by Susan Stoker
“Not really, but there’s no way she’s gonna forgive me when she finds out what I’m doing and that I’m not just in security.”
Dax chuckled at that, but sobered quickly and said, “If there’s something between you, you never know.”
Cruz sighed and sat on a chair at his kitchen table. He’d spoken with Mickie several times since their last date, and every time he talked to her, he swore she just got better and better.
“I’m not sure I can forgive myself for what I’ve had to do this time, Dax.”
“Take the afternoon off and come and visit with me and Mack.”
“Thanks, but I can’t.”
“You know the offer is always open.”
“I know, and I appreciate it.”
“All right. You take care. I’ll make sure Mack’s around the next time I call, I know she’ll want to talk to you.”
“Sounds good, talk to you later. Bye.”
“Bye, Cruz.”
Cruz clicked off his phone and put it on the table. He thought back to the last week. After Ransom had gotten Angel off in front of her friends, and they’d bought a shitload of coke, the party had disintegrated into a disgusting display of the club members getting the ladies completely shitfaced with the drugs. The guys had then taken the women to different parts of the warehouse and gotten them off, much as Ransom had done to Angel.
Cruz had finally left, to the jeers of the club members because he didn’t have any pussy to play with. It’d been three days since he’d spoken to Mickie because he’d felt guilty as hell about what had happened to her sister. If he was honest with himself, it was also because he felt dirty.
He put his head in his hands and let out a deep breath. He was being an idiot. This was a job. That’s all.
But he knew he was lying to himself. Mickie had become very important to him in a short amount of time and he hated the double life he was living.
He hated being in the club, but he was happy that being there gave him a reason to talk to Mickie, and to see her more often than he probably would’ve been able to swing if he wasn’t supposed to be keeping his eye on her. He hated when Ransom asked for updates on the “sister situation,” as he called it, but enjoyed being able to be around her.
Later that morning, the phone on the counter rang and Cruz stood up to answer it. It was “Smoke’s” phone that was ringing. Without bothering to check who it was, he turned on his MC persona as he answered.
“Yo.”
“Hi, Cruz?”
Fuck. “Hey, Mickie.” He immediately gentled his voice.
“Hey. Whatcha doing?”
“Sitting around thinking about making something to eat. You?”
“Feeling sorry for myself. Want to go grab something together?”
“Everything all right?”
“No.”
“Mickie? Talk to me.”
Cruz heard a big sigh on the other end of the line.
“It’s nothing new, Cruz. It’s Angel. We had another big fight today. I’m losing her and it’s freaking me out.”
Instead of asking more questions, Cruz suggested, “Want to meet at the pancake place on Timberhill and Grissom?”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Thirty minutes?”
“Perfect. Drive safe. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you. And thanks, Cruz. Bye.”
Cruz hung up and immediately turned toward his bedroom.
It was obvious Mickie was feeling down and had called him to try to cheer herself up. He couldn’t deny that it made him feel good inside that he was the one she wanted to talk to when she was sad. She was so open and trusting. Just being around her made Cruz feel calm.
But the thing that made him recognize he’d completely fallen for her was the realization that the second it dawned on him that she was feeling down, he’d done whatever he could to cheer her up.
He’d never felt that way about Sophie. He didn’t like it when she wasn’t happy, but he didn’t feel this all-consuming need to see to her. Cruz knew he should go into the club and see what Ransom had planned for later, but Mickie came first. It wasn’t until after he had hung up that he realized he’d already put Mickie before everything else in his life. His job, his friends…and he’d continue to, if it came to that.
Cruz pulled up to the restaurant in his little car and entered. He saw Mickie sitting at a booth in the back of the small room and made his way to her. The second she saw him, her face lit up in greeting.
Mickie had been nursing her cup of coffee for a few minutes when she saw Cruz come through the door. She waved him over and smiled as he arrived at the table.
“Hey, Cruz. Thanks for coming.”
“The pleasure’s all mine, believe me.” Cruz scooted into her side of the booth and leaned over and kissed Mickie on the side of the head. “Are you okay?”
“As okay as I can be, knowing my sister is making the biggest mistake of her life.”
“What’s she done now?”
Before Mickie could answer, the waitress came over to their table. Cruz didn’t have to look at the menu to know what he wanted to eat. He told her what he wanted and Mickie also ordered. Mickie picked up their conversation as if they hadn’t been interrupted.
“I called Angel this morning and she sounded completely out of it when she answered. I asked how her job was going and she told me she’d quit. Quit, Cruz. It’s not like she was working her dream job or anything, but what the hell does she think she’s going to live on?”
“I was under the impression she had some money.”
“She does. We do, but it’s not enough for her to live on forever. I mean, I know I took Troy for half of everything he had, but I actually like working. Angel has to do something. She can’t just sit around and eat bon-bons for the rest of her life. The thing of it is, she didn’t sound like herself. She was totally unconcerned she was sleeping at ten in the morning. In the past, she always got up by eight so she could go to the gym and work out when all the hotties were there. Her words, not mine.”
Cruz put his hand over Mickie’s on the table. “Is she still seeing that guy?”
“I think so. I mean, she didn’t say specifically, but when I asked about him, she told me to butt out and hung up on me. I swear if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was high or something. Angel’s done some pot before, when she was in high school, but this was different I think.” Mickie sipped her coffee.
“What’s going on behind those pretty eyes?”
Mickie looked at him. “She’s my sister. I have to help her, whether she wants it or not.”
“Mickie—”
“Don’t take that tone with me, Cruz. I’m an adult.”
“So is Angel.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No buts about it, Mickie.”
“Is that how you felt about your wife?”
Mickie wished she could take back the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. It was a shitty thing to say.
She put her hand on Cruz’s arm and immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, Cruz. That was uncalled for. I just…I thought about following her one night to see where she went with that asshole Ransom. If I can take some pictures of him doing something illegal, get her to see that he’s not a good guy—”
Cruz took Mickie by the arms and turned her toward him. “Abso-fucking-lutely not. Terrible idea, Mickie. No way.”
“What am I supposed to do then?”
He spoke without thinking. “Let me ask some of the guys I work with. Some work as private investigators on the side. I’ll see what they know about the MC.”
“You’d do that for her?”
“No, I’d do it for you.” Cruz stared into Mickie’s eyes as they teared up.
Mickie leaned forward and put her arms around Cruz. “Thank you. Having you ask your coworkers if they know anything makes me feel like I’m not so alone in trying to look out for Angel. You have no idea how much this means to me. She’s my only sister. I don’t know what I’d do if so
mething happened to her.”
“Don’t get your hopes up; I’m not sure what I’ll find out. It’ll probably be nothing, and even if they do know about the club, I don’t know what good it’ll do you.” Cruz felt like he had to warn her. He had no idea what information he could give to Mickie that would satisfy her, but there was no way he wanted Mickie anywhere near Ransom and his fucking compound.
“I appreciate you even seeing what you can find out. I’m not sure it’ll do any good, because I think Angel already knows Ransom isn’t exactly on the up and up, but she doesn’t seem to care. But maybe if he’s doing something really bad, I can call the cops and turn him in. That would get him out of her life.”
The waitress arrived with their food and Mickie sat back. They ate their meal with no more mention of Angel. Mickie seemed contemplative, but Cruz thought it was only natural with all she had going on in her life.
When they were done, Cruz paid the bill and they left the restaurant.
“What are you doing for the rest of the day, Mickie?” Cruz knew he would have to show up in the evening because of a job Ransom had for him and some of the other members, but he didn’t want to let Mickie go. He loved spending time with her; she made him feel like a better person, even if it wasn’t true.
Cruz had no idea what Ransom had in store for Angel or her friends that night, but he hoped now that Ransom had introduced them to cocaine, he’d lay off having parties almost every night and concentrate on supplying them with drugs individually.
The club members were headed out to pick up another shipment of drugs later that evening though, and Cruz knew he couldn’t miss it. Bubba was in charge again, and he’d already tasked Cruz and some of the other members to go with him to do the pickup. Cruz was hoping to finally get enough information on the suppliers of the drugs to pass along to his boss so he could get the hell out of the op.
“I was gonna go home and wallow in my uneasiness about Angel…got something that could compete with that?” Mickie joked, holding onto Cruz’s arm as they walked to their cars.
“How about spending it with me?”
Mickie stopped, causing Cruz to stop as well.
“I’d love to.”
Cruz smiled, loving that Mickie didn’t play games with him. If she wanted something, she said it. If she was hungry, she ate. If she was in a bad mood, she didn’t pretend she wasn’t.
“Great. Is it okay if we just go back to my place and hang?” he asked as they continued walking.
“You don’t want to go to the mall?” Mickie teased.
Jesus, the last place he wanted to go to with her was the fucking mall. “No way.”
She laughed. “I was joking. Got any good movies?”
“Yeah, I have a whole collection you can look through.”
“I get to choose?”
“Sure.”
“Not scared of what I’ll pick?”
Cruz guided Mickie to her car and waited as she unlocked the doors. Once she clicked the locks, Cruz backed her against the car and caged her in with his arms. “Mickie, it’s my place. It’s not like I have a secret stash of romantic comedies for you to choose from.”
Mickie giggled.
Cruz leaned in and smirked as her giggling stopped. “I hope you like action flicks. I’m not sure I’ve got anything else.” He put his head to Mickie’s neck and nuzzled her ear.
“I-I like them.”
Cruz felt Mickie’s hands go to his waist and hold on to his shirt. He purposely breathed in her ear before saying softly, “Good.”
“On one condition…”
Cruz pulled back and looked at her. She was smirking at him. “One condition, huh? Okay, shoot.”
“I want to see your tattoo.” Mickie ran her fingertips over the edge of his T-shirt, right above the tattoo that snaked up his upper left arm.
“You like tattoos?”
“Never really thought about it before, but on you? Yeah, I think so.”
“Deal. You can pick the movie and I’ll let you see my tattoo.”
“Cool,” Mickie breathed as she looked up at him.
He drew back, knowing he was a second away from kissing the hell out of her. He put his hands on Mickie’s face, tilting her head so she was looking up at him. “You want to follow me?”
“Uh-huh.”
Cruz smiled; she was so fucking cute when she was flustered. “Okay then, let’s get you ready to go.” He kissed her on the lips briefly, wishing more than he could say that he could linger, and drew back. He turned her and put one hand on her back and waited for her to open her door.
She sat and Cruz held on to the car door. When she was belted in, he leaned his forearm on the roof and said, “Drive safe, I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Okay. You too.” Mickie breathed out a sigh of relief once Cruz headed toward his car. Jeez, he was absolutely lethal. Over the last few weeks she’d gotten to know him pretty well—at least she thought she had. Every time she saw him, he took her breath away. He was just so freaking good-looking, and he was interested in her. It was crazy.
She wasn’t one to believe in insta-love, but she’d taken her time with Troy, been very cautious, and look how that turned out. It wasn’t as if she’d jumped into bed with Cruz on that first date, but she was definitely moving faster with him than any other relationship she’d had.
But the difference this time was that they were talking more. On the phone, via texts…without face-to-face contact, they’d had to rely on getting to know each other by talking. She liked it. She knew more about Cruz than she ultimately knew about Troy. But that really wasn’t saying anything since apparently she knew nothing real about Troy.
Mickie would’ve been over the moon, if only it hadn’t been for her sister. She knew she’d have to confront Angel, sooner rather than later. Something major was up with her and Mickie knew in her gut it wasn’t anything good. She needed to get to the bottom of it, if only she knew how.
But first, Mickie had an afternoon to spend with Cruz. She shivered in delight. Maybe she’d be able to convince him to take their physical relationship a bit further than they’d taken it in the past. Mickie was ready—more than ready.
Chapter Eleven
Cruz’s gaze swept from the road in front of him to his rearview mirror. Mickie was a good driver, and kept his car in her sights. Seeing her trusting him, following him wherever he wanted her to go, made him come to a decision. He was simply going to go with it with Mickie. As Dax had said, he had no idea how this would all play out in the end, but Cruz knew he’d never forgive himself if he gave up on whatever was starting between them without at least giving it a chance.
He wanted Mickie. She was cute, funny, and down-to-earth. She cared about her sister even when Angel was being hurtful, and was about as normal as any woman he’d ever dated…and that appealed to him more than he thought it would. He wanted someone who would love him as much as he loved her back. He wasn’t sure if Mickie was that woman yet, but he’d be an idiot to let her go. She was the first woman since Sophie who he could even imagine himself in a long-term relationship with.
Soon they were pulling up in front of Cruz’s apartment complex. He got out of his car and headed over to Mickie’s Honda. He met her at the front of the car and took her hand in his as they headed to his door.
It seemed natural to hold on to her. Cruz had no idea why this woman made him feel this way, but it was what it was, and reiterating his thoughts on the way to his place, he wasn’t going to fight it anymore.
Their quirky courtship, which thus far had mostly existed via phone, was completely different from anything he’d ever had before. As much as he’d thought he loved Sophie, he’d never felt anticipation when his phone vibrated. He’d never woken up wanting nothing more than to talk to her, and he never went to sleep hoping her voice would be the first thing he heard in the morning.
The more Cruz got to know Mickie, the more he realized what he had with Sophie hadn’t been true love. He thou
ght about Dax and Mack. Their love was what he wanted. After what Dax had been through, watching Mack literally die in front of his eyes at the hands of a serial killer, and how it’d affected him, Cruz knew that was what he wanted. Not the dying part, but the love part. He hadn’t understood it…until now. Until Mickie. He wasn’t sure he loved her yet, but he certainly cared a whole lot about her.
Cruz unlocked his apartment door and held it open for Mickie. She walked in and put her purse on the table by the door.
“Go on and choose what you want to watch. Movies are in the cabinet by the television.”
Mickie headed over to his entertainment center and squatted down next to the cabinet with the DVDs. He went into the kitchen and got two cans of soda. Cruz went back into the living room and settled on the sofa.
Mickie held up Beverly Hills Cop. “Too cliché?”
Cruz laughed and stood up to put the movie into the DVD player. “Hell no. I love this movie.” He scrunched up his face and raised his voice, mimicking Eddie Murphy, “Disturbing the peace? I got thrown out a window!”
Mickie immediately finished the quote. “What’s the charge for getting pushed out of a car? Jaywalking?”
Cruz gawked at Mickie, not believing she could actually quote Beverly Hills Cop.
Mickie laughed. “I love it too. Eddie Murphy’s the bomb.”
“Will you marry me?”
Mickie laughed again, even as her heart beat wildly in her chest at his words. “Shut up.”
Cruz sat on the couch next to Mickie and took her hand as the music started. They sat watching the movie for a while, Cruz smiling at Mickie mouthing various lines as Eddie Murphy said them. “At the risk of interrupting you, I just wanna say, thanks for coming over today.”
Mickie looked over at Cruz. “I think that’s my line. I was stressed about Angel and you offered to help me pull my head out of my ass.”
Cruz lifted the hand not holding hers and brushed it over the side of her head. “I’m sorry about your sister. Seriously.”
“I know.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“I hope so.”
“Are you hungry?”