by Sam Crescent
“What do you want?” she asked, lowering her paper long enough to speak.
“You looked lonely here.”
“I’m reading the paper. I don’t need to have company for that.”
“What happened to that man you were dating?” he asked.
“None of your business.”
“Well, he’s not here now, and so I’m getting my coffee.”
“You’re forcing coffee on me? Didn’t you get a single thing I said to you?” she asked.
“I was listening, but I decided to take a step back and wait.”
“Wait? For what?”
“For an opportunity like this.” He placed a coffee in front of her. “I even went and bought you a coffee.”
“Wow, you’re very independent, ordering my coffee.” She opened the cup to see it already had milk inside. “Have you spiked it?”
“No. I don’t need to get my kicks out of using narcotics to get what I want.”
She took a small sip. The coffee was rancid, but that wasn’t anyone’s fault. The coffee in the hospital was always rancid. It was how all the nurses and doctors stayed alert. “So why the sudden interest again? Am I next on your nurses list? I thought you’d move on to receptionists, fellow doctors, or maybe the rebel in you, patients.”
“You really don’t think well of me at all, do you?”
“I don’t think about you at all, Milford.”
He placed a hand over his heart as if he was hurt by her words. “You’re a cruel woman.”
Shaking her head, she took a sip. “I’m not going to sleep with you.”
“You will.”
“Ha,” she said, forcing a laugh.
They both jumped as the spare chair at the table was turned. Snake lowered himself into it. “What did I tell you?” he asked.
The moment he talked, her pussy melted like ice in the sun. She’d missed him and hated herself for it.
“Sharing a coffee,” Milford said.
She was really pleased he’d started talking. There was no way she’d form a coherent word. Snake was here, in the hospital. Judi hadn’t been discharged yet.
“There’s nothing going on here,” she said.
“No?”
“No. I was minding my own business, and he brought coffee.”
Snake kept staring at her.
Believe me. Don’t be a jackass.
He turned to look at Milford. “I’m going to warn you once and then I’ll start to use my fists. Jessica is mine. She will always be mine. You’re never going to get between her thighs because I’ll always be there.” He reached out, taking hold of Jessica’s hand. “You’re coming with me.”
“Wait just one damned minute,” she said, tugging her hand out.
“What? You want to stay here with Doctor Dick?”
“What? No, this isn’t about that. God, five days, Snake. It has been five days since I’ve heard from you. Now you’re pulling me around as if you own me.”
“We’re going shopping.”
“No, we’re not. I’m not going anywhere with you until you answer my question. Where have you been?” She folded her arms across her breasts. Her nipples were rock hard, pointing against her uniform. She didn’t want him to witness her easy need for him.
“The nursery wasn’t finished. There was still ten weeks to go for the baby to arrive. I’ve been helping decorate the club and his home. I’ve not had any time to get in touch. Judi has my phone with the pictures on. I can’t take it off her. Not yet.”
Now she felt like the worst person in the world. “I’m sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. We all get jealous.”
“I wasn’t jealous.”
“Just keep saying that.” He took her hand, leading her toward the entrance and the parking lot.
“I can’t just leave.”
“I bet you’re here on overtime. You work seven days a week. Whenever do you take a break?” He made her sound so boring.
“I like my work.”
“You’re going to learn to like me a hell of a lot more than you like your work.” He walked her toward a green car. It was nice, not very flashy but nice. “Get in.”
She didn’t argue, sliding inside. “Where are we going, or is this going to add to the list of kidnapping?”
“We’re going baby shopping. I’m taking you to the mall. Are you okay with that?”
“Baby shopping?”
“Clothes, diapers, that thing they shove in their mouths.”
“A pacifier?”
“Yes. We’re going shopping for all of that.”
“Why are we going shopping?”
“I got the short end of the deal.” He pulled out of the parking lot. She noticed he paid careful attention to his driving. It was still icy, and snow was pushed in little mounds on the sides of the road. “Milford is a problem.”
“He’s a doctor, Snake. He’s not a problem. Just persistent.”
“I don’t like him.”
“I doubt a lot of men like him. I don’t like him either. I’m not interested in the games he plays.”
“The nurse games.”
“Yeah. He likes to fuck as many nurses as he can. I hope they all gang up on him. It would be awesome to see.” She chuckled, thinking about him being encircled by the women he’d fucked and dumped. “The same could happen to you.”
“No. I only fuck women who know the score.”
“Lydia didn’t.”
“She did know the score but decided to change the rules in her head. Crazy bitch.” He made a whooping sound while also circling his fingers against his head.
“She’s not crazy. She’s just a little different.”
“The bitch is crazy.”
“The bitch is still my friend.”
He was silent for a moment. “Have you heard from her?”
She glanced over at him and shook her head. “No, I’ve not heard from her. It sucks, but she’s quit her job. She’ll probably call me in a couple of weeks or months to let me know she’s still alive.”
“She’s always been like this?”
“Yeah. Her dad is a businessman who travels. He used to leave her and her mother for months on end before he even called. Providing there was money, her mother didn’t care. Lydia missed him though. She got the whole disappearing act from him. She’s under some illusion that it makes people care about her a little more. It doesn’t, but there you go.” Jessica shrugged.
“And you’re still friends with her?”
“I’m sitting in your car going to pick out baby items. I don’t think I’m going to rate that high in the friends ranking.” She tilted her head to the side to crack her neck. She did the same to the other side. “God, I’m tired.”
“Don’t worry about what she thinks, baby. Only worry about what you think about.”
“That’s how people end up lonely without any friends, Snake. You start caring about yourself and only yourself, no one is going to want to know you.”
Chapter Six
Snake, with Jessica’s help, carried through all the baby shit they’d bought on their trip. The conversation they’d had on the drive up to the mall was still ringing in his head. He wasn’t lonely. He had a lot of brothers and women around him. The women didn’t mean much to him, but his brothers did. He didn’t always think about number one.
“Is this it?” she asked.
“No, we’ve got to make a stop at the clubhouse first.” Snake closed the trunk of the car. “See you later, man,” he said, shaking Spider’s hands. He was the one house sitting for Ripper and Judi until they got out of the hospital.
“You’re a reptile and he’s an insect, why?”
“Baby, it’s a long story to get involved into our names. Just know never to mess with me or if you like messing with me, never do shit that’s going to involve me having to hurt you.”
He turned the ignition over and pulled out of the street. This was the same street where Lexie and Devil lived, along with
Vincent and his woman, Phoebe. Snake liked the street. It was a good one to raise a family away from the shit. When they’d first arrived in Piston County, the town had been separated into what looked like two parts, the good part and the bad part. The biggest problem was the bad part was most of the fucking town. Judi had been in the thick of that bad part, forced into prostitution at an age when she should have been giggling about boys behind her hand. Whenever he thought about what happened and what he saw, he wanted to kill the motherfucking pimp all over again.
“Have you killed people?”
“You’re a nurse sworn to protect people. Don’t ask me a question you know you’re not going to like the answer to.”
“I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to like the answer to most things you do.”
He glanced over at her, wanting to reach out and touch her, but knowing he couldn’t do it, not yet. The roads were damned slippery, and most of the drive he’d taken slowly. He wouldn’t even ride his bike in this weather. It was downright fucking dangerous, and he didn’t have a death wish, especially not with Jessica in the car.
“Judi should be getting out in a couple of days.”
“What about their kid?”
“They’ll have to visit him. Most parents end up being discharged before the child. He’s doing well though, strong. I asked one of the nurses about him. He’s a fighter.”
“He’s part of Chaos Bleeds. We’re all fighters in our own way.” Not all of the members had come from a good family, with morals inbuilt into them like a second skin. Some of them came from shit homes, or foster homes, where they were used to fighting for their lives.
Snake, he was used to fighting for his life. Earning his keep on the streets and hurting anyone who stepped in his way. Devil had found him in the streets, too skinny to really fight, eating out of a damned trash bin. Running away from home had been better than taking another of his parents’ beatings they liked to give him. Both of his parents liked to hit out at him, use him for sport to see how long he’d survive.
He hated them, and when he’d gotten fit and well, his parents had been his first real kill. Both of them had been shocked, pissing themselves.
Pulling up into the clubhouse, he pulled the keys out after parking up. He helped Jessica out of the car. She wasn’t wearing any of those crazy assed shoes that women liked to wear. Her pumps went with the nurse’s scrub outfit.
She followed him around to the back, grabbing a box as he did the same. Closing the trunk, he took the lead heading into the house.
Pussy was sitting at the bar nursing a beer.
“What’s going on?” he asked. It was past six in the evening, but seeing Pussy look sad was a big deal. Out of all of the brothers, Pussy was known as the joker, rarely taking anything seriously.
“Not a lot. I was a fucking idiot, and I had to take Sasha to the hospital today for a fucking cast.”
“Wait? What?” Snake asked.
“Yep. I’d moved the coffee table because my smokes had fallen underneath it. I moved it three inches. I forgot to tell her or put it back. She fell on the glass, cutting herself and breaking her damned arm.” Pussy took another sip of his beer.
“I’m sorry, man,” Snake said, slapping his friend on the back.
Sasha was Pussy’s old lady, but she was also blind. It had happened when she lived at home with her stepfather. He’d slammed her against a wall, then thrown her downstairs in the effort to kill her. Sasha was blinded instead of dead. The doctors were at odds with each other over her condition. Some believe she’d get her eyesight back, while other remained convinced it would be permanent.
“Would you like me to take a look at the cast?” Jessica said, stepping forward.
“Nope. She’s fine, just resting. Unless you can give me a cure for her fucking sight, I don’t give a shit about anything else.” There was a whine underneath Pussy. Snake glanced down to see Sasha’s guide dog, resting his head on Pussy’s lap. It was almost as if the dog knew Pussy was punishing himself. “It’s okay, boy. I wouldn’t have her any other way. You know that.”
Pussy loved Sasha. He’d fought for her and been willing to walk away from the club to be with her. It looked like Pussy was having a hard time dealing with how delicate her condition was. Snake had watched as Pussy walked her around the clubhouse for days, getting her used to the layout of the place. No one moved shit unless Sasha was around. Even Dick didn’t mess with the place.
“Come on. We’ll take these up to their room.”
He left Pussy to drink away his own guilt.
“Will he be okay?” she asked.
“Time will tell. I can’t say for sure if any of us will ever really be okay with Sasha.” Devil hadn’t wanted her in the club, but it looked like even the Prez had taken a shine to her. Sasha was part of the club whether they liked it or not. Snake liked her. She was fun and hadn’t let what the past did to her affect who she was.
They made their way upstairs.
“I know a little about Sasha’s circumstances. When I’m next at work I could make a few calls. I’m not saying that it’ll make a difference, but someone might have answers where others have failed.”
He opened Ripper’s door, leading the way in. “I’d appreciate that. The club would appreciate that. Sasha’s an old lady, and she’s part of the club.”
Placing the box on the floor, he opened it up, and started to arrange stuff around the room. Jessica did the same. He didn’t like the way she was making him feel right at that moment.
They worked without speaking, yet he was aware of her every move. The way she walked past him. The scent of strawberries surrounded her, driving him crazy.
When they were finished Ripper’s room was more than ready for the baby.
“You all do this for each other?”
“When we were on the road, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s only because we’re all settling down that we’re getting shit like this done.” Snake didn’t have a problem with staying in the same place. Waking up on dirty mattresses beside a skank every morning had lost its appeal the moment he met Tiny and The Skulls. The club did show Chaos Bleeds another way of living. He wasn’t going to be angry with Tiny or what had happened to separate them. They were living a whole new life now in Piston County.
“You were on the road a lot?”
“I was on the road my whole life. It never really stopped.” Snake took a hand. “Come on. I want to show you to my room.”
She didn’t pull away.
The moment they touched it was like an electrical current ran through them bringing them both together.
He opened the door to his modest room.
“Wow, you’re actually clean,” she said, smiling.
Closing the door, he watched her look around his space. “I like clean open spaces.” His parents had been drunks, and the place had been covered with filth where mold grew on the walls as if it was indeed the wallpaper.
The walls here were painted cream while the floor had a green carpet. His brothers wouldn’t dare laugh at his space nor would the sluts that fucked the club.
“Snake, baby, would you like some company?” Amy asked, knocking on the door. He’d not been around the club whores in so long.
Jessica crossed her arms, staring at him. Her brow was raised, waiting for him.
She knocked again. Everyone knew not to just barge into his space. He didn’t like it.
“What’s it going to be, Jessica?”
****
“What are you asking me?” Jessica wanted to open the door and claw the woman’s eyes out. She didn’t even know what the other woman looked like, but already, she didn’t like her.
“Well, it has been five days and you were having lunch with Doctor Bastard. Do I call her in or am I already taken?”
“I got the clean bill of health. What did you get?”
He turned away, going to his drawer beside the bed. “I got a clean bill of health.”
“You can’t fuc
k me without a condom. I’m not protected yet.”
“But we can in a few weeks.” He gave her the sheet. “Amy knocking on the door is up to you.”
“I go and you’ll fuck her?”
“You go, we’re over. It’s the way I figured you’d play it. I’m not going to force you to be something you’re not into.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
“I mean you’re a nurse. The club is my whole life. I’m not going to change who I am. I’m a biker. I like having sex, and if you want us to be exclusive, I’ll come to you every time. If you don’t want that, I’ll take you home.”
“You’re into exclusive sex? But Lydia—”
“Lydia doesn’t know everything about me. She was a hole, Jessica. A woman to be used to fuck. You’re not like her. Now, I’m either completely stupid and got the wrong vibe off you, or you’re playing hard to get.”
Jessica stared back at him. Exclusive?
“It’s your choice. It will always be your choice,” he said. “Can you hack this life?”
What she’d seen of the life hadn’t been horrible. In fact, it had been an amazing support structure that was similar to a family.
“Snake?” Amy asked. Her voice already grated on Jessica’s nerves.
Take a chance. What do you have to lose?
Her sanity. Her heart.
Snake wasn’t just a scumbag who fucked women. Yes, he’d fucked Lydia, but he’d never actually promised her anything. Jessica was starting to see a whole new side to Snake, one she hadn’t anticipated ever knowing.
Turning around, she opened the door staring at a beautiful blonde. She was slender with large tits. Jessica didn’t like her. The malice in the woman’s eyes was clear to see.
“You’re not welcome here.”
“I think that’s Snake’s decision.”
Snake moved up behind her, gripping the back of Jessica’s neck. “I’m doing whatever she says.”
“He’s mine now. You come here again offering your skank ass, I’ll take you down. You even think to try and take him, I’ll hurt you.”
“What’s a little nurse going to do to me?”