by Penny Blush
“I don’t make goo-goo eyes,” he said, rolling his eyes at me.
“Yes, you do, spill.”
“Okay fine, I told her,” he shrugged, and I raised an eyebrow at him. “I stopped being a dick and told her how I feel.”
“Okay, so two things,” I said holding up two fingers. “One, what exactly did you say to Cass? And two,” I folded down a finger and raised my middle finger flipping him off, “you’ll always be a dick.”
“Hysterical, asshole,” he laughed then getting serious he said, “Nah man, I told her that I have feelings for her. Which is true, I think I have ever since I first laid eyes on her?” He looked at me like he was expecting me to give him shit. I raised a questioning eyebrow at him. “What? Aren’t you going to tell me that my vagina is showing or that I need to hand back my man card or something?”
“Jaxon, I am the last person who is going to give you shit about admitting you’re in love. You’ve seen how Hedge and I are with each other, we couldn’t get any more loved up if we tried.” He smirked and nodded his head in agreement. “Besides, if you need to hand in your man card, mine would be right there next to yours.”
“I didn’t say I love her,” Jaxon muttered watching the swirling the ice in his glass.
“You didn’t have to say the words,” I replied. “Anyone with eyes can see it in the way you look at her.”
“You’re going to marry Hedge aren’t you,” he stated rather than asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah man, I am. Just have to get Hedge to tell me her real name first.” We both broke out into peals of laughter.
“I can’t believe she still hasn’t told you.”
“I stopped asking; figured I would find out when the celebrant says Memphis Joseph Blue do you take…” I waved my hand in front of me. We started laughing again.
“So, you haven’t looked at her driver’s license or any of her personal information that you need for the shop?”
“Nope. She said that I had to earn it. I figured that I haven’t yet.”
“You’re a bigger man than me. I would have been snooping the second her back was turned. But that’s why I like you and her together. Above all else you respect her.”
After a few moments, I slapped a hand on his shoulder, gripping harder than necessary.
“Oh shit, you’re about to give me the talk, aren’t you?” He said.
“You know it.”
“You don’t have to. I’d prefer if you didn’t.”
“Yeah Jax I do, and besides you sat me down, now it’s my turn.” I took a quick pull on my beer, making Jax sweat. “Cassidy is my family. I consider her my sister. She’s a complicated little thing. She’s not as tough as she makes out, but Cass is not as fragile as she looks either. She’s trusting you with her heart, and I am trusting you with my kid sister.” I gripped his shoulder tight again. “You hurt her, and I will kill you and make it look like an accident,” I winked at him. “I know someone who can make it happen.”
“Nice man, threatening me with my very own cousin,” he said sounding disgusted. “Seriously though, I get it man, but I honestly, it’s like… Fuck she is beautiful,” Jax said with a huge smile on his face looking at Cassidy who noticed him watching her and blushed, dipping her head before looking back up at him. “Kapow!”
“Yeah man, Kapow,” I said winking at Hedge, who blew me a kiss. That woman had my heart, and soon she would have my name.
We were all having such a great night. No one gave Jax or Cass shit for finally getting together, which I was glad about, they all just acted as they had always been together. I guess in a way they had.
I couldn’t help but smile as I watched Davis and Tabby flirt unashamedly with each other. There even seemed to be something going on with Bishop and Johnny. As long as my family was happy, it didn’t matter to me who they loved. Love is love, end of story.
“Hey Baby, what has you looking so happy?” Hedge asked, settling herself on my lap, laying an arm across my shoulders.
I kissed her before answering. “You Baby Girl, you make me happy,” I smiled and kissed her again. “My gorgeous girl is happy, and my family is happy. It all makes me happy.”
She nuzzled into my neck, giving me small kisses. “Have I told you how much I love you?” she asked.
Fuck I love hearing those words from her. I could hear them every day for the rest of my life, and I would never get sick of hearing them.
I shook my head, “No, no you haven’t.”
She took my face in her hands so that I could look into her beautiful eyes. “I love you Memphis Blue, so very much.”
“I love you Baby Girl, now always and forever,” I said kissing her.
She settled herself down resting her head on my shoulder. I lazily trailed my hand up and down her back, kissing her now and then.
“Baby Girl.”
“Yes, Baby.”
“We’re getting married,” I said.
“Okay Baby,” she sighed.
Did she hear me? I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. I did mean it though, we were going to get married end of discussion. I just hadn’t intended to ask like that.
“Baby, can you do something for me though,” Hedge asked.
“Yes Sweetness, anything.”
“Propose to me,” she smiled looking up at me. “I know it’s silly, but I want you to propose to me. Properly, not just throwing it out there in a night club.”
“For you, my love, anything,” I kissed her. “I just wanted you to know you’re mine now always and forever.”
We sat in each other’s arms watching our friends and family having a great time. I was so contentedly happy, and then Hedge whispered in my ear, “I can’t wait to become Mrs Blue.”
“I think it’s time to go home,” I said kissing her again. I could not get enough of kissing her.
“Why?” she whispered
“Because I need you. I need you naked, wet and ready. I need to hear you scream my name,” I whispered in her ear, and I could feel her shiver.
“Baby, take me home.”
“Yes, ma’am. Guy’s we’re going to head off,” I told the rest of the table.
“Yeah, we’re out too when Cass comes back,” Jax said.
“Where is she,” Hedge asked, “I want to say goodbye.”
“She went to the bathroom, she’s been a while,” Jax said sounding a little concerned.
“I’ll go check on her,” Hedge said standing up, “there’s probably a line-up.”
“Thanks for a great night Johnny,” Jax said shaking his hand.
“Yeah, thanks, Johnny,” I said shaking his hand also, “I wish you would let us pay for our drinks.”
“No, please I won’t have it. You are my guests,” Johnny said waving away our concerns. “If you want to do something, then please just tip the waiters.”
We all generously tipped the waiters. Davis made his way over making a big show of putting money in the tip glass on the waitress’s tray.
“What did you put in there Davis?” Bear asked.
“Just the tip,” he replied, smirking.
“Oh, my God,” Johnny said laughing at Bear and Davis's well set up dick joke. “You guys are ridiculous. I love it.”
We all stood around finishing our drinks and talking while waiting for the girls to come back from the bathroom. It must be some fucking line-up. One of the security guards came over and whispered something in Johnny’s ear, he looked up and in the direction of the hall that leads to the bathrooms. I followed his line of sight and noticed three security guards take off down the corridor.
Jax and I were moving before anyone could say anything. We followed the security guards down the hall and past the bathrooms to the rear emergency exit. Busting through the door, I stopped in my tracks causing Jax to slam into me.
Chapter 15 Memphis
“What the fuck?”
We both stood stunned, taking in the scene. Cassidy was standing with her back against th
e wall of the club, her eyes wide with fear. The security guards had two bozos pinned against the wall away from Cassidy. Hedge was standing over the unconscious form of a man, looking pissed as fuck.
Jax rushed to Cassidy, checking her over for injuries. Cass had a bruise on her arm from where one of them had grabbed her, and her hair was messed up. Silent tears slid down her cheeks.
“Babe, are you okay?” Jax asked sounding panicked. “Are you hurt? Did they hurt you? Cassidy, are you hurt?”
She slowly shook her head. “H… Hedge saved me,” Cassidy stammered. “If she… if Hedge hadn’t found me,” she collapsed into Jax, sobbing.
I slowly approached Hedge as Tabby, Johnny, and the boys joined us in the alley. She looked so freaking mad and with all her martial arts training I didn’t want to scare her and cop a roundhouse to the head.
“Baby Girl, what happened?” I asked quietly not wanting to startle her.
“I went to find Cass, to see what was taking so long. When I found this asshole…” she kicked the unconscious man for good measure, “… dragging Cass out the back door. And those two fuckwit were letting it happen,” she hissed, pointing at the two men the security guards had pinned to the wall introducing their faces to the brickwork.
“Are you okay? Were you hurt?” I asked, taking her hand that was still balled up into a fist and uncurling her fingers.
“No, I’m fine,” she said forcefully. “Broke a nail through.” She kicked the guy again, “I was just glad I could get him away from Cass.”
Hedge kicked him again but this time with more force causing the man to roll over.
“Oh, shit,” I whispered then stepped up to get a better look at the two being held by the guards. “Oh, fuck me.”
“What?” Jax asked.
“These two are Thing one and Thing two,” I stated.
“Oh shit, then that means that that is…”
“Yep,” I nodded.
“Oh, fuck!”
“Yep,”
“Okay, guys want to share with the rest of the class?” Tabby asked with her hands on her hips.
“This,” I pointed to the piece of shit on the ground, “is Nicolas ‘Nicky’ Vex AKA the Grim Reaper.”
“The fucking loan-shark?” Bear asked.
“Yep and those two dickheads are his Henchmen,” I said suddenly very, very sober.
Hedge moved so fast she was a blur. She stepped in between the two security guards, grabbed the back of the henchmen’s heads and slammed them into the brick wall knocking them both out. The security guards dropping their dead weight to the ground. I grabbed Hedge around the waist hauling her backwards.
“Memphis let me go I’m not done beating their asses,” she roared kicking out and trying to unlock the death grip I had around her waist.
“Baby Girl let it go,” I soothed, trying to calm her.
“No! You almost died at the hands of these assholes! They could have done anything to Cass if I hadn’t gotten here on time!”
Jaxon growled at her words, and I tightened my hold on her. My girl was going full-on alley cat. But Hedge’s scuffling feet could not drown out Cassidy’s sobs.
“Baby Girl, calm down,” I whispered in her ear, “you’re scaring Cass.” With my words, she lost all her fight, sagging against me.
“Cass, Honey are you okay?” Hedge asked looking her over.
Cass nodded and then both girls were hugging and crying, talking at a million miles a minute. Their words lost in their tears.
“Sorry to interrupt ladies,” Johnny purred hugging both the girls. “I’m going to have to call the police, but I want to know what happened first.” He rubbed slow circles on Cassidy’s back until her sobbing stopped. “Do you think you can do that honey?”
Cass nodded, taking a deep breath. Jax sat down on a stack of crates, pulling her into his arms and Davis handed her a bottle of water.
“Take your time Honey,” Johnny instructed. “You can take a break anytime you need to.”
“Umm well, I went to go to the bathroom, and there was a bit of a queue but nothing unusual,” the girls nodded in understanding. Tabby curled into Davis’s side and Hedge in my arms. “I saw those three come out of the men’s but didn’t pay much attention to them. The gangster wannabe guy stopped and backtracked to me. He stepped between the girls in front of me, crowding me against the wall. He started trying to chat me up,” she began rubbing Jax arm that was around her waist.
“What did he say?” Hedge asked.
“You know the usual crap, ‘what are you doing here alone? Can I buy you a drink? Let’s get out of here’,” Cass shivered at the memory.
“Then what happened?” Johnny prompted.
“I told him that… Well, I told him that I have a boyfriend,” a blush spread across her face.
I wasn’t sure if they had spoken about the change in their relationship status, but Jax gave her a squeeze and kissed her cheek.
“That’s right Babe, you do,” he kissed her again. “Then what happened?”
“He kinda looked at me funny and said that he knew me from somewhere and then asked if I belonged to Memphis. I didn’t know who he was or what it had to do with anything, but I told him that Memphis is my brother.” She took a drink of water and continued. “He got this weird look on his face and then grabbed my arm and said that he was going to make me pay for Memphis being disrespectful.” She looked up at me with tears brimming in her eyes again, and it broke my fucking heart. “I’m sorry Memphis. I truly tried to fight. I did. I tried to remember the things that Hedge has been teaching me, but they were just so big, they didn’t even flinch when I hit them.”
She started crying again. I let go of Hedge and drop down on my haunches in front of her, taking her hands in mine.
“Hey, Kid, you have nothing to apologise for, okay?” I brushed a tear from her cheek. “This is not your fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. You did the right thing, Honey. You fought long enough for help to arrive.”
I kissed her on her forehead. Jax looked up at me with a mix of emotions skipping across his face. He was angry as hell, scared, upset and happy that Cassidy was okay. I gave him a head tilt to let him know that we would talk later. I went back to Hedge and noticed that her right hand was red and swollen. I brought her hand up to my lips kissing it gently.
“It’s just bruised, and a little swollen. Nothing’s fractured.” She reassured and then giggled. “Good thing I can also throw southpaw,” she chucked me on the chin lightly with her left fist.
“Baby Girl, you shouldn’t have had to fight in the first place,” I growled.
“Okay, so then what happened?” Johnny asked, trying to get the rest of the story.
“I went looking for Cass,” Hedge stated. “She was taking a while, and I wanted to make sure she wasn’t sick. I walked down the hall and saw all these useless bitches standing around staring and then I heard Cass scream and the back-door slam shut.”
The calm that had taken over her had gone, and she was now pacing back and forth like a caged lioness.
“I come through the back door to see that douche,” pointing to Vex’ unconscious form on the ground, “backhand Cass across the face. Well, I saw red and decided to teach him a lesson.”
“What the fuck is he even doing here?” Jax asked.
I shook my head. “I have no idea. Did anyone see him or his minions at all?” I asked running a hand through my hair. “I didn’t see them. I would have noticed them. It’s not like they blend in.”
Thing One and Thing Two were done up in their standard black suits and Vex was looking like a Don Johnson Miami Vice reject in his white linen suit and a black silk dress shirt. Everyone shook their heads.
“I’ll get my head of security to check all the camera’s and see what I can find out. I have to call the cops now,” Johnny said pulling out his mobile and walking further down the alleyway.
“Memphis,” Hedge whispered, searching my eyes for something, for
giveness maybe? “I am sorry.”
“Hey, don’t be. I mean I wish that you weren’t put in the position where you had to fight, but I’m so glad that you were able to protect yourself and Cass,” I said hugging her close.
“I’ve made things worse. I didn’t know who he was. When I made the payment when you were sick it was with these two, not Vex that I dealt with,” she explained.
Vex was starting to stir, Bear stepped closer to him and kicked something. The sound of metal skimmed across the bitumen, he bent down to pick it up.
“Don’t!” Hedge called making Bear look up. “That’s part of his gun,” she explained. “It will have mine and his fingerprints on it. You don’t want to go adding yours.”
“Cuz,” Jax asked concern lacing his voice. “What do you mean that’s part of his gun?”
“When I came out the back door, the asshole pulled a gun on me.”
“WHAT!?” Jax and I both yelled.
“The asshole pulled a gun on me. I disarmed him, and then dismantled the gun,” Hedge said so nonchalantly you would have thought she was describing how to make toast.
“You want to explain that to me again?” Jax demanded.
“Oh my God, Jax you should have seen it,” Cassidy said in awe. “Hedge was just so bad ass. It all happened so fast. They never stood a chance.”
What the fuck was Vex thinking trying to grab Cassidy like that? I hadn’t missed a payment. Every time that douche bag called demanding money, I paid him whatever I had.
I didn’t know what the fuck I was going to do, but this had to end, now. Yes, Cassidy was safe and relatively unscathed, and yes Hedge was all right. But that asshole was no longer messing with me, he was messing with my family.
I heard Jax tell Cassidy that he didn’t want her staying alone tonight and that she was coming home with him. The fact that he had finally gotten over himself and admitted his feelings for her and the protective way he acted towards her had me smiling.
I looked up and saw that Hedge had noticed the exchange and had the same smile on her face. I hugged her close to me, relishing in the fact that she hugged me back just as close, melting into me. Fucking Vex, this is such a shitty way to end what was a fun, relaxing night out.