Professor X

by Kiki Leach

  My mouth dropped as I leaned away from the bar. "How would offering me work out here be a 'peace offering' to the Devils?"

  He grinned. "I know that you and X have been... sniffin' around each other again--"

  "What the hell does that have to do with what I just asked?"

  "Alot. Rocka happened to mention more shit to LapDog like you goin' to X first about needin' that job back at ACE'S."

  "And?"

  "I know he can create problems for you as a result -- no matter what bullshit he tries sellin' otherwise; buncha shit you and the club ain't tryin' to have right now, babe; shit the Kings can put a stop to before it starts if given the chance."

  I pressed my lips together and swallowed hard. "LapDog told you all of this -- Not Rocka himself?"

  He shook his head. "That son of a bitch ain't ever really been 'open' with the Kings when it comes to what he wants on the outside beyond pussy and booze. X ever mention any of that shit about him when it came to the Devils? The motherfucker himself ever mention any of that shit to you when y'all were still fuckin' around?"

  "No."

  He soured. "You never knew about club shit--?"

  "I was 'unofficial pussy' remember? You gave me that nickname before dragging me into a back room. There was nothing beyond what I had ever seen for myself while I was in the clubhouse otherwise, which wasn't often outside of parties. Not to mention that I learned when I was a toddler never to ask questions of something you were too afraid to hear the answers to; especially when it came to the brother of an MC."

  He snickered. "Your old man taught you that shit, yeah? God rest his goddamn soul."

  "Right... What Kind of job are you offering me out here, T?"

  "Bartender with potential extras. Maybe you could, I don't know, put on a few dances for a few motherfuckers lookin' to get a cock stroke before headin' home at night to their wives or girlfriends and whatnot."

  "I'm not looking to go that far anymore," I told him. "Nothing outside of dancing -- nothing physical with anyone."

  "You savin' all that up for X now?" I remained silent as he glared. "What exactly are you goin' to school for down there at uh..." He snapped his fingers and looked to the ceiling, feigning ignorance. "What's the name of that school again? Central somethin'?"

  I paused before answering and peered. "Wexley."

  "Yeah, yeah, Wexley -- I think... I think LapDog has some pussy down there that he's found himself becomin' attached to. You know anything about her? Kyla somethin' he said? Real sweet chocolate lookin' bitch that he showed me a picture of on his phone. Motherfucker said she's got pussy like a goddamn vise."

  I held back the urge to swallow a shaky breath and wagged my head. "That campus is the size of a small town -- I don't know everyone that comes through."

  "Hm. Guessin' you don't live on campus, then? Ain't that how most people get to know each other out there? Kinda like with the clubs and all that -- how we get to know the pussy that makes its way between brothers."

  "Sure -- Why exactly are you offering me a job out here?"

  "Like I said, peace offerin'. 'Cause aside from the problems, I'm not too sure Rocka would be all that willin' to hire you back without a quick fuck first. I know he's missed your pussy more than most over the years, I've always sensed that shit in seein' him run around with whatever managed to make him cum first."

  "And yet you're willing to offer me a something of the same without demanding that I blow you first, just so that I'd be willing to do it to those who come out looking for a drink while getting their horns fixed inside your garage."

  "I ain't askin' you to blow a single motherfucker unless you'd ever be willin' to do that shit on your own for more green on the side."

  "I'd never be willing again. Like I said, I'm done with that -- and I don't exactly have the desire to work in Bartlesville."

  He stared at me for a long while without saying another word, then dipped his eyes to my breasts and leaned across the bar.

  "Motherfuckers would pay a pretty goddamn penny to see you the way you used to be, darlin'," he finally said. "Those beautiful, heavy tits and sweet, tight ass -- I can guarantee a certain kinda shit where Rocka can't; give you some security movin' forward. Maybe you think about it for a bit and get back to me? Maybe..." He shrugged. "We both could sit down with that asshole, see which one of us can make you a better offer. When was it you said you planned on seein' him again?"

  "I'm not sure. Maybe the next time he calls."

  "And you're sure you don't have a goddamn clue as to when that'll be?" His eyes narrowed with doubt as I shook my head. "Well, alright -- You let me know when the motherfucker comes back around again. Let me know if he backs off on you suckin' his cock for a job or just gives it right back to you without a goddamn fight. Maybe X will get to him and, who the fuck knows? Maybe he can straighten him out on some shit."

  "Yeah, maybe." I turned from the bar and walked to the door, resting my hand on top of the knob as I peeked over my shoulder. "I'll see you around."

  "Goddamn right you will, babe. Goddamn right."

  He winked at me and dropped his hand in front of his cock as I hurried outside and jumped back into my car. I reached for my key and slammed it into the ignition before he could come out and say another word or ask another question I was ill-prepared to answer, then backed out of the lot with a sudden flow of tears spilling down my cheeks and sped straight home.

  Chapter Twenty

  Mariah

  A few hours after returning home, I finished packing half of my bedroom into a pair of duffle bags, preparing for what I was now certain would become a change of scenery for more than a few weeks' time.

  After carrying one into the living room and dropping it on top of the coffee table, I moved into the kitchen and reached into a cabinet above the microwave, yanking a steel box from behind a set of plates and resting it on top of the counter. I stared at the padlock for a few seconds while thinking back on my time spent with T-Bone at the Kings' compound before rolling each number to the correct slot and popping it open, lifting the lid and removing a towel that had been placed on top of a personally engraved, stainless steel beretta.

  I wrapped my fingers around the grip while removing it from the box and returned to the living room with plans to slip it inside of my bag when the doorbell rang. My fingers tightened as I removed the safety and stepped to the door, pressing my free hand against the frame and clearing my throat.

  "Who is it?" I called.

  "X, darlin'," his deeply warm voice replied. My heart skipped a pair of beats as I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath. "Sorry my ass is makin' it back out here so goddamn late, but between Gabi showin' up with info on Wexley and havin' church to let the other brother's know just enough 'bout what the fuck was goin' on now with ACE'S--"

  "It's fine."

  I returned the safety to place before unlocking and opening the door, then stepped aside as he moved in front of me and wrapped his hands around my face, his fingers brushing along my jawline as a smile parted his lips. "Hey, darlin'."

  "Hey." He leaned forward to kiss me, the softness of his mouth lighting a small fire deep within my belly that elevated the heat from my sex. I whimpered and reached for his cut, tugging at the lapel as his tongue found my own.

  "Goddamn." He pulled back as I rolled his taste between my lips and closed the door. "You missed my ass today, yeah?"

  "Too much."

  He snickered as I turned from him and dropped the beretta into my duffle.

  He grimaced. "That was your old man's, yeah?"

  I nodded. "The only thing he managed to leave behind when he died."

  "Shit still looks clean."

  "It is; hopefully it can still do the same amount of damage if necessary too."

  "You thinkin' 'bout usin' it now that you're back in with us?"

  "I don't know -- but just in case..." I rested my hands against my back and forced a smile. "Do you want to sit down?" Faint suspicion crossed hi
s face as he strolled to the couch and took a seat near the corner; he bent forward and folded his hands. "How did it go out there with Gabi?" I asked, sliding in beside him. "Was she able to get you an interview on campus?"

  "Yeah, two days from now. The pussy lined up for it finally dropped from the radar once Tech got his shit out there."

  "What did he put out there about them?"

  "That they once managed a dope ring down in Guatemala at separate times; got doctored mug shots and all that shit. They won't be able to trace it back to him or the club..." He chuckled. "Anyway, your girl said that I'll be dealin' with some uptight asshole named Pugh."

  I combed my fingers through my hair and nodded. "She's right, he is an asshole."

  "Why the fuck is some dick interviewin' me for a class aimed at pussy?"

  "The same reason you're being interviewed for it," I said. "He's the Dean of Family and Consumer Sciences."

  "And how the fuck did he manage to wiggle his ass into a gig like that?"

  "I don't know, exactly. He's been there as long as I've been alive, but Gabi might know more about how he operates and anything underhanded he might've ever done to give you some edge in case he tries throwing you out on sight."

  "Yeah, she gave me somethin' on him that's pussy related -- somethin' with a student back in the day; could use it if he tries takin' shit south."

  "How much of your own information did Tech actually manage to scrub from the entire internet, X?"

  He sank into the cushions and shrugged. "All of it. Motherfucker managed to replace it with some pretty bad ass shit like me ownin' a handful of bakery's that all burned down over the course of a single weekend after a rival baker got pissed off at how fast my sweet cakes were sellin'. That 'baker' is dead now, so there won't be any diggin' on that shit either."

  I laughed. "And you think he's going to believe all of that?"

  "He fuckin' better. Shit's there in all black and goddamn white."

  "And there's no other traces left of you being part of the club?"

  "Nah, darlin', Xavier Stevenson knows nothin' 'bout a goddamn MC -- what the fuck one is or how it operates -- couldn't even find the shit on a goddamn map if he tried."

  "How did you come up with the idea of trading in 'Davenport' for 'Stevenson' as your last name for this?" I asked.

  He shrugged again and lowered his eyes to the floor as a wave of sadness flushed between them; his brows pinched as he swallowed hard and sniffed. "My mother's maiden name 'fore she married my old man; figured if I was gonna use somethin' for this shit, might as well have her bein' part of it. Anyway, that motherfucker managed to get my mug shots deleted while puttin' the other ones out there. Don't know how the fuck he managed to pull that shit without bein' detected and I didn't fuckin' ask."

  "Having Pink PD on the payroll and him being the ultimate hacker helps I'm sure, but... You don't think there's a chance at this rate that any of the Kings have put your face around campus to the students or any teachers that might be involved after taking me home? Or the faces of any brothers?"

  "You heard some shit?"

  "No. Just wondering out of fear."

  "Darlin'." He shook his head. "Shit's possible, I guess. But it ain't gonna stop me from doin' what the fuck I need to do out there in order to get our business back up and runnin'."

  "I am just..." I leaned into him and clutched the edge of his cut. "I'm still so scared for you, Xavier. I don't trust that T-Bone and the rest of them haven't taken precautions at this point in order to protect themselves and their club from whatever the hell you and the Devils might try throwing into their path."

  He looked over at me and made a face, eyeing me from head to waist, he gulped. "There some shit you tryin' to tell me without actually sayin' it, darlin'?"

  I removed my hand and sighed as a fear of the truth caused my palms to redden and sweat. "The person I was meeting for lunch today," I told him, "was T-Bone."

  "What the fuck?" His face flushed as his nostrils flared. "What the goddamn FUCK, Mariah?!"

  "I'm sorry--" He sat up straight and leaned his head aside like a confused dog. I dragged my eyes from his and swallowed hard before pushing further. "He called before I left for class is morning, wanting to meet with me at the Kings' compound--"

  "You went to fuckin' Bartlesville by your goddamn self? How the fuck did you get there when Gabi had the goddamn car?"

  "I rented one for the time being, it's still in the parking lot."

  "Jesus Christ." He groaned and rattled his head. "What the fuck is this shit you're tellin' me now, darlin'?!"

  "I needed to know what he wanted in person and knew that he wasn't going to say a word over the phone or make his way down here."

  "He try some shit with you on the same level as Rocka?" he questioned. "I know that asshole ain't meet you with the rest of those fuckers hangin' 'round out there."

  "I met with him alone, but he didn't actually try much of anything--"

  "What the fuck is 'much of anything', Mariah?"

  "He wasn't demanding that I suck his cock as soon as I walked through the damn door," I shot back. "Instead, he offered me a job behind his bar; called it a 'peace offering' between the Kings and Devils."

  He snarled, his upper lip curling in ire as he grumbled. "That motherfucker is full of fuckin' shit, you hear me? He is full of fuckin' SHIT -- GodDAMN!" He jumped from the couch and crossed the room, then quickly removed his cut and threw it to the floor. "That why you had your old man's beretta out? You afraid he was gonna come down here after tellin' him you wasn't takin' the job down there?"

  "I didn't exactly turn him down for the job, X."

  "What?" He spun back around to me and glared. "You're actually considerin' that shit with all that we've got goin' on down here because of those assholes?"

  "No." I got up from the couch and stood in front of him. He stepped back and stared into my face with question. I reached for his fitted, plain white shirt and eagerly tugged him forward, reassuring him of my stance, my loyalty to no one else but him and the club. He grimaced. "I think that the Kings are planning something against you and the Devils, specifically. I don't know what the hell it could be beyond what you've already said and know, but I got that feeling while talking to T-Bone; he wants something more than what he hopes to get." I paused. "He was fishing to know if I was aware that Rocka was dead without actually asking the questions outright -- more than likely fishing to know if I was aware that the Kings were responsible for what happened to him. He kept pushing for an answer on when I planned to see Rocka gain, all while pretending that he had no idea where I went to school." I dropped my eyes to his beating heart and rolled my fingers across his chest. "He mentioned LapDog and Kyla, X. For all we know, LapDog told him about Kyla suddenly going MIA and becoming curious about the Devils' involvement. Has she said anything to Cheddar about the possibility of LapDog sniffing around again for answers?"

  He swallowed hard and sighed. "No."

  "Give her time. Because there is no way in hell that T-Bone hasn't put any of this shit together -- especially when he's had enough time of his own. When I told you that I was afraid for you, this was only part of the reason why."

  He rolled his eyes from mine and tightened his jaw. "Shit."

  "What is it?"

  "That asshole fucked around with you, pretendin' that he's got no goddamn plans to leave Bartlesville? Pretendin' he don't own 49% of ACE'S?" I swallowed hard and nodded. He wagged his head and grit his teeth. "Prez watched the rest of that tape from Rocka's office this mornin'. Said Rocka was on the phone with LapDog when we came in there and when that phone dropped from his hand, the shit didn't hang up." I closed my eyes as my mouth went dry, as tears filled my eyes and my fingers palmed his heart. "T-Bone knew 'bout Rocka snitchin' after I ran my mouth 'bout the same goddamn thing 'fore we took off. I'm the reason he's dead."

  I lifted my eyes back to his and inhaled to keep a single tear from falling to my cheeks all over again. "What does tha
t mean for you and the club?"

  "Prez is keepin' the shit under wraps as long as I continue on with meetin' this asshole down at Wexley in a few days."

  "And if you don't?" I asked. He brushed past me in silence and returned to the couch, taking a seat along the edge. I spun back around to him and folded my arms, wrestling with the fear of why he remained quiet. "What if I tell him that I met with T-Bone and suspect that he will do everything in his power to attack you and the club even further from the inside as a result of becoming a teacher on campus?"

  "That ain't gonna stop Prez, darlin'. Once the motherfucker has his mind set on what the hell he wants, that's it; you know that shit just like the rest of us."

  "This is different. If there is a chance that the Kings could not only destroy your club through my campus but kill you outright--?"

  "We strike first," he returned. "I ain't gonna die from this shit--"

  "You don't know that, Xavier!" I snapped, covering my mouth as my voice nearly shattered inside my throat. His eyes dipped to my stomach as his jaw shifted. "I'm sorry. But you don't know what the Kings could be planning for you in all of this, and I know that it's something. T-Bone is convinced we're hooked up again and if he can't get to you personally, he'll use me to do it."

  "He said that shit to you?"

  "Asking me to work for his club, he doesn't have to; whatever 'peace' he's offering will no longer matter."

  "You workin' out there ain't gonna happen, Mariah. Motherfucker wants to use you as a go-between -- maybe even keep you on as somethin' more if they gain full control of ACE'S... Nah, darlin', that shit ain't gonna happen on my goddamn watch -- not ever."

  "You're promising me that?"

  "Fuckin' always." He stood up again and angrily shook his head as the bright blue color of his pupils darkened. "He ain't gonna use my woman for a goddamn thing."

  "Your woman?" A chill washed over my skin as I bit back a virtuous smirk; the deeply, sexualized base in his voice set my entire body on fire.