by S. E. Kloos
Wyatt shook his head. “Sorry, Sweet Pea, not to me. Only that he would see you there.”
Nodding, she picked up her brush and finished getting ready, wracking her brain for anything that might have pulled him away like that. The only thing that came to mind was Kyle, but Xander never told her what was going on with him. H only told her it was personal, so she really didn’t know.
With a sigh, she picked up her hat -or rather, the hat of Xander’s she stole- grabbed her purse, and left the room.
The walk to Bellagio wasn’t terribly long. Elizabeth and Wyatt made one pitstop to have a beer on the way, making it to the other hotel at ten of seven. In the lobby they found Rick, Lee and Nik... but no sign of Xander. Dom had to leave for a family emergency, so he wasn’t with them anymore.
Looking up at Wyatt when he set a hand on the small of her back, she cocked a brow. He smiled in return. “He’ll be here, Sweet Pea, just calm down.” Pulling her ticket to the show out of his back pocket, he handed it over. “Just enjoy yourself, and he’ll be back before ya know it.”
“But where the fuck did he go to talk on the phone?”
Wyatt chuckled as he gave her a push. “I stopped trying to figure that boy out twenty years ago, Sweet Pea. I suggest ya stop now ‘fore ya drive yourself crazy.”
Trying to keep the pout off her face, she allowed herself to be led to the auditorium where Cirque du Soleil was put on, handed over her ticket, and followed the usher to the front table, which Xander had gotten her for her birthday.
Once they were seated, Wyatt sent Xander a text, keeping his phone where she couldn’t see it.
Your Lady is about cry. Where the fuck are you?
When all he got back was a fucking face, he was pretty sure he was gonna kick the boy’s ass when he finally got there.
What he didn’t know was that Xander was already there, currently pointing out his girl to one of the performers he had known for a couple of years, who happened to be one of his fans. In exchange for tickets to the tournament the next day, the performer was willing to do him a favor for his lady’s birthday.
At seven on the dot, the lights dimmed and the music started up. Elizabeth turned to scan the room behind her, to see if Xander had made it yet, but didn’t see him... that was, until she turned back around. He was leaning against the front of the stage, arms and ankles crossed. Even though it was dark, she knew there was a smirk on his face.
When Xander saw her looking at him, he tipped his hat to her as the performers began to come on stage.
Elizabeth blinked at him, looking back to the stage when a few of the performers came out with things that she didn’t think they usually did. Next thing she knew, those same performers began flipping off stage in perfect time with the music playing, heading right for her.
The audience around her clapped and cheered as she was given balloons and two dozen red roses. One performer moved to stand behind her, then draped something around her neck, whispering ‘Happy Birthday’ in her ear before they began to flip and handspring back to the stage.
Once the floor was clear, Xander went over to lean against the table, smiling at his girl as she stared at him. “Still mad at me, Little Darlin’?”
Not knowing what to say, Elizabeth just set her flowers down, got up, and threw her arms around his neck.
Xander returned the hug and picked her up, sealing his lips against her’s, one of her feet kicking up behind her as he swung her around to the sound of the crowd’s cheers and whistles from their table.
Chapter 38
BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Elizabeth was on her feet, the boys following suit, when the gates opened. Xander, riding on the back of a young bronco named Tazar, came out into the corral. The horse was kicking and spinning around in circles; Elizabeth was mesmerized at the fluidness in which Xander rode with. She normally didn’t watch this event, but his ‘friends’ wanted to see him hit the dust. She didn’t want to be by herself, so she watched as his hips rolled and his back arched. He had lost his hat not a full second out the gate, so his hair was flying behind him and getting in his eyes.
Beside her, she heard Wyatt counting. The bronco called her full attention back when it kicked out hard at the same time it spun, making Xander lose his grip. With one more kick, he was off the bronco and on the ground.
Xander fell hard on his shoulder with a grunt, but was back up quickly enough to avoid the hooves aiming for his head. With a well practiced twist and slide, he was out of the danger zone, leaving the hands and clowns to deal with the fucking buck. After rolling his shoulder a few times and raising a hand up to the spectators -who were cheering as his time was called- he calmly went to pick up his hat. Now he needed to face his sure-to-be freaked out girlfriend, who had never seen him hit the ground before.
After the mandatory stop at the medics for all riders that hit the dirt, to make sure his shoulder was still in the socket, Xander stepped out of the arena. He turned to the sound of his name, a smirk on his face when he saw his girl, who had a strange mix of concern and desire on her face. Huh... well now, that’s interesting. Babying the shoulder he landed on, he used the other one to wrap around her shoulders, she wrapping her arms around his waist.
Elizabeth looked up at him, really trying to hide the effect his hips had on her during that ride. “Are you alright? That looked kinda painful.”
Giving her a smile, Xander nodded. “I’m fine, Sugar Britches. That most certainly ain’t the first -nor will it be the last- time I hit the ground. But so ya don’t freak out later, there will prolly be a nasty lookin’ bruise.”
She nodded, then Rick -the little bastard- clapped a hand on the shoulder he just landed on, prompting Xander to yelp. Turning to his friend with a glare, “OW! Jesus! Just ‘cause I said I was fine don’t mean it don’t hurt when ya smack it, ya fuck.”
Rick at least tried to look sheepish over that. “Sorry man, but damn. That was pretty good ridin’ there, Steele. 6.2 on a brand new Bronc. Ya think that gonna be ‘nuff to move on in that event in the tournament?
Xander ran a hand down his face with a shrug. “I dunno. My bronc bucked harder, but my time was shorter. There are different factors that go into the score, so it’ll be a coin toss if I move on or not. Won’t know ‘til the end of the day. Anyway, I got ‘bout half an hour ‘til my next one and I’m fuckin’ starvin’.” Looking down at his girl, he smiled, “How ‘bout you?” When she smiled with a nod, he stepped out of her arms, presented his elbow to her, then the lot of them went in search of something besides hot dogs.
Being that they were right outside Vegas, it wasn’t hard. They found a barbeque vendor that sold beer as well, so they got lunch from there. They were at a picnic table off to the side, when Elizabeth looked up to say something to Rick. She froze solid, choking on her chicken with the whimper that got caught in her throat.
Xander looked down at her when he heard her choke, giving her back a few hard pats. “Whoa, Little Darlin’. You alright?” When she didn’t say anything, he turned to gaze in the direction her eyes were locked. His eyes sparked when he spied what he had assumed she saw. “She ain’t shit, Baby Doll.”
Finally clearing her throat, she took a deep breath and shook her head. “No, not her. That little bitch don't deserve the brain power required to do a cunt punt.” Xander blinked at her, knowing she had a mouth on her, but that was the first time he had ever heard her say something quite like that. The other boys looked at her with varying looks of shock, Wyatt actually having to turn his head so he didn’t spit his beer in Xander’s face. Then she lowered her voice. “Look who she’s with.”
All five guys turned back to look at where the town whore from back home was standing, wrapped up nice and tight around the arm of a guy. Had they seen him in any other situation, they would have thought he swung for the home team. Rick was the first one to recognize him, his mind flashing back to the night that he damn near broke the bastard’s skull on the concrete breeze way back in New Y
ork.
“Oh, that mother fucker.”
When Rick went to stand up, Wyatt grabbed him by the back of the neck, slamming his ass back down on the bench. “Don’t.” When Rick looked back at him, Wyatt jutted his chin over to the other side of the walkway. “He doin’ it on purpose. Look.” Everyone glanced over to where he was indicating and saw some security guards and a couple of Vegas police officers. “You go over there your ass’ll land in jail right ‘long with ‘im.”
Rick glared hard, but gave in and stayed seated. “So, we ain’t gonna do shit ‘bout this?”
Wyatt cocked a brow at him, but before saying anything, there was an announcement calling for the riders that were in the barrel race qualifier. Looking over at Xander, Wyatt smirked. “Y'all better get a move on, Steele. I’ll take care of this.”
Xander raised a brow as he stood up. “What you up to?”
Wyatt chuckled. “You know better. I tell ya, they start usin’ terms such as premeditated in court. Go, Xander... now.”
Xander looked at him for a moment longer before nodding. After helping his girl up, he led her away from the table as Wyatt, Lee, Nik, and Rick stood up.
Rick looked at Wyatt. “What are you doin’?”
Wyatt just smirked at him. “If I wouldn’t tell Steele, what the fuck makes you think I’ma tell you? Now, come on. I’ma need y'all to lend a hand right quick, then distract the law.”
Looking at each other a moment, they shrugged before taking off after Wyatt. It wasn’t like it really mattered what his plan was. Any of them would go to bat for Xander and his girl in a heartbeat. Hell, two of them went to jail for him once; they had no problem doing it again.
Chapter 39
Xander had just finished his run and left the corral when Hoss cut him off on his way back to the stables. Pulling Rocky to a stop, he set his hand on the horn, giving Rocky’s neck a pat to settle him back down. “What’s up, Hoss?”
Andrew held up a flyer. “There a brawl goin’ on and only three of them boys withcha showed back up at the stables.”
Grabbing the paper from Andrew, Xander took one look at it before jerking Rocky’s reigns around, heeling him in ribs. He spurred the horse into a full sprint as the flyer of Brandon Westfall’s wanted poster floated to the ground.
Hoss crossed his arms as he watched Xander weave his horse through the mass of people, right toward the fight that the police were having a hell of a time breaking up. Cocking a brow and smirking widely, he chuckled. “Thought so.”
Xander didn’t pull Rocky to slow until the big ass fight was in view; law enforcement was everywhere. Pulling his horse to a stop, Xander stood up in the stirrups, trying to see over the heads and bodies for his dumbass friend, but couldn’t see him anywhere. Biting his lip, he took a deep breath before yelling, “Wyatt!”
Rocky started to back away from the fray, the volume level spooking him. Xander tugged the reins to turn him back when he heard his name called from his right. Veering that way, he saw his friend leaning against a tree, watching from a perfectly safe distance with a smirk on his face.
Pushing himself off the tree, Wyatt clasped his hands behind his back while strolling toward Xander. “Did you know that a picture is worth a thousand words, and if you put a picture containing the words ‘domestic violence and bail jumping’ in the grasp of two hundred and fifty southern-raised Mama’s boys, this would be the end result? ‘Cause I had no idea.”
Xander dropped down hard on the seat of his saddle... just stared at him, shaking his head. “What the fuck?”
Wyatt shrugged with a small chuckle in his throat. “This is what I’ve been tryin’a teach ya since we was little, Xany Boy. You don’t always need to use your own fists to get the desired results. Just call me the new age, ‘backwoods hick’.” Wyatt glanced off to the side, watching the fight for a moment longer before snorting. “Can’t wait for this shit to make the news tonight.” Looking up at Xander, heasked hopefully, “Think they killed him?”
Xander shrugged as he turned Rocky away from the scene and tapped his ribs. “I fuckin’ hope so.”
Later that night, the boys were watching the news, waiting to see what was said about the brawl at the arena that afternoon. Elizabeth was in the shower, just wanting it all to be over.
After she got out, dried off, and put on her underwear, she was digging around in her toiletry bag for her lotion when her fingers closed around something else. Pulling it out, she stared at it in confusion for a minute before her eyes went wide. She dropped it like it burned her while jumping backward into the wall, making a bang that could be heard in the other room.
Xander’s head snapped to the bathroom door, brow drawn down in concern as he called out, “everythin’ alright, Little Darlin’?”
Ignoring him, Elizabeth continued to stare in horror at the innocent little object, her head shaking back and forth, ‘no’ falling from her lips over and over again. Hearing her name again snapped her out of her horrified shock enough to run out of the room, but not enough to put on anything other than the bra and panties she was wearing.
The boys watched as she tore across the room to the bedroom, shoulder checking the door before the sounds of all matter of shit could be heard slamming into the walls. Xander blinked a few times before he excused himself, to try and get her calmed down enough to tell him what was going on.
When he got to the door, he glanced inside the room, only to see her ripping clothes and everything else out of both their bags. He had to duck more than once to avoid getting hit with a projectile. Each time he called to her, but each time she completely ignored him.
When she ran out of shit to throw, just standing there with her fingers in her hair, he tried again. “Elizabeth!” That seemed to catch her attention. When she was finally looking at him, he asked, “What the hell is the matter, Little Darlin’?”
She stared at him for a second before her back went ramrod straight. “My purse... where’s my purse?”
He blinked at her once. “On the table by the couch where ya left it.” Before he was able to once again ask what was wrong, she darted past him, snatching her purse from the table the second it was within reach.
Digging around in it far too long for as uptight as she was, Elizabeth finally growled, turned it upside down, and dumped it all over the floor. She dropped to her knees, batting shit she wasn’t after out of her way ‘til she saw it. Snatching what the boys thought was a makeup case, she opened it, letting out a cry before turning back to the floor... this time in hunt of the daily planner that she carried. Snatching it up when she found it, she flipped the pages while shaking her head again. “No, no, nononononononono...”
Xander dropped his head back on his shoulders, sighing before going over to his clearly freaked out girlfriend. He crouched down to grab her shoulders, forcing her to finally look at him. “Elizabeth, Baby Doll, what the fuck is wrong?”
She looked at him like he was an idiot, like he should already know that answer. Turning the birth control pill case to face him, “see these?” He nodded, so she continued. “These are period pills. There is blood with the period pills. There is always blood with the period pills.” Snatching a tampon off the floor, she pointed it in his face. “These stop said blood from aforementioned period pills. For nine fuckin’ years there has been stopping of blood from the period pills.” Then her voice started to get louder the more worked up she got. “There is not now, any blood to stop from the period pills. There is no blood from the... Oh my god... there is no blood from the fuckin’ period pills. Xander, there is no blood while taking the period pills!”
Xander just stared at her, his mind in a fog as to what the fuck she just settled in his brain. Finally, he nodded slowly and spoke even slower. “I caught that, Sugar Britches.”
The other guys in the room just stared at them as they, too, figured out what the hell the little lady was freaking out about. The only one with enough balls to say anything at the moment however, was Wyatt.
/> “Huh, well, that is one reaction to a baby you never actually see on television.”
At the word ‘baby’ Elizabeth whimpered, and Xander looked at Wyatt out of the corner of his eye. “Out.”
“So, now isn’t the best time for congradu...”
Xander cut him off. “NOW.”
With a wide smirk, Wyatt stood up from the couch and nodded. “Maybe later then.”
Once the others were gone, Xander turned back to his girl before dipping his head, trying to catch her eyes. They were now full of tears, some even making the escape to slide down her cheeks. Shaking his head while cupping her face in his hands, he used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the tears away. “Oh, Baby Doll, don’t do that.”
Lifting wet eyes to his, Elizabeth sniffled. “How did this happen?”
Xander cocked a brow at her. “Well, when a man puts his pen...”
Scoffing at him, Elizabeth pulled away and stood up. “What the hell is wrong with you? This is serious, Xander.”
Xander stayed right where he was, nodding in agreement. “Sure, but why that gotta make it bad?”
Blinking at him, she shook her head. “What? Xander, are you fuckin’ insane?”
Xander hummed in his throat. “You’d be surprised at how often I get asked that. But, seriously, why this gotta be the end of the world? It ain’t like I'm gonna abandon ya or nothin’.” When he saw something pass through her eyes, he snorted. “That’s what ya thought, wasn’t it?”
When she wouldn’t meet his eyes, Xander gave an incredulous chuckle, his eyes seeking the ceiling. “What happened to the smart girl I went out with that first time?” Moving to stand in front of her, he crooked a finger under her chin, lifting her face to his. “Why the hell would you think that I could walk away, just like that?”
Shrugging, Elizabeth dropped her eyes. “Your lifestyle ain’t all that conducive to kids, Xander, and you’ve been doin’ it way longer than I’ve been around. I can’t ask you to...”
Xander covered her mouth while smirking at her. “Hush it up, Little Darlin’. When you gonna figure it out? I like to ride, sure, but I love you. You ain’t ever asked me for shit, Baby Doll, and you ain’t askin’ now. So I retire a little sooner than I thought; big fuckin’ deal. Trust me when I say, I don’t care. Let me ask ya somethin’. Do ya even know where the different events started?”
