by Sam Crescent
“Pixie? Are you feeling ill, too?”
She pressed a hand to his forehead, but he shook his head. “No, I don’t feel ill.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Everything.”
Suzy didn’t fight with him, or force him to explain himself.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“It’s okay.”
“Everything is … shit. It’s not shit. It’s perfect, it really is perfect. Life is a grand old thing.”
She frowned. “You’re not making any sense right now.”
“You know I’ve never cared about a single woman in my life.” She didn’t say anything. “Not one. There was my scarred brother, and me.” He snorted. “I got the chicks, fucked them with him, and left them to be taken care of.” Running fingers through his hair, he took a deep breath. “I didn’t give a shit about them leaving my brother. If he even cared about them. The club, it has been a way for me to work without worrying about shit. James, he takes care of everything.”
“Pixie.”
“Leonard. It’s my real name.”
“I know.”
“I used to believe life is just about living it. Settling down was for pussies who couldn’t get a decent fuck, so they settled for the one thing. One hole their entire life. Sure, they change it up, pussy, ass, mouth, whatever they wanted to do to pretend it was really living.” Pixie needed to get this off his chest. He needed for her to see that he was different. “Families were made to be ruined. They don’t have any common ground. They fuck, push out some little brats, and they go off, or are sent off. When Dane came back married, I told him he’d live to regret it. There was more to life than Lucy’s pussy.”
“You’re telling me everything you felt, past tense. Does that mean you’ve changed?” she asked.
He laughed. “Changed? Yeah, I’ve changed. I can’t even stand to look at Dane without being angry. Cora and James, the love they have, I envy it. Fuck, everything I used to be, everything I stood for—I hate myself. I hate my own past thoughts. Knowing that I could have been the cause for Dane to leave, it sickens me. He cheated on her, you know.”
“I don’t know Dane or Lucy all that well.”
“You’ll like Lucy. She’s got fire, like you, like your hair.” He reached out, twirling a strand that had fallen out of her bun. “When I first met you, all I wanted to do was fuck you.”
“And now?”
“I want to fuck you, always. But I don’t want to ever let you go.” He pulled her in close, breathing in her scent. “Sharing women never bothered me. They were easy to fuck, and when you shared, they were easier to leave. Two men, I could make my escape. The thought of anyone else touching you fills me with rage.”
“I take it no sharing or ménage sex will be in my future.”
“Never. I want you all to myself.” He pulled away, cupping her face, and running his thumb across her lips. “What started out as a one-time deal is not what I want anymore,” he said. “I want all of you, and more.”
“I think the club knows we’re together. If they didn’t, they’ve got a pretty good idea now.”
“I like that. I don’t want to hide anymore. I love being with you, Suzy. I enjoy spending nights watching movies with you, spending the night, eating food, talking, walking, all of it.”
She smiled. “Why, Leonard, you know how to charm a girl.”
“Ugh, can we just stick with Pixie? I prefer it.”
“I knew your name was Leonard, long before you started sleeping with me.”
“How?”
“Last time I checked you couldn’t put a nickname on a bank card. Every time you purchased something at the shop, you handed me your card. It didn’t take long to figure out you were Leonard.”
“I hate the name.”
“I think it’s cute.” She smiled, and it took his breath away.
You’re turning into a pussy.
“We better go in. I don’t want to miss the doctor,” she said.
“Why do you think she put you as the next of kin?” he asked.
“I imagine it’s because we share an apartment. Chloe and I are close. Really close.”
He liked that. Taking hold of her hand, they made their way up to the floor. Nothing had changed, apart from the fact everyone was drinking coffee.
They waited another hour before a tired, exhausted, and scruffy doctor came toward them. Pixie saw the man had been at the hospital for a long time.
“I’m so sorry it has taken me this long to get back to you,” he said.
“It’s okay. What’s wrong with Chloe?”
****
Encephalitis was what was wrong with Chloe. They had already started pumping her with medication, and were keeping ‘round the clock care. They wouldn’t know for certain of the damage until she woke up.
Suzy had never been so happy to hear such a diagnosis. She’d been freaking out. Before Pixie’s big revelation when she was sitting in the hospital, talking with Chloe, she’d tried to figure out what was wrong. Talking to Chloe, asking questions, getting no response. At first she’d been worried in case Fluffy had given her something. In the end, it had been an infection that hadn’t been treated, but had gotten worse. It was common, treatable, but also dangerous.
Sitting in Chloe’s room now, Suzy told her the good news.
“Everyone was here a second ago. After the diagnosis, James gave a lot of instructions. Several of the guys are going to be here, and we’re going to take care of you.” She touched Chloe’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “You scared us there for a second. Well, you scared me. Teri was pretty damn petrified, and you know how much steel she has.” She chuckled. “It’s official now. I’m dating Pixie, and when you get out, and are well again, we may be going away on a vacation together.” She licked her lips. “I even think we’re going to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Do you know how weird that sounds? I’ve never had a boyfriend. It has always been Pixie. All of my firsts are with him.” In the private room she heard the beeping of the machines. Hospitals always made her uncomfortable. “You scared me, Chloe. I like having you around. You’re funny, witty, and I love you, sweetie.” She stared at the woman on the bed. Chloe was a beautiful woman, inside and out. She deserved so much love, and happiness.
“Is she awake?” Pixie asked, popping his head around the door.
She turned toward him. “Not yet.”
He entered the room, even though he wasn’t allowed. “You’re talking to her?”
“Always. The doctor said her vitals were looking good.”
“You need to go home,” he said. “It’s getting late.”
Her stomach chose that time to grumble. “Who will sit with her?”
“I will,” James said, entering the room. He carried a book. “I’ll take care of her.”
“Taking care of people is what you do best, brother.”
“I try. I wish I could say that I did a good job.”
“I’ve just been talking to her,” Suzy said, standing up. “You’ll call the moment she wakes up, right?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t hide it.” James smiled down at Chloe. “She’s had everyone worried about her.”
“See you in the morning if she hasn’t woken up by then,” Pixie said.
They were at the door when James called to them.
“I’m glad you two have decided to come out with your relationship. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, falling for each other.”
Pixie gripped her shoulders, and she had to wonder if he regretted his decision to let everyone know what was happening.
“Thank you,” she said.
They left the hospital, saying goodbye to Leo and Paul on the way out.
Suzy climbed into the passenger seat of Pixie’s car, her stomach doing another grumble.
“Do you want me to stop off for food?”
“No, I can make us something back at the apartment.” She pulled her bun out, and ran her fingers through her ha
ir. “I feel so achy.”
“I hope you’re not coming down with it.”
“No. I think it’s because I’ve sat down in the same position for a long time. My body is protesting.”
The drive back to her place was uneventful. Entering her apartment, Fluffy was barking, and spinning around. Before she picked him up, Pixie was there. “I think this little guy is hungry.”
“Yeah, I’ll get him some food. I’ve already taken him for a walk.” Fluffy was house-trained, and only required small walking three times a day.
Leaving Fluffy with Pixie, she grabbed his empty bowl, washing it before putting some more food into it.
Pixie was dancing around with the dog in his arms, and Suzy paused, watching him. If someone had told her a year ago this would be her life, she’d have laughed at them. Pixie in her apartment, dancing with her dog seemed so out of place.
“He likes you.”
“Good. I like him.”
She laughed. Putting his bowl down, she watched as Pixie lowered Fluffy to the floor, and the dog ran toward his food.
“One hungry guy fed, how about you, big boy?” she asked.
“I’ll take some food.”
Entering the kitchen once again, she grabbed several pans, putting them on the stove. Chicken fettuccine alfredo it was. With Pixie watching her, she seasoned the chicken, searing it in the pan until lovely and golden. In another pot of water, she dumped the pasta.
Within twenty minutes, they were eating the creamy sauce.
“I’m pleased nothing bad happened to Chloe,” he said.
“You and me both.” She had noticed that when it came to Pixie’s feelings he was rather childlike in his approach. It was strange, but she imagined Pixie had never really talked about his feelings, or cared about it.
Once she finished with dinner, they did the dishes together, and then went to her bedroom. Without waiting for him to avert his gaze, she removed her clothes, dumping them in the laundry basket. Tomorrow was laundry day. It was Chloe’s turn, but Grace would do it. They didn’t have a washing machine in the apartment, so they always had to go downstairs to get their laundry done.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she said. Entering her bathroom, she turned the shower on, giving it time to heat up. Standing beneath the spray, she tilted her head up, closing her eyes.
Seconds passed before she felt Pixie behind her. “You didn’t say I couldn’t join you.”
She smiled. “I figured you would. We want to save the environment, shower together.”
“I think that’s a good way to be.” He reached past her, taking the soap. She watched as he covered his hands, and then placed them on her body. He cupped her tits, massaging her nipples. “We can start here.” He ran his hands over her tits, pinching the hard buds, and stroking out any pain that he might have caused. “I love your tits. I love how big they are.”
“Pixie,” she said, moaning his name.
“Are you wet for me?”
“Yes.”
He rinsed his hands and glided them down her body, going over her rounded stomach to rest between her thighs. He slid a finger between her folds, and this time he moaned. “You’re always so wet for me.”
“It’s how you make me feel.”
“I make you feel good, don’t I, baby?”
“Always.”
He slid a finger inside her, and she opened her thighs wide. “You want me to fuck you?”
“Yes.”
“First, you’re going to come all over my hand.”
As he slid two fingers inside her, his thumb stroked over her clit. She cried out his name, wishing it was his dick inside her as he stroked her to release.
“I feel your cunt, baby, it’s begging for me, begging for my dick. Do you want it?”
“Yes, please, yes, I want it.”
He spun her around, pressed her up against the tile wall, and lifted her up. It always amazed her how easily he lifted her. To him, it was like she had no weight, when she knew the truth.
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she gasped as he thrust deep inside her, filling her.
“Fuck, so tight. Always so tight.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly as he started to fuck her. Pixie took his time at first, driving in and out of her. She wanted him to go deeper, to take her so completely.
Pixie wouldn’t be rushed. He took his time, making love to her.
When she couldn’t stand it anymore, he started to fuck her harder. There was no need to contain her sounds, and the freedom to finally be with him liberated her.
“Yes, please, please. Oh my God, Pixie.”
He drove her to orgasm. She clutched him tightly as he found his own release.
Chapter Nine
With Chloe being in the hospital, Lucy expected Dane to come and visit her. It wasn’t a surprise when later that night the doorbell rang. She’d changed the locks years ago when he first left. With three kids, she didn’t want to risk their safety just because she thought he was coming back.
Opening the door, she stared at the man that no longer resembled her husband. The man she had once loved with all of her heart was gone. The only clue to her that Dane had been that man was his eyes. She’d loved staring into his eyes, and it had been the first thing that enthralled her about him all those years back in Vegas.
Dane, the man she loved, hadn’t been so muscular, or covered with as many tattoos. He rarely grew facial hair either. Their son, Ryan, resembled the young Dane so much. This man though, she didn’t know him.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
She opened the door and turned toward the kitchen.
The youngest two were asleep, but Ryan was in his room. She didn’t know if he’d heard the door, or if he’d even want to talk to his father. Dane leaving had really screwed with Ryan’s head, and with her heart.
“You don’t seem surprised to see me.”
“Chloe’s in the hospital. James took over, and he gave everyone instructions. He’s the most consistent guy out of all the club, and I guessed he’d be taking the night shift. You don’t become a priority anymore.” She put the kettle on, grabbing them out two cups. “Say what you want to say.”
“I’m not signing the divorce.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to divorce you.”
She laughed. “You’re priceless.”
“I love you, Lucy.”
She spun around, glaring at the man that had ripped her heart out, and stomped on it. “No, you don’t. You never really did.”
“Lucy.”
“No. I want a divorce. I don’t want to be married to you. I haven’t wanted to be married to you for a long time. The club tried looking for you. Did you know that?”
“I figured they would.”
“Good old Dane. He’ll be found when he wants to be found. You didn’t want to be found though, did you? No, he wanted to stay away, and pretend he was something he wasn’t.” She finished making them a cup of tea.
Lucy’s voice didn’t rise, didn’t change an octave as she spoke to him. When she realized that he was first gone, she had been completely and utterly broken. He’d left her, abandoned her. Three kids, a mortgage, bills, debts, everything had fallen to her. Dane had promised to take care of her. In the end, he nearly ruined her.
“What did you do with your time? What did you do with your newfound freedom?” she asked.
“I thought about you every day.”
She let out a breath. “No, you didn’t.”
“Lucy?”
“No.” She handed him a coffee. “You don’t get to sit there and pretend that you did something. If you cared, you’d have called. If you cared, you’d have given me some warning. You left me all alone, Dane. Don’t even try to tell me that you stayed faithful either. I know you too well.”
She watched as he averted his gaze, confirming her suspicions. He hadn’t been faithful to her. Dane had left her with three
kids.
“You never kept your promise to me. The least you can do is sign the damn paperwork releasing me from you.”
****
“I promise to never break your heart. To love you for all of my life. I’ll be there for you always. You don’t have to rely on anyone else. I’ll be there.”
Dane had promised Lucy that on the day he proposed. She had wanted to wait, but he’d insisted that they marry sooner rather than later. She wanted to wait for kids, but he’d knocked her up as soon as he could.
Once they had three kids, and life was on track, it had been too much for him, and he bolted.
He hadn’t been faithful to her.
There had been countless women over the past few years. Young, old, fat, thin, He hadn’t cared. He had fucked them because in that moment, he’d been single. The ring he wore had been on the necklace tied around his neck.
It had been a game to him, making up for lost time.
“I heard you found someone,” he said.
“I have. He’s a good man. I love him.”
Dane had never expected her admission to hurt. Not only did it hurt, it cut him deep.
She gripped the edge of the island that he had once installed.
“You once loved me.”
“I love the man that wouldn’t have left me. The man that wouldn’t cheat on me. You’re not that man.”
“I’m still me.”
“No. I wouldn’t even trust you anymore.”
“None of us would,” Ryan said, making them turn toward the door. Dane stared at his son, and his heart broke a little more. Ryan was no longer a little boy. He was a man, struggling with his temper, channeling his rage into his fists.
“Are you okay?” Lucy asked.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. I want to know why you have him here.”
“I’m hoping he can sign the divorce papers.”
“You tell him everything now?” Dane asked.
“She’s my mom, of course she does.” Ryan went to the fridge, and Dane realized how much of an outsider he was. This was his son, his wife, and he had two other kids upstairs.
While you’d been fucking your way through each state, your family had been here.