Chapter Two #2
Maeve took his hand and led him onto the dance floor, and it was an upbeat kind of music he often associated with the summer, that just had people pumping to the beat.
Just as he and Maeve were about to join in, though, the song magically changed to a slow one that required couples to come together.
She chuckled and ran her hands up his chest and circled them around his neck. “Do we think that is a coincidence, or someone tampering with the music?” she asked.
“Just a coincidence. There are too many couples here.”
“Unless someone is following all of them.” She chuckled.
He kept his hands on her hips, and he couldn’t help but massage them.
The temptation to sink down, cup her ass, and draw her closer was strong, but he resisted the urge.
He was not some teenage boy, but a full-grown-ass man who knew what he wanted.
Maeve was a temptation. She drove him crazy.
He felt his dick start to harden at just how close she was to him.
“I like this,” she said. “You’re a good dancer.”
“You’re not too bad yourself.”
She giggled. “You know, Charlotte is a good kid.”
He sighed.
“What’s that heavy sigh for?” Maeve asked.
“She’s ... not got any sense of direction at all. She is coasting through the last few months.” He was worried about his daughter.
School hadn’t been easy for Charlotte. It didn’t help that she refused to have him get involved with the people that bullied her.
He’d watched his little girl go from a confident firecracker to always second-guessing every decision she made.
When she came home with a black eye and a whole bunch of lies, he wanted to deal with it, but Nancy always told him to back off.
If their little girl wanted him to handle it, she would tell him.
This is why he fucking hated and loved having a family.
He loved his family, because Charlotte was his kid, and from the moment she was placed in his arms as a baby, he’d loved that little girl.
But he hated the fact they wouldn’t allow him to protect them.
So, he stepped back and let Nancy deal with everything, or not deal with it.
He watched his daughter withdraw into a shell that never should have been fucking built.
“You know it’s tough to be that age. I remember Eden. She struggled, a lot.”
“But she now works for herself,” he said.
“True, but that doesn’t mean it was always the case. She took several different jobs before this one kind of came naturally to her.” Maeve shrugged. “Charlotte’s a great kid.”
“Do you think she has what it takes to be a makeup artist?” he asked.
“I think everyone has what it takes to be whatever they want. Being a makeup artist is a lot of fun. I’m not going to deny that, but it’s hard work. I’m not sure what Charlotte wants to do, but it’ll be fun to find out.”
“She’s loving school right now.”
Maeve smiled. “I’m glad. A couple of courses, perhaps a job at a makeup counter, that will help her get a rough idea of the clientele she’ll be dealing with. It can be a lot of fun.”
“Do you still love it?” he asked.
“Most of the time.”
“Not all of the time?”
“In any line of work, you’re going to encounter a lot of assholes. Don’t get me wrong, there are a whole lot of amazing people to work with and for, but there is always a large circus of nasties out there.” She shrugged.
He laughed. The music changed to something upbeat, and he took her hand and swung her around. Maeve’s smile was addictive. She laughed and giggled. He pulled her in close.
“So, tell me, biker man, did you always want to be a biker?” she asked.
“I always wanted to be a man in charge.”
“Did you see yourself being a husband and father?”
“No.”
He saw his answer surprised Maeve.
“No? You didn’t see yourself being a father and husband?”
“Not at all. I never planned to have kids and I never intended to settle down.” His and Nancy’s relationship hadn’t exactly been smooth sailing, and it certainly wasn’t any kind of fairy tale romance.
Nancy had come to the club one night. One thing had led to another, and they had sex. The condom broke, and before they knew it, they had a baby on the way. He and Nancy fought a lot, and he wouldn’t marry her until he got a DNA test on the kid. Charlotte was all his, and they got married.
It wasn’t a great match. Nancy wanted him to quit his club, get a nine-to-five job. That caused a lot of arguments. He was not going to be told what to do.
He was always faithful, never once cheated, even when shit went from bad to worse. Nancy was not the same. He was aware of her affairs. Doc didn’t stand for it, though. He beat the shit out of a couple of the men, and he did also kill another, but that was a whole different story.
There was never any real love between him and Nancy.
They faked it for the club. She knew how to put on a good act, and that was all that mattered.
The guys didn’t know he fucking hated being married.
Then they had a son, and for a short time, they did settle down.
Nancy stopped being a bitch and accepted that she came after the club and kids.
The club came first.
Then his kids.
Then Nancy.
But, when their son was taken from them, he was done, especially when within a week of losing him, he walked in on Nancy fucking another man.
Again, this was their own dirty laundry, and he didn’t air that shit.
They separated, and Nancy didn’t think it was going to happen. He was done with their marriage.
She could have affairs and do all that shit, but he wasn’t the same. There was no way he was touching another woman when he had made a commitment. He never loved Nancy.
Love had never been given a chance to bloom. They were two different people.
The dance slowed down, and he pulled Maeve into his arms. He hadn’t felt anything in a long time. Not until he happened to watch this beautiful woman, arm in arm with her sister, as she walked down the street several years ago.
At first, he thought it was the sun, just beaming down on her making her look so stunning. Like a true angel walking amongst them. He didn’t know who she was but figured it was just a fluke, a singular glimpse.
It was no fluke. His feelings were very much real, and he couldn’t just forget them.
And he hadn’t.