“You don’t like when he talks about his dad?”
She shook her head no. He wasn’t a good man, she wrote.
“Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head no again and stood. Tired, she scrawled.
“I guess Marco was right when he said you didn’t like talking about him.”
It was a long time ago. Which bedroom is mine?
“Third door on the left.”
She nodded, tossed the blanket she had been using over the back of the chair, and waved goodnight.
I knew that wouldn’t be the last I saw her tonight.
She was about to find out the bed she would be sleeping in was also my bed.
“Slider!” she yelled.
I raised my arms over my head and clasped them behind my neck. The first step in my plan was set in motion. Now, it was time to see if it was going to work.
********
Chapter 16
Fayth
He had to be kidding. I looked down the hallway and counted the doors.
I was standing in the doorway of the third door on the left, and it sure looked like where Slider slept.
“Mom? Are you okay?” Marco asked after he opened his door and peeked his head out.
“Slider,” I yelled. This had to be a joke. There was no way in hell I was going to sleep in the same bed as Slider with Marco just across the hall.
Slider appeared at the end of the hallway. “Yeah?”
I motioned to the room.
“What’s wrong?”
Ah, the ass was going to play stupid. “Slider,” I said disapprovingly.
“Firecracker, it’s the only other bed I got, unless you want to sleep with Marco in his twin.”
“Oh, hell no. I am not sleeping with you, Mom. As much as I love you and appreciate you bringing me into this world, this is my bed.” Marco slammed the door, and I heard the lock flip into place.
Shit. What the hell was I going to do now?
********
Slider
My plan was lining up just how I had hoped it would. I was either going to piss Fayth off so much that she was going to speak, or I was going to end up in bed with her. I would be happy with either outcome.
She stomped her foot and shook her head.
“Is it really that bad to sleep in my bed?”
She shook her head again and pointed to Marco’s room.
“He ain’t gonna let you in there, Firecracker.”
I heard her growl, and she marched towards me.
My theory was the only way Fayth was going to speak was if she were either pissed or terrified. I assumed when she had called my name the first time, she had been having a nightmare.
Now, I was going to get her so pissed that the words were just going to explode out of her mouth.
She slugged me in the arm, walked past me, and grabbed her notepad off of the recliner. I CAN’T SLEEP WITH YOU!!!
“All we’ll be doing is sleeping.”
She shook her fist at me, then angrily wrote. MY SON IS IN THE NEXT ROOM. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!? WHY DIDN’T THEY BRING MY BED WHEN THEY BROUGHT ALL OF THE OTHER FURNITURE?
“There wasn’t enough room. I told King to bring what could fit. Apparently, your bed didn’t make the cut.”
Go get it.
“Fayth, it’s after ten. I’m not driving into town to your storage unit. Sleep in my bed.”
She shook her head no and stomped her foot.
“You sure do stomp your foot a lot when you’re pissed,” I laughed.
She growled again, and I knew I was getting her worked up good.
I’m not sleeping with you tonight.
“What about tomorrow?”
She growled and shook her head. Growling was a new thing. Now, we were getting somewhere.
“Are you one of those girls who I need to take to dinner, spend a little money on, and then you’ll sleep with me?”
Her face turned bright red, and I’m sure if she was able to, flames would have been shooting out of her ears.
No. I’m one of those girls who knows how to hide a body.
I threw my head back and laughed. I was going to have to be careful with her. She might have picked up a few tricks from Leo. I wasn’t into sleeping with the fishes. “Now, now, Firecracker. No need to go threatening me.”
I want my bed.
“Well, you can’t have it. It’s my bed or nothing.”
I’m not sleeping with you. Her pen flew across the paper and she held it up to me.
“Is sleeping with me really that horrible. I mean, I’ve never been kicked out of bed before, Firecracker, and I have been in my fair share of beds.”
Classy.
I shrugged. Surely not classy, but it was the truth. “Tell ya what, you sleep in my bed,” she vehemently shook her head. I held up my hand and shushed her. She wasn’t talking, but her head shake definitely spoke volumes. “And I’ll sleep on the couch. At least until you let me sleep in my bed.”
Fine. And that will be never.
“How about we just agree on tonight. I wouldn’t want you to eat your words later on.”
She growled again and tossed the pad of paper at me. She hissed, and I swear to Christ, it sounded like she had said “ass.”
“Did you call me an ass?” I asked, shocked.
She reared her head back and her eyes got huge. She nodded.
“You,” I pointed at her, “called me,” I jammed my thumb into my chest, “an ass?”
She nodded and touched her lips.
“Well, I’ll be damn. Now you can say Slider and ass. At this rate, you should be able to say a full sentence by your birthday.”
She flipped me off and chucked her pen at my face.
I managed to swat it away before it hit me, and she flounced down the hallway to her room.
“Fayth,” I called.
She turned around and glared at me.
“Sweet dreams, Firecracker,” I growled and winked at her.
“Ass,” she hissed and slammed the door behind her. I heard the lock fall into place, and I leaned against the wall.
Holy hell, it had actually worked.
Now, I needed to figure out how to get her so riled up that she was just start spewing words at me.
This was going to be more fun than I had bargained for. It would have been better if she had agreed to sleep with me, but there was always time for that later.
Beggars can’t be choosers. I had Fayth in my house, and she was starting to talk.
I would have to say this had been a good day.
A damn good day.
********
Chapter 17
Fayth
“Say it.”
I shook my head and grabbed the pan full of scrambled eggs off of the burner.
“Come on, Mom. Please, just say it once.”
I scooped eggs onto three plates and set the pan back on the stove. Being able to only say two words, and one of those words being “ass,” was not something I wanted to brag about.
Slider had gotten me so pissed off last night, the word “ass” had just ripped from my throat, and I was even more shocked by it than he was.
He had rolled off of the couch while I was making breakfast this morning, pressed a kiss to the side of my head, and told Marco I had said “ass” last night. Then, before I could find my paper fast enough to rip into him, he had disappeared into his bedroom, and I heard the water turn on in the bathroom. Now, I was dealing with Marco begging me to say “ass.”
The toast popped up from the toaster, and I slathered them with butter.
“I don’t know why you won’t say it. You should be proud that you can say another word.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed his plate towards him.
“What do you think your next word is going to be? I bet if I tell Gambler, they’ll get a pool going on which word it’ll be.”
I bugged my eyes out and shook my head. There was no way in hell there was going
to be a pool going on about me.
“I already told King,” Slider announced and walked into the kitchen, pulling a t-shirt on over his head.
My gaze traveled over his toned and tanned chest before he tugged the shirt down, and I got an eye full of his nearly perfect body.
I turned back to the stove and braced my hands on the counter. What the hell was I doing eyeing up Slider? The man had made me so mad last night that I had felt like I was ready to explode.
“You think he’ll tell Gambler? I’d totally get in on that bet. I’m guessing her next word will be douche,” Marco said.
I spun around and pointed a finger at him. He knew not to talk like that, and I had a feeling he was taking advantage of the fact that I couldn’t talk.
“Hey, let’s lay off the bad words and leave those to your mom,” Slider joked before winking at me.
“Ass,” I whispered.
“Oh! She said it!” Marco yelled and jumped up.
I slapped my hand over my mouth, and Slider threw his head back and laughed.
“I think Slider is your good luck charm, Mom. First you say his name, and now he’s the only one you’ll talk to.”
“Or I provoke her so much that she can’t hold it in,” Slider chuckled.
I pointed at Slider and then tapped my nose. He hit that one right on the head.
Slider grabbed a plate and sat down next to Marco at the island. “After breakfast, I need to run to the clubhouse for church. All of the girls will be there. You okay with hanging out with them during it?”
I nodded and grabbed the ketchup out of the fridge. I liked Meg and all of the girls. They were the closest thing to friends that I had.
“What the hell are you doing?” Slider asked, watching me squirt ketchup on my eggs.
“Dude, that’s how she eats scrambled eggs.”
“But I’ve seen her eat eggs before, and she’s never put ketchup on them.” Slider curled his lip as he watched me take a bite. “Well, that’s different.”
“She only does it on scrambled eggs. I gag every time she does it.”
I rolled my eyes, grabbed my plate, and turned my back to Slider and Marco so I could eat my breakfast in peace without them talking about it.
“Are there any other weird food combinations your mom has?” Slider asked Marco.
“Hmm,” Marco hummed. “Not really. She’s normal for the most part, besides the ketchup on her eggs.”
They could talk about me all they wanted. I was going to enjoy my eggs, and I didn’t give a damn if they thought it was gross or not.
“Do I need to come with you?” Marco asked.
“Yeah. I know Remy is going to be there. I never realized how close you two were in age.”
“Yeah, he’s one year ahead of me. I saw him around school but never really talked to him before yesterday.”
Shit! School. I had totally forgotten about that. I was going to have to call Marco’s school back in Chicago to let them know he was transferring schools again. I wished I knew how long we were going to be in Rockton. I didn’t want to get settled in here again and then have to go back to Chicago.
“Finish breakfast and then we’ll head over there,” Slider said. I heard his stool scrape backwards and then he walked in front of me to drop his dishes into the sink.
I looked down at my plate and then up at him. How in the hell had he eaten so fast? I barely had three bites.
“I’m a fast eater, Firecracker. You got coffee made?”
I nodded to the half-full coffee pot. I had already managed to have three cups of coffee while I was making breakfast.
Slider grabbed my cup and filled it. “No reason to dirty another dish,” he muttered before he took a sip.
Slider drinking from my cup was more intimate than I would like to admit.
“I’m gonna change and then I’ll meet you outside,” Marco called.
Slider waved to him and leaned against the counter. He was wearing a tight black t-shirt and holey jeans, ripped at the knees. His standard black boots rounded out the outfit.
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Marco wasn’t there to witness the way my eyes ran over his body. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking anymore. Slider always had a certain appeal to him, but I refused to acknowledge it. Now, it was like it was slapping me in the face, and I didn’t want to ignore it. His right arm was covered in tattoos, while his left sported a half-sleeve. I had always wondered why he hadn’t done a full sleeve, but never asked, because it really wasn’t any of my business.
“You know what you’re doing right now, Firecracker?” Slider asked, his voice low, and his eyes locked with mine.
I swallowed hard and shook my head no. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. All I knew was I was enjoying the sight of Slider’s muscled arms.
“You’re driving me crazy without even saying a word.” He drained his cup in two swallows and set it in the sink. “Your eyes are taking off my clothes, and I can’t help but like the fact that you’re looking at me that way.” He stepped forward and brushed my hair off of my shoulder. “Lord knows I’ve been looking at you like that for far too long. It’s nice to know we’re having the same thoughts.”
I gulped and took a step back. I bumped into the counter, and Slider grabbed my plate out of my hand. “I can’t wait for the day you start talking again, Firecracker. I’d love to know what’s going through your mind right now. Your dark brown eyes tell me things have changed. I feel you watching me, but I’d like to feel more than your eyes on me.”
“Slider,” I whispered.
He leaned in and brushed his fingertips across my lips. “I pray for the day you say that while I’m balls deep, taking everything you have.”
I gasped, and my jaw dropped. His finger slipped into my mouth, and I closed my lips around it.
“What are you doing to me?” he growled. I sucked on his finger, and he slowly pulled it out of my mouth. “Choose very carefully what you do next, Fayth,” he whispered.
I licked my lips, and my eyes fell to his. I knew what my body wanted to do, but my mind was screaming no. Everything felt right when I was with Slider, even last night when he was being an ass to me. It always felt right, and I wondered if kissing him would feel right too.
“You have five seconds to tell me no before I kiss you.”
I looked up, locked eyes with him, and saw need there. Slider wanted this as badly as I did, but I was too chicken to do anything about it.
“Three seconds,” he warned.
I gulped and ran my hands up his arms. I didn’t care what my mind wanted anymore. All I wanted to do was feel.
“Mom! Have you seen my black Nike hoodie?” Marco called from his room.
Slider jumped back, and my eyes darted to the floor. Whatever trance Slider and I were in was broken.
I grabbed my pad of paper. It’s in his bag. I held it up to Slider but didn’t look him in the eye. I was too embarrassed by what I had just done. Who the hell sucks someone's finger in the kitchen in the middle of the day?
“She said to check your bag,” Slider hollered.
I picked up my plate, stepped around him, and dropped it into the sink. I didn’t know what to do. It seemed like he wanted me, but was it for real? Was Slider really interested in someone like me? Hell, I couldn’t even speak. I didn’t really bring much to the table for a relationship.
“I’ll get the truck started,” Slider mumbled.
I nodded and heard him slip into the garage. I dropped my head, and my shoulders sagged. What in the hell was I doing?
The old Fayth never would have been so wanton with Slider. It was like I wasn’t myself anymore. All I wanted to do was live in the moment, because I never knew when it was going to be my last.
“I’m gonna go out with Slider,” Marco called as he ran across the kitchen. I nodded, but I doubted he had even seen me.
Marco was loving having Slider around, and even he could tell it was different from before. Slider used to
stay outside most of the time, or hang out on the porch talking on his phone or just watching cars drive by.
I noticed him back then, but I knew we were different people who didn’t want the same things. I longed for a quiet, simple life and a father for Marco who could teach him how to be a good man. Slider loved being in the club and having no one to answer to. If Slider were to be with me, it would be a complete one-eighty from the life he had been living.
I knew what I wanted now, but was I crazy for wanting it? Did Slider want the same thing, or was he just looking for right now, while I was looking for forever?
What the hell was I getting my heart into?
********
Chapter 18
Slider
“Get your ass in here.”
I closed the door behind me and sat down next to Rigid. “You told me to get here when I could. What the hell crawled up your ass?” I asked King.
“Leo Banachi is what crawled up my ass,” King growled.
Rigid snickered next to me, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Knock it off,” Demon called. “You two are worse than a couple of rowdy teenagers.”
King grabbed his gavel and slammed it down on the table. “If you two are done having a fucking laugh, you might want to listen up and hear what I have to say.”
Well hell, King was not in a good mood at all. I sat back in my chair and kicked out my feet. Might as well be comfortable while he reamed my ass.
“Leo called me this morning. He’s dealing with an issue that seems to be connected to Rockton,” King explained.
“What the hell does Rockton have to do with anything in Chicago? We’re small fish compared to Leo,” Gambler commented, leaning his elbows on the table.
“We’re not small fish. He’s a fucking mob boss, we’re an MC. Completely different,” Hammer retorted.
“You’re wrong, Ham. Leo is more like us than any of you realize. He’s got men under him just like I have you all. He’s runs his turf just like we run Rockton. Now, Leo takes it a step further by involving himself in things that we would rather have nothing to do with,” King informed Hammer.
Unraveling Fayth (Devil's Knights Book 8) Page 9