Grinning slightly, I nod.
Prez was the first person to really draw me out of my shell. He knew what I needed, being young and confused. He could sense the anger inside, the need for blood occasionally to help keep the beast dormant. He would have me fight sometimes, especially with all of the working out I was doing. I bulked up quickly. I was damn near living in the gym when we first met. The lifting and running helped keep me from wanting to slaughter anyone who made a stupid remark or snide comment in my direction. They had no clue the type of person they were talking about, what I had been through, and what I had to overcome in order to survive.
“I was askin’ if you’re all right. You seemed far off for a whole minute. I remember what that glazed look means, Ares.” He grasps my shoulder in an affectionate squeeze. I tower over the older man, but he doesn’t worry. He’s shown me nothing but kindness. “Cain and I know ‘bout you carin’ for Avery and 2 Piece. Maybe you ought to talk to them ‘bout it?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
“This shit ain’t good to hold in, Ares.”
“I’m not discussing this with you or with Cain,” I declare, my gaze shifting between both of them.
Cain studies me, worriedly. “I’m here, brother.”
“Yeah, and it’s my own fuckin’ shit. If my dick shrinks up, I’ll be sure to find you.”
“All right, bro, we get it,” Cain mumbles and Prez nods.
I can’t believe we’re even having a conversation about this, for fuck’s sake. They should know nothing about this. Prez and Cain don’t really have a clue just how much I care for Avery and 2 Piece. At least I hope they don’t.
I believe 2 Piece has feelings for me. I could see it in his upset eyes just now. He’s confused and I need to talk to him about it, but not yet. He needs to calm down.
Once I speak about it with him, I can finally talk things over with Avery and see where her feelings are. I like to be up front and forward with her. Hell, if I even make it as far as getting to talk to her. I can see 2’s emotions bubbling up to the surface, but he’s stubborn as fuck and this could turn into something huge if I don’t approach him carefully.
Fuck I don’t even know the right way to talk about any of this with either of them. I automatically assume they will just accept me into their lives, and I don’t even have a clue if they care about me like I care about them.
I think deep inside, I do mean something to Avery. The way she kisses me makes me feel like I’m fucking flying. I get why 2 Piece calls her free bird; she gives you everything you need and yet you still have a serene feeling of freedom, like flying. Not to mention each time I’m inside her, it feels like fucking bliss.
“So are we havin’ the BBQ to celebrate still?” Cain inquires while rubbing his muscular stomach. Damn dude is always thinking about food. Surprised he isn’t three hundred pounds by now, with all of the muffins and junk he and London are always eating. He can eat more than me, and I’m like five inches taller than the brother.
Prez nods. “Tomorrow we’ll all celebrate! You boys deserve it.” He grins and walks back inside the clubhouse.
“I still can’t believe I got patched Enforcer this morning. To witness you take it off of your cut and then hand it to me was fuckin’ awesome. It means more coming from you, knowing you think I’m up for it. Thank you, brother, I know you had a hand in this.”
“Cain, it was all you. You earned that patch. In fact, let’s take Scratch out. You can break that new patch in and we can scare the shit outta the Prospect.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Can’t right now. I called London after church to tell her the news. She told me to get the fuck home to celebrate our own way.”
“Ah, sounds fun. Have a good one then. I’m gonna hit up the bar and maybe see if Spin feels like inkin’ me since I dipped out last week at the party.”
“Bet. I’ll see ya tomorrow then.”
“Ride safe, brother.”
“Yep, be easy.”
Chapter 4
Avery
The next day...
“London, I still can’t believe Cain let you drive his car.”
“Did I say he let me drive it?” She peers at me curiously.
“No fucking way! You took his car? Are you nuts?”
She shrugs, wearing a shit-eating grin and turns to walk into the grocery store. She’s lost her freaking mind. Cain is going to redden her ass like no tomorrow, and I bet she’s anticipating just that.
“This right here is why we’re such good friends. You know that, right?” I chortle loudly, walking quickly to catch up with her long legs.
“Because we both like to steal cars?” Her icy blue irises sparkle and I giggle.
“No, but this is pretty epic. I wonder if he’s figured it out yet.”
“Oh my phone will be blowing up like crazy when he does. Don’t worry, we’ll know.”
“You don’t think he would come here on his bike, do you? He still keeps his old bike at the club, right?”
“Fuck my life. If you see him, hide. I need to have a cake or something in my hands when he sees me. I know I can distract him if I promise he can lick something off of me.”
“And I thought I was the kinky one.”
“Please, bitch. You are so the kinky one! Speaking of, how is the deal working out with having Ares too?” She glances at me as she gets a shopping cart and starts walking toward the produce section in the grocery store.
“I don’t have Ares too.” I gaze at her a little confused.
I’ve shared some small details about what 2 Piece and I have worked out with Ares, but she doesn’t know the extent of it. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, can know just how much I really enjoy it. I don’t want anything to jeopardize what I have with 2 Piece. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life as I am here with him.
“You know what I mean. You do have Ares, by the way. You have both of them. It’s not just me Avery, everyone can see it.”
“Whatever. I have 2 Piece and I’m very happy with that.” I roll my eyes, throwing random shit in the cart to make a giant pasta salad for the BBQ the club is putting on this evening.
“Come on, Avery, tell me what it’s like to be with the freaking Butcher, of all people!”.”
“Shh, don’t call him that!”
“Why not? That’s what everyone calls him.”
“No, London. That’s what all the brothers who gossip call him. He’s not a butcher. He’s kind and gentle.”
“Ares? Is kind and gentle? He’s Mr. Control Freak who looks like this massive pissed off Savage all of the time, and you’re telling me he’s gentle. Don’t get me wrong, Avery, I like Ares a lot. He and Cain are really cool. Cain thinks of him as his closest brother, but it’s hard to think of him as anything but some of the horror stories I’ve heard whispered through the clubhouse.”
“Since when are you one to gossip? Usually you’re the one getting onto me about minding my own business.”
“I know, and I’m sorry about that. I guess no one really knows much about Ares besides the Prez. Ares is quiet and grouchy most of the time. I’m just really curious about him. I’m close to most of the brothers, but he keeps his distance.”
Huffing, I nod. “I know. I’m sorry for jumping down your throat. I just feel protective of him for some reason. He’s my friend, and I care about him.”
“You feel protective over the club’s badass Enforcer turned VP? You do know he got the nickname ‘The Butcher’ for a reason, right? Just please be careful with him, okay?”
“I will. I mean it, he’s sweet to me.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear he’s good to you. How’s 2 Piece deal with it all anyhow? I get that he used to be a playboy and all, but I would think he would be a little territorial over the one who finally anchored him. Cain said he’s been kind of weird, like distant and moody lately.”
I load up on some different bags of chips and dip as London strolls through the aisle, pushing the ca
rt beside me.
“Honestly, he has been kind of weird and quiet this week. Even with Ares and normally he just jokes around with him. We had this great time together last week and ever since, he’s just been kind of lost.”
I leave out the part that every time they’ve been in the same room, I catch 2 Piece staring at Ares like he wants to rip his clothes off and fuck him silly. I’m lost with this and have no clue whatsoever on what to say to either of them. I think Ares is clueless about it all. I only know what that look means because usually I’m the only one 2 Piece ever directs it toward.
I follow London to the check-out line. Prez gave us a wad of money to ‘get some BBQ shit together’ and hopefully we got everything he wanted. We pretty much picked up everything besides the kitchen sink.
I busy myself helping unload the cart. Pickles go on the conveyor belt, ketchup—Ares licking up my spine. I blink and set the mayo down next, hamburger buns—Ares tying my ripped shirt over my eyes. I breathe in deeply and huff as I drop a bag of chips remembering what it felt like to have them both in me at the same time. I always feel the most complete inside when I have them both like that. I know it’s wrong. I love 2 Piece so much. I would die for him if I ever needed to.
I’ve been screwed from the very start but just hadn’t realized it until we all became intimate together. I can deny it all I want, but it does no good. That first night he caught me in the hallway, I remember thinking he was going to kill me and then he put his fingers inside of me. My world tilted, and I’ve quietly watched him ever since.
Ares and I became friends and I had a little bit of a crush on him, I think. Sort of like the Beast from that Disney movie. The closer to him you get, the kinder he becomes. I think his idea of giving a woman a library is tying her up with belts and making her happy in a whole other way.
Now I’m stuck. I know I should stop asking 2 Piece to invite Ares into the bedroom with us, but I can’t seem to stop. Imagine you getting your first refreshing drink of spring water and then attempting to never drink it again. Fuck. I surely can’t feel that strongly about him. It’s not right. You don’t fall for two men, and you can’t have two men, at least not to keep.
I shake my head, loading the full white plastic bags into the cart. I have to stop this nonsense. I won’t cause problems with 2 and his brothers or in my relationship. 2 Piece has been more than enough for me to handle. Surely I can get back there with a little time away from Ares.
London and I head to Cain’s black Challenger. She pushes the cart and uses the little plastic clicker to open the trunk.
“Look, Avery, I’m sorry for crossing the line earlier. Are you okay? You’ve been really quiet, and silence isn’t normally your strongest feature.”
I burst out laughing. Looking at her, I can’t help it. She’s completely right. I’m normally a pretty big chatterbox. “I’m okay. Just thinking over some stuff. I’ll be fine, especially tonight. We have a party to plan!”
“Yes ma’am, it’s gonna be so much fun! I love having the brothers together and making good food. I hope to God Smile’s decided to smoke a brisket. I wish my brother would come around and get to know the club too, but he’s stubborn.” She’s told me about him before, I guess some chick pulled a doosie on him not to long ago and he’s been pretty depressed. I hate that she worries about him.
“Oh my God, that brisket is fucking amazing!”
“Hell yeah!” She smiles widely. “I’m going to go put the cart up.”
“Okay, lady.” I nod, shifting the groceries around the large trunk space so I can close the trunk properly. That’s how you know we bought a lot of food; Cain’s trunk is so big, he could probably fit a few bodies back here if he needed. Ugh, I don’t want to even imagine that one. Once I shut the lid, I glance up and jump, startled.
I bring my hand to my chest, my breath accelerating when I see the man waiting for me silently a few feet away. He has short black hair and bright green eyes, his face marred with a scar. It looks like someone stuck a knife in his mouth and sliced his cheek so he has a half permanent smile scar. It’s totally freaky.
“Umm, can I help you?” I ask and make my way around the car, placing the vehicle between us and not taking my eyes off of him. I remember the last time I ran into a Twisted Snake MC member not too long ago and got shot in my leg because of it. I want some sort of protection between him and me.
He grins, following me on his side of the vehicle toward the front where I’m now positioned.
“Yes’em, you can help all right.” The way he says it, brings chills to my skin and I swallow nervously.
There’s nothing really between us anymore, we’re face-to-face in front of the hood of the car.
“What do you want?” I suck up my nerves and question—bravely or otherwise—drawing on any bit of courage I have inside.
“You tell that rotten fuckin’ President of yours that we heard he has a new VP. Tell him we fuckin’ remember what happened to the real VP and he better get ahold of us.”
“You leave the VP alone.” I prop my hand on my hip, cocking it out a little and glaring spitefully. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are or where you get the balls to threaten my club and vice president, but you seriously need to back off.”
His eyebrow lifts and he grins an evil smirk, “That right? Your club? Huh. You close to this new VP?”
He steps closer to me and my eyes widen in panic. He’s way bigger than me. He could probably squash me with his boot and yet my dumb ass can’t keep my mouth shut for shit. I didn’t seem to have any problem being quiet for once in the store, now I’m a goddamn chatter box when it comes to defending Ares.
Luckily, I catch a glimpse of London sneaking up behind him. He lifts his plain heather gray T-shirt up, revealing a blade hidden underneath, leather holster tucked into his pants.
“Look, I’m not telling you anything about anyone. You should just leave before you piss off the club.”
Chuckling, he unsnaps his blade and I squeak. London counts with her fingers behind him and when she gets to her third finger she raises her leg up, kicking the shit out of the back of his knee.
He yelps, flinging forward and the only thing I can think to do is grab his head, slamming it into the hood of Cain’s car as London continues to kick him anywhere she possibly can.
She kicks him really hard in the kidneys as I’m struggling to hold his head down against the front end. “Fucking run, bitch! Get in the damn car!” She screams, eyes crazy and hair flailing around her like some nutty chick that’s ready to commit murder.
I release his sweaty head as he briefly drops to the ground, and then he starts to stand, his stance shaky. I feel my flip flops skid out from underneath me against the asphalt parking lot as I take off, but fuck if I let it slow me down.
I practically leap to the car door, ripping it open at the same time as London. We slam the doors shut and she cranks the loud engine over, the Challenger letting out a mean, nasty growl as it comes to life.
My door suddenly gets pulled open by the crazy man and London floors it as I scream. The tires spin and smoke. I swear we must have come off of the pavement with how hard she slammed down on that gas pedal. The backside of the car whips to the side, digging for traction, and my door swings for a second before it crashes closed as I’m thrown back into my seat.
I’m panting so heavily I may fucking hyperventilate. After a moment my body propels forward, flying toward the dashboard as London slams on the brakes.
“I don’t think so, motherfucker!” she hisses, turning the car in a one eighty and speeding back through the grocery store parking lot toward the scary looking man.
She clips him with the right front fender, his body making an audible thump as if we just ran over a large rabbit in the road.
“Holy shit, London! What the fuck are you doing? You can’t run him over. You will go to fucking jail, dude!”
“The hell I will. Cain won’t let that fucker talk!” she declares,
flooring it again, this time toward the clubhouse.
London turns the stereo up. It blares “Lydia” by Highly Suspect so loudly, my nose hairs vibrate each time the bass resonates.
I can see her arms visibly shaking as she clutches the steering wheel with both hands. She looks like she’s holding on for dear life, and I have a feeling if she were to let go of it, she would probably lose control and wreck the damn car.
We fly over the little hills on the old highway, and my nerves are dangling by a thread as I grip the oh shit handle tightly. Fuck, I could use some type of drug right now, and I don’t do drugs! I didn’t even do wild shit like this when I partied in college. I can’t believe she just hit someone with the fucking car!
London takes the turn to the clubhouse and the tires spin out as they meet the small gravel road leading to the compound entrance. She lays on the horn, blaring it when the gate comes into sight, and I lean forward bracing myself by holding onto the dash. It looks like this bitch is about to fly through the fucking gate if it isn’t opened. For the love of all things holy, Prez is going to kick our asses, I swear.
“London!” I call out, closing my eyes tightly, waiting for the impact to happen.
The car turns sharply and the tires screech as London slams on the brakes and I’m suddenly thrown into my door like I’m on one fucked up roller coaster ride.
London flings the car shifter into park as tears start to stream down her face. “I’ll be damned if some fuckhead thinks he’ll take me away from my baby. I’m pregnant and fuck if I don’t get to make it here to tell Cain before some douche canoe thinks he can come along and screw up my life!”
My stomach lurches as I hear her confession on why she went looney in the grocery store parking lot, running the guy over. I swallow and nod, then wrench my door open. I turn to stand, but my shaky legs fail me and I drop to the ground, puking all over the floor in front of me.
I just wanted some fucking BBQ today.
Chapter 5
Ares
Oath Keepers MC: The Collection Page 39
