Chapter 8 #2
I needed to change the subject before they got worse.
It was easy to see these two played off each other.
It was just as obvious that they were close.
Despite Hellfire’s comments, Smokehouse was relaxed.
He’d mostly been joking about the ogling.
After seeing the way he’d reacted to Eli, I knew he’d be tense and pissed off if they weren’t friends.
Hellfire coughed, trying to conceal a laugh. “That’s my cue to help the others.” He left quickly.
Smoke just shook his head. “I’ll tell you about that later.”
“You’re in the Army?” I asked, desperately curious about the man I’d found myself attached to. I didn’t mind that he’d sidestepped my question.
“I was. Didn’t stick.”
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but he didn’t hang around so I could ask.
He turned and walked out the front door, leaving it open.
A few minutes later, I saw why. The men from downstairs were carrying things in, like a line of ants, and dropping them off inside our new apartment.
They left a couch, soft recliner chairs, boxes full of dishes, and pretty much everything else we’d need to live in here.
“Sorry it wasn’t ready ahead of time,” Priest said, walking in through the door. It was easy to remember him because his girls had left an impression. “I only had time to get the beds and dressers in. This should be everything you need, though.”
“We appreciate it, Priest,” Smoke told him, as he entered behind the other man. “It won’t be a problem to unpack everything. Just the fact that you had it all here within thirty minutes was damn impressive.”
“Already had it on order. I was just waiting for a few more things to come in for the other empty apartments before I had it all delivered. Since you needed it now, I just had them bring enough over for your new place.”
I sucked in a breath as they moved out of the way and Hellfire and Hush moved in a refrigerator.
They had it lifted completely off the ground.
My eyes widened at the effortless show of strength.
Keely and I had to move her washing machine a week after I’d come to live with her and we’d ended up in a gasping, heaving heap of limbs on the floor afterward. And we’d only scooted it.
“Let’s grab the rest of the stuff,” Smoke suggested.
I sat down on one of the recliners that was facing the door and watched as they continued bringing in things like a flatscreen TV, a washer and dryer, and a kitchen table.
Despite all the muscles being flexed, I only found myself drooling as I watched Smoke bring in the washing machine.
Of course Butcher was helping him, but I couldn't keep my eyes from roaming all over Smoke as he muscled the machine in through the door.
“That everything?” Toxic asked as six men stood around inside our new apartment, surveying it.
“That’s it,” Priest confirmed.
“Do you want anything moved?” Smokehouse asked, his eyes landing on me. All of them looked my way.
“Oh. No. It’s fine how it is,” I assured them, rubbing my arm with my hand. I was only used to being the center of attention for eight-year-olds. Men never paid attention to me, that I noticed anyway, let alone a group of men like this.
Smokehouse and the others exchanged fist bumps and they turned as one unit to leave.
“Thank you all so much.”
They all paused and looked over brawny shoulders.
The smiles that were tossed my way might have short circuited most women’s brains.
Mine might have if I wasn’t already over the moon for the tattooed, handsome, man, who was now standing next to my chair.
It didn’t seem to matter that I hardly knew him.
My heart was set on being his. I only hoped he wouldn’t shred the precious organ when I offered it to him.
“Anytime, Sweetheart,” Hush told me. “If you need anythin’, one of us is always around if Smokehouse isn’t. You come find us.”
“Thank you,” I said again, softer this time. I’d been here for only a few hours and already this group of men and their women had made me feel more welcome and cared for than I had in my own home over the length of my marriage. How had I not realized how bad it had gotten?
Of course Eli hadn’t started out as a complete jerk.
He’d been sweet and attentive. He’d confessed his love for me loudly and repeatedly until I’d had stars in my eyes.
Things had been fine for over a year. Then they’d started changing slowly enough that I hadn’t noticed what was happening. I’d been sucked in.
As if the men helping wasn’t enough, four little faces appeared, peering around the open door. All stacked on top of one another like a Scooby Doo cartoon. Gabby stepped forward, clearly the designated spokesperson. She had a piece of paper in her hand and a stuffed otter under her arm.
“We made this for you. Welcome to our family.”
With a lump in my throat, I took the paper. It was a crayon drawing of the family. A very large family. Even though they were mostly stick figures it was easy to tell the oversized muscles for the bikers and the different women, by height and hair color.
“Here’s us and Daddy and Jenny, there’s Butcher and Toxic, and here’s you and Smokehouse,” one of the other little girls said—if I remembered correctly, her name was Taylor—pointing out each couple.
A third little girl, Cassie, edged forward, thrusting another paper forward.
Her companion Caitlyn, pointed at the paper.
“Hellfire, Lockout, Dash, Susie, and Dex are here. Mel and Daisha, and Bear and Tori and their baby.” Caitlyn’s finger slid over the paper as she spoke softly. “And this is Kit and Sylvia.”
Cassie motioned to the top corner. “Don’t forget Riptide and Sloane and Hush and Seek.”
“Who are these two?” I asked, pointing to two figures with four legs.
“That’s Auron and Jecht,” Gabby told me. “They’re Seek’s, but she lets them sleep with us sometimes.”
I was already on the verge of tears at the welcome these sweet girls were giving me, but then Gabby, the leader of this little group, held out the stuffed otter. “This is Oscar. He’ll keep you company until this feels like your home.”
Priest stepped back in, just in time as I was about to bawl from all the sweetness. “Come on girls, leave Danica alone to get settled in.
I took the otter and hugged him tight. “Thank you girls, you’re all so kind.”
Smokehouse shut the door as Priest herded the girls out and smiled over at me. “They’re all great around here.”
Blinking back tears, I got up and rummaged through one of the boxes on the kitchen counter. Sure enough, there were magnets in there. I held them up. “They really are. Everyone is so nice, and Priest has thought of everything.” I hung the pictures on the fridge and smiled at them.
The door hadn’t been shut for more than a minute when a knock sounded. Smoke opened it and shot me a grin as he looked back at me. “It’s for you.”
Frowning, I crossed the room until I was standing directly behind him. When he held the door open, my eyes widened. The women I’d met downstairs were huddled around the opening.
“It’s okay if you say no,” Kit said, giving me a smile, “we can be a lot. But we’d like to help you move in, if that’s okay?”
“Oh. The guys already-”
“Dropped everything off,” Daisha said. Thankfully I had a way with names since I had to remember my students each year. They’d introduced themselves downstairs and I’d be horrified if I couldn’t remember them. I’d thought for a time that I wouldn’t, but my memory wasn’t letting me down so far.
“But someone needs to help with washing the dishes,” Susie said.
“And the towels and stuff,” Seek added.
“And help put it all away,” Jenny continued with a grin.
Tori nodded. “It can take weeks to properly move into a new place, but with us here we can finish it in a day.”
“It’s what we’re here for,” Sloane told me.
“We help each other,” Kit said, taking over the conversation again. “And now that you’re here and with my brother, you’re one of us.”
The only two who were missing were Gwen and Jordan. I didn’t ask where they were. These women being here meant so much to me and I didn’t want to seem ungrateful for their help. Tears formed in my eyes. “That’s so sweet of you.” I flicked my gaze over to Smokehouse. “I’m not sure we’re tog-”
“I’ll let you girls do your thing,” Smoke said, interrupting my attempt to tell the others that we weren’t dating.
“Go on,” Seek said with a wave of her hand. “You guys brought everything up here. We’ll get it all clean and organized.”
Going over to Smokehouse, I ignored the stares, and leaned up on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. It wasn’t easy to ignore the desire that flooded into my belly when he turned his head just enough that I ended up kissing the side of his mouth. No man should have such delectable lips.
There were soft giggles behind us, but Smoke didn’t pay any attention to them. He just stared down at me with the intense stare I was becoming used to. This man was a mystery to me. “Thank you,” I whispered to him.
His hand raised and he cupped my cheek for a brief moment before he turned and walked out the door.
The silence in the apartment continued even after I turned and found all eyes on me.
My cheeks heated up as the women watched me with smiles on their faces.
Even Kit was grinning. I had hoped to become friends with her and she was making it very easy on me. It was a relief.
“I’ll bring over some things to make dinner for tonight,” Jenny called out as she sailed out of the apartment, breaking the spell that held everyone immobile. She was as much a whirlwind as Priest’s girls. It made me smile.
“She’s not bringing over things for you to make dinner. She’ll end up doing it,” Seek confided in me.
“Oh, that’s not necessary.”
“Let her,” Kit said with a laugh.
“She loves it,” Tori confirmed. “She’s a little homemaker and it makes her so happy to dote on her family. You’re a part of that now.”
“I’ll make an apple pie and bring it over later,” Sloane told me as she gathered up the newly purchased towels, wash cloths, and hand towels that one of the guys had dumped on the couch.
“This is all so… I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” I said, sinking down onto the recliner again. Hugging the otter close, I watched as the women busied themselves in my new home.
I did my best to hold it in, but in the face of their generosity, I lost the battle with my hormones. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I broke out into sobs.