Unacceptable

by Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Right then she came clambering down the stairs, swinging open the front door. “Daddy! Get ready! Miss Gilda and I want to scream down the slide again.”

  Abel tossed me the keys to his truck. “Start her up for me? I’ll be down in a minute.”

  Spending the better part of the late morning and early afternoon at the park with Raine and Abel was the perfect lighthearted fun I needed to relax from the night before. We all ran, swung, slid, twirled, and screamed until Raine was begging for pizza and ice cream.

  “One or the other,” Abel teased, carrying Raine back to the truck.

  “Fine! Pizza.”

  I hopped into the passenger seat and Abel made the throaty diesel engine groan to life.

  He grabbed my hand, a huge grin plastered on his face. “How does pizza sound to you?”

  I glanced back at Raine as she buckled the seatbelt. “I think it sounds like a delicious idea!”

  “Yay!” Raine cheered from the backseat.

  We got a large pie delivered to the house and after we ate, I put Raine down for a nap.

  Abel was sitting on the couch with two glasses of whiskey on the rocks resting on the coffee table.

  “Double fisting?”

  He glanced up at me from the box of Rave’s letters and paperwork that was sitting open. “I figured you might need a stiff drink after I saw all this.”

  I sighed and sunk into the couch next to him. “Thanks. You couldn’t be more right.”

  I took a nice slow sip, letting the amber liquid coat my throat.

  “Weren’t you supposed to head into work at some point today?” I propped my feet up on the coffee table and threw a blanket over my lap.

  “Yeah, but this was way more fun. Sometimes you just need to play hooky.”

  I didn’t know how to ask what I wanted to, but I needed to know. “Abel?”

  “Yeah babe?”

  I stalled, rubbing my thumb over the edge of my glass, staring at the amber liquid swirling around the ice. “What happened to Raine’s mom and yours?” I finally spit out.

  “Crickett, it’s just hard to talk about.” His eyes glassed over and his finger ran around the rim of his glass as he evaded the growing elephant in the room.

  I grabbed his hand. The contact caught his attention and his gaze snapped to mine. “I know it’s hard to talk about. We don’t have to.”

  He took a deep breath, chugged down his whiskey, shoved off the couch, and started to pace. “No, it’s time I finally talk about it with someone. Rave and I are the only ones that know the real story. It’ll be good to get if off my chest.”

  While pacing he finally dove into the story. “It goes back to when I was fifteen. My parents split when my mom left my father for Rave. He had been here for a few years at that point and had just started running the bar with my uncle, Rich, my mother’s brother. My old man was the fucking president and that shit really didn’t fly but my mom marched to the beat of her own drum. They didn’t get married until I was eighteen, and Rave finally moved in. I guess he wanted the dust to settle with the club a little bit before he stepped on my old man’s toes completely.”

  He poured another three fingers of whiskey in his glass before continuing. “Raine was born shortly after their wedding. Her mom, Colleen, was seventeen, and her folks had kicked her out when I knocked her up. She moved in here and everything was fine. We were one big family. Rave and I even started to get along. It was rough in the club but everything seemed to be smoothing out.”

  He paused and looked at me, his hands shaking. “I don’t think he was a bad person. I think he was driven mad from jealousy and a broken heart.” Abel cleared his throat, then took a long swig. “Raine was about a year and a half when it happened. I was working late at the garage and Rave was helping me. He had left his bike in the driveway and rode with me in my truck. I think Rave was the target but just happened to not be home. Anyway, my old man went into our house and shot my mom while she was cleaning up the dishes from dinner. I think Colleen took him by surprise. He shot her too before killing himself. The rest of the night is a fucking blur. The cops came to the garage and my world crumbled. The guilt that has buried itself inside of me and Rave will never go away. In one moment the only two women I’d ever loved were taken by the monster sperm donor who was the president of the club I had grown to love. It was all going to hell in a goddamned handbasket.”

  I was paralyzed. I had no words. Nothing.

  “Abel, I…” He sat down next to me, burying his head in the nape of my neck. I wrapped my arms around him. “I wish I knew what to say.”

  “Don’t say anything. It’s all in the past. I’ll never get over it, but it is what it is.”

  Chapter 9.

  Over the next few weeks we all started to finally get into a groove of normalcy. I started working again, Abel was spending more time at the garage than the bar, and Rave was becoming an afternoon regular for me. I even started picking Raine up from school so she could do her homework while I finished out the day shift so Able could work late.

  “Hey, Crickett right?” a surly voice came from the bar top while I was cleaning some glasses.

  I looked up to see, Rich, Abel’s uncle. I had seen him from time to time, mostly when he was going in and out of the back room or coming in to talk to guys in the back by the pool tables.

  “Yes, sir. What can I get you?”

  He sat down at the empty seat in front of him. “I’ll take Old Crow and Seven Up.”

  I made his drink and awkwardly stood in front of him, not knowing the first thing to say to strike up a conversation with the president of the club. I always thought of Abel as being my boss, but this was his boss and that made me nervous as shit.

  He took a sip. “Ah. That hits the spot. I just wanted to properly welcome you to our little family here. I’ve been pretty busy since you arrived and I didn’t want to seem rude.”

  I wiped the bar next to him, just to seem like I was staying busy in front of the big boss. “Thanks. I understand. You have a business to run.”

  Holt walked through the front door and Rich turned to him. They nodded at each other and Holt came behind the bar.

  “Well, I better get to the table. Crickett, mind staying a little late today? We might need Holt to go on an errand later.”

  I shrugged. “Sure, I just have to grab Raine from school. But it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  The front door swung open and Abel strode in with Raine on his back.

  “Never mind.” I pointed to my two new favorite people in the world. “I don’t have to go anywhere.”

  Raine’s eyes got wide when she saw Rich and she raced into his arms for a big bear hug.

  Abel leaned on the bar. “Can I see you for a second?” His face was stoic.

  “Sure?” I glanced over at Holt. “I’ll be right back.”

  Abel led me over to the small room that we used as a liquor closet and locked the door behind us.

  “Is everything ok?”

  He didn’t waste any time. He threw me against the wall and crushed his lips onto mine.

  “I have been thinking about this all day.”

  I could feel how ready he was pressing hard into my lower stomach. He pulled at the button of my shorts, letting them fall to the floor.

  “Abel is this really a good idea?”

  He gently bit my neck, running his hand up my shirt to unclasp my bra.

  “I think it’s one of the best fucking ideas ever.”

  I fumbled with his zipper. I had to admit that the forbidden-sex-in-the-workplace thing was pretty thrilling.

  He went to grab for his wallet and his head fell as he sighed. “I forgot a fucking condom at home.”

  “That’s ok, Abel. I want to feel you.”

  “Do you really want to feel all of me?”

  I knew what he was getting at and I was still nervous, but he said he was clean and in that moment the need to please him outweighed my nerves.

  “Yes, I wa
nt to feel just you.”

  “Are you sure you’re fine with this?”

  “Yes.” I stared into his eyes.

  He lifted me into his strong arms and I tightened my legs around his waist. Abel pulled my thong to the side and thrust into me, making me gasp.

  “Hush. We have to be fast and quiet.”

  I bit down on the top of his tattooed chest as a groan escaped.

  “Abel. Right there.”

  The tip of his dick was massaging my g-spot perfectly; the fast part was not going to be a problem. My body started to shake in his arms as my climax started to build. His hot breath quickened on my neck as he pressed my back harder into the wall.

  “Come for me babe.” He growled in my ear and that was all it took.

  An uncontrollable wave of ecstasy crashed over me while his cock pulsed inside me. With a sigh his head fell onto my shoulder.

  “Fucking amazing,” he whispered, setting me back down on my feet. “I will not ever be able to fuck you with a condom on ever again.”

  I kissed his shoulder as he started to let me out of his arms. “Good.”

  We straightened out our clothes as Abel kissed me on the cheek and breathed, “Follow my lead.”

  As he unlocked the door, he yelled, “This isn’t over. We will talk about it later.”

  I jumped right in, storming out of the liquor closet, arms crossed. “Yeah, whatever, Abel. I’m over it.”

  I got back behind the bar with everyone’s eyes darting from me to Abel.

  “Trouble in paradise?” Holt chuckled with a swift wink.

  “You could call it that, I guess.” I started wiping off the bar and the club members started filing into the back room. Abel glanced over at me with a quick grin as he mouthed, “See you later.” I nodded and felt blush dust over my neck and cheeks.

  Raine scooted down the bar to be right in front of me. “Was Daddy being mean to you?” Her brow was creased and her eyes looked like waterworks were about to start spraying the whole place.

  I grabbed her little hand. “Of course not, Raine. He and I were just playing around. Your daddy is a very nice man.”

  Her lips pulled into a soft smile. “Yeah, he’s great. Can I have a soda?”

  I poured a Dr. Pepper and started quizzing her on her vocabulary and spelling for her test the next day.

  After about thirty minutes with no one coming in, Holt and I were both helping Raine with homework, trying to pass the time.

  “I really don’t see why Rich wanted you to stick around.”

  I shrugged after taking a sip from my water. “It’s really no big deal.”

  He started burning one of the ice troughs. “It’s just a waste of your time, that’s all.”

  Abel came busting through the back door. “Holt. We need to see you. Now.” His face was gruff, and his tone and posture matched.

  I got overly nervous for Holt as he looked over to me with concern dancing across his face. “I guess it is a good thing that you stuck around.”

  “Crickett, why don’t you take Raine home? We won’t be too long and this place is dead.”

  She hopped off the stool and I grabbed the drawer to count it out.

  Abel grabbed it from me. “You should really leave now babe. I’ll take care of this and bring your tips home tonight.”

  I was screaming inside to know what was going on, but I just grabbed Raine by the hand and walked her out of the bar.

  “Can we have chicken fingers for dinner?”

  A light rain tapped onto the gravel parking lot as we started to jog for my car. “As long as you eat some carrots with them.”

  I strapped Raine into the backseat and started off toward the house. I hated the jumping, squeaking, skipping wipers, but it was starting to really pour and I needed to try to see the winding road. Even though it was annoying, I would rather the obnoxious noises than being pelted in the face while on a motorcycle.

  I was cleaning up the plates from dinner when Holt and Abel finally came home. Both of them were smiling and talking away as their boots stomped through the front door. Then I noticed it: Holt was wearing a cut.

  “Well, I guess I had nothing to worry about this whole time.” I gave Holt a hug. “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” They both grabbed beers from the fridge.

  “There’s some food in the oven for y’all.”

  “Thanks babe.” Abel pulled me down to sit on his lap at the breakfast table, cracking open a beer for me too. “A toast to our newest member.” We smashed our beers together.

  “Sorry for kicking you out of the bar like that earlier. I needed to keep this guy on his toes. Didn’t want to spoil a good surprise.”

  I kissed his scruffy cheek. “I get it.”

  The guys made plates and I curled up on the couch with Raine while they ate. Raine dozed off watching My Little Pony—not the terrible new remake that the crackheads at the network had started airing, the reruns from when I was growing up. I was more enthralled in it than I would have cared to admit; I didn’t even notice that she was passed out next to me until I started to fast-forward through a few commercials.

  “I guess I better get this little lady in bed.” Abel lifted her into his arms before turning to me. “Put some warmer clothes on, let’s go for a ride.”

  “It just stopped raining, the roads will be wet. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  I hadn’t been on Abel’s bike since that day we’d gone to the diner. Once was really enough for me. I liked a thrill as much as the next guy, but there was an element of danger that was just a little too much for me.

  “Come on. I want to show you something.”

  I let my head fall onto the couch backrest. “Fine. But if I freak out or scream, it’s on you.”

  Chapter 10.

  The sweet smell of rain-soaked flowers whisked by as we rode down the winding mountain road, twisting and turning farther and farther from town and any section that looked familiar.

  Even though it was the middle of May, the night air was chilly even with my jeans and hoodie on. I hugged myself tighter onto Abel as I shrieked a little when he took a sharp corner faster and tighter than I was remotely comfortable with.

  He turned off down a dark dirt road in the middle of nowhere, pulling over onto the shoulder. “Babe, there’s something I want to show you.”

  I got off the bike. “Where in God’s name are we?”

  “Well, we’re technically in Tennessee, and this is known to the locals as Compression Falls.”

  He grabbed my hand as the clouds finally parted, revealing a huge full moon. The damp trees sparkled in the moonlight as Abel led me down a steep path.

  “It’s not too much farther now.”

  We finally made our way down to a riverbank and the sound of a roaring waterfall broke into the calm night air. We rolled up our jeans and took our shoes off, wading out to a large, smooth rock closer to the waterfall.

  Abel sat, letting me lean back on his chest. We sat for a few minutes in silence, taking in the beautiful power of the cascading waterfall.

  “This is gorgeous.”

  Abel kissed my shoulder. “It really is. This is where I come when I need to get away from it all.”

  “Thanks for bringing me here. I’ve never seen something like this.”

  His arms tightened around me as his chest heaved from a deep breath. “There’s something I have been meaning to ask you.”

  From the top of my head to my toes tensed. I was bracing myself. If he popped the question right then I would probably freak, and not in a good way.

  “Do you believe in marriage?”

  Not exactly what I was expecting.

  “I don’t think I do. I feel like if people want to be around each other then a piece of paper shouldn’t define it.”

  His body relaxed a little. “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “Why are you asking me this?”

  “Because you’re the first person, ever, that I felt was
worth binding myself to. Not even Raine’s mom had me thinking about wifing her up. I loved her, but it was more because she gave me my daughter. I don’t think we would have stayed together otherwise.”

  I pulled away from him, shifting to sit with my legs crossed so I was looking right at him. “What are you getting at, Abel?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, staring past me to look at the falls. “I’m getting at the fact that I have fallen for you, Crickett. I fucking love you. You’re not just some broad or something. You’re special.”

  I leaned in, brushing my lips over his. “I love you too.”

  “You know…we’re all alone, and that water looks mighty nice.”

  “Wont it be cold as shit?”

  He shook his head. “This area is all spring fed. It’s pretty much the same temperature all year round.”

  “Race ya to the waterfall!” I jumped up, stripped down, and sprinted into the water, Abel hot on my tail.

  We swam right up under the falling water, Abel holding me up since the bottom was a little too deep for me to stand comfortably.

  Slowly we started a high school make out session like we were two horny kids hiding under the bleachers at a football game.

  All of a sudden Abel started busting out laughing.

  “What’s so funny?”

  He quickly kissed me again. “It’s just so crazy that two months ago you walked into my life, and now here we are.”

  “What, making out under a waterfall? Yeah, I wouldn’t have pictured this either.”

  “No, I mean that not too long ago, you weren’t in my life, and now I can’t picture not having you in it.”

  Wow. Talk about being sappy. That one hit me right in the feels.

  Right then I felt my heart start really beating again. The warmth flooded through me. It was like I finally knew what life was about, what love needed to feel like, what I had been looking for. It was the most breathtaking moment of my life, one that I would never forget.

  “I didn’t know bikers could be so mushy.”

  “You just bring it out of me. I’m never this charming in real life.”