“That’s the reason it’s also the only heaven I want, Mama. An eternity without my woman’s pussy? Fuck that. You and I will make our own afterlife.”
She laughs I think. I can’t be sure because her lips are buried against the pulse in my neck and she yawns at the same time.
“You didn’t let me finish sucking you off again. I want your cum, Dragon.”
“I gave it to you, woman.”
“You know what I’m saying Dragon, don’t play dumb,” she says while her hand wraps loose around my stomach, she slides off my cock and wraps one leg over my hip.
“Told you Nicole, my boy ain’t about to taste my cum.”
“And I told you, that’s not how it works…”
“I heard you, but I think about it when you’re sucking me and I can’t let go. So, this is how I’m gonna play it.”
“I’m going to keep trying. One day you’ll be so far gone, you will give me your cum before you think about it. I just need to get more inventive.”
“Woman, I think you’ve tapped the market on inventive, unless you’re thinking about bringing another party into our bed.”
“I’d gut a bitch who tried to get near your cock. Hell, any part of you. Fuck, even our bed. I’d gut her and dance on her entrails.”
I laugh as I hear my words, words I’ve used come back at me.
“Woman, you’re starting to sound like me.”
“It’s a problem, but I deal with it. Back to the issue at hand though, another woman is not getting near you, hmmm, another man though…”
“I’d cut off his cock and feed it to him, then gut him and feed a piece of him to the vultures every fucking day for a year.”
“So, I think it’s safe to say we’re not going to be having a threesome anytime soon.”
“Ever. Not fucking ever.”
She laughs and I can’t help the smile that comes over my face.
“You know we might want to keep the whole entrails and gutting talk to a minimum, so Junior doesn’t hear. I’m pretty sure that’s more likely to happen than him ingesting daddy’s baby gravy.”
I bark out in laughter at that. Shit this woman kills me. I never laughed before her. Never.
“You are one wacky bitch, Mama.”
“My man, always so sweet and free-flowing with the compliments. Shut up Dragon, and let me go to sleep.”
“Go to sleep, Mama. I love you.”
“Forever,” she whispers against my neck.
“Forever Nicole, forever.”
In just mere minutes her breathing evens out and she sleeps. I just lie here, holding her close and enjoying this moment—like I always do. This is my time. My time for giving thanks to the man above for giving me Nicole and not taking her away. Time for me to just hold the one person in this entire world who will ever own me, except maybe our son and any future children.
Nicole and I are having a baby. A beautifully healthy baby boy. I close my eyes, my hand still moving along the side of her stomach. We’ve had two of those ultrasound things now and you can see the baby clearly. 3D or 4D, I’m not sure what they call it, all I know is it gave me a picture of our beautiful, innocent child.
I have the world. I have the world here in my hands. My woman and my baby—it doesn’t get any better than this. It’s all I never really knew I wanted, until now.
“Forever, Mama,” I whisper, as I slowly let sleep claim me. It’s not quite daylight and after a workout like that, I need to hold my woman and rest. I feel my son kick against my hand and fall asleep with a smile on my face.
Nicole
I
’m used to
waking up alone by now, but I always miss him. Dragon. I watched this movie once, a long time ago, about soulmates. It was a cheesy, corny movie but it talked about souls being separated when they are brought into this world and how they spend their entire existence here on Earth, trying to find their missing partner. I always loved the idea. I never dreamed it was real, but with Dragon that scenario doesn’t seem far-fetched. I find myself praying that my child finds his woman, the one woman who will complete him as Dragon does me—and good lord, if that isn’t a syrupy, sugary load of crap to be thinking about first thing in the morning. Dani’s right, pretty soon rainbows will be shooting out of my ass.
I pat my stomach gently and slowly get up. I’m hungry. That’s nothing new, I swear Junior has me eating everything that’s not nailed down. This morning he’s demanding bacon before I even get fully awake.
“Nic! You up?” I hear the panic in Dani’s voice, even through the door.
“Come on in,” I call out, because it’s going to take me awhile to even get up off the bed. Junior is already making that difficult. I’m wondering how I’m going to manage the last few months, at this rate.
“Nic!” Dani walks in, her dark hair pulled high on her head in a ponytail, her face made up perfectly with her trademark dark red lipstick. She’s dressed in jeans that look worn out, but if truth was known she bought them just yesterday. She may have left her past behind, but my girl has a designer taste. She is wearing a purple, white and black checkered flannel shirt. You would think that shirt wouldn’t go with the vibe she has going on, but somehow it totally does. Dani’s always been like that, I’ve always been a little envious.
“Dani, please don’t give me shit about the dresses again. I gave in and let you have…”
“Nic, please.”
The desperation in Dani’s voice causes my heart to trip. This is way more serious than the length of a damn maid of honor dress.
“What…”
It’s the only word I can get out. I’m too busy taking in the stark fear shining in her brown eyes. Panic grabs me, because there’s only one thing that could cause this much fear on Dani’s face.
“Mich…”
She pushes a rumpled, wadded, white paper at me, and stops me from finishing. That’s okay, I’d rather not say that monster’s name ever again. I have a bad feeling, which only gets stronger when I notice how hard Dani’s hands are shaking. I lick my suddenly dry lips. This is not good. Slowly my attention moves from Dani down to the letter in my hand, the one I’ve slowly been unfolding without even realizing it. I stretch out the hopeless wrinkles, move my hands against them and press hard into my leg. I’m putting off opening it. I’m not ashamed to say I’m afraid; if the look on Dani’s face is anything to go by, I have reason to be.
Again, I lick my lips, damn my mouth is dry. I pick the paper up, not surprised to see my hands are shaking too. It’s torn out of a magazine. I look at it confused. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this isn’t it. It’s a copy of a society paper from New York years ago. On the cover is a picture of Dani, a much younger and definitely more innocent Dani, but Dani nonetheless. The paper is yellow from time, but the headline under it jumps out at you—or at least it does me. It causes my heart to lodge in my throat.
Society darling, Melinda Marinetti to marry Michael Kavanagh
Oh fuck. Oh fuck, no.
“Where did you get this?” I ask and I hate that I can’t keep the panic out of my voice. Dani doesn’t need to hear my panic.
“My car.”
“Maybe you left it…”
“It was on the windshield. How the fuck did he find me? I have to leave! I can’t stay here anymore!”
I crumple the paper in my hands. The happy, sweet face of the young girl with innocent brown eyes and broad smile mocks me. I miss that girl. She was swallowed by a darkness and pain so deep, that I’ll never find her. It took me a year, but I finally acknowledged it—that girl was lost to me forever.
“You do not have to leave! Right here is the safest place for you, Dani! Dragon and the boys would protect you with their lives!”
Dani flops down on the bed beside me and I hate the tears that are falling down her face. Michael took way too much from her already, and he shouldn’t get any more of her tears.
“Don’t you think I know that? Hell, half the men here still haven’t forgiven me for putting you in danger, but they would protect me. I can’t ask them to do that, Nic.”
“You won’t have to ask Dani, we’re family…”
“Nic, Michael won’t rest until he has killed every member of the Savage Brothers and he’ll make sure it is painful,” Dani responds, and I know she’s right.
“Dragon can handle him…we have to tell him.”
“I can’t. I won’t. I’ve caused enough shit. Fuck, I almost got you killed. You have to promise me you won’t tell him, Nic.”
“Dani, you have to let the past go.” A day hasn’t gone by that she hasn’t apologize for the mess with Tiny.
“It might be alright for you but it’s not for me, and it sure as hell is not okay with Dragon. What I did was stupid and we almost lost our lives because of it. All because Dragon reminded me of Michael!”
“Dragon is nothing like Michael,” I feel the need to defend, because I don’t like that she ever thought of Dragon like that.
“Don’t you think I know that now? Hell Nic, I knew it then on some level, but my brain and mind…they don’t work right when it comes to Michael. Nothing works right…”
“I can tell Dragon, he’ll understand…”
“No!” She screams out in panic. “Promise me you won’t tell him! Promise me Nic, or I’ll leave right now. I don’t want anyone to know! Please!!!”
“Dani, you have to forgive yourself. I’m alive, you’re alive and we’re okay.”
“We are now, but Michael knows where I’m at, no one will be safe. He doesn’t know you’re involved, Nic. If he finds out, he’ll take it personal. You covered for me, you
lied
to him. Michael won’t accept that. I have to leave, it’s the only solution. If I leave he’ll follow me and leave you alone.”
“Dani, I’m getting married in two weeks!”
“I know. I’ll try and stay Nic, but I can’t put anyone in danger and…oh god, Nic, I can’t let Michael find me again. I can’t…”
Her tears fall harder and the sobs shake her body. I wrap her up in my arms and hug her closely, letting her cry. It takes all I have not to join her.
“We’ll figure this out. I promise we will.” I’m saying it, but even I’m not sure I mean it. I need to tell Dragon, but I won’t betray Dani. She’s had enough of that in her life. If I betray her, she’ll completely withdraw. I’ll lose her forever.
I feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place here. I really don’t know what to do. So, for now, I hold Dani close and let her shed more tears over a monster who doesn’t deserve them. The only thing he deserves is death.
Dragon
I
’m going to
be a fucking married man in two weeks. How is that shit possible? How did I get here? When I look back on the wild ride that Nicole and I have shared, I can barely believe it. I look over at her and Dani. They’re huddled up in the corner, thick as thieves. Normally, this would make me worry—especially with Dani involved, but I figure it is okay for now. Probably more damn wedding talk. I never knew women could go off the deep end over this shit. Damn woman had me sitting for two fucking hours picking out a cake, which seems ridiculous since she ended up picking chocolate. I mean hell, why did I try a thousand other flavors I had no idea existed, just to end up on chocolate?
“That looks like trouble,” Crush says sitting down beside me and angling his chair so he can watch Nicole and Dani’s huddle.
“Probably making sure they have the right damn shade of pink for napkins,” I say, only half joking.
“Fuck me, pink? Prez man, it’s bad enough you’re asking us to put on monkey suits, I’ll be damned if I will sit at a table surrounded by pink frilly shit.”
“I was thinking of making sure your new cut was pink,” I respond, taking a swig of beer.
Crusher throws up his middle finger after choking on his beer and I can’t help but grin. I smile a lot more these days.
“Heard from Dance?” Crush asks, his eyes still glued to the women.
“Yeah, he and Red will be back in town this weekend. They’re staying with Mary for a few more days.”
“He seems better.”
“Yeah, having Red in his corner seems to have helped.”
“It’s tearing Bull up, brother.”
“He’ll be alright.”
“Maybe, but he’s pretty messed up over Carrie.”
“Jesus, Crush. When did you become such a meddling busybody?”
“Fuck you, just making observations.”
“Yeah, well, I’m making some of my own.”
Crush turns and looks at me and it’s the first time since he sat down here, that I have his attention.
“What’s that?” He asks taking another drink of his beer. He tries to appear at ease, but his body is tight and I can tell he’s tense as hell.
“Don’t go there Crush, that woman is nothing but trouble, bro.” It’s honest advice, I don’t figure he’ll take it, but I’m going to give it. You’d have to be a fucking moron not to notice the way he’s panting after Nic’s girl.
“Have no idea what you are talking about, Drag.”
“Like hell. You want to stick your dick in Dani, but fuck man. A woman like that? You get your dick in her, it might feel good for a minute or two, but definitely not worth the shit-storm that will follow.”
“I’m thinking I could make it feel a lot better than just good and definitely longer than a minute or two.”
“Whatever man. With a woman like that you’re liable to draw back a stub. That woman has issues.”
“What woman doesn’t?” He asks and I can’t help but follow Crush’s lead and look over at the women still huddled in deep discussion.
“Nic, she gives me calm not drama. That’s the kind of woman you need, brother.”
“They don’t look calm right now,” Crush says.
“As long as Nicole’s drama is over what fucking shade of white the cake frosting should be? I’m cool,” I respond.
“There are shades of white?”
“Who the fuck knew, right? I swear this whole wedding thing may be the death of me.”
I sit there in silence for a little while, my eyes still watching my woman. I glance at Crush and notice he is doing much the same with Dani. This doesn’t exactly fill me with warm, fuzzy feelings. Nic hasn’t shared a lot about Dani, other than to stress how important she is to her. I was pissed as hell after the bitch put Nic in danger—hell she put herself in danger as well. Still, Nic told me Dani had a life I didn’t know anything about, that had left some deep scars. I know all about trying to survive a past that scarred you. Fuck, every member of the Savage Brothers does. So, I promised as long as the bitch didn’t cause more problems, I’d be cool. I mean it, but if Crush starts something up with her and she fucks with my brother’s head…