Dirty Bastard (Wet Dicks MC Book 1)

by Echo Slater

  “She’s at her house,” I explain while everyone glances at an irritated Stoney.

  Laughing at him is probably unnecessary, but his crush on a seventeen-year-old is hilarious. Of course, Grizz worries he’ll need to remove one of Stoney’s balls, and Ginette claims Hagan put a love spell on her son. Otherwise, the rest of us find his suffering amusing.

  And it’ll be worse soon with the warmer weather. Hagan will no doubt flash more flesh in her shorts and tanks. I can’t even imagine how Stoney will handle his crush enjoying the Ranch’s pool. He’ll either give up on waiting and move on, or he’ll freak out in an entertaining way.

  Before I can torment Stoney, Cross asks Cameo, “Jump?”

  “Isn’t the bounce house gone?”

  “We’ll buy a trampoline,” Grizz says immediately.

  A grinning Raqui does something under the table to make her man squirm.

  While they share a moment, I try not to get possessive with Cameo, whose attention is on Cross. The little guy wants friends so badly, and my woman is as close to a kid as he can find. She did look damn youthful bouncing and running around last weekend.

  “I’ll play with you later, okay?” Cameo says.

  Cross grins at his dad to see if he noticed. Grizz reaches over to ruffle the boy’s thick waves.

  Cameo leans into me and whispers, “It’ll be good practice for our future baby.”

  No longer jealous, I smirk at the idea of us having a kid. A month ago, babies were the last thing I wanted. But Cameo changed everything.

  I’m still thinking about our future when we’re alone back at the house. We hang out in the front room with her doing stretches and me enjoying the view.

  “I’ve never babysat or spent much time around little kids,” Cameo explains. “I don’t know how to take care of them.”

  “Neither do I. Since Grizz figured shit out, it can’t be that fucking difficult.”

  “He probably had Dexy teach him stuff.”

  “She was his off-and-on mom growing up.”

  Cameo frowns. “Really?”

  “His mom was an addict and would disappear for months at a time. Dexy never had any kids, so she would take Grizz in when his mom ran off.”

  “Did Dexy not want to keep him all the time?”

  “I don’t know. I think it was a legal thing. To get custody would mean going through the courts, and Dexy had a record. She probably figured if she pushed her sister, social services would take Grizz. Then, neither one would get to raise him.”

  Bent over with her peach-shaped ass in the air, Cameo says, “I wonder if that’s how my life would have been if my mom didn’t leave me in a dumpster.”

  “Do you think about that much? You know, the what-ifs?”

  “Not really. You talking about Grizz makes me wonder, but I don’t go around worrying about what might have been.”

  Cameo joins me on the couch and rests her head against my chest. “Do you ever miss your mom?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want to see her before she dies?”

  “What makes you think she’s going to die?”

  “Everyone dies.”

  “Yeah, but she seems fine,” I point out and try to erase my frown.

  “That’s not really an answer.”

  Irritated at the question, I think to blow her off. That’s how I’d handle anyone else in this situation, but Cameo is my woman. I can’t put up walls when she pisses me off.

  “What’s the point of seeing her?” I ask rather than clam up.

  “To get closure.”

  “Do you want to see your real mom to get closure?” I ask, wrapping her long brown hair around one fist while my other hand strokes her belly.

  “I wouldn’t mind knowing who she is, but I don’t think I’d want to meet her.”

  “Why?”

  “I always wonder if she was a kid when she dumped me. Or if she was pressured? Answering those questions would be nice. But I don’t want a second mom. I see how Hagan struggles with calling Arlene her mom. Like, she feels torn between two loyalties. I never want to deal with that.”

  “I get it, but I still don’t want to see my mom.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t like her.”

  “Seeing her wouldn’t be for her, though. It’d be to give you closure.”

  Wishing Cameo would drop the subject, I mutter, “I don’t see how.”

  “You paid for her to leave years ago, right? You avoided her for all this time. No doubt seeing her will stir up something in you, but I believe you can handle whatever bad feelings come about.”

  “But what’s the point?”

  “So, when she dies, you won’t feel guilty or stress over what might have been. Do you talk to her at all?”

  “I text her.”

  “A lot?”

  “No. Just on holidays and her birthday. She texts me on my birthday, too, but I don’t respond.”

  Blue eyes worried, Cameo studies me. “How come?”

  “Why shit all over my birthday by dealing with her?”

  “Do you hate her?”

  “Sometimes,” I admit, thinking of her cowering in a corner when my dad would unleash on me.

  “Will you feel okay when she dies?”

  “She’ll be dead. There’ll be no point in feeling anything.”

  Cameo frowns at me, unable to understand. Her parents are so generous with her. If she called them right this second and wanted them to drop everything to deal with her feelings, they would do it with no questions asked. That’s how the Suttons love.

  “My mom isn’t like Arlene,” I say when Cameo strokes my jaw and watches me. “My mom feels guilty for how she was when I was a kid. I always sense her fishing for my forgiveness. But it’s not my job to free her from guilt. I was the kid. She was the adult. I did my job and loved her. She fucked up her job. Now, she wants me to make things better. Well, my life is already good. I don’t owe her shit.”

  “No, you don’t. She held all the power when you were a kid.”

  “Exactly.”

  Cameo cups my face with her delicate fingers. “I didn’t suggest you see your mom because I care about her, Mad Dog. I just never want you to feel regret, like when she dies or whatever. I sense you have this tender spot inside you,” she says, resting her hand on my chest, “where your shitty parents burned a hole. You protect that place like you should. But a part of you is still a little boy feeling let down. I don’t want her dying and hurting you again because you never said goodbye.”

  Smiling softly, I wrap her in my arms. “You want to protect me.”

  “Exactly. You’re a powerful man, but your parents left you bruised inside. Without closure, I figured you might be open to more pain. But I don’t know her, and maybe she’s more trouble than she’s worth.”

  “She really is.”

  “And you already paid for her to move. Meaning you did right by her despite her letting you down. So, when she dies one day, you shouldn’t feel guilty about anything.”

  “I don’t think I will.”

  Relaxing against me again, Cameo offers a knowing grin. “A part of us always loves our families, even when they do us wrong.”

  “How would you know?” I ask, caressing the soft skin just under the seam of her pink shirt.

  “Hagan still loves her parents. She doesn’t want to, but she can’t let go. That’s probably why I’m worried about you. But you’re not Hagan.”

  “No, I’m not. And maybe, she’ll be like me one day. She’ll cut those memories loose and forget about her dead mom and her drunk dad. Hagan can move on with them in the rearview.”

  “I hope so,” Cameo says, watching me with bright, loving eyes. “You deserve to be happy.”

  “That’s why God gave you to me.”

  Her glorious smile is my reward for not being a dick and shutting down when she pushed me earlier.

  “You have two families now,” she says, sliding my hand upward to cup her
curvy tit. “The one here on the Ranch and mine. I know it’s still awkward between my parents and you. But over time, they’ll fall for you, and you’ll warm up to them. In fact, I want you to join us on our camping trip the weekend before I finish school.”

  “Do your parents know you’re asking me?”

  “Do you not like camping?”

  “I love it,” I say, smiling as memories flood back to me. “Almost every month, the Wet Dicks used to ride together to different state parks and eat garbage and drink beer and piss in the woods. I loved those trips.”

  “Why don’t you go anymore?”

  “First, the club broke up. Then, Raqui arrived, and she hates camping. Grizz wouldn’t leave her behind at the Ranch, and the rest of us never thought to go without him.”

  “Well, I like camping and hiking and even fishing sometimes. Mostly because my parents did it with me when I was little. Maybe Raqui will be more accepting of camping if she has a gal pal with her. We can drive in a car or even rent a small RV, so the kids have room to play. We’ll follow after you guys on your motorcycles. That way, Grizz can ride without leaving behind his woman and boys.”

  “Hell, I swear you make everything better,” I say, kissing her in a way I hope she feels all the way down to her toes.

  Cameo looks stunned when our lips part. That’s how she is in bed at times. Just overwhelmed by everything her body can accomplish with the right stimuli. I love when she rests in bed after we’ve orgasmed too many times to count. Cameo will stare wide-eyed at the ceiling, her lips slightly parted, her body limp. I’ve literally fucked her into a stupor.

  Cameo trusts me enough to give up control. She offers everything to me, holding back nothing. I can’t be sure if I’m as open with her. Sure, I’ve rushed to fold her into my life as quickly as possible. But I haven’t given up anything for my woman.

  “I want you to think of ways to make the house more yours,” I say as we walk hand in hand over to Grizz’s place as evening approaches. “I don’t want you to view the bungalow as mine. Our home needs your touch.”

  “Okay, but I don’t know right now.”

  Cameo glances back at where a crew sets up the parking signs and ropes off an area for the townie party.

  “Are you nervous about tonight?” I ask as we pass Horse’s house, where he sits out front having a staring contest with a cat.

  “This will be good practice for when I’m living on the Ranch.”

  “Cameo!” Cross cries from his porch when he sees her coming.

  “This will be good practice, too,” she murmurs to me and wiggles her eyebrows.

  I grin at her meaning while she hurries over to the excited boy. Grizz leaves Raqui and joins me near the Hanger.

  “We’re setting up the trampoline after my boy’s in bed. That way, he’ll be surprised tomorrow.”

  “You know we’ll probably lose parts and fuck up shit in the dark.”

  Bishop joins us and grins. “I’ll bring extra pot to deal with the freak-outs we’ll endure. None of you fuckers will pay attention to the directions.”

  “Cash is smart,” Grizz says to the former honor student. “He’ll be in charge.”

  “What’s he in charge of?” Stoney mutters, mad for no reason.

  “Setting up the trampoline for Cross.”

  “He won’t be able to use the damn thing most of the time,” Horse points out. “Raqui’s too big to climb in. Dexy and Rubber Duck have bad backs. Ginette has that weird stomach thing. Are you planning to jump with him?”

  “Until Raqui gives birth, we’ll make it a special thing for when Cameo or Stoney’s girlfriend shows up.”

  “Ha-ha,” Stoney growls at our smirking president. “You’re why I can’t hit up that girl right now. But yeah, go ahead and mock me.”

  Grizz grins wider. “Look, maybe you lose interest, and all this drama will be for nothing. Or you’ll finally get her in your bed, and we’ll have to hear you brag about how your feelings are better than ours. I’m making you pay now for either outcome.”

  “My feelings are better,” Stoney mutters, crossing his arms defiantly. “Was that not an established fact?”

  Cross’s laughter draws our attention to him running in a circle with Cameo in pursuit.

  With everyone in a good mood, I mention my woman’s idea about camping. Grizz wears the look of a man in agreement.

  “An RV would be a sweet setup, but who’ll drive it?” he asks. “Raqui is a terrible driver.”

  “Cameo does fine.”

  “Rubber Duck used to drive a semi,” Bishop says. “I bet he could handle an RV.”

  Grizz nods. “And Ginette and Dexy would be more willing to come along if they have a real kitchen and bathroom to use.”

  Horse pats me on the back. “Your woman is smarter than she looks.”

  Just as he expects, I throw a punch. We end up wrestling on the ground with me trying to shove dirt in his fat mouth while his knee attempts to neuter me.

  “Leave my balls alone,” I grumble, shoving him off me.

  We stop frowning at each other, and the other guys quit chuckling when “Hotel California” abruptly ends on the sound system. Soon, a song I don’t recognize starts playing. We all look to Raqui and Cameo dancing with Cross.

  “Your woman might be smart and hot,” Bishop says, shaking his head, “but her taste in music is hot garbage.”

  Though we all agree, none of us own the balls to complain to the young women swinging their asses to the beat. The Ranch’s future looks bright, even if the soundtrack might be fucking terrible.

  CAMEO—THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

  Weeks before I graduate and move into Mad Dog’s insanely masculine house, I add a few Cameo touches. In a hallway near the kitchen, we hang up pictures of my family, complete with one of Bane at his fluffiest. I also toss several pastel pillows around the family room to offset his dark couches and chairs. In the bedroom, I add pale blue sheets under his black comforter.

  “Perfect,” I say despite him feeling the house lacks enough of my tastes. “We’ll add more things naturally over time. And once we have a baby, we’ll need more crap.”

  Mad Dog offers his best smile whenever I talk about the future as if it’s a done deal.

  School ends with a wet fart. My fellow seniors are completely full of crap about their future. Hagan rolls her eyes so much the last week, I’m worried she’ll need corrective surgery.

  The weekend before graduation, my family travels to Hickory Run State Park for a camping weekend. I’m thrilled when Mad Dog joins us. Rather than get stuck in the back seat with Hagan and me, he rides his motorcycle.

  I’m a little relieved to have the car filled with only the four of us. Hagan and I play I-spy with Arlene. Dad reveals an entire playlist of sing-along songs. The Suttons are a lame family on vacation, and I love every second.

  Mad Dog and I can’t really fuck for real that weekend, but I still sneak into his tent to lowkey fool around.

  “I’m moving in with you next weekend,” I remind him whenever he seems awkward around the four of us.

  Each time, Mad Dog settles down immediately. I worried he might start rethinking our living arrangement plans. But he’s more excited than ever to have me with him full-time.

  For my first weekend as a resident of the Ranch, my parents and Hagan bunk over. I cook them dinner, and we watch “Dude, Where’s My Car?” at the house.

  The next night we join everyone in the Hanger for games of pool and barbecue. Raqui is ecstatic to have me finally living there and insists on a full-fledged party.

  “Maybe you’ll be next,” she teases Hagan.

  “No go. I’ve chosen to become a nun.”

  Smiling, I point out, “You’re not Catholic.”

  “I’ll fake it until I make it,” she says, avoiding Stoney’s intense gaze.

  Oh, boy, those two will eventually either stick just right or fucking hate each other.

  “Stoney better not hate my bestie,” I te
ll Mad Dog one night.

  “No worries if he does. The guy hates a lot of shit, and no one cares.”

  Stoney’s interest in Hagan continues into summer despite them mostly avoiding each other. She does taunt him when he loses a basketball game against Mad Dog. Stoney instantly looks ready to rage-fuck her. Before Grizz can start growling, Hagan bails on the flirting thing.

  “Too much effort,” she claims, clearly freaked out by what a grown man could do to her virginal bajingo.

  Their hot-and-cold routine is why Hagan can’t go on the club’s camping trip later in the summer. She begs to come along, literally on her hands and knees. Hagan even cries when I say no.

  “Stoney is crazy horny for you,” I explain. “He won’t be able to relax and have fun if you’re around to tempt him with what he can’t have.”

  “How is that my problem?” she whines.

  “This is their first camping trip as a club since the Wet Dicks broke up and half became Roosters.”

  “Listen to yourself. Dicks and roosters and bears, oh, my!” she says, throwing up her hands. “What about me?”

  “You and I can go somewhere for the weekend.”

  Eyes bright now, she asks, “Alone?”

  “Yes. I’m an adult and can do that. We’ll get a hotel room in the city. One with a pool, too. That way, you won’t have to feel self-conscious like when you swim at the Ranch.”

  “I think you have to be twenty-one to get a decent hotel room.”

  “Oh, well, we could go camping.”

  “Alone? Have you never seen a horror movie?” she cries dramatically. “We’re too sexy to go camping without men to save us from Jason Vorhees.”

  “Hagan, you know I love Mad Dog. And the Wet Dicks are super tough and everything, but they’re not defeating a supernatural killer.”

  “Way not to believe in your man,” she says and snorts. “I can tell you right now, if Stoney and I ever hook up, I will totally trust him to take on a masked killer. That’s true love, Cam.”

  Despite her tears, anger, and conversational tangents, Hagan agrees to my deal. I’ll ditch her for the camping trip in exchange for alone time before school starts.

  “I’ll be so lonely without you,” she says, crying again when we mention her senior year. “I hate everyone there. I feel like the jury is still out on whether they hate me, too.”