by K Harris
“Let’s roll,” I said.
“Oh shit, I didn’t even think about how we were getting there.” Dez laughed. Leading her to the street where my bike was parked, she hesitated.
“Put this on,” I handed her my helmet and made a mental note to purchase an extra one for future rides. This would not be the last.
“Cage, I am not getting on the back of your bike.”
“Why not? Scared?”
“You already know why that is a big no-no and you know that I am not afraid of bikes,” she nervously laughed.
“Then what’s the problem, it really isn’t that big of a deal.” I started the motor and revved the engine a few times.
In truth, I knew exactly what she was referring to, I just didn’t care to address it. Typically, a female would only ride on the back of her man’s bike and most bikers won’t let anyone outside of family ride anyway. Though at some biker functions, some guys will showboat and ride the chicken heads around that was only to open them up to ride other parts later. Besides my mother when I got my first bike, no woman has ever graced the back of any seat of mine.
When Dez straddled the seat, she tried to leave a little space between us but I wasn’t having any of that. With a firm grip on her thighs, I pulled her flush to my back. In turn, she wrapped her arms around my torso and locked her fingers. This shit felt right, I hoped she felt it too. Though I left her hanging in her feelings once, I pray that she doesn’t return the favor. No matter how much I deserved it, I don’t think I would survive rejection just the same.
As we cruised through town, I’m sure onlookers and passer-byers were shocked to see Dez on the back of my bike. The rumor wheel would surely be circulating by the end of the day with speculations. Thankfully, she will be back in Denton to avoid having to answer any accusations thrown her way. Everything that I am working towards and most of the decisions that I have made pertaining to my personal life is all for her.
Pulling up to the medium-sized two-story structure, I parked in the driveway and waited for Dez to get off first. Lowering the kickstand, I straightened to stand next to her as she gawked in awe. Just as I remembered it, our family home still looked amazing. After both of our parents died, neither Wood nor I wanted to live in our childhood home. Maybe in spirit our dad and mom will look after Dez if she chooses this place.
“What do you think?”
“It is cute. Are you sure it is for rent? There is no sign.”
“I’m sure, come on. Let me show you around.” For the next few minutes, I showed her every inch of the space and knew she would fall in love with the kitchen if nothing else. My mother enjoyed cooking large meals, so my dad made sure to build her the ideal workspace.
“You know an awful lot about this property Cage. Does it belong to someone you are really familiar with?” She asked in annoyance.
“You could say that,” I vaguely stated.
“I’m not staying in your old fuck buddy’s house.” Dez exclaimed and I couldn’t stop the burst of laughter that followed. She was dead ass serious that she wasn’t staying in any woman’s house that I may have boned.
“Chill out Destiny, it’s nothing like that.”
“This house is great, but we have yet to discuss a price. The owners must want a grip in rent.”
“What does your budget look like?” I asked as I checked the text message that just came through. Wood knew just like I did that she would never take occupancy in this place without paying something.
“To not overextend myself, I wanted to stay in the seven-fifty mark, no more than eight hundred a month.”
“What kind of lease were you thinking about?”
“What are they offering? I would hate to move in and have to find someplace new to live in six months. Moving sucks monkey balls and I’m already over it.”
“Okay monkey balls,” I chuckled and typed a message to Wood. “What if there were a lease to own option? How would you feel about that?”
“Are you serious?” She questioned in shock. “Forget I asked that because I know you are always serious.”
“You make me sound like a giant tyrant without a playful bone in my body.”
“Maybe you aren’t, but I have yet to meet that carefree spirit.”
“You have, you just don’t remember.”
“If you say so,” she blushed. To be privy to the thoughts that flowed through her mind would be a prayer answered.
“Back to business, a thousand down and eight hundred a month thereafter. If you agree, instead of a rental agreement, a contract will be presented. Determining factors of contract length and the final purchase price will be decided once your credit history is looked over.”
“That’s fair and generous.”
“What can I say? Maybe they are eager to get the diner back in business. You are an asset around here.”
“I doubt that but thanks for trying to pump my head up.”
“We all missed you when you left Destiny.”
“I missed you…everyone too.” She backpedaled and cleared her throat. “Back to business, I trust that you wouldn’t put me in contact with any sketchy people. So, I want the house.”
“Great, I figured that you would. So, what is the move-in date? For record's sake,” I added for good measure.
“I guess I should get started on moving back right after the new year. That way I could spend a little more time spoiling my nephew. Since it will probably be a while before I get to see him again, I gotta get all my auntie time in. He is so stinking cute.” She gushed.
“Baby fever?”
“All women have baby fever when a new baby comes around.”
“Are babies in your future?”
“I sure hope so,” she fondly stated, and a solemn look suddenly took over.
“What’s with that look?”
“It’s nothing,” she averted her eyes.
“Then why can’t you look me in the eyes,” I asked tilting her chin back so that she was looking directly at me. Damn those lips looked so damn tempting. The last time I tasted them was still engrained in my mind. Though it had been less than a week, I missed them all the same.
“Cage,” my name came out of her mouth like a soft whisper.
“Destiny,” I responded the same way as she did. A sigh left her mouth and I took a leap of faith that she wanted the same as me. When our lips touched, I felt the same feeling as I did the first time we kissed. My dick wanted to play but I knew that couldn’t happen. There was too much groundwork I needed to lay first. The ringing of her cellphone is what killed the moment, I didn’t fight when she abruptly pulled away. The shocked look on her face spoke volumes, she wasn’t expecting that affection from me. This was becoming my new norm, she had better get used to it.
“Uhm, hello.” She stammered and answered her phone while keeping her eyes on me. In turn, I held eye contact with her to let her know I didn’t regret a damn thing. Besides removing my hands from her face, I stood where I rested against the counter in the kitchen. In order to put some space between us, she took several steps back.
“Huh,” she numbly questioned. “Oh shit, Ethan, my bad. I was distracted. What did you ask me?” Just hearing that muthafucka’s name was like ice-cold water being thrown in my face.
“My flight leaves at five, I will text you my flight number. Thanks for picking me up, I will see you in a little while.” She laughed at something he said. “I’m not playing with you today. Umm no, you cannot spend the night.”
“That was a one-time deal sir, damn give an inch – he shoots for a mile.” She jokingly stated or at least I assumed it to be a joke. Who really knew anymore? Maybe I was wasting my time with Dez.
Though I knew it was more to her face earlier, I didn’t press. If she wanted me to know she would have confided in me the reason for her demeanor change. After that kiss, I fully planned to get her to open up to me but now that moment is lost. Knowing we didn’t use protection the last time or the time before that when we were together, I
just prayed she didn’t abort my baby or something. That would certainly fuck my head up.
“Cage?” She urgently said my name.
“Yeah.”
“You ready?”
“Let’s get you back.” Get you back to your boy, I added to myself. Payback is a bitch but I’m not accepting the fat bitch’s concert just yet. There is still a small sliver of hope for us.
Chapter 19
Cage
Three weeks ago, Dez left me – left Lincoln hopefully for the last time. The diner was just about complete, the inside was furnished and there was only fulfilling the food portion left to do. Dez decided that she wanted to have one grand opening instead of two so it wouldn’t open until the bakery was finished. Because of the extensive overtime that the club put in, that would put us done at the beginning of February.
Today however was the day that she moves back. In a couple of hours, she should be pulling into town. After our last lip lock left her speechless and the conversation that I overheard with the white boy, I was a little raw. Common sense says that you can’t make up lost time or rectify anything without having an actual conversation. Physical interaction is another conversation altogether if you both aren’t on the same page; I get that but the shit is hard.
“Nephew,” my aunt Leslie’s voice echoed throughout the building.
“Auntie Les,” I smiled.
“My big baby, how have you been?”
“Just trying to keep busy,” was my response when I pulled back from our embrace. “Hey Auntie Mae,” I hugged her wife.
“Hey nephew, with your lovesick ass.”
“Shit happens,” I said to that statement.
“At least you are admitting to it,” she folded her arms. “That knowledge sits better with me than thinking that it was a passing whim or a thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“We just figured out that your Dez is my niece. My deceased sisters’ kid that William’s funky ass kept away from me.”
“Oh shit, you lie. You never told me specifics.”
“I know, it was a sore topic for me. I hated talking about it because there was nothing that I could do about it.”
“I understand that. I just wish we could have stepped in before he destroyed her any further than he already was. Though I would have never orchestrated something to happen to him such as what did, I definitely would have had a few words with him. Those asshole kids weren’t so lucky though. They probably wished for an easy way out such as death.”
“Cage, what did you do to the demon spawns?” Mae asked.
“Let’s just say that I wasn’t too fond of the way they disrespected Dez after the incident. Then to add insult to injury, they proceeded to try and take the diner away from her.”
“And you didn’t know if you wanted a relationship with Dez before you sent her packing,” Mae frowned.
“I figured she deserved more than my small-town ass.”
“Small town my ass, Cage, you practically run this damn town.”
“Never sell yourself short and damn sure quit underestimating what my niece can handle. Shit, she has my blood running through her veins. She is a fighter, she damn sure isn’t her mother. God rest her soul, but she settled, and I never understood that shit. We had the opportunity to spend some time with Miss Destiny when the ladies came to the mountains, she is different. I can only assume it’s because of what she has been through. But she has more DT in her system than anything.”
“I can see that.”
“So, what’s your plan to rectify this mess that your ego created?” Les asked.
“You already know I’m not a talker, so expressing myself through words is out. The next best thing I have is actions. Gaining access to the diner and gifting the land next to it for her bakery was a step in the direction of getting her back here. I strong-armed those fuckers into dropping the case to overturn the will reading. Not to mention putting in all of this manual labor to get her ass home sooner rather than later.”
“Another man sniffing in behind her,” Mae giggled.
“You know it and he has too much damn access for my liking.”
“What about other bitches?” Les asked.
“There are no other bitches. You already know how I roll.”
“I know how you roll but what about how the ones roll that have gotten a taste. I swear you and your daddy have some pixy dust or something shooting from your junk. Your mama had to check many bitches that came before her even after KC made his choice.”
“That has nothing to do with me, I know for a fact that I have never given anyone the impression that they were the chosen one. The only one that will get that honor is Destiny.”
“I know that’s right,” Mae laughed. “That’s what we wanted to hear.”
“That is good news but don’t think that just because you never gave them false hope that some conniving hoe didn’t get her hopes up all the same.”
“Auntie, that would be solely her fault for jumping to those conclusions. Hell, I still had my aversion to actually kissing until,” I didn’t even bother finishing that statement. Clearing my throat, I went to grab a beer from the bar.
“Until what or shall I say who? Destiny?” Both of them stared at me as if I were some sort of science experiment happening before their eyes.
“Quit making this awkward, please.” I groaned.
“Aunties!” Wood said when he entered the room. Damn, it was good to see him; he was right on time to get me out of this sticky conversation.
“Woody-Woodpecker,” Mae exclaimed hugging him. He only groaned in return at the silly nickname she gave him when he was little.
“Really, Auntie Mae.”
“Yes really, I changed your pampers little boy. I gave you that nickname.”
“I know, love you Auntie.” He kissed her cheek.
“Leave my baby boy alone,” Leslie got started.
“You didn’t hear me coming down on you for messing with my boy, did you?”
“That’s because you were on him too,” she scowled. And just like that, they were ragging on me again.
“Wood, did your brother tell you that his aversion to swapping spit is cured?” I spit out my beer at the question that Leslie just asked. Black just walked into the room as well and he was eager to get in on the Cage teasing train.
“Ladies, long time no see.” He hugged them both and leveled me with a comical smile. “So, we are kissing now, huh?”
“Fuck that, kissing where?” Wood smirked.
“Fuck you,” I hissed.
“Oh shit, if you need some pointers on…” Mae started and Les slapped a hand over her mouth.
“No ma’am, you will not put our business out there.” She hissed and we laughed.
“I got your back nephew.” Mae mouthed so only I could see and winked while everybody else laughed.
“Saved by the bell,” I grimaced at the group of family members. Torrent’s name flashed on the screen and a crippling fear instantly came. “Cage,” I answered gruffly.
“We got a problem,” was all he said. “Get to your office and I will call you on the line.”
“So Dez is fine,” I asked as I walked away.
“Yeah, I just talked to Pops. They are on schedule, should be there shortly.” He said and I couldn’t help the sigh of relief that I released into the receiver. “Don’t think that this conversation about my sister is over with, but for now we have some business to take care of. But you best believe when it’s completed, you have some explaining to do.”
“Didn’t expect it any other way.” I replied and disconnected the call. My concern for Destiny and whatever I was going to say to her or the men that surrounded her would have to wait.
~
For two days, I have been away from home. This was a tricky mission for sure as we had to duck, and dodge bullets left and right. The intended mission was extracting two kids from their father’s care. The parents were going through a bitter divor
ce that would soon turn into a terrible custody battle. He was a known gang banger and drug dealer in the gritty sector of Atlanta Georgia. Intel said that he was held up in the middle of the projects with several of his crew surrounding him.
The police wouldn’t touch the case because they claimed that once he jumped states, there was nothing they could do. Truth be told, they were some sissy’s afraid to go against them hood boys. The system didn’t give a fuck about us and it was clear when they postponed the court date because she was in no shape to attend. Word of mouth on the underground got word to Tia who in turn passed it on to Torrent.
He and I both were supposed to take off from working actual missions, but this was a delicate situation. Neither one of us batted an eyelash in accepting the challenge. Not to prove that we could get the job done better or that we didn’t trust our men – our hands were just for added measure. This particular mission was on his guys, so in essence, I was just backing him up. We chose to hit the spot at four in the morning, right when the knuckleheads were winding down for the day and right before the bystanders started to wake up.
Sneaking past the first level of supposed security was a breeze, the second took some hand to hand skill in order to eliminate the wannabe guards. Sending one of our own ahead pretending to be a clucker was easier than it should have been if they were on their shit. While they were distracted by the foolery that was before them, we overtook them with weapons drawn. They issued a threat here and there, but we only used the shit they said as ammo to move forward.
Once we made it through the doors and up to the next floor is when all hell broke loose. Though we dropped the ones in the hallway pretty quickly, getting inside the apartment took some finagling. Having a decoy on the inside making sure the door was unlocked but the father was waiting for us to enter. The commotion in the hall gave us away but we had to press on in hopes of getting in and out before other goons came running.
The girl we had planted as a random knock off was to secure the kids and keep them covered with a mattress. The bastard was so hellbent on keeping what he considered as his property, he was willing to risk their lives. During the whole back and forth, he never made a move to check on them once. Though it wasn’t necessarily addressed that he may be killed, we had a silent understanding that it needed to happen in order for the mother to live in peace. Thankfully we had on vests but that didn’t stop one of the bullets he shot to graze my arm. It burned like a bitch, but I pushed on until the mission was completed and the kids were removed from the premises.