Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy) (15 page)

Robert was waiting. "That was so cool."

"I hope the company thinks so." She rubbed her thighs. "My legs ache. I worked harder than usual. I'm not used to having an audience."

Robert bent over and winced in pain. He straightened up then pointed to the bench. "Up." He held out his hand. Julie gripped it and stepped up. He started with a brisk massage then changed to deep slow strokes. "One of my jobs was rubbing down the horses after a race or a workout."

Robert's massage progressed up her thighs. A strange stirring grew in Julie. She didn't want him to stop. She wanted to abandon herself to those hands as she imagined him massaging her whole body.

He snapped her back to reality by asking, "Better now?"

"M-much." She couldn't catch her breath. "Now…um…what should we do?"

"Can't do much. I'm bust."

"Let's go to DREAMS, get a pop and talk."

"Let's go to the clubhouse. I need a beer." He directed her to drive in the same general direction of his apartment. "I like watchin' ya dance. Ya move like a race horse."

"Strange comparison, but probably very similar."

They sat in silence, each person deep in their own thoughts. Julie relived the massage and wondered what sex would be like with Robert.

Robert remembered the sensation of his hands on long and well-muscled legs. He loved the feel of the curve of her calves and the fullness of her thighs. Someday he'd like to go beyond those thighs.

Julie slammed on her brakes to avoid a car that ran a stop sign. "Idiot!" Pressing her foot on the accelerator, she glanced at Robert. "Mom thinks you're healing up nicely."

"Good. Maybe she'll let me go to work. Can't stay away too long. Need the bank. Turn left at the next intersection."

They parked near a rundown warehouse alive with light, people, music and noise. Robert's mood lightened as he entered the building. Many people greeted him with loud raucous shouts as he crossed the room. The clubhouse was vast and abandoned long before the Shoresmen overtook it.

Scattered about the room were old tables, chairs and sofas on which sat the most dangerous, angry-looking men and women Julie had ever seen. She was aware that several males were checking her out while numerous females glared at her. She edged closer to Robert.

"Want a beer?" He held one out for her.

"No. I'm not legal."

He snorted. "This is a gang member's clubhouse. Society's rules don't exist here."

She shook her head.

Paul crossed the room then stood next to Robert.

Julie guessed the woman who waited behind cracking her gum was Paul's wife. Julie smiled a greeting. The woman turned her head.

"Glad you're here." Paul had to shout over the noise. "There's trouble. Marco's holdin' council."

"Shit!" He turned to Julie. "You'd better go home."

"Not without you."

He started to protest, but the look on her face convinced him she wasn't leaving. "Stay in the background. If there's trouble, find Paul. He'll get you out of here. Paul, she's your responsibility." He walked over to a small corner office. The windows were broken and no door hung on hinges.

He entered, grabbed his jacket off a chair, reached into a pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Hmmph, that's where I left it." He found his switchblade in another pocket, stuffed it into the back pocket of his jeans. As he put on his jacket, he walked back to Julie. "Promise you'll go?"

"Promise." It was more of a squeak than a word.

She followed the insignia of the coiled snake on the back of Robert's jacket.
Okay, so this is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done? I'm in the Shoresmen's clubhouse. My date….
She giggled and paused.
Hmm, hadn't thought about that. My date. Sounds pretty…oh hell, where is he?

A crowd of people closed between the retreating Robert and Julie. She tried to peer over heads to follow his back, but lost sight of which jacket was his.

"Hey, chica."

Julie turned. A tall, unshaven, beer-breath man stood in front of her. His leer sent waves of revulsion through her.

"Ya wans so' company?" He grabbed her. "I give ya a good time."

She peeled his fingers off her arm. "Um, no, thank you. I'm with someone."

"I don't see nobody. What's a matter? We could have some fun."

"I said I'm with—"

He pulled her against his chest. The smell of smoke and body odour made her gag. He reached his right hand around and grabbed her bottom.

Putting both hands on his chest, Julie pushed. "Get your hand off me!"

"What ya gonna do about it?" He tightened his grip.

Paul stepped beside them, then drilled his fist into the side of the assaulter's head. He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him until they got to the council room. "Sit." He half-pushed her towards a worn couch.

Willingly, Julie sat, standing on trembling legs was difficult. She took several gulps of air to control her fear and tears. While trying to calm herself, she glanced around the room. There was nothing good about it. It was unpainted and grimy. Strewn about were empty beer bottles and cans. The furniture was old and dilapidated. Strips of paint had peeled off the walls. It smelled of dust, stale smoke and a mixture of body odour and cheap perfume.

Robert stood next to a tall, scowling Shoresmen. He put one beer on the table as he chugged another. "Assumin' command again, eh, Marco?" He dropped his empty bottle on the floor. It rolled away.

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but Robert grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. "This is
my
gang." Robert locked his gaze on the man.

Marco blinked first.

"Get the fuck outta here." Robert pushed him away, grabbed another beer and chugged it.

With an angry glare, Marco slunk to the back of the room and dropped into a chair.

Changing his attention to the members, Robert asked, "Well boys, what are we discussin'? Plans for a Halloween party?" He flipped his empty beer onto the table and held out his hand for another.

"Devil's Blood been makin' hits in our territory." A member smashed his fist onto the table.

"Pete." Robert turned his head to the man nearest him. "Go talk to Juan. Tell him to stay out or I'll deal with him personally. Between school and work, I ain't got time for this shit. Where'd they hit?"

The council took on the sounds of a vulgar business meeting with members preaching for revenge. Robert snapped out orders until a young boy walked into the room. "Anthony, come here."

The boy stood next to him. Robert put a finger under Anthony's chin and lifted it. "Where'd ya get the black eye?"

Anthony mumbled something, which Julie didn't hear, but the effect on Robert was startling. He charged out of the room like a bull on a rampage. Everyone piled out after him. Not wanting to be left behind again, Julie stayed close to Paul. She arrived in the main room in time to see Robert drive his fist into a man's face then spin around and kick him in the stomach knocking the man backwards across the room.

Robert stared down each member in the room. "I said
no
one
hits a kid." When he was satisfied that all had understood his message, he searched for Julie.

Coming up from behind her, he tapped Julie's shoulder. "Hey there."

"Ah!" Julie spun around.

"Why so jumpy?"

Positive her heart was about to burst out of her chest, Julie rested a hand on her blouse. "Earlier, I got cut off from you when we were going to the meeting and…."

A black-haired, heavy eye-lined, scowling face dared her to continue speaking.

"And what?" Robert held her elbow.

"Nothing. Let's go."

"And what?" He tightened his grip

Waves of nausea filled Julie as chills slithered down her spine. The words burst out of her mouth. "He grabbed my ass."

Robert's dark eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Julie glanced at the angry stares of the others in the room. She pulled his arm. "It doesn't matter. Let's go."

"Who?" This time it was more of a demand than a question.

Julie stepped back trembling. Robert had morphed into a full-fledged angry gang member. He stepped into her personal space. His nostrils flared, his mouth set in a firm line and his eyes glared at her.

Paul stepped closer. "It's cool man. I dealt with it."

"Who?" Robert's head snapped to face towards Paul.

"He didn't know who she was, man."

Robert grabbed his best friend by the shirt. "Don't make me ask again."

"Tyrone."

A yelp was heard as a Shoresmen jumped out of his chair and stumbled through the crowd.

Robert bulled his way through, grabbed Tyrone by his waistband and spun him into a headlock. "So do I go with my gut instinct that says Marco got ya to go after Julie in order to distract me from the meeting? Or do I side with Paul?"

Tyrone's speech was hampered by the pressure of Robert's arm on his throat.

"What'd ya say?" He tightened his grip. Tyrone squirmed and struggled but couldn't break free.

Everyone heard a door slam. Several heads turned in the direction of the sound.

"Seems like your scum-bag, chicken-shit friend just ran out of here." He released Tyrone, who dropped to the floor with a dull thud. "That's Julie." He pointed. The Shoresmen turned, glanced at her and looked back at their leader. "She's under Shoresmen protection. My protection. Next dumb ass who tries something this stupid…." He pulled his knife out of his back pocket, flipped it, caught it and put it in his jacket pocket then stepped over Tyrone and crossed the room. Julie followed him to her car.

Robert held her shoulders. "Look at me." He waited until their gazes met. "I am only gonna to say this once. Do not ever defy me in front of the guys."

Julie couldn't stop the tears from dribbling down her cheeks.

"Babe, if you defy me, then I have no control. And if they see I can't control my woman then they'll think I'm weak, and then I can't protect you. Got that?" His grip tightened.

She gulped and sniffed. "Yes."

He released her, rubbed his face and sighed. "I'm sorry I had to be a bastard. But if they think I can't control my woman, I'm in big trouble And so are you."

Julie pulled a tissue from her purse, wiped her tears and blew her nose. "Your woman?"

"Yea." He brushed a finger across her cheek.

"I like the sound of that."

"So do I." He glanced at his watch. "Time to get ya home. Westland girls shouldn't be out this late."

Julie started the engine and drove out to the freeway. Once she'd merged into traffic, she glanced over to speak. "Hey, you okay?"

He was leaning against the back of the seat, arms wrapped around his stomach, eyes closed, shoulders hunched up and a mask of pain on his face. He shook his head.

"Your ribs?"

He nodded.

"Didn't look like you were hurting when you put Tyrone in a headlock."

"Never show you're in pain. Never show your weaknesses. They'll eat ya alive."

"I like what you did to Anthony's dad." She checked the lane and signalled a change. "Well, no, not the beating him up part. But the why you did it part."

"That was discipline. If I'd ignored what he did to Anthony, then again I'd start losin' control. As long as they're scared of me, I'm safe. They all know I'm hurt. So now they're figurin' if I can still beat up someone when I'm hurt, how dangerous am I when I'm healthy." He stared out the side window for a moment. "'Sides, I know what it's like to be beaten. Ya don't understand, so ya blame yourself."

"You're a complex man, Mr. Holiday. There are sides of you I didn't expect."

He snorted.

"And I think I'm falling in love with you."

He didn't respond.

Julie kept her gaze on the road. "It may take a while, but I'll teach you to love me."

Robert chuckled at the challenge.

Sunday at the Anderson household was a quiet day – get out of bed, read the paper or watch cartoons and eat breakfast. Robert enjoyed lazing around. His Sundays consisted of getting up about six, to arrive at the ranch by seven, work lasted until five, but often he was still there past eight.

He liked being with a family. He was developing an understanding of Julie by watching her relate to her younger siblings and to her parents. All Robert ever knew about relating to his older brother was attempting to duck out of the way of one of Mike's fists. As for his mother, he had very vague memories of her, which he'd long since given up trying to recall.

Mrs. Anderson broke into Robert's and everyone's reverie by announcing they had an hour to prepare for company. She handed out jobs. Ashley was to take Jangles for her walk. Jason had to clean his room, while Mr. Anderson raked the front lawn. Sheila and Julie were to help in the kitchen. Robert found himself with nothing to do.