Saving Dallas 2 Making the Cut

by Kim Jones

  Luke’s phone vibrated next to us, and he quickly grabbed it, punching in a code and revealing a message from Tiny.

  *Everyone is on board. Will meet tonight. I’ll let ya know what’s up. Hope she is good. I love ya brother.*

  Luke hit the reply button and I was shocked at his one handed texting skills.

  *She is still sleeping. Thanks. Love you too brother. Be safe.*

  Why wasn’t Luke going to the meeting? Was it the one with Jeff? Was it because of me? I wanted to stay quiet just in case another message came through, but my stupid bladder had other things in mind.

  “I need to pee,” I announced to Luke in a hoarse voice. I attempted to clear it, but my throat burned from my earlier screaming,-another reminder of that awful night with Frankie. Luke stilled when he heard my voice, but recovered quickly. He kissed the top of my head and swung his legs off the bed, carrying me, still cradled to his chest, to the bathroom. I didn’t have the strength or the willpower to fight him off as he sat me down on the counter in his bathroom and began undressing me. Once I was naked, he set me on my feet and moved to the bathtub. My head stayed down as I made my way to the toilet, afraid that if I looked at him, I would break once again. Just the sound of the running water was soothing and I couldn’t wait to get in. Luke left the bathroom and I took the opportunity to slide into the hot water before he got back. When he returned, he held a glass of orange juice in his hand along with a couple of small pills. He handed them to me and like a robot, I took them, draining the glass of juice before handing it back to him and lying back in the big tub. I thought Luke would leave, but instead he sat on his knees beside the tub and began bathing me. I watched his lathered hands as they massaged my feet and legs then moved up my body, not hesitating at my private areas that I would have rather washed myself. Luke worked his way up to my head, piling my hair on top and securing it with a band he pulled out of thin air. As he washed my neck and back, I kept my head down, avoiding his gaze. Hunched over, I took the opportunity to wash my face with my hands, feeling more alert when I was finished. Luke released the plug in the bottom of the tub, and grabbed a towel that sat next to him on the floor. He stood and threw it over his shoulder then grabbed me under my knees and behind my back and lifted me, carrying me into the bedroom. The whole process had taken only minutes and I had managed to avoid his face the entire time. I was dry, dressed in his t-shirt and under his covers when he finally spoke.

  “Hungry?” he asked and I could hear the hope in his voice. I shook my head, playing with my knotted fingers. “Nanny made some soup earlier. Is it okay if I fix you just a small bowl? You haven’t had anything to eat.” I nodded my head, knowing he wouldn’t shut up until I agreed to eat something, and the soup did sound pretty good. Luke disappeared for a few minutes before returning and presenting me with a tray full of soup, a sandwich and a big glass of sweet tea. He turned the T.V. on and just like this morning, I ate in bed while watching cartoons.

  The soup was probably the best I had ever tasted. I would give Nanny a job if she ever decided she wanted to become a full time cook. The Abbey could definitely use someone like her to work alongside three of the best cooks I had ever met. I thought of Stacy and how I needed to handle the possibility of him poisoning me. I mentally put that on my ‘things to do while Luke was gone’ list. I could probably get Red to help me; maybe we could reach out to her contacts and find out what was going on. I couldn’t believe how well I had handled all of this. The shit with Frankie and Luke and Stacy would be enough to put any normal person in an insane asylum somewhere. I guess I wasn’t very normal. I couldn’t hate Luke for the shit he had said to me or the way he had treated me. I felt like an idiot for just acting like it didn’t happen, but I would have done the same thing. Luke jumped to conclusions and handled things in a way that only the President of a MC could-by being intimidating and scary.

  Shit.

  Here I was, making excuses for him once again. I felt like one of those women in the Lifetime movies who keeps trying to convince themselves that’s their husbands are actually good people. Those women usually ended up dead or hurt. I was heading down that same path of destruction, and yet I didn’t seem to care. If I thought for a moment that someone I loved had betrayed me, I would have acted the same way. Of course, someone had and that person just so happened to be lying in bed next to me. I was setting myself up for failure. There was no way that this could work between us. Luke was a man who lived a lifestyle where he had to be two different people. If you took bipolar, mixed it with PMS, and added a touch of testosterone, you would get Luke. He was overbearing, intimidating, scary and unpredictable. He was also sexy, sweet and charming. What the fuck have I gotten myself into? Hell, even Jeff turned out to be a disaster. He had to be working with Frankie or a part of some shady shit, because if he didn’t then that meant my life was semi-normal. There was absolutely nothing normal about my life. Everything in it was fucked up, including the people I loved. I fit right in with the rest of this family, maybe that’s why I couldn’t let go. I sighed in frustration, aggravated at myself for not being able to just figure this shit out. When God was handing out normal lives, I must have been in the bathroom and got the leftovers. I was a smart woman who worked too hard to be lying in bed with a guy who fucked my brains out one minute and had me so scared that I almost pissed my pants the next. Maybe Luke being gone would do us some good. I needed some space.

  RED

  “Do you have any idea what kind of shit storm you’ve created?” I stood in front of Regg, my hands on my hips wearing nothing but his favorite bra and panty set. Regg had a thing for neon colors against tan skin and it was taking everything he had to focus on my face and not the tops of my breasts.

  “What the fuck did you want me to do, baby? Tell Luke that the guy fucking the girl that he branded years ago without anyone’s knowledge was in bed with Frankie? I’m not a fucking idiot. Luke would have killed him the moment he found out.”

  “Well, no shit. That would have worked out better than this!” I yelled, throwing my hands in the air. Regg stepped closer to me, warning me with his body language and giving me that ‘shut the fuck up’ look. I knew when to keep my mouth shut, but today I felt like pushing my limits. Fights like this often ended up with me on my back anyway, so I didn’t have much to lose. “Luci called me last night and told me Luke scared the shit out of Dallas. She was bawling when they left the hospital and Luke didn’t even go to the meet tonight, scared that if he left her side, she would bolt. How do you figure that’s better than killing Jeff and Frankie?” Our guys were not murderers. Well, I didn’t think they were murderers. They had guns and shit, but as far I knew pulling the trigger on someone was not something they did. They often talked about ‘killing’ people, but it was just a figure of speech. At the most, Luke would have beat him into hospitalization, and he most definitely deserved that.

  “Luke has done a lot for this club. He has worked hard to get it legit and I won’t let him ruin it over a piece of ass. I took Luke’s job looking out for Dallas because he couldn’t. I did whatever the fuck I had to do. In no way was Jeff a threat to Dallas. He never involved her in anything and Frankie never got close to her. When things started getting serious with him, I arranged for him to be caught with another woman. I knew Dallas couldn’t handle the blow to her ego and would let him go. She did, he’s gone, she is with Luke and everyone is alive and the club didn’t take a hit because Luke was thinking with his dick and not his brain. So, before you start popping your fucking gums at me, you need to realize your place. This is not your business, and I’ll only tell you once to shut you fucking mouth. The subject is closed.” Regg was pissed. He was so mad that his face was red and he was struggling to contain his anger.

  Me? I was soaking wet. There was something about the way he dominated me; the way he seemed to make me feel small and submissive that just turned me on. Even with his blonde hair a mess, his eyes red with dark circles under them, and his clothes dusty
from riding hours nonstop looking for the men that kidnapped me, he was fucking mouthwatering.

  Regg is not your typical biker. Most people picture them with long hair, tattoos and a dark personality. Not my Regg. He has blonde hair that’s just long enough to stick out the sides of his cap, a panty dropping smile, he’s full of charm and personality and doesn’t have a single tattoo, because his fear of needles outweighs his desire to fit in. He is a bigger guy. He doesn’t have the sexy six pack abs or back muscles that ripple when he flexes, but he has the biggest forearm muscles I have ever seen on a man. He has a demanding presence, when he speaks, people listen and when he smiles, he could light up the darkest room. He is day and night mixed together. He is happy and horrifying at the same time. His voice is playful yet demanding, and on any day, at any time he always smells of leather and man. Out of all of the hotties in the Devil’s Renegades, it was Regg who pulled the most pussy, which often ended in me showing my ass whenever we went somewhere. He could charm the panties off a nun and make the Pope sniff them, just for shits and giggles. He is my everything, and even in this moment when I wanted to slap him, I wanted to be beneath him more.

  “Whatever. I’m calling Dallas,” I said, walking away from him before I gave in to my stupid vagina and tackled him.

  “Yeah, why don’t you do that,” Regg said, watching as I sashayed away. I could almost hear his cock twitch in his pants.

  I had to call Dallas’s cell three times before she finally answered.

  “Hello,” She said, her voice thick with sleep or emotion, I wasn’t sure which.

  “Hey hun, how’s it goin’?”

  “I’m good. Just got through eating. How are you?”

  I could hear the bed move and I figured that she was getting up to go somewhere a little more private.

  “I’m fine. Worm told Luci what happened. She called me, so I’m calling you. Tell me your side.” No need to beat around the bush about anything.

  “I’m so fucking confused, Red. It’s like my whole life has been set up for me. I don’t know what’s real and what’s not, ya know? I mean, the only reason Luke is in my life, is because he was hired to be. The only reason Jeff was in my life, was because Frankie wanted info on me, and the people that I thought loved me, like Stacy, turned out to be backstabbing, money hungry, murderers. I just want to go back to normal. I want to go back to a time where if there were people watching me and trying to kill me, I didn’t know it.” Her voice was barely a whisper. I felt her pain. Hell, I thought I had a shit life.

  “Look, they’re leaving in the morning, before sunrise. I’ll be there before they leave. They’ll be gone and we will spend the next few days doing whatever we want. I’ll handle Luke. You just get some sleep and starting tomorrow, things will get better.”

  Regg was shaking his head in warning at me from across the room. I gave him the finger and turned my back to him. Dallas deserved a true friend and some time to process this. If that meant us going out on the town with five bodyguards, then that’s exactly what we were going to do.

  “Thanks Red, but before this goes any further, is your friendship genuine? I mean, is anyone paying you to hang out with me, or are you secretly trying to kill me or dig up dirt on me?” she asked exasperated. I figured no matter what I said at this point, she wouldn’t believe me anyway, so I lied.

  “No, Dallas. Our friendship is genuine. I’m coming because I want to, not because I have to.”

  “See you tomorrow,” she said, almost in defeat. I disconnected the call and turned to see Regg smiling at me.

  “My baby is such a good liar. It actually kinda scares me,” he said, walking slowly up to me.

  “I’m not lying. I do want to go visit her,” I said in my defense, trying to stay focused on his face and not the bulge in his pants. Shit. How did he manage to do this to me?

  “You have to go. I remember you throwing a fit a few minutes ago because you didn’t want to and Luke talked you into it.”

  “I really do want to go.” And I did. Hanging with Dallas might actually be fun. Even more so, now that the guys were going out of town.

  “I’m gonna miss you, baby,” Regg said as he wrapped my long hair around his wrist and pulled me to him.

  “Then I better give you something to help you remember what you have at home,” I said, squeezing his crotch roughly. He grunted in my mouth, tightening his hold on my hair.

  “It’s only you, baby. Only you.”

  DALLAS

  “I’m not sure if I should hate you or not right now. I just need some space to think.” I was walking out of the bathroom and I felt like it was as good a time as any to go ahead and let Luke know how I felt. My conversation with Red had been a short one. I really didn’t want to answer when she called, but the damn phone kept ringing. I couldn’t trust her any more than I could trust any of the others.

  “I’m sorry about earlier. I snapped. There is no excuse, but when I got a message that said ‘Dallas’ Jeff’, I kind of lost it. Regg never told me about him. I’m sure he had his reasons, but it probably would have been best if I had known. I know you have been with other men, but to know how close you came to Frankie does something to me.”

  “Well, if you remember I have been close to Frankie. Very close.” Low blow, Dallas, but I didn’t care. Luke nodded his head, understanding my hurtful comment and took it on the chin without any complaint. He knew that he deserved it.

  “I know you want some space, but I’m leaving in a few hours and I would just like to hold you. It helps to remind me what I’m fighting for.”

  “You don’t have to fight for me, Luke. Frankie will eventually go away. I can call the cops and get a restraining order. I can hire security. I don’t need you or your club putting your neck out for me. I can handle shit on my own,” I said, standing at the foot of the bed debating whether or not I should sleep with him or on the couch. Luke shook his head and gave me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

  “I’m not worried about Frankie, babe. I’m fighting to keep you. I fucked up, Dallas. I fucked up bad and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I’ll prove it to you.” Luke’s look was already defeated. He was afraid he had lost me and I was too, but I couldn’t stay mad at him forever. So he lost his temper, screamed at me, accused me of doing the unthinkable and used a little too much physical force when escorting me to the elevator. To a normal person, that was grounds for a break-up, but I had recently discovered that I was not normal.

  “I want to tell you something. Not to defend myself, because what I did was inexcusable, but because I want you to know how important you are to me and how much I trust you and want you in my life.” Now he had my attention. I crawled up on the bed next to him and slid under the covers. His body was warm and the only thing separating us was his thin boxer briefs. His thickness pressed against my ass as he pulled me to him. One arm snaked around my waist and I laid my head on the other.

  “My club has done some bad shit, Dallas. At one time, I thought that was the life that I wanted to live. After Logan was born, I realized that I wanted something different for my family. The people that belong to this club deserve more than what we had to offer them, so I made it my goal to better it. I know that we will never be outstanding citizens or meet the standards that society thinks we should, but I want us to be a family that takes care of our own and does so in a way that one day my kids can look back and be proud of the decisions that I have made. I want to leave behind a legacy that my grandchildren can carry on. I’m almost there, babe. The drugs, the money, the guns-I don’t like it. It’s poison. Security and legit businesses and clean records-that’s my goal. I’m gonna take care of Frankie, Dallas. I’m gonna send him to a place where he will never be able to hurt you again. To do that, I have to reach down and bring out that guy that I have sworn I would never be again. I’m not perfect and I never will be, but if you will stick by me, I promise to give you a life that you never dreamed possible. With me comes a family that will give
their own lives to save yours. I don’t want to be the guy that I was today, but the truth is, that’s who I am. You make me want to be a better person.”

  My eyes burned with tears. Luke was not a good guy. I had known that from the beginning, but there was still good in him and it by far outweighed the bad.

  “Who is Logan’s father?” I asked, wondering if he was okay with Luke being around his child.

  “He’s not around,” Luke said, rubbing his thumb across my stomach.

  “Where is he?” I pushed, hoping I could get a little more insight on my nephew.

  “That’s not important. What’s important is that Logan and Maddie are safe and Logan has ten father figures, instead of just one.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  Luke’s hand stilled while he pondered what to say. When his thumb started rubbing my stomach again he spoke, “No.”

  “Are you going to kill Frankie?”

  “I am gonna take care of Frankie.”

  “Does that mean you’re gonna kill him?”

  “That means, even if I did, I would never tell you. That makes you an accessory. I’m gonna take care of Frankie to keep you safe, just like I took care of Brett to make sure Maddie and Logan were safe. That’s what I do. I take care of my family.”

  “Did this Brett guy hurt them?” I asked, scared of the answer.

  “He didn’t take care of his family, so I did. That’s all you need to know.”

  “She is my sister. I have a right to know.”

  “Then she can tell you. I’m asking you to not mention him to her, because it takes her to a dark place.” I could tell Luke didn’t want to talk about it anymore and it was getting late. As much as I wanted to ask questions, sleep was beginning to take me over. I would ask Red about Maddie. Maybe she would be able to enlighten me on her situation. Luke pulled me tighter to him and kissed my head.