“Because I know my mother is going to have me eating healthy foods. I’m going to hide this stuff in my room where she can’t find it so I have something to subsist on.”
“Good luck with that. I’d be willing to bet she comes in there every day while you’re convalescing and cleans the room. She’ll find it.”
“You forget that I lived with her for eighteen years in that very same room. I have my secret spots that she has yet to find.”
“You’re crazy,” I said.
“That’s what my father said Brock called me.” The comment made the tone of the conversation turn serious. Neither of us cared to talk about it at that moment so we just rode silently the rest of the way to his parent’s house.
Gail, and surprisingly enough, Bull were waiting for us when we got there. Dax had stuffed the junk food as well as an entire six pack of soda in my purse. It was heavy and the strap was killing my arm. I told him we should have hid it in the Personal Belongings bag the hospital had sent home but he insisted she would take it and wash the clothes right away.
As soon as Gail said, “Hello,” she said, “Give me that bag and I’ll put those straight in the washer.” Dax gave me a smug look. I hated when he was right.
He sat down with his dad in the living room and I excused myself so that I could sit down the heavy purse. I had to smile when I saw his room. Gail had set it up with a little table at the side of his bed and she had folded the bed down halfway. He was such a mama’s boy.
I went back out and sat next to him on the couch. Gail had made cinnamon rolls and brought them out with coffee and juice. It was weird, but as long as I’d known Dax, this was the first truly normal family moment I’d ever been involved in with him and his parents. I guess it takes a shooting to bring some families together.
Chapter Six
Dax
Olivia hung out with us until early afternoon and then she had to leave to go with her uncle to pick up some supplies. I waited until she was gone to have the conversation with my parents about the meeting. I knew my mom would be on my side, but I also knew that my dad was going to object, and probably strongly. I didn’t want Olivia to have to be there for the argument. I was kind of hemming and hawing about starting the conversation but was forced into it when my dad started to stand up after saying, “I should probably go check on the supplies at the bar.”
“Hey Dad, wait. Can we talk for a minute before you go?”
“Do you want me to leave?” my mom asked.
“No, I’d like to talk to you both if you have the time.”
My dad settled back in and asked, “What’s up?”
“Okay, I know when you first hear this idea that you’re not going to care much for it, but just hear me out, alright?”
They both nodded. My mom looked worried and my dad just looked impatient. I took a deep breath and said, “Okay, I’m just really sick of all the drama and I’m sure everyone else is too. I need to get on with my life, but I feel like I’m just stuck until I prove that I was falsely accused and falsely imprisoned. I know who it was that set me up. I want to confront them all at once, but I want it to be in front of plenty of witnesses. They deserve a jury of their peers, right? So what I want,” I said, looking at my dad whose impatient face suddenly looked like he knew what I wanted and he was prepared to say no. “I want a club meeting. I want everyone there, even Brock and his nomad crew. I want to confront them in front of all of their peers and see if they have enough spines to admit what they’ve done.”
“No,” my dad said, as soon as I finished talking.
“Why not? It’s safer than him sneaking around trying to do it himself. Look at him, Bull! They put him in prison and then they shot him. All he’s asking for is a little help from you. All you have to do is call the meeting.”
“You don’t know how any of this works,” he said to my mom. “You only want to get in on it when Dax is a part of it.”
“Because I’m concerned about my son…our son,” she said. “You should try it sometime.”
“Damn it Gail! Don’t you think I am concerned and that’s why I don’t want him spouting his foolish accusations out loud? He’s going to get his damn head blown off next time. He needs to just let this go and move on with his life. Leave all of this in the past where it belongs.”
“Hey!” I startled them both. I really don’t think either of them remembered that I was still in the room. “Still here, remember? Listen, Dad. I’m not going to leave this alone, until I prove that I’m innocent and that these men set me up. I’m not going to walk away and let Blake, Terrance and Brock get away with this.”
“Will you stop that? You can’t just go around making those kinds of accusations.”
“I’m not just making accusations. Brock admitted it and so did Terrance and Blake shot me.”
I heard my mom’s sharp intake of breath. I really hadn’t meant to say it in front of her, it had just come out. My dad was glaring at me and my mother looked like she was going to be sick.
“Blake shot you?” she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she looked at my dad and asked, “And you knew this?”
My dad continued to glare at me. He was waiting for me to tell my mother that he was right there when it happened. I wasn’t going to do it though. I was going to leave it up to him.
“Yes Mom, Blake shot me. He also set me up. Dad doesn’t believe it though, do you?”
“No, I don’t believe that my best friend of twenty-five years would set up my son.”
“But you do believe he shot him?” my mother asked, looking confused.
“He saw him shoot me,” I said. My dad wasn’t going to tell her. My mother really looked like she was going to be sick.
In a high pitched voice that she reserved for when she was really freaked out, she said, “You brought him here just yesterday. You son of a bitch! You had the man who shot my son sitting at my kitchen table sipping coffee and stuffing his fat face with my pastries while my son was still recovering. What the hell is wrong with you?”
My dad gave me one more long, hard stare. Then he turned back to my mom and said, “Blake said that Dax is mistaken about setting him up, and I believe him. And by the way, the part of that story your baby here is leaving out was that when Blake walked into that garage, Dax was holding a gun on me.”
My mother looked at me with shock on her face. “Oh God, what the hell kind of messed up family is this?”
“I wasn’t going to shoot him, Mom. I was desperate for him to listen to me and I didn’t want him to stop me from what I was doing.”
“Which was?” she asked. My dad had a smug look for me.
I swallowed hard and said, “Putting heroin I stole from Brock’s crew in Terrance and Blake’s saddlebags.”
“I swear if this was an old western I’d swoon.” She stood up and came over to me. With her palm, she smacked me on the back of the head. Then she did the same to my dad. “I’m finished with this crap after this. I want both of you to hear that, loud and clear. I’m done! First,” she said, with her finger in my dad’s face. “You’re going to set up that meeting. Second,” it was my turn for the finger and the fire eyes, “You will state your case and then you will let it go or third, I pack my shit and get out of this mess once and for all.” We both watched in shock as she stormed out of the room. My mother had threatened us with a lot of things over the years, but she’d never threatened to leave.
My dad turned to me when she was gone and said, “I hope you’re happy you little shit.”
“None of this makes me happy,” I told him, honestly.
“I’ll set up the meeting and let you know when. Sometimes it takes me a couple of days to reach your brother.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“I ain’t doing it for you. I’m pissed at you for not being able to keep your big ass mouth shut. There’s a reason your mama doesn’t know all about our business and you would do well to remember that.”
He walked out the front door. I hea
rd his bike start up a few minutes later and for the moment I was left alone with my thoughts, and my plans to confront three dangerous men in a room full of men that were probably going to take their side. Maybe Brock was right and I was crazy.
Chapter Seven
Olivia
Dax called me later that day, after he’d gotten discharged from the hospital. He told me what happened at their family talk. I was grateful he waited to bring it up after I’d left. I didn’t even know what to say, but at least he knew the daughter of a Meth-Lab king wasn’t going to judge. We were quite the pair.
“Hey, enough about all of that nonsense,” he said. “Let’s plan a night out.”
“A night out, really?”
“Yep, let’s go to Mel’s and have dinner and do some dancing.”
“You just had major surgery,” I told him.
“Okay then, not tonight.”
“When?” I asked, expecting next week or the week after next. No, this was Dax I was talking to. For a few seconds I had forgotten.
“Tomorrow night. I’ll sleep all day and rest up for it. We’ll take your car instead of the bike and I’ll only dance to the slow songs.”
I laughed. He had known exactly the questions I was going to ask, except one. “Are you even on a regular diet yet?”
“My mom’s making lasagna tonight. I’ll see how that stays down and let you know.” He really was crazy, but after the other day, I wasn’t going to say so.
“Okay, let me know what time. I’m up for it.”
“Pick me up at eight,” he said. “Hey Liv.”
“Yeah.”
“Our lives aren’t always going to be like this. We’re going to be completely happy one day.”
“I believe it,” I told him, and I did believe it. I just hoped it would happen soon.
I was in front of his parent’s house at eight. I started to get out of the car when I saw him coming out the front door. He had on a rust colored long sleeve shirt. The way it fit him made me want to take off the wrapper and get to the candy.
His blue jeans looked brand new and fit just as nice. He had on a pair of brown boots and when he got closer and I stepped out of the car, I swear I could see his green eyes glitter in the moonlight. I’d known Dax for quite a few years, and it still never failed to amaze me how just the sight of him could take my breath away.
“Wow,” he said when he saw me. I had used most of my paycheck to buy a new outfit for that night and after I saw the look in his eyes, I was glad I did. I was wearing a green dress that was made out of clingy material. The neckline was cut low enough to be sexy but not low enough to reach the slut level and the same with the bottom hem, only the opposite. It fell to the tops of my thighs but it covered everything that I didn’t want to share with just anyone.
I had also bought a new pair of boots. They were tan and came up to just below my knee. They were super soft leather and super expensive, but once I tried them on, I was hooked. They had a two-inch heel on them so they gave me a little bit of height but I could still walk a straight line in them. I had left my hair down and curled it just on the ends so it lay softly across my shoulders and back.
“Thank you,” I said. “Wow yourself.” He grinned and bowed slightly at the waist. Then he took my hands and pulled me in close and kissed me. It was another thing about him that always took my breath away. When we broke the kiss it took me a full minute to even remember my own name, every single time.
“You ready?” he asked. I still couldn’t really speak, so I nodded. He got in the passenger seat and I drove.
“Are you feeling okay?” I asked him.
“Good as new,” he said.
“Really, new?”
“Okay, day old, but I’m getting there. I only took two Ibuprofens all day and I can walk upright. I’m wearing the girdle thingy they gave me though so don’t judge.”
“I’ll try not to,” I told him and we both laughed.
When we got to the restaurant, I parked and he said, “Before we go in, I just wanted to clarify the rules of the date.”
“There are rules?” I asked, amused.
“Oh yeah, there are rules. First of all, this is a date. I am the man. I open doors, I pay for drinks and meals, and I lead on the dance floor. Second of all, no talking about any drama tonight.”
I giggled and said, “So what will we talk about?”
“I thought of that,” he said. “I made a mental list of things.”
“They don’t all involve sex, do they?”
“No, I can think of other things to talk about, thank you very much.”
“Of course you can,” I told him. “Can we go in now, I’m hungry?”
“Okay, but don’t touch that door, I’ll be right there.” I felt kind of silly sitting there waiting for him to open the door but it made him happy. He pulled it open and took my hand, making me feel like a VIP as he gently helped me step out. Then he closed it and held my hand on the way into the restaurant. He had thought to call ahead for reservations, so we were shown right to our table. When the waitress came to take our drink orders, she lit a candle in the middle of the table. It was really nice and it reminded me of old times, good times.
After she brought our drinks Dax asked, “How was work today?”
“It was good. My uncle wants me to start learning about mechanics and modifications.”
Dax looked at me funny and asked, “Do you want to do that? Work on bikes?”
I laughed. “No, I was actually thinking about being a nurse.”
“Really? That would be cool. Have you checked on programs yet or anything?”
“Well, I never got a chance to tell you when things got so crazy, but I’ve already been accepted for the fall semester. I got financial aid too.”
“That’s fantastic,” he said. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m relieved. We had just got each other back and I was afraid that you’d be upset with me. I’ll be around a lot less.”
“I would never be upset with you for doing something to better yourself or your life. I’m so proud of you for taking that first step. I think you’d make an awesome nurse. Hell, I think you’d make an awesome doctor.”
“Whoa there,” I said with a laugh, “I don’t think I want to look at ten years of school right now. Let’s start with nurse and see where that goes.”
“Well, congratulations,” he said, sincerely. I was so glad I’d finally told him. His reaction just re-enforced why I loved him so much. He picked up his iced tea glass and held it up. “Onward and upward for us both from here on out,” he said.
I clinked my glass with his and said, “Onward and upward.”
The waitress came by and took our orders and then we just listened to the band quietly for a while. Making me giggle again he said, “I think we’ve ran out of safe topics. We’ll have to delve into my mental list.”
“Okay, lets,” I said and laughed.
“Okay, tell me the top three countries you want to visit. Keep in mind that your husband will be a tattoo artist and likely a very successful one, and you’ll be a successful nurse so money for these trips is no object.”
My stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies when he said, your husband. We used to talk like that all the time, but it had been so long ago. I wondered if we’d ever get that back.
I smiled and said, “Ireland, Italy and Egypt.”
“Whew, you were going for all the I countries so there for a minute I thought you were going to say Iraq. But, good choices. Tell me why...”
“Ireland, because I’ve always wanted to stay in a castle for the night where you could wake up and look out on rolling green hills. Italy, for the food and gelato of course and Egypt because…well, Egypt speaks for itself. Who doesn’t want to see giant pyramids and sphinx?”
“I shudder to think there is such a person,” he said with a smile.
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Yeah, but just a little. They all soun
d great. I’m throwing my list away and going with yours.”
“No, you have to tell me yours now,” I told him.
“They sound pathetic next to yours,” he said. “But if you insist…Australia, Russia and Hong Kong.”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed.
“Oh now look whose making fun,” he said.
“I’m sorry, but Australia, I get. The other two I’ll need an explanation.”
The waitress brought our food so he waited until she was gone to finish. “Well, Australia’s just cool. The men are all tough and the women are outdoorsy. Russia is old and harsh and I hear everyone drinks Vodka all day long, but only the coolest of the cool drive motorcycles and wear leather jackets and Hong Kong, come on they have even more history than Egypt. Plus, they have some of the hottest clubs in the Eastern hemisphere.”
“Interesting,” I said. I wasn’t being facetious either. If I had picked countries for Dax, not one of those three would have been on the list. It was fun to discover that we didn’t really know everything about each other.
“This steak is so good,” he said as he shoveled in half the cow in one bite.
“Take it easy,” I told him. “You just got back on solids. I don’t want you to get sick.”
“Yes, mother,” he said and grinned.
My dinner was delicious too and after we finished eating, we both decided to splurge on dessert as well. I had a slice of the best cheesecake in the whole world. They made it fresh at Mel’s and I had tried to duplicate the recipe more than once at home. It never came out the same. It was thick and creamy and I wouldn’t tell Dax this but it was a close rival to sex.
After dessert, he asked me to dance. It was a slow song and when we got out to the floor, I tried to get into position to let him lead. Instead, he just wrapped both of his hands around behind my waist and held me like that. I slipped my arms around his neck and while we danced, I laid my head on his chest and closed my eyes and let myself revel in being happy. Every time Dax and I were alone together like this, I could completely imagine the life we both wanted that seemed to be eluding us for so long.
Dirty SEAL (A Navy SEAL Romance) (The Maxwell Family) Page 94