by Harley Wylde
An older woman came from the back, easily in her late sixties or early seventies, except she wasn’t like the older women I’d met before. Her hair was a vibrant pink, ink covered her arms, and she wore a black T-shirt tucked into a pair of ripped jeans. The boots on her feet looked similar to what Dagger wore.
“What the hell is going on out here? Who’s being so Goddamn loud?” the woman demanded.
“You Betty?” Dagger asked.
Her gaze zeroed in on him. “I am. What’s the problem?”
He pointed at the women nearby wearing the diner uniform. “They won’t seat us, and my wife is so hungry her stomach is growling. If bikers aren’t allowed, you should probably just put that on the door. Although, I can’t promise the safety of this place if you discriminate against such a large group of people. Your business could suffer.”
Had he just threatened her? I looked up at him, but he was still staring at Betty. Other than looking pissed, he seemed like the usual Dagger. I couldn’t tell if he truly meant to do something to her diner or not. I was worried how the woman would react to his statement, but she tossed her head back and cackled, before slapping the counter.
“I like you,” she said. “You’ll have to ignore the bitches who work for me. Good help is so hard to find these days. Looks like it’s time for me to clean house again.”
I heard several of them gasp, but I kept watching Betty. I’d never met someone like her before and found her fascinating. She came toward us, grabbed two menus, and motioned for us to follow her. Dagger pointed to a booth by the window, and she set the menus down.
“What do you want to drink while you decide what to eat?” Betty asked. “And don’t worry. I’ll personally handle your order.”
Dagger skimmed her from head to toe and she smirked. Turning her arm over, she showed him a mark on her inner forearm. I couldn’t see it clearly, but the words property of stood out clearly. Did she belong to a biker? Whatever the rest of the tattoo had said, it seemed to set Dagger at ease.
“What do you want, corazoncito?” he asked me.
Since being left with the Devil’s Fury, I’d found myself partial to sweet tea. I ordered one and Dagger asked for coffee, then we were left to read the menu. Everything sounded good, but I worried about ordering too much. I’d been careful with my meals, knowing I needed to lose some weight. Except, no matter how little I had, I never seemed to lose a single inch. I might be short, but I was also a bit plump. I couldn’t remember ever having a defined waistline, unless round was considered definition.
When Betty returned, I ordered a salad. Or tried to. Dagger glared at me, growling softly. My eyes went wide as I stared at him.
“¿Por qué ordenaste una ensalada?”
Why did he think I’d ordered one? “Porque estoy gorda.”
He brought his fist down on the table, making the silverware rattle, and I admittedly jumped at his display of anger. I didn’t understand it. I needed to lose some weight, and a salad was a perfectly reasonable thing to order. It was healthy.
Dagger leaned over the table. “Let’s get one thing straight right now, princesa. You are not fat. I don’t ever want to hear you say that shit again, understood? You’re beautiful and don’t need to change a fucking thing.”
Betty patted my shoulder. “Listen to him. He’s right. You’re gorgeous, and he clearly likes you as you are. Don’t go changing because fashion these days says you need to be a size two.”
“What do you really want?” Dagger asked. “Don’t look at prices, count calories, or any of that shit. Tell me without thinking too hard, what sounds good right now?”
“A cheeseburger and onion rings,” I said.
Betty patted me again. “I’ll bring it out. What about you, big guy?”
“Same. But extra onion rings.”
“Be out in a jiffy.” Betty walked off and I suddenly found the table fascinating. I didn’t know why he’d gotten so upset by what I’d said. I’d seen the women who went to the clubhouse. They were all thin, or at least a lot slimmer than I was. He had to have been with some of them at some point, or at least women like them.
“Zoe, look at me,” he said, his voice soft yet holding an edge that made me comply. “Do I look like the kind of guy who would have an ugly wife? Or would get hard if a woman wasn’t sexy and appealing? Is there anything about me that says I want a stick-thin woman with no tits or ass?”
I slowly shook my head. No, he’d made it clear he liked my curves, as he’d called them. I hadn’t realized that extended to the part around the middle where I carried my extra weight.
“Then stop putting yourself down. You’re mine, princesa, and I think you’re muy hermosa. ¿Entiendes??”
“Yes, Dagger. I understand. I’m sorry. I just…” I took a breath and tried to gather my thoughts. “I’ve never had anyone want me. The man who… He told me I was fat, unattractive, and he was doing me a favor because no one would ever find me pretty. I don’t regret my son for a moment, but that man’s words, and his actions, have haunted me since it happened.”
My throat grew tight when I remembered that day. Dagger had told me of his past, and it only seemed fair that I share that part of myself with him too. It was something I’d been ashamed of, even though I’d had no choice in what happened. I knew Dagger hadn’t truly had a choice either. If anyone could understand, it would be him. “He covered my face and even left most of my body covered. Said he couldn’t look at me and stay hard.”
“Motherfucker,” Dagger muttered. “If I ever find him, I will make him pay, and then I’ll ensure he never harms another woman ever again.”
Find him? I didn’t even know who the man was. The tattoo on his neck had been enough to tell me he was part of the cartel, but that’s all I knew. It wasn’t possible for Dagger to find the man who had hurt me, but the thought was still sweet. Sort of. I wasn’t sure it could be considered such since I was almost certain he’d meant he would kill the man. Maybe it made me a bad person, but I’d feel relieved if such a thing were to happen. I didn’t like the idea of Dagger taking a life and ending up in jail, but that he would do something like that to get justice for me and keep others safe made me feel warm inside.
Our food arrived faster than I’d anticipated, and I had to admit it looked and smelled delicious. While we ate, I took the time to study my fiancé. It still felt odd thinking of someone like that. Even without the ceremony, it seemed I would still legally -- or illegally? -- be his wife. I only hoped he didn’t come to regret his decision.
“There’s something you need to know,” he said. He tapped on his phone screen, then slid the device across the table. A little boy was on the screen, and even though I hadn’t seen my son in years, I instantly knew it was Luis. “The woman you’ve been paying doesn’t have him anymore, but I know where he is.”
“She doesn’t have him?” I asked.
Dagger shook his head. “She sold him. Wire said he seems to be okay, for now, but I’ll need to go get him. Just waiting on Wire to get me the docs I need for Luis to come here legally. Or at least appear to be legal.”
“How can he do that?” I asked. When the man had said he could marry me and Dagger, I hadn’t really understood. Didn’t that require a ceremony of some sort at the very least? I didn’t know how everything in this country worked, but I didn’t think I could get married without having to do anything at all.
“The government goes to Wire when they need a favor. He’s the best at what he does, and they damn well know it. If anyone could change someone’s name, drain their bank account, or hack into another government’s systems, it would be Wire and his wife. They’re the dynamic duo when it comes to hacking.”
I stared at the image on the screen. My son. He’d gotten so big! Tears misted my eyes and my heart hurt. Everything I’d missed, and that woman hadn’t even been caring for him? His first steps. First words. I didn’t know what he liked to eat, if he was allergic to anything, or anything about him at all. At the s
tore, I’d guessed on sizes for the clothes we’d bought. It was my hope if we left the tags on, we could return anything that didn’t fit.
But that all hinged on Dagger being able to bring him home. If the people who had Luis now had bought him, they wouldn’t be likely to give him up. Would they? I’d think they’d want to hold onto him. I knew the authorities down there would be useless, unless Dagger was able to bribe them into helping. At least, that had been my experience with them. The town where I’d lived was very corrupt.
“Can I go with you?” I asked.
“No, princesa. I need you to stay here, just in case things don’t go smoothly. I may need to grab Luis and make a run for it. I’ll take a few guys with me, and I’ll have someone stay with you. If you don’t want anyone at the house, I’ll at least make sure a Prospect checks in every few hours.”
Which reminded me of Jared and the mess I’d created for Dagger by accepting his marriage proposal, if you could call it that. I didn’t know when he was leaving, but maybe I could use that time to figure out what to do. I didn’t want to keep him from Jared, but I needed to do a little soul searching first, and determine if I could handle being with two men. For all intents and purposes, I was still a virgin. One act of violence may have stolen my hymen and given me a child, but I still wasn’t very knowledgeable when it came to men and sex. I had no experience at all, and I didn’t even know if I could please Dagger, much less another man as well.
We finished our meal and Dagger took me home. It looked like I’d have to figure out how to be a wife rather quickly. I only hoped I didn’t disappoint him.
Chapter Five
Dagger
I hadn’t even thought about furniture for Luis’ room. I put the two bags of clothes inside his doorway, and knew I’d either need to arrange for a Prospect to go buy something and put it together, or I’d have to order online and have it delivered. I didn’t want Zoe worrying about it while I was gone. If Wire were true to his word, I could have what I needed as soon as tomorrow. I hadn’t told Zoe where Luis was being kept, and for good reason. If she knew her son was with the cartel, she’d have panicked.
I’d made room in the closet and dresser for her, then left her to get settled. She’d still need her things that she’d brought with her, and whatever she’d bought before today, which was apparently next to nothing. We could get it later. Everything she’d need for tonight and the morning had been purchased earlier. When she appeared in the kitchen doorway with her new clothes clutched in her arms, I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Something wrong with the things we bought?” I asked.
“I wanted to wash them before I wear them. Is there a washer and dryer here?”
I showed her where the laundry closet was in the hallway. There was a set of folding doors that hid the washer and dryer, with a rack over the top of them where I stored the laundry detergent and dryer sheets. They were basic machines, so I didn’t think she’d have any trouble with them. Hell, if they were more complicated, I couldn’t have done my own damn laundry all this time.
Shit. I still hadn’t told Griz about Zoe. I went back to the kitchen to grab a beer, because the conversation would require alcohol for certain. Then I dialed the Pres. I took a gulp of the ice-cold drink to brace myself. He answered almost immediately.
“Dagger, what the fuck is Zoe doing with you? A Prospect said he saw her get into a club vehicle with you.”
Right to the point as usual. I was surprised he hadn’t called the moment he’d heard about it, which made me wonder what he’d been dealing with. “I took her shopping for some things. Found out she’d sent all the money you gave her back to Mexico.”
He sighed. “Oh, well that’s all right, then.”
Don’t relax too much, Pres, because there’s more and you won’t fucking like it. I took another swallow of my beer, wondering if I should drain the bottle and get a second one. Griz was about to go through the damn roof over what I said next, I just knew it.
“And she’s my wife.” The silence after that statement was nearly deafening. I waited. And waited. Checked the screen and the call was still connected, but I didn’t even hear him breathing. “Um, Pres? You still there?”
“She’s what?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm. Yeah, he was ticked. I had a feeling we’d be getting a visit shortly, and it wouldn’t be the fun kind. “How the fuck did you marry her? Why did you marry her?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. I’d need his permission to go after Luis, but I didn’t like that it put Zoe in a bad light, only marrying me because of her son. For that matter, it made me look like a jackass who had required that of her. Fuck Outlaw and Wire. They caused more trouble than anyone else around here.
“Wire is working on it right now. There’s more. She has a son. Luis. He’s been sold down in Mexico. I’ll need to go get him and bring him home, and I’ll need a few guys to go with me. I’m just waiting on Wire to finish whatever the hell he’s doing.”
I heard him shifting around and then a door slam. Sounded like he was on the move, and most likely heading my way. Good times. I probably should have bought more alcohol while we were shopping.
“You know I need to speak to Zoe and make sure this is what she wants,” Griz said. “I don’t think you’d force any woman into being with you, but we agreed to help those women.”
“I know, Pres. I figured you’d be stopping by.” I took a swallow of my beer, then another. “Also need a property cut for her. Do I need to take that shit to the table for a vote? Or are you just going to give me this one?”
“If you’re already married, not much point in voting,” Griz said. “I’d say to do things the right way next time, but there better damn well not be a next time. No divorce. You made her your ol’ lady. She’s it for the rest of your life or hers. Got me? There might be clubs out there who drop their women and get a younger one, or even keep one or two on the side, but that’s not the way Devil’s Fury works.”
“I know, Pres.” I also knew that was a big reason he didn’t have a woman in his life. His wife had died from cancer, and Griz hadn’t even thought of finding another woman. Mae was his one and only. If he’d been with any of the club whores, I didn’t know about it, and I doubted anyone else did either. I couldn’t imagine being celibate the rest of my life if Zoe died, but if Griz was getting action somewhere, he was keeping that shit private.
“She up for company?” he asked.
“She’s doing laundry. If you want to come by, come on over.” Like he needed an invitation. I had no doubt he was in his driveway just waiting to get on his bike.
“Be there in a bit. I won’t stay long. I’m sure the two of you have a lot to… discuss.”
I nearly snorted my beer. Discuss. Right. That was a good one. I’d told her if she decided to be mine it wouldn’t be in name only, but I wasn’t a heartless enough bastard to expect her to spread her legs right off. Especially not with her background. If she wanted some time, I was fine with that, as long as she didn’t leave me hanging forever. Blue balls would make me cranky as shit, and I knew from experience my hand didn’t do a good enough job relieving the tension.
I hung up and glanced at the doorway to find Zoe shifting from foot to foot. I nodded to the table by the window and she pulled out a chair. Even though the Pres had been keeping tabs on the women, I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about him dropping in. I sat in the chair next to her and set my beer on the table. What was left of it. I’d damn near drained the bottle.
“Grizzly is coming by for a minute. Wants to talk to you,” I said.
Her shoulders tensed. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, princesa. He wants to make sure I didn’t coerce you into marrying me. I explained about Wire handling the marriage, and the adoption of Luis, but he needs to speak with you and make sure I didn’t force you to be with me.”
Her lips parted and I saw her pulse flutter. Her cheeks flushed. “Force me? He honestly thinks you’d be
capable of such a thing? Santiago, you’re the last person who would ever do that. You’ve been so nice to me.”
I reached for her hand, covering it with mine. “Easy, corazoncito. He’s just watching out for you.”
“Nunca me lastimarías.”
No, I wouldn’t hurt her. Or any woman. Well, except for truly evil bitches who deserved it. If I got my hands on the woman who was supposed to care for Luis, I’d gut the fucking whore. I didn’t think Zoe needed to know that, though. Last thing I needed was her sleeping with one eye open, scared I’d kill her in her sleep. I hadn’t gotten my name by being an angel.
“It seems the two of you are getting along well,” the Pres said, alerting me to his presence. For someone his size, the fucker moved silent as a damn cat, at least when he wanted to.
“Pres. Didn’t see you there.”
He smirked. “I’m aware. Give me a moment with Zoe.”
I stood, but Zoe clutched at my hand. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and it looked like she might pass out. I hunkered down next to her chair, smoothed her hair back from her face, and tried to get her to focus on me.
“Easy, princesa. The Pres won’t hurt you. I’ll be in the other room. He needs to hear from you that you want to be here, with me. Whatever he asks, just tell him the truth. ¿Entiendes?”
She gave a quick nod and released me. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and left the room, giving the Pres some time with her. And if I lurked just outside the doorway, out-of-sight but not out of hearing, that was for me to know. If it sounded like he was upsetting her, I’d step in.
“I wasn’t even aware you knew Dagger,” the Pres said.
“I noticed him last night.”
“And where were you when you saw him?” Griz asked.
It was quiet and I knew she didn’t want to admit to being near the clubhouse. I also knew she’d never tell him one of my brothers tried to force himself on her. One way or another, I’d figure out who it was and put my fist through his damn face.