Loving Nicole (6 page)

“Care Bear, one of these days you are so going to tell me what I want to hear without blushing.”

“Jacob, hush.” She mumbles as he takes her in his arms and hugs her. She peeks over his arm at me and I just shake my head.

“Catch you two on the flip side.”

“You got it, brother,” Dance says as they turn to leave.

“Take it easy on my brother Red, he’s an old man you know.”

“Fuck off, Dragon,” he barks, giving me the one-fingered salute.

I laugh. I’m glad to see my brother doing so much better. We still have to get revenge for him. He asked me to hold up. He wants to do it himself, but says he’s not ready. I’ve not pushed it. Seems I have enough fires to put out.

Once they leave, I lock the doors. Anyone else wants in, they have keys. I’m starting to feel that burning in my gut all the time now. Fuck, I hope Nicole isn’t holding out on me.

Nicole

“W
hen are you
leaving?” I ask Dani. It’s the next day, and we’re sitting at one of the picnic tables outside the club compound.

It’s a gorgeous summer day and with fall approaching soon, I want to enjoy it. My hand absently strokes my stomach. I do it a lot, but more so lately. Dani and I have a complex relationship, but it is close in ways no one but the two of us will ever understand. We’ve been through hell together. When I needed a friend and had no one, Dani was there. When she was actually trapped in hell, I helped to bring her out. Our secrets, our sadness bonded us together. So, the thought of bringing little Dragon into this world and not having Dani there to hold my hand, to be with me…it kills me. I can’t tell her that but I know she feels it. I know that she is terrified to leave. I also know she doesn’t have a choice now and that sucks. I hate Michael Kavanagh, despise him. I’d like to cut off his balls and deep fry… No, I want to deep fry his balls while they were still attached and then cut them off and feed them to him. That’d be infinitely better.

“Not sure. Soon though. Definitely way before my supposed
meeting
with the hubby.”

“Good plan. Hey, at least we got warning and he just didn’t swoop in and grab us,” I answer, trying to make light of it. I actually am surprised he didn’t take Dani forcibly, before we had a heads up.

“It’s his way. He likes to be dramatic and bigger than life.”

“Yeah, well.”

“I know…,” she says sadly, looking up at the sky. “I’m going to miss Kentucky. When you suggested I move here to hideout I thought you were insane, but I’ve loved every minute of it. Hell, even Roy likes it.”

“Will he be going with you?”

“No, he’s settled here. He’s actually met someone. My visit with him was an eye opener. I’d never seen him so happy.”

“That’s good, but I don’t want you to be alone. Maybe we should tell Dragon and face this head on. I know…”

“Not going to happen, Nic. I’ve thought about it and this is the best for all concerned. Once I’m gone Michael will leave you guys alone, most notably you.”

“Dani…”

She reaches over, grabs my hand and looks me in the eyes. I can see the moisture there, and the deep sadness. It hurts me. I wrap my hands around hers and squeeze tight.

“One of the best things that happened to me was meeting you at Three Oaks Academy.”

“Dani…”

“I mean it, Nic. When you decided to bail out of that school and tell your parents to suck it, I was so in awe of you. I wanted that kind of courage. You’ve always seen me as the strong one, but it’s you…it’s always been you.”

I swallow, but the words I want to use to respond are frozen in my throat. Clogged up with emotion so deep, I’m afraid to let it out. I forget, years of living our lie has made it an alternate reality and I just go with it. It’s completely untrue, this history I allow Dragon and everyone to believe. My history with Dani is much more twisted and confusing. I didn’t meet Dani in Kentucky, we didn’t grow up together. We didn’t go to school together, unless you count the month in hell my parents made me try out TOA (Three Oaks Academy), husband shopping. None of my carefully laid past is true, save one. Dani has and always will be my best friend, and a person who owns a large part of my heart.

“Dani, you’re strong, most women would have never survived what you did.”

“It was weak to ask you for help. It was weak to drag Roy into it.”

“No it wasn’t. Family means being there for each other. If you don’t tell Roy that you’re leaving, you will hurt him.”

“Roy broke me out of the prison I was in. He put his life on the line to get me out of New York. He helped me set up a new identity and kept me safe. I think Roy has done enough.”

“He won’t see it like that.”

Dani shrugs, “He won’t know.”

“Damn it, Dani.”

“Just let it go Nic, it’s time I stand on my own. There’s no choice really. You have Dragon and little Dragon to think of. Roy has his new boyfriend and a settled life in Kentucky. I can’t stay here. You know what will happen if I do.”

“I…Will I hear from you again?”

“I’ll get a message to you somehow—when I know it’s safe.”

I nod. I’m not happy, but I know it’s all I will get.

“What about money?”

“I still have all that money Roy and I took out of Michael’s wall-safe, so I’m pretty much set for life. I just don’t like touching it. I’ll use it to get relocated and buy some new documents. I’ll be fine.”

“I want to be able to send you pictures of the baby…”

“We’ll figure it out. I want to see little Dragon, too.

“I know your mind is made up, but I wish you’d let me get Dragon involved.”

“You’re starting to sound like a broken record,” Dani says and I want to argue further but I hear the door open behind me. I look up and see Crusher coming out of the main entrance. I can’t help but notice the way he’s looking at Dani; his eyes never leave her. I doubt he even notices I’m sitting here.

“Please tell me you didn’t go there, Dani.”

“Go where?” She asks, acting like she’s clueless. She’s sitting sideways on the bench facing me, but she keeps looking to her side at Crusher.

“Crusher?” I prompt.

“I had an itch.”

“They make shit for that, it’s called flea spray.”

She looks up at me and for a second, a small space in time, I see my old friend, the one I met years ago when I tried to do as my parents insisted. Then with a flash, she is gone. It happens sometimes, I see her the girl I loved and who loved me—freely. The girl who had yet to be chewed up and spit out by the world. God, I miss her.

“This was more fun.”

“He’s not one of your boy toys, Dani. Crusher might seem laid back and easy going, but…”

“Spare me Nic, at this point, I think it’s safe to say I’m more familiar with Crusher than you are.”

“And you’re still going to do this?”

“Tonight, anyway.”

“Dani…”

“My vibrator batteries are dead, sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do.” With that she walks off towards Crusher.

I do not see good things coming from this, but I’m too damn worried about everything else to think about it for now.

Dragon

T
his has to
be one of the best ideas I’ve had. I watch as my woman and Red are lying on lounge chairs looking over the lake. I decided it was time to get the family together. We’re having a big picnic and bonfire at the Twin Rocks picnic shelter and camping area, overlooking Laurel Lake. Red and Nicole are resting, the men are scattered around talking to a couple of the Twinkies that came, or shooting the breeze with each other. Dance and I are manning the grill. Heck, even Bull came. He’s kind of quiet and off to himself still, but I saw Frog and Hawk go over to join him. It’s a perfect, relaxing day. The only thing I’m finding troubling is the way Crusher and Dani are sitting in the sand talking to each other. You’d be stupid not to see what’s going on.

I know it’s because of everything that went down with Nicole and her getting shot. I should let it go like my woman asked, but I can’t. I almost lost Nicole. Maybe it is unfair, but there-the-fuck-it-is. I look at Dani and I feel anger. So, I’m not exactly filled with good vibes watching my brother fall for her.

“That looks like trouble,” Dance says, echoing my thoughts.

“Pretty much,” I agree, taking a sip of my beer.

“Carrie says Dani’s leaving?”

“Yeah.”

“Think it has to do with the shit Freak found on the tapes?”

“Probably, fuck if I know. Neither her nor Nicole are talking.”

“Should we step in?”

“Who the hell knows? I…”

Where once the area was filled with talking and laughter, now there’s screaming as gunfire erupts around us. Dancer and I take off running at the same time to cover our women. I see out of the corner of my eye that Crusher is doing the same with Dani. I’m useless in helping the other members scramble. I pull Nicole off the chair, trying to be gentle. I flip the chair to its side. It won’t stop a bullet, but it might mess up the aim of the shooter. I keep my woman covered as much as I can, even though she’s begging me to protect myself. Fucking woman has zero survival skills when it comes to taking care of her own hide.

As quick as the gunfire begins it stops, when Freak and the other brothers start firing back. I look over the top of the chair, trying to get my bearings. I focus on an old black Ford truck peeling out of the parking lot.

“Hold up!” I shout. Slowly the brothers stop shooting. “Follow those fuckers. If they get away I’m going to make sure heads roll!” I stand, helping Nicole to her feet. “Mama, I’m going to go find out who the fuck that was. Are you okay? The baby?”

“We’re fine, Dragon,” she whispers shakily, the side of her face covered with sand and there are tears in her eyes. I bend down and kiss her hard, taking her taste inside of me, because I need it. She’s my air. The reason I live.

“Bull, protect the women and get them back to the compound.”

“Yeah, alright Drag,” Bull says, but something in his tone grabs me. I don’t have time to address it. “Dance, Crush, you’re with me.”

*

I’m fucking tired.
It’s been hours. We followed the fuckers and found the truck abandoned at the base of one of the hiking trails through the Daniel Boone National Forest. Crush and I managed to grab one of the fuckers, but the other one or two (I can’t even be sure how fucking many there were) managed to get away.

We brought weasel back to the cabin for interrogation. It didn’t take long. He sang like a fucking canary. Weak-ass, sniveling son of a bitch. I would probably have been doing him a favor if I had ended him, but I didn’t. We have plans for him.

I slam into the front doors of the compound and I’m pissed for many reasons. Bull looks up at me and his face goes tight.

“What’s up?”

“Crush and Dance will fill you in. Where’s my woman?”

“She was feeling bad, went to lay down.”

“Thanks, man. Church meeting in two hours.”

Bull nods, and I’m preoccupied, but I see something flash in his eyes. I should stop and ask what the fuck is going on, but I can’t. I put it on my list. I know Bull is dealing with shit. His voice is ragged and hoarse, he has a scar on his neck and his body is weaker. Rehab helped some, but he’s having issues. I need to be there for him, but I just don’t have the time right now. I put it on the back burner and go to find my woman.

She’s lying on the bed, but she’s not asleep. She’s wide awake, staring at the door, with those same damn tears in her eyes.

“Mama, we need to talk,” I close the door behind me and lean on it, waiting.

“I don’t think we do. It’s done now.”

“Done? Nicole, what the fuck are you talking about? It’s not done. I’ve just spent the last hour interrogating some jerk to find out that there’s a freaking lunatic out there gunning for
my
woman
and
Dani, because it seems
Dani
was married to the fucker and ran out on him fucking five years ago! How do I not know this, Nicole? How could
you
not tell me about
this
?”

“Wasn’t my secret to tell, Dani has a right to her privacy, Dragon—even from you,” she says getting up.

“She is married, Nicole. To a rich-ass lunatic who thought she was dead. She stole five hundred grand off of him. You had to
know
he’d never give up trying to find his damn money. You had to know he’d eventually
hunt you
down
for answers!”

“He had no reason to. He had no idea that Dani and I were still in touch. We covered our bases damn good,” she says calmly. I swear if the woman didn’t own my soul I would be tempted to slap some sense into her.

Covered their bases? What the fuck? She’s an amateur trying to take on the big boys. I had Freak research this Michael Kavanagh. What I found out still fucking leaves me with chills just thinking what someone like that would do to Nicole. I don’t want my woman anywhere around this fucker. I do not want her in his line of fire.

I look at her like I have no idea who she is, because honest to God, I don’t right now.

“Well guess what Nicole, it appears he plays connect the fucking dots pretty damn good because he found not only
Dani,
he’s found
you
and the
club,
too. All because you and Dani were too stupid to give me a heads up.”