give every new female employee a hard time for no fuckin’ reason. Either get a damn grip or get another job.”
The receptionist’s lower lip trembled slightly. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to help. I love working here. We make a good team, right?”
“You and AJ make a good team, but”—he waved his hand back and forth between them—“we don’t. You work here and I pay you—that’s all.” Smokey ran his hand through his hair. “Give Ms. Callahan respect.”
“I’m respectful, but she just didn’t make a very good impression. And I do consider you and me a team … at work.”
“Sabrina?” AJ’s voice echoed up the corridor.
“Please don’t be mad at me,” Sabrina said as she crept closer to the desk.
“I’m irritated. I need you to act professionally at work.”
“Sabrina?” AJ said again.
“I’ll respect Ms. Callahan and help her out as much as I can,” she said.
Smokey doubted the sincerity of her words, and the tight smile on her face was as fake as hell. “Just do your job and don’t worry about what Ms. Callahan or anyone else in the office is doing.”
“Even if they’re dissing you or the company behind your back?” The plastic smile widened.
“Sabrina!” AJ yelled.
Smokey narrowed his eyes and strode over to Sabrina and pointed at the open door. “Your boyfriend’s getting on my fuckin’ nerves, so go on and get out. Now.”
Her lips twisted into a grimace. “You can be a real asshole.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know.”
“There you are,” AJ said as he poked his head through the doorway, a mop of blond hair falling over his forehead. “Didn’t you hear me calling your name?”
“No, I didn’t,” Sabrina said as she cut her eyes to him.
“Are you still working?” AJ shifted his gaze to Smokey.
“Nope—you guys can take off,” Smokey said.
“Great,” AJ said, looking over at Sabrina and breaking into a big smile that exposed a mouthful of crooked teeth.
The receptionist’s brow furrowed and her lips pursed as she stared at Smokey. He turned away and walked over to a file cabinet near the window. Ignoring the two of them, he rifled through the folders until he came across the one he needed. From the corner of his eye, he saw AJ grab Sabrina’s hand and tug her out of the room.
Smokey tucked the file under his arm, zipped up his leather jacket, switched off the light, and headed out of the building.
When he entered the clubhouse, the heat began to melt the snowflakes from his hair and clothes. The tangy aroma of barbecue sauce flavored the air, and Smokey’s stomach growled as he made his way to the bar. A shot of whiskey sat on the counter calling his name. Putting his lips to the glass rim, he threw it back and enjoyed the smooth fieriness sliding down his throat, warming his belly.
The big room was nearly empty except for Wendy and Tania, who stood at a window watching the flakes fall … and Ruben and Lola. The club member was banging the hell out of the club girl, and each time he shoved into her, his wrinkled ass would tighten. Smokey chuckled under his breath as he imagined what Ruben’s old lady, Doris, would say if she ever found out about his early evening workout. Doris had said she was cool with him having dalliances with the club girls as long as it was only once or twice a month, but she always made a scene if she found out he was actually fucking one of the women. As far as Smokey could remember, Ruben had met his twice-a-month quota the first week of the month. Yeah, Doris will nail your ass good if she finds out. He chuckled again and brought another shot of Jack to his lips.
Of course, Doris wouldn’t find out because none of the brothers would say shit about it—their loyalty lay with the club members, not their old ladies. For the most part, the club girls didn’t care for the old ladies and the feeling was pretty mutual, especially between Doris and Lola. It worked out best when the club girls stayed out of sight any time the old ladies came to the club for family functions, and if one of the wives or girlfriends happened to drop by to see their old man during the day, the club women would scatter, showing that they knew their place in the club’s hierarchy.
The last thing any of the members wanted was bullshit between the two groups