Chapter Two #3
"Move in with me. Completely. In my house, not the club house."
My jaw goes slack as I stare at him, stunned.
Speechless. My mind is trying to process everything.
He wants me to move in with him away from the club house.
Did that mean my “punishment” is over? Am I able to return to my normal life, now?
So many questions form in my head and fuck is he giving me whiplash.
But it’d be a lie if I said it didn’t make me happy.
“Yes,” I agree with him before asking the questions in my mind because that’s where my heart is and the answers to those questions don’t change my answer.
My heart is with him, whether that’s at the clubhouse, his house, a bar, our house, or across the country.
I’d go anywhere and do anything for him.
His thousand-watt smile sends butterflies hammering the inside of my stomach.
And that’s why. That smile, right there.
Cass takes me in his arms and his lips press firmly to mine, sending those familiar electric blue sparks tingling through me.
When I open my eyes and regain my senses, Mindy is still peering over Linc’s shoulder, a look of bemusement on her face.
"Damn, it was that easy? Hey boss, I need another raise!" Her energy makes my heart happy. I’m elated to witness my best friend with her newfound luminance.
"Hey, easy now. That was just a way for me to get her to move in with me.
Besides, I figure you deserve a raise, and she deserves to be out of the clubhouse and have a place to call home.
That, and I'm selfish and want her to share my home with me.
" My cheeks hurt from the smile that threatens to stretch off my face if I don't keep it under control.
A man in a Lucifer’s Hounds cut approaches, but I’m certain I’ve never seen him around before. His name patch identifies him as Clayton and he’s the Sergeant at Arms. Cass’s eyes light up when he spots Clayton, and he greets him with a hug.
"Whatcha say, old man?" Cass asks, his tone light and happy.
"Had to come see what y’all were up to down here.
" Clayton's voice is deep, and he looks to be in his late fifties. His eyes are a warm amber and the wrinkles at their base are most definitely from a lifetime of smiles and laughter. He doesn’t have the typical rough exterior like most of the older men that I’ve seen that had been around clubs.
Either he’s harmless and always happy, or he isn’t harmless and is always happy.
"Oh, man. Not a whole lot. Just out supporting these guys."
Clayton turns his attention in my direction, where I stand quietly next to Cass, watching their exchange and interaction.
"I'm Clayton, Cass's father." Clayton smiles, holding his hand out for me to shake.
My heart hammers, my nerves kicking into overdrive because I’m meeting someone in Cass’s family. “Hi, I’m Lilly.” I shake his hand confidently.
"She's pretty, son. I'd go to war for her, too."
Cass's face drops, and he eyes his father suspiciously. "Let's take a walk." Cass's tone isn't harsh or rude, but curious. Clayton nods at Mindy, Linc, and myself before walking off with Cass.
Mindy looks at Lilly. "Cass's dad is a Hound?" she asks.
"Evidently so.”
I look at the two of them walking away. Clayton is about a foot taller than Cass, but they bear the same broad shoulders. I can see Clayton’s back patch now. His bottom rocker is Oklahoma City. No wonder I’ve never seen him before. I ponder a moment before I turn my attention to Linc.
"Did you know his dad was a Hound from Oklahoma City?"
"Nope." Linc's answer is monotone. Flat. He wouldn't tell me even if he did. I roll my eyes. Stupid brother code. Ugh.
Mindy stares at Linc, but he doesn’t say a word. We stand here for a moment before Linc is called off to go do something by Snapper, leaving me and Mindy alone.
“Are you thirsty? That daiquiri didn’t last long, and I could use another one.” Mindy holds up her empty cup.
“Hell yeah. I wish they served liquor around here, though,” I huff.
Mindy walks off to the nearest daiquiri stand while I stand and wait patiently. I look around the parking lot, taking in all the sights. The sun is bright, and the people are plenty.
While I’m lost in space, Carrie and Lucy sneak up on me. One minute I was alone, the next they’re right beside me.
"Hey sunshine!" Carrie's enthusiasm never fails to make me smile.
"Hey love!" I wrap her in a hug before turning to hug Lucy.
"What have y’all been doing?" I stare at them.
I snicker and that’s when I notice her eyes. They’re red and glazed. I find the same thing looking at Carrie. "You found weed, didn’t you?"
Carrie nods her head enthusiastically, her excitement evident in her expression. “Yep. Want some?"
"Hell yeah," I say as Mindy approaches with two daiquiris in hand.
"Damn, if I would've known y’all were here I would've grabbed two more."
"That's okay, love. We have something for you, anyway." Carrie grins as she digs a small baggie out of the pocket of her vest. Mindy looks down and smiles.
"I don't know if my boss is gonna approve of that."
"That's why we're walking over to the beach." Carrie points toward the empty beach across the parking lot.
"Let's go, what you waitin’ on?" Mindy asks, walking ahead of us.
I can’t think of a time in the four years that Mindy and I have been friends that I’d ever seen her smoke anything other than a cigarette.
I smile internally at the fact that I’m getting to smoke with my best friend for the first time.
Hell, it had probably been just that long since the last time I smoked.
It isn’t my thing, but what would it hurt to live on the edge a little bit.
The walk to the beach is short and from the looks of it, no one has even noticed that we’re even gone.
I’m sure I will have to hear about leaving without saying anything to Cass.
Carrie and Lucy are chatting along the way, but I zone out.
My head is stuck in the clouds, or more-so, the sand.
The beach is stunning and as I breathe in the welcoming scent, I can’t help but smile.
The waves crash along the shoreline and the salt-filled air infiltrates my senses.
I want to run, full sprint, toward the water, but I fight the urge.
Mindy is in the middle of a conversation with Lucy and Carrie when we reach a spot far enough away.
“That sunset is gorgeous.” Mindy looks out at the horizon, causing the rest of us to look out at the big, orange blob that appears to be slowly submerging itself into the ocean.
The hues of orange and red glimmer atop the water and the view is breathtaking.
No one else is around and I decide this is a good spot, so I plop down.
The sand is cool on my legs and although the sand is my least favorite part, I don’t mind it so much.
Carrie takes a seat next to me and rests her head on my shoulder. She pulls a baggie with luscious green weed in it then pulls a small pipe from her other pocket. Mindy and Lucy sit down around us.
“Here.” Carrie hands me the pipe that she just loaded. I sigh then take a deep breath. I take it before I can talk myself out of it, bring it to my lips and take a hit. The burn is a familiar one as the smoke permeates my lungs. Hello old friend.
I hold it in for as long as I can before I attempt to slowly let it out without coughing. I fail miserably, though, and cough just as I blow out the last bit of smoke that was left. I raise it again and take another hit before passing it to Mindy.
Mindy grins as she takes it from me and does the same.
My buzz begins to kick in already and I feel the tug at the corner of my lips.
I have a love-hate relationship with being high.
I love the way it makes me feel; heavy yet relaxed, but I hate how I generally get so tired after smoking.
Mindy exhales her second hit and passes it back to Carrie.
Carrie takes one hit then hands it to Lucy, who politely declines.
Evidently this isn’t a normal occurrence for Lucy who seems rather high as it is.
“I really fucking needed that,” I say, looking at Carrie.
“You good or you want some more?” Carrie asks, holding the pipe out to me.
I wave my hand in dismissal. “Oh, no. I’m really good. If I smoke anymore, I’ll be sleeping right here.”
Mindy giggles, catching my attention. “What?”
“I can picture Cass trying to get you off the beach and onto the bike, high as hell, and let me tell you…in my head, that’s some funny shit.”
“Definitely funny shit. He’d be so pissed!” I laugh.
“What do your guys think of y’all smoking?” I ask, looking at Carrie and Lucy.
“Mine doesn’t give a damn. We dabble in shit all the time.” Carrie’s answer takes me by surprise. I didn’t realize how much things went on around me that she wasn’t aware of.
“Mine doesn’t care either.”
After hearing their answers, I wonder how Cass feels about it. We never talked about that kind of thing. I don’t know if he dabbles in anything, if he’s against it, nothing. He couldn’t disapprove that much considering his lifestyle, could he?
The thought alone makes me question whether I had just disrespected him or not. Pondering, I pull a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket and light one. My mouth is already drier than the desert in a drought and I know a cigarette won’t help, but damn I want one.
“Can I have one of those?” Mindy asks, extending her hand out.
“Of course.” I set one in her hand along with my lighter.
The four of us sit on the beach in this exact spot until the sun is gone and darkness begins to take over.
We talk about our lives and I learn that Carrie and Lucy have only been around the Hounds for six months.
That’s why their husbands are still prospects and don’t have a full patch yet. They are still proving themselves.
Chatter from the men grows louder and I look behind us to find a group of men approaching us. I can’t make out their faces, but I hear Cass’s voice louder than the rest.
“Hey, you!” I beam and stand up to greet Cass. My arms wrap around his neck and I drag him to me. He doesn’t hesitate and places a kiss on my lips ever so gently. The smile that I wore before only amplifies as his lips touch mine. My buzz is still intact, but I feel great. Giddy more than anything.
Carrie, Lucy and Mindy all stand up to find that Leo, Shorty, and Linc accompany Cass.
“You found me,” I say through half-squinted eyes.
“You were never lost, baby. Prospects.” He waves his hand at the three prospects that stand behind him. It was then I realize that we hadn’t snuck off at all. We were watched. Although we weren’t followed, we were watched.
I roll my eyes. “How could I forget?” My voice is laced with light sarcasm.
Cass chuckles and pulls me tighter to him, kissing me again.
This time, it isn’t a light kiss. His lips flush against mine at first, then his tongue invades my mouth.
As soon as my tongue connects with his, that familiar rush of electricity shoots directly to my core.
It’s overwhelming and for a moment, I forget where I am…
what I’m doing...who I’m with…because the only thing my brain can process is the whirlwind of lust and desire for this man. My man.
Chatter around us sucks me back to the present and I pull away enough to catch my breath.
Cass’s lips twitch at the sides, giving me that signature smirk that makes me weak in the knees.
My smile mirrors Cass’s before he kisses my forehead and turns around.
His arms wrap around me affectionately and he rests his chin on my shoulder.
"I love you." His declaration is unexpected, but welcoming.
"And I love you," I say, turning my head toward him to kiss his cheek. There is a giddy feeling reverberating inside my chest, making my heart full and happy.
"What do you say we spend the next few days here? Maybe we could grab a hotel or stay with the Highway Sinners."
My head snaps toward him in surprise. "Really? I would abso-fuckin-lutely love that!"
Cass's eyes dance with amusement at my excitement. "Me too. I'll let the guys know."