“Occasionally. It’s all yours for now. If we have another rescue, then they’ll stay with you in one of the spare bedrooms, but for now, your it.”
“I’m not a rescue.” The words were harsh as she spat them out. “Dell asked me to come for the week. Shoot the wedding and get some perspective.”
Freaky, eyed the woman. “You always pack your car full when you’re getting perspective.”
“You don’t know me or my relationship,” she challenged the need to justify her life choices over the last few years.
“Nope, I don’t,” he said stepping closer to her and brushing her hair to the side, his thumb stroking along the column of her neck sending heat running down her spine directly to her core. “But I do know fingermarks. Left a few in my day. Especially on skin as fair as yours is, but mine tend to be on the ass or thighs, never on the neck and always as I’m holding on so a woman doesn’t fall.”
“Why would she fall?” she asked, the words breathy as they worked their way up her throat.
“I don’t believe in limiting myself when it comes to sex.”
“In partners or positions?”
“Yes.”
Swallowing back her desire for a more detailed description, Meadow let out a long breath.
Freaky grabbed her suitcase and led her down a hallway to a large bedroom, setting it down next to the king size bed that didn’t fill the room. He turned to her. “You can stay in this bedroom. This trailer used to be Cass’ and Lil’ Mama’s. They moved to a large house and left this place empty for the rescues.”
She walked around to the bed. Setting down her bag and purse, she removed her camera and laptop, using the firewire to start downloading what she’d captured since she’d got there.
“So you’re a photographer?” Freaky asked.
“Yeah, I love it. I take pictures and also paint.” Meadow’s skills were the one thing she took genuine pride in. “Though I left most of those supplies back home.”
“Supplies can be replaced,” he said with a smile.
The pictures loaded quickly since there were only about thirty and Meadow disconnected the camera. Facing him, she couldn’t help herself and took his picture.
He blinked. “What did you do that for?”
“I find you an interesting subject. I’ll give you the picture, and if you like I can frame it.”
“No, thank you. Don’t know what I’d do with it.” Freaky frowned.
“Well, if you change your mind I have it.” Meadow was a bit worried he was mad at her for taking his picture. “Would you let me take more?”
“Why would you want more?”
“It’s a way of truly seeing a person.” Through her lens, she saw his face shift and she clicked again, once his lips parted a bit.
“What does your ex look like through your camera?”
Her hand lowered and she set the camera on the nightstand. Turning her back to Freaky.
“How about we finish unloading your car?” Freaky suggested after she remained silent. He stepped toward her.
Her back warmed a bit from his presence and when his hands cupped her upper arms she didn’t jolt like she did with Clive.
“Meadow, you still with me?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry, I was—”
“It’s not a quick process,” Freaky said. “And no one here is going to push you to do anything. We have a shrink on speed dial here if you need to talk, or really anyone of the Montana group has learned, trial by fire how to help—”
“I’m not a victim or rescue,” she said turning sharply on her heel to face him. “Clive loves me with a passion other’s can’t understand.”
“Well, I understand passion,” Freaky said as he took a step back. “It gets confused and twisted. Passion doesn’t mean love, respect or even caring. Love can bring passion, but I can be passionate about beating a man’s ass or cooking a souffle.”
“You cook souffles?” His comment let the muscles in her body relax at the vision of him beating eggs in an apron. The fact she was imagining him naked except for the apron she wasn’t ready to process yet.
“No, but if I did, I would be passionate about it. Making sure there was enough fluff and poof and when I ate it…” His eyes darkened, his lids lowered a bit. “We’re getting distracted from the task at hand.”
It should be illegal for a man to have those long lashes. They circled the dark brown eyes he sported in a way that had to make women swoon. Lord knows, her knees were getting a bit weak. “Pretty much my daily existence when I don’t have to teach.”
“You’re a teacher too?” he questioned as they walked toward the front door.
“I substitute for extra money, being locked into a nine month contract is a bit much for me,” Meadow explained as she followed. She wanted to get all her stuff inside, temperature shifts may have already damaged some of her paintings.
Freaky carried in some more bags and boxes.
She had taken whatever she could grab when she packed her house. It wasn’t much, but it was all she owned unless she went back to Clive.
“Damn it.” Freaky grabbed his hand.
Meadow stopped to see at what happened. It looked as if he scraped his hand on a nail that had come out on the side of the dresser. “What happened?” She approached him.
“Nothing.” Freaky frowned, bringing the side of his hand to his mouth.
“Let me see.” Meadow tried reaching for his hand.
He pulled it away. “I said I was fine.”
Meadow couldn’t believe what an ass this man was. He was acting like a little kid and she didn’t like it. “Ok, tough guy. I was only trying to help you. Didn’t realize it only went one way in this place.”
Freaky’s eyes darkened in anger this time as he stormed from the room, leaving her confused and unsure of what was to come when the heavy booted feet echoed down the hallway. They were coming back with a purpose and she now feared her mouth had once again run off to a place she couldn’t come back from. When he stood in the doorway with a hammer, her heart clenched as she braced for the only thing she knew. A hard blow that would possibly silence and set her to rights permanently.
7
Dropping to a knee Freaky held the offending nail between his fingers and pounded the bitch back in place. If one of the twins or Beno had been running through here, it was at perfect eye height and could have done real damage. The whole trailer was childproofed, but damned if the rest of the world wasn’t. Lil’ Mama had even made them anchor the bookshelves and dressers because of a report she watched on kids getting killed because they were climbing the furniture.
Beyond frustrated, Freaky needed something to go right. Church had been a cluster of nos with little to no explanation to why they were hesitating. Meadow didn’t see herself as a rescue, but her neck was far from the only place that woman was bruised and it wasn’t from being walked across a room with a cock as the anchor. And now he gets cut by a fucking nail.
When he stood, he saw the fear and frozen expression on Meadow’s face and now he really wanted to beat his own ass. She wasn’t so much staring at him as she was the hammer in his hand and he quickly tossed it down the hall. He’d put it away later. Raising his hands Freaky realized he was being an ass. “I am so sorry,” he said. “I scraped it see. It’s okay though.”
Her eyes blinked a few times, clearing whatever fear based thought process she had going on and he wondered if a hammer had gone through a wall really close to her head once. No way she’d stay if one had actually been used on her, would she? Warm blood dripped down the side of his hand and onto the floor from the scratch.
“Is there a first aid kit?” Meadow asked, her sheet white complexion slowly gaining bits of pink when she remembered breathing was a necessary part of living.
“Yeah, under the sink in the kitchen.”
Freaky stood next to the sink as Meadow crouched down and opened the cupboard door. He felt like a total ass watching as she pulled out the first aid
kit and opened it.
Pulling out a Band-Aid she ran the water, letting her own fingers test the water before placing his hand under the tap. A sharp sting shot up his arm to his elbow and he hissed making her smirk a bit. Turning off the water, she used a paper towel to pat his hand dry and applied the bandage over the small scrape. “There you go.”
When she turned her cattail brown eyes to him, he knew he had to atone.
She nodded. “With a doctor wandering around, I’m assuming you have all your shots.”
“Between that and Guard duty, I’ve taken more than my share of needles to my ass cheeks.”
“Well, good. I’m going to shower off the day and see about starting fresh tomorrow.”
Freaky reached for her hand, her delicate fingers soft in contrast to his. “Let me take you out to dinner or something to make up for the way I treated you. I overstepped earlier. I know we’ll have food here, but I owe you a night away from the masses.”
“Sounds good.”
“Maybe tomorrow night I can take you to the Roadhouse in town. It’s the club’s restaurant, but most of the guys will be back here since we have company. What you say?”
“Sure, I would like that.” Meadow smiled at him.
Freaky wasn’t sure how to deal with a woman he liked. Lust he had down. But Meadow was different in a way to him. Beauty and talent for sure, he’d had to push himself to keep unloading and not falling into some of her framed paintings. Her ability to forgive him for being such a jerk earlier was refreshing, though he would need to find a way to make amends with Topaz before the bachelor party or he might be served up in some way as a sacrifice. “Well, if that is everything from your car I’ll leave you for the night. But don’t forget, I’m taking you out for dinner tomorrow night.”
“I won’t forget. Thank you for your help.” Meadow walked him to the door.
“You’ll be safe here, you are on MC land. But just to be sure I want you to lock up.”
“I will.”
“And, more than likely, there’s a gun in the closet for the bedroom you’re staying in. I forgot to check, Cass left one because we’ve had incidents in the past.”
Meadow’s eyes widened.
“I know some people get comfort but others see weapons as jarring. We keep it up high, but not in a safe because bad guys don’t tend to count to ten for you and let you get it out of a lockbox.”
“What about the kids? You’ve got babies running around here.”
“Yeah, and strangers coming in the homes. Our kids aren’t the issue, but it’s as safe as we can have it. If you want, I can take it out of the trailer.”
“No, I’ll be living out of my suitcase I’m sure anyway.”
“Because you’re not a rescue, and you’re not staying.”
“Exactly. I’m here for the wedding.”
Freaky gave her a nod.
Meadow closed the door behind him.
He waited until he heard the lock engage before he walked down the stairs to his bike.
Driving away from her was tough. He already felt something that he hadn’t in a long time. What, he wasn’t quite sure, but she was special to him and seeing bruises on her arms when she took her cardigan off sent a hard spike in his blood pressure.
Even before joining this club, he knew men that hit. An accident at first, then it became like a drug. Each time needing a bigger, longer, harder fix until finally, the fingers are around the throat of a lifeless body. Or the hit bounced her brain around in her skull too much and she finally succumbed to the violence. It wasn’t love so much as possession of a person willing to put up with the abuse, to give the drug they needed to get through the day. Adrenaline spiking in their veins and the crash after was so hard it nearly destroyed them.
This is where the Steels stepped in. When the woman foresaw the future. When their mind cleared of the delusions and excuses, they filled their brain with to get through the day. When they knew the clothes on their back were enough and a future living in the streets was better than the abuse they were suffering. It was then, when they reached out to the Hard Road and not only would they not be on the streets, they would thrive. In a new life. One where a hand would only be raised in greeting and not in anger.
The quick trip back to the clubhouse was just enough air to clear his head. Lyna, one of the Hoez approached him and he braced for another attack about regular ass.
“Heard a rumor Red was thinking people should double up to make room,” she said, her bright blue eyes batting up at him.
“He’s a romantic and weddings get him all gushy,” Freaky replied with a slight breath of relief. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m pretty sure tonight, we’re all good.”
“You sure? Or am I too basic for you?”
“If I fuck you senseless would that get me off the hook for my comment.”
“Nope,” she said leaning back on a table, her hands behind her to brace, and arch her back. “But it would be a good start.”
“Seriously, I have a long day tomorrow. If I let you all dance, strip and do your thing for…”
Hack walked from the kitchen with a paper plate, covered in cling wrap with a half dozen lemon bars. He eyed Freaky who had his hands up in exasperation.
“…Me tonight,” Freaky hoped the man hadn’t heard the first part of his sentence. “Would that get me out of hot water?”
“What did you do?” Hack asked, suspicion all over his face.
“I put a one in Topaz’s G-string for a dance that deserved a twenty. It was an accident, but right now, the Hoez feel a little like I’m under valuing them.”
“To put it lightly,” Lyna said, not helping, but not hurting the situation.
“Then give her a fifty and apologize,” Hack said. “I don’t want tension at my wedding, because tension stresses my bride, and when my bride is stressed, I am stressed and the last thing you want is a former Navy SEAL expressing a negative emotion, do you hear me Private?”
“Technically, I did make it to Sergeant” Freaky held his hands up. “But that’s not the point right now. Right now, I’m trying to make sure there will be zero issues.”
Hack pushed past him and left with his plate of desserts.
“I’ll tell you how to make zero issues,” Lyna said.
He held up his hand to silence her. “Lyna, my love, you know I think you’re pussy tastes like cotton candy and rainbows. Your breasts were made—well the really were made and sculpted by a genius, but I’ve had a fucked up day and all I want is to go to bed, alone.”
Slamming the door to his room, he flipped on garbage reality TV. The scripted ‘natural’ reactions to bullshit issues enough to take him from his hellish day as he drifted off, hoping for a reprieve in the morning.
The next morning Freaky woke up and ate breakfast before work with the early crowd. Wedding or no wedding, he had a full day of construction work to do on a house in town.
He had to admit he was looking forward to his date tonight with Meadow. It might just get him through the long day of working. Now if he could turn off his mind when it came to the gun running, that would be a Godsend. To him it was cut and dry. Money, quick, fast and in a hurry.
Throwing on a pair of jeans, t-shirt and work boots. He slung on his leather jacket and grabbed his bandana putting it around his head. He was ready for the day.
Somehow, he’d beaten Brick to the house and when the man finally showed up, he looked like hell.
“Bad night?”
“Long one,” Brick said with a smirk as he flopped in the camping chair they kept for breaks. “You know how cotton candy gives me a buzz.”
Freaky replayed the night before and did recall seeing Brick giving him a toast as Hack left the clubhouse. “Yeah, I get that.”
Lyna could be insatiable at times. If she ever settled down, the man would need stock in Viagra to survive. Maybe she’d have to go the way of Sal from New Mexico, times two. Yeah, four guys rotating might sate her horny ass. Why didn’t
he fuck her last night? He questioned, oh yeah, he’s an idiot and all he could think about was the Band-Aide on his hand. More, the woman who put it there.
Throwing himself into the kitchen cabinet project was enough of a distraction to get him through most of the day. Mindless discussion about the next few days and trying to avoid the elephant in the room. He didn’t want to go behind Red’s back and discuss running guns outside of church. But he may have to because the discussion was cut so short in the meetings.
By five thirty P.M. he was showered and ready for dinner. Promising Meadow a date for being an ass was something he was looking forward to. Mea Culpas seemed to be his current situation with everyone. At least, this one was with a woman less likely to cut his balls off, thankfully by going early, he should be able to avoid the Hoez in the Roadhouse.
Arriving at six o’clock, he knocked on the door of the trailer and waited for Meadow to answer.
She opened the door, wearing a flowing spaghetti strap dress and wrap. She had the artistic hippy vibe, but made it seem natural and not a grab at attention. It was who she was, exposed in a way and not hiding the last of the bruising that was more of a shadow or smudge at this point.
Only the front of her hair was pulled back. A leather strap with a stick through it holding coppery strands out of her eyes.
“Hi Meadow. You ready to go?”
“Yes, I am. Thank you for taking me out to dinner.” She smiled before taking his hand as he guided her down the stairs and toward his motorcycle.
“If you like we could take your car. I’m not sure you can sit on the motorcycle in your dress.” Freaky knew she could but he offered anyways.
“I can ride the motorcycle if you like.” She wrapped the dress between her legs, inching it up to her knees and stood waiting on him to mount. “Though, I’m not sure about my wrap. Maybe I should run in and grab a sweater.”
Freaky opened up a saddlebag and dug out a zip-up sweatshirt. Sniffing it to make sure it didn’t smell of gas and oil. Satisfied it was pretty clean, he offered her the hoodie.
With a smile, she folded her wrap and tucked in the saddle bag before putting on the oversized sweatshirt. Her delicate fingers barely made it out of the end of the sleeve and she rolled them perfectly before wrapping her dress around her legs again.
Dreamer: Book 7 of The Steel MC Montana Charter Page 7