Bubbles

by Candace Blevins

The vampire nodded. “Done.”

  “Nathan says to tell you to have Horse drop Gabby off with his Pride.” Aaron didn’t appear to have an earpiece in, but he was obviously in contact with his partner somehow.

  Brain checked something on his tablet before responding, “We appreciate the offer, but I don’t believe it’ll be necessary.”

  Another couple of minutes of getting some details right, and Brain disconnected the secure call and made another. While it connected, he told Duke, “I sent a secure message to Bud earlier, asking him to get underground and await my call.”

  Bud’s face came onto the monitor while Brain talked, and the other president asked, “Trouble?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Under my garage.”

  Which was about as safe is it was going to get. Brain told him what we’d learned, and Bud said, “Glad we can finally get off our asses and do something. I’ll send my scouts that direction now. If all’s as expected, we’ll be in position and ready to go in time for a four-twenty strike.”

  We worked through logistics, and when we disconnected this time, Brain looked to his tablet again. “Dozer took Cinderella home with him.” He looked at me. “She can go in your saferoom with Lexi, Etta, and their mom. Can probably transpo a few of the other workin’ girls to your place, too.”

  My saferoom could easily handle a dozen people for a few days, so I nodded agreement. He went down the list of who was where, and we mapped out a plan for how to get everyone under our protection to safety without alerting our enemies.

  42

  Lexi

  * * *

  Ghost arrived minutes after Bubbles’ text told me to expect him. I hugged him and introduced him to Mama.

  Etta didn’t get up to hug him, but he gave her a gentle smile and asked how she was doing.

  “I’m good. How’s Hailey?”

  I’d been floored when I took Etta to the clubhouse and discovered she already knew Ghost’s wife because Hailey had worked for the MC as a workin’ girl. Hailey had dyed her hair bright red and gone by Ruby, and Etta told me Ghost had come to work one night, seen Ruby, and dragged her out.

  “Hailey’s good. She’s at Will’s house, along with the other members of her band, and Aaron’s people are keeping them safe tonight.” He gave my mama an appraising look, and sat so he was facing her.

  “You’ll need to spend the night here tonight, so we can keep you safe, too. Bubbles has a saferoom in the basement, and some of the women Etta works with are going to be brought here.” He looked at me. “Bubbles says you’ll know what to do. Slick will bring them, and we’ll have guards on the subdivision, but everyone’s gonna be in saferooms — here, Duke’s, and Gonzo’s. Gen is hosting those who are friends of the club, while most of the ol’ladies are with Connie. Brain’s already blocked the cell signal and shut Wi-Fi off, so no information comes or goes. The radio in the saferoom will let you listen in to emergency traffic, and I know Bubbles gave you the code so you can speak into it, but you shouldn’t unless it’s an emergency. Any questions while I’m here?”

  “All night?”

  “We’ll give the all clear when you can come out. Bubbles said to warn you he may want to keep you home from school tomorrow.”

  I nodded. He’d warned me it might happen at some point in the future, and assured me he could get me a doctor’s note, so it would be excused. “Any of the women comin’ gonna have kids with them?”

  He shook his head. “Slick’s figuring that part out, but those with kids are supposed to be sent somewhere else.”

  “Ya’ll gonna hit El Atroz?” Mama spoke scary soft. Nothing much scares her, but I heard it in her voice.

  “Plans were already set, we’ve just moved ’em up. Is there anything else we should know? More than you told Bubbles?”

  “If I’m missin’ when ya’ll hit’em, it won’t look good.”

  “You’ll say you went to dinner and were told you had to stay. Tell them we blocked it so you couldn’t get a cell signal, so there was no way to tell anyone, but you wouldn’t have known what to tell them if you’d been able to send a text or make a call, ’cause we didn’t tell you shit.”

  She crossed her arms. “They send a black brother to talk to us ’cause I’m black?”

  He grinned. “Did it work?”

  Etta laughed. “Right up until the point she realized that’s what happened, but she can’t bitch about it after all the times she’s called Bubbles a white boy.” She took a breath and her expression grew serious. “How much should we worry?”

  He shook his head. “We’re gettin’ everyone under our protection to safety. Abbott’s pulling as many workin’ girls off to private appointments as possible, and we’ll get the rest sent to various other spots — I think six are comin’ here, and I know ya’ll will make them feel welcome.”

  “Of course we will,” I told him, “but how much should we worry about the club? About Bubbles, and you, and everyone else?”

  “We know where they are and how to hit them. We’d have done this weeks ago, but…” He shook his head. “It’s gonna be okay.”

  Ghost walked us into the saferoom with all the lights off downstairs. It’s so dark down there, you can’t see your hand right in front of your face, but I knew he did it so Mama wouldn’t be able to tell anyone where the saferoom is, or how to open the doors getting into it.

  The lights came on once we were inside with the door closed, and Mama didn’t look pissed, thank goodness.

  43

  Lexi

  * * *

  What Bubbles calls his saferoom is actually four large rooms, and there are lots of little fold-out cot things in the sleeping area, along with plenty of blankets and pillows. We’d cooked a lot of popcorn, and made a few dozen sandwiches to take downstairs, and the saferoom has chips and nuts and other snacks, but it was hard to make it feel like a slumber party. There was an old-fashioned DVD player and movies to watch, but no cable, no internet, and no cell service.

  Cindy had been at Dozer’s house, so she ended up with us. She said the other sweetbutts were supposedly at the clubhouse, along with a few ol’ladies who’d already been there.

  We were locked into the saferoom and I was the only one who knew the code to get us out, though I don’t think any of the other ladies realized the door wouldn’t open for them, because no one tried.

  I woke up around six and couldn’t get back to sleep, despite the fact I hadn’t been able to get to sleep until after two. We’d heard people talking on the radio until shortly before two, but they were speaking in code and I didn’t know what most of it meant. It’d been comforting to just hear them sounding calm — but then Paco had come on, did a roll call of the saferooms to be sure we were set for the night, and then said there’d be no more radio traffic until seven or later the next morning.

  A few others woke up early too, and I pulled some egg and sausage biscuits out of the freezer and put them in the microwave. The rooms are pretty soundproof, and we could make noise in the kitchen area without disturbing the women still asleep, but we still didn’t talk much.

  I expected the radio to come to life at seven, but it didn’t. My nerves were shot, worrying about Bubbles and the other club members, but I had to hold it together. I was hostess.

  The kitchen area was furnished with a folding card table and folding chairs. Etta pushed a chair against mine, sat in it, and pulled me sideways against her. “We’re all worried about them. Slick and Bobcat may take care of us the most, but Bash has rescued me from customers who got too rough, and so has Gonzo, and Dozer.”

  Candy nodded. “Bash once seriously messed someone up for not wearing a condom even though I was tellin’ the customer not to go in without one. Took the asshole’s license and told him he’d get it back when he showed up with a clean bill of health, and told him where to go to get tested. Another time, I thought Dozer was gonna kill a guy who knocked me to the floor and busted my lip when he hadn’t paid to get rough with me.
”

  Mama was sittin’ on a chair with her blanket around her and her feet in the chair, her arms around her legs. “No one kept johns from beatin’ me up when I was a hoe. So long as they paid, they could do what they wanted.” She shrugged. “Take ’nuff drugs, none of it matters. When Etta first told me her pimps don’t allow drugs, I didn’t b’lieve her.”

  Etta laughed. “They ain’t pimps, Mama. They’re our bosses. Our employers.”

  Mama shrugged. “They take some of yo money, they yo pimp.”

  “Legally, yeah,” Candy agreed, “but I’ve had an actual pimp, who sends you out and don’t let you quit until you bring him a thousand dollars, and then he only gives you three hundred of it back — and if you take a break before you get your thousand, you’re in danger of him either beating you up or giving you to someone who’ll do it for him.”

  “Yeah,” another girl agreed. “The MC is way more boss than pimp, and I’m worried about them, too.”

  As if on cue, Paco’s voice came across the radio.

  “We need everyone to stay put until someone arrives to debrief you in person. Cable television access has been turned back on so you can watch the news. We’ll get internet and cell service back up in time for those of you who need to call your boss. Doc will provide notes for those who need them, but no one goes to work or school today unless it’s absolutely critical.”

  “Gotta give props,” said Mama. “Yo man’s crew is organized as shit.”

  The local news was full of images of fires and explosions from all over town, and the national news showed the places close to Chattanooga as well as three large explosions in Atlanta, and a huge fireball somewhere in Alabama. Two cities in South Carolina also had explosions, and a big warehouse complex south of Knoxville.

  I nearly jumped out of my skin when the house radio went off twenty minutes later and I heard Bubbles’ voice. “I’m outside the door, Half-pint. You can open it.”

  I rushed to input the code, slid the door open, and I didn’t have to jump into his arms because he lifted me to him. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, and he held me.

  He walked me into the kitchen area and sat with me in his lap. Dozer and Knife followed him in, and Dozer grabbed the television remote and muted the sound.

  “Can’t tell ya’ll much,” said Bubbles. “You saw the news, so you know it was a big night. We won’t know whether our enemies are going to hit right back, or whether they’ll lick their wounds and regroup first, but we know this ain’t over.”

  Etta heated some sausage and egg biscuits for the men, and Bubbles touched her hand when she put them on the table. “Thank you. If you can heat up another two dozen, that’d be great.”

  I went to move, so I could do it, but he held me tighter. “She can do it, Half-pint. Need to hold you.” He sighed and looked around the room. “Anyone need to leave right now? Or need to call or check in with someone?”

  “I need to get my neighbor to feed my cat,” said Candy.

  “Anyone else?”

  No one else said anything, and Bubbles pulled his phone out. “What’s your phone number?” She told him, he punched it in, and then asked what number she was calling. When it was all entered, he told her, “This app will call from my phone and make it look like the call came from yours.” He pushed send and handed her the phone.

  I expected people to bitch about not being able to call or use the internet, but no one did. I guess everyone understood this was the cost of protection.

  “Are all of you safe? I mean, the MC?” It was Etta who asked. It should’ve been me, but I was so happy to have Bubbles in my arms, all other questions had flown out the window.

  He nodded. “A few minor injuries. Nothin’ life threatenin’.”

  Now, my mind took off and I saw all the ways this could screw the MC. “Won’t law enforcement suspect ya’ll in the explosions if all your businesses are closed today?”

  He sighed. “Brain’ll be by later to tell ya’ll our official story. In a nutshell, we heard somethin’ was goin’ down, so we pulled all our people in. When LEO asks, I was here all night, Dozer and Knife got here after they closed the restaurant. Maybe others — Brain’s workin it out. We were in the basement all night — there ain’t no saferoom here.” Another sigh. “LEO will be told we’re closin’ our businesses until we figure out what’s goin’ on. We ain’t part of no street war, but we want to make sure we don’t put customers in danger if we get dragged in. No restaurant, no bikes or classic cars being worked on, and the laundrymats are locked up. Self-defense classes are canceled. The gun store and range are closed.”

  We all ate a little more, watched more of the news, and Bubbles said, “I haven’t been to sleep yet, and I can tell my Half-pint didn’t get much sleep, either. Gonna take her to my ammo room so we can sleep without hearing ya’ll talk. Betty’s in charge while Lex and I are down, but it’s probably a good time for everyone to get some more sleep, if you can.” He motioned towards a cabinet. “There’s puzzle books, coloring books and colored pencils, and some novels in there, written by an Atlanta brother’s wife. TV in here has cable access. You’re welcome to whatever food you want. Make yourselves at home.”

  As soon as the door closed behind us, I told him, “You changed.”

  He sighed. “You always know.”

  Yeah, because I knew how long his hair was when he left, and it was a little shorter. Because he’d first changed so young, he’s forever destined to have short hair.

  “Were you hurt?”

  “Yeah, but it’s all good.”

  “And El Atroz?”

  “It’s like the news said. Lots of dead bodies being found in the smoldering remains.” He put his huge hand on either side of my head. “They’ll send more people, Half-pint. Being with me is about to mean danger. You still want in? I won’t blame you if you decide to high-tail it away from me.”

  I shook my head. “Fuck no. I love you with all my heart. I’m here. Period. You can’t get rid of me.”

  Several emotions washed over his face. Usually, he’s like a rock, without any emotions, but he was exhausted and I saw everything. Relief. Acceptance. Love.

  I stood on a chair and cupped his head in my hands, much as he’d just done mine. “I’m yours. You’re mine. We’ve been training for bad shit to happen. It isn’t like it’s out of the blue. I’m your ol’lady. I’m your logistics person, and I hope I did right by you last night, but I’m also your emotional backup, so let me do my job. It’s what I’m here for. I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

  He pulled me to him again, and my head rested on his shoulder.

  “I thought I needed sleep more than anything, but it turns out, I need you worse.” He lifted my shirt over my head, and we separated so he could pull it off. “Sleep’s a close second though, so this won’t last long.”

  The table in this room is solid, and he stripped me naked before putting me on it and ordering me to knees and chest.

  I gasped when one finger invaded my pussy with no warning, groaned when a second finger joined it, and then whined in a pleading voice when he added a third finger a few moments later, because just like that, my body was ready for him.

  A quickie with Bubbles was impossible at first, but my body had gotten used to him, and he’d learned how to work me like I was an engine he needed to tune up. He went in a little thinner than usual, got thicker over the next few minutes, and then I was off the table and my back was against a wall, and he was inside me — so fat he could get all the way in while I hung on for dear life, along for the ride and unable to reciprocate, but he didn’t want me to have control.

  Cold, painted concrete blocks chilled my back, my legs were looped over Bubbles’ warm arms, his hands held my butt up, and his cock pounded me — in and out and in and out faster than humanly possible — while I screamed because it was all I could do. Heat pulsed through my veins, pushed by my racing heart. His pelvic bone slammed into my clit with each brutal, savage thrust, and my pussy
felt as if it would split open and bleed because he was so damned big around, but that almost never actually happened.

  As always, he worked me into a blow-the-top-of-your-head-off orgasm, so the only things that existed in my world were the cold concrete behind me and the overwhelming heat and movement of the man I loved in front of me, inside me, around me, over me — holding me, fucking me, loving me.

  I screamed my bliss when I came, and then he was standing two feet from the wall, still holding me, my legs wrapped around him, and his hips pulsed while he filled me and practically howled. If I’d been looking into his eyes, I’d have seen the wolf. They’re both there, somehow, when he comes.

  I held him tighter. “I love you both. Wolf and man. Mine. You’re mine.”

  He pulled on a cabinet, and a full sized bed with a mattress came out of the wall. In no time flat, he’d used baby wipes to clean me and he was under the covers with me, holding me.

  I settled in his arms and my drowsy mind grabbed hold of the thought that my mama and sister were here. Both my families. Mama had accepted Bubbles, and done what she had to keep us all safe.

  “The wolf heard you. Knew what you said. He’s as happy and content as I am.”

  I snuggled into him more. “Meant every word. For better or worse, I’m here.”

  “Me too. For better or worse. Want Bud to marry us. You need a long time to plan the wedding? Or are you good with fitting it in this weekend, assuming we have some downtime before the next fight?”

  My heart somersaulted in my chest. Leave it to Bubbles to skip the question part of the proposal, but I didn’t mind. No way could I make a wedding happen in a few days, though.

  “Next weekend, not this weekend. I need time to find the perfect dress.”

  “It’s a date. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Dear Reader,

  We’ve been working towards the big battle between good and evil for a while in the Only Human series.