Zandor

by M. J. Fields

  “What? Bekah come on, you wanted…”

  “Then just go, freaking…” I smiled, she didn’t say fuck. “You smug bastard.”

  “No need for name calling, Kitten. I’m so proud of you. You didn’t say fuck.” Her eyes rounded and then she scowled. “Oh come on, I’ll take you back there, she’s not so bad. You just gotta know how to talk to them.”

  She tried to pull her hand away and I didn’t let go. I heard her sputtering behind me. “Easy Kitten.”

  I opened the door, still holding Bekah’s hand. “Good afternoon, Betty.”

  “He is alive!”

  “I am alive.” I leaned over and gave Betty a quick peck on each cheek. “So what do we have here?”

  Bekah pulled her hand away. I really wanted to look up at her but I was afraid whatever look she had on her face would give me a chubby and I didn’t want Betty to get her knickers in a twist.

  “It’s just not the same. No offense.” She smirked at Bekah.

  “None taken sugar.” I could hear the sarcasm seeping from her hot little mouth into the room.

  “Alright, now you lay back. Bekah, there should be an aloe mask in the very back of the top drawer. Betty sometimes needs some soothing, don’t you Betty?”

  “Yes Zandor.” She stroked my arm with her nails as I put the mask on her.

  I looked up at Bekah and she rolled her eyes. I put my finger to my mouth telling her to be quiet and then handed her the gun. She shook her head no.

  I pulled her down on my lap. I know smooth, right? She struggled for a bit and yeah I really had to focus on things like the Muppets, Dora the Explorer, and all that G-rated shit I never think about.

  I lean in her ear and whisper. “Still.”

  She turned and her lips nearly connected to mine. “If you don’t let me up, I’m gonna scream.”

  “Behave Kitten, this is training--phase two.”

  “Fuck…”

  “Ladies don’t speak like that…”

  “Zandor? You still there?”

  “Of course I am, Betty.”

  “Alright, I just didn’t feel anything.”

  “Stay completely still…” I nodded to Bekah who was still glaring at me but still she didn’t move, so I covered her hand with mine. “Okay, here we go. Betty keep still.”

  I held her hand and she looked in the opposite direction. I carefully began filling the heart Betty had me start almost two years ago.

  “Alright, how we doing there, Betty?”

  “Good, your hands, they’re magic. Heaven actually.”

  Bekah’s head whipped around toward me and she scowled which made me smile.

  Meow, kitty kitty.

  I was still looking at her. “I’m gonna turn up the music, you just lay back and let me take care of everything.”

  I rolled my chair back and Bekah jumped off my lap and tried handing me the gun. I shook my head no and turned up the radio. “Okay, Betty, here we go.”

  I nodded to Bekah and she shook her head very slowly no. I pointed to the tattoo and covered my mouth and she looked down at Betty and gasped. I winked and walked very quietly out the door.

  I was sitting at the desk when Betty walked out to pay. “Thank you so much. I think I fell asleep.”

  “Yep, we thought we’d let you rest huh, Bekah?”

  She smiled politely and nodded. Betty was walking out the door and I looked at Bekah and the door opened again.

  “Hey, you all just gonna stand around here fuckin’ the dog all day or make some fuckin’ memories!”

  “Xavier, when the fuck did you get here?”

  My kid brother was finally home. His ass had been back-packing around Europe since about the time we took over Steel.

  “Just now, Momma here?”

  “Nah man, she was in and out this morning. It’s good to have you home. Shit all four of us, damn it’s been for fucking ever!”

  I hugged him again, “I saw you a few months ago, Bro.”

  “Yeah but not here, not home, man. Come on out back.”

  I was very aware that I was leaving a pissed off Bekah standing in the reception area but I would be leaving her in worse predicaments than this, and I couldn’t wait.

  ~

  I warmed up the pasta Momma had left for lunch and grabbed a couple beers out of the drawer in the bottom of the fridge. Yeah, I hid it, Momma would be pissed if she knew I had beer here.

  I grabbed the plate out of the microwave and shoved the other in. “Here man eat up. Beer?”

  “Fuck yeah, thanks. So who’s the pissed off hot blonde in the front?”

  “You noticed?”

  “Hell yeah, I did, nice fucking rack.” He fist bumped me. “You nailed it yet?”

  “She works for us man.” I grabbed my plate out of the microwave and set it down. I took a bite and looked up at his baby blues. Fucker got blue eyes and the rest of us had brown. I remember teasing him that he really wasn’t a Steel as a kid. Fucker flipped his shit.

  A smiled crept across his face. “Bullshit.”

  “Yeah I know right, but I haven’t—not yet anyway.”

  The door swung open. She didn’t even look at us. I smacked Xavier and we both grinned.

  She opened the closet door and pulled out her coat. She was totally avoiding.

  “Hey Bekah, this is Xavier.”

  She turned and gave the sweetest fake-ass smile she could conjure up.

  “Xavier, I’ve heard a lot about you.” She stuck her hand out and he shook it.

  “Sit, have dinner with us Bekah.” I patted the chair next to me.

  “Well, thank you, but no thanks.”

  She started walking to the door. “Hey girl, you gotta eat.” Xavier called.

  She turned around and smiled. “I’m actually on a diet.”

  “Bullshit, sit next to me then.” X pulled out a chair. “You work here?”

  She looked at her watch. “I do. I have a few minutes.”

  She sat and looked at him. “So you’re obviously related to him.”

  Xavier seemed amused by her use of him. “I am. There’s four of us. I’m obviously the hottest.”

  She smirked. “Obviously.”

  “So what the fuck is this diet shit? You’re beautiful.”

  Her face turned a little red.

  “Yeah, Bekah, tell him about the diet.” I couldn’t wait to hear what she told him.

  “Well, it’s actually a healthier lifestyle. I’m choosing what’s good and avoiding what’s bad.”

  “So on this diet, is it like most? I mean do you avoid carbs or red meat?”

  She looked at me and then away. “Yeah something like that.”

  “You pissed at me, Bekah, or just hungry?”

  “You are an ass—sorry. Xavier your brother’s an ass.”

  Xavier and Zandor looked at me.

  “X, she’s really not that bad, are you? Just hungry, I could conjure up a protein shake if you want.” I winked and X chuckled.

  She looked at me and very calmly said. “You’re a pig.”

  “No, not a pig. Just a guy who thinks a girl who looks like you shouldn’t starve yourself. I offered to make you a shake. And let me be honest, Bekah, if there’s a big juicy steak sitting right in front of you making your mouth water, causing desire to build inside of you, why deprive yourself? Why not reach out, grab it, take a bite and enjoy the hell out of that steak?”

  Xavier was biting his cheeks and looking at the floor.

  She leaned forward. “You and I need a chat.”

  “Anything you need to say you can say in front of my brother.” I found it far too amusing to see her pissed off.

  “Really?” her eyebrows shot up and I nodded my head slowly up and down antagonizing her further. “Fine. What the hell? So what do you think you’re doing putting MY name inside that…that...awful woman’s tattoo?”

  Xavier busted up and I smiled. “Nice right?”

  “That was stupid, immature…”

/>   “Funny as hell.” Xavier raised his fist and I gave him a bump.

  “Well, it must run in the family.” She stood.“Nice to meet…”

  “Where do you think you’re going? It’s not closing time.” I stood and walked in front of the door, blocking her, just like she was blocking my every attempt to show her a real good time.

  “You think that’s bad, Bekah? Show her your chest, Bro.” Xavier to the rescue, my wing man was back on the Shore.

  “I’ve seen it. Excuse me, please.”

  “No Zandor, show her. Bekah, seriously, at least that was being filled in. Look what Jase did to him.”

  Xavier was laughing now and hell yeah I pulled up my shirt, any chance to give a half half-starved hottie a glimpse at the goods, and I was in.

  “Mi Vida Loca.” Xavier pointed.

  “Spanish—what’s the point?”

  “It was supposed to be in Italian, but Jase was pissed at him.” Xavier thought it was funny as hell, took me awhile but, I liked it now and it is funny.

  Bekah laughed and looked at me with a raised eyebrow, as if to say serves you right.

  “You wanna touch it?” I took a step closer.

  “When the hell did you get your nipple pierced, Bro?”

  “Bekah begged so I let her.” I couldn’t look at her I bet she was fuming.

  “I did not!”

  “Oh that’s right you wanted to give me a Prince Albert. X, you should have seen her pleading with me.”

  “In your dreams!”

  “Oh you have no idea what goes on in my…”

  Momma barged through the door. “Xavier!”

  She hugged him so tight.

  “I’m home, Momma.”

  “You’re done back-packing? Running away from me? You won’t leave again, I won’t have it.”

  “Momma, I’m home for awhile.” He kissed each cheek and looked down at the plates.

  “You eat my food before coming to see me?”

  “Momma your food is probably fifty percent of why I did come home.”

  She tried not to look pleased but she was. Xavier and I knew Momma and she loved to feed her boys.

  Bekah slipped out and I followed, “Wait, what’s the hurry?”

  “I’m going out with friends. Have a good night, Zandor.”

  Her phone rang and she grabbed it from her bag. She scrunched her eyes real tight and blew out an angry breath.

  She walked toward her room, well Xavier’s room, and she was pacing. She was real fucking tense, too. I couldn’t help but listen.

  “Yes sir…I said I would be there I always am…no not…Dad, I’m not going to eat with your troops…I have a job and the next three days off…Yes sir, I’ll be there by six…Dad, it’s my choice…I won’t do …I’m not budging…Then I won’t come…”

  I cleared my throat before walking in, and she turned and looked at me. The hurt in her eyes changed to annoyance, but I didn’t leave.

  “I have to go, my boss is here. Yes, see you tomorrow. Goodbye.” She hung up the phone and looked at me. “You need something?”

  “You alright?”

  “I’m fine.” She tried to walk past me and I grabbed her elbow. “For fuck sake, what can I do for you?”

  “Ladies don’t speak like that. For your information, I just wanted to see if you were alright.”

  “No.” She kicked the door shut. “You need to back off, understand me? I’m not interested in anything with you. You’re pushy, you’re…”

  “Enough. I asked if you were alright, that’s it Bekah. So again are you alright?”

  “Fine, I’m fine. Goodnight.”

  I didn’t stop her. I knew I shouldn’t.

  ~

  We locked up the shop after I finished up with Ashley’s tattoo. Kat and Ricco had both left and Cyrus had stopped in.

  “Boys, we’re going out tonight.” I sat down and grabbed a beer.

  “Sounds damn good.” Xavier fixed his hair in the mirror.

  “I can go for an hour tops.” Cyrus was texting on his phone.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re asking permission to go out.” Xavier huffed.

  Cyrus looked up at him. “No permission necessary. Just letting her know where I’ll be. Common fucking courtesy, X. We don’t own one another.”

  “Holy shit, you’re whipped.”

  “No X, I like her. Love her, in fact. I want to know where she is at all times, too.”

  I laughed. “So that means George has people on her.”

  Cyrus looked over at me. “To keep her safe at all fucking times, what’s so fucking funny about that?”

  “Nothing man, to each their own, right?”

  “Z, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you’re whipped, pussy. Let’s roll.” Xavier walked out the back door.

  ~

  We sat around the high-top in the corner of the busiest place on the shore. It was hopping, ass everywhere. Xavier was strumming on his leg and his head was bobbing. Fucker couldn’t sit still when he had a beat.

  I looked over at Cyrus who was watching him, too.

  He leaned over. “I give it three minutes max before he’s out there.”

  “No shit. I missed his ass.” He looked over at us and we both started moving our heads like he was and he laughed.

  “You’re both going out there with me to tear this shit up.”

  Jase walked in. “You little fuck, when did you get here?”

  “Earlier, heard you got married. What the hell, couldn’t wait for me?”

  “Fuck it’s good to see you.” Jase held his face between his hands checking him out. “Don’t you fucking take off like that again.”

  I loved seeing the change in him. Daddy Jase was deeper than I had ever known him to be. My niece Little Bell had definitely changed all of our lives, his especially. But Carly coming into his life had made everything better for him and I kind of loved her for that.

  Pitbull

  Bekah

  The bar was quiet, too quiet. It would have felt like a date if I hadn’t dragged Tiff with me, but I did. I hope he didn’t get the wrong impression. I specifically mentioned I didn’t date and he specifically mentioned he was meeting friends out.

  “Come to the bathroom with me.” Tiff grabbed my hand and pulled me off the bar stool into the bathroom. “This is fucking lame.”

  “Sorry, I really thought it was just like, ‘hey lets go get a beer with friends’ kind of thing, not a date.”

  “He’s really good looking, what’s your problem?” Tiff squatted, leaving the door to the stall wide open.

  She truly had no boundaries, it was actually laughable.

  “He’s very good looking, I’m just not interested.”

  She reached in and grabbed flushable wipes out of her bag and I looked at her and rolled my eyes“What?”

  “Nothing Tiff…”

  “I plan to meet up with Drew sometime tonight, need to be fresh when he kisses my pretty.” Tiffany stood up. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  ~

  We walked into the club and it was hopping. I was messed up and ready to dance, and I secretly hoped Justice wasn’t a dancer. He was real nice, real cool, and yes I’d seen his penis, and it wasn’t small I was just saying that to appease Zandor.

  Zandor Steel, thank God he wasn’t here.

  “Shots ladies?” Justice appeared with drinks.

  “I shouldn’t…but I will.” I sucked it down, and as soon as it hit my stomach I had to concentrate real hard on keeping it down. “Tequila.”

  Tiffany let out a loud hoot. “More, we need more!”

  “No…” It was too late, she was gone.

  “Dance?”

  “I shouldn’t, have to wait for Tiff…Tiff…any.”

  Justice laughed, he had a good laugh. “Someone’s gonna feel like shit in the morning. Come on, just one dance.”

  I didn’t have time to respond. I was being dragged out to
the dance floor.

  Justice was smiling as he danced and I was, too. I was actually having a great time now. Probably had a lot to do with the tequila, and the fact that I hadn’t eaten all day, but I didn’t care. I was free from my own head…for now.

  Tiffany came out with drinks. “Yeah!”

  “You drunk?” Tiff elbowed me.

  “Hell yeah!”

  Justice, Tiff, and I were all dancing and having a good time when Timber by Pitbull and Kesha started.

  “Oh boy.” I looked at Tiff who smiled brightly.

  Her arms moved up her sides and her hips swayed to the beat. “Come on girl!”

  So I did. Arms high above my head, I swayed to the beat right alongside her.

  “Justice.” she grabbed his hands and he found his beat, too.

  I turned in a slow circle putting my back to him. I looked back and he was smirking. I faced my palms back and his hands met mine. He moved closer and we danced.

  I looked back at Tiff and nodded behind me. She stood to his side and placed her hand on his chest. One hand left me and he rested his arm around her shoulder. The three of us were lost in the dance and drink having a good time.

  Maroon fives One More Night was playing and the dance floor was packed. I felt someone bump me and I opened my eyes.

  He turned around. “Sorry about-- Hey there Kitten.”

  I was loaded and just smiled and kept dancing. I turned from him and was face to face with Justice when I felt hands on my hips and was pulled back forcefully against something large and hard. Him, of course it was him.

  “You ignoring me?” he whispered into my ear as his hands gripped my hips tighter.

  I looked over my shoulder and smiled and shook my head no. I was not going to say a damn word.

  His hand ran slowly up my side. I lifted my arms high in the air. He took my hand and put it behind his neck. He moved me closer to him as we danced.

  His skin was so hot. I felt my fingers moving up and into his silky hair and he groaned in my ear. He was so sexy, so damn bad for me but right now. Tequila drunk and lost in Adam’s voice, I couldn’t care less.

  I opened my eyes when the music changed. Justice was dancing with some girl and Tiffany was smiling as she danced with a very happy, very hot, Xavier Steel.

  “You look sensational, Kitten,” he whispered.

  I smiled over my shoulder. “Hmm…”