I glanced around at the sea of headstones and then back at her. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Didn’t know you owned this too, although it’s fitting.” Her chin jutted up defiantly and my jeans grew tighter.
She looked even better up close.
She was wearing a brown leather choker with yellow fringe that dangled down in between the swell of her tits and I suddenly couldn’t remember my own name, much less why I’d decided to follow her here. She arched an eyebrow, clearly waiting for a response.
“You’re supposed to be studying at the library until five-thirty.”
“Are you following me now?” Her thumb absently stroked the necklace pulling my attention back down to her chest. “Grey, answer me. You said, and I quote, ‘Get the fuck out of here, Celia.’ So, why are you here?”
I rubbed the back of my neck and paced across the damp grass. “Fuck, Celia, I don’t know. I just—why’d you have to go to the bar?”
I was losing control of the situation.
She retrieved a book from her bag and shrugged, refusing to look at me. “I don’t know. I thought I wanted to see you again.”
“And now?” I swallowed hard.
“I think I just want to be left alone. Like you said, I paid my father’s debt to your club.”
I knelt at her feet. “Shouldn’t have fuckin’ said that, Celia. You can’t disrespect me though. You may not agree with me, but next time, don’t fuckin’ call me out in front of them.”
Shit.
The way I was talking, she was liable to think that there was going to be a next time. That hadn’t been part of the plan. None of this had been part of the plan.
The plan had been to fuck her the one time and send her back to Daddy. It had definitely not included killing a man and fucking her in the bathroom of the bar or trailing after her like some horny teenager.
Her eyes flashed with frustration before she bit out, “There won’t be a next time. I think you’ve done enough.”
I settled next to her against the tree trunk and stretched my legs out. “What are you reading?”
“Grey,” she warned.
“Jesus, Celia. I can’t fuck you again. Can I at least ask what you’re reading? Is that against the rules now?”
The corner of her lip began to turn up into a grin, but she caught it at the last second. “I didn’t think bikers followed rules.”
“We don’t… usually. Now, are you gonna tell me what the fuck you’re reading or not?”
She held up the worn textbook. “It’s on Greek mythology and astrology.”
I ran my fingers down the front cover, brushing against hers. “Is this for a class?” I didn’t know what the fuck they taught in school after tenth grade, but I wasn’t about to admit that to her.
Her teeth sank down onto her lower lip. “No, I just like it.”
“So, tell me about it.” She could’ve been reading the fucking periodic table and I would’ve asked for more details.
Her lips parted, and she exhaled softly before glancing down at the book. “Oh, well what do you want to know?”
“I wanna know your favorite.” I didn’t know who the fuck this guy was that had suddenly taken over, but Celia was letting her guard down, so I kept it up. “C’mon, princess. Don’t leave me hanging.”
She nodded, suddenly serious. “Okay, there’s Icarus. He was the son of a famous craftsman in Greek mythology. His father actually designed the Labyrinth where they kept the Minotaur. It was a monster—half-man, half-bull.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Can you imagine how terrifying that thing would’ve been?”
I nodded, incapable of speech.
“Anyway, so King Minos wanted to keep the Labyrinth a secret, so he imprisoned Icarus and his father in a tower. The father designed two sets of wings from feathers and wax. When it came time to make their escape, Icarus’s father warned him not to fly too low or the feathers would be soaked by the sea. He also warned him not to fly too high because the sun would cause the wax to melt.
“They soared toward freedom, but Icarus forgot his father’s warnings and flew too close to the sun. The wax melted and his wings fell apart. He fell from the sky and drowned in what is now called the Icarian Sea.” She raised her hand to imitate the flight pattern before crashing against my thigh. “What do you think?”
I thought it was a fucking terrible story, but I liked the feel of her hand on my leg, so I settled for, “That’s it? No happy ending?”
She threw her head back and laughed. “You’re missing the point, Grey. Icarus knew that his path would lead to tragedy, yet he couldn’t resist chasing after it. The sun was Death itself kissing his shoulders, yet he only saw the beauty as he danced in the center of its flames.”
Holy shit, I wanted to fuck her right now.
It was a clear indicator that I was completely fucked in the head. Instead of acting on my urges, I cleared my throat. “And that’s a star or some shit now too?”
“No, just mythology. I do know a couple about constellations. I think they might even reference them in this book.” She flipped through the pages and the breeze pulled her hair across her face. When I reached out to gently tuck it behind her ear, her shoulders rolled forward in a shiver.
“Are you cold?”
Celia kept her eyes on the book. “Uh, no. I’m okay. Here it is.” She tapped the page excitedly. “Virgo. This is the perfect time of year to see it too.”
I looked down at the picture. “It looks like a box with legs.”
“It’s a woman. The box is her torso, and these are her arms and legs. See?”
I didn’t but nodded anyway.
“Virgo or The Virgin. There are several myths associated with it, but my favorite is the story of Persephone. She was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Her mother, goddess of fertility of the earth, was very protective of Persephone and actually hid her away to keep her safe.
“Zeus, on the other hand, allowed Hades, god of the underworld, to abduct her. He knew that Demeter would never agree to the union, so Persephone was taken against her will to become Hades’ bride. In mythology, it’s referred to as The Rape of Persephone.”
I studied a picture on the page. It was two statues—one male and one female. He had the woman lifted up onto his hip and it was obvious she was struggling to get away.
“What happened after?”
She smiled and began gesturing with her hands while she talked. “Well, Persephone was not a willing captive; she refused to eat or even speak to her captor, Hades. He tried to give her the best of everything, but she wouldn’t budge.
“And when her mother found out what had happened, she went crazy with anger and refused to care for the earth. It caused a famine and Zeus was forced to give in to Demeter’s demands and help her get Persephone back.” Her hands dropped back down to her lap. “I’m probably boring you right now.”
I reached over and squeezed her thigh before growling, “Fuckin’ finish the story, Celia.”
Her cheeks turned pink, and she fought another smile. “Under the ancient law of Abode, if Persephone had accepted any food in the underworld, then she was no longer a captive, but a guest. That meant that she’d have to stay. Demeter sent a messenger to retrieve her daughter, but they were too late.
“Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds, sealing her fate. Her mother was devastated and declared to Zeus that nothing would ever grow again if her daughter became death’s bride. So, he compromised. She spent part of the year in the underworld with her husband and the other part of the year, she returned to her mother. Demeter kept her word. When Persephone was with Hades, no crops would grow, but when she returned in the spring, everything began to bloom again.”
“Wait, so Hades just sat back and let Persephone’s ma and Zeus call the shots?”
Celia shrugged. “I mean, Zeus was the ruler of everything. I don’t think anyone went against him and lived to tell about it.”
My thumb traced small
circles around her knee, and she shivered again before tucking the book inside her bag. “I gotta go. My mother will be here soon.”
“Yeah, I’ve got some shit to take care of too.” I helped her to her feet and stepped back to let her pass. Instead, she surprised me by wrapping her arms around my waist in a hug.
“Bye, Grey.”
I kept my arms down by my sides and my face blank. “Bye, Celia. Record store tomorrow?”
She rested her chin on my chest and her full lips curved up in a smile. “Maybe.”
If it was anyone else, I would’ve demanded a straight answer, but I let her toy with me because I liked seeing her smile. I was also preoccupied with thoughts of fucking her against one of the headstones. My balls tightened at the image and I pushed her away before I could act on it.
“I’ve got business.” I stalked toward the gate when I thought of something. “Celia, what did Persephone want?”
She shifted the book bag on her shoulder and grinned. “Maybe someday I’ll tell you.”
She was a fucking knockout, I’d noticed that much the first night we met, but it was like it increased the more I was around her. Watching her face light up as she smiled or talked about the gods and their troubles, made me feel things that I hadn’t felt since Ma died or the first time I saw Mikey.
I didn’t like it.
It was a fucking complication that I didn’t need.
* * *
“Grey?” Betsy blinked and squinted from under the porch light. “What are you doing here?”
It was late, a lot later than I realized.
“I came by to see Mikey. I got something for him.” I held a bag up for her to see. “Can I just talk to him for a second?”
She tightened the belt on her bathrobe and crossed her arms over her chest with a sigh. “I’m fine with you seeing him when Michael’s not around, but Grey, it’s a school night.”
“I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important and Comedian’s on a two-day run. Please.”
Shit.
I had to be losing my goddamned mind. I didn’t beg.
Her eyes narrowed, and she opened the door. “Fine, but if he falls asleep at school tomorrow, you’re gonna have to deal with it.”
I took the stairs two at a time and crept into his bedroom. One of the floorboards creaked beneath my boot and he shot up in bed with a cry. “I’m sorry, sir. I’m sorry!”
I squeezed the paper bag in my fist and took several deep breaths before approaching the bed. “Hey, kid. It’s just me.”
He rubbed his eyes. “Hi, Mr. Grey. You scared me. I thought that you—”
“I got you somethin’.” I cut him off, knowing exactly who he thought it was. I reached for the small lamp on his nightstand and flipped it on, and just like every time before, my heart turned over in my chest at the sight of his little face.
Jesus Christ, why hadn’t I killed his old man and made him mine?
It hadn’t gotten easier, but the only thing that kept me from taking action was the fact that doing so might put him in danger. Well, more danger than he was in living with Comedian.
“I lost another tooth.” Mikey grinned up at me and stuck his tongue through the small gap. “See?”
I ruffled his blond hair and sat down beside him. “Yeah, you’re gonna be shaving before I know it.”
He shoved at my chest with a giggle. “Stop it. I’m not that old, Mr. Grey.” He tried peeking behind my back. “What’d you bring me?”
I handed over the brown paper sack, wishing I’d had one of the club whores wrap it. “Open it and see.”
Mikey tore through the paper and stared down at the rectangular box. “What is it?”
I laughed and pointed down at the picture. “It’s a telescope. I thought we’d set it up in the backyard and look for space aliens.”
“Can we use it right now? What if we see a UFO? I read that some people think it’s weather balloons, but I think they’re wrong.”
He hopped off the bed and padded over to the little bookcase in the corner. “It’s in here. Remember this book? You got it for me last year—Lots More Tell Me Why. It has a lot of answers, but I want more on UFOs. Do you think you could find me another book about UFOs?”
I shook my head with a grin as he ran out of breath and sank back onto the bed. “You got a lot of energy, Mikey. C’mon, let’s get this put together.”
Betsy had fallen asleep on the couch and Mikey held a finger to his lips as we tiptoed past. I snagged his coat off the rack near the back door. “Put this on. It’s a little cold tonight and you don’t wanna end up sick.”
He slipped his arms into it and danced around the patio while I lit up a cigarette and read over the instructions.
“Mr. Grey, do you think we’ll see something amazing?”
I pulled a couple of chairs over. “You just never know, kid. Come here, let’s look.”
Mikey’s little body pressed against my side and I wondered if he was getting enough to eat. He was smaller than most of the kids his age, but Betsy swore he was healthy. I’d have a talk with her about it before I left.
I peered through the lens until I found what I thought was Virgo. “Okay, you see those brighter stars? If you look closely, they kinda look like a box with legs.”
With squinted eyes, he perched on my lap and looked. “Uh huh… it’s stars. Stars are boring.”
“Not just any stars, kid. These stars tell a story about a girl named…” Fuck, what was that girl’s name? It started with a P. “Uh, her name was Celia, and Celia was a beautiful goddess who loved flowers and sh—stuff like that. Well, her ma was real protective and didn’t like to let her have any fun.”
“That’s not very good,” Mikey noted with a stern expression. “Her mama should let her have some fun or she’ll be a grump.”
My arms tightened around him. “You’re right, kid. Well, her daddy messed up and agreed to let Hades take her. Hades was the god of the dead. So, he took her down to the underworld and wanted to make her his wife—”
“Wait!” He turned to look at me. “Did she want to go? Or did he kidnap her?”
I gnawed at my lip. “Well, her daddy gave her to Hades. And when her ma found out, she was pis—really mad. She marched down there and demanded that her daughter be allowed to leave, but Celia was eating dinner and it’s rude to leave in the middle of a meal, so her daddy made a deal; she’d stay and finish her meal and spend part of her time with Hades. The other part of the year, she’d come back to be with her ma. When she’s up here, everything blooms, but when she’s with Hades, everything dies.”
Mikey’s mouth opened in a wide yawn. “Mr. Grey, I think that Hades should leave Celia alone. She belongs up here with the flowers and the sun. If she’s stuck in the world under the ground, she’ll miss her mama and daddy.”
Kid had a point.
I had no business going after Celia. She’d never fit in with the club. It didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun before letting her go though.
His body settled against my chest and his breathing became deep and even. I picked him up and carried him back inside, asleep on my shoulder.
He didn’t even stir as I laid him down and pulled the blankets up under his chin. Looking down at him was another punch to the dick.
My boy was being raised by a fucking monster.
A monster I’d allowed to live.
A monster that was an asset to my club.
I pressed my lips to his forehead, and he let out a soft exhale. “Sweet dreams, Mikey.”
I pulled his door closed with a soft click and turned around into Betsy. “Shit,” I hissed. “What the fuck are you doing wandering around in the dark?”
“It’s my house, Grey, and I heard you come back in. I guess he didn’t last long?”
I moved back down the stairs. “Got some shit to discuss with you. We can talk down here.”
She followed me over to the couch. “What’s wrong?”
“You told me thin
gs were getting better, Betsy. Kid nearly came out of his fuckin’ skin when I went up there, thinking it was him. Is Comedian still laying hands on him?”
“It’s gotten a lot better; I swear. I send him to Wolverine and Lucy’s when I know that Michael’s been drinking, and that helps, you know?”
I frowned. “Kid’s skin and bones. You get it checked out?”
“Grey, we’ve been over this. He’s going through a phase where he won’t eat anything but chicken McNuggets from McDonald’s—”
“Then get him the goddamn nuggets, Betsy! Jesus, he’ll blow away if he loses anymore weight. Promise me you’ll get him checked out. I’ve got the cash.” I reached into my wallet and pulled out a wad of hundreds.
“Stop, Grey. Look at me.”
I looked up to see that she’d unbelted her robe. “Betsy—”
“You’re in a bad mood, let me make it better. You said it yourself, Michael’s gone for two days.” Her hand moved up to cup her breast, and my cock hardened, but Celia was the only woman I wanted beneath me.
I shook my head and stood up. “I’m leaving. I came to see Mikey—that’s it. We agreed after he was born that he was the only fuckin’ thing that mattered.”
“Fuck you, Grey,” she snapped.
I clenched my jaw. “Remember who you’re talking to, Betsy.”
She jumped off the couch and stormed over. “I heard that you don’t fuck anybody anymore. Why is that, Pres? Can’t get it up?”
I wanted to strangle the life out of her. Instead, I grabbed the edges of the bathrobe and yanked her closer. “Now, you fuckin’ listen. I ain’t doing this with you. Christ, Betsy, have you ever tried thinking with something besides your cunt?”
Her nipples hardened against my chest and she licked her lips. “I’ll let you choke me… hit me. Whatever you want.”
I dropped my grip. “Fuckin’ hell, one more word out of you and I’ll ensure that your old man is back before sunrise.” Her eyes flashed with fear and I knew I had her. “Do the right thing for our son and stay the fuck away from me. The next time I won’t be lenient. We clear?”
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