For the Love of Dixie (3 page)

Dixie Rose

I wake up feeling like I’ve been on a late night bender. My eyes are puffy, my head is pounding, and my body aches. I swing my legs around the bed and slide out. The knock on the door comes again, and I realize what woke me. I rub my eyes and shuffle to the front door. Peering out the peephole, I spot Blue.

Thank you, God, for small favors.
I couldn’t handle one of the brothers right now. They’re like a bull in a china shop when it comes to emotions. I unlock the door.

She rushes to me with her arms stretched out. “I got here as soon as I heard. But I knew you’d need your sleep. I am so sorry.”

“I’m so glad you’re here, Blue.”

“Of course, babe. Anytime you need me, you know I’m coming. How’s Hoss doing?”

“I haven’t been today, but last night he seemed to be rallying swiftly. Told me to go home ’cause sitting there watching him sleep was creepy shit,” I say, lowering my voice to do my best
Hoss
imitation.

Blue laughs. “Yeah, sounds like your dad.”

She shuts the door and I lead her through the living room to the kitchen. “I have to start some coffee and pop some meds. I have a wicked headache, and I feel like shit warmed over.”

“Stress will do that to you,” Blue says.

“Right? How’ve you been?” I ask as I enter the room and start up the old school coffee pot. Pops refuses to conform and get a Keurig.

“Good. Went away with Bolton. It’s been tense around the house lately. Whatever Shadow’s been working on has him tense and snippy as fuck. They say men don’t have PMS, but I’m calling bullshit.”

I can’t contain the bark of laughter that flies from my mouth. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”

“I’m not crazy,” Blue replies with a snicker.

I love her being with Shadow. They should’ve happened ages ago, but her bitch of a sister made sure it didn’t. Thinking of her made me sick. I’ve known few people who I consider to be truly evil. Bad things happen in life. We’ve all been hurt, betrayed, and tested…it’s what we do with ourselves after those experiences that speaks to who we are. I should know. I had to make the choice a long time ago to be better instead of bitter. That sort of resentment and angst can sour a person until they’re spoiled. Picturing the leather-faced, dour sweetbutts never chosen to be more than an available hole. They made every woman’s life as miserable as they could, pushing the rules to kill their joy. Watching them showed me everything I needed to know about going down that path in life.

I learned a lot living in this life. It wasn’t all bad. Knowing you had people who would die to keep you safe was a rarity in this world. Even Mouth with all his hate would lay down his life because I’m KOC and therefore, in some fucked up loophole in the universe, I belong to him. The thought makes me shudder.

“Enough about me and my life. Have you talked to Echo yet?” Blue asks.

“No, and I don’t plan to anytime soon if I can help it,” I say, scooping the coffee from the red cylinder and dumping it into the filter.

“Come on, you know that’s not feasible,” she scoffs.

“Why?” I ask, stubbornly. Slamming the lid and hitting the green button, I turn to lean against the counter.

“What happened when you came to see me?” she asks, arching her thin eyebrow.

I grind my teeth together. “A mistake.”

“Right? There’s too much still there between you. Trust me, I know all about that. Denying it will only make the coming together more explosive.”

“Trust me, it was dangerous enough,” I mumble.

San Mateo, two months earlier

I sip on my beer as I take in the party raging around me. This is our version of Mardi Gras. Scantily clad women weave their way through the crowd while engines are revving as the men open up their bikes in friendly races. I walk through the crowd, seeing familiar faces.

“Hey, Dixie Rose, good to see you,” a gruff voice calls out.

I glance up at Wrench and smile. He’d been a prospect when I left, but the wiry blond with big brown eyes had grown up well. “Hey, Wrench, came out to see my girl, Blue, take her place with Shadow.”

He laughs. “Crazy, ain’t it?”

“Nah, right on time, I think,” I reply.

“Shit, glad he got away from Calla. She’s fucking toxic.”

“You won’t hear me disagree,” I say.

“What are you drinking on? Can I get you another one?” Wrench asks.

“Yeah, I’d like that.” I offer up a smile.

He leads me through the crowd to one of the coolers. “Beer okay?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to stand in that line.” I glance over to the winding row of people waiting for a bartender. The sweetbutts could barely keep up with the demand.

He hands me a bottle.

I twist off the cap and we watch the bikini wearing girls scramble.

“Can’t say they aren’t earning their keep this weekend,” Wrench observes.

I snicker. “For once.”

Wrench grins.

I don’t have anything against sweetbutts. They have their place in the life. They provide relief, have fun doing it, and take care of the necessary shit no one else wants to, or has the time for. Like cooking and cleaning. I didn’t want to tidy up after a club full of men, so it always made sense to me. I also never had an old man to worry about. Of course, to me that was between the couple. Whatever rules they decide works for them was personal. I didn’t have a right to judge, it wasn’t how we did things.

“So, how’s Santa Monica treating you?” Wrench asks.

“Good. Been at the same gig for almost five years now, counseling kids if you can believe it.”

“No shit, a member of KOC telling the youth what to do with their life? That’s a first.”

I laugh. “Yeah. I like it though. Most kids still have that innocence about them. They think they can change the world, and there’s something fucking admirable about that.”

“Yeah, we don’t have a lot of non-jaded people around here,” Wrench agrees, immediately understanding. He is a legacy, born and bred in the club. He understands the crazy that automatically comes along with the title.

“Exactly. I miss home, though…the sounds, scents, and most of the people,” I admit.

“You got a raw deal sometimes. A lot of us hated that for you. But wasn’t our place to speak up,” Wrench says.

“Believe me, I get it. It’s why I left. My hands were tied, and my mouth was getting tired of staying shut. Figured it was best for everyone if I took a hiatus.”

“You thinking about coming back?” Wrench asks.

“I think I’m good with visits.”

“I don’t know. This is where you belong, girl. It’s in your blood same as mine. You can go away, but it’ll pull you back somehow.”

“Not just yet.”

Cracks echo in the distance. I lift my head and grin at the fireworks.

“Damn, they went all out,” Wrench points out.

The brilliant displays of red, green, blue, and white mesmerizes me. I was a small child, in awe. Craning our necks, we watch the show and continue to drink. Wrench was easy on the eyes, and great at conversation. The alcohol loosens my inhibitions as the stress and tension fade. The laughter was sweet, and his admiring gaze felt even better.

“Why don’t we take this some place more private?” Wrench asks.

I remember how long it’s been since I slept with someone. “Sounds good to me.” We move toward a quieter area, and he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling my body flush against him. My breasts get heavy, and my center pulses. I wrap my arms around him, tilting my head back.

His lips are soft, and he’s eager. He works me over slowly with his talented tongue.

He tastes like beer and man, a lethal combo in my book. I moan, and he deepens the kiss, grinding his hips into mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and toy with the short hair at his nape.

“The fuck you doing, Wrench?” a voice growls.

Reality splashes over me like a bucket full of ice for the ASL challenge.

“What’s up, Echo?” Wrench says.

I pull back and see the frown on Wrench’s face.

“The fuck is this shit?” Echo’s face is flushed, and his hands clench into fists.

“Playing catch up with Dixie Rose,” Wrench answers.

“With your tonsils?” Echo spits.

“She ain’t got your mark on her, brother,” Wrench drawls.

“The fuck she doesn’t,” Echo says. He grabs my arm and yanks me away. “Show him or I will.”

I want to scratch his fucking eyes out. “Fuck you.”

“That can be arranged.” Echo reaches out and yanks at my jeans until I give in and pop the top button. There on my hip was an ornate crown with a bold English letter E in the center of the base.

“Shit, man,” Wrench holds up his hands, “I didn’t know.”

“This means nothing. It was a mistake,” I say.

“Doesn’t fucking matter, little girl. That shit is for life, and you know it,” Echo retorts. “This stays here, you feel me, brother?”

Wrench nods. “Yeah, I got it.” He slips away.

I was left on my own. “You’re a real asshole.”

“And you’re a crazy bitch if you think I was going to let this fly.” He grips my wrist hard and drags me thorough the crowd to a secluded corner not touched by the lights. “You won’t give me the time of day, but you want to give my shit away to him?” he snarls.

“It’s not
your
shit. It hasn’t been your shit since you bailed on me.”

“It wasn’t like that—”

“What was it then, Echo?” I ask and turn to him, praying he’ll answer.

“Doesn’t matter now.”

“Always with the copout.” I shove him away. “You don’t get to hold me hostage. I will do whoever, whenever I please.”

“Not in this town you won’t,” he deadpans.

“You turned out to be a bully, just like your father.”

“The fuck did you just say?” He advances toward me.

I step back until my back meets the wall.

“You think you know me? You don’t know shit about me or the life I live. You knew the rules when you got my mark. Yet, you come here and blatantly disrespect me.”

“
Please
…no one knows,” I say flippantly.

“I fucking know. That’s all that matters. We both know your place is here with me. You might be pissed, but I bet your body knows who it belongs to.” His voice lowers an octave.

My nipples peak and my tummy quivers.

“If I touch you right now I’ll bet you’ll be wet.”

“You won’t get the chance to find out,” I snap.

“You trying to keep me from touching what’s mine?”

There’s an edge to his voice I know well. I bite my lip to keep from provoking him.

“Silence isn’t going to help you, little girl.”

I turn away.

Grasping my chin, he forces me to look at him. “You want me to remind you who you belong to?”

I shake my head, unable to speak.

He trails the back of his knuckles down my face. “No? Funny you’re so silent now, but you were giving me hell before. You’ve been a bad girl, and you need to be punished.” He runs the tips of his fingers over the top of my panties visible through the still open top of my jeans.

I shiver.

A shit eating grin appears on his face.

My breath catches in my chest as I wait for his next move.

He continues to move the tips of his strong fingers back and forth for a few minutes until he slips his fingers inside my panties and caresses my slit. “So fucking wet for me, aren’t you?” He circles my clit.

A whimper slips from my lips.

“Now tell me you don’t belong to me.”

“I-I don’t.”

Echo thrusts a finger inside my slick sheath.

I cry out.

“What’s that?” he asks, moving his finger faster. “I didn’t quite catch it.” He adds another finger.

Now, I am lost. Moving my hips in time with his movements, I match the rhythm. He crooks his fingers and my pussy quivers.

“Still waiting to hear it,” he rasps.

“N-no,” I manage to moan.

He pounds my pussy, and I’m a whimpering pile of need, perched on the edge.

He pauses with two fingers as deep as they’ll go.

“No,” I cry out.

“Tell me who you belong to, and I’ll give you what you need.”

“You.” The words were out of my mouth before I could deny.

He pulls his fingers back and slams home.

Stars explode behind my eyelids, and I come—hard. I feel shame, but I’m fully sated.