by Brook Wilder
It was like lighting a ring of fire. Prescott knew this would happen, that the men would be enraged. He would do anything to have Al dead, but he also knew one thing; they were severely outnumbered. If they were going to plan Al’s murder, they had to do it right. “Men, calm down,” Prescott said, getting up, his hands balled up into fists. But the men wouldn’t stop their protest. They were talking amongst each other, yelling things about killing Al off and saving the club from impending disaster. “Hey! Shut the fuck up!” Prescott roared. A silence washed over them. The men looked at him, and, realizing the fire in his eyes, stopped speaking.
“Now, we need to plan this right,” he said, calmer this time.
“And how will we do that?” one of the men asked.
“The rest are a much larger number than we are,” Shaft said.
“They won’t believe us,” Prescott added. “We need to be smart about this, we need to slowly leak the information for them to discover,” he said.
The men nodded in agreement. They realized the gravity of the situation just as much as Prescott or Shaft did, and they knew that causing an uproar wasn’t the smartest tactic at this point. “We’re going to have to meet again as soon as possible, but until then, no one can know about this, and no one can make a huge fuss about it, either.” Prescott searched the men’s faces for a reaction. “This stays between us for now, and if anyone flies off the handle about it, shit’s gonna go down.” He got up, nodding at Shaft and the rest of the men, and then made his way for the door.
Prescott was followed by Shaft, who grabbed his arm and pulled him aside when the meeting was over. “Hey, take it easy, you know how all plans have to go haywire at the end,” he said, leaning in close to Prescott.
“This one can’t,” Prescott turned to him, his eyes wide. “This plan has to stay intact, and those men can’t fuck up. There are only so many of us, it shouldn’t be too hard to keep an eye on all of them.”
Shaft nodded. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Did you need anything else?” Prescott asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“I want you to take good care of Della these days,” Shaft said, his voice winding down to a whisper. “Word’s going around that this scumbag is skulking around the clubhouse.”
Prescott stared at Shaft, his eyes wide. “What the fuck is he doing here?” he asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Shaft said, placing a hand over Prescott’s shoulder. “I’m just warning ya, just so you could keep an eye out for this guy. He sounds like trouble.”
Prescott nodded. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. All he knew was that he was going to keep Della safe. He was going to keep his promise, no matter what.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Hello?” Della said, her head cocked to the side.
“Hey,” Kate said. “How’ve you been?” she asked.
“Good, good,” Della replied, trying not to give into the awkwardness of the phone call. “I was wondering, would you like to come over for some coffee? It’s been a long time since we’ve last caught up,” she said.
There was a pause. “Sure,” Kate said. She was never the type to give one-word answers, especially with Della. “What time?” she asked.
“What kind of a question is that? You can come over anytime,” Della said, rolling her eyes.
“Alright,” Kate said. “I’ll see you in a few.”
A little under an hour later, Della’s doorbell rang. She tiptoed to the door, looking through the peephole as she always did, and opened the door, wrapping her arms around Kate as soon as she saw her standing there. “I’ve missed you,” Della said, her arms tight around her best friend. She buried her face in Kate’s shoulder, taking in her familiar smell. A part of her felt like Kate didn’t miss her as much as she did, but when she finally reciprocated her hug, clenching at Della’s blouse and stroking the back of her neck with her thumb, she finally felt secure.
“I’ve missed you, too,” Kate replied, sniffing. Her arms fell limp to her side, and she stepped in, inspecting her surroundings before she finally slumped down on the couch. “So, how’s everything?” she asked, her hands clasped in her lap.
Della could tell she was uncomfortable. She knew her best friend like the back of her hand. She felt conflicted, because part of her was so sick and tired of having to explain herself all the time, but another part of her held Kate on a pedestal, and she would do anything to repair the friendship and be close with her again. “Kate,” Della said suddenly. “I’m just going to be straight up with you about this. I want us to go back to the way we were, I don’t want you to be disapproving of me,” she said, leaning in closer to her.
For a second, Kate didn’t say anything, she just looked around, her eyes following things that weren’t there. That was just the way she was, shutting someone out whenever she disapproved of their behavior. Della knew that, and she knew how to deal with her, too. So she reached her hand out to her and the two of them locked fingers. Kate smiled. “I’m not disapproving of you,” she said. “I’m just worried about you. Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy for you and I’m happy you’re having a baby.” There was a pause. Kate’s eyes rolled around, like she was looking for the right words to say. “I just feel like you’ve rushed into this, like you’re putting yourself and your firstborn in danger, just by being with this guy.”
Della let out a loud sigh. “Saw that one coming,” she said, almost disappointed. What else did she expect her best friend to say? After all, Della knew her life was nowhere near normal, now that she was dating a one-percenter who was going to stop at nothing to avenge his father against the people who killed him. Those people were ruthless, and Kate of all people knew that. Della shifted in her place, leaning back and rubbing her belly. “I just want you to hear my side of the story,” she said, turning to Kate. “He’s a good person, and he loves me,” she muttered, tears gathering in her eyes.
Kate just looked at her, and it was only then that she truly realized how committed Della was to this man. “I know he does,” she said. “It’s not about that, it’s about his background, Della. He’s surrounded by bad people, people who are out to get you, and him. If anything happens to you or your baby, it’s going to be because of him.”
Della felt her skin crawl at the mentioning of her baby. “Kate,” she said suddenly. “I got into this knowing exactly what it was going to be like. I knew he was trouble.”
“Oh, did you, though?” Kate asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Her expression turned into that of doubt as her gaze met Della’s. “You were too naive, that’s all I can see,” she said, her nostrils flared.
Della felt her face going red. She hated arguing with Kate, mostly because she knew exactly how to grill her. “I may have been naive then, but I’m not now,” she said, straightening herself. “I’m carrying his baby now, Kate, do you know what this means? I love him, I don’t think I can live without him. It’s been a long time, long enough for me to recognize that I can’t drop him,” she continued. Something in Kate’s eyes told Della she was growing even more worried about her.
“Just be careful,” she said, sighing. “Prescott is a troublesome man, and I don’t want him dragging you into all of this with him.”
“He’s not!” Della yelled, furious this time.
“What the hell happened to you?” Kate snapped. “You’ve become so defensive, so quick to pounce on whoever even tries to protect you,” she said, glaring at her. Della didn’t say anything. She just clenched her eyes and held her head in her hands, her body rocking back and forth frantically. A million thoughts were racing through her head. Has her relationship with Prescott changed her? What kind of a person has she become because of it? Kate knew her more than anyone, and if Della were to ever change, then Kate would be the first one to notice.
Della squinted and the room swam in and out of focus as tears fell from her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I’m just so pressured, you know? With the baby coming, I ju
st want everything to be okay.” At that point, she knew she needed to get it together, not just for herself, but for the baby. “I’m going to be okay,” she said, shifting in her place. “I have to be, I’m carrying a child, for Christ’s sake.”
“You know what I’ve noticed?” Kate asked suddenly, her lips curving to a smile. “You’ve become much stronger, much more collected, since you’ve met him,” she continued. Della felt a warmth radiate through her. For the first time, Kate wasn’t being critical.
And Della knew she was right. Ever since she met Prescott, ever since she got immersed in his world, she’s become more capable, more determined. “You’re right,” she said finally. “I take full responsibility for my decisions, and being with Prescott is one of them.” Della paused, clearing her throat. “He’s so excited for the baby,” she said, changing the subject. Her lips curved to a smile; for the first time, she felt comfortable opening up to Kate about Prescott. After all, Kate didn’t know much about him, she just saw him as this biker who was nothing but trouble. But maybe it was time for her to change her mind, to accept his presence in her best friend’s life. Della pursed her lips, thinking about where she should start. There were so many things she wanted to talk to Kate about, the baby being only one of those things. “A couple of nights ago I walked in on him and he was building this crib on his own,” she began. “It was adorable. It was three in the morning and I popped my head inside to see what he was doing. He looked up at me and I swear, I’ve never seen him that happy before,” she said, her face flushed.
“Oh my God, you’re going to make me cry,” Kate said, her hand flying to her mouth. “Always go for a man who knows how to work with his hands,” she smirked.
“Oh, he’s good with his hands,” Della giggled.
Kate leaned in and wrapped her arms around her best friend. She knew that, no matter what, she would still be the closest person to her heart. “I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too,” Della said. “Ow,” she jumped, pulling away.
“Are you okay?” Kate asked, her eyes going straight to Della’s enlarged belly.
“I just felt the baby kick,” Della said, her eyes clenched.
“Do you need anything?” Kate asked, getting up.
“Just some water,” Della exhaled. She was hunched over, almost unable to breathe. “I’m having some contractions, I don’t know why,” she said, her eyes clenched.
Kate shot up and ran to the kitchen. She grabbed a cup off the counter, filled it with water from the tap and ran back outside. “Here,” she said, handing Della the cup.
Della took a couple of gulps and leaned back in her seat, drinking in the air. “They’re gone, the contractions,” she said. “Thanks.”
“You sure you’re good now?” Kate asked, her forehead wrinkled.
“I am now,” Della said, setting the cup back down on the table. “I keep getting those contractions lately, the baby keeps kicking,” she continued.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to a doctor?” Kate asked, a look of worry on her face.
“No, no, I’m okay,” Della said. “I do need you to help me out with one thing, though,” she continued, raising an eyebrow at Kate.
“And what would that be?” she asked.
“So, our anniversary is today, and I kind of want to surprise Prescottwith something, something he’ll like,” she said, a smirk on her face.
“Sure, what d’you have in mind?” Kate asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, her eyes dropping to the floor. “I was thinking something sweet, like cologne or a fancy watch.”
“Maybe,” Kate said, crossing her legs. “Or,” she said, her lips coming to a smile. “You could go for something... Bolder. More personal.”
Della opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Kate flashed her a smirk. Della knew what that meant.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Della asked, folding both arms across her chest.
“Underwear?” Kate asked, the words flying out of her mouth.
“Underwear,” Della said, getting up.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The two women arrived at a lingerie store a couple of blocks away from Della’s house. “Woah,” Della said, her eyes growing wide as she looked around the place. “Telling me about this store was the best thing you could’ve done,” she told Kate, immediately going for the black lingerie at the far end of the store. Della hadn’t felt that excited in a long time. Even though she and Prescott had undeniable chemistry in bed--an understatement-- she always strived for more. The last couple of months of her pregnancy were a whirlwind for her, but one thing was for sure: she felt sexier than ever. Prescott made her feel sexy, too. Not a day would pass by without him admiring her curves, or praising her or making her feel like she was the only woman in the world. He made her feel special, and a part of her wanted to return the favor. She thought about what kind of lingerie she wanted to buy. Satin? Chiffon? She bit her lip at the very thought of Prescott coming home to her lying in bed, wearing nothing but a couple of garments that barely covered anything at all. She thought about how charged their love life had become lately, how Prescott’s touch made her feel everything all at once, and the more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t wait to get back home.
Kate followed her inside, the two of them inspecting a rack full of black lace underwear. “Oh, how about this?” Kate asked, pulling out a black cupped bra.
“It’s cute,” Della said. “Just not... Sexy.”
“Wow, you’ve changed,” Kate smirked. “I’m loving it.”
Della kept searching through the racks until she found a transparent black lace bra with crisscross leather straps. “Oh,” she said to herself. “I’m going to try this on.” She pulled out a couple of other things--all black--and then she walked into the fitting room, watching herself as she took off all her clothes and squeezed into her bra. Her nipples were visible through the sheer lace, poking out beneath the mesh material. She bit her bottom lip as she tried on more garments, not sure which one she liked more. The truth was, she thought she looked good in all of them. What’s Prescott going to think of this? she thought to herself, slipping into a pair of black lace thongs.
“Hey,” she heard Kate’s voice echo from outside. “Try this on.”
She poked her arm in through the curtains and handed Della a pair of transparent chiffon stockings. They matched perfectly with the thong and the transparent bra. Della tried them on together, eyeing herself in the mirror and thinking about how amazing tonight was going to be. She spun around, once, twice. She checked her ass out and smiled to herself. My butt looks pretty good in this, she thought, jumping in her place.
For the briefest of seconds, she closed her eyes and imagined Prescott with her in the changing room. She let her mind go wild, and it almost seemed as if he was really standing behind her, his hot breath on her neck as he ran a finger up her spine. She could see his smile in the mirror, the way his eyes seemed to hungrily take her all in.
Della felt a shudder race through her at just the thought of how Prescott would react to what she was wearing. A part of her wished he really was in the room with her, and as she imagined his strong hands on her body, moving up and down her sides, and his lips hungrily kissing the nape of her neck, she leaned against the wall with one hand and let out a soft sigh.
Her mind played images of his taut body pressed against hers from behind, his strong hands cupping her over the flimsy fabric of her new bra, his lips against her ear as he whispered what he wanted to do to her. Another shudder raced through her, and she leaned her entire body against the wall as if Prescott were pushing her against it. She raised one hand to her breast and squeezed, hard, the way he would, and Della quickly muffled the gasp that followed.
She could feel herself getting wetter, and wondered how long she could keep this up without her knees buckling. Still, she couldn’t stop, the image of Prescott playing with her, his fingers rub
bing against her nipples, his hot breath on her back.It made her crazy. She imagined him turning her around, quickly stripping off the panties and parting her legs. She imagined the look he would shoot at her as he buried his face in her wetness, his tongue doing things to her that would make her scream for more.
Through closed eyes, she imagined her hips rocking against his face as his tongue found new ways to make her squirm. Della slid down to the floor of the fitting room, her breathing intensified, and she slowly reached a hand down and into her panties. Her eyes flew open at the wetness she felt there, and just before her finger could find her clit, just before she started something she couldn’t stop, she pulled her hand back.
This could wait, she thought to herself. This has to wait.
Composing herself as best she could and trying to calm down the heat that had welled up inside her, Della changed out of what she was wearing and got dressed.
“Well, I think we’ve got a winner,” Della said, stepping out of the fitting room and holding up the stockings, the bra and the thong. They made the perfect set, and all that Della wanted to do at this point was to beat Prescott home. She knew he was off doing something club related that night--the very thought of it sent shivers down her spine--but tonight, she promised herself she wouldn’t worry about it. It was their anniversary, and Della had every right to enjoy what was left of the day with Prescott.
