[06] Slade (19 page)

“Yeah, well, you have no choice now, do you?” Jax looked back at the spot where he had parked. “When you test, they will have cones, not cars.”

“What if I hit one?” Jill still stared at the spot as if it was her worse nightmare. Hell, it was pretty damn close to her worse nightmare.

“You won’t.” Jax opened the door for her.

“But if I do?” Jill sat in the driver’s seat, staring at the spot before looking up at Jax.

“Then you get to tell Sloan and he’ll have to call the insurance to fix whatever you fuck up.” Jax laughed at her horrified look. “Now, pull up like I did. Then turn the wheel and start backing up slowly. It’s really common sense and I do know you have common sense.”

Waiting for Jax to step out of the way, Jill closed her eyes, said a quick prayer, put the car in drive and pulled up.”

“Open you damn eyes, Jill!” Jax yelled.

“Don’t yell at me!” Jill yelled back.

“Then keep your eyes open!” Again Jax yelled back, shaking his head with a roll of his eyes.

Once Jill pulled up, she braked and put the car in reverse. Turning around in the seat so she could see, she started backing up in jerky movements.

“Use your mirrors,” Jax instructed. “And stop slamming on the brakes.”

Jill mumbled to herself, her neck hurting from jerking her head around to each mirror. Once she had the car backed in, she put the car in drive, turned the wheel and started moving forward.

“That’s good, Jill.” Jax walked closer, watching. “Cut the wheel more. You got plenty of room up here.”

“Please don’t let me hit the car,” she said to herself. “Please don’t let me hit the car. Please don’t let me hit the car.”

“Okay, now cut the wheel again and put it in reverse. Take it slow.” Jax walked to the back of the car.

“Please don’t let me hit the car,” Jill continued the chant since it seemed to be helping. “Please don’t let me hit the car. Please don’t let me hit the car.”

“Good, Jill, now straighten the wheel and pull up a little.” Jax waited until she was good and held up his hand. Walking to her side of the window, he smiled down at her. “Congratulations on your first parallel park.”

“Really?” Jill’s smile was huge. Slamming the car in park, she got out and stared at Jax with a happy look on her face. “I really did it.”

“Yeah, you did good.” Jax grinned with a nod. “Now, do it again.”

“Okay.” She hurried to the car, excited, but then stopped, turning to Jax. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Hell if I know,” Jax grumbled, but when Jill continued looking at him, he frowned. “I figured I was being pretty hard on you. Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll be back to my asshole self soon enough.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at him before getting in the car. “I appreciate your help.”

“Yeah, well, let’s see what happens Monday before you get all sappy and shit.” Jax motioned for her to do her thing. “Come on. I don’t have all day.”

Jill parked five more times before Jax was happy enough to leave. Once they were in the parking lot of the bar Tessa worked at, Jill picked two cars to park between. It wasn’t parallel parking, but close enough. Once parked, Jill switched off the engine and sat, sporting a huge grin.

“Pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you?” Jax wore a half-grin on his face.

“Yes, I am,” Jill sighed, handing him the keys.

“Well, you should be, except for the moment of road rage, you did well.” Jax looked at the keys, but didn’t take them as he got out of the car. “Keep them. You’re driving back.”

“Sweet!” Jill stuck the keys in her pocket, and then walked into the bar and froze. Not only were the women there, but Damon, Sid, Jared, Duncan and Slade, as well as Adam and Dillon. The only two missing were Sloan and Steve. Okay, so she thought the parking spot was her worst nightmare and how wrong was she on that. The stripper pole actually took on a shape of horror as it zoomed into her vision.

“How did the driving go?” Sid asked as she passed him.

Jill didn’t even look at the guys, just gave him a thumbs up as she passed. She couldn’t talk if she wanted to. Tessa smiled at her until she saw her face.

“What’s wrong?” Tessa frowned. “Did you wreck?”

Prying her eyes off the stripper pole, she looked at Tessa. “No, I didn’t wreck, but I wish I would have.” She lowered her voice. “What are they doing here?”

“We thought it was best if you had an audience to get you used to…you know,” Tessa replied, and then wrapped her arm around Jill.

“No, Tessa, I don’t know.” Jill pulled away in total freak-out mode. She was seriously going to have a panic attack. Looking over her shoulder everyone was sitting around talking, not paying them any attention except when her eyes hit on Slade; he was staring right at her. “I can’t do this.”

“Just ignore them, Jill.” Nicole walked up, hearing their conversation. “Now, come on. We don’t have much time.”

Tessa pulled Jill over to the pole. “Can you dance?”

Jill nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Thank God,” Pam sighed. “That would make this so much harder.”

“We got some clothes for you, but won’t make you put them on right now with all the guys here.” Tessa grinned excitedly. “You are going to look awesome.”

“I’m going to be a stripper.” Jill frowned at their excitement, even Angelina was beaming. “Not a beauty pageant contestant.”

“A gorgeous stripper.” Caroline rubbed her hands together. “I’m doing your makeup and wig.”

“Wig?” Jill was sure she was going to vomit. How in the hell was she going to pull this off? Then she really looked at Caroline’s face. Her cheek was bruised and swollen, her eye black. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Caroline waved her off. “And yes, a wig. A beautiful long, black wig.”

“Yeah, so you can whip your hair around.” Angelina did just that, getting a whistle from Adam, which made her blush.

“Okay, we are each going to do a little on the pole so you can watch.” Tessa walked over behind the bar and turned on some music. Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” blared throughout the bar. Tessa walked right up to the pole, kicked off her shoes and took control with the sexiest dance Jill had ever seen.

Mouth opened wide, she watched Tessa, who was a full-bodied, beautiful woman, dance like she had never seen a woman dance. ‘Holy shit,’ Jill mouthed, looking at Lana who was grinning at her, and then nodded toward Jared. Jill glanced at Jared who had walked closer and simply stood staring at his mate as if no one else was in the room and Tessa was dancing just for him. The heat in his eyes almost burned her. When the song ended, no one said a word.

Tessa straightened her hair, her clothes and walked off toward the bar like a boss, giving Jared a sexy wink. Once at the bar, she looked toward the other women. “Next.”

“If one of you motherfuckers even has a hard-on, I will kill you,” Jared warned as he stalked toward Tessa, taking her in his arms before disappearing in the back storage room of the bar.

“Jared, I have to stay out here and help,” Tessa laughed as they disappeared.

“You will, this will only take…” Jared’s words faded as they disappeared.

“I’ll get it,” Angelina laughed, running to the radio.

Nicole also laughed before winking at Jill. Grabbing the pole, she tossed Damon a mischievous grin and danced her ass off. Damon walked right up to the small stage, standing directly in front of Nicole, as if trying to block anyone from seeing her.

“You’re blocking everyone from seeing,” Nicole said over the music as she swung by him on the pole.

“And I don’t give a fuck. No man is going to watch you dance like this.” Damon’s warning was said loud enough for all to hear and hear they did. Jill looked and everyone was suddenly looking busy with anything other than looking toward the stage.

Nicole snorted. “What are you going to do? Decapitate them?”

“Yes, if need be,” Damon replied. He sounded so serious that even Jill was afraid to watch Nicole dance. When Nicole was finished, there were audible sighs and grunts of relief throughout the room.

As soon as it was Lana’s turn, Sid stood up, heading toward the stage. Once he was before Lana, he turned around to look at his fellow Warriors. “I suggest you fuckers get busy doing something. If I catch anyone watching her, other than the women, Jared and Damon will look like pussies compared to what I will do to you.”

Lana rolled her eyes, but smiled. As soon as the music played, she danced and obviously only for Sid, because Jill looked and every single Warrior respected Sid’s wishes and looked elsewhere. As soon as the dance was over, he grabbed Lana around the waist for a kiss that melted even Jill. ‘Holy shit’ moments were happening like crazy. Sid grabbed the pole, giving it a shake, before he looked up to where it was attached, then down to the floor.

“What are you doing?” Lana also looked up and down the pole, confused.

“Seeing how this thing is set up because one is going in our room.” Sid gave it one more shake, nodded as if it was a done deal and walked back to his seat with the other Warriors, but not before giving Lana a wink.

On and on it went. Pam danced only for Duncan, and well, her of course, but during Pam’s dance, Jill felt uncomfortable watching when Pam got off the stage and pretty much gave Duncan a standing lap dance. The more everyone danced, the more Jill realized she was royally fucked. Angelina was the last one and once her song was completed, everyone looked at Jill.

“There is no way in hell I can do that.” Jill held up her hands giving a nervous ‘no fucking way’ laugh. “You guys are amazing, sexy and, well, I’m not any of that, so maybe Steve would have been a better choice for this job. Don’t they have gay night or something?” Jill knew she was rambling, but the more she rambled, the longer it would take for them to get her near that pole.

Tessa finally came out of the back room with Jared looking flushed and satisfied, walked over and pulled her toward the pole. “You can and will do this.” Tessa smiled, putting one of Jill’s hands on the pole, which Jill pulled away as if it bit her. Tessa ignored her and repositioned Jill’s hand. “Start the music.”

Nickelback’s “Something In Your Mouth” played, a song Jill loved and knew, but her body was frozen. She couldn’t move, not one single muscle. Tessa waved toward Angelina, who turned the music off.

“I got this.” Caroline walked up to Jill. “You need to think of this as a job, Jill, because it is. Close your eyes and listen to the music. You said you knew how to dance, so dance. No one will laugh. The Warriors are counting on you, Jill.”

Jill’s eyes searched the Warriors who were watching her closely with expectations she didn’t think she could live up to. “It’s just…”

“Listen to me,” Caroline whispered. “I know you have something for Slade, so use it. Show that Warrior what he’s missing out on. Close those pretty eyes of yours and let loose. If Sloan and the guys didn’t think you could do this, you wouldn’t be doing it. The only one in this room who doesn’t believe in you, is you.”

Jill looked at her and knew she was right. She was being asked to do a job, and by damn, she needed to do it. She drove without killing herself, or Jax, and parallel parked. And how many times had she danced to this song? Hundreds at least. She just had to make it…sexy. “Okay,” Jill nodded.

Caroline smiled. “You got this.” Caroline turned, walked away and nodded to Angelina to start the music.

The last person Jill saw as the music started and she closed her eyes, was Slade. Maybe, just maybe she could use this to torture Slade in some small damn way for payback, the ass. Yeah, this was a new torture technique she could use against the sexy Warrior who was driving her insane. Her body moved with the beat. She tried to use the pole, but banged her head. Fuck that hurt, but she didn’t stop, didn’t see the grimaces on the faces of everyone. Soon, her body took over. She didn’t think, just let go, not caring who was watching because honestly, she didn’t know, didn’t want to know. Finally, the music stopped, her eyes opened slowly. It was eerily silent as everyone stared at her; the women with shocked looks and the men with angry glares. Slade’s eyes were narrowed and she could actually see the tick in his jaw from where she was standing.

Jill found Tessa whose shocked face was turning into a huge grin. “What?” Jill whispered, not sure what the hell was going on. Did she suck that bad?

“You slut!” Nicole laughed, clapping her hand. “That was awesome! Where in the hell did you learn to dance like that?”

“Really?” Jill gave them a nervous disbelieving smile.

“Honey, I was about ready to go slap Jared, you were so good,” Tessa laughed, hugging her. “You are going to rock this.”

“But I didn’t use the pole that much.” Jill frowned and rolled her eyes. “And I banged my head on it. I don’t think that’s too sexy.”

“Hell, that’s something we can work on,” Tessa grinned excitedly.

Jill smiled, looking back toward Slade, but her eyes caught Caroline who was standing by Jax. Caroline gave her a wink and a thumbs up. Before she knew what was happening, she was surrounded by women giving her instructions for the pole and finally felt like she could accomplish a job that could help the Council.