Dice (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #3)

by Savannah Rylan

  The minute anyone said illegals in these parts, Gordita’s Army was always the first thought, but she was dead. The entire army was like lost fucking puppies without her. Unless someone…

  “They don’t think the army reformed, do they?”

  “It’s speculation right now,” Hudson explained. “But Matias was spotted down there right before shit hit the fan. So, if I had to guess, he’s regained control.”

  I took a long drag off my cigarette, letting the nicotine work its way through me. “And here I thought we finally got rid of those assholes.”

  “We should just kill them all,” Beast suggested and I laughed. Whenever faced with anything, Beast always wanted to end things with a kill.

  “It won’t work. Like Nick once said, you kill the leader and another one is never too far behind. We knew this was coming. It was just a matter of when. What does Cash have to say?”

  Hudson stubbed his cigarette out on his boot, and tossed the butt into the trash, to keep Aubree off his ass. “He said it’s Friday night dinner, and we’ll wait to discuss it in church.”

  “Which is why you guys are out here instead of in there.”

  “We don’t think it should wait. We need a plan before another one of us winds up six feet under.”

  I nodded, understanding their frustrations. There was nothing worse than feeling vulnerable, especially on your own turf. But Cash was taking a page from Nick’s books. Right now, there wasn’t much that could be done and, while Nick would choose to party, Cash was choosing to continue with the tradition of Friday night dinner.

  “Nothing’s going to happen between now and then. Let’s go get some of Martha’s chicken and worry about it tomorrow.”

  We turned to walk in and the prospects, Stumpy and Byrd, came out.

  “Where you boneheads going?” I asked.

  “Cash is making us go down to the clubhouse. He doesn’t want to keep it unattended.”

  “Boys, wait,” Martha, Aubree’s childhood chef who also happened to be Stumpy’s aunt, came out holding two Tupperware containers. “I made you meals to go.”

  “You’re the best,” Stumpy said, and kissed his aunt on the cheek.

  “Pussy,” Beast mumbled as he walked by, getting a tap to the chest from Martha.

  “Don’t you pick on my boy!”

  Hudson laughed. “So, Stump, you always have your aunt defending you?”

  Stumpy smiled. “I bet she could take all of you.”

  Martha turned an evil eye that was as menacing as an overweight, aging dog. “I got the guns,” she said, and held up her fists. “Now, you two run along and you three in… in!”

  We followed Martha into the house, and my eyes immediately landed on Allison. She sat in the corner with her legs crossed beneath a long dress with tiny straps that I imagined pushing off of her shoulders. Her hair was down and wavy, her pink lips glossed, and I couldn’t take my attention off of them. She spoke with Sienna and Aubree, who each held a glass of wine.

  I went right to her and, when she saw me, her cobalt eyes widened in a similar way they did when I thrust my cock into her.

  “Hey, Al,” I said, sitting down between her and Sienna. “S, Aubs, how’s it going?”

  Sienna arched an eyebrow at me, but I pretended not to notice. She already warned me, and her reminders were moot at this point.

  “We were talking wedding plans,” Aubs said with a smile. Her and Cash got engaged last year and they finally set a date. Aubree had gone into Bridezilla mode, at least according to Cash. He couldn’t be bothered with what color napkins they should have or what the cake should taste like. The only thing he cared about was officially making Aubree his. If he could have it his way, they would have been married already at the Justice of the Peace.

  But, like most girls, Aubree had been planning her wedding for years. After her dad’s arrest, her lifestyle had changed dramatically. She went from being a spoiled brat who got whatever she wanted to a hardworking business owner, but she couldn’t let the dream of the perfect wedding go.

  I looked to Allison who sipped her wine. She didn’t seem like the type who would want a big wedding. Something small and understated like being barefoot on the beach somewhere would suit her better.

  I clapped my hands together and leaned back. “So, have you decided between the white or ivory napkins?” She stopped by the garage the other day with both, insisting Cash make a decision. After Aubree left, all the guys agreed that the colors looked exactly the same. Miles reminded Cash of the hell Aubree put him through when he volunteered to paint her boutique. The girl was a stickler for color, and would drive us all crazy before this wedding was over.

  “I went with the white because it’s pure, and Cash said that reminded him of me.”

  I laughed, trying to picture Cash saying anything like that. Sappy declarations like that were more Kade’s style, but I guess, when you found the right girl, shit like that just came out.

  I could feel the heat radiating off of Allison. Noticed every slight movement she made from uncrossing her legs to rubbing her arm. After our night together, she’s all that had been on my mind. I’d randomly find myself thinking about her throughout the day, and getting hard as fucking stone. I’d never jerked off so much in my life.

  So many times, I thought about showing up at her place, but she wasn’t like other girls from my past. I didn’t want her to think she was just something for me to stick my dick in.

  I shifted, focusing my attention on Allison and trying not to stare at her lips. “So, Al, I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

  “Sienna invited me.”

  “That was nice of you,” I said. “Didn’t think you had that in you.” Sienna elbowed me in the side.

  “I’m nice, asshole.”

  “Yup, no thorns in your rose bush.”

  “Why the fuck you talking about my girl’s bush?” Kade walked over, smiling, and holding DC in his arms, who immediately reached for Sienna.

  She got up, took her son and smacked Kade’s chest. “I don’t have a bush.”

  “No, you don’t,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her tight against him.

  Cash walked over and kissed the top of Aubree’s head. What was happening to my brothers? A few years ago, on a Friday night, we’d all be getting trashed at the clubhouse and taking turns with the club’s whores. Now, we were all domesticated and shit. And, if I was honest with myself, I didn’t mind it at all.

  Friday night dinner was the life I never had growing up and always wanted: a family that sat around the table eating and genuinely enjoying each other’s company. It was such a foreign concept for me, but not anymore.

  Aubree helped bring order to our crazy asses, and a part of me would always appreciate that. I glanced around the house, and everyone was accounted for… except for Miles. Son of a bitch.

  “Has anyone seen Miles?” I asked, and Cash took his mouth away from Aubree’s ear.

  “He texted me earlier. Said he got caught up with something and would be late.”

  If he showed up here high and off his rocker, I would kill him. That is, if Cash didn’t kill him first.

  “I’m going to see if Martha needs help,” Aubree said.

  Cash snaked his arm around her waist. “I’ll come with you.”

  DC threw his chubby arms up in the air, and Allison jumped up from the couch. “Give him to me. You guys go enjoy your night.”

  “Oh no,” S said. “You’re off tonight. I invited you to hang out, not to work.”

  “I don’t mind really.”

  I took DC’s tiny hand in mine, and he smiled a big gummy smile. “Hey, buddy. I haven’t seen my godson all day. We got him.”

  Sienna looked between Allison and me, her hard stare lingering on me for far too long.

  “I’m not going to argue,” Kade said. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Cut the umbilical cord and let him go.”

  Her stare turned to Kade, but he made some obscene ges
ture with his tongue and made her laugh. She handed DC to Allison, and she and Kade disappeared into the kitchen.

  Allison sat down on the couch and placed DC between us. She reached into her bag and pulled out the blocks that he loved. DC squealed his approval, took the block, and waved it in the air.

  “You come prepared,” I said.

  “He loves them, so I always make sure to have a few with me. Helps when we’re in the grocery store and he gets fussy.”

  “So, how have you been?” I asked.

  “I still have a leaky sink.”

  “Oh, shit. I never did fix that, did I?”

  A smile twitched at the corner of her lip and a red crept across her cheeks. “We got a little caught up.”

  “I can come over tonight and look at it,” I said with a wiggle of my eyebrows.

  She leaned in, her musky vanilla scent invading my senses. “Leaky sink is not code for sex.”

  “Well, then damn, forget it.” She shoved at my shoulder, and it took all that I had to resist pulling her onto my lap. “I’m kidding. I’ll actually fix it this time and, if I’m lucky, maybe you can show me your appreciation.” I winked and she bit her lip, making my dick instantly hard. Needing to touch her, I tucked her hair behind her ear.

  “You left last time without a goodbye.”

  “I told you I was sorry about that. I had to deal with a situation. It won’t happen again.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  I grabbed my chest. “You break my heart.”

  “You’re a tough boy. I’m sure you’ll be okay.”

  DC threw his block, and Allison caught it without batting an eye. She handed it back to him and gave him a sweet kiss on his head. “Sienna said you guys do this every Friday? Get together and have dinner?”

  “We don’t really have a choice. Aubree would hunt us all down if we didn’t show,” I joked and Allison laughed. “Don’t let that tiny thing fool you. She’s pretty scary when she has to be.”

  “As a girl who wears bright yellow, and has the nickname Sunshine, I find that hard to believe.”

  If Allison only knew that Aubree had killed a man in cold blood. Not that anybody could blame her. The guy broke into Cash’s house and attacked them; she had no choice. That kill was what set off the war between Gordita’s Army and Montamos and, most likely, the event that led to Nick’s death. Not that any of us would say that out loud. It was a bunch of misfortunate events that not any one person was responsible for.

  Though, Sienna still blamed herself for her father’s death and, no matter what any of us said, that would never change.

  “Good point,” I said, deciding to leave it at that. “Did you have any traditions back home?”

  Allison smiled, the sparkle in her eye dulling to sadness. “It was just my mom and me. We didn’t really have any traditions. Actually.” Her eyes brightened again. “Mom used to take me down to the Santa Monica Pier to ride the Ferris wheel. Even if we weren’t living in the state, since we moved around a lot, she always made sure to take a trip back there at least once a year. This might sound stupid, but, when she died, that’s where I went. For some reason, riding that car to the top made me feel closer to her.”

  The desire to wrap her in my arms was strong, but I fought the urge.

  “I haven’t been back since.” Tears welled in her eyes, but she smiled through them. “So, what about you? Any traditions?”

  “My home life didn’t exactly warrant for any traditions, unless you call sitting with my mom at the diner on Sunday night while she pulled a double a tradition. By the time I was eight, she just left me at home to fend for myself.”

  “At eight?”

  I shrugged. “I love my mom. Don’t get me wrong, but she wasn’t cut out to be a mother. Not like S, that’s for sure.”

  “Did it get lonely?”

  “Luckily for me, I had a pretty good imagination. I was able to entertain myself.”

  “Dinner is served,” Martha announced, and we all moved to the table. It was covered in its usual Friday night dinner glory. Pasta, ham, some delicious pineapple chicken shit that Sienna couldn’t get enough of when she was pregnant, homemade macaroni and cheese, stuffing, mashed potatoes and a whole shitload of other stuff.

  It’s like what I imagined most people’s Thanksgiving was like growing up. Allison placed DC in the high chair next to her and took the seat beside me.

  I loaded my plate up until it was overflowing. “If I keep eating like this every Friday, you’re going to have to get a crane to get my ass out of here,” I said, and everyone laughed.

  Kade looked at my plate, then at me. “Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to eat it.”

  “Allison, try the honey pineapple teriyaki chicken. It’s amazing,” Sienna said, pointing her fork toward the tray.

  “Eugene, would you mind passing it?” she asked, and all the talking seized. Every pair of eyes at the table swung to me, and stared with arched eyebrows and slacked jaws.

  I tried to ignore them and reached for the tray, handing it off to Allison.

  “Eugene?” Braxton finally said with a smirk.

  “You told her your real name?” S asked. She was one of the very few people who knew it.

  “Your real name’s not Dice?” Phil asked, and I shook my head.

  “Sorry,” Allison whispered next to me.

  I found her knee under the table and gave it a squeeze. “Yes, that’s my real name. And, no you cannot call me by it. It’s reserved for my mother and…”

  “And who?” Sienna asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Oh, shit. It was only a matter of time before Sienna found out about Allison and me, but I didn’t expect it to be in front of the entire club. This was not the time or place to have this discussion.

  Kade rested his hand on Sienna’s shoulder, his signal for her to rein it back a little, but as usual that only annoyed her farther.

  “You promised me you weren’t going to sleep with her.”

  Allison’s body went stiff beneath my hand. I’m sure she wasn’t expecting her sex life to be aired out at dinner tonight, or she never would have come.

  “Awkward,” Aubree mumbled, forking a piece of chicken.

  “Why don’t we eat and talk later?” Kade said.

  “Why don’t we talk now?” Sienna insisted.

  Kade held his hands up and rested into the back of his seat. “I tried.”

  “I appreciate it, brother, but I know how my sister can be.”

  “Oh, no,” Sienna said, waving her finger. “Don’t pull the sister shit right now. You promised.”

  “And shit happens. You of all people should understand that.” After all, she was the one who got knocked up after what was supposed to be a one drunken night thing with Kade. Best thing that ever happened to her, if you asked me, but that wasn’t the point right now.

  Sienna’s eyes darkened and, if we weren’t in Cash and Aubree’s home, she probably would have sunk her hand in the mac and cheese and tossed it at my head.

  “How long has this been going on? Are you off fucking when you should be watching my son?”

  “Never!” Allison said, her cheeks a new shade of red. “If you must know, it happened once and not when I was working.” She dropped her eyes to the table, and now I wanted to sink my hand into the mac and cheese and throw it at Sienna for making Allison feel ashamed.

  “We’re two consenting adults and, quite frankly, S, it’s none of your fucking business.”

  Her eyes locked with mine in an intense stare down. Silence filled the air like everyone around us was afraid to talk or move.

  The door flew open, slicing into the silence. A blood curdling scream erupted from Martha, and we all jumped to our feet drawing our guns.

  Allison’s eyes widened in fear.

  Byrd carried Stumpy in, blood spreading across his shirt and dripping on the floor. We all withdrew our guns.

  “My nephew!” Martha cried. “What happened? What hap
pened?”

  “Can someone calm her down?” Cash asked. He nodded to Braxton and Hudson. “Go.” Then, he walked over to the prospects. “What the fuck happened?” he demanded.

  “Some guys rolled up on us and opened up,” Byrd explained. Stumpy moaned and groaned, his head hanging limply from Byrd’s arms.

  “Why the fuck did you bring him here?”

  “I didn’t know what to do?”

  “You’re getting blood on my floor.”

  Sienna came over with towels, and wiped up the blood before laying a few down. I went to her, taking a few from her and helping her out.

  “Place him here. How bad is the wound?” Sienna had always been the one to take charge in situations. Even before she was a mom, she always had that in her.

  “Not sure. It happened, and I came straight here,” Byrd said.

  “Hey Stumpy, you hang in there,” she said as she lifted his shirt. “Beast, get over here.”

  Beast came over to us, his plate still in hand. He took a bite of ham and nodded his head. “Flesh wound. Nothing serious. Got to clean the wound and sew him up.”

  “Do you got it?” I asked. None of us knew where Beast came from, except that he spent some time in the Marines right out of high school. He never spoke about it, and we never asked.

  He mumbled something before finishing the food on his plate and placing it on the table. He had this under control, so I went to go back to my own dinner when my eyes landed on Allison. She was frozen in place, just staring at the scene in front of her.

  I went to her, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “He’s going to be fine.”

  She pushed her fingers through her hair and stood. “I need some fresh air,” she said, and took off out the front door.

  I ran after her. We didn’t have many answers right now, but, if Stumpy was shot, that meant we were being targeted. It wasn’t safe for her to be outside.

  “Al,” I called out to her as she ran across the driveway. She stopped, resting her hands on her thighs.

  “Is this normal?” she blurted. “Someone getting shot? Because, other than Martha and me, nobody seemed to be freaking out. You all acted like it wasn’t a big deal.”