Table

by ML Mystrom

  Twenty

  The party didn’t continue long after the newsflash. Betsey was the ultimate mother hen, fussing over everyone, issuing orders for the prospects to keep the trash and beer bottles cleared, and then going upstairs to “check on the baby.” Kat had been manning the small bar and mixing margaritas. I’d had two of the potent drinks already and was feeling pleasantly buzzed. Table stayed with me, some part of him in constant contact, his arm around me and his finger stroking my shoulder underneath the soft flannel of my shirt, or holding my hand and leaning in to kiss my hair or forehead.

  I can’t wait to see this grow out. Love to see you wearing your natural blonde color.” His eyes took in the black mess on my head.

  “You like it better long or short?”

  “Don’t matter none, as long as it’s you wearin’ it.”

  My heart melted. “Table, you have to be the most perfect man I’ve ever met.”

  He smiled, and I admired again the brilliant white of his teeth. “Don’t set the bar too high, baby girl. I can be a stubborn ass just like the rest. I like my T-shirts folded a certain way and my socks matched up and rolled at the cuffs. My bike is like my second child, and I’m the only one who gets to ride her. I’m sure you got little quirks about you too. That’s all little stuff and we’ll be learning our way around it. I’m sure there’s gonna be times I’ll piss you off or you’ll piss me off. When that happens, I hope you can remember you’re always safe. You can cuss the fire outta me and I won’t raise my hand to you. If I lose my shit, I won’t take it out on you. I’ve said all this before, and I’ll say it again and again until you believe it.”

  The warmth in my chest had little to do with the alcohol.

  When most of the people (including Betsey) had either left for their homes or drifted to their rooms, Table and I finally called it a night. We went upstairs briefly to check on Angel. All the excitement and attention had exhausted the baby and she was curled in her favorite position, dead to the world asleep. We then made our way back down to the cavernous great room and went down the back hallway to Table’s room. I picked up my phone that I had left on the nightstand earlier. I opened it up and found a new text message sent earlier today from my lawyer’s New Jersey number. Only two words, but they meant the world.

  It’s done.

  There’s a before and after in regards to every life event. The restrictions and waiting before getting a driver’s license and then the freedoms in the after. The coming of age when finally turning twenty-one and officially becoming an adult who can go to a bar and drink. The years a couple has together before turning into parents. There was no big party for me after. No fireworks. No shifting of the earth and stars. Just those two words that had my heart full and racing. For so long, I’d felt like I was dragging heavy iron chains covered in padlocks everywhere I went. Two words dropped that weight like it never existed. I was almost giddy.

  “You okay, baby girl?”

  I looked up into Table’s face, at his brow wrinkled in concern. I turned the phone to show him the text.

  “The divorce. It’s over. I don’t know how it’s been kept out of the news and I’m not sure I care. I’m free.”

  His eyes burned into mine as his hand came up to cup my cheek. “That’s great, baby girl. Happy for you.”

  If anyone asked me why I did it, I couldn’t say. All I knew was a flash fire ignited in me and I let it take control. I dropped my phone, not caring if it broke, and with both hands I seized Table’s shoulder, pulled him down to me, and crushed his mouth to mine. He let me kiss him hard and opened up when I pushed my tongue against his lips. I was burning up with want and my shirt had become stifling. I tore my mouth away from his long enough to yank the flannel from my arms and whip the tank over my head. Then I was back, jerking at his cut and the thermal under it.

  Table seemed to know this was a crucial moment. His heat surrounded me and I could sense his desire, his cock hardening against my stomach, but I didn’t feel overpowered. I was aware of his presence and his strength but not in a fearful way. He gave me support and patience.

  “If you’re not ready for this, we don’t have to do anything. I’ll just hold you in my arms all night if that’s what you need.”

  I wanted to cry at his gruff words. “What I need is to feel you inside me.” My voice was husky with a craving I hadn’t thought I was capable of.

  He hesitated, his fingers stroking over my cheek. Then he shrugged off his cut and reached over his head to the back of his neck, pulling off his shirt in one motion. The bright colors of his tattoos were muted in the dim light but the definition of his muscles was clear. He watched me as he backed toward the bed and slowly lowered his zipper. He wore nothing underneath, and the moment he pulled off his jeans, his hard cock sprang free. Table was not a small man in any sense of the word. He was hefty and thick, and my mouth watered with the need to taste him. He opened a drawer in the nightstand and pulled out a condom packet before getting on the bed. He lay on his back, one hand over his head grabbing the headboard and one hand stroking himself. His eyes stayed on me, his fingers moving slowly over his flesh, waiting for me.

  I knew he would wait all night if that’s what I needed.

  I slipped off my bra. The air was cool against my skin and goose bumps erupted over my shoulders. I didn’t have fancy lacey bras anymore, and my panties came in a plastic tube. Still, I heard Table’s sharp inhale as I bared my body to him. I moved to stand at the end of the bed, naked and fidgeting with self-consciousness. I was not a voluptuous woman, not very big in the breast and ass department. Did he find my thin frame appealing?

  If his rigid cock was any indication, he was still ready and waiting for me. As I climbed awkwardly onto the bed, he raised the hand he had been stroking himself with above his head to join the other one.

  “You take your time, baby girl. I ain’t goin’ nowhere. I promise I won’t put my hands on you unless you ask. You’re in the driver’s seat.”

  I knew he was a man of his word. I straddled him, my wet heat hovering over his stiff cock. He tensed but didn’t change his position. I ran my hands over his chest, feeling both the soft skin and the solidity underneath. He was holding back and I knew it was for my sake. He was letting me take over. Letting me lead. Letting me heal. He trusted me with his body. Maybe his heart too?

  I explored him, running my hands where I wanted, touching every part of him as he lay there with his eyes on me. I reached between us and wrapped my hand around him. His nostrils flared as he took a sharp breath in, but he didn’t move or stop watching. I worked him up and down and he groaned with the effort of holding back. It was a heady feeling to know I could end this, get dressed and walk away, and he wouldn’t stop me. Or I could mount him and take what I wanted.

  I wanted this. I wanted this so bad I ached for it. I ached for him.

  “Feels good, Lori, but you keep it up and I’ll be done before you get started,” he growled, shifting his hips into my hand.

  I let go of him and reached for the foil packet. I saw his jaw clench as I tore it open and rolled the condom over his straining cock. I held him in position as I brought our bodies together, rubbing the head against my wet opening. He was thoroughly coated in my juices when I sank down and allowed him to breach me.

  It had been a long time and it hurt. Table was a big man and even though I was ready, taking him wasn’t easy. It still felt good as my body opened up. I could see sweat break out over his face and chest as I worked myself down bit by bit, inch by inch, stretching until he was fully inside me. I let out a long, low moan and felt him twitch inside me in response. I rose up and thrust myself down, grinding my hips against him, reveling in the sensation of being so full, so complete.

  The last time I had a man inside me was filled with pain and fear. I had been treated as a thing. This time, I was being reborn as a woman.

  “Ah—yeah,” he grunted, shifting under me, seeking something inside of me. When he found it, I cried out
at the thrill of pleasure that shot through me. “Right there, baby, that’s it. Fuck yourself on me, Lori. Give me all the beautiful you have in you.”

  I began working myself up and down his stiff shaft, and he helped by aiming for that spot he’d found. I tried to stifle my cries, but the harder I drove down on him, the louder I got. He was making noises as well. The cords in his neck stood out and his hands wrapped in taut fists as he struggled to keep his promise. My orgasm hit me suddenly and I let out a scream as I lost control and came. My pussy flooded with more wet and I ground down hard as my channel spasmed around him. He choked out a cry and I felt him pulse inside me, finding his own satisfaction.

  I couldn’t hold myself up any longer and I collapsed on top of him. We were both hot, sweating, and breathing hard. Different and confusing emotions chased their way around my head: joy and sadness, care and fear. My eyes filled with tears as I listened to the steady heartbeat under my ear.

  Perfect. Just perfect.

  “I promised I wouldn’t put my hands on you, Lori, and I still won’t, but you gotta know, baby girl, I really want to hold you right now.”

  More perfect.

  “Yes,” I managed to gasp before the floodgates opened and I cried. Table was there, his strong arms around me, enfolding me in his secure strength.

  “Give it to me, baby. Get it all out, and give it to me,” he murmured, and kissed the top of my head. He was still semi-hard inside of me and I was not ready to lose that connection. I burrowed into him, drawing every bit of him I could, clawing at his shoulders and trying to get closer. He took it from me even though I probably hurt him in my frantic grasping.

  The deluge finally subsided. I slipped off him, disengaging our bodies and curling in on my side. I heard him leave the bed and go into the bathroom to dispose of the condom. He came right back and slid in behind me, molding himself against me for maximum contact. He placed an arm over my middle and gently stroked his fingers over my ribs. I was grateful he couldn’t see my face in the dark; I knew it was swollen and blotchy from crying so hard, and my nose was dripping. He stayed quiet while I sniffed and snatched a tissue up.

  “I’m a mess. One big fat ugly mess. I’ve brought so much trouble to you and your family and I’m so, so sorry. I don’t deserve anything from and yet you’re going out of your way to help me.”

  “Hush, baby girl. I don’t wanna hear any more ’bout you thinkin’ you don’t deserve help. Fact of the matter is, there ain’t no one out there who needs or deserves it more. You’re good to my family and you’re good to my daughter. You may be used to having a lot of money, but you ain’t afraid to work hard and go without when you need to. I think you know what kind of man I am. There’s no way I would have shared my bed with you if I thought you weren’t worth the risk. And there is a risk for me, ’cause right now you got a piece of me. It’s yours. I’d like to think I got a piece of you and I’ll be protectin’ and cherishin’ that piece with every cell in my body, baby.”

  His hands stroked over my body as his words settled in my heart. I waited for the urge to run away, but it never came. Instead I placed my hands over his as they trailed over my hip.

  “Table, I… I….”

  “Hush, baby girl,” he repeated. “It’s too soon for that, but it will come when the time is right. You get some sleep now. I’ll still be here in the morning.”

  Twenty-One

  The best? Table was with me every night, holding me in his arms and cuddling close. Each night he made love to me with a tenderness that I would never have expected from a tough biker. His hands, lips, teeth, and tongue touched me in places that I felt through to my soul. I felt loved and treasured by this man who was taking a chance on a broken woman.

  The worst? Mostly it was the anticipation of what would come next. Was Jeffrey back in the country and wanting some sort of revenge on me for divorcing him? Even though the papers were done, stamped, and filed, I still didn’t feel like it was over. I couldn’t say what it was but there was something unfinished.

  Table had started doing some work back at the tattoo parlor in town and had looked at moving all three of us into the two-bedroom apartment above the shop. “We can’t be living here full-time and startin’ a family, baby girl. We’ll get us a house soon enough, but the apartment will do for now.”

  It seemed like Table had already decided my life’s new path. The truth was, I didn’t mind.

  Molly was holding court in the Lair’s main room, along with Tambre, Kat, and Eva. Angel was in her customary spot on Betsey’s hip. She was in the kitchen making dinner for the gaggle of children that always seemed to surround her.

  “’Bout time he got his head outta his ass!”

  Tambre was the calm to Molly’s fire. “Blue’s not dumb. He was just confused and dealing with a lot. It’s not every day you have to put your ex-wife in jail.”

  My ears perked up.

  Kat reached for a handful of nuts from the bowl on the coffee table. “You might want to keep it down a bit. His kids are running around down here. You don’t want to say anything around them right now about their mom.”

  I didn’t know the whole situation, but from the snippets I’d heard, Blue was Brick and Betsey’s son, a local sheriff’s deputy, a member of the Dragon Runners, and father to two young children. His ex-wife had been involved in a local drug ring and was now in jail, facing a trial that would most likely put her in prison for a long time. I had been nervous about meeting him, but he had so much going on in his life that my presence was just a blip on his radar. He had no idea who I was and that was fine with me. Blue had been seeing a woman in town who owned a craft store but had been on the fence about making a full commitment to her. Apparently, it had worked out.

  Table was shooting pool with Mute and Stud. As if he knew I was watching him, he looked up at me, smiled, and winked. My tummy fluttered and I felt a blush creep over my face as I recalled that same wink as he moved inside me earlier that morning.

  “Looks like Blue ain’t the only one in love. ’Bout time someone good came along for Table.”

  I didn’t know how to answer that. I shrugged and tried to change the subject.

  “So anyone want a refill?”

  A chorus of yesses had me reaching for the margarita pitcher.

  “None for me, thanks. I’m sticking with water tonight.”

  This was from Kat, who hadn’t said much during Molly’s tirade.

  The curly-haired woman looked at Mute’s wife. “You ain’t been drinking nothing but water all day. You want a Coke or something different?”

  The shy brunette grinned. “No, thank you. Not too much caffeine and sugar right now.”

  “What in the Sam Hill— Oh. My. God!” Molly jumped to her feet as she yelled at the top of her lungs and pointed an accusing finger at Kat. “You’re pregnant!”

  Kat’s grin got bigger and she looked toward a now glowering Mute. “Yes, we are.”

  The screech coming from the kitchen area rang in the rafters as Betsey came barreling into the room. “Oh, my Lord, have mercy! Another grandbaby on the way! Lord, have mercy!” She handed Angel to me so she could hug and cry on the expecting woman.

  The conversation turned to due dates, morning sickness remedies, diaper brands, and nursery colors. My attention drifted a little, and I noticed the big biker named Bruiser gesture to Table from the back hallway. Bruiser was a large man with a rounded stomach and thinning hair that was pulled back into a long single curl that barely qualified as a ponytail. Table gave me another glance as he made his way to the mouth of the hallway. Brick was coming down the stairs from the upper floor, and Bruiser gestured to him as well. Both men went down the hall and disappeared from my sight.

  Angel grabbed my attention by slapping my mouth with her baby fist and smiling a drooly grin. I made chuffing noises at her while the other ladies continued talking about baby stuff. But my mind was back with Table and hoping for good news.

  “The ladies are occupied for
a bit. What didja find?”

  Bruiser slurped at his red Solo cup and belched. Table waved a hand in front of his face.

  “Jesus, brother! What the hell is in that cup?

  Both he and Brick had come back to Bruiser’s room. Contrary to his outward slow-moving appearance, the room was neat as a pin and spartan save for a tightly made-up bed and massive computer desk with two giant flat-screen monitors. Several large computer towers were set around the top.

  “Red Bull and vodka. Had to have the energy to keep up with all the shit I found.”

  Table’s face grew serious. “How much shit?”

  Bruise snorted. “It took me a while. I had to break through a shit ton of firewalls. Them files was hid deep. Some of them sites wasn’t exactly on Google, if you know what I mean. But I hit pay dirt. Your senator is into some pretty bad shit. There’s stuff here about him makin’ deals with a South American arms dealer for bringing in drugs and weapons and we ain’t talking legal ones either. Them things is modified for full automatic, beyond military specs. He don’t do no sales or nothing, but his big part is cleaning the money. That charity foundation stuff that your girl was involved in? The one that she was supposed to be over in South Africa for? That’s what he’s been using to launder everything and the proof of it is right’chere on this drive.”

  Bruiser slurped again and shook his head. “Fuckin’ with a kids’ charity to hide coke and guns? This guy’s been tootin’ his horn for years ’bout bein’ a big family values’ man. What a fuckin’ prick.”

  “What about the son?”

  “Oh, he’s involved too. From the shit I found out about him, he’s followin’ in his daddy’s footsteps. Got some pics of him here havin’ a meetin’ at a bar in Columbia.”

  Bruiser leaned his bulk forward and tapped the wide computer screen. “See this here fella? That’s Luis Sanchez. I found him when I dug through to the FBI database. This is one bad dude with the Sanchez drug cartel. I don’t have enough time to tell you all the stuff they think this guy’s done here in the States, but one thing’s for certain, and that’s ol’ Jeffie-boy here is in it deep. Feds only got a little piece of what’s happenin’. We got the rest of the pie.”