Dragon's Lair

by Chantal Fernando

  “Well with you and the rest of the MC, I don’t think she stands a chance,” I say. “All the boys will be too scared to even look her way.”

  “And with good reason,” he says, sounding smug.

  “I don’t know, you’re going to be an old man by then,” I tease as he wipes the gel off with a paper towel and helps me up. We thank the lady and head home.

  Home.

  Is it becoming my home?

  *****

  Staring down at my phone, I walk into the living area and come to a standstill as I survey the room. Dex is sitting in the middle, on the single recliner, while there are two club members on each side of him. Arrow and Rake on one, Tracker and Irish on the other. My eyes turning to slits, I look at each of their faces in confusion.

  “Faye, we have something we’d like to discuss with you,” Dex says, gesturing for me to take a seat on the bean bag in the middle. Way to make me feel small. I take two steps towards them, curious as hell, when it hit me just what this is.

  It’s a fucking intervention.

  What could I possibly need one for? I rack my brain to think of what they could have to say to me and come up empty. I sit down in the middle, facing my man. He’s trying to keep a straight face but his crinkling eyes are a dead giveaway.

  “Is this an intervention?” I ask him, sitting with perfect posture and my chin lifted.

  A lip twitch. “I guess you could call it that.”

  Smiles all around.

  “And what is it regarding exactly?” I ask, putting my lawyer face on.

  Dex manages to keep straight face. “Arrow would you like to begin?”

  I turn to Arrow, my face daring him to say something.

  “When you cleaned my room, it felt like an invasion of my privacy,” he says, causing the men to all laugh.

  I gape. “I was doing you a favor!”

  “You picked my lock and snuck into my room to do it!” Irish calls out.

  I cringe. “Well when you put it like that.”

  I look at Tracker, who is staring down at me like I’m the most adorable thing he’s ever seen. “I haven’t even made it to your room yet,” I say, wondering why he’s here.

  He grins wolfishly. “I know; I’m here for a different reason, to ask why I’ve been singled out.”

  “Discrimination!” Arrow yells out.

  I rub my palm down my face. “Fine, I’ll tone down the cleaning, but you,” I say pointing at Dex, “can’t stop me from doing our room.”

  More laughter at my choice of words.

  He puts his hands up. “I didn’t complain, I just have these assholes on my back all the time.”

  “And you,” I say, pointing to Tracker, “I’ll be visiting your room later today.”

  Tracker gets a warning glance from Dex that I don’t miss. I roll my eyes.

  “Am I done here?” I ask, standing up and feeling amused. These big bad bikers—if only other people could see the side of them that I get to see on a daily basis.

  Pussycats, the lot of them.

  “Whose idea was this by the way?” I ask them.

  “It was a club decision,” Dex replies, smirking. He’s wearing a skin tight white t-shirt today that looks delicious on him, showcasing his powerful chest and broad shoulders. I lick my lips. His eyes follow the motion.

  “You want something babe?” he asks, voice lowering.

  I purposely lower my gaze to the crotch of his black jeans. “I think you know what I want.”

  “Ew,” Arrow says, standing up to leave the room. “This is like watching my sister.”

  Dex, who still has his eyes on me, stalks forward until he’s close enough that I can almost touch him. My breath hitches as his lips touch my ear and say, “Meet me in the room and be naked.”

  “And if I don’t?” I ask, baiting him.

  His eyes darken. “Try it and see.”

  I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. “I’ll do it if I feel like it.”

  Now he chuckles. “You always feel like it.”

  I lift my hand to run it along the stubble on his jaw. “Hurry.”

  Then I turn and head into our room.

  *****

  How do I get into situations like this? I ask myself the next morning as I stand in the kitchen, clutching my juice like it’s a lifeline. When I walked in here five minutes ago, a girl was sitting here in her underwear drinking coffee. She started talking to me and hasn’t stopped. I don’t even know her name.

  “You don’t dress like a biker chick,” she says, judgment in her tone. I look down at my jeans and vintage t-shirt and frown. I have no idea what to say to this chick.

  “I just dress like I always do,” I manage to say, clearing my throat. Am I being judged by a club whore? Well, this is a little awkward.

  “So, who were you with?” I ask, wondering who I have to kill for making me have this conversation.

  “Oh, Rake,” she answers, leaning forward conspiratorially. “He’s a beast in the sack.”

  Awesome.

  “Where is Rake now?” I ask her, looking towards the hall that leads to his room.

  “Oh he’s in bed with Tiffany,” she says casually. “I needed coffee.”

  Rake. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out how he got his name.

  I stand. “Well, nice meeting you.”

  “Oh where are you going?” she asks.

  I blink. “To my room.”

  “Can I come and hang out? I heard you were the Vice President’s old lady, be cool if we can hang out,” she says, standing up and moving towards me.

  Okay, enough is enough.

  “Rake!” I yell at the top of my lungs. I turn to the girl and raise my finger in the air. “Please excuse me one moment.”

  I storm up to his room and open the door. My jaw drops open at the scene before me. “I hope you got her to sign a consent form or a contract or some shit,” I say, staring at the two of them. “Fifty shades of Rake!”

  “What the fuck Faye,” Rake growls, hiding his package with a pillow.

  “You forgot one girl out here,” I say, widening my eyes, hoping he gets the point. “Please come and collect her.”

  He sighs, like his life is so tough since he has two women here.

  “Yes I know Rake,” I say dryly, “It’s hard out there for a pimp.”

  He chuckles, slapping the girl on her ass and pulling away. “Maybe you should gag the other one too,” I suggest before I back out of the room. I peer around his room. “Can I clean your room tonight? It’s so messy it’s going to drive me crazy now that I’ve seen it.”

  “Fine, anything to make you leave right now,” he growls at me.

  Whoa, touchy.

  “I’ll find some storage for your paddles and whatnot,” I say as I walk out. “I might have to do a trip to Office World. They have great storage ideas there.”

  Rake follows me out, shaking his head in exasperation, and retrieves the other girl.

  Dex walks into the kitchen and stares at me, the random chick, and a very naked Rake.

  “Do I even want to know?” he asks, narrowing his eyes on me.

  Rake groans. “You know I love you Faye… but Dex, control your woman!”

  I watch wide-eyed as Rake disappears with the girl, and I go and sit on Dex’s lap.

  “What was that about?” he asks, looking amused. “Can’t take you anywhere babe.”

  “Rake forgot one of his girls and…” I trail off, freezing up when I feel something. Putting Dex’s hands on my stomach I whisper, “Can you feel that?”

  I know when he feels it, because his eyes widen with wonder. “Did she just move?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I nod, feeling her kick again. I’d felt her before, of course, but nothing like this. Before it was just slight butterflies, but now she’s kicking the shit out of me. Dex kisses my stomach, and my heart melts.

  “She’s going to be a soccer player,” he says, chuckling.

  I roll my eyes. “Is that s
o?”

  He kisses my cheek. “You know I’m riding out today.”

  “I know,” I sulk. He’s going away on ‘club business’ and will be gone a few days. I don’t like it, but I don’t say anything. This is his life, and I knew what it was about before I agreed to be with him. Our relationship is new, and Dex is going to do what he has to do.

  “Vinnie and two other prospects are staying behind to keep an eye on you, and Mary and the other women will be here to keep you company,” he says, turning my head to look at him.

  “I’ll be fine,” he says, knowing that I’m worried about him. Whatever business they have, it’s not the kind one does in an office.

  “If you even look at another woman…”

  He cuts me off. “Don’t threaten me babe, and you know I don’t have eyes for anyone but you.”

  “Fine but I don’t care who offers you hospitality with their women, you say no. There is no what happens on the road stays on the road with us.” I let my expression tell him how serious I am about this.

  “Have you been watching Sons of Anarchy again?” he asks, body shaking with laughter. Jerk.

  “Maybe,” I admit, shrugging sheepishly.

  “I’m gonna miss you,” he admits, pushing my hair behind my ear. “I’ll call and message you when I can.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I sigh. “I’ll just do my contract law assignments.”

  And try not to fall asleep.

  “Don’t go anywhere without Vinnie, alright babe?”

  I promise him I won’t.

  “I gotta get ready to head out,” he says, standing with me in his arms. Fuck, he’s strong.

  “What? I don’t get goodbye sex?” I ask, pouting.

  “Wasn’t that what we had an hour ago?”

  “No that was morning sex,” I say sagely, nodding.

  “Can’t leave my woman wanting, can I now?” he says.

  He carries me into the room and slams the door behind him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I ring my parents, but they just hang up on me. I stare at the phone for about twenty minutes, wondering what kind of shit people they are. So I got pregnant? I don’t really see that as a reason to cut me out, more like a reason to support me when I’m clearly vulnerable. I try to ignore the hurt but it’s hard. They were far from perfect parents, but surely they had to care about me just a little? I know I shouldn’t be surprised. I wasn’t when they kicked me out, but being a mother to be I guess I can’t understand cutting your child out of your life without so much as a backwards glance.

  I send Vinnie a text message asking if he could take me to run some errands. He replies instantly telling me he will be ready in five minutes. I get ready, dressing in a yellow baby doll dress and putting my hair up in a high ponytail. My hair is long and wavy and can be difficult to handle. Sometimes it needs to be beaten into submission, but it actually looks good today. I want to look nice and feel even better after that call with my parents and Dex’s absence.

  I’m determined to make today a good one.

  My phone beeps with a new message.

  Dex: Stick with Vinnie today babe. Want you safe.

  There needs to be an acronym for rolling my eyes. Maybe I could start one? RME?

  Faye: RME! We will be fine. Come home safe, don’t worry about me.

  Dex: Not possible.

  Dex: WTF is RME?!

  I start to giggle.

  Faye: Rolling my eyes.

  Dex: Babe.

  Faye: What?

  Dex: Be good.

  Faye: I’m always good.

  Dex: That’s what I’m worried about. Heading out.

  Faye: Love you.

  I click send, and then realize what the fuck I just said. It came so naturally I didn’t even think. So much for a good day. I spend the next few hours at the library stressing over how Dex would take that message. He didn’t reply. He didn’t call. And now I’m freaked right out.

  What if I’ve scared him off? What if he doesn’t feel the same?

  I’m such an idiot. I told him I loved him for the first time via text message.

  Who does that?

  High school kids or cowards, maybe. I’m neither, but what I am is pretty damn embarrassed.

  Vinnie and I get ice cream together, which is becoming routine for us. Every time he’s sent out to watch over me, we end up there, trying a different flavor each time.

  “How’s the toffee?” I ask him, coveting his ice cream.

  “Really good, how’s the strawberry?” he asks, taking a bite out of his cone.

  “It’s okay,” I say, still staring at his.

  He laughs knowingly. “I’ll get you a toffee one if you want.”

  “That’s okay I’ll get one next time,” I say. “Guess what, I had a productive morning. I made up an acronym. RME… Rolling my eyes!”

  Vinnie stares. “That already is one, you didn’t know that?”

  “No,” I sulk. “How did you know that?”

  So much for that. No one has ever said it to me before—just saying.

  “You’re so fuckin’ weird sometimes,” he muses, looking back to his ice cream.

  “Is that bad?” I ask, my gaze darting to the door as someone enters.

  My eyes widen when I see Eric standing there with a girl. His date maybe? Shit, this is awkward. He sees me and instantly walks over, taking in my appearance.

  “Hey Eric, how have you been?” I ask. Then, feeling rude, I say, “This is Vinnie. Vinnie this is Eric.”

  Eric nods his head at Vinnie, who—looking completely unimpressed— doesn’t respond with neither a word nor gesture.

  “I’ve been okay, trying to call you. Did you get a new number or something?” he asks, the girl with him standing by awkwardly.

  “I did.”

  “I’ve been worried about you Faye.”

  “Eric, I’m fine. Dex is taking good care of me,” I tell him.

  “So it’s true,” he says, fists clenching. I don’t know exactly what he’s heard so I don’t deny or admit, I just shrug.

  “What the fuck are you doing to your life,” he sneers, shaking his head. Vinnie stands up at that comment, so I stand as well. “My brother will only bring you down!”

  “Let’s get out of here Vin,” I say, giving Eric one last look.

  “Goodbye Eric,” I say, smiling sadly.

  He turns from me and faces his girl.

  And I walk out of his life forever.

  *****

  I pour another round of tequila shots—not that I’m having any. The women decided to have their own party with just us; Mary, Jess, Allie, Cindy, and several other women I hadn’t met yet, but now can barely remember their names. They have all been doing shots, laughing and dancing, while I’ve been sipping on water and watching their antics from the safety of the couch. The prospects are all here, keeping an eye on things, and only letting in people who are meant to be here. They’ve been keeping the main fence locked so no one else can enter. Dex hasn’t contacted me since I sent ‘the message’, and I really don’t know what to think. I know he’s spoken to Vinnie, making sure everything is okay, so he’s not indisposed of and unable to pick up the phone. Allie sits next to me, making this day even worse.

  “What?” I ask her, wanting to get this over with.

  “God, you’re a bitch,” she say, downing a shot.

  “What do you want Allie?” I ask, sounding tired. I relax against the couch, turning my body to face her.

  “I wanted to apologize,” she says. I do a double take. Surely I heard wrong.

  “About what?” I ask warily, suspicious lacing my tone.

  “Being a bitch, hitting on Dex when I knew he was yours…”

  I cut her off. “At least you’re honest.”

  “After he left Renee he just had casual sex, well with anyone really,” she says, and I cringe.

  Just what any woman wants to hear.

  “But after he met you… Look Dex never cheate
d on his wife when they were together, he knows how to be faithful. He’s a good man. I knew what we had was casual, but I’d been hoping for more. My dad used to be in the MC, but he died three years back. That’s why they let me stay here, I’m family even if I’m no one’s old lady.”

  That actually explains a lot. I feel bad for thinking she was kept around for other reasons…

  “Apology accepted,” I say hesitantly. I’m not very good at forgiveness, I tend to just cut people out and move on with my life, but Allie lives here, and I can actually see things from her point of view. I’d fight for Dex too, so I can’t really hold that against her.

  “And about Tracker…”

  Tracker and I have a sort of strained friendship. Sometimes I catch him staring at me like he wants me but knows he can’t have me. I never lead him on, and I shouldn’t have been mad at him over Allie. I had no right. I saw it as a betrayal, not one as a lover but as a friend. The way I saw it, he slept with my enemy, and I didn’t like it.

  But I was wrong to feel that way.

  “Tracker is a good man,” I tell her, smiling.

  “I like him a lot,” she admits, sighing heavily. “He has this piercing… and wow.”

  Really?

  “So what’s the problem?” I ask. It’s a little awkward that we kind of have the same taste in men. If I wasn’t head over heels for Dex…

  Even I can see that Tracker is a good catch. He’s good-looking, caring, and has a sense of humor. And apparently an interesting piercing.

  “Usual shit, he doesn’t want a commitment,” she says, sounding resigned. “No one here sees me as old lady material.”

  “Well, hopefully it works out for you two,” I say with sincerity.

  She gives me an odd look. “Thanks.”

  Allie gets up and heads out of the room, just as Vinnie walks in and takes her place. “How you doing Vinnie?” I ask him. I notice him staring where Allie just exited from.

  “Allie? Really?” I ask, surprised.

  He throws me a look. “She’s pretty, that’s all.”

  “So when do you patch in?” I ask him, using some of the biker lingo I’ve been picking up.

  “Couple months hopefully,” he says, smiling.

  “You must be excited” I say, leaning over and rubbing his bald head. “You’re a good man, you know that right?”