Down & Dirty (17 page)
Authors: Reese Madison
S
ince Stacy had broken a major rule so I had to find a way to punish her without her losing the respect of the girls she’s trying to lead. I decided to wait until she’s healed to do anything, but I wanted to ask Joe about it tonight.
“What would you do? She wasn’t supposed to be over there.”
He knows the rules for the girls as well as I do. “Make her scrub floors in the bar. It’s really not that big of a deal. She lived, that’s the important part.”
“That’s not a bad idea. What are you doing?” I asked watching him dig through a closet and pull out a large dark green duffle bag.
“I think I have a shock collar in here somewhere.”
“A what??”
“A shock collar. The batteries might be dead, but you need a shock collar.” He threw a camouflaged t-shirt at me. “Wash that please.”
I sniffed it, “Ew. You’re not really looking for a shock collar are you?”
“A taser gun would be too painful.” He’s still hunting.
I ran over and got between him and the bag. “No shock collars.”
He stopped digging and planted his hands on either side of me on the table. His eyes searched mine, “Is that pill worn off yet? I want to knock you up and off those beautiful feet that keep walking you into trouble. Have you always had this much drama?”
“Kind of, yeah.” I admitted.
Stacy wasn’t happy about cleaning the floors, but it was something she could do while she healed. She can’t work all banged up. I got to hang out with her while she cleaned.
“Sorry sweetie.” I said sitting on a table and using the spray bottle of cleaner to presoak some spots for her.
She shook her hand out. “I hate housework, fucks up my nails.”
“I’ll buy you a mani-pedi when you don’t look like raw beef.” I promised.
“How’s things with the kids father?” She changed the subject so we could catch up.
“Not sure. All I know is the appeal looks good to get him off death row, but not out of prison. I guess we have to wait for a parole hearing in order to see if we can get an early release.” I repeated what Joe had told me earlier.
“That’s something.”
“Yeah, it’s still a long ways from over. I like getting to know Mitch. He’s going to be starting middle school in a couple weeks. I hope he likes it.”
“How’s Marie holding up?”
“Not bad. She’s getting stuff moved to storage so she can put the house on the market until she finds another place.”
“Have you talked about custody of Mitch?”
“We’re sharing pretty easily right now. If Mitch wants come stay with me he can, but I’m not home during the hours he is, so I see him here and over at Maria’s. We’re still fine tuning stuff, but it’ll work out.”
She sat back on a dry spot. “I can’t believe that bitch freaked out
and
took my money.” She thought back to last night.
“That’s why I don’t want you girls working outside the gate here. It’s not safe.”
“I know, don’t nag.” She complained picking up the bucket to get fresh soap and water. You can’t get this floor really clean with just a mop, not with these men running around. It needs a good scrubbing once a month. Prospects usually warrant the punishment, but not this time. Poor Stacy.
Salina walked in, “Hey chickies, what’s cookin?”
“Fucking Simple Green. I never want to smell this shit again.” Stacy complained.
Things went back to normal for a while. Mitch and Joe seem to be hitting it off pretty well. Mitch took an interest in motorcycles so Joe introduced him to the garage.
The first few days was all about safety. The first time Joe helped Mitch turn a wrench I knew Mitch would be tied to this club for life. Part of me hopes he finds a nice normal life, the part that’s closer to home right now hopes he finds his family here with my new family.
Maria went back to work waiting tables so I helped her juggle Mitch. Being Summer he hung out in the garage most afternoons into late evenings. I worked in the bar, ran errands, took him to parks to meet kids his age, whatever he wanted. I was trying to make up for lost time by being at his beckon call.
Somehow I always seem busy. The first time Joe had to go on an overnight job I got bumpy. When he went for two nights I got cranky.
He’s just told me he’s going to be gone four nights.
“You can’t go four hours.” I complained.
“Only when it comes to you. Are you going to get mad every time I have to go to work?”
“Yes.” I sat in my favorite chair out back with my nightly glass of wine.
“Still don’t trust me do you?”
“I don’t know. I want to, but I know how these guys are around here. I can just imagine how they are elsewhere. They’re going to think you’re rude.”
“Nah, I’ll just get a blow job to hold me over.”
My eyes shot daggers at him until I saw that hint of amusement that had me punching his big ass until he took the hint to go back inside and make love to me.
I watched him ride off from the front porch with a bad feeling. He better be careful. I hate when he’s not in town to sneak up on me for a quickie.
Joe’s appetite for sex borderlines on insane. I can’t picture him going four whole days. This bothered me a lot more than I should have let it.
Salina picked up on it and cussed me. “You’re such a bitch when the guys hit the road.”
“I keep picturing some whore in his lap.”
“I told you not to do that. Toughen up baby, you either trust him, or you don’t. If you don’t trust him then you have to accept that shit happens and get over it. It’s not about not getting enough at home. They’re men, they have dicks. Their dicks make them stupid.” She complained.
I shivered. “Uck. I’m going to power wash his ass.”
“Stop thinking about it and you’ll feel better.”
“How??”
“Think about this weekend’s run.” She’s been working on this one for months.
My phone rang with Joe’s ringtone. “Hey baby.”
“Hey, I’m on my way back. Charlie was killed in the yard this morning.”
“Oh no.” I sat down. “What happened?”
“Not sure yet. They’re on lockdown right now. I’ll find out as soon as I can.”
“Poor Charlie.”
“Poor Mitch. This will be the second father in three months he’ll watch go in the ground.”
“Oh no.”
“That’s why I’m coming back. Mitch and I are pretty tight, don’t say anything until I get back. In fact, go home so nobody finds out and fucks up by letting him overhear.”
“Do I take Mitch home? What if I crack?”
“Take him to a movie baby, I’ll be home about an hour after it’s over. Get some pizza, go to Target, he likes shopping for clothes there.” He suggested. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I’m going now. I love you.”
“I love you. Thank you Joe, for coming home for me.”
“For you and the kid. This is going to hurt bad at his age. See you soon.”
Mitch and I were making a mess in the kitchen when Joe finally pulled up. Mitch wanted to make a pizza for Joe when he got home. We’re a little behind schedule. This is going to be a bad night.
Joe came in and kissed me hello before patting Mitch on the shoulder and saying hello.
“Hey buddy. I have something I need to tell you and your mother. It’s not good.”
Mitch put the last pepperoni on top and looked up at Joe, “What?”
“Charlie passed away this morning.” He knelt down to Mitch’s level.
“Nut-uh.” He looked at Joe.
“I’m afraid so buddy. I don’t know what happened yet, but I’ll find out. I’m really sorry.”
He shoved Joe in the chest, “This is your fault!” He looked up at me and pointed, “And your’s!! You told me about him!! Now I don’t have a dad! I keep killing them!!” He ran off to the guest room which has become his when he’s here.
I covered my face, “Fuck me.”
“Call Marie.” Joe followed Mitch to make sure he didn’t escape out the window. I called Marie.
Mitch took his grief and ran into Marie’s arms. Other than the funeral I didn’t see either of them for a long time. Marie moved to a neighboring town with Mitch. She sends me phone pictures and text updates without Mitch knowing.
If she tried to bring me or Joe up he shuts down, so we backed off. I offered to pay for therapy if he was open to it. Marie did her best, and I have to give the woman credit, she did a damn good job. Joe made sure she didn’t have any financial struggles.
I started missing Mitch and got testy. It’s been another couple months and Joe is wearing me out about this birth control shit.
“How much longer?” He asked for the second time this week.
“I swear if you ask me that again I’m going to clobber you.”
“If you don’t answer me I’m going to throw you in the pool.” He threatened.
I backed up thinking the spatula would be an effective weapon, “Don’t you dare!!” He’s done this before.
“Then answer me.”
“I’m not telling you. You don’t listen anyway.” I scolded him. He’s got a short attention span. I guarantee ten minutes after I told him it would be worn off in about a week, he’d forgot.
He stood up coming right for me.
“No!!! You better not throw me in that damn pool again! What if you hurt the baby?” I poked him in the chest with the spatula.
That stopped him up short. “You’re pregnant?”
“I doubt it, but I could be.”
“I thought you said a week.”
“That’s an estimate. I could be worn off already.”
For the first time I saw my big bad biker let a wicked grin sneak up on the corners of his mouth. “Aw, yeah. Now you’re in trouble.”
I screamed as he tossed me over his shoulder. “Turn the stove off!!”
From that minute on he made it his mission to get a baby inside me. Joe is a retired Marine and Navy Seal. When he’s on a mission, he’s on a serious mission. I thought he was bad before, now I can’t even walk past him without him either attacking or eyeing me with that flirty threat of what’s to come later.
I wrote Mitch a letter telling him I was hoping to give him a baby brother or sister and to please consider being a part of our family, Marie too. We’ll see what happens. For now, I have my husband home, safe, and desperate to get naked with me. I’ve never been happier in my life.