by Neal, Xavier
“You're pretty cute when you're pouting,” I whisper.
Destin smiles and beckons me to come closer. He pulls me into his lap. With my arms wrapped around him, I smile at his head on my shoulder.
“I promise everything will be okay.”
“I'm gonna miss you,” he says quietly. “I feel like I just got you and now I'm losing you.”
“But you're not.” I lift his chin. “You're just sharing me with a bunch of adrenaline junkie sports fiends.”
“You know when I thought about group sex that's not quite how I pictured it.” His chuckling gets mine going as well as a playful elbow. “You're gonna be amazing at this.”
“I sure hope so.”
With a crooked smile he says, “I have faith in you.”
A swoon comes from me before I push our mouths together, lips locking tightly. Instead of feeling frenzied when his tongue knocks against my bottom lip, there's a different kind of hunger. This one is begging me to absorb every inch of him I can before I leave in two days. The kiss is shorter than I care, but admittedly for the best.
My parents are back and making us a goodbye/good luck/nice to meet you dinner. It was Destin's idea in an attempt to show them how much he cares about me even though they don't seem to. Wouldn't be the wisest to sneak a quickie in with them just down the hall. Especially not with as loud as we get.
“You ready for your going away present?”
“I can't in good conscious unwrap that with my parents in the next room.”
Destin lets out a dirty snicker before shaking his head. “No. Not that. I mean you can unwrap that any time and all the time, but I got you an actual gift.”
“Really?” My smirk grows. “Because I got you one too.”
“Huh,” he says in disbelief. “Really?”
“Yeah.” I stand to retrieve it from the top shelf in my closet. “But you can't, I repeat, cannot open it until I am on the plane.”
“Or...”
Reaching for it I reply, “Or there will be no Skype sex for the first two weeks.”
“Aw man,” he grumbles. “Fine.”
When I turn around with the small square box wrapped in red paper, I see him holding a long one covered in newspaper. Placing his down on the edge of my bed, I take mine into my hands.
“I don't know if you can take it with you, but um...if you can't, I'll just...I'll just hold onto it until you get back.”
Slowly I tear off the paper and toss away the lid. Inside the long box is a brand new black skateboard. The custom design on the bottom is red as well as one I know very well. Seeing it drops me onto my bed while tears strangle my throat.
Destin slips his hands into his pocket. “When you first asked me to design something for your board, I wanted something cool and innovative. But then time went on and I fell in love with you. Suddenly I wanted something original. Meaningful.” He clears his throat. “I have that mark. Drew has that mark. Daniel had that mark.”
A tear falls onto the treasure in my lap.
“You're the reason I'm still alive. You made yourself known in my life at exactly the right moment in time. I was...just a couple bottles away from no longer existing and you breathed life back into me. You helped clean up my world. You...you fucking gave me a world I wanted to not only live in but fight in for another day with you. So...Azura Rose, you are the heartbeat of this McCoy.”
Unsure of what to say, I toss the board down and rush over to him. The kiss this time is frantic, on fire, but it's the kind of scorching heat that fuses two people together. His arms cradle me just as his mouth does. Hard. Intense. Lovingly.
Do you see now why I'd give up my dream job for my dream love? While I'm thankful I don't have to, never forget, if I had to choose all over again, I'd still choose him.
Destin
Entering the apartment I smile at the sight of my family gathered around the T.V. This moment like the one before that final boss fight in every video game.
Except this one is going to be so much better.
“Get her put on the plane?” Madden asks from Knox's side.
“I did,” I confirm pushing my sorrow down.
Now's not the time. Now's the time for smiles. For fucking pats on the back.
“It's okay to be a little mushy about letting her go,” Knox encourages.
“You did the right thing,” Drew sighs as I sit beside him.
“I know.”
He tosses his arm around my shoulder. “She'll be back before you know it.”
“Unless she meets some British billionaire who whisks her away to live in his flat full time,” Knox's joke gets all of our harshest glares. “Oh...come on! It was a joke. Remove tampons then laugh.”
It wasn't funny though. Wait, do you think that'll actually happen? Should I call and leave her a voicemail right now? Should I send her a text? Maybe a picture?
“Look what you did,” Drew fusses at her. “You sent Triple D into panic mode.” He gives me a good squeeze. “Stop plotting ways to hack into her computer to leave her creepy but loving sentiments.”
Rolling my eyes I shrug him off of me.
Madden reaches for the remote, a very strong sense of pride plastered on his face. “Where's Mel?”
“Napping,” he informs. “Told her to text me before she tries to come out if I haven't already joined her.”
“How can you possibly be that tired already?” Knox grills. “You worked like half a shift at the shop yesterday.”
“And then another half between my woman's legs.” Drew holds a hand up. “Look, it's exhausting work, but someone has to do it.”
“Could you McCoys like not do it for a small fraction of time? There are so many sexual sounds in this apartment, wild animals have started to travel for miles towards the noise. I swear, the next thing I know you're all gonna be on The Discovery Channel.”
In my best T.V. show voice I say, “The tall dark and handsome McCoy is highly wanted in the wilderness.”
Knox gags. “Oh I wish you were, so I could be a hunter, shoot you both, and wear you as bikinis.”
The two of us laugh together which is when Madden interjects, “I don't want either of their body parts on...any of your body parts.”
He's gotta come clean eventually right? How long can he get away saying shit like that without actually manning up to the plate?
“That's what you have a problem with?” Knox snaps. “Not the hunting or skinning of the Triple D-”
“That's bound to happen,” Drew jokes and I laugh with him before we bump fists.
“Shut up,” Madden demands at us. When he looks back at Knox he says, “We're about to get started. You sure you wanna be a part of this?”
Knoxie stares at my big brother the way she does when she has to stop herself from either killing him or professing her love.
Is it weird that it's the same fucking face?
“I'm already a part of this,” she counters. “Do it.”
Madden twitches a small smirk before he turns to me. “Triple D.”
“Yup.” I reach for my computer on the coffee table while he turns to the channel. After the typing of a few keys the back of The Devil's chair appears.
“Surprise.” Madden states coldly.
No. He couldn't even be enthusiastic about it.
Slowly the chair turns around revealing The Devil's expressionless face. “McCoys. Well you're all still alive so this conversation is not going to be as much fun as I was hoping.”
Drew and I fight the urge to tense at that comment.
He clasps his hands together staring at us from his computer screen. “What do you want?” His eyes wander over to me. “I mean...you had the chance to kill me and lost it.” The pretend shock face he makes pushes my buttons. “So what could this possibly be about?”
Madden answers, “You.”
With a twirl of his hand he agrees, “I am a fantastic subject.”
“Your days are numbered.”
“The
y always are,” he retorts. “Is that why you called Madden? To remind me you're still miles behind, chasing me like the Pitbull after the Viper. Because I have to be frank with you. I'm growing bored.”
“No,” Madden states. “You're not. You're growing scared.” When The Devil lifts his eyebrows he says, “The BV MC is no longer an issue.”
Hopeful, he questions, “Killed the girl?”
I prepare to lunge forward when Drew taps my foot reminding me to stay cool. “Better.”
“What do you mean better?”
“They protect her now.” My information causes him to frown. “In fact, they protect all of us.”
The Devil leans back in his chair. “What's that now?”
“You heard him,” Drew echoes. “All of us.”
“See while you're so focused on the big fish you have floating around, you've forgotten the little ones,” Madden explains. “The small pushers. The small dealers. The small suppliers. You were so fucking desperate to save the big one's The Commissioner knew about you neglecting them and now that your business is in a choke hold you're gonna want them more than ever. Problem is...they don't belong to you anymore.”
“They're the BV MC's now,” Knoxie proudly smirks.
He tries to hold it together but there's frustration steadily building. The sight makes me want to smile again.
“I have list after list from years of working under you. Names. Places. Routes. Times. Rotations. I sold them all to the BV MC for a low price. They agreed to move major distribution out of the city and do their best to insure that this at least looks clean enough for tax payers to sleep at night. I owe the Commissioner a favor or two. It'll make him look good.”
“Is that it?”
“Well of course not. I mean a market this big to clean up, I knew I could get more. Oh and in case you're curious, everyone you worked with, switched with damn near no hesitation. Same cuts. Same deals. Except they know if something goes south, BV MC protects their own. Down to the petty pusher. They're honorable men.”
“Unlike you,” Knox adds.
“They agreed to keep us watched over while we hunt you down. They're not particularly fond of you. Not only for how poorly you treat the men who should defend instead of destroy, but for taking something that never belonged to you.”
Suddenly The Devil's eyes light up. “Oh yeah? What's that?”
Madden smiles. “A simple cuff link.”
When he receives the information he grouses, “That was worth millions.”
“It's worth so much more than that,” Madden corrects. “Saved a McCoy's life. That makes the thing fucking priceless. I'll never forget the day you gave that shit to me and told me to keep it safe because some day I would need it.” With a head tilt he says, “You were right.”
“You were using Madden to hide it,” Drew states. “Because you knew if the BV MC ever found out you had it, they wouldn't hesitate to kill you.”
“Stealing from an MC?” Knoxie fusses. “Tsk. Tsk.”
“Do you know how they got that cuff link?” I join in. “It was chopped off the president of the ZD MC's hand. Took the cuff as a trophy. The action was meant to instill fear. Act as a reminder that they were the best. Having it stolen from underneath their noses brought them a level of shame and dishonor.”
“Did we mention how they feel about honor?” Drew chortles.
“They already didn't like you for the dishonorable way you've treated us, but when we added to the mix the very thing they were lacking was stolen by you, well...it didn't take much convincing to have them on our side.” Madden leans in closer. “They wanted your blood for themselves, but being that they are respectable men, they bestowed that right upon me for the lives you've take from us.”
For the first time I recall The Devil looks speechless.
“In about forty five seconds, the cops are gonna tear through your front door. They're going to arrest your body guard. Question your driver. Scare the shit out of your maids. They're going to shred that house limb from limb looking for you,” Drew warns.
“And you're on your last resources asshole,” I add. “Every dealer willing to listen has been passed the information to not make you a new passport to leave the country. Some won't on favors to us, most won't because of the death threat that comes with it from BV.”
“No money. No cars. No planes. No houses.” Knoxie states sharply. “Life is about to get a little rough.”
Madden leans forward towards the T.V. “I'm coming for you motherfucker.”
The Devil shuts his computer off leaving us with a black screen. With a wide smile I look over at Drew who fists bumps me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Knox give Madden the lightest of strokes on his back. His head drops for a brief second.
That has to be the most amount of relief I've seen on his face in weeks.
“When we finally bring him down it's gonna be epic,” Drew sighs.
“No.” Madden lifts his back up. “I'm gonna make that shit fucking iconic.”
We all nod in agreement an eerie calmness arriving. After a few moments of silence pass, I grab the wrapped box I was told to wait to open.
Hey. I waited long enough! If I wait any longer Drew might open it for me. He's done it before. He's a pain in the ass at Christmas.
Drew tilts his head at it. “Going away gift?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe it's a blow up doll that looks like her,” Knoxie jokes.
“Maybe it's these magical things you stick in your ears, so you can only hear what she's saying!” Drew exclaims.
“Those are called headphones.”
“Yeah. Use 'em. I don't wanna hear Skype sex every night.”
“Our rooms aren't even that close.”
“You're loud!”
“You're loud!” I snap back.
“You're all loud. We discussed this already. I'm putting a call into The Animal Planet about it,” Knoxie sighs. “Now open the damn thing.”
“It's been taunting me from the coffee table for two days. Open it,” Drew backs her.
Quickly I shred the paper and open the box surprised at the small flash drive inside.
Drew leans over. “Very anticlimactic.”
“That's what she said,” Knox giggles and Drew laughs with a nod.
“It's something she'll never have to say 'cause she's fucking a McCoy,” I correct Knox.
I cross over to plug the drive into the T.V.
“What if it's video porn?” Drew ponders. “Do you really want us all here to watch?”
Grabbing the remote on the way back to the couch I snap, “It's not porn moron.”
“Yeah. When chicks do it, it's called an X-rated video,” Knoxie sighs.
Drew starts laughing and Madden fusses. “Why do you encourage him?”
“To watch your forehead wrinkle.”
The declaration does, which makes us laugh again.
“Look whatever it is, Azura said make sure you guys were around for it.”
“Well get the thing going,” Drew huffs. “I'm getting antsy.”
“You mean horny?” Madden questions extending his arm around the back of the couch behind Knox.
“Same. Same.”
Through a chuckle I manage to get the video pulled up.
Azura's beautiful face appears on the screen. She's positioned on the edge of my bed. The sight of her in a jean skirt and sweater makes my heart heavy.
Fuck. This is going to be the longest two months of my life.
“Hi McCoys,” she coos into the screen.
Instinctively I say back, “Hi...”
“She can't hear you,” Knox states.
“Let me have it,” Drew encourages.
“So....I know having me come into your lives was probably a bigger deal than you imagined it would be.” She starts nervously, which makes me smile. “But I truly appreciate everything you did for me. Have done for me. Will probably continue to do. You are the most amazing people in the entir
e world and I can never thank you enough, not only for saving my life, but for letting me become a member of your family, especially since I didn't really have one.”
