by Jordan Marie
“What’s that, Hell Cat?” Crusher asks. He gets up and goes to her. I just let it happen. Nicole has those damn girly tears in her eyes, and there’s only so much a man can do here.
I watch as Dani falters back a step, but she manages to stand still and look Crush in the eye.
“I admit that I’m yours. I was yours then. I…I…”
“Say it, Hell Cat. Say it,” Crusher says, and the emotion in his voice is so thick, a man would have to be struck stupid to not to feel it.
“I’m yours now,” she whispers, her voice so quiet you can barely hear it.
Crush kisses her forehead gently.
“That’s my angel,” he whispers.
Dani has tears falling down her face, Nicole does too. Motherfucker, my club is turning soft. I shake my head in disgust, even though I’m happy with what has just happened.
“Go on back to your room angel, I’ll check on you when we’re done.”
“But…,” she argues looking at Crush and then around him at me. I can’t give anything away, so I do my best to remain expressionless.
Crush touches her under the chin and brings her eyes back to his.
“I’m proud of you angel, don’t worry. I’ll do what I need to do, and then I’ll come to you.”
She swallows slowly and nods before walking out of the room, with her head down.
“Hell Cat?”
She stops, but doesn’t turn around.
“My woman doesn’t look down. Remember?”
Dani’s back stiffens and her head raises. “I won’t forget.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Just get your shit done, Zander, and quit busting my ass,” she says.
It has none of the old fire that Dani used to have, but she gives a damned good attempt. I can’t help but smile either. Nicole winks at me, and I shake my head at her. The girls leave and the door closes. Crusher goes back to his seat, but motherfucker, the son of a bitch is crying. There are tears around his eyes, and it seems so out of place on him. How long have I known Crusher? Longer than any of them, and I can’t name one time when he’s cried. He always appeared the laid back one, but Crusher is ice cold when it comes down to it. He always has been. Fuck. He’s totally gone for Dani. From what I’ve just seen though, maybe that’s what they both need. I clear my throat.
“Vote. Starting with Bull. Do we take Crush’s patch? Aye or Nay, motherfuckers.”
Crush sits staring every one of us straight in the eye.
“Nay,” Bull says.
“Nay,” Freak, Hawk, and Dance join in.
“Nay,” Nailer and Six join, having been patched in right after Frog’s funeral. I breathe again. I didn’t want rid of Crush, but a man has to do what is called upon him.
“Demotion of position. Aye or Nay?”
Bull stares at Crusher and the two exchange a wordless conversation of sorts before Bull sighs his answer, “Aye.”
Hawk nods, “Aye.”
Freak shakes his head. “Fuck, no.”
Crush shoots him a half smile, but shakes his head.
Dance looks up at Crush and out of them all, his voice surprises me. “Nay. I’d have done the motherfucking same, man.”
“Two for and two against. That leaves it in your hands Nail and Six.”
“Fuck, sorry man. Aye,” Nailer says. Crusher nods in response.
Six looks around shaking his head. “Son of a bitch, sorry man. Aye.”
Demotion. I don’t disagree with the vote. At the same time, as much as I probably would have voted the same way, I’m not sure how I want to handle it. President has the final say, but I can’t say I totally disagree, so I don’t feel the need to override their decision.
Diesel, Skull, and Torch would all sniff blood if they thought the club was weak. I can’t let that shit stand. At the same time, if I was Crusher? Would I have handled things differently? I think on it.
I would have. Nicole is my woman, and I’d move heaven and hell to get her back safe that is no doubt. Still, I would have made sure the club knew every move I made. I would never charge in without back up. I wouldn’t kill without properly cleaning up my shit. Even if he had just burned the old barn down to get rid of the body, it would have been better.
“You charged into a hostile environment without calling on brothers for backup. You left a body for others to find without taking precautions to cover our asses. You called me out. You disrespected me in front of other clubs. You defied direct orders. I can’t let it slide. I won’t. Demotion granted.”
Crusher nods with a grim smile. He expected it.
“Dance, you’ll move up to VP. All those in favor say Aye.”
A chorus of Aye’s go through the room, including Crush’s.
“Meeting adjourned,” I growl, slamming the gavel against the table.
The men start filing out, all slapping Crusher on the back. Finally, when everyone has left Crusher remains sitting.
“Crush, man…”
“I get it brother, I’m not here to plead my case. I fucked up. I get it.”
I nod, because fuck, what can I say?
“I need something from you, and I realize I’m at the top of your shit list, but still I need this.”
“Name it, brother.”
“I need to leave.”
“Damn it, Crush…”
“Not permanently. I’m going to take Dani away for a month. She needs to recover, and she can’t do that here. I don’t want to leave the brotherhood man. I just need time to help my woman mend.”
“She’s it for you?”
“She’s the motherfucking world.”
I slap him on the back. “You got it then, man. Take her out to the club’s house in Tennessee, on Douglas Lake. I’ll clear it with Diesel.”
“Thanks, Drag,” he says getting up. “Man? For what it’s worth? I’m sorry.”
“I get it man. I got a woman, too.”
He nods and walks to the door, he stops with the door halfway open. “Hey, Dragon? Kavanagh has a father. There could be blowback. My woman can’t handle any more of that shit.”
“Already being monitored.”
“You’ll let me know?” he asks.
“You’ll be the first.”
“Thanks, brother,” he says and closes the door.
It opens a few minutes later and Nicole walks in and locks the door. She’s wearing a baby blue sundress that matches her eyes. Her hair shines in the light. Beautiful.
“What are you doing here, Mama? Didn’t you break rules enough coming in during the meeting?”
She walks over to me, her face soft.
“I thought you would be tense after your meeting. I wanted to offer to help,” she says quietly, going to stand behind me massaging my shoulders.
“How you figure that?” I ask, closing my eyes.
She leans down so her lips are against my ear and whispers, “I thought this time I’d let you fuck me on the table.”
My dick is definitely standing at attention now.
“Get on the table, Mama.”
“You’ll have to pull out though,” she says, sitting up on the table. She lifts the dress over her head, and I’m not a bit surprised to see she’s butt-ass naked underneath.
“Told you how I feel about that, Mama,” I argue, already standing and taking my clothes off.
“I know. That’s why you have to pull out, because ever since you mentioned it, I’ve thought of nothing else.”
My dick stands up and cheers in reaction. Fuck.
38
Dragon
One Week Later
It’s been a long ass day. I’m bone tired. We brought Dom home today and had a welcome home party at the club. It was good, but instead of getting to be with my woman and son, I’m trapped talking with Diesel. He’s heading back to Tennessee tomorrow, and Dani and Crusher will be going with him. I don’t want my brother to go. We have shit to settle, but I think he needs the time away, and I know Dani could use
it. I’m hoping it helps them. I was against them two getting together, but maybe they’ll settle each other down.
I open the door to our bedroom, immediately closing and locking it. I lean against the door for a minute and drink in the peace that instantly surrounds me. When Nicole was staying at Dance’s, the place was…empty. Just having Nicole here, her presence makes the entire place different.
I turn and see Nicole breastfeeding our child. It takes my breath away. This is mine. What the fuck did I do? What did the man upstairs find in me that he thinks I deserve this? Hell, I’m jaded as the day is long. I’ve seen shit that would make lesser men checkout of life without a backward glance. Worse, I have done shit in life. I have so much motherfucking blood on my hands that I will never be clean. Still, with all of that, I have something in my grasp that is pure and beautiful. How the fuck did that happen? I can’t begin to guess, but I’m sure not going to let it go. My world is wrapped up in this woman and our son.
“Dragon?” she questions and shit, I can’t remember my own name, let alone anything else right now.
“I want to be here whenever you feed Dom, Mama.”
“Not sure that’s practical, sweetheart.”
“Fuck, practical. I need to be here.”
“Dragon? Are you okay?”
“Just when I think I’ve got to know how good life is with you Mama, something else happens.”
“Drag…” she begins, while she moves our son from her breast, lays him against her chest, and gently pats him. I don’t let her finish.
“I’m not a praying man; I’ve seen too much and done too much. But, every fucking day, I want to get down on my knees and thank my maker for you. I was dead inside before you, Mama. Dead. You wouldn’t stop until you uncovered the bullet holes and patched them, made them go away. Now? Fuck, woman. The sight of you feeding our child… To see evidence of the way you completely love me and our son, not just once in a while, but with every breath you take… I don’t have words. I don’t have a way to tell you what you are to me, Nicole. I don’t think the damn words have been invented. I love you is too easy, too small, to tell you what I feel. If I live to be a hundred and four there won’t be a day that I don’t need you to help me breathe.”
My woman has tears in her eyes, when I finish. I don’t know what I said. I do know it didn’t say what I wanted it to. I’m too fucking rough around the edges to give her the flowery speech she deserves.
She walks over to the crib and lays Dom down. When she’s done, she comes to stand in front of me. Her hand slides against my face and her blue eyes shine with tears, but also with happiness.
“I love you, too. Forever.”
“Forever,” I promise, and it’s more than a promise. It’s a motherfucking vow.
She pulls my lips to hers and whispers, “Home.” The words brush against my skin, and I feel it all the way to my soul.
Epilogue
Nicole
Two Months Later
My man is insane. He’s been after me for months. He wants a wedding. After the disaster of our first go around, you would think that he would have had enough. I know I have. If I never see another wedding dress, worry about bridesmaids, hear another bridal march, or ever see my man in a suit again that would still be too soon. I decided we should just go on like we are. I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me that Dragon and I belong to each other. He, however, refuses to go along with my plan. So, after two months, he wore me down. I completely caved. Of course, I can admit that I did so after multiple orgasms. I lost count and maybe consciousness around number four. So, I agreed to anything he wanted. I only had one stipulation—one major stipulation. I told him it had to be the farthest thing from our first go around that he could find. I wanted nothing like that. I regretted it way before the actual catastrophe at the church. Huge church weddings are not what Dragon and I are. I wanted the perfect ending to our fairy tale. What I didn’t realize at the time, was Dragon and I aren’t a fairy tale. We’re real. We’re bigger. We’re better. We’re a freaking never-ending story, and it’s epic.
So, when Dragon said not to worry, I left it in his hands. The plane ride to Vegas wasn’t a surprise. The fact that all the Savage Brothers came along, save for the prospects watching the place back home wasn’t a surprise. The fact that Dani is here and smiling? It’s good. It’s not a surprise, because she’s been different since her and Crusher came home. I even see glimpses of that first beautiful girl who became my best friend years ago. The fact he had me pump extra milk so Dancer and Carrie can watch Dom tonight and part of the day tomorrow? Sweet, but not surprising. The limo ride to an all-night wedding chapel at eleven-thirty at night? Yeah, it didn’t even surprise me. Dragon having a dress waiting for me in the dressing room? Again, not a surprise. I’ll admit that when I saw I would be wearing a red leather dress, which was skin tight and ended barely below my thigh, a cut that said Property of Dragon, matching black stockings and a red garter, clearly visible with my fuck-me boots? I might have been a teensy bit surprised. The fact that my bridesmaids were in matching ensembles, except they were all wearing black with red garters, might have shocked me. I can’t lie. Then again, I’m figuring Dragon doesn’t give a damn. I have to say all the girls are gorgeous and hot as hell, even Carrie—who looks like she might pop at any minute. Hell, I look hot. I admit it. Still, nothing has been a surprise (clothes not withstanding) and even though it is different, the very moment Dani, Carrie, Nikki, and Lips leave to join the men outside, I get scared. What if we’re pushing it? What if fate doesn’t want Dragon and me to get married? My heart starts beating like crazy, my palms go sweaty, and I’m barely keeping it together. That’s when I hear it.
It’s a scream, melodic but a scream none the less and then the guitar rift kicks in and the music starts. I stand for a minute trying to place the song. When I do, I throw my head back in laughter. Just like that, the nerves are gone, and I leave the room, anxious to see my crazy ass husband-to-be.
I walk to a red silk covered aisle to the song ‘Heaven’s on Fire’, by Kiss. I’m still laughing, but when I look down at the end of the small runway and see my man standing beside what I can only assume is a Gene Simmons look-alike—with makeup, I lose it. I feel a touch on my arm and look up to see a very handsome Bull standing there with one single black rose. The color doesn’t shock me at all this time. How can it, when all of the Savage MC and their women are standing in front of me wearing leather and cuts. My man is standing tallest of them all, holding Dom in his hands. My baby is in pajamas that has an I, then a big red heart with mom under it. I take the flower, link my arm in with Bull’s, and walk towards my future.
When I make it to my man, he hands Dom over to Dancer. Dom protests just once before Dance produces his favorite squishy rattle. I give my rose to Dani, and when I turn back around, Dragon is staring down at me with this smile on his face, and I get lost in the deep, chocolatey depths of his eyes.
“You’re looking good, Mama.”
“You are so crazy, Dragon.”
“You asked for different, I aim to please.”
“I love you,” I answer. I’m so happy, I feel like I might explode.
“Are you ready to do this?”
“Completely.”
We turn together to face the…err…Gene Simmons?
“Dear freaks and psychos we are gathered here tonight to celebrate the union of Dragon and Nicole, so let’s get this party started. Nicole, do you promise to always take care of Dragon’s Love Gun? Do you promise to worship at the altar of Detroit, Rock City, forever?” he asks, using titles of Kiss songs, which at this point doesn’t surprise me at all.
“Love Gun?” I question Dragon, and he is smiling as big as I’ve ever seen.
“Hey, women like it when a man writes the vows, right?”
I shake my head, taking the ring Dani hands me and slipping it on Dragon’s finger. “I promise to love you and stay by your side, forever.”
Dragon kisses
my forehead.
“Dragon?” Fake Gene questions, and I expect more silly song title vows, instead, Dragon’s gets serious and he caresses the side of my face.
“Nicole, I was lost until you came into my life with that rocking ass and those sexy bare feet. I fell fast and hard, and I’ve never looked back. You keep me grounded, Mama. You give me a reason and a purpose to keep going. You are my life. You are the air I fucking breathe, woman. I promise I will love you in this world and into the next. I promise that I will protect, honor and spend my life doing my best to make you and Dom happy. Forever Mama, for-fucking-ever,” he says quietly, sliding a simple gold band on my finger that has a D and N engraved on it with a diamond in the middle of the interlocked letters.
I don’t even try to stop the tears that come.
“I love you, Dragon. I love you so much.”
“Does that mean I did okay?”
“Well, I did miss the hokey song titles and all,” I joke through my tears.
“Hmmm… I promise I will Lick It Up, and Uh! All Night. That better, Mama?”
I can’t answer, but then everyone around is laughing, so it’s not needed.
“Alright! If I can have your hands?” Fake Gene asks, and Dragon and I turn around to face him.
Fake Gene takes our hands, places his over them. “Then by the power invested in me by the State of Nevada, I pronounce you man and wife! Time to kiss the bride!” He yells and starts wiggling his tongue like crazy.
“Mama!” Dragon growls.
