Chapter Four
Stone
“Fuck me,” Abe muttered. He sat on the barrel next to me, looking across the room at Cue Ball, who was barking out the lyrics to ‘Light My Fire’ by the Doors. “It’s like listening to a goddamned catfight.”
I pointed the beer bottle toward the corner where two other brothers were squaring up to each other. “And it seems it’s not just the cats fightin’.”
Abe grimaced. “They better not start their shit. Iris is due to turn up any second. Bandit invited her over ‘cause your girl and Connie are here tonight for your birthday.”
I eyed another corner where one of the whores was on her knees, taking turns to suck two brothers off while the men gathered around cheering her on. “Elise will run the fuck outta here screamin’. Probably dump me soon after.”
Abe’s lips twitched. “They’ll start behavin’ when your ma walks in.”
I picked at the label on my beer bottle, brain ticking over in thought. “How did Iris cope with all this bullshit when you started bringing her around?”
“I made sure to explain’ everythin’ beforehand,” he stated. “Didn’t let my woman walk in blind. She was shocked at first and worried about me taking up with one of the girls when she wasn’t here, but I put her mind at rest. There’s no woman on this earth for me but her.” He gave me a gentle nudge. “You did tell Elise what to expect, right?”
Wincing slightly, I nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t think she got it entirely. I said things got sexual, but I didn’t go into detail.”
“Jesus, John. She’s as innocent as a fairy shitting rainbows. You should’ve laid it out for her.”
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Yeah. I know, but she’s so shy and gets embarrassed really easily. I didn’t wanna scare her off.”
“Pretty sure she’ll be more embarrassed when she walks in on Mary Lou over there with two dicks down her damned throat,” Abe retorted. “You’re a good fella, John, but you gone fucked up this time.”
“Not sure Leesy even knows what a blow job is,” I muttered.
Abe barked a laugh. “Poor girl will be in for a night of discovery then, ‘cause Mary Lou can take two dicks in way more places than just her throat, and the bitch ain’t private about it.”
“Fuck!” I groaned.
“Yep,” Abe muttered, taking a swig of his beer. “That’s exactly right—”
The sound of furniture clattering and scraping loudly interrupted Abe. Shouts and screams filled the air as a fight started to break out between the group of men who were arguing.
“Jesus,” Abe exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
“Leave ‘em to it.” I got to my feet. “Let the assholes kill each other.”
A loud curse went up. I turned to see Pop clambering onto the bar, he then reached into his inside pocket, pulled out his Glock, and fired a deafening shot at the ceiling. “Motherfuckers!”
Shouts and cries went up, and in the chaos, half the room dived for the floor. It took a minute before silence eventually fell over the bar as the music came to a stop.
Dad aimed his gun at the crowd of men, who, by then, had stopped their shenanigans and were staring at their prez opened-mouthed along with the rest of the room.
“What the fuck did I tell you assholes about fightin’ tonight?” Pop demanded.
Crickets.
“Will some fucker answer me!” he bellowed, face turning purple.
One of the brothers cleared his throat nervously. “You said no shenanigans. You wanted us on our best behavior ‘cause the women were comin’.”
Dad’s eyes zeroed in on the brother who spoke. “Correct, Hatchet, so maybe you can open your trap again and tell me why those fucknuts over in the corner are about to start punching the fuck outta each other?”
One of the fighters stepped forward, seemingly shamefaced. “Sorry, boss.”
Quick as a flash, Dad raised his Glock and let off another ear-splintering shot.
Shouts went up.
“Next time you directly disobey an order, that bullet will be lodged in your ass,” Pop yelled. “And that goes for all of ya. Do you fuckin’ get me?”
Silence.
“Do you fuckin’ get me?” Dad roared.
A chorus of agreement went up.
Pop slid his Glock back into his inside pocket, grumbling, “As you were, motherfuckers.” He leaned down until his palm hit the counter and jumped down to the floor before making his way toward me and Abe. “Can you believe those asshats?” He jerked his thumb toward the corner of the room. “I fuckin’ told ‘em, no rough stuff with our ol’ ladies in the bar.”
“They fucked up,” I agreed. “But you nearly shot one of ‘em. You can’t pull out your Glock every time a brother does somethin’ wrong. It’s crazy.”
Dad snorted sarcastically. “If I fired my weapon every time one of the men pissed me off, we’d run outta bullets. They were about to start throwin’ punches. Queenie’s gonna walk through that door any minute, and if she’d gotten caught up in a fistfight, I swear to God, a bullet would’ve found a brain. Best to show ‘em I mean business from the get-go. You can’t fuck around with these men, Son. First sign of weakness and it’d be goddamned anarchy. You need to toughen up if you wanna hold the gavel one day. Showin’ weakness won’t make the brothers respect you.”
My forehead furrowed as I mulled over Pop’s words.
He made a good point. The brothers were mainly ex-military and tough as nails. Fights broke out constantly, and Dad usually let them get on with it because it was how the brothers communicated. A lot of them fought in ‘Nam—like Dad—and suffered the aftereffects. Fighting was their way of blowing off steam. The problem was that Dad didn’t like rough stuff around the women in case they got caught in the crossfire. The brothers knew Dad’s rule and usually respected it for the sole reason that they thought the world of my ma.
I caught a flash of red out of the corner of my eye. My stare fell on one of the whores who was making a beeline toward us.
Foxy was a tall redhead who everybody regarded as the head club girl. It was her who Dad went to when one of the whores needed a reprimand or he wanted to kick one out. The groupies had hung around the club since the day Dad started it. They’d eventually moved in three years before, when Dad said they could bunk down in an outbuilding at the back of the barn.
The girls received free room and board but were expected to keep the brothers happy, no questions asked. I’d grown up around them and had taken advantage of what they offered when I was younger than what society deemed as decent.
The whole thing had jaded me. Casual sex didn’t appeal anymore. These days, I was more excited to wait for the woman I loved and have sex that meant something more than fucking for fucking’s sake.
Long, red nails slid across Dad’s chest and up to his neck before Foxy stepped forward and pressed her body against Dad’s. “That was hot, Bandit,” she purred. “You wanna disappear with me for a while?”
My hands clenched into fists.
Foxy had been trying her shit with Dad for years. Some of the men who were wifed up went with the whores, but my pop wasn’t one of them. He adored my mom, so I knew he wouldn’t appreciate how Foxy was trying her luck with him.
I knew Dad was about to hit the roof by the way his body locked. As he went to shove Foxy off, his angry stare fell over her shoulder, and he froze. “You’re for it now, girlie,” he warned as mutters filled the air around us.
Light footsteps tapped loudly against the makeshift wooden floor, and my gut roiled because I knew that walk. Trouble was about to hit, especially for Foxy.
The crowd moved back as if Moses himself was parting the Red Sea, and my mom appeared like a warrior princess dressed in polka dots with victory rolls in her hair. Three things happened at once: her eyes narrowed, her hip popped, and she jammed a hand onto it.
“Get the hell off my man,” Ma snapped.
Foxy’s hand dropped to her side, and she visibly gulped.
Mom stomped forward, reached up, and grabbed the back of Foxy’s hair. “What have I told you about touching what doesn’t belong to you?”
The club girl yelped in pain.
With a snarl, Mom marched her to the main doors, the men moving out of the way as she dragged Foxy along by the hair. “I’ve told you to stay away from Bandit,” she grated through clenched teeth. “Next time you touch him, I’ll cut a finger off.” Mom grabbed the door handle and swung it open before throwing Foxy through it. “I better not see you again tonight,” she yelled after her before slamming the door shut, turning to face the room, and zeroing in on Dad.
He held his hands up defensively. “I was about to throw her off. You caught me at an awkward moment.”
“Awkward moment?” she bit back disbelievingly. “You’ll be having a lifetime of awkward moments if I see that crap again. You’ll live the rest of your sorry life with an empty stomach and blue balls.”
Pop winced. “Queenie baby—”
“—Don’t you, Queenie baby me,” she retorted, cutting him off. “Next time I see that skank’s hands on you, don’t bother coming home.”
Dad sauntered over, tagged Mom’s waist, and pulled her close. “You know you’re the only woman for me, wife.” He bent his neck and touched his mouth to hers.
I jumped slightly as I felt a tap on my back.
“Your girl’s over there,” Abe said, jerking his thumb toward the pool table. “Looks like she’s getting an education.”
Eyes sliding in the direction he pointed, my gut dropped as I saw Elise standing on her own, staring open-mouthed through a crowd of men. I followed her gaze and let out a curse at what was going down, or rather who. Two brothers had Mary Lou spread-eagled over the pool table. One had his dick in her mouth, while the other dude fucked her from behind. The squeals coming from her rivaled a piglet, though she probably would’ve been louder if she hadn’t had her mouth full.
Wincing, I hurried toward Elise, mind tripping over how I’d explain. I knew she’d be confronted with something like this at some point, but it would’ve been good if she could’ve at least gotten eased in slowly.
“Elise!” I barked as I approached her. “Here, baby.”
She ignored my ass, instead cocking her head to get a better look at the pool table antics.
I heaved out a frustrated breath and stepped in front of her to block the view. “Sweetheart—”
“Hey!” she exclaimed. “I was watching that.”
My forehead creased questioningly. “I thought it would freak you out.”
“It does a little,” she admitted. “But if I’m going to be part of the club, I’ve gotta get used to it. I know this kind of thing is normal here, and although I don’t necessarily agree with the girls behaving that way, I have to trust you all know what you’re doing.”
I reached for her hand and laced our fingers together, my heart swelling out of my chest.
Elise was way out of her comfort zone. Public sex acts were deemed scandalous by most of America. The people of Hambleton were particularly judgmental, so I recognized the effort my girl was making for me, and it made me fall even deeper in love.
My girl gave me so much sweet that sometimes I wondered what I’d done to deserve her. Her innocence didn’t make her closed-minded; if anything, it made her more curious. It was crazy how Elise was so shy but still so open to new experiences. She was kind and put others first, sometimes to her own detriment.
I’d never been prouder to have her on my arm.
“I see you. Elise.” I rested my forehead against hers. “And there’s nobody more beautiful in this world.”
Leesy’s lips tipped up, a dull red stain flooding her cheeks. “I love you, John Stone.” She pulled our joined hands to her mouth and kissed my knuckles. “I’ve got you a birthday gift.”
A grin stole across my face. “You didn’t have to do that. You’re still at school. You shouldn’t spend your cash on me.”
My girl lifted a shoulder. “It’s not much, but I think you’ll like it.” She nodded toward the door. “Can we go outside? It’s really noisy in here.”
My brain registered that the music had been turned back on, and ‘Desire’ by U2 was thumping through the speakers, the crowd getting thicker as people arrived at the barn to party. It was wild, but whenever I was with Elise, nothing else existed. A bomb could’ve gone off, but still, all I’d be able to see and hear was her.
I turned for the door, slid my arm across Leesy’s shoulders, and guided her through the crowd of people. The smell of beer and cigarettes hung in the air. Most people would’ve wrinkled their noses at it, but not me; I loved it. The scent reminded me of brotherhood, loyalty, and home, and it made my heart warm every time it sunk into my skin.
The Wyoming night was thick with the scent of Sweet Woodruff and the Russian Sage that grew in the fields and woodland around the compound. I turned my head and kissed Elise on the side of her hair, storing away the memory for when I had to leave.
As much as I’d miss it, I was ready to spread my wings and take some time away from the club. When I came back, it would be all systems go with starting a business, settling down, and getting wed. I needed the time to become the man I was meant to be for Elise, and she needed the time to grow up and build her confidence without relying on me.
That didn’t mean being without her wouldn’t feel like my heart had been ripped out. It also didn’t mean I wouldn’t be thinking of her every minute of every day and counting down the hours until I saw her again.
Elise turned to me and slid her hand up my chest, lacing her fingers together at my nape. “Is it too late to go down the creek?”
I lowered my face to hers and pecked the tip of her nose. “I won’t be able to see the dips in the ground on the bike; it’s too dark, but we can take my truck.”
She beamed at me, and my heart skipped a beat at the beauty in her smile, hitting me soul deep.
Taking her hand, I led her toward my truck and opened the door for her. The instant she settled in, I leaned over, pulling her seat belt across her lap and fastening it.
My eyes lifted and locked with hers. Elise’s pupils dilated the second our gazes hit, and my gut tugged as if there was an invisible string connecting us.
Her hand came up to cup my jaw, and I nuzzled into it, marveling at the softness of her skin and the fragrant scent of jasmine that I associated so closely with my girl.
Standing straight, I closed her door, before jogging around the hood and sliding into the driver’s seat. Turning the key, I flashed Leesy a grin before putting the truck into drive and driving away from the compound.
My girl’s warm fingers slid onto my knee. I covered her tiny hand with my much larger one as my eyes scanned the road ahead, which led to an old industrial area that had been deserted when the stock market crashed a few years earlier and the factory went under. It was a mile away from the woods surrounding the creek and, with a bit of work, would’ve made a rad clubhouse.
“I wish Dad had the vision to buy this place,” I murmured. “The old warehouse is plenty big enough for an awesome clubhouse. Mayor Henderson would sell the land surrounding it, too. Imagine all that space. One day, we could build houses, and the Demons could have their own community.”
Leesy squeezed my knee. “One day, you’ll make a great prez, John. All those ideas you’ve got to grow and expand the club will come to fruition. You’ll be unstoppable.”
“We’ll be unstoppable,” I corrected, bringing her hand up to kiss her wrist. “You’ll be by my side, and we’ll make every dream come true. We just need to get through the next few years.”
I know,” she murmured. “I’ve been worried about you leaving, John, but your mom talked to me earlier, and I get it. I’m going to miss you, but it won’t be forever.”
My chest tightened at her words. Elise hadn’t let on she was concerned about me leaving. “You get why I’m enlisting, right?”
“I think so,” she replied. “You need time away.”
My gut clenched at her words. “It’s not that I need time away from you, Duchess. I’ve always dreamed of enlisting. I think I can do more for the club by training in the military and learning how to lead. My dad would teach me his way if I stuck around, but I wanna do things my way. I want to be my own man with my own ideas and experiences. Leaving you will be the hardest thing I have to do, but I think it will make me a better man for you. Someone you deserve,”
Her fingers gripped mine tightly. “You’re perfect the way you are, John, but I’ll support you regardless.”
I grinned as I turned the truck off the main road and bumped down the dirt track leading to the creek. “And that’s why you’re gonna be my ol’ lady, Leesy; you’re one of a kind. I never thought I’d meet a woman so perfect for me, but I did. God gave me you.”
Her gasp of breath was audible as my little speech sunk in.
I wasn’t usually romantic, but sweet words came naturally when I felt them from the bottom of my soul. Growing up in an MC hardened me in some ways, but I had a dad who expressed his adoration for my mom daily, and he didn’t care who witnessed it. I’d grown up seeing more PDA than was probably healthy.
The moonbeams danced off the running water of the creek, guiding me toward the clearing where all the kids who had cars, parked when we came down to swim in the blistering summer heat. I brought my truck to a stop, motioning for Elise to stay put before I jumped out, ran around the hood, and opened my girl’s door.
Leesy placed a hand on each shoulder so I could grab her waist and haul her into my arms. She wrapped her legs around me, giggling as I carried her to our spot under an old Bur Oak tree. Burying my face in her neck, I inhaled her jasmine scent, and my cock thickened. It would’ve been so easy to lay her down, strip her clothes away along with all her inhibitions, and show her how much I loved her. But instead, I gently placed her on her ass and sank down on the grass next to her.
My hand snaked out and eased her down to lay beside me until we were on our backs, looking up at the stars.
“Look,” she murmured, pointing up toward a cluster of bright stars. “You can make out Cassiopeia.”
I took my girl’s hand, splaying our fingers together. “She was the queen of a country in North Africa, the wife of King Cepheus, and the mother of Princess Andromeda. Cepheus and Cassiopeia were placed next to each other in the sky, along with Andromeda.” I pointed toward five bright stars. “The ‘W’ shape there represents her throne. She pissed off Poseidon by boasting her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than thesea nymphs, so he forced her to wheel around thenorth celestial pole on her throne, clinging to it so she didn’t fall off. To appease him, she tied her daughter to a rock as a sacrifice for the monsterCetus. Andromeda was rescued by Perseus, who turned the monster to stone with the head of Medusa, and later, he married her.”
“So, she screwed over her daughter to save herself?” Elise asked disbelievingly.
I shrugged. “Yup.”
“I’d die for our kids,” she murmured. “I’d sacrifice myself over and over to keep them safe and away from harm, son or daughter.”
I turned my head to look at my beautiful girl. “Me too, Leesy.”
Her face fell to the side, and our eyes locked. Something passed between us, a wave of emotion, and my heart swelled inside my chest. “I can’t wait to give ‘em to you, Duchess. I can’t wait to do everything I need to do so I can come back and spend the rest of my days lovin’ you.”
My girl turned onto her side and reached into her pocket, pulling out something wrapped in tissue paper. “Happy birthday, John.” She leaned forward, kissed my cheek, and slipped the small gift into my hand.
Carefully, I unwrapped the paper, gasping as a flash of metal attached to a long, gold chain glinted in the moonlight. I held up the old, hard object, and my breath caught. “An arrowhead?”
“It was, but it”s worn down,” Leesy explained. “I found it over there near that cluster of rocks a couple of months ago and had the chain added so you can wear it around your neck. Maybe it could be your good luck charm for when you go into the military.”
Warmth filled my chest.
Elise knew how I sucked in books about the Native American Tribes who originally lived in Southern Wyoming. Giving me an arrowhead like this was so damned thoughtful. I examined it closer, studying how, over the years, the flint had eroded into something like the shape of a bullet. “This is amazing.”
“I wanted to give you something unique, something that would remind you of me when we can’t be together,” she whispered, touching the golden links. “I got a long chain, so you can wear it under your uniform. Nobody will see it, and it won’t get in the way.”
“Put it on me?” I asked, moving to a sitting position.
Elise sat up and knee-walked to my back, taking the chain from me and fastening it at my nape. “I’m glad you like it.” Her arms circled my back, and she kissed the side of my neck.
“Come here, baby.” I took her hand, helping her move until she faced me. Then, grabbing her thighs, I hauled her onto my lap. “Best gift ever, Leesy. Every time I look at it, I’ll think of you.”
Her cheeks reddened. “It’s just an arrowhead necklace. It’s not like a new bike or anything.”
“I’d take this over a new bike any day. Throughout my life, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of bikes.” I raised a hand to touch the cold metal. I’ll never be given one of these again.”
Light from the moon danced across Elise’s face. She gave me a huge smile, shivering involuntarily as the breeze caught a lock of her hair.
“You wanna go back to the party for an hour, or do you want me to take you home?” I asked, slipping my jacket off and placing it across her shoulders. We were heading into June, but the air still cooled at night.
Leesy checked her watch. “My curfew’s in thirty minutes. I better get home.” Her gaze met mine, and she frowned. “Are you going back to the party?”
I took her hand. “Nope. I’ll take you home, then turn in myself. From tomorrow I gotta get up early. Wanna start running and hitting the gym early, ready for boot camp trainin’.”
She laughed softly. “It’s your party, John.”
“D’ya think anyone’s missed me?” I challenged. “And Mom would’ve dragged Dad home by now, especially after the whole Foxy situation.” Taking Leesy’s hand in mine, I stood, pulling her to her feet, and we started for the truck. “Knowing Pop, he played the Foxy shit up to make Mom jealous. He loves it when she gets territorial over him. He probably only waited thirty minutes before he dragged her home.”
Elise giggled. “I love how your mom’s so small and unassuming but still takes no crap. I’m not sure I could ever be that brave.” She glanced up at me. “I’m so shy that sometimes I worry I won’t ever fit in the club. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to handle them as well as Connie does. What if I let you down, John? What if I’m not strong enough?”
My steps faltered. Turning Elise around to face me, I dipped my face closer to hers so she could see how deeply I meant my following words. “Strength isn’t about how loud you are, Leesy. The quieter brothers in the club are probably the strongest ‘cause they’ve got nothin’ to prove to themselves or anyone else.” I lifted a hand to rest on her heart. “Strength comes from here. It’s about bein’ yourself and standing up for what you believe in. It’s about how you care for the people around you, as well as your love and your loyalty. Anybody can learn to fight, but not everyone has the confidence to go against the herd. Strength comes in many forms, baby, and you’re probably one’a the strongest women I know.”
Elise’s hands snaked up my chest, resting on my shoulders. “I love you so much.”
Smiling, I kissed her lips. “I love you, too. Now, I don’t want any more crazy talk about how we’re not right for each other. No woman ever had faith in me like you do, Leesy. You make me believe I can take on the world.”
“It’s the same for me, John,” she whispered, her stunning green eyes locking with mine. “All my life, I’ve been too afraid to speak, but with you, the words come easy.”
A lump formed in my throat.
Elise was quiet, but I never realized it was because she felt as if she didn’t have a voice or anything important to say. Suddenly, I felt ten feet tall because if I gave her an ounce of extra confidence, I was doing my job right.
It hit me how desperately I’d miss her, and for a split second, I resented the thought of leaving. It took a beat for reason to kick in. I’d planned to go into the military since I was a boy, and my dad told me all his tales about ‘Nam and the camaraderie he found with his platoon. Just like him, I wanted to see something of the world and have adventures. I wanted to grow and learn in ways I couldn’t if I stayed in small-town Wyoming.
Elise wasn’t part of the decision, but for the first time that day, I realized something.
I was about to leave and live out everything I’d dreamed of since I was a kid, and I couldn’t wait. But as excited as I was, I couldn’t help the worry stabbing through my chest when I realized it was Elise who’d have to deal with the consequences.