Dice raised his hand “Count me in. My mom was happy to see me last time. It’d be nice to stop by again.”
Miles, our sergeant at arms, laughed and leaned back in his chair, running a comb through his dark hair. “Count me out. Pretty sure I’m a wanted man there.”
Last trip, Miles managed to get his ass thrown into some local town jail and we had to go break his ass out. Wherever he went, he seemed to bring trouble. The last thing any of us wanted was to go on another jailbreak all because this goon had a target on his back for authorities.
“By the way, how’s the shoulder?” I asked, since he had gotten shot during the escape.
He rolled his shoulder forward and backward. “Good as new.”
“We need someone to go with Dice,” Phil said.
“I’ll go.” Beast raised his hand, and the look of shock that crossed all our faces said enough. Beast did better on solo missions. He wasn’t exactly a man of many words, and he usually kept to himself. He came into the club as a prospect, and proved himself quicker than any other prospect in the history of the club. Still, nobody knew the life he lived before the club. He acted like that part of him never existed, and, because of his take no shit attitude, nobody ever questioned him.
“Alright,” Dice said with a big smile, patting Beast on the back. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Don’t touch me,” Beast said and Dice held his hands up, resting them back on the table.
“Be ready to leave tomorrow. And Dice?”
Dice turned his attention to Nick. “Yeah.”
“Tell your mom we said hi.”
Dice smiled. “Will do.”
“And Dice? Stay the fuck out of trouble. I swear to God if I have to bail either one of you out I’m going to fucking leave you there.”
“Hey, I had nothing to do with last time. That was all Miles.”
“It’s a gift,” Miles said, blowing on his fingers, and then rubbing them against his black shirt.
“We shouldn’t have any problems, then, should we?” Nick stated. “Kade, what about the doctor?”
“Done. We’re in. He’s a cocky, arrogant son of a bitch, but I made him see the light. Thanks to Hudson, we have enough information on him to put him away for life and trust me when I say he knows we can rat him out at any second. He has no choice. We have the sick bastard cornered.”
“Can we all agree that when we’re through with him we rat him out?” Cash said exactly what I was thinking. “I don’t like the fact that we’re working with him to begin with, but I have peace of mind knowing he can also get charged with writing illegal scripts when the time comes as long as it doesn’t get back to us.”
Braxton leaned forward; his dark eyes a complete contrast to the slicked back blonde hair he had pulled into a ponytail. “How do we know he’s not going to rat us out once he realizes he has no chance at getting out?”
I thought about that myself. He would have nothing to lose at that point, so why would he even hesitate to take us down? It was simple. “I made it known we have connections on the inside. Besides, if he gets us thrown in the slammer, his miserable life will be a thousand times worse. I would make it my life mission to break him: bones, body and soul.”
Nick smirked, and, though he would never come out and say it, I knew by the amusement in his eyes that he was satisfied with my answer. I didn’t need reassurance or a pat on the back for anything I did. I went my entire childhood never knowing what it meant to make someone proud. It was a foreign concept to me, but, now, every once in a while when I did pick up on it, it felt good, especially coming from a guy that was more of a father figure to me than my old man ever was.
“Anything else to discuss?” Nick asked, as he looked around the table.
I shook my head when his eyes skimmed across me.
“Let’s get out of here and go drink then,” he said and smacked the gavel down on the table.
Chairs skidded across the wood floors as everyone got to their feet. Dice stopped Beast, and was going over a game plan with him for the morning. Oh, to be a fly on that fucking truck wall.
Cash swatted my chest. “Twenty bucks, Beast breaks something on Dice by the time they get back.”
“That could be a losing bet,” I said, rubbing at the stubble on my chin. “Fuck it. Deal.” He held his hand out to me, and we shook on it. If it were more than twenty bucks, there’d be no way in hell I’d take the bet. Twenty bucks was chump change, though, and enough to keep things interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if Beast hog tied Dice in the back of the truck for the return trip.
Cash and I walked out the doors, and my eyes instantly landed on the bar. Sienna sat with her back to us, in a pair of tight jeans and a loose fitting black sleeveless top. She tilted her head toward Aubree, causing her blonde hair to fall to one side, revealing a bare back.
My cock hardened thinking of how soft that skin was, and how desperate I was to touch it again. She was getting that summer glow she always got when the weather warmed, and we saw a few less days of rain.
Cash headed to his old lady, and I followed, keeping my eyes on Sienna and only Sienna. She laughed at something Aubree said, and it shot desire right through me. Her laugh was one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard, and I didn’t care how much of a pussy that made me for thinking it.
Aubree spotted Cash, and jumped up, wrapping her arms around him. Cash didn’t waste a second, engulfing her in his much bigger frame and devouring her with one kiss. A smile spread wide across his face as he pulled back. Being in love looked good on him, and it made me happy for him. He deserved to be happy. Deserved to find someone who challenged him. Who would have thought that would come in a package of designer sun dresses and a personality with more perk than any of us have ever come in contact with?
I turned my attention back to Sienna, just as she swiveled on her stool and locked eyes with me. I wished things were different, and that she wasn’t Nick’s daughter, because I swear to God the way her lips parted when she looked at me… I was two seconds away from tossing her over my shoulder, and showing her all the reasons why we were perfect for each other.
“I was just leaving,” she said, pushing a glass across the counter. The clear liquid sloshed against the cup, which was odd since Sienna was a whiskey or beer girl. She never drank vodka. One bad experience in high school, and she despised the shit. She told me once when I tried to get her to do shots with me. I figured a girl like her would want something traditional, girlier per se, but not my Sienna. She went right for the whiskey, saying it was the only thing that didn’t give her a hangover. Go figure.
“Leaving so soon?” I asked, sidling up beside her.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She didn’t say anything to me. Instead, she turned to Cash and Aubree and said her goodbyes. She grabbed her bag and headed to the door without as much as a glance in my direction.
Cash shrugged his shoulders when I looked over at him like he’d be able to decipher the mysteriously frustrating Sienna Jacobs.
She gave Dice a wave, and that small gesture made my blood boil. I knew they were close. Most considered them brother and sister since Nick was hitched to Dice’s mom for a short time, but it still bothered me. I wished she could trust me the way she seemed to trust him.
Not ready to give up just yet, I casually made my way outside, making sure not to draw any attention to myself. Sienna was already halfway across the parking lot and, when the door shut, trapping everybody on the inside and leaving us alone out here, I jogged toward her.
I caught up to her when she got to her bike, and pressed my chest against her back. Her heat mixed with mine and the scent of her coconut shampoo invaded my senses, causing my jeans to tighten even more than they already had. “I hope you’re not leaving on my account.” I ran a finger up her bare arm, and I loved watching the trail of goosebumps it created along her skin.
Her back rose and fell, before she spun around and pushed against my chest, creati
ng way too much distance between us. “How many times do I have to tell you that it’s never going to happen again? It was a one-time thing, Kade. Can’t we just keep it at that? A good memory.”
I smirked and closed the gap she created. “It was more than a good memory, and you know it. Stop trying to fight this.”
“Fight what?”
“This attraction between us. It’s strong, and, if you can’t feel it, it’s because you’re turning a blind eye to it.”
She pressed her lips together into a thin line. “No. I don’t feel it because there’s nothing there on my side. I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel the same way, and I’d appreciate it if you stopped acting like a lovesick fucking puppy every time you’re around me. It’s going to ruin your image, and people are going to think you’re soft.”
I wrapped my hand around her waist, and yanked her against me, making sure she could feel my throbbing erection straining against my pants. “Oh, trust me baby, there is nothing soft about me.”
She shoved me again like it was her mission in life to get as far away from me as she possibly could. “Just stop.” Her eyes dropped to the ground and, when she blinked back up at me, her eyes were bursting with so much emotion that I was speechless.
Sienna didn’t do emotion. It’s why her threats never bothered me. But, seeing the battle in her pretty blue eyes made it absolutely clear that she did feel something. She just didn’t know how to accept it and express it. She’d rather hide behind her random one night stands, and live a life where she never gets close to anyone. I wasn’t a fucking moron. I knew her games, and, because of that, I was going to beat her at her own.
So, instead of giving her more of a fight like she expected, I stepped back and smiled. “Get home safe,” I said, as I walked away from her, back to the clubhouse, never once looking back.
8
Sienna
I was learning to control my morning sickness the best I could by eating crackers and avoiding anything that smelled awful. It didn’t keep the nausea away, but, for the most part, I wasn’t throwing my guts up every couple of minutes which was nice because there were only so many times you could claim food poisoning and a stomach bug.
The last time Dad caught me throwing up, I swore he was going to shoot up Chow May for making his princess sick for the umpteenth time. It took a lot of convincing on my part that it wasn’t the food again, but a bug I caught from a customer.
Luckily, my clothes still fit and I really hadn’t gained any weight. If anything, my legs were looking thinner. Probably from being sick so much. It was one less thing I had to worry about, but I knew the time would come when I couldn’t keep this a secret anymore. When I would have to come clean with Dad and confess the truth. I dreaded the day. I had no idea what I was going to say, or how I was going to hide who the father of my baby was. I would cross that bridge when the time came.
I ran a hand over my bare stomach, and stared at my reflection. It still amazed me that something was growing inside of me: a little person that would be different pieces of Kade and me. The doctor said everything was looking good, and, in a couple more months, I’d be able to find out the sex of the baby if I wanted to.
I wasn’t sure if I’d want to know. Once I did, it would become very real. Too real. There’d be no more denial, and no way to pretend that my life wasn’t about to completely change. A part of me hated Kade for this. It took two to tango, but he was the guy and it was his responsibility to wrap his shit. We were both so drunk, though. I bet he doesn’t even realize it to this day that he never wore protection. If he did realize it, I’d imagine there would have been a very uncomfortable conversation after the fact and we never had that. Thank God.
So, it actually worked out for the best. He didn’t remember and, for all he knew, I slept with someone else within that same timeframe. He never had to know the truth.
I slipped into a black Harley Davidson t-shirt with slits in the back, and a pair of skinny jeans, before heading downstairs. Dad would be down in fifteen minutes, and I wanted to have breakfast started for him when he did.
Eggs and bacon were out of the question, so I got to work making blueberry pancakes. They weren’t Dad’s favorite, but I was trying to get him to eat more fruits and vegetables. He was getting older now, and a diet of processed meats and junk food was not going to help him live a long life. I needed him around and now with a baby on the way I think, as much as I hated to admit it, I would need him more than ever.
He'd been through this before when I was born, and the advice would be a blessing… once I finally get to the part of actually telling him.
The batter bubbled, and I flipped the first batch of pancakes before cutting up some melon. Dad walked in the kitchen and kissed my cheek, his beard scratching my skin. A feeling I’d grown accustomed to. In the twenty-five years I’ve been alive, I have never once seen my father with a clean shave. Never even seen a picture unless you count the ones when he was on the playground.
“Morning, princess. What do you have going here?” he asked, peering over my shoulder to the pan. “Mmm, blueberry pancakes.” The tone in his voice didn’t sound too thrilled, and I laughed.
“Blueberries are good for you. They’re full of antioxidants, and better than that shit you eat when you’re working.”
“Nothing wrong with a burger and fries. We’re American. It’s like the food of champions.”
“Funny. Now, go sit and read the paper. I’ll bring your food over when it’s done.”
“Next time, chocolate chips,” he said.
I spun around and pointed the spatula toward the kitchen table. “Go sit.”
“I taught you well,” he said, with a smile that warmed my heart.
I watched him as he took his usual seat at the table and lifted the newspaper. I imagined what it would be like when this baby was here and a part of our world. Would he or she sit on Dad’s lap and pretend to read the paper with him? Would Dad, the big burly man bear, swap his paper out some days to play race cars or dolls?
The future always scared me. It wasn’t something that you could prevent from coming, but to be oblivious to it was always my tactic. Take each day at a time and whatever happened, happened. But those visions, for the first time in my life, made me happy for what was to come.
Telling Dad would be hard, and he might be angry and disappointed, but I knew once the water settled, he’d be there for me just as he always had. He would be an amazing grandfather, and this kid would be damn lucky to have him.
Without even realizing it, I had rested my hand on my stomach. I gave it a gentle caress, and then the smell of burning pancakes brought me back to the present. “Shit,” I muttered as I quickly scooped them out of the pan.
“Since when do you burn anything?” Dad asked as he turned the page of the paper.
I didn’t. Cooking was sort of my thing. I started in the kitchen very young with Mom and, after she died, I took over preparing all the meals. Once I discovered Food Network, I started experimenting with different cuts of meats and different spices. I didn’t burn things because, when I was in the kitchen, I got sucked into another world. It was like my safe heaven. Unfortunately, I’ve had so much on my mind that my safe haven was turning into the only place where I could have any rational thoughts.
“Got distracted,” I said, inspecting the pancake happy to see they were just a little brown and not black. Nothing a little syrup couldn’t fix.
I made up two plates, and placed the melon in small bowls, then brought them out to the kitchen table. Dad folded the paper back together and grabbed his fork.
“Melon, too? Are you trying to kill me?”
“Quite the opposite actually. Eat it…”
“It’s good for me. I know,” he groaned.
“I need you around for another fifty years, at least, so eat up.”
“Fifty?” he barked out with laughter. “I’ll be lucky if I make it another twenty.”
“I’ll keep you healthy,
” I said.
Dad put his fork down on the table, and looked up at me, concern etching the corners of his eyes.
“What is it?” I asked, feeling a pit in my stomach.
“It’s not your job to keep me healthy. Hell, it’s not your job to be looking after your old man.”
“I don’t mind,” I assured him.
“I know you don’t. I just want to make sure that you don’t feel obligated to be here with me. You can leave whenever you want. Go live your own life, and start taking care of just you.”
“Are you trying to kick me out?” I asked.
“No. Of course not. You’re my princess and, if I had my choice, I would keep you here forever. But I know that’s not fair to ask of you.”
“Like I said, I don’t mind.”
He let out a deep breath. “You’re too good to me.”
“I have to say you are damn lucky. I am pretty amazing.” Dad and I never did the sappy thing, and I felt like it was leaning that way. We said what we needed to say, and I was happy to know that he didn’t expect me to take care of him. And, because of that, I knew how much he appreciated the fact that I did.
He wrapped his big hand around my neck, and pulled my forehead to his lips, pressing a kiss there. “Just remember, you can leave whenever you want.”
“I know, but, for now, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me. Now, eat your damn melon.”
A loud boisterous laugh roared out of him. “Shit, thought that was my ticket out of it.”
“Think again, old man.” He reluctantly forked a piece into his mouth, and made a face the entire time he chewed. Sometimes, I felt like I was dealing with a five-year-old and not a fifty-two-year-old man.
I only ate a few pieces of my own melon. The texture wasn’t doing it for me this morning. I moved onto the pancakes and, after a few bites, looked up at Dad. He was my father, and I loved him with all my heart. Respected him and trusted him, but every now and again I would remember the one thing that he did that made me so angry that whenever it popped into my mind I could barely bring myself to look at him. It had been years since the day my mom died, and years since he disappointed me for the first time in my life.
Bulletproof (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #2) Page 6
