Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
FREAK
I’m a fucking idiot. I didn’t need to see her face as she walks away to know how badly I’d hurt her, I can see that by the tension in her shoulders, and the way she’s holding herself so stiffly, her pain isn’t only caused by her sore ribs.
But it had to be done, sooner or later. Especially as my brothers were picking up I was giving her preferential treatment. I had to put their focus back on the only reason I was looking out for her, and that was of what she’d done to get my son back.
It’s a shame as I really like Trixie. Even after my two disastrous relationships with the Mordrake twins, I’d felt a far deeper connection with her than I had with either of them.
And both of the sisters had put my son in danger, while Trixie had put her life on the line to prevent any harm coming to him.
If I was looking for a woman to be my partner, it would be someone who was like her, brave, selfless, and who understands my way of life.
You can take it as given that she already ticks the boxes of being attractive and desirable.
The way I’d called out to Star, making it obvious I was going to fuck her, well, yeah, perhaps that wasn’t one of my finest moments. But it had taken the heat off me, had shown my brothers I was giving no favouritism to Trixie, and in turn, had sent a message to her that I was off-limits.
Now I’m standing outside my room, knowing a willing naked woman is waiting for me inside.
I’m just a man. When my cock’s hard, I’m generally not fussy what pussy I sink it into.
Hell, even a fleshlight will do in a pinch.
Or my hand if there’s nothing else around.
And if, like now, my cock’s flaccid and lying limply against my thigh, the sight of a nubile female body will quickly tempt it into life.
So why am I so reluctant to go inside? It’s not the worry that Ace might turn up and walk in on the action, Short will keep Ace occupied until I call for him.
It’s a system I’ve worked out with my brothers, else I’d have no choice other than to keep my dick dry when Ace is staying in the club overnight.
So, without the worry of interruptions, why do I have the feeling that even Star’s admirable attributes won’t be enough to tempt my dick into life? I breathe in deeply, put my hand in the handle, and push the door open.
Star’s naked, as I expected, clothes strewn as though pointing the way to nirvana.
She’s leaning back against the headboard, legs drawn up, knees splayed leaving nothing to the imagination, her teeth worrying her thumb as she tries to look like a temptress.
All she succeeds in is looking like a petulant child.
I’m reminded she’s half my age, closer in years to my son, the newest and youngest of the whores.
While that’s never bothered me before, I realise what I want is a woman, not a girl.
I sit on the edge of the bed and cradle my head into my hands. After a moment, I feel arms around me, and naked breasts pressed against my back. She hugs me, then slides down to the floor.
“I can make you feel better,” she says, smiling up at me.
But as her hands go to my zipper, I place mine on hers. Taking a deep breath, I tell her, “I’m sorry, I’ve changed my mind. I’m not in the mood.” I raise my eyes. “I’m fuckin’ tired. All I want to do is crash into bed.”
Her eyes fill with sympathy and words I didn’t expect come out of her mouth. “I’m just a club girl, Freak. But I suspect you really need your son with you, rather than sex tonight.”
Yeah, that’s a part of it. The main part. But I also want what I had last night. Trixie, me and Ace, all cuddled up together. I feel empty, as if something’s missing. But, perhaps she’s right. Getting Short to send Ace back might help fill this hole that’s appeared inside me.
“I need to reassure myself he’s still here. That he’s still alive,” I admit to her.
Star doesn’t ask for further explanation. She gets up and does a reverse striptease as her clothes leave the floor to again cover her. Her actions are practical, and not designed to tempt me. I appreciate that more than she can know. When she goes to the door, I stand up.
“Star? Don’t…”
“Hush, Freak. I’m going to go downstairs with a smile on my face, and if anyone asks, I’ll let them know I’ve had a good time.”
I study her for a second. Sometimes I think we underestimate the club girls. “Hey, wait up.” I stand, go to my dresser and take a few Jacksons out of my wallet and hand them to her. “Why don’t you treat yourself?”
She stares at the money I’ve given to her, then offers a broad grin as she looks up. “I’ve never been paid for not having sex before.”
I chuckle softly. “There’s a first time for everything.”
Her face suddenly grows serious. “Yeah, there is. Remember that, Freak.” She opens the door and leaves.
My brow furrows as I consider what she meant by those words. Then dismiss it as some feminine nonsense. Wasting no more time, I take out my phone and text Short.
Freak: If Ace is ready, send him up
Short: Just been waiting on the word. If you take Ace, I might have a chance of getting Trip home.
I smile, thinking of the relationship between my son and Short’s.
There’s nearly eight years between them in age, but their commonality is that they’re both on the spectrum.
And while Ace is far different to Trip, they seem to understand each other on a different level to us other beings.
From the day Trip first met Ace, they just seemed to click.
Just one more thing for me to be proud of, it’s not often a teenager can be bothered to play with a much younger kid.
While Star hadn’t done more than sit on my bed, I straighten it, old Army habits dying hard, I make it so it would pass inspection. Then check the sheets on Ace’s cot, smoothing them out until I’m satisfied with them. Frowning, I realise him sleeping on a cot by my bed can’t go on much longer.
Maybe it is time that I built that house on the compound. It doesn’t have to be substantial, it’s just for the two of us, with room to accommodate Ma should she ever need it. I’m thinking out the logistics of whether I can get it built at the same time as Short’s, when Ace barges in.
He throws himself on his cot, then narrows his eyes at me. “You interrupted ‘Call of Duty’.”
“I’m so sorry,” I tell him, insincerely. Then shake my head. “I turn a blind eye to you playing it, and I can see Short’s point of view, but I can’t understand Short letting Trip, can’t you get into anything more age appropriate?”
I can tell Ace is giving my words consideration. When Trip first came to the compound, he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, speak. Ace was one of the first to get any reaction from him. And that my son is reaching maturity is proven when he says, “I’ll look into it.” Then his eyes narrow. “Where’s Trixie?”
Shaking my head fast like a dog just in from the rain, my brow furrows. “What the fuck do you mean?”
He shrugs. “After last night, I thought she might be staying with us.” I’m just about to ask why the fuck he would think that, when his face crumples. “Don’t tell me you’re still hung up on Toni.”
No fucking chance of that. Even if I had the inclination. “Toni’s gone,” I tell him. “She’s not coming back.”
He sits up sharply. “You swear on that?”
“Fuckin’ right, I do.”
He lowers his head into his hands. “I know I was all over her. I thought, through her, I’d learn about my mom. But she tricked us both, Dad. I knew as soon as I saw Candyman’s MDMC patch that she’d betrayed us. I saw you kill Candyman and Oscar…”
“Son, I’m so fuckin’ sorry you had to see that.”
“Dad!” he states with exasperation. “It was them or us. I’m a club brat, remember? I know what goes on. Nobody fucks with the Kings.”
My jaw drops. I obviously thought I’d sheltered him more than I had.
“My point is,” he continues, “Toni saw that as well. You can’t let her loose. She could go to the CPS, even the Feds. She thinks she’s got rights to me.” He’s starting to get agitated.
“She won’t,” I say firmly and quickly, trying to calm him down. “I made sure of that.”
He suddenly stands and comes up right in front of me. His fists are clenched. “I was so scared, Dad. I thought I’d never see you again. She’s a damaged, sick woman. Tell me I’ll never see her again. And make it so I can believe it. Else the nightmares won’t stop.”
I stubbornly repeat, “She won’t be a problem anymore.”
He stands up to me. His body is tight with challenge. “You killed her?”
“What? Fuck no.” My hands sweep my hair back from my face.
“As I said, I sent her away. She’s not going to cause trouble for us, Ace, I made sure of it.
We’ll have Kings watching her.” Behind my back I cross my fingers, that’s as long as she tells me where she ends up.
“And she’s not allowed to contact you, she knows if she does, all gloves come off.
” I soften my voice. “If you ever have a change of heart, after you’re eighteen, you can get in touch with her.
But I assure you, that’s up to you, not her. ”
He stares into my face for a moment, then takes his phone from his pocket. “I’ve blocked her number. And as for the rest, I’ll have to just trust you, won’t I?”
Yeah, him and the rest of the club. It would have been easier to take her out of the picture all together.
But when it came down to that, however she’d wronged me, I couldn’t pull that trigger.
One step out of line though, that’s all it will take.
And wherever she’s gone, whatever state she lands in, there’ll be a chapter of Kings ready to rectify what would have been my mistake.
He sinks back down onto his cot. His legs are splayed, his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers are linked on steepled hands. I suddenly realize Ace is starting to resemble a man instead of a boy.
“Trixie’s great, isn’t she?”