20. Dutch
Later that night I drug my ass through the club door. "Home sweet home."
"Yo, Prez, let's get hammered," Choppa urged, holding a glass up in a mock salute.
"After dancing with the Red Scorpions, I need to get hammered."
I headed to the bar with a few of the crew in tow. "How bad was it?" Choppa asked.
I grabbed the bottle next to the glass. "Let's just say the Scorpions won't' be stinging anyone for a while." The whiskey burned going down, reminding me I was holding my breath.
My mind drifted to Makari as my adrenaline faded. God, that woman was stubborn as a mule and twice as dangerous. My chest tightened up at the thought of her out there.
"You good?" Saint asked.
I swiped my face. "Yeah, just thinking."
"Let me guess, a beautiful woman with red locs."
I scoffed. "Unfortunately, I have bigger problems than someone who can't decide if they want to kill or kiss me."
Saint knew my words were bullshit. Makari wasn't just some woman. She was the one thing in this fucked up world that made sense to me.
"I'd rather take on the Red Scorpions with my hands behind my back than lose her."
Saint chuckled. "I bet that'd go over well with Ms. Independent."
I couldn't help but laugh. "True, she'd find a way to prove her point on why she didn't need my help." Still, at the end of the day, what was the point if I couldn't protect the one person who mattered the most?
After a few weeks of radio silence from Makari, I was about to lose my damn mind. I texted, called, and damn near sent a pigeon, but I got nada, nothing, zilch. Today, I was posted outside her building. I know, real dignified for an MC president. However, desperate times called for desperate measures.
I spotted one of Makari's nosy neighbors heading toward the building with her arms full of groceries. Bingo, it was time to put on the charm.
"Let me help you with those heavy bags," I offered, grabbing a couple of bags from her arms.
"Dutch Knight, what are you doing lurking around the building?"
I laughed. "Me? Lurking? Nah, I just thought I'd surprise Makari with a visit and saw you struggling with all these bags."
"Hmph, I suppose you can help me, but no funny business. You hear?"
"Yes, ma'am," I answered, following her into the building. Mrs. Roddy unlocked her door and turned to me.
"That girl has been through enough. You be good to her," she warned.
I nodded, feeling like I was sixteen again, asking for permission to take a girl on a date. Then Makari's door opened, and my breath caught.
"Dutch?" Her eyes widened in surprise, but then she looked angry.
"Hi."
"What are you doing out here?" she finally asked in a low voice.
"You hadn't answered any of my calls, and I needed to make sure you were still breathing."
Guilt crossed her face. "I can take care of myself."
"I know, but that doesn't mean you have to."
Makari's eyes shifted, and then I saw the pain she'd been holding back.
"Dutch, I…" but she stopped and bit her lip.
I wanted to pull her into my arms but knew with Makari, I had to give her an opportunity to come to me. So, I waited, praying like hell that she'd let me in.
Makari stepped back, opening the door wider for me. "Get in here before somebody sees you."
Inside, the scent of paint hit me. She had a canvas on an easel and tubes of opened paint.
"I'm done hiding, Dutch. No more running, no more safe houses."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that right?"
"Yeah, that's right. I want to go to your real house. I want whatever this is between us to be as normal as can be," she insisted.
I smirked. "Careful darling, you're sounding a lot like me."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Don't push, big guy."
I moved closer to her. "All jokes aside, you're not safe. The Red Scorpions?—"
She cut me off. "I don't give a damn about those red bastards. I'm not allowing fear to run me anymore. I want to see my friends and go out and do normal shit with my man. For real this time."
My heart was doing flips. "I don't know. I come with a lot of baggage, sweetheart, and I'm not talking about my personality."
Makari laughed. "Trust me, I know the risk."
I studied her face, and damn if I didn't fall even harder for her.
"I don't know if I can go through this again, though."
"I know, babe, me either. How do we make this work?" I asked.
I pulled her in for a kiss, and all the worry left me at that moment.
I stepped back and cleared my throat. "How about you let me take you out and show you off?"
Makari pursed her lips, intrigued but cautious. "What do you have in mind?"
"The Baxtown Iron MCs, our brother club, is throwing this cabaret tomorrow night with live music, drinks, the whole nine. I'd like to take you with me and meet some of our brotherhood. It will be a chill setting."
"Wait, you want me to meet your MC friends? At an actual event?"
"Damn, you act like I'm all grease and gasoline. I clean up nice when I want to."
Makari was quiet for a moment. "This is a big deal for you, isn't it?" she asked.
I shrugged. "I thought it might be fun. No pressure."
Makari smiled. "All right, I'm in."
"Yeah?" I grinned.
"Yeah, but if anyone tries to give me their leather jacket, I'm out!" she laughed.
I chuckled, "Hell yeah!"
The next night, I pulled up to Makari's apartment building and fidgeted with my cuffs. I went middle ground — my club cuts over dark jeans and a button-down shirt. I had to rep, but I wasn't trying to look shabby either.
I blew out air. I hadn't done this in a long time. Inside, I raised my hand to knock when the door swung open before I could finish my thought. There she was in a sexy ass jumpsuit and heels. The jumpsuit was hugging curves I'd forgotten she had.
"Are you gonna stand there all night, or are we going to this cabaret?" Makari teased, something she did when she was nervous.
I let out a low whistle. "Damn, Makari, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "You don't clean up so bad yourself, Mr. President."
I grinned, offering her my arm.
Makari linked her arm to mine. "Lead the way, baby."
We headed out, and I stood tall, wearing my cuts, a symbol of everything I'd fought for, a badge of honor. However, with Makari on my arm, I'd never been prouder to wear it.
Tiya fussed over Makari like a mama hen, touching up her makeup and adjusting her locs.
"Damn, Dutch, you almost look respectable." Tiya joked, eyeing me up and down.
I smirked. "I have a reputation, so don't go spreading rumors."
Makari shot me a look, amused. "I'm ready."
"You good?" I asked.
"I'm good. It's just been a minute since I've done the whole date thing."
Tiya chimed in, adjusting Makari's locs. "You're going to have heads turning. Isn't that right, Dutch?"
I winked at Makari. "Hell yeah, I hope I don't have to fight in this motherfucker." I laughed.
Makari rolled her eyes. "You are impossible."
We pulled up to the venue, the Onesti Azure Gathering Space. Bikes lined the street, and music spilled outside as people entered the building.
Inside, I spotted familiar faces everywhere. It was like a reunion with my brothers, who were my family.
"Dutch!" Deacon's voice boomed over the music. He clapped me on the back, nearly knocking me over. "'Bout time, nigga, and who is this vision?"
I introduced Deacon and Makari. “This is Deacon from our brother club I told you about.” My pride swelled in my chest as I watched Makari hold her own against Deacon's larger-than-life personality. Deacon introduced his lady, Squeak, and she and Makari hit it off, talking like they had a lot in common.
After the introductions, I pulled her to the dance floor. "Are you good?" I asked again, needing to know if she was comfortable.
She looked up at me. "I'm real good, baby."
Makari had my nose wide open. After we danced, I grinned as she charmed the hell out of my crew. Smooth as butter, she had them eating out of her hand.
"Oh, you're the one who has our boy all twisted up?" Gunz, their VP, noted, eyeing Makari. "I see why!"
Makari threw her head back and laughed. "Trust, he gives as good as he gets."
The warmth in my chest had nothing to do with the whiskey I was sipping. This woman, she was something else. As the night wore on, I found myself watching Makari, the way she talked, the way she moved. She fit in here, and something in her eyes told me she was staking her claim.
Later, as we slow danced to some old blues tune, I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "You're full of surprises."
"Hey, you fooled me too. I didn't know you could dance."
I chuckled, spun her around, and pulled her back in. "There's a lot you don't know about me, darling."
"Oh, is that so, like what?" she challenged.
I considered telling Makari about the future I was starting to see with her in it, but it wasn't time. Instead, I held her close. "Like the fact that I'm falling hard for you." I didn't even think she heard me but the way she tightened her grip on me, maybe she did.
As the night wound down and we were standing outside, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were different between us.
"I had a good time. I loved the brotherhood."
"Yeah, you got to see a different side. We do more than ride bikes and bust heads all day." I laughed.
After dropping her off, I had to stop by the club. The Sons of Shadows had been my life and my family, but I was starting to see a different future for myself, one with Makari at the center.
Damn, you're in deep.
The thought of leaving this world behind scared the shit out of me. I pulled out my phone. I knew it was late, but I needed to hear her voice.
"Hello."
"Hey, I love you."