by V. Theia
He showed his sexy grin, the one that could persuade her to walk into a bank and rob it with a banana.
“I want it.”
“I won’t steal the covers, by the way.”
“No?”
“Your bed is huge, there’s enough for us both,” she smiled, almost shyly and he pumped out a growl and nuzzled his face scruff over her cheeks. “Wanna sleep all tangled in you. Want you to hold onto me all night.”
Oh, god.
“Say we’ve got a chance.”
Two different MC’s.
It wouldn’t be easy.
It hadn’t been easy so far. And nothing had changed. Her dad still hated him and had some bee in his bonnet about tying her to one of his bikers.
But all she’d ever wanted was Tad.
“Can you promise me fidelity? No club muffs on offer.”
“Wash that fucking insult right out of your mouth, Roux.”
She smiled, already knowing his answer. Tad wasn’t like that.
“I want all that with you too.”
His grin was everything. So was his kiss until her lips felt bee stung.
“Will you make coffee if I sleep over and massive amounts of spinach dip with crusty bread?”
“Once I let you out of bed, yeah.”
She didn’t need to know anything else. Roux was all in.
They spent the day wrapped in each other.
That night he took her out on his bike for their first date. Crappy pizza and beer in a dive bar that belonged to neither club. She learned of his salty humor, that he was bad at pool and great at choosing music. He liked to hold hands and Roux discovered she loved it even more. The gentleman in him came out when he held doors open and made sure to walk on the outside of the sidewalk. Every desire was taken care of.
And it was a fantastic first date.
Four years in the making and well worth the wait.
Roux had never felt so worshipped in her life.
Savage by name, she decided that night curled up with him half asleep, but all sweetheart.
TWENTY-ONE
“How to piss off a room full of brothers…the firestarter way.” - Butcher
Sex for breakfast.
That’s what she should be having, Roux thought, as she crunched through burnt toast, sitting on the couch at home, while her dad watched her like a hawk.
He expected her to break apart.
Maybe she would have a few days ago.
Getting used to murdering someone took time.
Okay, she was being glib. And trying to keep that whole business out of her head.
That’s why sex for breakfast would have totally helped.
“You wanna do some bookkeeping for me today, kiddo? Reno wants to see you too.”
Instantly the toast in her mouth turned to ash and she stared at Axel in the doorway.
He’s picked the wrong damn day to start throwing Reno in her face again.
She tossed the plate and half eaten peanut butter coated bread on the coffee table. “Dad, you know you’re my favorite parent, but if you mention that man to me again, I might scream. No, I know I’ll fucking scream. This isn’t Victorian times where you barter your daughter.”
If he’d ever had one talk with her about why he was so hellbent on seeing her attached to one of his men, then she could have understood. She’d still tell Reno to get fucked, but she’d understand Axel’s reasoning more than she did now. He’d never acted this way. She was protected, sure. But she’d always had a lot of leeway growing up.
“He’s a good fit for you.”
“Says who? Actually, I don’t care. I don’t care if he’s seven ways to Sunday in love with me. If he wants to hump my leg and braid my hair. I don’t want a relationship with Reno. I’m not in a relationship with Reno and nor will I ever be.”
Axel’s eyes turned dark. She knew this mood. He’s used to getting his own way, not having people question his authority. But she’s not one of his bikers to ask how high if he says jump.
“Roux. Swear to god, I don’t have time for this bullshit right now. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Her spider senses went nuts.
“Safe from what? And what does it have to do with Reno? ‘Cause, dad, you offloading me to someone is pretty fucking cruel, gotta say.”
He frowned and scrubbed a hand through his already messy hair before he took a seat opposite her. Their living room was spacious with two massive L shaped couches. Thankfully, he’d always let her have the say on décor.
“Kiddo, trust me, okay?”
“With anything else, I do. With this? It’s stupid. Reno is probably at the club right now screwing a skank, and that’s who you’d choose as your son in law?”
“He can look after you.”
“All grown up, dad. I know you don’t want to face it. Look, I…” She knew Tad was a sore subject for him and she didn’t want to get into that with him now, there was plenty of time for him to discover Tad was her man and would stay her man this time. So, she went with the lesser of two evils. “I’m moving out.” When he frowned, she went on. “I’ve been looking at apartments.”
“What the fuck for? You have a perfectly good house here.”
“You know it’s time. it’s weird I still live at home with my father.”
He scowled again. “Bullshit. Is it because of that fucking Souls?”
“Tad or Butcher. You know his name and no. I’ve been looking for a while, I narrowed it down to a couple.” She didn’t tell him both options were in the center of Armado Springs. “You need the house to yourself so you can start dating.” Not that she had any desire to think of her father with a woman. He wasn’t old, he should have someone.
Then a thought hit her.
He was just a few years older than Tad. You’d think they’d get on like an old man’s house on fire.
It tickled her funny bone and she started to chuckle.
“I’m glad you find it amusing. I don’t want an old lady, took me long enough to get rid of the last one.” his disdain was clear.
The last one being her mother and they weren’t even married.
Lord help the woman who got that stubborn pig-headed man one day. Roux would be settled in her own home by then and wouldn’t have to deal with his manly moods and spurts of bossiness.
She left him scowling in front of the TV. She didn’t want to lie to him, not after her whole adult speech, but it was better not to tell him she was going on an overnight trip with Tad.
She met him on the corner, he slid out of his truck before she got there and had the door open for her and a smile on his face.
He captured her mouth in a melting kiss, his forehead touching hers. “Fuck, missed you, Cookie.”
“Missed you too,” and she waited until they climbed in before she attacked his mouth again and buried her face into his neck, “god, you smell good.”
“You like my smell? It’ll be all over you as soon as I get you to our hotel.”
She grinned at him. “We’re not staying in a motel? I don’t mind, they’re cheaper.”
“Roux, it’s the first real fucking date I’ve been able to take you on, couldn’t give a shit about cost, we’re staying somewhere nice.”
“I like our motel though.” She said and he grinned hot and sultry, as if he was thinking the same memories as she was. Their times together were always fast, but they made each one as memorable as they could.
Now it meant she only had to see that motel door and she became horny.
“I do too, but I booked a hotel room. Buckle up, Cookie, gotta stop by the club real fast.”
Oh, fuck. She’d never been on Renegade Souls property before. She clenched her fingers together and listened to him talking the whole way there. When he parked the truck in a bay on their compound, she couldn’t help but be impressed with their updated clubhouse buildings.
“I think I should wait here for you,” she said, and he kicked up an eyebrow. “The hell? You’
re not waiting in the truck, Roux. Come on.”
“You do remember who I am, don’t you?” She pressed when he latched onto her hand, lacing her fingers through his.
Nerves attacked through her stomach.
And Roux didn’t get nervous, not around bikers. It was the most at home she ever felt. But for technical reasons, the Souls were not friends.
“Yeah, my woman.”
She melted some and squeezed his fingers, but he wasn’t getting it. “I’m a Diablo Disciples, Tad.”
“No, you’re Roux. Axel is a Diablos.”
A frown marred her face. Did he mean that? She tugged on his hand to get him to stop feet away from the entryway where she heard a lot of ruckus from inside. “I’m a Diablos too, Tad. You know this. You can’t disassociate me from my dad’s club. If we’re going to work, then we figure this out one way or another. If you can’t accept that…”
His lips came crashing down on hers, stunning the breath out of her lungs as he kissed her like a mad man until his flavor coated every inch of her mouth.
She was dazed when he set her free. “I love when you get tough. I never forget who you are, Cookie. Like you can’t forget who I am. But right now, you’re just my fucking woman standing out in the cold, so can I get you inside already?”
A grin tugged at her lips. As annoyed as he sounded, he was being sweet and for a girl who didn’t think she’d like sweet, she really dug it, so she squeezed his fingers. “Fine, lead on, but all I’m saying is, if me going inside will cause an issue, I don’t mind waiting out here.”
“Shut up, Roux.” He said, sweet again.
As she thought, the noisy rabble came to a screeching and all embarrassing halt the moment everyone clocked eyes with who Tad was with.
Not awkward at all.
Roux wasn’t the intimidating type. It would take more than a bunch of bikers staring at her like she was Medusa for her to behave like a shrinking violet.
She made sure to meet their gazes head on. Knowing them all by name, she’d heard stories about them since she was a kid. She smiled at Jed who seemed the less of all evils and the old man grinned from behind the bar. Some of the women looking over at her were new, but they didn’t look like club chasers. They were old lady’s.
“They’re staring, Tad,” she said not so quietly, “do I have lipstick on my teeth?” Baring them to him, he laughed and kissed her forehead. “No, they just haven’t seen anyone as beautiful as you.”
“Flattery gets you laid.” And then she addressed the room. “Yes, I am who you think I am. If you feel like bowing, I guess you can.” She shrugged with an air of unbothered. A couple of the women chuckled. The one sitting on Grinder’s lap in her hot jumpsuit and a long black ponytail looked more like Roux’s kind of people. But then she had Cinderella as a friend, so she couldn’t judge any.
At her side, Tad smirked and put his hand on her butt. “You all remember Roux.”
“Yeah, brother. We remember she nearly got you killed.”
The air turned to ice and she heard him growl. “Not fucking cool, PB.”
Pretty-boy was a cute one, no disputing that. But she felt like punching the handsome off his face for that remark because he was right. And as much as she tried to forget their traumatic history, there was always going to be someone to bring it up.
“Stating facts.” Pretty-boy shrugged, chugging on a beer bottle.
Tad put his back to the room and gave Roux his eyes. “I need to get into church for a few minutes, will you be okay here, Cookie?”
“Of course, I will. It takes more than scowling bikers to make me hide. Go. Oh, is there any candy around here?”
He flaunted a half smile that made her feel all silly and girlie when he dropped a kiss to her lips. “Mmm, sweet enough as you are. Jed, you mind showing my girl where she can get some candy?”
“Sure thing, son. You come and sit with me, girlie. Ignore those morons.”
It was easy to ignore them when the core Souls all trudged after Tad down the long hallway to their church.
She hoped their meeting didn’t take very long because she felt like a fish in a shark tank.
* * *
“Why the fuck are we always waiting on you, Arson?” Rider was not pleased, Butcher noted, as Arson slinked in a few minutes after they all did. According to Grinder, he’d been sleeping off a hangover in one of the rooms out back. He smelled like it too.
“Sorry, Prez.”
“Swear to God, thin fuckin’ ice, brother. We shouldn’t have to be chasing your ass down every goddamn day.”
The consensus was felt by all. He was absent more than not.
“Gimme a break, for fucks sake. I’m here, aren’t I?” He grumbled, rubbing a hand over his forehead. He looked ready to chuck his guts everywhere and there was a definite tremor to his hands.
“A break?” This from Hawk who usually kept his trap shut at meetings. His voice was ice and terror. “You’ve had nothing but a fucking break, Arson. Your best friend was critical, where the fuck where you? Why aren’t you helping out at his gym? That’s left to Butcher and Pretty. Capone is filling in for Pretty at the garage which means Grinder has to do shit he doesn’t normally do. We’re all fucking pitching in, son. Where the fuck are you?”
Fuck. No one ever wanted to get a verbal tear down by Hawk, because if it happened—if someone managed to push him so far that they got more than three grunts out of him, it meant he was ready to blow. But no patched brother around that table disagreed.
“What’s wrong with you, Arson?” Pretty-boy asked, his question went ignored.
Anger filled Arson’s face. “I’m fucking sorry, okay. I had shit to do.”
“Shit like fucking some bitch and falling into a bottle. Yeah. We know.” Grinder said.
“Oh, fuck off, G. Try climbing out of your wife’s pussy and have an opinion of your own for once.”
It was like Grinder was fired out of a cannon. His chair crashed back into the wall and he reached over the table to get at Arson with a roar. Only the quick thinking of Preacher grabbing his boy stopped him from going atomic bomb in their church.
“Say that again, you dumbfuck, and I’ll make it so you have to drink your steak through a fucking straw for the rest of your life.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Snapped Arson, slouching in his chair. His bloodshot eyes focused forward.
“What is your problem, brother? Time of the month?” Piped Snake to take the tension out of the air.
“Fucking sick of you all crawling up my asshole. Last time I checked I was an equal brother around this fucking table. Don’t need to tell you where I am every second. That the kinda club you’re running, Prez?”
Rider’s eyes slit and Butcher was almost sure there was going to be a mass scrap any second now.
It was an enraged Grinder who got in first. “Have you even been to visit Tag? Do you give any fucks that he can’t see? That he had his face broken? Yeah, better things to do, isn’t that right, brother? Long as you get your dick wet, who the fuck cares, yeah?”
Rider had laid his hand on Hawk’s shoulder to get the VP in order, Preacher still had a hold on his boy. Butcher wanted to get on the road to Wyoming, not have to patch up the boys if Grinder blew a gasket.
“Fuck this. And fuck all you. I don’t need this.” Arson growled, pushing away from the table. And he strode to the end of the church and wrenched the door open, letting it bounce off the wall.
“Drama fucking queen,” Hawk hissed through his teeth.
“Boy’s got issues.” Capone imparted.
“Right. Let’s get this over with.” Rider started. “Got news about our boy this morning. Prince Charming can see. He has double vision right now, they’re not sure if he’ll gain full sight. He’s having a second surgery on his cheek in a day or two.”
Man, Prince Charming was gonna be left with one wicked scar on his face, Butcher thought, but he was alive. It would kill their boy if his lack of vision prevented him f
rom riding again. He’d swung by to see him this morning and smuggled in some breakfast foods from the diner, he seemed to be in good spirits, especially since he had hot nurses taking care of him.
It was as the meeting was wrapping up that Preacher cleared his throat and pinned his green eyes on Butcher. “We gonna talk about the Diablos out there, Doc?”
“Roux.” He all but growled. “Her name is Roux.”
“Yeah, we know that. Doesn’t change the fact who her daddy is. Does he know she’s in our house?”
“Don’t give a fuck about Axel. Roux and I are together.” In defense mode, Butcher expected them to have an opinion, they’d had a lot to say back then too about how dumb he’d been to mess with the baby-girl of another Prez.
“Hermano, you got a death wish or what? This stinks of trouble. You want that?”
Trouble, not so much, but Roux? Absolutely. He’d walk through Hell to have her at the end of it.
He didn’t bite into an automatic retort even when he wanted to. The boys were looking out for him. So, he met each of their stares. “Roux is my girl. I know it’s not ideal, but it doesn’t make her any less my girl.”
“You realize what this means, for the treaty between Diablos and the Souls.” Rider spoke.
“Not to mention pillow talk, Butcher.” Hawk said.
Butcher tried not to scowl at Hawk. He understood what the VP was saying, but he trusted Roux. “Yeah, I do. Not changing my mind, Prez. Not backing down. If you want my patch, it’ll kill me to give it back, to walk away from the club, but I’ll do it. I don’t want to drag you all into my mess.”
“What the fuck is up with all you knuckleheads wanting to give your patches up?” He cast eyes over to Hawk whose brooding expression never changed. He’d been the first to offer his for Gia a while back. “Club fucking first.”
Fuck, he was gonna be kicked out.
Until Rider added in a steel voice. “That means your woman is club. You fight, we fight. Club fucking first, got it?”
And when they all thought Rider was done with his rousing speech he tacked on. “But if a war ruins my wedding, I’m shooting the fuckin’ lot of you.”
