“I just want to cook and share recipes.”
Branding was something I had never thought about.
“Your cooking is the shit and people are going to catch on to it once your blog takes off.” Alice agreed.
“But branding?” I didn’t even know where to start when it came to that.
“I have a couple of contacts you could talk to. Most of them are book blogs, but you might be able to get a better feel of what kind of blog you want from them.” Cora held up her phone. “I just sent you a friend request on Facebook. I’ll shoot you a message with the blog names you can talk to. I’ll let them know about you, though.”
I blinked slowly. What in the world was happening?
“Oh, girl. What if you get like sponsors and shit?” Alice squealed. “If you get some huge chocolate company to send you shit I am so raiding that box before anyone else.”
“Excuse me,” Cora called. “I think I get dibs on the box since I’m the one hooking her up.”
“Pregnant,” Alice replied simply.
“Fine,” Cora huffed, “but that only works until you pop that baby out,” she warned.
Alice wandered over to the couch with her cake and plopped down next to Cora.
I was sure whatever I did in life, it was going to involve food, but maybe it wasn’t going to be a conventional job like being a chef.
Cora might be onto something.
*
Chapter Seventeen
Freak
“Carnie Tested. Biker Approved.”
I grabbed a beer from the fridge and popped the top. “For the blog?” I asked.
Carnie nodded. “Yeah. I mean, that’s basically what all of these recipes are. I got a lot of the recipes from my Mom and Elle, but lately, I have been just making up recipes as I go.”
Two weeks ago, Carnie told me she was going to start a food blog, and she had been so excited. I didn’t care what she did as long as she loved it and didn’t have to leave me to do it.
“I like the name. You gonna have Raven do your branding and stuff now?”
She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around my waist. “She’s already working on it.”
“So, you weren’t really asking my opinion on the name.”
She shook her head. “Not really.”
I brushed a kiss against her lips. “As long as you like it, doll, then I like it, too.”
“Carnie!”
Oh, hell. “In the kitchen, Mom,” Carnie hollered.
Agnes walked into the kitchen and dropped her purse on the counter. “I have two things we need to discuss.” She held up one finger. “Your birthday is in one week. I know your sister is planning some wild girls night out, but I want to do something else for you. Can we do dinner before you go out and get white girl wasted?”
“Mom,” Carnie laughed. “I have no plans to get wasted or white girl wasted. Whatever that might be.”
Agnes waved her hand. “I’m not sure what it means either, but it heard it on the internet.”
I took a swig of my beer and raised an eyebrow. I didn’t even know that Carnie’s birthday was in a week. Her age hadn’t crossed my mind since we had fallen into bed together. Though I knew I was going to have to do something special for her.
Carnie laid a hand on my chest. “My birthday is Friday, by the way,” she whispered.
I nodded. “Totally knew that.”
She eyed me warily. “Sure, you did.”
Agnes clapped her hands. “Focus over here.”
“Can you tell she used to teach kindergarten?” Wendy laughed. She walked into the kitchen and pressed a kiss to the side of Agnes’ head. “Good morning, Mom”
Agnes patted Wendy’s cheek. “Hello, my favorite oldest. I’m here to plan your sister’s birthday dinner. Are you still planning a night of debauchery?”
I choked on my beer, and Wendy laughed.
“More like just a night out at the bar, Ma. You know, getting carded and acting like an adult for her twenty-first.” Wendy glanced over at me. “I was thinking of just making it a girl’s night, but I know that Freaky Deaky over there isn’t going to let that happen.”
“Me or Wrecker aren’t going to let that happen,” I pointed out. We still had no idea where the hell Bobby was, and with each day that passed, I worried more and more. What was he planning and when was he going to make a move again?
“So,” Wendy drawled. “I’ve already been scoping out bars in the area and talking with Slipper about which ones would be okay for us to go to.”
“Slipper,” Carnie scoffed. “She keeps getting more and more ridiculous with these names.”
I pointed across the room. “There is a bar right there. No need to go to one.”
Wendy shook her head. “There is, because Carnie needs to be officially carded on her birthday. It’s a rite of passage.”
I rolled my eyes. “Right.”
“It’s happening,” Wendy warned. “I'm talking to Wrecker about it today.”
“Good luck with that.” I doubted Wrecker was going to approve any of what she had planned.
“Back to the dinner,” Agnes called. “I don’t need anyone's permission because I planned on doing it here. I just need to know what you want to eat.” She folded her arms over her chest. “And my present to you is you don’t need to cook.”
“But I like to cook, Mom.”
Agnes wagged her finger at her. “No. You’re always in here cooking. You cook more than me and your aunt do.”
“I’m making stuff so I have a bunch of posts stock-piled for my blog.” She beamed up at me happily. “My first post is scheduled to go live birthday.”
“That chocolate cake you made two weeks ago?” That cake had been fucking Heaven. I had only managed to get one piece before the whole thing was devoured.
“Yup. Sort of like a happy birthday to me but with the whole world knowing.” She tapped her finger on her chin. “Or, whoever reads my blog.”
I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Everyone is going to read it.” At least, I thought so. I knew it was going to take a bit for the blog to take off, but I knew with Carnie putting so much of herself into it, it wouldn’t take long for people to catch on to it.
“What kind of food do you want?” Agnes demanded. “I need to start shopping for everything.”
“Cranberry and apple pie, whiteout cake, garlic mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and bacon wrapped filet,” Carnie rattled off. “I started with dessert because that’s the best part of a birthday dinner.”
My stomach growled, and I wished it was already Friday.
Wren stood by the pool table with her jaw dropped. “Is that what we’re having for dinner tonight?” She rubbed her growing belly. “You better make extras because Alice is over her morning sickness, and you know I’m always up for food.”
“Not tonight,” Carnie laughed. “For my birthday.”
“Yes, yes,” Agnes chanted. She grabbed her purse and hitched it over her shoulder. “Make sure everyone is here for it. All the girls and all of the guys.”
“Where are you going?” Wendy laughed.
“To buy the food, of course. I left your father outside in the car.” She waved to everyone and flitted out the door.
“How much you want to bet your dad isn’t in the car when she gets out there?” I chuckled. Jim was becoming a regular around the clubhouse helping out wherever he could.
Carnie shrugged. “If he’s not, you know if the keys are in the car, she’ll just drive herself.”
“Alice wants to know what whiteout cake is,” Wren called. She was looking at her phone with her fingers poised to type. “Though she said she’ll eat it because it’s cake.”
“White cake, vanilla custard, white Oreos, and white icing. Then cover the whole thing in white sprinkles.” Wendy held up a finger for each thing she listed off. “It is the bomb dot com.”
“Two desserts for your birthday?” I laughed.
Carnie nodded. “Hell yeah.
You only have a birthday once a year. Why can’t you have two desserts?”
Wrecker stuck his head though the front door. “Church in fifteen minutes,” he hollered. “Leo is here. Though your mom is inviting him to your birthday dinner, Carnie.” Wrecker smiled behind his bushy beard. “He said he’ll bring cannoli.”
Carnie buried her face in her hands. “Oh, my God. Only my mom would invite the mob to my party and think it was a good idea.”
“Wrecker,” Wendy called. She sprinted to the door and swung it open. “I need to talk to you about something.” She stepped outside and shut the door behind her.
“You really think Wendy is going to talk Wrecker into letting us go out for my birthday?” Carnie asked.
I didn’t think he would, but I wouldn’t have believed that Wrecker was amused by Carnie’s mom asking Leo to dinner. “I really don’t know, doll. I wouldn’t get my hopes up, though.”
She leaned into me and rested her head on my chest. “I’m okay either way. Do we really need to go out for my twenty-first and get rip-roaring drunk?”
I shrugged. “It is a sort of rite of passage, but if he says no, we can plan something here.”
She tipped her head back and smiled. “I guess as long as you’re with me, I don’t care what we do.”
“You’re gonna get drunk, doll, but I’ll be there to hold your hair back when you puke.”
She clutched her hand to her heart. “My Prince Charming,” she laughed.
I was anything but that, but if Carnie wanted to think that I was, I wasn’t going to argue with her.
Last I checked, Prince Charming didn’t fantasize about fucking his girl on the back of his bike. I think Prince Coming was a better title for me when it came to Carnie.
‘Cause God knew I lived to make her come and scream my name.
*
Chapter Eighteen
Freak
“Oh, God. Yes!” Carnie shouted.
“Say my name,” I grunted. My fingers dug into the soft skin of her waist, and I pulled her ass tight against me.
“Freak, yes, Freak!” she screamed.
I thrust hard and shot my load deep into her pussy. I collapsed on top of her and rolled to the side with my dick still in her.
“We can check that one off the list,” she panted. “And add it to the list of ones I want to do again.”
“Knew you would like it doggie style.” I brushed my hand over her tits and gave them a squeeze. “Though I do like watching your tits when I’m on top of you.”
“Is that why you reached around and grabbed them?” She pressed a kiss to the underside of my chin.
“Yeah. And I also wanted something to hang onto.”
“You were hanging on pretty good to my waist,” she laughed. “I’m going to have bruises from your fingers.”
My hands traveled over her stomach and caressed her waist. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No. It felt good.”
“I sometimes forget that this is all new to you.”
She leaned back and smiled. “Yeah, but I like when you forget. Then I know you’re enjoying it just as much as I am.”
“Trust me, doll, I always enjoy it as much as you do, if not more.” I glanced at the clock. “Fuck. We need to get ready. Your mom is going to be pounding on that door if I don’t get you to dinner on time.”
Carnie pouted as I pulled out of her and rolled off the bed. “No fair. It’s my birthday. I should be able to do whatever I want.”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of bed. “Come on.”
We walked into the bathroom, and I turned on the water.
“I already showered this morning, Freak.”
I cranked the water to hot and grabbed Carnie around the waist. “I know, doll. But I plan on making you a little bit more dirty and checking off another thing from your list.”
She perked up and rested her hand on my shoulders. “Is that so? Is that my present?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“Good, because for my birthday, I want you to do whatever I ask you to do when we’re out at the bar tonight.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“That sounds like it could be good and bad.” I could tell that Carnie had something she wanted from me tonight and the only way she thought she was going to get was this way.
“I promise it is nothing that is dangerous.”
“So within reason?”
She nodded. “And if you really don’t want to do it, then we won’t.” She held up her hand. “Naked scout’s honor.”
“Is that supposed to be better than scout’s honor?”
“Oh, yeah. Naked scout’s honor is way better.”
I reached up and squeezed her tit. “Well, naked scout’s honor is way more appealing.”
She grabbed my hand. “So, it’s a deal?”
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. “You got a deal. Now get in the shower so I can fuck you again.”
“Best birthday ever,” she shouted as she jumped into the shower.
I was hoping to make it the best ever.
*
Chapter Nineteen
Carnie
“Your mom just made plans to go over to Leo Banachi’s hotel room tonight and play cards.” Raven handed me a mysterious glass of alcoholic deliciousness. “I’m pretty sure all of the Fallen Lords are speechless right now.”
That was my mother. Making friends with everyone even if they were with the mob. “She’ll be okay, right?”
Raven nodded. “Should be. Your dad and Elle are going with her.”
I drained the glass and handed it back to Raven. “Is everyone done eating?”
I had laid a good foundation of all the delicious food Mom made in my stomach and was ready to head to the bar.
Freak was looking exceptionally handsome tonight, and there was one thing I wanted for my birthday from him.
“Load up!” Alice called. Even though Alice and Wren were pregnant, they still wanted to come to the bar to see me in my drunken glory. At least, that was what Alice kept calling it.
After I kissed my mom and dad goodbye, I made my way over to Leo with the courage of the three drinks in me. I told him he better not do any mobby stuff in front of my mom.
That was when I realized I was a tad tipsy.
Wrecker had overheard me, and Alice howled with laughter after we were all squished into a party bus and headed to the bar.
“You did not do that,” Wendy insisted.
I buried my face in Freak’s shoulder. I did. I so did.
“You hit a president of a motorcycle club and tell mob bosses what to do.” Cora patted me on the shoulder. “You sure do have some spunk in you, girl.”
“I need to drink more or go to sleep,” I groaned.
“More drink!” Slayer and Maniac shouted.
We pulled up to a bar ten minutes from the clubhouse and spilled out of the bus. “Did we really need a bus for a ten-minute drive?” I asked.
Freak put his arm over my shoulders. “Keeps us all together. I think that was the thing that convinced Wrecker to do this.”
“Stealing your girl,” Wendy called. She grabbed my hand and dragged me into the bar.
I gave a lame wave to Freak and had a huge smile plastered on my face.
This really was turning into the best birthday ever.
“Time to get you druuunk,” Wendy drawled.
We made our way to the bar where the bartender lined up seven shots.
I grabbed one and examined the lime green color. “What is this?”
“Apple pie shits!” Mayra yelled.
“I think you mean shots,” Raven laughed. “I may be drinking, but I am not drinking shits tonight.”
Mayra waved her hand. “You know what I mean. My mouth autocorrected.”
Cora counted down from three, and we all tossed back the shot.
“Wow,” I cringed. It was good but way too sweet for me.
“Let’s have
sex on the beach!” Wendy shouted.
I shook my head and felt the shot I had just taken go straight to my head. “Warm and fuzzy,” I mumbled. If I kept going this way, there was no way I was going to get my little gift from Freak I wanted. “I’ll take a sex on the beach, but first, I need to go to the bathroom.” I looked around for Freak. He was a few people down from me standing with the other guys, but his eyes were on me. “Bathroom,” I mouthed.
He nodded and was next to me in three steps.
He guided me through the crowded bar and down a dim hallway.
“You know how I said you had to do whatever I wanted?” I stumbled slightly, and Freak wrapped his arm around my waist.
“Yeah, doll,” he laughed. He pushed open the bathroom door, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Come in with me,” I whispered. I leaned up on my tiptoes and pressed a hot, wet kiss to the side of his neck. “I need you.” I nipped his ear. “Right now.”
“Doll,” he moaned. He wanted me, but I could tell he was fighting it.
“It’s my birthday, and you promised.” Yes, I was totally going to guilt him into coming into the bathroom with me.
“Anyone could walk in on us.”
And that what was making me want this so badly. The thought of being caught fucking Freak in a bathroom stall soaked my panties. “I know.”
His eyes flared with desire, and he pushed me into the bathroom. “It’s gonna be fast and hard,” he growled.
A tremor coursed through my body. Freak lifted me up, and I tightened my grip on his neck.
We stumbled into a stall, and he barely managed to get the door locked before I was pulling his shirt up and licking his chest.
“Fucking shit, Carnie,” he groaned. He pressed me against the wall of the stall and pulled his shirt over his head. He draped it over the door, and I licked from his nipple all the way up to the tattoo on his neck.
“I love this tattoo,” I whispered. There was something about it that turned me on and made me want to explore it with my tongue.
Fallen Lords MC: Books 7-9 Page 12
