Fudge's Sprite: (Brothers of Devil's Comfort MC Book 4) (3 page)

As much as he grumped, it was not hard to see the love he possesses for his new family. As well as gaining a grandfather and mother, Trax, also gained a brother, when Inferno married Baby Blu.

“Break the balls, Trax.”

Just as the game is coming to an end, we are joined by Dec, who had come into the club with Tabby and Linc.

“Hey Fudge, after church, do you fancy a round in the ring.”

Since going on my road trip, I have not done any form of exercise and my body was in need of a good workout.

“Sure, why not. Flynn’s coming down this weekend and I want to give him a run for his money.”

“Why the fuck, is that fucker coming down?”

Nearly two years ago, when the trouble with Black County had been at its height. I had begun training Trax in the ring. Shortly afterwards, Flynn Roberts a UFC fighter, had taken over his training and in the process had become a bit of a bane in Linc’s life, by flirting with his Old Lady, Cassie. If the scowl on Linc’s face was any sort of indication, it seemed as if he had not forgiven him yet.

“Hey Dec, maybe you should take Linc on. It looks as if he as some spare adrenaline that needs channeling.”

“Fuck off and get into Church. Inferno’s dancing round the door.”

This is said as Linc thumps me in the arm and sure enough, Inferno’s head has popped round the doorjamb as he searched the room. Only settling, when his scrutiny fell on us. With a flick of his wrist, he beckoned us in to the room. Apart from Fraggle and Kent, the club’s prospects, we are followed by the rest of the bikers.

It does not take long for the room to settle down, and for Inferno to turn to business. The main item on tonight’s agenda, was the sudden epidemic of break-ins, which are occurring in Comfort Springs. Springs is not a big place, and when something out of the ordinary happens, it normally does not take long to track down the culprits. However, this time the club, is drawing up blanks. The usual suspects were denying it was them, and none of the local snitches could come up with answers.

“It appears to be an out of town job?”

“Yeah, I’ll have to agree with you on this, Trax. Sundance, take Fraggle and Quick Draw and see what you can find out in these towns.”

“Sure thing Prez.”

After taking a quick scan at the list of names, Sundance pocketed the scrap paper, handed over to him by Inferno.

“Twiggy what are your plans?”

“I’ll hang round till Sunday. Then once Flynn arrives, I’m back on the road. I need to check in on a few of the smaller charters.”

As the club’s War Lord, it is Twiggs’s responsibility to ascertain that the smaller charters are kept in line and to prevent as much trouble as possible. For the last year or so Trax has been tagging along with him, learning the ropes. This time, however, he’ll be hitting the road on his own.

“Hey, Tabby, Crabby wants to arrange a visit with Emily. I told him to make it a double invite and that you’ll be tagging along.”

Tabby let out a loud sigh, which appeared to fill the room.

“Fuck Fudge, he’s too old for the girl.”

“That’s not my problem. Besides, what can they get up to while he’s inside?”

“No, what your problem is, are the fines and subs you owe the club, which I’ll take tonight.”

The room erupted into loud guffaws, at Tabby’s retort. Earlier in the day Tabby had filled me in about the fine and how much I had incurred after leaving the club without notice or warning and it was no small sum. Unoffended by his remark, I withdraw the required amount from my wallet and pushed it across the table towards him.

“So you’ll be going with Emily then?”

This time, the room erupted at Tabby’s expense, whose only response was to give me the bird as he made a grab for the money. The light on the ceiling, flashing against the band of the ring he is wearing.

“Okay boys, the rest of you can pay your subs and then go have some fun. We have a run in a couple of days. So no disappearing. Any of you.”

As we lock gazes, Inferno does not hide the fact, that this statement is aimed at me. Not put out by his attitude, I rise from my chair and head for the bar, with Dec close at my heels.

“What do you know about the girls’ night out?”

Although Dec’s question has thrown me, as I have no idea what he is talking about, I swallow the mouthful of JB, from the bottle and give a shrug.

“They’re always having them. Especially since Tabby, let Rayven hire the male strippers at Tie Me Down.”

“Nope, this one’s different. I was over at Ivy’s when Ellie rang.”

“Fuck Dec, they're having a night out. It’s no big deal.”

“If it’s no big deal. Why are they planning to stay out, overnight?”

This time, Dec has my full attention, who is drinking his own beer, straight from the bottle. A pissed off look, mars his features, and whatever he has heard, has left him unhappy. Shit, I felt like a sinking boat without any recourse. It Dec was worried, did I have something to worry about.

Even when she was dating Adam, Ellie was adamant that she had not been sleeping with him. Yet this sinking sensation in the lower pit of my stomach, refused to ease. After swallowing the second mouthful of JB, I carefully place my bottle on the bar and search the room for one of the whores. Fuck, if Ellie could go away for the weekend, I could fuck one of the skanks. After all, we were neither an item, nor a couple.

“Going somewhere?”

“Inferno.”

“Come on lets, grab a beer.”

With the beers in his hand, Inferno found a couple of spare chairs, near where Linc was sitting. If there was one thing I could do, it was smell a trap, and I was being led into one, and there was not a thing I could do about it.

“Linc.”

As I took my seat, I raised my beer to the VP.

“I hear the girls are going away this weekend?”

A low snigger from my left, has me turning to Inferno.

“Yeah, they are, but Cassie’s staying at home. And Linc’s pissed, because we’ll not be here when Flynn arrives.”

With an understanding of Inferno’s snigger I give one of my own.

“Hey, the girl’s pregnant. I’m sure Flynn will leave her alone.”

“Are you saying Cassie’s not attractive?”

The low growl and statement, has me choking on my beer. Poor Flynn was not going to win. In defeat, I raised my hands in the air and turned to Inferno.

“Is everything in place for the run?”

“If Sundance isn’t back in a couple of days. Is there any way we can make this run quicker than normal?”

Inferno, never rushed a run. There was too much at stake. With a mouthful of JB, I turned my gaze to Inferno.

“I’ve spoken to Bear, and he’s going to send a couple of his men up, to keep an eye on the place while we’re gone.”

I could understand Inferno’s concerns. Until we discover out who was behind the burglaries, Comfort Springs was vulnerable. There was also the problem of Tats and what he might be up to.

“Do you think Tats has left the area?”

Another growl escapes Linc’s throat, as he slams his empty bottle onto the table.

“Fuck no. I might just tell Cass to go with the girls. It’ll be easier, and Chilli can go with them.”

While I’m listening to Inferno and Linc, as they discuss the strategies for the run, and the girls’ weekend away. My eyes follow Trax, who is flirting with the whore, I had planned to fuck.

“Why not send Trax instead?”

“She’s a whore Fudge. A dime a dozen. So don’t take it out on the kid.”

As Inferno referred to Trax as a kid, I smiled to myself. Inferno was right, a whore was a whore, and the room was full of them. Suddenly, my vision is blurred by the face of a blond sprite. My past is dead. None of the whores satisfied me the way Ellie did. One final swallow of the amber liquid and my bottle is empty. With a lazy grace I place the bottle on the table and light a cheroot.

I need a plan, which has Ellie seeing me as more than a fuck buddy. Something which I was for the last eighteen months. Fuck, I hated that she was going away this weekend, and hadn’t said a word.

Fuck, I’ll let her have her last weekend of freedom. As long as she did not tell me what she got up to, I will be fine. Unsure, how I was going to handle Ellie, I drew deep on the cheroot, before blowing a cloud of aromatic smoke into the air.

“You’re right. She is just a whore, and out there, there’s a lady waiting for me to grow up.”

“Fuck, Fudge how much have you had to drink?”

“What the fuck Inferno. Do you think I’m not good enough for a lady? That only you can be entitled to happiness?”

In my anger, I pushed myself up off my chair, sending it flying as I leant across the table and grabbed Inferno by the lapels of his cut, pulling him up out of his chair. Blinded by my anger, I did not catch the swing of Inferno’s fist, as it came into contact with the side of my face. Not to be put out. I drew my own fist back and swung it into his face. As Inferno pushed the table out of the way, he threw another fist into my body. His face soon merged, to become that of my father’s. The clearer the image became, the harder my punches grew. Inferno did not ease up on his own punches either, and the tables around us soon cleared, giving way to our swaying bodies as we crashed into them.

I do not know how long the fight lasted. All I can remember is feeling worse, than when I threw the first punch. Thanks to my training, Inferno was breathing heavy, his body having taken a firm battering.

“Feeling better?”

The taste of blood on my tongue, was proof enough that Inferno had got a fair few hard hits of his own. Did I feel better? Ignoring the hand reaching down to assist me. I heaved my body up and looked across the room to Inferno. The room is silent as everyone waits for my answer.

“Yeah, I feel better.”

“Nick.”

Inferno never calls me by my given name and slowly I turn towards him.

“You deserve the best.”

Chapter 4

The buzzing of the phone, pulled me from my dreamless state, and so as not to disturb Amelia, who has crawled into my bed. I make a wild grab for the cell. Sure enough, it was Nick, who was calling round for a booty call. Well, not tonight. A silent sigh of relief, escapes my mouth when the cell finally stopped ringing. Only to turn to annoyance when it began again. A quick glance at Amelia, confirmed that she was still sleeping. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping child, I slipped out of bed, and turned towards the bathroom, to take the call.

“Not tonight Nick.”

“I’m in the garden. Come and join me.”

“I mean it, Nick. Not tonight.”

“I only want to talk.”

Frustrated because he would not take no for an answer, I threw on, an oversize jumper and some red leggings, before joining Nick in the garden. Where I found him prowling under the gazebo. When he turned to face me. I gasped in surprise at the busted lip and black eye.

“What happened?”

“Fuck. I got into a fight with Inferno.”

“Well, whoever she was. I trust she was worth it.”

“Shit Ellie, Inferno’s a happily married man. But yeah, she was worth it.”

Nick makes the statement so quietly, I have to strain my ears. When he pushes the hair out of my face, Nick lowers his head, and takes my bottom lip between his teeth, where he gently tugs on the flesh. When he finally releases my lip, Nick takes hold of my hand, and leads me to the bench at the back of the gazebo. As he pulls me on to his knee, he gently strokes my back, while his other hand lays on my thigh. Unsure what Nick is after, I clasped my hands together, withholding the urge to stroke his face. While at the same time, I study the pain in his caramel eyes. Eyes, which have turned almost black, due to whatever it was he was thinking about. For a while, we sat like this, neither one of us talking.

Occasionally I’d look towards the house, waiting, expecting one of the children to make an appearance. It may have been a couple of years since their father died, but they still would wake up, crying for him.

“Nick?”

“Shush, sit back and relax a little. When was the last time you breathed in the air Ellie?”

As a single parent of two excitable children, I rarely have time to breathe, never mind take time out to breathe the air. Due to the way Nick is pulling my body back against his, I am left with no choice, but to lean into his body. This was a big mistake. As my nose came into contact with the flesh of his neck, I take in a deep breath, and smell Nick. His musky cologne, drowns my senses. Tenderly, I place my hand over his heart and through the T-shirt and Cut, I can feel the heavy thud of his heart, as it beat against his chest.

“Are you planning on sitting out here, all-night?”

“Maybe.”

For the first time, this evening I feel Nick’s smile against my forehead as he lays a kiss there. The rapid beat of his heart has now slowed down. The soothing rub of his hand against my thigh, hypnotic.

“I thought you wanted to talk?”

“I do.”

“Well?”

“Shush. Don’t spoil it.”

“Nick?”

“My Papa died just before I left Comfort Springs.”

This piece of news surprises me. I don’t know why, but I had never given any thought about Nick’s parentage.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. He was a first class bastard, who murdered Ma Mere.”

Nick’s hold tightens, as his memories take him to a dark place.

“Ma Mere should never have married him. She should have screwed him, then move on.”

“Nick!”

Nick’s soft chuckle, sent a tingle through my ear, as his mouth rested against my lobe.

“Ellie.”

Annoyed at his teasing, I struggle to loosen Nick’s hold, but it only becomes tighter, squeezing the air out of my body.

“Listen, Ellie. I didn’t have a great childhood. I’ve lost count of how many times, Ma Papa came home and took his frustration out on Ma Mere and me. And it wasn’t helped by Grand-mere. She’d rub salt into the wound and didn’t care who was hurt in the process. After Ma Mere’s death, and Papa went to jail, I was placed in Grand-Mere’s care.”

The last part, was delivered with a snort.

“Care. Ellie, she didn’t know a thing about care. If I did something wrong, she’d lock me in a cupboard in a cellar. Sometimes, it was only for five minutes. Then there were times, it would last for days.”

Again, Nick goes quiet, lost in his dark memories. His heart, has picked up its rapid beating again, and his breathing has become shallow.

“Shush. You don’t have to tell me anymore. Not yet anyway.”

“If I don’t tell it, to you tonight Ellie, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell you the rest.”

For the next hour Nick told me all about his childhood. About the beatings and abuse he took at the hands of his father and grandmother. As I listened to him, I understood why he never spoke of his family. I knew abuse went on. But to me, it happened to other people. And not to the people I knew. Just thinking, of what he had endured makes me wonder, why they would do something like this. If anyone was to hurt my two babies, I’d kill them. There wouldn’t be any hesitation.

Nick may be over six feet now, and able to defend himself, but as a child he would have been defenseless. The early morning air was chilly. When I went to stand up, Nick let me go. His caramel eyes never leaving my face.

“Are you coming in?”

“Not to night.”

“Are you going to disappear again?”

I love the sound of Nick’s laughter, it is light and musical and makes my toes tingle.

“Not this time. If I did, I think Inferno and the brothers will kill me. But, I will be away for a few days. When we get back. We’re having a cookout. Why don’t you and the kids come with me?”

I am left speechless at Nick’s request. Tonight, he told me the horrors of his childhood, and now he was asking me, to one of Devil’s Comforts parties, along with the children.

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Ellie, come on. Give me a break. It’ll be fun.”

Puppy dog eyes, look up at me, pleadingly, while he gently swings my hand in his and my heart flips.

“Okay, we’ll go.”

“Does that mean you’ll cancel your weekend away?”

I don’t know how Nick had found out about the weekend. Nor do I know, what gives him the right to ask me to cancel. Certainly, he has just asked me out. Suspicion has me questioning Nick, and his motives for asking me to the cookout.

“Nick, I’ll come to the club’s picnic, but I’m still going away with the girls.”

Time stood, as I held my breath and waited. Nick’s eyes closed, and his reply, appears to be a little offended.

“Okay. The guys and I will back late Sunday. If I get a chance, I’ll pop round, if that’s fine with you.”

After taking my lips in another lingering kiss, Nick leaves me standing in the garden. Bemused by his sudden appearance and disappearance. I listen to the sound of his bike, fading into the distance. Once the sound of the bike is gone, I went upstairs to check on Toby, who was snuggled under his covers, his arms wrapped tightly round the last gift he had received from Carl. Toby and the tiger were never separated. Even when he went to school, he had the animal stuffed in the bottom of his bag. Next, I went back to my room. For someone so small, Amelia, somehow, managed to take up most of the bed, her tiny body, sprawled across the mattress, her head buried in my pillow.

On the bedside cabinet, stood my wedding photograph, Carl and I are both happy, looking forward to spending the rest of our days together. With a sense of finality, instead of placing the photograph back in its original spot, I put it away in the top draw. Carl was no longer here, and it was time for me to get on with my life. Unobtrusively, I rubbed my thumb over the back of my wedding band, as the front rubbed against my lips. As carefully as I could, I climbed back into the bed, doing my best not to disturb my daughter. I wasn’t ready to remove my ring. Not yet.

DCMC

“Ellie, one of those bikers was here again the other night. Was it Nick?”

Eliza, Carl’s mother had called round to collect Toby and Amelia, who was spending the weekend with her, while I went to New Orleans. How she knew about Nick’s visit was any ones guess. However, more than likely one of my neighbors had probably heard his bike and my money, was on Mr. Carmichaels, a retired teacher and a friend of Eliza’s

“It was.”

“Do you think you should be receiving male visitors, late at night Ellie?”

With all the strength that I have, I bite my tongue. Not wanting to lash out at my mother in-law.

“I’m a woman Eliza, with a woman’s needs. Carl is dead and has been for two years. I, however, am not. And I refuse to deny myself male company.”

The hurt and pain which passes across Eliza’s dark eyes, has me regretting my outburst. I may have lost a husband, but she’s lost a son. About to apologize, I stop what I am about to say, as I listen to Eliza tear strips into me.

“I can see that, Ellie. You’ve taken all the photographs of Carl down. There’s not one in sight. While you are bed hopping with those bikers, Carl means nothing to you. He laid down his life for the country. And what about the children? Have you thought about them? How will they remember their father?”

“I’m not bed hopping Eliza. Yes I’m sleeping with Nick. I’m twenty seven and I refuse to give up on male companionship, just because you did when James died. The children will remember their father, simply because they have photos in their rooms, albums and films to watch. I will never deny my children, their father. Now get a civil tongue in your head. Or this weekend could be your last for a while?”

With a glare in my direction, Eliza picked up her coffee mug and took a sip, watching me, as I finished gathering my stuff for the weekend.

“You have my number. Ring me if there’s any problems.”

DCMC

“Everything okay, Ellie?”

Ivy had arrived just before everyone had left. Her overnight bag in one hand, while she held a carry out coffee in the other.

“Very cosmopolitan Ivy.”

“Shut up. Oh and as the only childless female this weekend. I’m banning all talk of children and sidestepping the issue will not solve the problem.”

“There isn’t one. Look, there’s Rayven’s SUV. It’s time to go and have some fun.”

Chapter 5

Ivy may have put a ban on baby talk. This, however, did not prevent the others from answering their cells, when their Old Men rang. Mine was noticeably quiet from Nick. Shit, Dec, had even rung Ivy, and when the call was over, Ivy had switched the cell off with a disgruntled moan, and thrown it onto the bed, in the room we were sharing.  Cassie, who, after much arguing with Linc, had managed to get away for the weekend, was sharing a seat opposite us, with Baby Blue and Rayven.

While we settled in, we decided to leave both doors open. As the late afternoon wore on, we eventually congregated into just one of the suites. As we made plans for our stay, Rayven pulled out a bottle of wine, which she had pilfered from Tie Me Down.

Amused at her antics, Cassie, gently scolded her.

“We could have ordered a bottle, Rayven.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“Tabby will have your ass. That’s what’s wrong with it.”

A blush, may be gracing Rayven’s cheeks, at Baby Blu’s jest, however the smile she was displaying, was one of pure lust. In amusement, Cassie threw a pillow in her direction, which sent Rayven, flying across the bed.

“Hussy.”

“Hey, you can’t hit a pregnant lady.”

Cassie’s sniggering yelp, filled the room when Rayven threw the pillow back at her, before flipping the finger in her direction.

“Come on ladies, it’s time to get ready and party. That’s why we’re here.”

Three fun filled hours later, we were ready to hit New Orleans. This was a first for me, preparing for a night out with female company. As a teenager and only daughter, I never had a sleep over, or spent an afternoon with other females, and by the time we were leaving, I was already slightly tipsy.

When it came to New Orleans, having lived here, it turned out that Ivy was the expert, and we left it for her to choose our den of iniquity. Which was how we ended up in an underground nightclub, where we found ourselves drinking some kind of zombie drink. As I looked round the club, I now understood, why Ivy had told us to wear corset style tops with our denims. This way we were neither over nor under dressed.

There was a live band, which was playing some kind of electric rock, and any moment now, I expected Marilyn Manson to walk in. If you were looking for a hook up, this was the place to be. A few nights ago that would have been me. However, since the time spent in the garden with Nick, I have lost the urge to go ahead with my plan. This did not mean I could not have any fun or do a little flirting.