by Ann Jensen
The hateful confrontation played like a loop in her brain. Maybe her word choice earlier had been poor. But the way he had acted… did Sharp believe she could solely want him for protection? She had done everything she could to show him how she felt. He had made her his Old Lady and she thought that meant he loved her too. She hugged his leather cut around herself, not caring she got flour on the black leather. How could she prove she wanted him for no other reason than he made her heart happy?
Her mind ping-ponged between anger at being kept in the dark and terror he was going to leave her. Add in the underlying fear that she had two rich and dangerous men wanting to torture or kill her, and her nerves were on hyperdrive. Four hours and several hundred baked cookies later, she was no closer to knowing what to do. She did know, even though it was after midnight, sleep would be impossible in her current state.
Seeing Dragon walk past the front window gave her an idea. She opened the front door and yelled out to him. “Can we go for a run?”
He looked down at his phone. “It’s one in the morning, carina.”
“I know.”
Dragon studied her and she knew she looked a wreck. She had cried as much as she had baked, and her face probably showed it. “You have good shoes this time?”
“I have something that will work. I’ll get changed.”
Chapter 25
Stop whining, put on your big boy pants, and suck it up.
Sharp woke up hungover and still pissed in one of the flop rooms of the Clubhouse. He wanted to calm down before talking to Pixie, but Hannibal and Max started riding his ass and then he found out that Grinder was in the hospital. He’d been jumped somewhere in Denver and left unconscious with a note pinned to his chest that said, I want my property back—MT.
After he met with Hawk and Highdive he’d settled in with a bottle of Jack to get some sleep. Now it was almost noon and he wasn’t any closer to calming down. Brothers and their families would be showing up soon, if they weren’t already here, to enjoy a relaxing family barbecue. How was he supposed to plaster on a smile and pretend he wasn’t torn up inside?
Pixie consumed his every thought. She had gone with him that night to escape a fucked-up situation, but it pissed him off that she still felt that way. Would she take off the minute she was safe?
His stomach roiled and he chose to blame it on the Jack. He showered quickly and headed down to the kitchen to get some water. He would get through today and hopefully by tonight he would know what to do with his Old Lady.
Sharp drank the cool bottle of water, looking out the window at everyone setting up tables and games. He caught sight of Pixie setting up a food table, her golden hair shining in a ponytail that swung every time she moved. She was still wearing his cut which he guessed was a good sign.
“You up for talking or do you still have your pink panties on?”
Sharp turned to see Hawk leaning against the doorway with a handful of cookies and a serious expression on his face.
“Fuck you, Pres. What do we have to talk about?”
“How about a little fluff that bakes like a goddess, screws like a demon, and looks at you like you hung the fucking moon? I think she even has your patch on her back, but I could be wrong.” He popped a cookie in his mouth.
“She bake you those?”
“Chocolate chip with fucking walnuts. Left me a box of them on my desk so I don’t have to share with you assholes.”
“She knows how to suck up really well. I will give her that.”
“I see you still got lacey panties on, whining like a little bitch with hurt feelings.”
“Excuse me?” Sharp’s temper rode him hard. Hawk and he had been friends a long time but he wasn’t going to roll over like a prospect, taking insults because the man was President.
“You got your dick hurt. Your woman said something that hurt your pride and instead of manning up you tossed her aside and treated her like trash. And I’ll warn you, you had better fix that shit quick, there are at least five Brothers willing to replace your patch with theirs. I’m fucking one of them.”
Sharp got up in Hawk’s face. “I did not toss her aside. She’s got my fucking patch on her back and it’s staying there. But the minute this shit with Caravaggio and Mitchel is done, you think she’s going to stay?”
Hawk raised an eyebrow, not appearing even phased by the ex-SEAL screaming in his face. “I think your tampon is showing.”
Sharp punched the wall and stepped back. “What the fuck!”
“Men don’t sit around worrying about some bullshit that might happen. They make sure their woman knows who they belong to and if she starts to forget it, they fuck her until she’s screaming their name to remind her. You and your Brothers are the one thing that stands between her and a gruesome death. Most women would crumple under that pressure but instead she is out there trying to make a place for herself in our world. Doing it right, too. She hasn’t said one word of complaint and shows everyone she knows the meaning of respect, all while making calf eyes at no one but you. You’re the only one who even questions how that girl feels. So yeah. You need to find your balls and get over whatever bullshit is in your head.”
Hawk turned and left Sharp standing stunned. His friend never laid him out like that. He questioned if his Pres had a point. Were his own insecurities and feelings getting in the way of seeing things clearly?
The door to the outside opened and Dragon walked in carrying a bunch of empty Tupperware containers. From the scowl on the big prospect’s face Sharp could tell the man wasn’t happy. Unlike the rest of his Brothers, Dragon had formed a big Brother relationship with Pixie which meant Sharp trusted him to give him honesty about what was best for her.
“How is she doing?”
Dragon dumped the Tupperware in the sink and took a deep breath. “Fine.”
“What does that mean?”
“She’s alive and safe. I’m doing my job, Sir.”
Sharp recognized that ‘Sir’ from years in the military. It was the word you spit out when you wanted to say motherfucker but couldn’t. “We have a problem?”
“You’re a Brother and I have to show you respect. And with all due respect, you are a pendejo.”
“What did she tell you happened?” He was curious to hear her side of things.
“If you think your woman would say shit about you, you haven’t been paying attention to anything above her neck.”
Sharp reined in his desire to lash out at the prospect. Talking to this man was his best bet at finding out what was inside his woman’s head. “What happened last night?”
“I got a call from Kickstand asking if I could take over early because he couldn’t deal with your woman’s zombie crying bullshit. When I got there, she didn’t even acknowledge me. She moved around the kitchen making cookies, not looking up, tears pouring down her face that broke my heart.”
“Jesus.”
“I tried to talk to her, but it was like she couldn’t hear me.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I was going to. But, according to Max, who was outside when I stepped out to call you, you were the one to break her. So, I changed my mind. She did that shit for four hours. I’ve never seen so many cookies in one place. Around one o’clock this morning I stepped out to do a perimeter check and she followed me out asking if she could go for a run.”
“A run?”
“Apparently she wanted to tire herself out.”
It had been a long damn day; the fact she was still awake at one o’clock was a miracle, forget asking to go for a run. “What did you do?”
“We went running. Used the road that runs around the interior of the compound.”
The road was about two miles long, circling the compound. The majority of the compound was old farmland and woods with about five acres of it developed with houses and buildings. “How far did she run?”
“We circled the compound five times when her legs gave out and I carried her back to the h
ouse. She ran for two hours, sobbing for the first half hour, then completely silent until she collapsed.”
Sharp wasn’t sure he was hearing Dragon correctly. “You ran with her for ten miles?”
Dragon nodded. “Then watched all night as she whimpered in her sleep with nightmares because she didn’t want to leave the couch in case you came home and didn’t want her in your bed.”
“Shit.”
“I have seen this too many times. Men fucked up after years in the sand pit. PTSD eating away at their souls. Your woman needs help, not more trauma.”
“I need to figure out what the fuck I am going to do.”
“I don’t know, man, but you had better do it quick. There are only so many times a tree can bend before it breaks.”
Chapter 26
Fairies Rock!
Pixie was amazed by all that went into the family barbecue. There was a bounce house for the kids along with every portable outdoor game she could think of, from disk golf to horseshoes. Everyone brought large helpings of sides and desserts to contribute. Two large grills were set up and Brothers were already cooking on them.
She had learned that this chapter of Dark Sons had fifty-three members who lived on the compound or nearby and another thirty or so either active-duty military or living elsewhere in retirement. She got to meet Sax, the eldest local Brother, who was seventy-six and could still pinch an ass with enthusiasm.
The sense of family and belonging was nearly overwhelming to a woman who had never had a family. Pixie wished she could relax and enjoy the party, but she still hadn’t seen Sharp. She wondered where he had slept last night and if he was still pissed.
“There you are, girl. I have been huntin’ all over for you.” Val’s voice cut through the happy chatter around her.
“Well, you found me.” Pixie pasted on a smile for her friend.
“Now don’t you go giving me no beauty queen Vaseline smile. What’s wrong?”
“Rough night’s sleep, that’s all.”
Kickstand snorted from his post, uncomfortably close by. “That’s one way of saying you blubbered all night because your man put you in your place.”
Pixie’s cheeks heated and she clenched her fists. Her and Sharp’s business wasn’t something she wanted tossed around like cheap gossip.
Val snorted. “No one asked you. Go stand your watch over there and stop hovering over the woman like a boy trying to rub against his first set of pantyhose.”
“When I’m a Brother–”
“You’ll have maybe earned my respect. Until then, shoo.” Val made flicking motions with her hands.
Kickstand stormed off towards the grill and Pixie swore she could almost see the steam coming out of his ears. She appreciated the break from the jerk but worried for Val.
“You know he is going to remember this when he’s a Brother.”
“Honey child, if that man makes Brother, I’ll eat crow. But I would bet he bails within the month.”
“How do you know?”
“My daddy and my grandpappy are bikers and I grew up among them. It takes dedication and a deep sense of loyalty to make it through prospecting and I doubt he has either. He’s one of the idiots that sees the easy pussy and hard partying and thinks that’s all that being a Brother is about.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“That little piece of road rash made me nearly forget why I was looking for you. Deep’s Old Lady Cheryl is looking for you. She’s with her little girls by the bounce house.”
“Why’s she looking for me?”
“Her and her husband are the Club’s lawyers. She said Sharp asked her to do something for you and she needed some information.” Val headed off towards the area all the little kids were playing in.
“Lawyers?”
“Don’t be shocked. Bikers aren’t all mechanics and construction workers like our men. Dark Sons come from all walks of life. We have accountants, lawyers, and even a billionaire playboy.”
“Oh my God, who is that?”
“Have you met Tek?”
“Sure.”
“He’s the owner and CEO of Vallier Technologies.”
Pixie was shocked. Even she had heard of Vallier Technologies. They were famous for donating time and resources to missing person’s cases. After finding an A-list actor’s kidnapped daughter, they became the security system of choice for the rich and famous.
They were approaching a woman with waist-length raven-black hair who wore the black cut that marked every Old Lady. On her shoulder was a sleeping baby maybe a year old and running around her a little girl of around four, in a fairy princess costume whose messy black hair gave no doubt as to who her mother was.
The little girl shocked Pixie by sprinting right at her and coming close to knocking her over with a bear hug that wrapped around her legs.
“I love you. I love you. I love you!” the little girl chanted as she danced around Pixie, never letting go of her legs.
“Why, thank you.” Pixie laughed, not sure of what to do with her new wiggling accessory.
“Tayla, that woman is not your personal jungle gym.”
The girl let go and ran back to her mother, pouting. “But Mama, she’s wearing a princess dress like me!”
Pixie smiled and couldn’t help but swing her skirt a bit. While it wasn’t a princess costume, compared to the jeans and t-shirts the majority of the women were wearing, she could see where a little imagination might turn a sundress into a princess outfit. Val laughed and scooped up the little girl in a twirling swing. “Yes, she is, but she’s not a fairy like you. Only fairies with wings can fly.” She spun the girl a few more times and put her down.
“Maybe her wings are inbisible.”
“Invisible, dear,” her mother corrected.
“That’s what I said.”
The raven-haired beauty reached out her free hand to Pixie. “I’m Cheryl. You must be Sharp’s woman. Do you prefer Phoebe or Pixie?”
“Pixie.”
“She’s a pixie and pixies are fairies, so she is a fairy princess like me!” The little girl’s proclamation was so enthusiastic and cheerful it broke through some of the melancholy that had wrapped up Pixie’s heart.
Val smiled down at Tayla and then swept her up in another flying spin. “Well aren’t you the smart one. Why don’t I take Sasha and Tayla over to the dessert table and let Tayla try one of Pixie’s cookies?”
Cheryl handed over the sleeping baby. “One cookie.”
Tayla clapped her hands and sprinted off towards the food, leaving Val to follow behind.
“Val is so amazing with kids.” Cheryl sighed.
“Does she have any?”
“No, but I think her and Dozer are trying.”
“She would make a great mom.”
“I agree.” Cheryl reached into her back pocket and pulled out a smartphone. After playing with it for a moment she looked up. “I have a couple of questions.”
“What about?” Pixie didn’t mind answering questions but wondered what a lawyer would want to know.
“Sharp didn’t tell you?”
“No.”
“I swear, our men think we’re mind readers. My husband and I are the primary lawyers for the local chapter.”
“Val told me.”
“Well my husband deals with any criminal or Club specific things and I deal mostly with family needs or real estate. Sharp said you didn’t have any ID and asked if I could get you what you needed so you could get a driver’s license or go to school.”
Pixie was shocked Sharp had already put things in motion to get her what she would need to follow their barely hatched plans for her future. “Wow, that would be amazing.”
“Is there any reason we can’t use your real identity? If we have to get you a whole new one it will take some more time.”
“You could do that?”
“Sure, but it will be expensive, so if we don’t have to, we won’t.”
“No. I mean t
here is no reason to. I’ve never been arrested or anything.”
“Great. So, any details you could give me would be helpful. No matter what Sharp thinks, ‘twenty-year-old Phoebe no last name who was at some point in foster care’ is not a lot to go on.”
Pixie laughed. She took a moment and searched through her memory until she found a picture of the front sheet of her foster care file. She rattled off her vital statistics including the foster case number. “Phoebe Smith. Though I don’t know what my birth name was. My mom was a drug addict who OD’d when I was four. Caseworkers never found ID on her or me, so I was placed in the system. I was a foster kid until sixteen. Is that enough to go on?”
“A social security number and your case file is more than I could have hoped for. Any jobs or taxes filed?”
“No.”
“You want me to see if I can find your bio family? With the new DNA tracing it might be possible.”
Most foster kids dreamed of reconnecting with some magical family, but she hadn’t considered it since she gave up on her imaginary brother when she was six. “I don’t think so.”
“You change your mind, you let me know. Tek is amazing at finding people. I should have your birth certificate soon. The rest shouldn’t take much longer.”
“Thank you.” The words weren’t nearly enough. She would have options she never had before. Maybe she would go to cooking school like Sharp had suggested—that was if he still wanted her Remembering that conversation drew her mood back down.
As if her thoughts had summoned him, Sharp was walking towards her, the look on his face matching her sudden sour mood. Pixie both hoped and feared he was ready to talk. The uncertainty of everything was making her stomach hurt but she didn’t think she could handle it if he was cruel to her again.
