Stalker Chapter 4 #2
The depressing thought made us both stop talking and get lost in our own thoughts. It lasted a good ten minutes or more before I broke it.
“We’ve got to stay positive and put in the effort to show her that we’re not only here to help with the Marshall issue, but also show her we want her. And it’s more than about sex,” I stressed to Predator.
“Got it. Let’s sleep on it and see what we come up with. We’ll talk tomorrow after we get off work. Whatever we come up with, I don’t want us to wait until the weekend or after we nab Marshall Webb. I can’t wait that long,” he replied.
“Agreed. Alright, I’m heading to my room. I need a shower. See you in the morning before we head out for the day. Then, we’ll meet after work. Wanna meet me in town and have dinner there so we can talk without anyone questioning why we’re behind closed doors or listening in the common room?”
“Yeah, we can do that. Text me tomorrow the places you want to eat, and I’ll send you mine. Surely, we’ll be able to pick one,” he said.
After agreeing, I got up and went through the bathroom to my room. I was already thinking about what to do about Dayanara.
???
It was a longer day than usual for me. Typically, I kept busy at Haven, even if it wasn’t by providing security tasks.
It wasn’t necessary to have standing guards roaming the grounds twenty-four seven.
During the work week’s regular hours, Demon and I were there.
When it was nighttime, the weekend, or when we weren’t there, we had guys who covered for us.
They were there to ensure no one came around bothering the tenants.
Sometimes, we had the abusers discover where their victims went.
If they came to threaten or bother them, we warned them.
If they kept it up, they got the beatdown of their lives.
Of course, we did that disguised so they couldn’t prove it was us.
If they persisted, then we’d make it a permanent solution.
We didn’t automatically go to that level, even if we would have liked to.
Not everyone could die. It would bring too much heat down on us.
The chief of police in Hunters Creek was Joe Scarelli.
He and Bull had known each other for years.
While we didn’t outright admit what we did, Joe wasn’t stupid.
As long as we weren’t blatant about it and only took care of those who deserved it, Scarelli turned a blind eye.
But even he would have to do something if everyone who stayed at Haven had their rapist, tormentor, or abuser come up missing.
It wasn’t like we lived in a Bermuda Triangle situation that would explain the disappearances.
Too bad. It would solve so many problems.
Plus, not all of Scarelli’s officers were that obliging.
Some would give anything to catch us committing a crime so they could lock us away.
However, we had a club friend on the force.
Officer Zev Oberlin had become our friend when he met and befriended Raina, Joker’s old lady.
She was a 911 dispatcher. He had helped us get rid of Raina’s ex and an outlaw MC when she and our club were targeted.
What made it worse was that her ex was Joker’s cousin.
It was after one o’clock when Demon called me into the office. I spent time there when I was helping him with paperwork, or when he wanted to chat. Otherwise, I stayed busy elsewhere. Thinking he had work for me, when I entered, I shut the door.
“Okay, what do you need me to do?” I asked. His desk was covered in various pieces of paper.
“Have a seat,” Demon said, gesturing to the ones in front of the desk.
I dropped into one of them. I kicked out my legs, crossed them at the ankles, then leaned back. “What’s up? You need me to do paperwork, or make a run for supplies?” We took turns going to get things needed at Haven, from groceries to repair items.
“Not today. I wanted to talk to you about last night,” Demon said.
“Okay, what about it? Do you think we overlooked something in our planning?” I’d run through it in my head more than a few times after I went to bed last night.
“No, not the planning part. I want to ask you what the meaning was of you and Predator never letting Dayanara out of your sight. I get it. She’s a stunning woman.
As a single man, you’d be crazy not to notice her.
And I’ve heard that lately, the two of you don’t seem to take the bunnies or other women up on their offers for sex.
I got the vibe that it was more than a casual fuck interest in her. Am I wrong?”
Demon stopped there. I answered him without delay.
“You’re right. She is incredibly beautiful and desirable. I’m not stupid. And yes, the easy women around the clubhouse have gotten old. I’m ready for more, Demon. I want what you have with Zara. And there’s something about Dayanara that screams to me she’s the woman I can have it with.”
“Well, it’s a relief to know it’s not just about sex. With her being Stryder’s cousin, it would be very messy and potentially ugly if you only wanted to sleep with her. However, I get the feeling that Predator has the same level of interest in her. Does he?”
“Yes, he does. He’s as tired of the meaningless sex as I am,” I admitted.
Demon grimaced. “I thought it was more than your best friend helping you stake a serious claim to her if it wasn’t merely that you both wanted to have sex with her.
I know that you two have been with women at the same time.
A lot of us have. But, if both of you want her for good, what if she doesn’t want both of you?
Sure, she may want neither of you, but what if she wants only one of you?
What then? How will you guys handle that? ”
It was my turn to grimace.
“We thought of that, and we talked. The honest answer is, we don’t have a goddamn clue, Demon.
We know if she says no to both, that’ll be a blow, but we’ll most likely get over it in time.
But if she wants one, that can’t help but impact our friendship, no matter how hard we try not to let it.
Our only recourse is to do our damndest to make her see that we both can give her everything she needs and wants, and that having a polyamorous relationship isn’t as taboo as she might think.
We have great examples. We can let her meet the ones over in Dublin Falls.
Sure, not everyone will like it, and there will be looks and remarks.
Hell, people will disagree with her being with even one of us just because we’re bikers.
You can’t please everyone, all the time. ”
“All that is true. I hate the idea that you could lose your best friend. And Bull won’t stand for brothers fighting each other. Others have found someone’s chosen woman attractive, but it wasn’t enough to cause long-term problems. With the two of you, I felt and saw the interest from both.”
Everything he said was true, so I didn’t argue that aspect. I chose to ask him questions.
“Let me ask you this. Did you notice or feel anything about how Dayanara was toward us? Was she giving off any indication that she preferred one over the other? Or that she wasn’t interested in either of us?
” I dreaded asking, but I needed more than Predator and my thoughts. I knew Demon wouldn’t lie.
“She’s very good at containing her emotions and body language. However, there were a few times when I thought I saw interest on her part. And not for one versus the other. Zara and I talked about it at home. She got the same vibe.”
The tension running through me eased a tad. “Predator and I thought the same. I wish I had answers, but I don’t. All we can do is promise not to make her a bone of contention between us. Oh, and to pursue her diligently with honorable intentions.”
“The club can’t ask for more. Don’t be surprised if Bull or another officer comes by and asks you the same thing. If I were you, I’d have a conversation with Stryder soon. You don’t want him thinking you guys are looking to his cousin for a good time.”
“Good idea. Although I don’t think he needs to worry. If we were, Dayanara strikes me as a woman who’d put us in our places, painfully if necessary.”
He chuckled. “Damn right, she would. Semper Fi all the way.”
After that, we sat there shooting the breeze for a bit after he updated me on a few minor things about Haven. When I left the office, I was anxious to have dinner with Predator so that we could talk about this and more.
???
Predator and I ended up at Sadie’s Place for dinner.
It wasn’t a big shock that we chose it. While there were other places we liked, Sadie’s was an old-fashioned diner that served home-cooked meals.
If you wanted to be reminded of Mom and Grandma’s cooking, you went there.
Sadie was a woman of indeterminate age. I knew she was older than Bull, but that was it.
She zipped around her place full of energy.
You could find her behind the register, serving meals, and, if needed, or if she was in the mood, in the back, cooking.
Sadie knew her regulars by name and would ask about their work and families. She cared about her customers. After our orders were placed, I stared across the booth at Predator.
“What?” he asked.
“I had a conversation with Demon today.”
“Oh yeah, about what?”
“Us and Dayanara.”
His eyebrows rose. “What about us?”
“He noticed our claim on her last night and wanted to know if it was serious or if we were just wanting to sleep with her. I told him everything. He’s worried about what will happen if she likes one of us but not the other.
I told him we shared the same concern and had no idea how we’d handle it.
He thinks he saw a flicker of interest from her a time or two.
He suggests we talk to Stryder right away and reassure him we’re not out to have only sex with her.
I agree. In fact, wanna see if he’s available when we get back tonight to talk? ”
“Absolutely. We should be back by seven thirty. Let me message him and see if he has time,” Predator automatically said, pulling out his cell phone. I smirked. He was as anxious as I was to remove a potential obstacle. Mere moments were all it took for him to type it out and send.
To divert ourselves from obsessing over his phone, we began discussing what we’d done at work today.
He was a lead mechanic at our garage, Warriors Garage & Towing.
Maverick managed the garage side, and Tank managed the towing side.
Slash, Ace, and sometimes Outlaw worked there, too.
The garage did a lot of work despite being in a small town.
People from miles around brought their vehicles and bikes to us for repair or to have us tow them.
The local police contracted us to tow vehicles when needed.
This fact required us to have non-member and prospect employees.
We barely got started before his phone chimed.
I watched his face as he read it. Predator smiled.
“Stryder said to let him know when we get back, and we’ll talk. All I told him was that we needed to speak to him. I asked if he had time tonight. I figured it was better to tell him why after we were able to see his face.”
“Good idea. Alright, let’s pray this goes well.
If we can get him on our side, it might help convince Dayanara that we’re not out for fun and games and to get her to take on both of us.
Her brother, we’ll deal with after that.
If she and Stryder are for it, I don’t think Jessup will be able to dissuade her.
As for Brighton, I’d like to suggest we have them bring her to meet everyone as well.
She needs to feel the support of the club and get to know us,” I suggested.
“I agree.”
We finished talking about work and the upcoming meeting while eating. Service at Sadie’s was always quick. I forced myself not to gulp it down without chewing.