Burning Ember

by Darby Briar

  He nods slightly, in total agreement. “But it feels right, doesn’t it?”

  Before our kiss can connect, Jade screeches, “What the hell are you two doing? Fucking untie me!”

  The spell’s broken and I pull away. Mav’s breathing heavy and he cuts a glance once to me before he moves toward Jade. I look to the end of the bed and see two hairy legs, and then a small body as the little creature crawls across her ankle.

  Jade screams. “What the fuck is that?” She starts kicking her legs. “That better not be what I think it is!”

  “Fuck! Hurry, grab it!” Mav shouts.

  I don’t think. I just do. I scoop up a T-shirt from the floor and while trying to dodge white skinny legs, I grab for Taz’s tarantula. Because I’m pretty sure if Jade hurts Boop, Taz is going to bury her alive.

  “Got her!” I say in an excited and relieved voice as I back away from the bed.

  Mav goes for the ropes and starts untying Jade.

  “Is that Taz’s fucking spider?”

  Boop gets halfway out of the makeshift bag I’ve made of the shirt and Jade lets out a wail befitting an actress in a horror movie.

  “Was that thing crawling on my leg? Oh my God, ew, ew, ew!” In frantic movements, she brushes at her legs, then her arms and chest, like she’s being attacked by a million ants.

  “She’s not on you. I got her,” I say as I roll my eyes.

  Jade throws me a glare as she flees the room.

  The rumble of laughter has my eyes widening and my head whipping in Mav’s direction. His laugh is throaty and guttural. Sexy as hell.

  “I’m glad you find this funny,” I say. “I nearly got concussed by her bony legs.” Though it comes out stern, I’m grinning. His laughter is contagious and I find myself laughing too though not as freely or as loudly.

  Mav bends forward and his laugh gets deeper. Freer. He’s holding his sides. It’s enthralling to watch. When he stands, he laces his fingers and puts his hands behind his head. He looks up at the ceiling and yes, he’s still laughing. And it’s the most amazing thing I think I’ve ever seen.

  It’s captivating, because not only are his gorgeous muscles on display but also it’s the first time I’ve ever seen the darkness fully leave him. Watching him like this leaves me breathless and sparks melancholy deep within my soul.

  I’m sure of it now. This is the old Mav. This is what he was like before Dana came into his life.

  His laughter softly dies.

  “Christ, I haven’t fuckin’ laughed like that in ages,” he says. “I can’t believe it was on her leg.” When he looks over at me, he adds, “You did good. If she would’ve . . . Taz would’ve . . .” He shakes his head.

  Yeah, I know exactly what Taz would’ve done.

  “Thanks.”

  Walking toward him, arm out, I say, “No problem. Here.”

  Mav eyes bulge to the size of golf balls as he jumps back. “Fuck! Get that thing away from me.”

  My jaw drops as I take in the panicked expression on his face. Then it dawns on me. “That’s why you needed me. You’re scared of spiders.”

  He swallows thickly. Shakes his head. “No. I needed to untie her so she didn’t—” I shove the spider toward him again. He shouts and holds his hand out to ward me off.

  I’m the one laughing hard now. “You are too!”

  “Jesus. Okay, fine. I am. Just . . . get her away from me!” He rubs his hand over his head. “Go put her in her cage or somethin’.”

  I’m very, very tempted to throw Boop at him, but I’m not into animal cruelty so I restrain myself.

  Mav pulls a phone from his pocket. “Call Taz. Push number three.”

  “Why can’t you call him?”

  “‘Cause I need to get those sheets off my bed. I’m not fuckin’ sleepin’ in those after she’s been in there.”

  Oh, right, the girl. Gross. I did not need a reminder. “T.M.I. Mav.”

  He cocks a half smile. “I meant the spider, Doll. Not Jade.”

  “Oh. Right. Of course you did.”

  “Wanna tell me why you freaked out about the rope?”

  I shake my head. “I didn’t—”

  “Don’t even. You did. Listen, I’ll make you a deal. You don’t mention my thing with spiders, and I won’t bring up the rope shit again either. Deal?”

  After a moment, I nod.

  When I leave the room, Mav follows me out into the hallway, though at a safe distance. I try Taz’s door only to find that it’s locked.

  When I turn back, I find Mav staring at me with a contemplative expression covering his features. “The small spaces thing . . . is that why you open the window and the door?”

  I’m tempted to lie to him, but I’m pretty sure he can see the truth on my face right now.

  “I’m sorta claustrophobic.”

  He tilts his head and considers me for a minute. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

  “You didn’t really give me a chance to.”

  He’s actually acting like a human being and I don’t know how to handle this new Mav. “You know. It’s nice to see you like this.”

  He looks down at his chest. “Like what? Like this?”

  I laugh and shake my head. “Wow. Cocky much. No. Not so . . . Me asshole . . . you Jane.” I even use the Tarzan voice. All humor fades from his face.

  Oh for the love of God, Em . . . did you have to ruin it? Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut?

  “Never mind. Forget I said anything,” I mutter. I turn away from him before the glaring starts up. I hit three on the phone.

  Taz answers on the second ring. “Yeah?”

  “It’s Pumpkin. I found Boop.”

  Taz is silent for a second, “Be right there.” The line disconnects. I look down at the phone. It’s a flip phone. Maybe even one of those prepaid ones. For a split second, I consider asking Mav if I could use it. I’d love nothing more than to call Sundown and Will. But I know what Mav will say. And I’ve just insulted him so now probably isn’t the time to be asking for favors.

  Mav comes out of his room with a pile of sheets. He dumps them at my feet. He’s now wearing a navy T-shirt, his face is stoic, and his eyes are blank of emotion. He plucks his phone from my hand and once back in his room, slams the door.

  I call out after him, “I’m guessing you want me to wash those for you?”

  Music comes on, turned up so loud that if I shout again, he won’t be able to hear me. The song is Wicked Game, by Stone Sour and for some reason it makes goosebumps spread down my arms at the same time that my stomach ties itself into a knot.

  I sigh and look at the bundle in my hand. “Should we let you back in there? Huh? You wanna spend the night with Uncle Luce, don’t you, Boop?” She wiggles around trying to get free. “Don’t worry, girl. I’m not that mean. And Taz misses you.”

  A good poker player knows when to bluff, when to play, and to fold when the odds are stacked against them.

  EMBER

  I’m elbow deep in a toilet bowl, when I feel someone nudge my butt from behind. Startled, I fling water everywhere as I whirl around and come face to face with a white English bulldog. He’s old, overweight, and has a brown spot over his left eye, and drool dripping from the corners of his mouth.

  “Where did you come from, little guy?” He opens his mouth, panting, and his breath hits me. I wave my hand in front of my face. “Wow, obviously somewhere they don’t have doggy breath-mints.”

  A red bandana with a small circle patch on it, hangs around his neck. The patch reads, “Property of a HOC”. I check his collar. “Donut, huh?” There’s a phone number below his name, but that’s all. “Who do you belong to, Donut?” He tilts his head.

  “Not a big talker. Mmmm.” I peek underneath him. “Yep, men never are.”

  He steps forward and licks the skin at my hip, the small bit between my tank and my shorts. I giggle and cover the patch of skin with my hand. “Whoa . . . we just met and already you’re getting friendly.�
�� I bend down and get face to face with him. I whisper, “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I’m not like those other girls out there.” His long tongue licks me from chin to nose as I giggle and pull away. “You definitely fit in with the guys, don’t ya?”

  I face him fully, sit, and cross my legs. Thinking it’s time for a break. Cautiously, I pull him into my lap. As I start petting him, he licks my hand, eating up the affection.

  Ten minutes later I get back to work, but pause here and there to give him a belly rub or a scratch behind the ear.

  After I’m done, I pick him up so he doesn’t go running all over the clubhouse. Seeing Lil’ Bird and Goose at the bar, I make my way over to them. “Do you know who this little guy belongs to?”

  They both turn and Lily immediately smiles ear to ear. She reaches forward and pets the dog. “Hey, Donut,” she coo’s. “Did you find yourself a hot girlfriend? Hmmm? Cap would be so proud you.”

  “He’s Cap and Nick’s. Kinda the club mascot. Nick went out of town. So she asked Mav to watch him,” Goose explains.

  Cap and Nick. From what Lily told me, Cap is the current president of the club. He was in a motorcycle accident not too long ago and he’s been in the hospital. They’re not sure yet if he’s going to make it. Nick, his wife and Dozer’s mother, is the mother hen around here. The queen killer bee. I haven’t met her yet but I’m sure I will. She supposedly doesn’t like Lily, and Lily thinks she’s pitted the other old ladies against her.

  I raise both eyebrows. “Mav?”

  Goose nods. “Yeah, don’t worry, cherry girl. Not only would Nick kick his ass if something happened to him, but Mav’s partial to dogs. He only hates women, redheaded women to be specific.”

  “Oh, jeez, thanks,” I deadpan and earn a sexy smile from Lily’s old man.

  “Usually, Axel watches him. Bethany’s oldest. But Bethany sent him to one of those camps for troubled youths. She’s the one I told you about who’s looking for a nanny.”

  “Lil’ . . .” Goose says her name as warning. “Don’t go there. It’s his business.”

  She turns fully to him, “But she needs help, Baby. And I’m her friend. I’m not just going to ignore the fact we know someone who could help her.”

  Grabbing her hand, he says in a harsher tone, “Woman, if she really needed help, she could ask one of the other old ladies. But either way, it’s best if you stay out of it. You don’t need any more trouble comin’ your way.”

  A hurt look comes over her face and she yanks her hand from his. “Why don’t you crash here tonight? I need a night to myself.” While still scowling at him she hooks her arm with mine and pulls me away. To me she says, “Come on. Let’s take Donut outside for a walk.”

  “Lil’,” Goose says her name like a plea.

  She ignores him.

  As we walk toward the front door, curses fly behind us.

  Outside I ask, “Will he run off if I put him down?”

  She pets the dog’s back. “Honestly, I don’t think he could run even if he wanted to. Poor little thing. Too many donuts. He freaking loves those things. You know, he used to be named Zeke, but Cap changed it after he caught the little runt on top of the kitchen table demolishing a dozen donuts by himself. Cap says Dozer put him up there, but Dozer denies it.”

  I put Donut on the ground and he meanders around.

  “So you think Dozer doesn’t want me babysitting because he doesn’t want Bethany to know about me?”

  Lily shrugs. “Probably. It’s just that I know Bethany and she isn’t going ask anyone for help. Especially the other old ladies. She’s picky about who she lets around the kids. And some of the other old Ladies are so caught up in the life, they preach it to the kids like it’s gospel. Bethany doesn’t want Axel to be in the club. Or Medda growing up and wanting to be an old lady. She’s even mentioned maybe moving away. I think if she could afford to, she would. She wants her kids sheltered from all this.”

  “I don’t know if I blame her.” The words tumble out. I cover my mouth and mumble, “I’m sorry. That sounded rude. I’m not judging you. It just seems like a rough life sometimes.”

  “No. I get it. You’ve only seen the ugly parts of it so far. The parties, the girls, the guys being dicks. But there are some good parts too. Like . . . my kids, when I have them, will never want for anything. They’ll have family and support. No one would ever fuck with them. And we both know from experience that life on the outside isn’t all sunshine and gumdrops.”

  Isn’t that the truth?

  “What makes you think Bethany will want me around her kids?”

  “Because you’re different. You didn’t grow up in the life. You’re kind and sweet. Honest. Trust me. She’ll love you.”

  I kneel down to pick up a small stick. I wiggle it in front of Donut. Excitement flashes in his eyes. But when I throw it fifteen or so feet, his head is the only part of him that moves. He looks at it for a second and then sits.

  Lily and I burst out laughing.

  “Try that with food and it just might work,” she says.

  A whistle pierces the air. Donut waddles off and we follow him. We turn the corner at the back of the clubhouse, and right away, I spot Mav bent over the animal, his hands rubbing Donut’s belly. Mav murmurs to him, but I can’t make out what he says.

  Grabbing the hose and turning on the water, he offers Donut a drink. Slobber and water go everywhere—over Mav’s jeans, the ground, his black boots. He laughs low. He’s smiling down at the dog and patting his back. “Atta boy,” he says.

  Warmth floods through my chest making it swell with feeling.

  An elbow jabs into my side. Startled, I look over at Lily. She whispers, “Close your mouth before he sees you drooling.”

  I snap my mouth shut.

  But when I look back up, I find tawny eyes roaming up my body, and then focusing on my face. The almost kiss we shared last night flashes through my mind. I drop my eyes to Donut and fight the heat trying to flood into my cheeks.

  “Hey, Mav,” Lily sing-songs, “any word on Cap?”

  He wipes his wet hands on his jeans. “He’s still out. Nick went to get his mama . . . just in case. The doctors are tryin’ to bring him around though.”

  “He’ll pull though.”

  “Yeah, he will.”

  “Is everyone still comin’ over Wednesday?” she asks.

  “Far as I know.” With that being said, he pats his leg and Donut follows him back into the clubhouse.

  “Wow, how did I not see that comin’?” she says after he’s out of earshot.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.” She shoulder bumps me.

  “I don’t.”

  “Mmmm hmmm. Let’s just say, now I know why you’re not picking up the hints Dozer’s been dropping for you. Pumpkin like’s her men a bit darker.”

  “No it’s . . . I’m not . . .” I take a deep breath to calm down and say, “He doesn’t even like me.”

  “The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Or however in the hell that goes.”

  “Shakespeare? Lily, really?”

  She laughs. “Pretty impressive for a girl who never finished high school, right?”

  I nod and mentally chart it down as something else we have in common.

  “Now stop brushing me off. What the hell’s going on with Mav?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing?” She wiggles her eyebrows. “Or nothing yet?”

  “Nothing. Nothing.”

  “Right. It looked like nothing. I’ve known Mav for two years, and he’s never once look at a girl the way he was lookin’ at you.”

  I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see Dozer walking across the yard toward me. “You hidin’ out?” he asks. I’m leaning back on a picnic table catching some rays.

  “No. Taking a break. Why? You need something?”

  He shakes his head. “No, wanted to let you know tonight’s poker night and
we’ll be orderin’ pizza so you don’t have to cook.”

  I stand and brush off my butt. Dozer watches. When he sees he’s been caught, he smirks and shrugs.

  “You play? Poker?”

  “Yeah. I can play cards.”

  He chuckles. “Play or play good?”

  “Well, when you grow up without video games or a TV like the rest of your friends, you have to find other productive ways to entertain yourself.”

  He lets out a laugh. “Alone . . . with you . . . I could find a lot of productive ways to entertain myself.” Then he looks around and finding no one outside, he pulls me in close. “No video games or TV necessary.”

  I get a little nervous when Dozer becomes flirty like this. I worry that maybe I’ve played my part a little too well. He likes me. He’s interested in me physically, but there’s no spark with him. Not like there is with Mav. With Mav, I merely see or feel him near and my body reacts like tinder while the rest of the world falls away.

  Griz raps his knuckles on the table next to me. “Your call, sweetheart. You in or you out?”

  I chew on my lip and furrow my brows. “I’m in. I think. One sec.”

  Griz leans over and peeks at my hand.

  “Hey now.” I pull my cards in close to my chest.

  Chuckling, he says, “Just trying to help you out.”

  “Pay attention to your own cards, old man.” Dozer’s sitting on my left, his arm behind my chair. He pushes Griz back into his own chair on my right. “If she needs help, she knows where to find it.”

  When the guys first asked me to play, it was a joke. They thought they’d hustle me out of the money I’ve made this week doing laundry—one hundred and two dollars. Not much to them but it’s a lot to me. Dozer’s been encouraging me to hustle the shit out of them in return. Over the last hour, that’s exactly what I’ve done, and I’ve raked in a good pile of chips too.