Down & Dirty (5 page)

“This is moving way too fast, not to mention I’m exhausted.”

He sat up a little and pulled my shirt off over my head. “Good thing for you I’m not.”

“Seriously Joe. I’ve known you less than a week.”

He ran his fingertip just under the edge of the lace trim that’s my bra. “What do you want to know?” He settled onto his elbow next to me still tracing and enjoying the view.

“I don’t know, Salina told me about your mom today. It’s not that though. I’m not one to jump in bed with a guy after knowing him for three days.”

“I don’t remember you jumping.” He pointed out and started a fresh finger trail down my stomach.

“You know what I mean.”

“Hm.” He slid down and started kissing my stomach.

“You’re not listening are you?” I tugged his ponytail before taking it out.

“I’m listening.” He unfastened my jeans.

“What are you doing?” I pushed his hand away but he just went right for the zipper.

“Wishing you’d hush up and relax.” He pushed the fabric aside, “Really Carly? Pink flowers?”

“What?” I laughed a little.

“You have on a black lace bra, and underwear with pink flowers.” He scolded.

“So? I need to do laundry.” I defended myself.

He sat up a little again and easily pulled both fabrics clean off.

I crossed my legs, “Hey!!”

He went to his knees, pushed my legs apart and pulled me by the hips to the edge of the bed. I thought he might work his way to the good stuff slowly, but I should have known better. He dove in with no mercy.

“Hoa shit!!” I heard myself say as he found the first climax, then another, and another. I barely noticed when he reached up and tore my best bra right down the center and grabbed two handfuls.

I felt my body give into him completely. For a split second I was embarrassed about being naked and making such noises. Then I forgot my shyness as his magic hands continued to work the stress of the day from my body and mind.

When he finally slid up to hover over me I could barely breathe and the trembling was uncontrollable.

He looked me in the eyes and ran that thumb over my cheek again. “You needed that.”

I laughed, “Not that you gave me much choice.”

“If I left it up to you you’d still be stressed out.” He argued.

“What about you?”

“What about me?” He asked confused.

“Don’t you want to, you know, relax too?”

“When you’re ready I’ll know. Until then I’m going to crawl all over you so you can’t help but give in.” He started tickling me.

I laughed and grabbed his ears so he’d kiss me and stop tickling. It worked. I fell asleep soundly in his arms a little while later.

4
 

T
he next morning he woke me with that beard tickling my neck.

I swatted at him, “Dammit Joe.” He should just change his name from Joe to Dammit Joe.

“Wake up beautiful.” He ordered. Since he followed it by calling me beautiful, I don’t mind.

“No.” I tried to pull the covers over my head but he’d beat me to them and already had a firm grip. “Ugh. You’re an insufferable morning person!”

“If you only knew.” He taunted kissing my shoulder.

“Ha ha. Why do I have to get up?” I tried to roll onto my stomach and hide but he pulled me onto my back instead. He had been spooning me before that.

He started kissing my throat and slowly drawing the blanket down to keep heading south.

I grabbed his beard and pulled him to look at me, “Quit!”

“Never.” He gently bit my chin. “Get up or I’m going to have you for breakfast.”

“I can’t get up, you’re laying on me.” He had used his leg to keep me from escaping when he rolled me over.

“I guess you’re stuck then.” He found a handful and woke up the girls. “Are you on birth control?”

I blinked not sure if I was hearing him right. “What?”

“You heard me.” His hand slid further south and stopped on my stomach.

“No, I wasn’t planning on getting involved, and I don’t like unnecessary chemicals in my body.” I explained grateful he asked.

“Do you want kids?” He’s moving that hand further down.

“Maybe someday. Do you?”

“Absolutely. If you don’t want to get knocked up in the next couple weeks you better get on something.” He warned me.

“I don’t have health insurance.”

“You don’t need it. We have a member who’s a doctor. He’ll hook you up.” He kissed my nose and touched me so I gasped a little. “You get five minutes then we have to go. I have a meeting.”

“I need more than five minutes to get ready.”

“That’s not what I meant you have five minutes for.” He closed in and kissed me while his magic fingers walked me right over twice.

I was clinging to him when he lifted up, “Okay babe. Get dressed.”

I touched his soft lower lip. “You are a very strange man.”

“I’ve been called worse.” He rolled onto his back. “Run woman, before I forget you’re not ready to be knocked up.”

I escaped for a shower and clean clothes. I caught myself in the mirror and had to take a double take. To anyone else I probably looked the same. To me, I look different. Like a woman who knew a secret, and that secret is the way Joe plays my body like his own personal guitar. He strums and tweaks until I make sounds I’ve never heard, and felt things I never knew existed.

He’s making eggs again. “I guess I should start moving stuff to the new house huh?”

“I’ll have prospects to do it. I want you at the club with me today, and tomorrow is the run.” He handed me a plate.

“Thanks. What do I do all day at the club? Besides try to bring some order to the girls.” I added remembering the girls.

“You’ll figure it out. Somehow all the old ladies seem to have shit to do, hell if I know what.”

I laughed, “I’m sure Salina will fill me in.”

Salina helped me round up the girls in the clubhouse at noon. She sat back and let me take the reigns because she knew I might need the backup if they questioned my authority, but didn’t want to be involved. Not that I have any authority. I’m still not sure if Joe is a council member or if Slider lets him sit in on meetings because he’s his brother.

“Okay ladies.” I handed out the list of requirements Salina and I had drawn up and copied in her office a little while ago. “If you want to work here I need these things done as soon as possible. Make sure you send me a good picture when you text the number I put on the paper. I
will
be calling the doctor’s office you get the clean bill of health from, so don’t try anything sneaky.

“The rates are listed, and non negotiable without my say-so first. You don’t show up here and work unless I tell you, or you ask me first. If you end up with a regular I need to know that too. I’ll be taking five percent for now to put in a fund for emergencies. You’ll get to vote on what and when that money is used, but I’ll be holding onto it. Any questions so far?” I stopped and leaned on the bar.

One pretty girl with red hair raised her hand, “Does this mean you’re our Madam?”

I laughed, “I suppose it does. Listen, there’s another way you can make money if you’re interested. Have any of you ever done any film work?”

Some shrugs, mostly no’s.

“Okay, I’m not into kinky shit, but I think we can put together something tasteful. Get me your contact information, the clean bills of health, and we’ll go from there. Deal?”

Surprisingly everyone agreed. A couple girls claimed to already have recent doctor’s notes and promised to bring them in tomorrow.

We talked on a less formal level for a while and I almost felt the excitement in the room grow as the idea of building something together formed. It was funny how a little organization and hope of a better future lifted the weight in the room.

Salina got a call and left with a wave. A lot of the other girls left to go get their affairs in order so they could start making money as soon as possible.

I’m sitting at a table with Stacy and Ginger discussing the finer points of building a website, and how exactly we want it portrayed. They’re smart girls, with some pretty creative and tasteful ideas. I can see turning this over to them in a year or so if it takes off.

I finally sat back after they left and looked around. “This place is a shit hole.”

Salina walked back in at that moment, “No shit. I’ve been wanting to fix it up for years, but didn’t want to do it alone. Once in a while I have prospects clean it up, but that’s as far as we get.”

“Hm. Want to make it a real bar?”

“Can’t, Slider has a rap sheet, and since he owns the property he can’t get a liquor license.” She explained pouring us wine.

“I’ll talk to Joe, he might be able to help.”

“Help with what?” He rounded the corner and came through the door.

“We’re talking about fixing this place up, make it a real bar, but Slider can’t get a liquor license.”

“He doesn’t need one. I own the controlling shares of the property, if you want a license, get one.” He stated like it was the most simple thing in the world.

Salina and I looked at each other.

I said, “I guess that settles that. Want to do it?”

“Hell yes!” She clapped. “I’m going to go find my husband.”

I looked at Joe as he approached, “Thank you.”

“Yup. I gotta run out for a bit. Slider’s putting the club on lockdown until we get back.”

“Why?” I felt a little sick with worry.

“We got a Mexican gang trying to settle in over on the east side. They’re responsible for a couple home invasions and Slider’s had enough.”

“You’re going to fight?”

“Maybe, depends on whether they take the show of numbers as a sign and get out, or fight to get the territory.”

I noticed he looked thicker and poked his chest. “You’re wearing a vest.”

“I’m not stupid.” He picked me up by the waist and set me on a table and held my chin. “Stay here, keep your phone on you, and don’t drink too much. We might need a hand if this gets ugly.”

“I can’t shoot the broad side of a barn at ten paces.” I confessed.

“Not like that. Make sure you have the keys to the SUV’s ready to come get us if we need you. I’ll send you the GPS coordinates to your phone when we get close.”

“I’m starting to get scared.”

He ran those thumbs over my jaw like he does, “I love you, don’t ever forget that. If you need something to keep you busy start on this place. Slider doesn’t know it, but if I die you get my controlling shares.”

“What??!” I blinked.

“Shh. Don’t worry about it, nothing is going to happen to me. I have my reasons for what I do, you don’t need to understand them right now.” He kissed me passionately as I clung to him with fear, desperation, and need. I need him to be okay.

He finally stepped back taking my hands. “Stick close to Salina, she can shoot the fleas off a dog at four hundred yards. In fact, have her show you how to shoot. The sooner the better.”

“I barely know you and I’m sick to my stomach worried about you.”

He leaned in and kissed my neck under my ear, “I love you too.” He touched my face and left quickly leaving me sitting there in shock.

Salina found me a few minutes later, “Come on Red, let’s go see them off. It’s tradition. I always keep my eyes on the guys as long as I can.” She waved her hand for me to join her.

I jumped off the table. “This is going to suck isn’t it?”

She put her arm around my waist, “Yes. There’s a lot of good having the club as your family, but the bad is never any fun. It makes us stronger, closer. You’ll understand as years pass.”

“I don’t’ want to lose him, or see him hurt. I feel sick.” I admitted.

She gripped my hand. “Suck it up baby doll. You can puke when they’re out of sight. Strong men need strong women. We can only be weak when they can’t see us.”

I took a steadying breath. “Okay. Suck it up.” I told myself and watched as they expertly filed out onto the street and disappeared in the distance.

Then I promptly threw up in one of the large barrel trash cans with Salina holding my hair. “Calm down girlie. They’ll be okay.”

If only she was right. My phone rang about two hours later. “Joe?”

“Get Salina and meet us at the hospital off Dobson. Slider took a hit in the shoulder, he’s okay, but it’s a big bullet and he’s in surgery. Try not to freak her out.” He instructed.

“Ah shit.”

“Hurry up babe.” He hung up.

I looked at Salina, “We gotta go. Slider got shot in the shoulder. Joe said he’s okay, but needs surgery and to meet them there.”

She shot up like a cannonball. “Let’s go!!!!”

I drove fast with an entourage of bikes that by the time we hit Power Road had picked up a police escort. Fucking cool. I felt like royalty. Royalty that needed her prince to be in one piece. I know Joe called me, and he sounded fine, but I need to see for myself. Now I get how Salina feels.

I slammed on the brakes in front of the Emergency Room and watched Salina run inside so fast I almost missed it. I got out and looked around to find Joe walking towards me seemingly from the shadows.

I ran to him and checked for holes. “Are you okay?”

He grabbed my hands and kissed my palms. “Easy babe. I’m fine.”

I jumped up and wrapped arms and legs around him as I buried my face in his neck to kiss him over and over. “You scared me so bad I puked.” I laughed as he held me tight.

“Okay, easy now.” He pulled me off and set me down. “Pull it together. We need to be here for Salina until he gets out of surgery.”

“Did anyone else get hurt?”

“No, they targeted Slider to make a point. This is going to get worse before it gets better.” He told me leading me inside.

“Wait, I should park the car.”

“Prospects will take care of it.” He motioned to a couple guys standing nearby.

Salina was talking frantically to a nurse. We walked over and heard the nurse giving her no information which only made her mad.

I took her hand, “Hey, let her go check on him.” I looked at the nurse. “Can you go see what you can find out, maybe give us a time frame or something?”

“Sure.” She was grateful for the rescue and left quickly.

I hugged Salina, “He’ll be fine. A little bullet in the shoulder is nothing to him. Come on, let’s go outside and pace. I think I have a joint in my purse.”

She nodded and we went outside leaving Goat and Gunner to wait for any information.

I lit the joint and passed it to her. “Here, try to calm down. Slider won’t like seeing you all freaked out.”

Joe put his hand under my purse and lifted it up, “What the fuck is in this thing?” I carry a big purse.

I laughed offering him a hit. “I live out of this bag.”

He took a couple hits and handed it to Salina. “He’ll be alright Sal, don’t stress.”

“How did this happen?! You guys are supposed to protect him!!” She yelled scolding him.

“Shit happens Sal, you know that.” He told her. He knew coddling was not what she wanted. Unlike me, I just wanted Joe to trap me under him on the bed and kiss me until my clothes melted off.

“I know.” She seemed to calm down now.

A few minutes later Gunner whistled and we ran inside to find out Slider was fine and should be waking up in a few minutes. Whew.

We found his room and waited until he finally opened his eyes, “Fuck, that hurt.” He complained kissing Salina’s hand. “Hey babe.”

I went to the other side of the bed, “You okay?”