by Sierra Rose
For the first time in my life, things seemed to be headed in the right direction.
I was done with my father and his beatings. School was over and I was ready to work my ass off to save up for my shop. I'd get there... no doubt. The guys were giving me a place to stay, a job to make money, and somewhere to belong.
"And now, Lena." I inhaled deeply and got off my hog, letting the peace of all that I had wash over me in huge waves.
Walking quietly into the lodge, I turned to see Rusty, Knife and Blade sitting around a table in the center of the bar.
"Look what the cat drug in, boys. Our youngest hang-around done got him some kitty cat." Rusty chuckled and wagged his eyebrows at me.
"Who is she?" Blade asked. I ignored them both, choosing humor over honesty.
"So, are you guys still so young at heart that you've been up all fucking night, or so damn decrepit that you woke up before the sun?" I lifted an eyebrow and moved toward my room. I had to have sleep. My adrenaline was running out and if I didn't make it to my room, Selene's drug rush would have nothing on me. I'd be slurring and promising the world to anyone that would give me a pillow.
"Who's asking, boy?" Knife jabbed, the smile on his face making it obvious that he was teasing me.
I looked around, playing the part and shrugged. "Me, I guess."
"Get your ass in bed and we'll wake you up just before your shift. Don't let no woman's sweet ass steal your dream, alright? Ain't nobody worth all that shit." Blade tapped the table in front of him and watched me with concern.
"Now, now..." Rusty started, a smile on his aging face. "If the sweet ass is worth it, throw caution to the wind and dive in deep."
"Oh, I dove in deep." I grabbed my crotch, much to Blade's dismay. "Night boys."
I walked into my room to the loud laughter I left behind and our president commenting 'I love that stupid boy'. A smile lifted my face, but was quickly consumed by a loud yawn. I pulled my t-shirt over my head and kicked my pants off before face planting on the bed.
Pain roared through my lower stomach and I jerked over onto my back.
"Fuck." I pulled the gauze up to look and see how the tat was doing and as expected, it was scabbing over. Selene could make it feel better as soon as it healed.
I had a feeling my new obsession could make anything feel better.
"Who is she?" Blade slapped his hand over my shoulder and squeezed hard.
I spun around on my heel and tensed up. "Just some girl from school that I met at the party the other night. She loves bikes and dick. Okay?"
"Yeah. Just be careful, alright?" He lifted his eyebrow at me.
I wanted to shoot back that I was a grown ass man, but he'd been too good to me to disrespect him. Blade had shown up each and every time I needed help, without fail. The man had some kind of radar that told him to come when I was in danger or hurt.
"Yeah. Okay. I will." I nodded, keeping my tone neutral and moving down the bar to take another order. It had been a long shift, but it kept me busy. Selene hadn't texted yet, which told me she was busy, too, or she was still sleeping.
A cute redhead named Milly worked behind the bar with me and stopped beside me. "Knife wants you in the meeting room in five minutes. I'll take over here."
"Oh yeah?" I poured another beer and took the guy’s money. "You sure you're going to be able to handle yourself, sugar?"
She laughed and bumped her hip against mine. "I'll handle myself, you, and every man in this old saloon."
My turn to laugh. She was too sweet to handle anyone. "Alrighty then. Let's see whatcha got."
I walked out of the bar and back to the meeting room, pausing at the door as Animal ran by me and popped my butt hard.
"Heard you lost your virginity last night. ’Bout time, bitch." He chuckled and walked into the room like the entertainer he was.
I rolled my eyes and moved in to find most of the old boys sitting around the table. Knife glanced up and ran his fingers over his mustache as he watched me.
"I was told you wanted to see me?" I stopped in front of his table and slipped my hands into the pockets of my jeans.
"Yeah. Grab a seat and move to the front of the room. We're going to talk about some of the rules and expectations of being a Stone Wolf." He looked over at Animal. "You too, wild one."
Animal howled and I chuckled, wondering for the hundredth time where they found the rowdy mother fucker. He had to have joined us from another city or something. I would find out soon enough, though. No need to go poking in another man's business. Quickest way to get in a fight or make a friend you don't want or need.
I picked up a chair and sat it at the front of the room before dropping down in it and looking across the room. Animal and I would be on display up front, but it was all good. I wanted to belong to the group of men before me more than anything. I was willing to pony up with whatever they asked me to do.
"Alright. Settle down, guys." Knife stood up. "I call this here Stone Wolves meeting to order. It's the thirtieth of May, two thousand and eleven. Sound off so we know your old ass is here."
He sat down and everyone sounded off one at a time. Rusty was taking notes as fast as he could, and I half expected him to look up and call for a sweet butt to come take his place, but no women were allowed in our meetings. Lena would have a fucking feminist fit over it.
The thought caused me to smile. Animal jabbed me and shook his head 'no'. I flipped him off and turned my attention back to Knife.
"Let's start with a quick introduction from our hang-arounds. Tell us who you are and why you want to pledge with the Stone Wolves."
Animal jumped into his introduction and I sat back, letting him have the lead. The guy was a firecracker with a Mohawk and too much energy to contain in one place for too long. He finished up and looked over to me.
"Right. I'm Lucas Morrison. I've lived here my whole life and have come to understand the Stone Wolves as a symbol of restoration and order. Several of you have saved my life on multiple occasions, or the lives of my friends. You've helped put out fires, kicked out bullies and maintained the parts of our town that make it what it is. I want to be a man like you are. I want to serve next to you, to protect and defend when it's time. I can't imagine being anything other than a Stone Wolf."
Knife clapped as I finished and Blade nodded; the old man close to choking up.
The next hour was spent with various members talking about their positions and laying down the law. There were only a few rules, but they were to be adhered to with strict conviction.
One. Defend and protect your brothers in the MC.
Two. Act, respond and react on the side of honor and rightness.
Three. Never get involved with protecting or harboring a Black Heart.
Four. Offer aid and assistance to the town as if they were your family.
Five. Love your wife and kids and treat them like the gifts they are.
Six. Never leave a man behind. Ever.
I agreed to all of them, though number three stung. Selene wasn't a Black Heart, but it was only a matter of time. I prayed I could love her past her needing Rafael's acceptance, but after growing up in his house, I knew it wouldn't be easy.
Chapter 15
Selene
"Meja. You need to get up. It's only a few hours to dinner and your father's already called twice, girl." Grandma banged on the wall just above my head.
I jerked up and wiped my eyes before flopping back down and groaning. "I stayed up too late."
"I realize that, but the Murphy girls are out front and have been bugging me all day to see you." She tousled my hair and leaned over, kissing my cheek like she did every time I'd slept over at her house.
"Alright. I'm getting up." I waited for her to move and forced myself out of the bed. It was almost three in the afternoon and I was sure Lucky was beside himself wondering where the hell I was. I checked my phone and found nothing from him.
Weird.
"You want something to eat, c
hild?" My grandma called from down the hall.
"Just something light. Are you making dinner tonight?" I walked to the bathroom and stopped beside the door, wanting to lock down my plans with her.
"Do I need to make dinner tonight?" She leaned out from the kitchen with a smile on her face.
I chuckled. "Would you, Grandma? I want you to meet my guy."
"The Stone Wolf? You dad would have a fit." She lifted an eyebrow at me.
"Then you should be thrilled." I laughed and she nodded.
"I am. What do you want me to make for you and the boy? Are we trying to impress him?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Nope. He needs to know that the women in our family can't cook. Just make something easy and we'll order take out if we need to." I closed the bathroom door behind me and got in the shower for a quick scrub. A laugh bubbled out of the center of me at Lucky trying to be nice and choke down Grandma's cooking. It wasn't horrible, but it was damn close.
I finished my shower and dried off quickly before working my long hair into a braid and wrapping a big towel around my center. I texted my father that I was staying with Grandma for one more day and slipped into a pretty white dress that she must have bought me recently.
She was always trying to doll me up, but I didn't mind so much. It got old wearing jeans and shit kickers every day, much like living in a house with men all the time.
I walked into the kitchen to find a ham sandwich and a bag of chips sitting beside a bottle of Coke on the table. My stomach growled as if it realized it was about to be taken care of and my grandma laughed from the livingroom.
"So this boy is the one, hm?" She asked.
I took a deep bite of my sandwich and nodded. "Yep. I'm pretty sure he's it."
"Hell, he has to be if you're willing to date a Stone Wolf."
I could hear her getting up from the couch, so I turned to face the doorway she would be coming through. "Don't tell Papa, okay?"
"Never." She rolled her eyes and moved to stand beside me. "However, you'd better make sure this boy is worth it, baby. You’re not a child anymore and your father is an evil bastard. Your mother would never have put up with his shit if she were still alive."
I nodded and worked on my sandwich, not wanting to ask questions that would lead to truths that I couldn't handle. My mother had been bold and brave, much like I hoped to be one day. Her death had been ruled an accident, but there was no way that was possible. I had no doubt that I would find the man who killed her one day and take his life. I just prayed like hell it wasn't my daddy. That was something I wasn't sure I could handle.
"What time is this Romeo coming over?" She leaned in and smiled. Her dark eyes and tanned complexion reminded me so much of my mother, but where my mom was elegant and model material; my grandma was pretty and plain.
"I don't know." I picked up my phone and texted Lucky to see what his plans were. "I'll ask him."
"Well, tell him six or seven. That will give you time to play with those kids outside for an hour while I clean up a bit. We don't want the poor boy to think we live in filth." She got up and patted my back. "Hurry up and get outside."
"Yes ma'am." I shoved the rest of the sandwich in my mouth and got up, taking my plate with me as I read through my text messages with Lucky. He wouldn't give two shits about the way my grandma's house looked. If he were willing to look past the fact that I was a Black Heart and daughter to the kingpin, I was pretty sure a few dirty clothes and a water glass in the livingroom wasn't going to give him heartburn.
I left my phone on the arm of the couch and walked out of the house, only to be bombarded by six little girls chanting my name. I held out the plate and two of them took it, splitting up the rest of my lunch and asking me three million questions.
I sat down on the stairs to grandma's house and reached out for the nearest girl. "Let's braid your hair, yes?"
"Yes!" She squealed and sat down in my lap, bouncing around and making it damn near impossible to do anything that even resembled a braid.
"Lena... are you married now?" One of the other girls came to sit beside me, tucking herself against my side and petting my arm.
"Me? Heck no. I'm only ten. Jeez." I rolled my eyes and winked at her.
"Ten? I'm ten!" She pressed her cheek to my arm.
"I know, silly goose."
I worked quickly to braid everyone's hair and then played three rounds of hop scotch with them before the sound of a motorcycle caught my attention.
"Alright my best friends in the world... I have to go." I looked up in time to see Lucky pull his bike into the yard and park it under the large oak tree my grandma was going to have to cut down by the wintertime.
"Well, well, well... it lives." I smiled as he pulled off his helmet and tugged me in for a long kiss.
"Lena is married!" The girls squealed and laughed as they ran down the street.
"Fans of yours?" Lucky smiled and kissed me again for good measure. His eyes moved over me and he let out a soft whistle. "Damn, you look incredible."
"Thanks." I swatted at his chest and moved back, letting him get off the bike. "They're sweet girls."
"Looks like it." He took my hand as we walked toward the house. "You sleep late into the day or what? I expected to hear from you, but I got nothing but crickets."
I squeezed his hand and reached for the door before pausing to look back at him. "I got up at three. Hey..."
"What?" His brow lifted sharply.
"My grandma is the best thing in the world, but one thing you should know is that the Delgado women cannot cook to save their lives. Do not pretend that her cooking is good or she'll label you a liar and throw you out on your ass, okay?"
"Ahhh, really? You know that I don't have a mom. I was praying just the other day that you were a good cook. Fuck." He wrinkled his nose and I laughed, unable to help myself. The boy was a complete keeper. He looked like sin and yet was quite far from it on the inside.
I walked into the house and called out, wanting to give Grandma a heads up. "We're here. Lucky is with me."
She walked out from the kitchen and extended her hand. "Lucky, is it?"
"Lucas Morrison, ma'am." He shook her hand and gave her a smile that would convince anyone of his goodness.
She turned and looked over her shoulder at me. "Wow. You didn't say he was beautiful."
Heat raced up my chest and covered my neck and cheeks. "Grandma. Jeez."
It would seem the same embarrassment hit Lucky square in the chest, too.
"What? It's true." She turned back to Lucky and released his hand. "Selene told you that I couldn't cook, correct?"
He smiled and glanced over at me. "Yes ma'am."
I let out a growl and pinned him with a look. "Shit, Luck, You weren't supposed to tell her."
She turned and laughed as she walked by me. "Yep. He's a keeper. He didn't lie to your grandma. He can stay."
He moved toward me and pulled me close, leaning down and smiling like a tomcat. "She said I could stay."
"Yeah, well, she doesn't know you yet." I kissed him and pulled away, moving into the kitchen and sitting down at the table. "Come join me. Grandma actually does make the best apple empanadas in the world. We'll just eat those."
She looked over her shoulder from the sink.
"I ordered Chinese, but eat the pastries. They need to get out of here anyway." She shook her hips and I reveled in embarrassment again.
Lucky simply laughed and mouthed, 'I like her'.
She joined us after the food arrived and we spend the night talking about high school, our plans now that we were out, and a little about the Stone Wolves.
"I think I'll be able to pledge soon. They let me get one of the first tats the other day, and I'm scheduled to get another tomorrow." He smiled, glancing between me and Grandma.
"Let's see it." She clapped her hands together and Lucky laughed as I gave her a hard stare. "What? I just want to share in the boy's life."
"Right..." I
rolled my eyes and turned to give Lucky my attention as he pulled his t-shirt off and showed us his back. The outline of beautiful mountains was all they had done so far, but it was incredible.
"Wow," I whispered and reached up, running my fingers along the skin. "It healed really fast."
"Yeah. I guess your skin isn't as sensitive on your back." He pulled his t-shirt back on and sat down. "Hopefully I get to move up to being a prospect in the next week or so. A few more tests and I'll be there."
Grandma surprised me with her response. "And you know that Selene is soon to be a member of your rival gang?"
He nodded and glanced down at his hands for a moment before looking back up at my grandma. "I do... I'm not sure what that means for us, and I know I'm supposed to put the MC first, but I can't. She comes first."
"No matter what?" She leaned in and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Grandma." I reached out and touched her aging hand, loving her for loving me so much.
Lucky nodded and took my other hand. "No matter what. She's my girl for as long as she'll let me have her."
"Good answer. Like I said earlier. You can stay."
Chapter 16
Three Days Later
Lucky
After meeting Selene's grandmother, I was sold on wanting more with her, no matter the cost. There was a warmth between the two women that I'd never experienced in my own family. I coveted it, wanted it, though I'd never tell a living soul of my longing for authentic love.
The last three days had been filled with working at the bar and helping a few of Rusty's friends around town for extra money. Selene was wrapped up in something with her father, so we didn't get to see each other much. By Wednesday, I was going nuts.
I started to text her after I finished up my shift, but a subtle knock at my bedroom window gave me pause. A smile lifted my lips and I got up, walking with anticipation to see if it was her. I prayed like hell it would be.
The smile on her pretty face stole my breath, and I worked quickly to open the window and help her inside.
"You crazy bitch. It's the middle of the afternoon. Anyone could have seen you." I pulled her into my arms and consumed her mouth, not giving her a chance to reply. She tasted like peppermint and lust. A low growl left me and I slid my hands over her rear, squeezing softly and moving to kiss at her neck as she swatted at me.
