by Sam Crescent
“I don’t know you.”
“I know you. You think you can go around, taking on Ned Walker’s fighters? I tell you, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Rhodes laughed. “You want to take me on? You think you’re ready for that. Come on then, asshole, let’s do this if you think you’ve got what it takes.”
Butch was tempted to land the first blow right then. Instead, he moved out of the way for Rhodes to lead outside.
“What the hell are you going to do, man?” Javier asked.
“Keep the other men back.”
“You think they’re going to jump you?” Cruz asked.
“I don’t doubt it. They’re going to try and take me out and I won’t let them. I got no interest in them. I want Rhodes. People need to learn that when you take on a fighter, you take on all of us.”
“You’re starting to sound like a Skull there.”
“What can I say, we’re all family. You don’t want to stand by your friends and your fellow fighters, get the fuck out. Ned Walker doesn’t compete his best fighters against each other. That’s not going to happen on my watch. Not now, not ever. This piece of shit needs to be taught a lesson, and I’m going to be the one to do it.”
Heading outside, he saw Rhodes was ready.
Keeping his jacket on, Butch watched as Rhodes cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck. He also kept on eye on the man’s friends.
Whatever was going to go down, he was going to make sure it was a fair fight. He trusted the men at his back.
“This is for Punk,” Butch said.
Stepping up to the man, he dodged the first hit and the second. Swinging out, he clocked him under the chin, and then downward, hitting both sides of the man’s face. Satisfaction filled him at seeing the shock on Rhodes’s face.
Rhodes had never faced a real competitor before, and now he had.
****
“You know, you didn’t have to sit with me. I can take care of myself,” Cheryl said. She picked up the box of Christmas decorations and placed them on the dining room table.
Ned looked like the perfect grandpa as he held Jade in his arms. He was feeding her from one of the bottles she’d already pumped that morning.
She liked to pump daily as otherwise her breasts felt so sensitive.
“I know, but I also don’t mind helping out. Besides, the partying scene is not my thing anymore.”
Thinking about Ned partying and dancing made her giggle.
“You be careful, girl,” he said.
“Were you ever a rave kind of guy who partied?”
“I did a lot when I was younger. I had my fair share of nights out with the guys. Partying, living it up.”
“What happened?”
“One day I was staring at my little girl. I’d scrubbed blood from my hands so I didn’t touch her with it, and I knew I had to give it up. It was time to grow up. Eva woke me up to a lot of shit I hadn’t even realized I was going through. It just goes to show you how much your kids change you.”
“You don’t talk a lot about that time,” she said.
“There’s no point. You get to be my age and you realize that what little time you’ve spent on this world, could have been spent doing a lot of other things. I didn’t want this life for my girl. She ran from me and then met Tiny, and I had hoped she’d find someone different. Someone better than me, but that hasn’t happened.”
“Tiny’s a good man,” Cheryl said.
“Nah, he won’t ever be good enough for my girl.”
“Really? I thought you and Tiny got along.”
“We get along because we have to. We’ve got an agreement that we won’t argue. I won’t kill him, and he won’t come after me. So long as Eva’s alive, he’s safe.”
“I don’t believe you. I’ve seen the two of you together.”
“Good acting. I know he makes my girl happy, and that is all I need from him right now.”
She nodded, pulling out a worn-looking wreath.
“You can’t put that up. I feel sad and completely out of the Christmas spirit just looking at it. I’ll make a list of everything we need to make this house looking great.”
“You love Christmas?”
“Best time of the year.”
“You do surprise me.”
“Why would that surprise you?” Ned asked.
“I don’t know. I figured you were grumpy.”
“Because I’m old?”
She shrugged.
“I’m not grumpy. I love Christmas. When Eva was young, I even attempted to learn to bake, and that was a disaster, I tell you. Nothing worse than mistaking salt and sugar. Worst thing I ever did. Eva begged me not to cook or bake a thing again.”
There was a smile on his lips, and she knew it was because he was having great memories.
“You sound awesome.”
“I did my best, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it is all we can do. Our best.”
Jade finished her bottle, and Cheryl watched as he placed her against his shoulder and started to rub her back.
“Did you wish you had more kids?”
“Sometimes. Like now. Holding her, it does bring back some of the best memories of my life. Eva was a blessing to me. It’s why I try to be involved as much with my grandkids as possible. It doesn’t help that we’re so far apart.”
“I’m pleased that you’re here though, and I appreciate you.”
“I’ll be here. I think you and Butch are good people.”
She nodded and finished pulling out some twinkling lights and decorations. Michael had packed this box the previous year, and he’d just dumped everything inside.
“We’ve got more than enough to get us started, so I think we can just dive in and hope for the best.”
Jade let out a little burp.
“Right, let’s settle her in and I’ll help you.”
Ned put Jade down on her play mat, and Cheryl smiled as she watched her daughter. She was close by so they could attend to her if needed.
Working together, they unraveled the Christmas lights, and Ned started to pin up some of the decorations that she loved to have hanging from the ceiling.
Once that was all done, she put Jade to bed, and took a shower. She changed into a pair of pajamas and headed downstairs to find Ned sitting on the sofa, flicking through the channels.
“She go down okay?”
“Of course. She’s a good girl.”
Settling on the other end of the sofa, she held a pillow and watched as Ned went up and down the channels. He’d stop for a few seconds before he got bored.
She tried not to get into anything.
“Can I ask you something?” she asked.
“Anything.”
“Is it possible for Butch to start a charter here of The Skulls?” She saw Ned had paused. “Have I just broken some MC club rule or something?”
“No, not at all. I’m surprised Lash hasn’t come forward sooner, to be honest. Clubs expand into new territories, and no one is in Vegas. I always expected a club to move in, but between the mafia and cartels, I think it scared people away. They don’t have turf here. It could be dangerous though, him starting up.”
“You don’t seem surprised about me asking this.”
“I think Butch has a certain quality about him. I’ve seen the way he’s been with the fighters, and he’s got what it takes to lead. I figure he needs to prove something to himself, to Lash, to the club.”
“You’re not happy with the club right now?”
“Oh, I’m happy with it. I don’t mind the path they’re on. It’s their club. I don’t really have much say in it. It just makes my life a lot harder.” Ned shrugged. “People move forward. They change. Butch has what it takes to be a damn good Prez, and yes, it’s possible for Butch to expand, but that will have to be Lash’s choice as well.”
“And if he says no?” she asked.
“If Lash says no, then Butch will either have to fight for it or walk away.”<
br />
“He’d never walk away from The Skulls. They’re his family. He loves them.”
“I know.”
“Should I do something? Should I call Lash? Alex? I don’t know. I just want to help him, you know. I feel that everything I do, I end up making it worse for him.”
Ned put a hand on hers. “Don’t stress about it. Don’t worry. Allow things to fall where they may. You can’t change what is going to happen. Have a little faith.”
Just then the door opened, and in spilled Javier, Mistletoe, Cruz, and Butch.
The first thing she noticed was Butch’s bloodied hands. Getting to her feet, she rushed toward her husband.
She expected to find him intoxicated, but he was actually in a really chipper mood.
“I did the deed,” Butch said. “The fucker that took on Punk. I handled him.”
“You did?” Ned got to his feet.
“It was Rhodes.”
“I hate that cheating fucker,” Ned said.
“What the hell is he talking about?” Cheryl asked. She let out a gasp as Butch wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her back.
“Fighter stuff, baby. Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Shh, Jade’s asleep.” Their baby started to cry.
“I’ll go,” Ned said. “It looks like you need to play nurse.”
“It was so fucking cool. You should have seen him. Pow-pow, Rhodes went down, and then his friends were trying to drag him up. He went for his knife,” Cruz said, showing with his fists what happened.
“If it was that easy, why are his knuckles bloody?”
“It took a few more hits, and then his buddies decided to have a turn,” Butch said.
Grabbing his hand, she walked him into the kitchen. “Come on, before they become infected and I hear you moaning like a girl.”
“I missed you tonight, babe.”
“Did you have a good night?” she asked.
“It could have been better.”
“It could have?”
“Yes, I could have been with you. Damn, I can’t wait until January because I’m going to fuck you so that you’ll forget every single other man in this world.”
She grabbed the first aid kit. “You are drunk.”
“Only on love. Lots of love.”
She attended his cuts and found herself falling for him all over again. That was what she loved about Butch. He was a man of many layers, and she found herself in love with every single part of him.
****
Back at Fort Wills
“You know, you’ve been staring at your cell phone for an hour,” Angel said, crawling on the bed and wrapping her arms around Lash’s neck.
“Did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“Cheryl had a baby. A healthy girl.”
“We need to send flowers and something to welcome the new baby. Maybe we can throw a baby shower. I can do that.”
“Have the whole clubhouse in pink again?” Lash asked.
She smiled and kissed his cheek. “You loved it being in pink.”
He stroked her arms, and she saw he was still deep in thought.
“Okay, now you know you’re going to have to tell me what is going on in that head of yours. You look way too deep in thought, and I know you’ve been losing sleep because of it.”
He rubbed at his temples, and she moved to sit beside him on the bed. Taking his hand, she locked their fingers together, and like so many times before, stayed silent.
Lash didn’t like to tell her everything that went on in the club. She knew being the Prez troubled him daily. He worried about all the decisions he made, past and present. If something really bothered him, he’d either talk to her or go to Tiny.
She was surprised he hadn’t gone to Tiny, so she had to wonder if the reason had to do with Tiny. She tried to think of anything that could give a clue as to what he was thinking about.
“It’s Butch.”
“Oh,” she said. She wouldn’t have figured that out. “Because of the baby?”
“No. It was one of the last decisions Tiny made.”
“You voted him out, right?” she asked. “For him to go to Vegas, to help out Ned?”
“It was. It was part of his punishment for that shit that went down with the Savage Brothers.”
“And now?”
“I don’t know what to do. He’s a piece of the club that I’ve always felt was unfinished.”
“Are you wanting to kick him out?” she asked, confused.
“No. I don’t want to kick him out. I’ve got some ideas, but I don’t … it has been so long since I last saw him, I don’t know what to do.”
“I know Alex and Michael saw them. Why not talk to Alex?”
“I need to go to Vegas, but I think I need to talk to the club. I’ve got an idea I’ve been playing with, and I want to see what the other guys think about it first.”
“You can’t tell me?” she asked.
He cupped her cheek. “I can, but then I’d have to bend you over this bed and fuck you.”
“Oh, I like the sound of that. Tell me.”
Lash ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “You’re perfection.”
“I’m yours.”
Chapter Eight
“They’re pretty,” Cheryl said.
Butch carried the large bouquet of flowers to the dining room table. Cheryl came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands as she looked at them.
“Who are they from?” she asked.
He pulled out the card and opened it up. “Congratulations on the new arrival. I can’t wait to meet her. Thinking of you. Love, Lash, Angel, and The Skulls.”
She placed a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
He stared down at the card though. Ever since he’d dealt with Punk’s problem, he’d been focusing on training the fighter Ned picked out for the special Christmas fight. The card, The Skulls, it reminded him of what he had to do.
It wasn’t what he had to do, but what he needed to do.
“I need to make a couple of calls, babe. You okay here?” he asked.
“Of course. I’m more than fine here.”
He took her hand, kissed her inner wrist, and left the house. He walked out to the back yard and pulled out his cell phone.
He dialed Lash’s number and waited for him to pick up.
“I take it your wife got my flowers.”
“If I didn’t know how besotted you were with your woman, I’d have assumed you wanted mine.”
Lash laughed. “Not a chance. So, not that it’s not great to hear from you, but why are you calling?”
Butch paused. “You and I need to talk,” he said.
“Yeah, we really do. Look, there’s something I want to ask of you, but I don’t want to do it over the phone. I’m heading down there in three days. You think you can put me up and we’ll talk?”
“You’re leaving Angel alone?”
“This is club business, and I’m not bringing her there.”
“Sure, we’ll put you up.”
“Okay. It was good speaking to you, brother.”
Lash ended the call, and Butch pocketed his cell phone.
He didn’t know why Lash wanted to talk to him.
As he entered his home, the scent of cinnamon cookies overtook his senses.
“You’ve been baking again?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her.
“I did put them in the oven before you even answered the door,” she said. “They should be ready for you now.”
She pushed out of his arms and went to the oven. He watched her bend over, admiring the curves of her ass.
“How is the fight coming?” she asked.
“How do you know about that?”
“I think Ned trusts me. He talks about everything.”
Butch had noticed that Ned had a loose mouth when it suited him, and when it didn’t, there was never getting anything out of him.
She pulled the tray of cookies from the oven, placing them on the counter. She put two on the cooling rack, and he stole one, biting into the hot cookie.
They were his favorite, and she knew it.
Closing his eyes, he released a moan. “These are the best.”
“Good. I know you love them.”
“Lash is coming down,” he said.
Her eyes went wide. “He is? Do you know what for?”
Butch shrugged. “He said he was talking to the club about something. It’s club business.”
“Do you want me to stay somewhere else?”
“Not a chance.” He finished the last bite of cookie. “This is our home. He wants to talk business, we’ll do it at the gym. Simple as that.”
“Should I be worried?” she asked.
“There’s nothing to be worried about.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips against hers. “What will be, will be.”
She rested her head against his chest, and he breathed in her scent.
Part of him was worried.
For some time now, he’d felt this sense of unease, like he had to make a choice.
A choice that would change his and his family’s life forever.
The sound of the doorbell ringing had him kissing her head. “I’ll get that.”
“How did you like the cookies?” she asked.
“They’re the best ones ever. Thank you, baby.”
He walked toward the front door, and he was shocked to see Ned, Javier, Mistletoe, Cruz, and Punk at his front door.
“Merry Christmas,” they all said.
“What the hell are you guys doing?” he asked.
“Well, we didn’t get a chance to take Cheryl out, so we thought we’d bring a party here,” Javier said.
“We’ve got sleeping bags,” Cruz said, holding up his little bundle.
“Oh, so you think of coming to my house and even inviting yourself in for the night?”
“Hell, yeah,” Javier said. “Just be thankful he didn’t bring a woman with him. He saw a couple he wanted to bring back.”
“What’s this?” Cheryl asked, coming to the door.
“They want to celebrate Jade’s birth at our house where we have to clean everything up.”
