Professor X

by Kiki Leach

  "My relationship with the Kings deepened once I turned in my patches. Always had as much a seat at their table as I did with the Devils."

  "You were never a King."

  "Never fuckin' needed to be when I had rank after Prez put me in charge of club negotiations with borderin' MC's. The Kings always wanted to keep their relationship with the Devils open."

  "For reasons like this?"

  He laughed aloud and stepped closer. I fell against the bar and clutched my keys. "Your 'lil campus out there has been turned upside down and thrown into the middle of a goddamn dope ring," he said. "Kings have been snatchin' business left and right to start makin' their way inside." I looked away from him in somewhat of a panic and turned on my heels to face the bar. He lifted his hands and cracked his knuckles, then dragged his fingers across the small of my back and whistled while blowing my hair across the back of my neck and shoulders. "I got a kinda pull the Devils are gonna need to stop this shit from growin'. The kind that could push the Kings elsewhere and keep the Devils in tact by gettin' their dope and profit back where it belongs. The kind that would keep X and the rest from fuckin' themselves over in bein' as stupid as I know they can be with shit like this..."

  I sighed and lowered my eyes to my hands, then latched onto the bottle of ABSOLUT and drank back what was left in a single gulp. He chortled and bent forward to kiss the back of my neck while sliding his hand to my behind and pinching what he could of my skin through my skirt.

  I tossed the bottle into a trashcan and turned my head to the side as he trailed rough kisses along my jawline before stopping at the corner of my mouth and rolling the tip of his tongue between the corner of my lips.

  The urge to vomit heightened as soon as I felt the taste of his tongue.

  "How do I know that what you're telling me is the truth," I said, "and not an elaborate reason to get me back into your bed?"

  He smiled against my face and lifted his hands to my breasts, cupping each one and drawing me back until I fell against his chest; until my behind pressed against his groin. "You run back to your boy and let him know what the fuck I said. He gets Big Tech on this shit and they'll find out quicker than they want that I ain't full of as much shit as you're hopin' I'll be, babe." He rolled his tongue along the back of my neck and sank his teeth into my skin. "The Kings are gonna get the Devils fucked and moved outta here unless I can convince 'em otherwise."

  "Singlehandedly, hm?"

  "Yeah, single-fuckin'-handedly. Practically got my balls in T-Bone's mouth, ready to suck me off when need be." He squeezed my breasts before dropping his hands to my skirt and tugging at the edge. "I'd fuck you raw right here and goddamn now if I had the time."

  "It's too bad that you don't." I snaked my way out of his arms and traipsed to the door, reached for the knob and jerked it back. As a chill from the outside brushed across my skin, I rolled my fingers between my keys and tilted my head. "I do this for you and I get my job back?" I questioned. "I do this and the Kings return their stolen business to the Devils before moving elsewhere?"

  He became quiet for a few seconds, almost as if he was stunned by my question, then shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped up behind me. "You fuck me 'til my brain bleeds, I'll pay double what you earned the first time around, get you as many tips as those thongs can handle and let you run this stage and the bitches I've got left willin' to dance before suckin' baller cock in the back. You let me fuck you raw with X watchin' it happen more than once--" My eyes nearly flew out of my face as I whipped my head around to stare at him. A sinister grin crossed his lips as he pushed the tip of his tongue against his cheek. "You let him see me make you cum 'til the goddamn sun comes up while you're doin' nothin' but cryin' out my goddamn name in a flood of tears this time, and I get the Kings to fall back."

  My mouth dropped as I leaned against the door. "This is beyond blackmail for you."

  "It's what the fuck is gonna need to happen if you wanna get paid while keepin' X's cock in place at the same goddamn time. 'Cause the Kings are determined to shift that shit, babe, for all of 'em -- and I ain't only talkin' in theory." He bent forward and pressed his mouth against the side of my throat. "I want an answer by no later than Friday about this shit. You come through with what I need and I'll do the same. If not, no money, no job... and the Kings finish their own of bootin' what's left of the Devils before you can graduate. Though I guess the shit won't matter if you can't go back to school, yeah?" He slid his tongue across my skin, leaving me numb before falling back and returning to his office.

  I stumbled out of the door and all but fell into the car as thoughts of what I had been told nearly rendered me immobile. I took a few deep breaths and shoved my key into the ignition, then opened my glove compartment and reached for my purse. After reaching inside for my phone and snatching it from the bottom, I stared at the list of missed calls, all of which had come from Xavier over the last hour and a half. Unable to return a single one in fear of what I would say and how he would react in being so far to do much of what I knew he would want, I tossed my phone into the passenger seat with my purse and sped from the grounds of the club.

  Chapter Ten

  Mariah

  By sunset, I was back home.

  After sliding into a parking spot near the front of my complex and cutting the engine, I closed my eyes for a few seconds to stop my brain from spinning, then stepped outside and looked to the stairs leading to my front door.

  "Darlin'." I jumped at the sound of X's gruffly, rugged voice and spun away from the car as he approached me from across the lot. "Sorry." I threw my hand across my heart as it nearly pounded through my ribs and leaned back as he stepped toward me, holding his palms up in defense. "Didn't mean to scare you like that--"

  "Where the hell did you come from?" I asked.

  He pointed behind himself; I peeked around his shoulder and noticed his bike parked between a bright red truck and white Mercedes Benz. "Been sittin', waitin' for a few good hours for you to finally show back up. Didn't know what the hell else to do when you stopped returnin' my calls and texts and nobody was answerin' out here. Thought 'bout headin' to ACE'S after it started gettin' dark, but figured you mighta been pissed if I did." He frowned as I avoided his gaze and scanned the lot while clutching the handle of my purse. "Your girl let you borrow her ride to head out there?"

  I nodded. "Scooter picked her up this afternoon to take a spin somewhere in the boonies. She's spending the night with him as far as I know."

  "Shit." He reached for the lapels of his Blue Devils jacket and chuckled. "They been seein' each other every goddamn day since we first came out here, yeah?"

  "I think he likes her company beyond the sex," I said.

  "Yeah... Startin' to see that shit for myself with him always talkin' 'bout bein' on the phone and shit like they're sixteen before and after church." We smiled at each other as he stepped closer to me; when his eyes lowered to my mouth, he soured. "You had somethin' to drink while bein' out there tonight?"

  "Oh." I brought my hand to my mouth in remembering, and shook my head. "An entire bottle of vodka that nearly had me puking on the side of the road once I was gone."

  His teeth clinched as he straightened his back; his jaw flexed as he flared his nostrils and exhaled through a quiet growl. "That asshole wanted you tossin' some shit back 'fore gettin' up on that stage for him?"

  "Something like that, but..." I stopped and pointed toward my apartment. "We should go inside."

  His demeanor softened as he bobbed his head and muttered, "Alright darlin', yeah. Can you walk that far up without help?"

  I stared down at my feet and lifted my brows in surprise at his question. "I don't think I've forgotten how to move one foot in front of the other, X."

  "You looked wobbly as fuck gettin' outta that goddamn car from what I could see across the way."

  "Maybe you need a better prescription." I peeked inside the car and slammed the door with my hip and tucked my purse beneath my arm. "I
should be fine."

  After taking a step forward, I stumbled with the second as my heel sank into a small crack in the ground near the front tire. Xavier threw his hands beneath my body to catch me before I could fall face first, then slid one arm behind my back and the other beneath my thighs, lifting me from the ground and holding me close to his chest.

  I gasped while keeping a grip on my purse, then instinctively slid my hands behind his neck and gulped. He stared into my eyes as liquid heat poured from his own and grinned wide enough to melt the sun while pressing his fingers into my skin. "You don't have to," I started.

  "Nah, darlin', I ain't gonna let you fall out here on my goddamn watch. I don't mind holdin' you like this and carryin' you upstairs."

  I sank into the comfort of his deliciously muscled arms and chest, and rolled my fingers across the nape of his neck while muttering, "Thank you."

  He leaned into my face and nodded before walking me up the stairs and into my apartment, closed the door behind us and lowered me to the couch in front of the television. He helped remove my shoes and dropped my purse on top of the coffee table, then watched with keen interest as I adjusted my legs against the cushions, allowing him enough space to sit down in front of me.

  He hunched forward and pressed his hands together, interlacing his fingers, and stared into the blackness of my TV. "You and that asshole come to an agreement on workin' back out there for him?" I turned my head and brushed my hand across my face as a feeling of disgust washed over my skin, then reached for his hand and pulled myself into a sitting position. He remained in place while holding onto me and rubbed his thumb across and between my fingers. I leaned into him for comfort and gradually shook my head, then took in a breath and gulped. His expression remained confused, curious as I struggled to respond to his question. "What's goin' on in there, darlin'? Can see your mind workin' overtime to tell me somethin' I ain't tryna hear."

  "It was stupid of me to think he would be the solution to my problem," I said. "Stupid because he not only hasn't changed but seemed to get worse with age."

  "Yeah." He huffed while keeping a tight hold of my hand. "I coulda told you that shit." He paused and stared at our hands as his fingers danced between my own. "He ain't gonna let you back in without gettin' somethin' in return?"

  "That's what he said, as we both knew... But it's not just what he wants, X -- it's how he wants to have it."

  He moved his jaw from left to right while keeping focus on our hands and mumbled. "He try some shit with you out there?"

  "Nothing more than I expected in seeing him for the first time in three years--"

  "He asked you to dance for him?" I gulped again and nodded. "You..." He exhaled in an attempt to keep his composure and swallowed hard enough to nearly send his Adam's apple flying out of his throat. "He wanted to see you without clothes on that goddamn stage?" I stared at the side of his face in silence and leaned back as his eyes returned to mine. "I know it's what the fuck he was hopin' to get from you out there today, doll."

  "He was hoping for more than I was willing to give."

  "Wanted you to suck his cock on sight?" he asked. "Ride him out in the open 'fore the other girls showed up for work?"

  "Not exactly..." I looked aside and snaked my fingers across the lines of his palm. "He wants sex in exchange for returning to work at the club, X."

  He balled his fist and dropped it inside my hand. "Motherfucker--"

  "That's not all."

  His brow arched as he tilted his head. "What the fuck else was he lookin' for?" I reached for his jacket and curled my fingers around the fabric as I suddenly felt as if I could no longer breathe. "Darlin'."

  "He spilled about the Kings being behind the dope at Wexley, Xavier," I said. "They're looking to move out of Bartlesville and into Pink within six months, pushing out the Devils and marking the territory as their own."

  His eyes nearly faded to black as every muscle in his face tightened. "What the fuck? That asshole told you this shit?"

  "Without hesitation. Apparently, Bartlesville is getting outside money from bigwigs looking to expand their corporate businesses and they need the MC gone in order to make that happen. T-Bone and the rest are looking to make a move down here because of what the Devils have built with law enforcement and the community."

  "Yeah, we built fuckin' relationships with these people -- fifty goddamn years worth. Those motherfuckers think they can just roll through here and keep usurpin' our shit without consequence, they got another goddamn thing comin'."

  "With the Kings being behind what's going on at Wexley, it means you can't be on campus to teach anything without them realizing why you're there."

  "I know that shit, darlin'... Unless I throw in some bullshit 'bout needin' extra money."

  "And becoming a teacher on my campus as a result?" I chuckled. "Rocka would snitch about you knowing the truth as soon as he found out either way. He wants nothing more than to see the both of us rolling through a tunnel of pain before it's all over."

  "He told you that shit too?"

  "It didn't need to be said, X..."

  His shoulders dropped as he rolled his fist inside my hand and quietly wagged his head. "He let you know he was still pissed 'bout us?"

  "It's his ego -- never has been anything more than that. But because it was you, it heightened his anger... To him, I finally got what I wanted the night we were together; he held onto the fact while I was with him that I never had it and found comfort in the idea that I never would. Needing him... he needs that for himself more than anything else. The look of anger on his face when he questioned why I asked you for help instead of going to him first--"

  "He burned your goddamn clothes on my motherfuckin' front lawn."

  "That doesn't matter," I said. "Knowing that he now owned the majority of ACE'S, he expected for it to happen."

  He glowered. "Goddamn crazy, fucked up asshole. He mention shit about LapDog havin' you followed at all?"

  "No, and I didn't ask in fear that he would stop telling me what I needed to know. But I don't think he's had anyone following me beyond my initial taking off from the club."

  "He mention anything that'd have you thinkin' that?"

  "He asked about us, curious if we had been together at any point since my leaving. If he knew the truth, there was no need to ask. If we had, he would've caught me in a lie and he knows it."

  "He let you know how he got caught up in all this shit with the Kings?"

  "Not exactly, but I'm assuming that his way into knowing more than he probably should is through LapDog. He mentioned the relationship he developed with the Kings while still wearing his patches, saying they have a seat just for him at their table."

  He scoffed. "He fuckin' serious with that shit?"

  "I didn't get a sense that he wasn't, X. He talked alot about being able to convince them to return all dope and profit to the club and stop their attempt to push you out by turning them elsewhere."

  "And what kinda goddamn price was he hopin' to be paid for that shit?" My skin suddenly felt like ice as I removed my hand from his and tucked it inside my lap. He made a face and turned to me with concern widening his eyes. "What the fuck else did he say to you out there, Mariah?"

  "He wants me back in his bed, like I told you... but is only willing to push back on the Kings if you watch us together."

  He jumped up from the couch and balled his fists as a shot of rage flashed across his face. His knuckles turned white as the whites of his eyes beamed with a redness only matched by his anger. "Me watch him with you -- That's what the fuck he said?" I nodded. "Sick fuck." He gnashed his teeth and rushed toward the door. "That motherfucker is DEAD!"

  "X!" I hopped to my feet and raced in front of him to block the door with my body.

  He growled like an animal too wild to be tamed with words alone and wagged his head. "I could pick you up if I wanted, darlin'--"

  "But you won't."

  His hand dropped before it could reach the knob.
He pointed as I covered the lock and clasped the key between my fingers. "I am snappin' the fuck outta that asshole's neck, Mariah -- I need you movin' outta the goddamn way for that shit to happen."

  "If he winds up dead by your hand, the Kings will work ten times harder to keep your dope inside their orbit and push you out to make that home for themselves in your front yard, Xavier. They won't need to know that you wanted him dead because of me -- they won't care. They'll assume it's because he snitched on what they're doing and will convince themselves that the Devils needed his mouth permanently sealed; they'll use what they think they know against you to warn Pink against the MC."

  "You think me puttin' this ass fuck to ground'll start a war with the Kings and our own goddamn town?"

  "I don't have a doubt that it won't when they let everyone know how willing you had become to take out one of your own, no matter the reason for it."

  "Motherfuckers know we don't tolerate snitches."

  "It won't change the fact that Pink will view the MC as a new danger to the community if you take him out and word travels in about it from the outside."

  His eyes shifted as his breathing heightened, as he realized I was telling the truth. "Shit. That pussy LapDog's been hookin' up with didn't know 'bout the dope bein' thrown around campus; said she only heard the rumors but didn't know if the shit was true."

  "Did you believe her?"

  "Yeah... She's been fuckin' Cheddar's brains out at least three times a day since rollin' out to the compound for that official meet and greet; LapDog ain't even on her goddamn radar anymore. Think he's moved onto some other pussy as it is. Got Big Tech lookin' into who the fuck she might be -- what she might be about. After this shit, it's clear that motherfucker has only been hangin' out there to keep an eye on the dope and those assholes sellin' it off more than you or anything else. Swappin' pussy is just an excuse to be around more often than not." He turned from me and headed back to the couch. As he sat back down, I fell away from the door and rushed forward to take a seat beside him. He stared straight ahead as the anger continued to boil through his skin and dropped his hands between his legs. "Why'd the fuck you wait to roll back through here after dark?" he questioned.