An hour later we pulled up to her apartment. She got off the bike and went to wave me off. I laughed and kissed her as I pulled the keys from her. “Your, not getting rid of me yet.” I breathed against her as I got into her car, full intentions of driving.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“Driving.” I replied smugly.
“Really, and just where are we going?”
“Well, I planned on getting your kids from Stink’s, then maybe going to the park or something.” I shrugged like it was no big deal. I heard her pull in a breath.
“Anthony, I already told you, Sean, he is sensitive and will get ideas.” I loved the sound of my given name on her lips. I loved it even more when she screamed my name when my cock was deep in her.
“We will just tell him I am like an uncle or something.” I shrugged, it made perfect since to me.
“Anthony, that will kind of hard, if you can’t keep your hands off of me. Look I am not asking you to be a dad, or anything…”
“I know, but like I said I want to try this with you.”
The look of pure shock on her face made me laugh out loud. “Damn woman you should see your face. Look, the way I see it, we have known each other for about a month. You know more about my past that your own brother. Do you trust me?” I ask her. It is true she knows about Annie, the only other people that know about her is Stink. He was there when the shit went down.
“Yeah, I guess I do. After all I kind of slept at your place.” She blushed and it was too cute to ignore. I kissed her nose as I started the car.
The hardest part was going to be showing up at Stink and Amy’s house with Korey, picking up her kids. He may not give me shit right away, but I would hear about it later. I could already his jibes coming. About fucking time, you got over that bitch. Finally locking some pussy down. About time for the President to get the ball and chain.
Pulling up to their house was surreal. The had a small quant house in the burbs of Redding. It was only about a ten-minute drive per way of a Harley from the clubhouse. To say that I bought a house on the lake I tried to convince myself that it was for the view. But truth be told it was because of how close it was to the clubhouse.
If I was needed, I could get there in a minute’s notice. As any president of a MC I took my role seriously. Some of the younger members listened to me expectantly like I was their fucking father. I took to the roll the way my own father and ex-president taught me to be. One day soon son you will be the next President. Son they look up to you. you have to set an example not only by your words but by your actions. The men will only take the as seriously as you do. If you party all the time, in turn so will they. You have to set the bar high, there will be times that you will be tempted with the power that comes with the gavel. Remember your officers are there to help you, to help you keep your head to keep you steady. Rely on your VP to be your coolest friend and advisor. Your SAA will help to keep order in the MC, he will make sure that the By-laws are followed and carried out. Your enforcer needs to be brutal; he will need to do things that no other man to live with. But remember never, and I mean never ask your men to do something you would never do. Trust your treasurer with the club finances. Your secretary will need to be good at record keeping, he will need to be good at keeping all the clubs records and be able to keep them to himself. Trust your Road captain to keep the runs smooth and to keep the dangers at bay, he will always ride by your side. And above all else when you find love, and you will son. Maybe not today or even five years from today. When you find it cherish it, keep her safe. She will be the first lady of the club, she will be your confidant, your stone when things get bad. And trust me son thing will get bad. But having someone beside you that understands where you stand in the thick of things, is well, Son when you find her, you will know.
I look over at Korey and can’t help but hope that she gets the club, that she can one day get me. I just know in my gut, that she will make a perfect first lady. The Ol’ Lady to the president, is a rock, to the president. No brother will ever admit it, by the only loyalty that is more than the brothers in the club is a good Ol’ Lady. The amount of trust a good Ol’ Lady puts in her Ol’ Man is astronomical. I don’t pretend to know what a woman like Amy goes through when we have our runs. She doesn’t know everything, but she must have faith in Stink and the club to bring him back to her.
“Ready, to have some fun?” I ask her as I put the car in park. I never do anything half assed. I think shit through before I got in feet first. Looking at Korey, I know I have made my decision to see this through, it might be a mistake, but it feels worth the risk.
Walking up to the door I hold her hand, a simple gesture to her maybe, but I haven’t held hands with a woman in a long time, not to the point that I want to keep her at my side for as long as she will have me.
The door opens and I find Amy standing in the doorway smiling at us as we make our way towards her. “Amy, how are you this mornin’?” I ask her not trying to give her any signs that Korey and I had a night full of sex and promises that I want her to stay with me.
“Doing pretty good. Sadie and Sean will be glad to see you Korey.”
“Why, what happened?” Korey asks with worry in her voice.
“Nothing, happened. I am just guessing that you two are going to take them out.” Amy smirks at me.
“Babe, who’s at the door?” I hear Stink yell from somewhere in the house. “Korey and Brick.” She yells back. “Awe shit.” he yells back. I tense knowing that my brother is going to be full of shit when he come to the door. And he doesn’t disappoint either.
“Damn, Brick. Locking it down finally?” He jabs as Amy laughs at his joke. I don’t claim to be a smart man, but I am pretty sure Stink told Amy about my inquiry about him keeping the kids overnight, or that Korey talked with him on my phone.
“Yeah, you know I take shit slow.” I give back to him. Korey snorts from next to me. He gives me a knowing look that means more than he could ever put in words. About fucking time, you forgot about Annie and moved on motherfucker.
“I’ll go get the Sean and Sadie.” Amy tell us as she lets her hand slide over Stink’s chest. Yep they enjoyed having the kids over, but it looks like they didn’t get their time last night. I am pretty sure Stink is going to be getting a visit late for disturbing the peace of their little neighborhood. Not that someone would actually call on him, for fear of retaliation. One of the good things about being an Angel and Sinner, people don’t fuck with you.
“Thank you, Amy.” Korey says with a smile on her face. Sadie and Sean come to the door all smiles and giggles. When they see Korey, their smiles get bigger than I have ever seen. Sean stops short when he sees our hands together. The smile on his face at seeing that, it melts my fucking heart. There is so much hope in his little boy face. I can see where Korey gets her worry. Sadie’s smile is a little more jaded. She narrows her little brown eyes at me, like she is measuring me up for a fight.
Yep Sadie definitely has her mother in her. I look at both of them and I can see subtle differences in them, but you can’t deny that they are brother and sister. It doesn’t seem to me that they have a different father. The thought of what her ex did to her, makes me sick, and I desperately want to find the fucker and kill him. I don’t care if he has a family or not, you don’t treat your wife like that. When I told Korey that he wasn’t a man, I meant it, her ex is not a fucking man but a pussy who doesn’t know anything about brotherhood, or even how delicate having a woman depend on a man and give her trust so openly means.
Pushing my anger to the side I bend down to their level. “Sadie, Sean, you two want to go to the park with your mom and me today?”
“Yes.” Sean answers almost immediately.
“Depends, do we get ice cream afterwards?” Sadie asks me, she has her hands on her hips, letting me know she is serious and that she reserves the right to tell me no, if I don’t meet her demands. I laugh and look up at Korey. “Well, mom, can we get ice
cream after wards?” the look of pure admiration crosses her face, she covers it up nicely with a stern look at her daughter. She taps her chin like she is thinking hard. “Let me see….” She pauses for the perfect affect. “if you get chocolate no sprinkles, and I think we have a deal.”
“Then that it a yes. I would like to go to the park with you.” Sadie smiles and walks around me to the car and gets settled into the back seat. Sean darts around us as I stand up and squeezes beside his sister, settling into his booster seat. I laugh at the differences in them. Sean is all about having the fun, while Sadie seems to clearly only want to have fun on her terms. She will be one of a negotiator when she grows up. I reach the car and buckle Sean into his booster. Sadie watching me like a hawk the whole time. I drape my cut inside out on the back of the seat and get settled myself into the car. Korey is already ready to go.
“Misic, mama, misic.” Sean’s little voice yells from the back seat. Korey smiles at me. “Music, you want music.” She states slowly and clearly to the little boy.
She reaches and turns on the radio going through her phone to find the right one. Watching her scroll through the music on her phone, the serious look she holds, and the occasional head shake as she searches has me hypnotized. When she finally settles on one, I am shocked as I hear the beat coming from a bad that I know all to well. I Prevail starts to play as we pull out of the driveway. I can see Sadie singing along with the song. It is one of their less aggressive songs, and one I know all too well.
Korey starts to sing along as she turns up the dial. We make it to the park as another one of their songs starts this one is a little faster and Korey doesn’t miss a beat with the lyrics. The kids headbanging in the backseat of the little bug when it pulls up to the park is something I would have loved to see. I make a move to turn the car off. Korey shakes her head no.
The song finishes with a screaming note from all three of them. Well off key but I am impressed that they know the words. “Are we done?” I ask before the next song starts. Korey blushes and shrugs her shoulders.
“Sorry, we have a tradition, we have to finish the song before we get out.” I laugh.
“Seems legit, some songs are worth waiting for.”
I heard her listening to punk rock, but I should have known that she listened to harder rock. But it took me by surprise to know that her kids knew the songs too. To say I was a little impressed was an understatement. I was raised as a rocker and never thought I would find a woman that liked the music as much as me. Sure, there are hardcore female rockers out there, but to have one secretly land in my lap, well that is something sort of amazing.
Sean and Sadie ran for the slides giggling as Korey and I walked to a bench to watch them play. “I love most music. Grams always said that music creates the mood we want. Punk rock music makes me happy. Country makes me sad and gives me a headache. But rock music, doesn’t matter if it is classic or new, heavy, screaming or light with a good guitar, well it is a cure all.” She beams a big smile at me. like she just solved all the mysteries that is wrong with the music industry.
“What about Pop music?” I chance a look at her face. She burst out laughing.
“You mean boy bands don’t you, geez, I tried the whole boy band thing when I was like Sadie’s age. Didn’t last long. AC/DC kind of won out. I found one of my Dad’s old LP’s and I was sold. To say mom was pissed was an understatement. She was into country crooners; dad was well dad. Grams had played everything including grunge rap. Imagine that, seeing a granny going down the road rapping with the best them, windows down and music up.” She laughs so hard she starts to snort at her memory. I could have seen my mom do some shit like that. The idea of my mom being a grandmother makes me smile. She would have been hell on wheels that is for sure.
“Sean, get down from there.” Korey yells out as she takes off running. I watch in amazement as Sean is onto of a climbing contraption, he is in the middle of the thing standing up with a huge grin on his face.
I take off after Korey. Beating her to the contraption that is going to break an unsuspecting kid’s bone. I lift him off of the metal death contraption. Korey is behind me a she scolds Sean. “Sean you could have gotten hurt. Honey what were you thinking?” she asks him with a stern look on her face. I don’t want to overstep my bounds, but the kid has balls climbing up there and standing up.
“Mama, I wunted, to be brawve. I wunted B-Bruck to like me.” I look at Korey she is still glaring at Sean in my arms. I put him down and kneel in front of him. Taking his shoulders and having him look at me.
“Sean, buddy, I do like you just fine. You don’t have to be brave for me to like you. just be Sean, okay.” He bites his little lip, as the tears are starting in his eyes. I pull him in for a hug. He grips on to my shirt in his little fist as he cries.
Damn if something like this can’t melt heart of stone, but he does. This kid has been through so much already. Thinking he needs to impress me so I will like him. His asshole of dad did this shit to him, make his question himself.
I look up at Korey to see tears in her eyes she watches Sean cry into my chest. I stand up with Sean easily and pull her into a hug. Sadie is there too narrowing her eyes at me. “I want ice cream now.” She announces. Tears forgotten; Sean looks up at me. “I wont ice crewam too.” He said in cute little five-year-old voice. How could anyone tell him no.
“Yeah, let’s go get some ice cream.” I announce as we make our way back to the car.
Chapter 17
Korey
I know I should be happy that Brick was so good with Sean two days ago. Or even that he has been around my kids for the past two days. But damn it all to hell, he is too good with them. Sadie is still not sold on the Brick train. Which I get, one hundred percent. But I know that Sean is already attached to Brick. And I know that when these ends because it will, it is going to hurt more than what my ex did. I already knew I was falling for Brick before he even asked me to try things and go with the flow. But watching him with my kids is like I am trying to playhouse with him. He would make an excellent dad that is for sure. The way he gets down on their level to talk to them. How he negotiates with Sadie, and how he reassures Sean every day. I had already given up my ten year vow weeks ago, and now my resolve on falling love is gone. Brick has pretty much dissolved all of my resolves against having anything remotely close to a relationship.
Just go with the flow. Two people have told me. Grams and Brick. That is what I plan to do, just go with the flow and see where this takes me. Although I don’t want to fall in love with Brick, it is almost inevitable that it will happen.
“Earth to Korey.” Amy waves a hand in my face. Anthony closed down the tattoo shop today, he didn’t really tell me why he did. He called and let me know that something had come up. Go with the flow, was the first thought that came to me. So here I am going with the flow talking with my new bestie Amy.
“Sorry, Amy. I kind of got lost.” She laughs above Paw Patrol that the kids are watching. “Guys, Amy and I are going to be in my room.” A round of distracted oks come from Sean and Sadie. Amy gives me a look that makes me laugh nervously.
Leaving the door cracked so I can still hear what is going on in the living room, I turn to Amy. “Amy, I don’t have a clue what I am doing.” I hiss at her. she smiles widely. “Uh, huh. and why is that?”
I give her a look that wipes the smile off her face. “Amy, you now I told Brick I don’t relationships right.” She nods at me. Brick has kept me busy since Saturday, and I haven’t been able to talk to Amy. She has become my confidant of sorts.
“Well, Saturday he told me he wanted to try ‘us’ out.” Using air quotes surrounding the word us. “He has been so good with the kids; Sean is enamored over the moon for Brick.”
She purses her lips for a second. “So, what is the problem?”
I am trying to pick my mouth off the floor as she continues. “Look, Korey, I can’t even try to phantom what you are feeling where your kids are concerne
d. And I get that you want what is best for them. But have you stopped and thought about what you want?”
Her question takes me for a loop. I try to think, I mean sure I enjoyed the sex with no strings attached. But as soon as he pushed for more, I kind of quit looking for more, I just kind of expected him to leave.
“What is scaring you the most right now?” Amy throws another question at me.
“I am terrified that he is going to leave, especially now that Sean and Sadie are involved. Before, and I know it sounds crazy, but it’s only been three days since he pushed for more. But now I am terrified that he is going to leave, Amy I gave him the power to destroy me and my kids.” I heard a whine in my voice and cringed that I was becoming a whiny little nitwit.
Amy started chuckling as she sat down on the bed. She patted the spot next to her. “Come sit.” I sat down and she wrapped and arm around my shoulders. “Korey, I hate to break this to you, but you are in love girl.” I let out a sob as I nodded my head. I knew I felt something more for Brick.
“I know it is hard to trust someone, especially after you have been hurt. but sometimes we have to pull on her big girl panties and trust our feelings.” She gives me words of wisdom beyond her years.
“I know, but it is just so hard. Amy if he leaves it is going to hurt so bad.”
Amy laughs. “Child, anything worth fighting for hurts.” Those words hit me hard. Grams said it, my dad and mom said it. I pulled away from Amy and stared at her for a second. My brain was trying to process all of my emotions, from realizing that I might love Brick. Sure, I loved what his body did to mine. I loved how easy it was for him to be with my kids. I loved how he told me about his past, I loved how he just wants me to be me. Damn, I do love his ass in jeans or out of them. But to actually love him, and not want him to leave ever. Not quite, but I don’t want him to leave, my heart has already fallen head over heels for that man. My mind however was not quite convinced. I know that it will hurt me if he leaves, and like so many people have advised me on, it must be something worth fighting over.
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