“Yeah, we had a couple like that on the payroll years ago. Only male who’s ever worked at the B&B, and we were clear they were a matched set. They worked with us about a year and a half before they split up. He met a Domme who could flip his switch. The wife stayed with us as a pro-sub another year or so before she found someone and married him.”
“Would that work? For the two of us to play with a couple?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. My wolf is… wolves don’t share their mates. He’s territorial. I’m willing to give it a try if we find a couple we both like.”
Nickie breathed out in relief. “Okay. We’ll shelve it for a little while, but I’ll let you know before I start itching to be in control.”
28
Bud sensed something was up when he and Nickie came down the stairs, but he waited for Tyler to come to them.
“Nathan asked me to get ya’ll on a video call with him when you awakened. Are you up for it now?”
“Sure,” Nickie told him. “Is anything wrong?”
“No. Game plan stuff. Nathan will explain.”
“Good morning,” Nathan said when his face came into view a few moments later. “Aaron tells me they lopped off the head of the trafficking ring, enough so the individual city organizations won’t have their supply chains until they can make other arrangements. They will — they always do. However, the point for today is that we believe everyone who’d come after Nickie is dead or themselves enslaved so they can’t send others to make the kill.”
“So, I can use my credit cards? Move freely? Get rid of the security detail? Go get my nails done?”
“Getting your nails done on your credit card would be a good first test. We’d prefer you do a few things to draw attention to yourself while you still have your security team. Say, a week with you not in hiding, and if nothing happens we’ll return them all home.”
“A full week?” asked Bud.
“Three days with them obvious. A single bodyguard the next two days, with another at a distance in case he’s needed. The final two days, both at a distance with her shopping and perhaps running and exercising in public places where it wouldn’t be hard to grab her.”
“I’ll want to be around.”
“That’d be counterproductive.”
“Okay then, one of my men at a distance. I trust your men but my wolf wants one of mine around.”
“What if I send Ranger back down, now that there’s no longer a conflict of interest? Would you trust him?”
“Maybe. The wolf sees Bethany as family, and he’s her family. You know how it works.”
“I would’ve thought Patrick would fall into the same category.”
Bud was careful to sound casual, but he knew Nickie would pick up on the fact there was something she didn’t know.
“Briana’s not in the same category. Glad she found a solution to her problem, but she isn’t in the MC anymore, and Patrick isn’t around enough for me to have gotten to know him. There’s a level of trust, but he isn’t family.”
Nathan nodded on the screen. “Nickie, Tyler has your regular cellphone, charged and ready to go. Bud should get with Shadow to set up a time to change your laptop settings back so you aren’t going through a proxy.”
Nickie danced around her living room while she sang the lyrics to Footloose when they disconnected the call, and Bud grinned at her as he pulled steaks, bacon, and eggs from the fridge. He loved her joy of life, her little celebrations.
She danced herself to him, and then into his arms when he opened them for her.
“What’s the deal with Patrick’s wife?”
Bud had known she’d ask. “Briana used to be a sweetbutt for the Chattanooga chapter.”
“And?”
Bud sighed. “She was my bedwarmer of choice when I stayed up there. Just a sweetbutt, no emotions, but she’s a nice girl and not like most of them. Had her head on straight. Was there because she liked rough sex and loved to be dominated, not because she needed attention. She fell in love with Patrick and left the MC on good terms. She’s his now. End of story.”
As before, Bud smelled no anger, no jealousy. Nothing negative. Not quite acceptance, but he figured that had more to do with Nickie’s issues around the whole sweetbutt thing than the fact he’d just told her about someone he used to fuck, spank, and stand in the corner with a huge butt plugged jammed up her ass.
“Okay. I’m glad you don’t have a problem being honest about stuff like that.” She leaned towards the stove and inhaled. “I kinda like having a man around who knows how to cook when he’s hungry. I need to handle a few emails — my cover artist in Australia likely got a proof to me last night, and I need to check in with my assistant to see where we are on getting things set up for my trip to Austin next month.”
“Austin?” The wolf wanted to rise, but Bud didn’t let him.
“Yeah, I’m planning to write a crime novel there, and I need to spend a few weeks in the city to get a feel for the energy and tempo. My PI will eventually follow the trail to Seattle and then Beijing, but those trips are farther out. One novel at a time.”
“Tell me he isn’t trailing a human trafficking organization.”
“Yeah. His client is paying him to find their daughter. He has other clients as well, but this case takes precedence when he gets a new lead.”
Bud shook his head but had to admire the way she used hard-earned information. She found out about it in real life and reported on it — and in the process she learned enough to write a believable fictional version in different cities without anyone realizing she was the same person. Those who didn’t want to read the real life version got the fiction one, and she shined the light on the problem twice.
He didn’t like her making plans to travel without telling him though. Nor did he want her off by herself, but he knew he needed to tread carefully. “Can I ask you to keep me in the loop on your travel plans? You usually take Tyler with you, right?”
“Not on this kind of trip, when I’m just walking the city, eating in restaurants, and starting conversations with random people in the park who seem to have the time and inclination to be friendly. I won’t be doing anything dangerous, and no one will know I’m there doing research for a book.”
“I can’t stay with you the whole three weeks, but I’ll want to escort you there and get you settled in, and probably fly back down to see you if I have a few days I can get away.”
Her deep blue eyes seemed to look inside him a few seconds, and Bud had to work to keep the wolf from looking back at her. She hadn’t asked to see the wolf since she’d seen him fighting, so Bud was careful to keep him hidden. Just like before she knew about him. He occasionally mentioned him, but he didn’t show him.
She finally broke eye contact and went to the fridge to pour some orange juice. At last, she told him, “This is going to take some getting used to. I haven’t had to answer to anyone since I left home for college. Slaves do what they’re told, and service submissives may want more information but they do their best to mold their lives to fit mine.”
“Not asking you to answer to me, just to keep me informed. My only request will be for you to keep from traveling during the three-day window around the full moon if it can be helped. Otherwise, unless we have a big event, I should be able to fit into your schedule. I’ll make my calendar available to you. Not the hourly one because you don’t need to know that, but the one showing our events and when I absolutely need to be in town. Most of it’s scheduled six months to a year out.” She didn’t respond so he added, “I don’t think I’m being unreasonable.”
“No, you probably aren’t, it’s just new. How’s this — I’ll try to remember to keep you in the loop and communicate my plans, and you’ll understand I’m not used to doing it, so you won’t get pissed when I forget.” She sighed. “And I will forget. I know how I am when I get focused on a project — nothing else exists. I’ll tell my assistant we need to keep you up to date on my plans. Are you okay hearing i
t from her instead of me?”
Bud could hear the truth in her words, and he pulled her back into his arms and cradled her head to his chest. “Yes, I’m okay with that. I don’t want to make your life more difficult or become a source of stress. We’ll figure it out. I know what it takes to make a relationship work, but I’ve been single a long time. I’ll need to get back into the habit of communicating too.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Wendy’s job was being my wife. She was the Queen Bee in every way. She knew all the gossip within an hour of it first being whispered, and sometimes knew about a problem with a brother before I did because she got it from his ol’lady. We were a team. I mean, she didn’t get a vote on anything, but she helped me in ways I’ll never expect you to. Don’t want you to, because it isn’t you. She probably baked ten casseroles a week that she gave away — if someone’s kid was sick, she brought food to feed the rest of the family so the mom could concentrate on the sick kid. Someone died, she was right there, feeding them and helping with arrangements if they weren’t up to it. She’d bring a casserole when people returned from vacation, so they wouldn’t have to go to the store right away. There was a shelf in the fridge we weren’t allowed to touch because it was destined for other people.”
He walked her to the sofa, sat, and pulled her into his lap. “She worked in the office at the bike shop ten or fifteen hours a week. No set hours, but she kept us organized and made sure no projects fell into a black hole. The laundromats were different back then, and she handled the cash and recorded it the way our accountant said to. It wasn’t just me who was lost without her — the whole club was. I found my way, eventually, but it took a long time. Without Angelica to take care of, I’m not sure even having my brothers around me would’ve been enough to make me want to keep goin’.”
Bud took a breath, let it out, and got back on point. “I’m sorry, I got off track. What I’m trying to say is that you’ll figure out your role in my life, and I don’t have expectations of what that’ll be. You were comfortable around my brothers last night, but you have your own life. I’ll do my best to fit into yours, and I have no doubts you’ll figure out how to fit into mine.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t considered there might be responsibilities associated with being the president’s significant other. Kind of like the first lady, right? Part of your support system.” She sighed. “I’m glad you don’t have any expectations. I don’t mind cooking but the delivering part of it might not be feasible when I’m on a deadline. If I do it for some and not others, I’m guessing that would come with its own set of problems.”
“I didn’t tell you what Wendy did because I want you to do those things, but so you’d understand I’ve found my own way without a Queen Bee at my side. I don’t need it. Just be yourself, keep communication open, and bend over to be fucked when I tell you. That’s all I need from you.”
She chuckled and leaned into him more. “Damn, that shouldn’t have made me horny, but it did.”
Bud could smell the fast hit of arousal, and grinned as he stood her up. “Can’t wait until we get rid of your security guys. Get your ass upstairs, strip, and bend over the bed. I’ll be up in a minute.”
29
Nickie couldn’t believe how nervous she was about meeting Bud’s daughter. From everything Bud had said, he believed his daughter approved of him getting serious with someone, but would she, really? Or would she see Nickie as the enemy, trying to take over her dad?
Bud had chosen to use old forty-one highway instead of the freeway for the drive to Chattanooga. He’d explained it’d been the route before the interstate was put in, and Nickie enjoyed the scenery on the twisting two-lane road, but her mind kept wandering to what she should and shouldn’t say, and conversations she might bring up if no one knew what to say.
When they arrived in downtown Chattanooga, Bud parked at a hotel across the street from the city’s oddly-shaped aquarium. They checked in, freshened up, and Nickie retrieved the small soft cooler with artisan cheeses she’d stowed in her backpack. Angelica lived in an apartment on the Tennessee River, almost right beside the Tennessee Aquarium, so within moments they were climbing the stairs to her door and Nickie couldn’t remember ever being so nervous about meeting someone.
Bud stopped at the first landing and pressed Nickie against the wall. “It’ll be fine. Why are you so scared?”
“Damn werewolf senses,” Nickie said with an eyeroll. “Daddy-daughter relationships, especially the kind the two of you have, are special. I know you say she’ll be happy for you, but this meeting’s important. If she doesn’t like me…” Nickie shrugged as best she could, plastered against the wall. “I want to make a good first impression.”
“I know my daughter, and she’s going to love you.”
Nickie’s pulse slammed in her chest as Bud brought his mouth to hers and his thigh pressed between her legs and into her clit. His leg was insistent and unyielding, his body was immovable, and need knotted and twisted inside her until she was in danger of humping his knee. She pushed at him because it was too much, and he put his mouth to her ear and said, “When I get you back to the hotel tonight I’m gonna fuck your ass with my cock so big around you’ll worry I’ll split you in two.”
“Fuck, now I’m gonna smell horny when I meet her.”
Better horny than terrified, Bud thought, but didn’t say it because he didn’t want to remind her about being scared. He dragged her up the steps, knocked on the door, and waited for someone to open it.
Bash welcomed them almost immediately, and Bud pulled him into a hug. “Brother, good to see you.” They separated and Angelica stepped around the corner into the room.
“Nickie, this is Angelica and Bash. Angel and Bash, meet Nickie.”
Nickie held her cheeses up. “I brought you some artisan cheese. Thanks for welcoming me into your home.”
“I’m sure we’ll love the cheese,” Angelica told her as she pulled Nickie into a hug, “but you’re family now so you’re always welcome. I’m glad we have this evening with just the four of us. I mean, I’m looking forward to the party at the clubhouse tomorrow, but it’ll be crazy.”
“I still can’t believe they’re throwing a party just so people can meet me. It’s a little overwhelming.”
Angelica glared at Bud before taking Nickie’s hand and pulling her into the kitchen. “Bash, take dad out on the patio and ya’ll can do your thing with the meat. Nickie’s going to chop veggies for the salad while I finish up with the slaw, gravy, and mashed potatoes.”
Nickie was happy to have something to do with her hands, but it didn’t take her long to slice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and scallions. She broke the romaine and kale up as she washed it, and was easy with the baby spinach. “Your dad told me wolves don’t like salad.”
“They don’t, but we’re part human too. We need greens at least every once in a while. Plus, he told me you eat them.” She chuckled. “Apparently, we’ve both been nervous about meeting each other. Would it freak you out for me to tell you I read your werewolf books and loved them?”
Nickie was through washing the salad, but she didn’t stop. She needed something to do with her hands. “I’m pleased you enjoyed them. It’s always a little awkward when someone in my regular life reads my erotic stuff, but maybe that’s just me.”
“It let me see more of you, I guess. I mean, I know my dad wouldn’t be happy with a prude, so the mere fact you’re dating him means you have to like sex, but still… I guess it made me happy to know he’s with someone who can give him that, too.”
Nickie wasn’t sure whether to be pleased Angelica wasn’t upset she wrote erotica, or embarrassed because of the conversation.
Both. She was both.
“I have no idea about my dad’s sex life,” she told Angelica, “and I’d just as soon keep it that way.”
“Without making this conversation any more awkward, I’ll point out that werewolf hearing means there are no secrets in a house, and I’ll sa
y that my parents sometimes decided to have sex on the kitchen table and were surprised so much time had passed when I came home from school and walked in on them.” She switched pans from one eye to another and grabbed the butter. “Okay, enough of that because I’m making you uncomfortable. Dad says you rode a bike around India, and over the Alps? I would love to ride the Alps.”
“Maybe we can plan a trip. You have to do it in the summer, and my preference is to keep the mileage per day low so you can stop and do all the touristy things. I think I averaged around a hundred and sixty miles a day, but some days were more and others were a lot less. It’s beautiful and I’d love to do it again.”
“Has dad insisted you stay on the back of his bike, or does he let you ride your own?”
“Until recently, my security needs didn’t much allow for bike rides too often. I rented a bike and rode into the North Georgia mountains with one of my bodyguards one day, otherwise I’ve mostly been in the back of a Drake Security SUV.”
“You don’t have your own bike?”
“My house is in Pennsylvania, though I’m not there much. I have a condo for three months in Atlanta, and I’ll likely buy a house outside the city before the lease ends. I rode a bicycle a lot in Pennsylvania, but it’s a lot flatter there.”
“You’d buy a house? Not move in with Dad?”
“I haven’t been invited to move in, but it’s too soon for that anyway. I’ve decided Georgia calls for a swimming pool, and I get frustrated that the condo pool is only open from ten in the morning until eight at night. I like to swim early morning and late evening, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished I could go for a swim around midnight.”
Their conversation was casual after that, and ten minutes later the men came in with steaks and pork chops from the grill.
Bud (Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Book 10) Page 26