What Doesn't Destroy Us (The Devil's Dust #1)(40)

“Dani? What are you –“ Shadow stops mid-sentence when he sees my distraught state. I didn’t even see him in here I was so wrapped up in my own turmoil. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head in response.

He pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me. I nuzzle my nose into his grease stained shirt and inhale deep. His woodsy smell mixed with grease is a welcoming scent, it relaxes me on the spot.

“My mom is what’s wrong. How can she say those things?” I mumble into his chest, my hands clenching his shirt like a lifeline.

“You would be surprised what a mother can say to her child.” He pushes me to arm’s length and examines my face.

“What the hell, Dani, your face is all red. Did that bitch hit you?” I can see his eyes dilate with anger, his jaw clenching as he moves my head side to side by my chin.

Suddenly, I hear heavy footsteps coming our way. I spot an open office door and shuffle into the space between it and the wall. Peeking out through the hinges, I see Locks coming into the garage.

“Shadow, you see Dani run out here?”

“Nah, man, I haven’t.” Shadow acts casual, looking for something in a red tool box.

“She just got into a major fight with her mom; she bolted out of the club running this way. Bull sent me to find her, make sure she was okay.” Locks pulls out a red pack and plucks a cigarette from it with his lips, he doesn’t light it, just lets it hang loosely from his lips.

“These women, I tell you what; I’m not here to f*cking babysit. Not sure what the f*ck the Prez was thinking bringing these bitches here.”

“I think he thought they are his family,“ Shadow replies, shuffling through more tools.

“This ain’t no place for bitches; that’s all I’m saying, brother.” Locks pulls out a black lighter from his pocket and lights his cigarette. Shadow takes his focus off the red tool box and looks in Locks' direction.

“Really? What about Babs?” Shadow asks.

“That’s different.” Locks crosses his arms and widens his stance.

“How so?” Shadow asks, leaning up against the tool box.

“No drama.” Locks quips back.

Shadow scuffs at Locks' comment. “Right. Wasn’t it about five months back when Babs caught you with your pants around your ankles, f*cking Candy?”

Now I get why there is so much tension between Candy and Babs, and what Babs meant by Locks cheating.

“Yeah it was, and I reined that shit in. Babs knew better than to f*cking say a word or else.” Locks takes a drag from his cigarette.

Did he seriously just say “or else”? What does that mean? Does he hit her? Is that what it’s like being with one of them, they can cheat on you and if you say anything they hit you? My chest suddenly feels heavy, the throbbing in my head becomes apparent again.

“I'm not here to have a therapy session with you; if you see Dani tell her to get her ass to the clubhouse.” Locks turns and walks away, his heavy footsteps trailing him. Shadow looks at me and nods when it’s clear. I walk out from behind the door, and look at Shadow. So many questions to ask, but I don’t want to offend him. He instantly cups my face with his greasy hands and looks right into my eyes.

“Breathe, Dani. Some men f*ck around on their Ol’ Ladies; that’s just club life.” He says it so calmly, like it’s a social norm.

“I don’t think I can be an Ol' Lady,” I whisper out in confession.

Shadow smiles. “I might be an *, but if you were my Ol’ Lady, I wouldn’t f*ck around and I would never raise a hand to you. Just the thought of you being in pain makes me want to kill. Do you understand me?” His tone is austere, his face serious; I know he is telling the truth. How could I think that Shadow would be like that? He claims to be a beast, and he may be with others, but never me.

“I understand.”

He leans his forehead on mine and rubs his thumb on my cheek. His touch is so sincere and caring. I could be Shadow's Ol' Lady if he wanted.

“Good. Now come here; I wanna show you something.” He smiles the most boyish smile I have ever seen as he grabs my hand. We pass a few motorcycles and proceed to the back corner of the shop.

We stop in front of a black, mean looking car; I have never seen anything like it. I have never seen a car so sexy in my life; it screams muscle.

“It’s a 1965 Shelby Mustang; it was my dad’s.” He pulls a grease rag from his back pocket and rubs a smudge from the hood. I walk around the car, taking in its beauty; its masculinity.

“I like it a lot. It’s sexy.” I look up and his face lights up even more than it already was. He is so cute with that boyish grin of his. Boys and their toys.

“Man, you keep getting better and better.” His grin turns wolfish and he winks at me, making my panties pool with desire. Looking at him and this sexy ass car, all I want is him to bend me over it and have his way with me.

“I see that look in your eye, and trust me I’ve already thought about it. It’s too risky, though,” he replies back. It’s crazy how he can read my mind so easily after the short time we have been around each other.

“Can you take me for a drive?” Maybe if we get out of here we can have some fun in the back seat. Good God, listen to me; I sound slutty.