CHAPTER 11
SCARLETT
After spending most of the morning in bed with Dean, which was amazing, I’m now staring at the most beautiful industrial kitchen I’ve ever seen. It’s clear that it’s been updated with top-of-the-line ovens and stoves. And the pantry is packed with everything I need to do some baking.
“Are you sure you don’t need anything, Miss Scarlett?”
Billy is looking at me with such earnestness and guilt that I almost want to laugh. I know he was the one who fell asleep on the job, but I just can’t find it in me to put the blame on him. No, I know where the blame is deserved—on whoever has been messing with Crescent Sugar.
It’s possible that the number of orgasms Dean gave me today has put me in the best mood I’ve ever been in.
“Really, I’m good,” I assure Billy with a smile.
After Dean and I showered, he led me down to the kitchen and told me to do whatever I wanted. I could only smile at my man because he knew that baking would help me take my mind of the destruction of my bakery. Honestly, the orgasms had already helped with that a lot.
Dean let me know that Billy would be at my disposal for anything I needed, including a grocery run, and to not hesitate to use him. Then he kissed my forehead and let me know he was going to go to the bakery and check on the progress.
Even though he told me we’d be able to open tomorrow, I don’t think it’s going to happen. I know the club is going to take care of getting everything fixed, but I don’t expect them to use magic to do it. Things take time and that’s just how it is.
That’s why when I called Valerie, far too early this morning for her, to let her know what happened I let her know that it would be a few days.
Thankfully, as long as I’m not closed more than three days, I’ll have enough time to get all my custom orders done. If it takes longer than that, I’ll have to use the clubhouse kitchen to get those done. But I’m not going to stress about it. At least, not yet.
I take out the ingredients for chunky chocolate chip cookies with a smile on my face. Billy is shuffling from foot to foot out of the corner of my eye and it’s kind of adorable.
I glance at him and give him a small smile. “It’s okay, Billy. I’m not mad at you.”
His shoulders slump and his entire body deflates. “You’re not?” There’s so much hope in his eyes which only grows when I shake my head. “You should be mad at me,” he grumbles, “I feel asleep when I should have been watching the cameras in your bakery.”
I turn toward him and give him my full attention. “Were you tired?” He nods and swallows hard. “Was it malicious?”
“No,” he shouts, the single word holding so much weight and truth. “I was on the gate all day and then Hacker grabbed me for camera duty.” His eyes widen and he holds his hand up. “I’m not complaining,” he blurts, “I’m just saying.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t take it that way,” I assure him gently.
He blows out a breath and nods before swallowing hard. “I still feel bad,” he grumbles, and I swear he’s pouting.
Dean filled me in on how everything works at the club. I know how important it is for the Prospects to prove themselves. They get the worst jobs but also get opportunities to show the club that they’re loyal, can be counted on, and are the right fit to become a patched-in member.
I have no doubt that he’s worried about his position now. It’s not like I can blame him if he is. The brothers around here don’t seem like they would give a lot of chances, but they also don’t seem like the sort to give none.
“I don’t think you watching the cameras like a hawk would have changed anything,” I tell him, and his eyes widen. I shrug one shoulder like it’s no big deal, even though it is because we’re talking about the destruction of my bakery. “Whoever broke in was going to do it whether the cameras were being watched or not. Hacker was notified the moment they entered my shop, but they were still gone by the time he got there.”
“I’m sorry,” Billy whispers.
I give him a sad smile and nod. “I am too because I love my bakery, but the important things are no one was hurt, nothing was stolen, and the rest can be repaired. As long as things move fairly quickly, I’ll be able to be back in the bakery in time to fill all my orders for Valentine’s Day. I hate losing the foot traffic for a few days, but the small break won’t hurt me. Maybe,” I muse, “I can even sleep in a little.”
Billy chuckles and nods. “You have to be there super early, huh?”
“Oh yeah, I’m usually there around four, five at the latest and that’s if I was able to get some dough mixed up the afternoon before.”
Billy’s eyes widen and his mouth gapes open. “That’s really early.”
“It is,” I agree, “but that’s how it is in the life of a baker. We’re open early, but we’re only open until six. I’m sure I could be open later if I hired more staff, but I haven’t wanted to.”
“You’ll get there, if you it’s what you want,” he assures me.
I chuckle and nod as I start to make the cookie dough, knowing the recipe from heart. Billy looks on with awe written across his face.
“Maybe, but I’m also good where I’m at. The bakery is my dream, but I’m not looking to be bigger than I need to be. I want to make sure I produce a good product and have happy customers. It’s not really about growth.”
“It’s amazing that you’ve been able to open your bakery,” Billy whispers.
Something in his voice tugs at me and I study him from the corner of my eye. “What’s your dream, Billy?”
He startles with my question before looking away, his ears turning pink. “I’m good with engines. I’ve always wanted to be a mechanic.”
I make a humming sound and nod. “I’m kind of surprised the club doesn’t have a garage or something. Seems like it would be a natural kind of thing.”
“The Seattle chapter has a garage,” he muses.
“If it’s going to bring money into the club, I bet one could open here. If you can do custom, high-end work, even better,” I point out.
His eyes take on a far-away look and then he’s nodding. But then his shoulders slump, his voice dejected, “I’m not even sure if I’ll earn my patch.”
“Everyone makes mistakes, even the patched brothers here. You haven’t been stripped of your cut yet,” I point out, trying to make him feel better and hoping what I’m saying is true.
“What do you even know? You’re not part of this club,” a woman’s voice sneers.
I look toward the kitchen doorway and frown at the woman standing there. I’ve never seen her before, but that’s not too surprising. What is kind of shocking is the way she’s dressed. Actually, saying he’s dressed is generous.
The skirt she’s wearing is more like a band and she’s wearing a lacy bra, not even a top. My mouth drops open, but if it’s because of her attire or her attitude, I’m not sure.
“Kiki,” there’s a warning in Billy’s tone while his eyes dart to me.
I focus on the woman and know that she’s one of the club angels. Yeah, Dean explained all about them as well. Am I thrilled that women who have probably slept with my man hang out at the clubhouse? No, but at the same time, I can’t erase my past any more than he can erase his.
What I don’t question is how dedicated he is to me. And no, the amount of time we’ve known each other doesn’t matter. I can see it when he looks at me and I can feel it when he’s around me. Hell, I can feel it even when he’s not around me.
There’s not a doubt in my mind that I’ve fallen in love with him, and I don’t really doubt that he’s fallen in love with me.
Should that have me running scared? Maybe, but it’s far too tempting to stay.
Sometimes Cupid gets it right and who am I to upset that little diaper wearing flying angel?
“I might not know everything there is to know about the club,” I address Kiki directly, “but I know the impression the brothers have left on me. And the proof that Billy hasn’t been stripped of his cut is, literally, standing right in front of me.”
I point to Billy like he’s proof enough. And he is. At least in this case.
Kiki sneers while I ignore her and start rolling cookie dough and placing it on some baking sheets. “You’re just some patch chaser. Frenzy will see through you soon enough,” her voice is dripping with disdain.
I look at her and smirk. Hearing her call my man Frenzy tells me everything I need to know. I’m aware of how special it is that I call him Dean, and he prefers it.
While I’m not entirely sure where this confidence is coming from, I’m not going to second guess it.
“You think so?” I taunt her. “And when that happens, you’ll, let me guess,” I tap my chin, “you’ll be there to show him how you’re so much better than me?”
Her eyes light up, but she doesn’t realize that I’m making fun of her. “Well, I’m already at his house twice a week,” she throws out there and flips her hair over her shoulder.
My heart stutters in my chest. His house? She’s there? Somehow, I’m able to keep my face neutral though.
When she doesn’t get the reaction from me that she expected, she takes a step closer to me, her lip curled up in a snarl that is very unattractive. Billy moves as well, as if he’s getting ready to throw himself between us.
“Oh, you don’t know about his house, huh? It’s here on the compound.” She looks me up and down, her nose scrunching up as if she’s smelling something foul. Her voice drips with condescension, “I wonder why he didn’t take you there?”
I straighten my spine and shake my head before turning and sliding the first tray of cookies into the oven. My heart is threatening to crack in half, but I hold it together. For now. It’ll fracture if anything Kiki has said about my Dean is true, but I’m not going to jump to conclusions.
That would only cause more trouble.
“You need to learn your place,” Kiki tells me, everything about her haughty as fuck.
“What the fuck are you saying to my woman?” Dean’s voice is filled with venom as he steps into the kitchen, his eyes narrowed and staring down Kiki.
“I was just saying that she needs to know her place.” Her eyes flit to me again and then down her body. “The kitchen does seem like a good place for her, baby.”
She reaches for my man’s arm, but he doesn’t let her touch him. “No,” he barks, “don’t touch me.” The look he’s giving Kiki should have her shaking in fear, but she just bats her eyes at him and puckers her lips as if he would kiss her.
I know he won’t.
“Kiki came in here and started verbally harassing Miss Scarlett,” Billy informs Frenzy. From the look in his eyes, that is who is in charge right now, not Dean. “Kiki also said that you’ll get bored of Scarlett and how she’s been the one who is in your house a few times per week.”
The oven timer beeps and I’m not at all upset about the distraction. After pulling the first pan of cookies out of the oven, I put the second one in.
“Why are you in my house, Kiki?” The threat in Dean’s voice has me looking over at him with curiosity. His jaw is clenched tightly and there’s a vein throbbing on his forehead. It’s kind of hot. “Tell the truth,” he demands.
Kiki’s wide eyes are filled with fear. Huh. I’m not even a little bit afraid of Frenzy. No, my panties are too wet to be afraid.
“I was there to clean. Mostly dusting since you don’t spend a lot of time there,” she whispers with her head down and her eyes screwed tight like she hates having to admit the truth and inadvertently admit that her inferences to me were all bullshit.
I pat Dean’s chest and smile up at him, my voice soothing, “I didn’t believe her bullshit, Frenzy.”
His eyes flash with delicious promises and my thighs clench. When he slams his mouth down to mine, I gasp, and he takes full advantage. The way he kisses me, without caring about who is watching, has me clinging to his broad shoulders.
When we come up for air, we’re alone in the kitchen and the oven timer goes off at just the right time because I need to spend time with my man. Alone.