25. Dax
DAX
“What do you mean you’re not coming back tonight?” I demanded.
“My heart, you know I would be back there if I could, but without you or I around the last few days, there’s way more to handle here,” Weston explained.
“This is one of the problems with keeping this whole thing running around the two of us. If we had another person under me who you trusted to keep things going, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. ”
“Whoa, are you putting this on me right now? I’m the one who got shot!” I snapped.
Wes let out a heavy sigh. “No, I’m not blaming you, Dax, I just am seeing the downside to how we decided to do things.
This is keeping me from being with you, which is where I want to be.
Now I have to be here dealing with everyone wanting to chase down any biker they see in the street for retaliation.
Brian has been helping to keep things in order, but they really need to hear from you and I’m not willing to risk you again so soon. ”
“Could we do a video call or something with the underbosses? Or are things still too volatile for that?” I asked.
“It couldn’t hurt,” Wes agreed. “This might be a good time to let them know about the Phantom Saints as well, so we can have them around without worrying they’ll get shot.”
I growled at this, thinking of any of my men in danger from my own people. “We need to make this happen now, Wes, I won’t risk any of them just because people are trigger happy.”
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do from my end and let you know. It will have to be tomorrow though, since it’s nearly midnight,” Wes countered. “You managing with Eagle and Picasso around? I didn’t like the idea, but the others overruled me.”
I glanced over at Eagle who was now passed out on the couch, while Picasso watched Top Gear on the television, giving me space to talk to Wes. “Let’s just say that they learned the hard way not to play games with me. When they lose, it never goes well for them.”
“Dax… what did you do?”
“Hey, they deserved it for the stunt they pulled, not to mention the other stuff. Now we are closer to being even—if that’s even possible,” I defended. “Do you know if the others will be back tonight?”
“I touched base with Sprocket, and they had a few deals to handle that were going down tomorrow and didn’t think it was smart to come back only to leave again.”
“Humph, they couldn’t bother to call and tell me that?”
Wes paused a moment at my response. “I’m sorry, I think I must be hearing this wrong... do you miss them?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Nope, I hit the nail right on the head, you miss all of us not being there with you,” Wes stated.
“Westie, you know I love you, but don’t push your luck on this,” I grumbled. “Just because I don’t want to be alone in a house, in an unknown location, doesn’t mean anything more than I want back up.”
Before I could do anything about it, the cell was yanked out of my hand and Picasso wrapped his arm around my waist, sitting me on his lap to keep me from going after the phone. “Okay, now I need to know what you said to get her all riled up. You should see the look on her face right now.”
“You better not tell him a damn word, Weston!” I yelled, waking Eagle up.
“What the fuck is going on now?” he muttered as he sat up eyeing the two of us. “Something I should know about?”
Picasso then hit the speaker button on the burner phone. “Say that again for me, Wes, so the room can hear.”
“Dax is getting pissy because she misses the rest of us and is mad we won’t be home tonight,” Wes proclaimed loudly.
“You’re dead to me, Weston Price!” I announced. “I don’t want to see you back at this place ever again, you hear me?”
“Oh well, that got her going.” Eagle chuckled. “Everything okay on your end there, Westy-boy?”
“Nothing I can’t handle, just need to be around to do it though, think you can deal with her alone for another day?”
Picasso and Eagle looked at each other and grinned. “Oh, I’m sure we can come up with something to do.”
Something about their look made me pause. The two of them combining forces against me might not be the best idea, I’ve seen the trouble they can get into alone, but together—that was a scary thought.
“I’ll make sure to come back with some art supplies just in case things need to be smoothed over,” Wes offered.
“You’re still on speaker, I can still hear you,” I retorted.
“Yeah, shortcake, I know.”
I gaped at the phone, suddenly deciding that these men all coming to an agreement was not good for me. Six against one was not odds that I like to deal with very often… unless it was naked. That I could get behind.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s making you wiggle your ass on my dick, if you don’t want to wake the snake, I wouldn’t continue to do that,” Picasso whispered into my ear.
“I’m sorry, did you just say wake the snake?” I asked, trying to hold back my laughter as I looked over my shoulder at him. Sadly, it was a losing battle and I burst out laughing and slumped back against his chest. “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God, that was hilarious.”
“Did she get pain meds recently?” Wes asked.
I grabbed Picasso’s arm and pulled it down so I could get closer to the phone. “Did you hear what he said?”
“Ah… nothing that would cause you to start cackling like this,” Wes said, confusion in his voice.
“He was worried I might wake the snake with my ass wiggles,” I shared, falling into another fit of laughter.
Picasso stood up, dumping me back into the chair and glared down at me. “It wasn’t that funny, Dax.”
“Oh shit. I think I might have hurt his feelings,” I called after him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to anger the python!”
“I think now might be a good time for me to hang up,” Wes ventured. “Dax, I’ll talk to you tomorrow about the video call. Guys, if you need help with anything I’m around.”
“Night, Westie,” I shouted as Picasso hung up.
The room fell into an awkward silence as Eagle kept looking from his brother back to me.
I had my eyes locked on Picasso, trying to figure out what exactly it was that I did to piss him off, because I didn’t think it was the snake thing—it had to be something else.
I got up and padded over to him, where he now sat next to Eagle on the couch and sat right in front of him on the coffee table.
My gaze caught his eyes, but they were guarded, more so than I’d ever seen.
“What’s up, Van Gogh?” I inquired, perching my chin on my good hand.
“Why do you always do that?”
My eyebrows shot up at this left turn of a question. “You might want to narrow that down for me just a bit.”
“Look, I thought you and I had a breakthrough back at your house after I saw your art. I know I’ve said some stupid shit and I am happy to pay penance for that, but don’t give me a glimpse of the real Dax and then shut me out.
That woman who told me she wanted to travel the world and paint is the core of who you are.
I’m not saying that this bad ass bitch persona isn’t you as well, but there are so many more layers to you than you let anyone see.
Hell, I think Weston and Harper might be the only people who know that side of you exists,” Picasso vented.
“We are here alone, in this house, safe as we can be for the time being, why can’t you let your guard down for a little while?
You don’t need to use sass and humor to cover up how you’re feeling. ”
I sat back, a little stunned that this was his outburst. It would seem that I keep forgetting that he is a sensitive soul under all that gruff and anger.
Knowing what his childhood was like, it made more sense, he wanted to see the good in the world, so he didn’t lose hope in all of humanity—I was someone he saw the same thing in.
“Picasso, it’s not that I don’t know how to relax, or I don’t feel safe, it’s that I can’t,” I paused trying my best to explain this.
“What happened at that meeting was my fault. I wasn’t on my A-game, and it cost me good people, as well as putting myself in the hospital.
If I let that part of me out right now, I’m going to be too soft to see this through.
In war you need to be ruthless and do whatever it takes to see the job done.
Artist Dax wants nothing to do with that, she would want to find a way to save the world instead of burning it to the ground if it meant ending this whole thing. Does that make any sense?”
Eagle reached out and tucked my hair behind an ear, letting his thumb caress my cheek. “I understand that more than you know.”
I leaned into his hold, feeling his support and acceptance.
“I’m sorry I don’t get that at all,” Picasso muttered, rubbing his hands over his face. “I get that we are at war but why do you have to sacrifice part of you for it?”
This time I reached out and grabbed Picasso’s chin, forcing him to look at me. “So you don’t have to.”
Realization shows in his eyes at that, and the next thing I knew his lips were on mine, his hand cupping the back of my head to hold me steady.
I allowed myself to let him take charge, bending to his needs, knowing that this was an important moment for us.
Fumbling, he tried to pull me into his lap but with an arm in a sling it set me off balance.
Eagle was there to scoop me up and plop me on his brother.
In an oddly normal way, Eagle let his hands rest on my hips, holding me steady as his brother slipped his hands under my shirt going right for my handfuls of boobs.
I moaned as Picasso rolled my nipples between his fingers before giving them a slight tug.
“Dani said no sex, but she didn’t say anything about foreplay,” Eagle whispered into my ear, his lips brushing against it, sending shivers down my spine.
Pulling back from Picasso, I gasped as Eagle gently nipped at my throat. “Help me get this shirt off.”