed like Darius was getting a little something on the side. Joker pulled on the men’s room door as Darius shifted, adjusted the front of his pants, and stepped away from—Daisy.

  Joker gripped the door handle. “What the fuck?”

  Her head whipped in his direction, her expression blank and void of any emotion while Darius continued to put himself together. Joker’s fists flexed at his side, thinking about all the ways he could take this guy down, but then he stilled. Daisy wasn’t fighting the guy off. From the sound of her voice a second ago, she was enjoying whatever the fuck they were doing. For a brief second his mind stuttered, and he got that surreal feeling like yeah, I’m seeing this shit, but maybe I’m not.

  Darius leaned in and said something to her, and Joker wanted to rip his arms off and feed them to him. Then the man continued down the hall and disappeared into another room, probably his office.

  Daisy ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed the front of her dress down over her thighs. The same thighs he’d had his hands on minutes ago.

  “What the fuck?” He realized he’d repeated himself and that pissed him off, so he slammed his fist against the wall. Then the loss of control pissed him off even more.

  “Sometimes, Darius gets a little carried away.”

  He moved closer to her but kept enough distance between them for his own sanity. “Are you with him?”

  “God no! He’s married.”

  “And what? You got bored with me, so you hooked up with him?”

  Daisy let out an exasperated sigh and closed the gap between them. “You enjoyed tonight, right? Getting past the line outside, secluded VIP booth, free drinks. You had fun.”

  Joker narrowed his eyes, hoping that might make him understand what she was so calmly trying to tell him. “And fucking him is how you got it?”

  “It’s an arrangement we have.” Her voice leveled as if she were explaining nuclear science to a toddler.

  “And the discounts on my clothes in that shop, the free drinks on the beach. What, were you fuckin’ those guys too?”

  “Not today.”

  “Did you really say that?”

  “The outlaw biker’s judging me?”

  Joker had told her he belonged to a motorcycle club, but not once did he use the word outlaw.

  “Believe me.” Daisy’s lips twisted in disgust. “I know all about them.”

  “Probably fucked your way through a couple of clubs just to get us breakfast.” He wanted to make her mad, and it pissed him off that she remained calm.

  “You do realize how ridiculous this conversation is?”

  “I don’t need you screwin’ guys for free drinks and VIP tables.” He scrubbed his hand over his face.

  “You never bought a girl a few drinks to get in her pants? Told her she was pretty, told her you’d call her, and then after you screwed her, never saw her again?”

  “Completely different.”

  “How?” Shadows from the hallway light played across her intense expression.

  “If you don’t know, I can’t tell you.”

  “Women have been having sex with horrid, violent men for years and getting nothing in return. I’m just evening the odds.”

  “You just leave me to go fuck another guy?”

  “This has nothing to do with Darius.”

  “You’re right. I’m out.” Joker turned away from her, ready to storm down the hall.

  “Life doesn’t always work the way you want it.” She called after him. “Of course, someone like you is used to getting his own way.”

  He stopped dead, then slowly turned around. “You have no fuckin’ idea, babe. The main reason I’m in this fuckin’ steam bath of a city is so my son can—”

  Oh man, what the hell was he doing—talking about private business and leaving himself wide open? Dangerous people with a grudge took it out on loved ones, making sure the guilt plagued them for the rest of their lives. Number one rule: personal life stayed personal, but this woman had him strung out and breaking all his rules, and he didn’t like it.

  Daisy flicked her fingers at him. “Go ahead, walk.” Her voice cracked, with the slightest hint of an accent. Southern maybe?

  Then, her face smoothed out, flat and expressionless. Her eyes were dark but void of emotion. Even now, he wanted to take her into his arms and hold her, strip away the pain that made using her body as a pawn seem like a good idea.

  Joker couldn’t deny it, most of his buddies fucked around on their girlfriends and wives, and some of them did it right out in the open, expecting the women to put up with it. Shit, the more he thought about her reasoning, the more it did kinda make sense. Plenty of women were having sex with fucked-up men who treated them like shit, but she was so out there about it—owning it—like … a guy.

  No, he had to step away. He had a job to accomplish, and this kind of shit storm would only complicate his future.

  Joker’s gaze roamed over her one last time before he turned and slammed his fist against the wall; then, he stormed out of the hallway and vaulted down the stairs. When he hit the street, he sucked in the humid air, then patted his pockets for his Zippo and smokes. Joker stuck the Marlboro between his lips, and as he lit up, his hand shook, and that pissed him off too. He’d faced down gangbangers in prison, looked down the barrel of a few guns, and yet a woman who probably didn’t weigh more than a buck twenty had him all twisted up.

  And what was with her using the word outlaw? He'd never told her about the Raiders or his involvement with them, yet she threw that at him like she knew his past. Then, her weird response when he asked her if she ever rode a motorcycle.

  Just another puzzle about a woman he couldn’t wrap his head ar
ound. Why would a smart, beautiful woman like Daisy be screwing guys for favors? It didn’t make sense, but he had to put it behind him. He had too much at stake to let her screw with his head.

  Joker walked four blocks before he realized he passed his hotel. Turning around, he spotted a store on the corner. Tropical Liquors. Perfect.

  He snagged a fifth of Jack off the liquor store shelf, paid for it, and unscrewed the cap before he hit the street. He tipped the bottle to his lips and swigged deep. His throat burned, but the edgy restlessness itching at his nerves continued, so he took another pull.

  By the time he hit the elevator button at his hotel, the whiskey was swimming very nicely through his veins. Fuckin’ Jack was amazing. It made him believe that all was right, that he hadn’t left the first person he cared about in a long time. And who the fuck cared if he did anyway? He was Joker, VP of the Raiders MC, king of the underground fighters. He could have any woman he wanted, whenever he wanted. Getting himself bent out of shape over some bitch who screwed every guy in sight? Fuckin’ ridiculous.

  Joker concentrated on sliding the keycard into the slot, and after the second try, the door released. He stuffed the card into his pants pocket and came up with Daisy’s panties. He pulled out the white satin and grinned, remembering how she slid them over her gorgeous legs. Then his lips twisted and his gut clenched. Sure, how many other guys had she done the same fuckin’ thing to? Her panties were probably a collector's item in Miami.

  After Joker toed off his shoes, he sat on the bed, gulped down more of the whiskey, then set the bottle on the bedside table. He laid his head against the pillows and closed his eyes. On a typical night he had trouble falling asleep, with the exception of the past two when Daisy shared his bed. Two days and he was hooked on a woman he obviously didn’t know. How had she made him so soft and weak? Joker reached for the bottle again, then slammed it back on the table. Fuckin’ shit wasn’t working anyway.