DAX
Pulling up to the house I saw Harper’s cute little red Fiat parked along the street. I smirked as I saw her sitting on the steps to the front door, her lips turned down in a deep frown. Parking I left the door open as Picasso pulled after me and I motioned him to put his bike inside.
“I was going to tell you but you hung up before I could say anything,” I defended.
“Ha, you could have texted me or hell even called me back to share that tid-bit of info. Why do you hate me?” Harper pouted actual tears welling up in her eyes.
She knew that the one thing I could never win against was her crying. “No, nope, none of that.” I said pointing my finger at her eyes. “This is not serious enough for you to use that on me. This isn’t the first time I’ve been gone for a few days.”
Harper sniffled a few times and used her knuckle to wipe under her eyes then froze as her eyes widened in surprise.
I’d forgotten about Picasso with all her theatrics.
Miraculously her tears dried up and she was shaking out her hair and checking how many buttons she had open on her button down silk blouse.
Shaking my head at her I half turned so she could get a better look at him.
“Oh hello, Dax didn’t mention she had someone with her,” Harper said, giving me a glare. “I’m Harper, Dax’s best friend,” she said holding out her hand to Picasso.
He took her manicured hand and shook it gently looking very out of place with the whole interaction. “Picasso.”
“This is the reason I have been MIA the last few days. We met at the party and we hit it off so well I went to spend some time with him at his house,” I smiled as I snaked my arm around his waist and slid my hand up under his shirt so my hand was on his stomach.
“With how crazy things got I didn’t know where you got to and I let Weston know not to worry but realized I didn’t give him much to go on other than I was alright.
You know how it can get swept away in the passion of things. ”
Picasso froze under my touch but as I talked he relaxed and left his arm rest over my shoulders pulling me closer to him. “She begged me to come back with her since she didn’t want to leave but she already canceled a few days of clients. I just couldn’t let her abandon everything to stay with me.”
Look at this cheeky asshole making it sound like I’m the desperate one. Game on my friend, game on.
“Well since your brother had to go back to work it just isn’t the same without both of you involved you know.
It seems I have a sex drive that can wear out two bad ass biker dudes.
Lucky for them they had some friends who were down to play when they needed naps.
” I pouted, patting his stomach before I started walking for the front door leaving him gaping at me.
Harper was right on my heels. “You're telling me that you went missing for a five day sexcipade?”
“You told me that I needed to let loose and get some,” I shrugged as I unlocked the door letting us all into the house. “I’m sorry did you want to join us?” I asked as I hung my keys on the hook in the kitchen.
“I love you girl but no I don’t think we will ever be at the level to do something like that,” Harper said smirking at me. “So where are the other friends that were involved? Are they all that hot?” she whispered as I grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
I leaned in seeing Picasso taking in the house. “Hotter.”
Harper groaned and flopped down on the bar stool head down on the counter. “Why don’t these things happen to me?”
“Guess you just need to keep trying babe. I never expected to be all but kidnapped by five men at a party,” I consoled rubbing her back. “So how do we feel about pizza and wings? Weston is gone for a few days doing a consulting job and we all know I’m banned from the kitchen.”
“Sounds perfect but I’m going to steal a shirt because I can’t risk getting grease on this fabric,” Harper said heading upstairs. “Oh, order us the usual k’ babe.”
While Harper went to raid my room I headed straight for Picasso. “You will not utter one word about Two Tricks, the Hidden Empire, our deal, or that you are with the Phantom Saints am I clear? She knows nothing about that part of my life and I plan to keep it that way.”
“Let me guess you also want me to play along with this story you made up about us too,” Picasso said, grabbing the beer out of my hand taking a long pull from the bottle and I nodded yes. “Fine, but just know that you are the one who came up with the story not me.”
Scowling at him I went back to the kitchen to grab another beer and dialed our favorite pizza place.
“Thank you for calling Lucifer's pizza, my name is Beth how can I help you today delivery?”
“Hey Beth, it’s Dax,” I answered.
“Oh hey girl. Are we doing the usual with wings or without?” Beth asked.
“With wings but we are going to need the version for three people,” I said trying to keep my voice down seeing that Picasso was looking at me with raised eyebrows.
“You got it girl, we are delivering that to the same place right?”
“Yup.”
“Alright I got that all set for you and we will put it on the tab. Should be to you guys in like twenty minutes!”
“Thanks Beth have a good night,” I said hanging up.
“Eagle would have a fit if he knew that you order out enough to be on a first name basis with the employees and have a usual,” Picasso laughed.
Rolling my eyes I waved for him to follow me past the kitchen into the family room or as we called it the cave.
It was painted a dark gray setting off the stark white wall that the projector showed on.
There were three lazy-boy chairs on a platform along the back wall and a large couch that was almost as deep as a bed.
Pillows and blankets scatter over the lower couch where making it a cozy nest to curl up in.
Cup holders were cut into the fabric near the back of the couch for convenience.
“What the hell is this?” Picasso asked as he took in the room. “Is that a popcorn machine?”
I grinned at him as I crawled onto the couch. “You didn’t think we would just eat microwave popcorn like heathens did you?”
“You can’t cook in the kitchen but you can use that thing to make popcorn?” Picasso questioned.
“No, I'm the one who makes the popcorn. She will smoke us out of here if she touches that thing. This is the third one they’ve bought because she killed the other two,” Harper shared entering the room in a pair of my shorts and a t-shirt which means they turned into booty shorts and a crop top.
I watched Picasso as she made her way to the mini fridge where her girlie drinks were kept, but he didn’t follow her movements.
Instead he walked over to the built in bookcases filled with hundreds of movies and TV shows.
Trying to stifle my grin I took a pull from my beer as Harper took her spot in the corner with her favorite blanket.
“What should we watch tonight?” I asked knowing the battle that was about to begin.
Harper pops up and grabs the notebook of the counter. “Let’s see you picked the first movie last time which was Alien vs. Predator and my pick was Sleepless in Seattle. Guess that means I get to pick first this time.”
“Do I get a say in what we watch?” Picasso interjected.
“Actually I don’t know, there’s never been a guest over for a pizza and movie night.” Harper said tapping her painted nail on her chin. “I guess we just do what we do when Weston joins us.”
“What is that exactly?” Picasso asked.
I rolled off the couch and walked over to a cabinet and opened the doors to reveal a dart board. “The first person to get a bullseye gets to pick the movie.”
A wide smile grew on Picasso’s face. “Now this I can get behind! Alright I’ll go first since this is your home turf you have the advantage.”
“How about I even give you one extra throw to even it out of course,” I added.
Harper paused and looked at me with a shocked expression.
I just frowned at her and handed over two darts to Picasso.
Showing him wear to stand I stepped back and waited as he settled in for his first throw.
After a moment he sent the dark sailing down the length and it hit just outside the bullseye.
Shifting a little he threw the second and it hit dead center.
Now when Weston and I play this game we do it blind folded.
It was our method to settle most things in the house if we disagreed.
“Wait he didn’t play the right way though,” Harper interjected.
“Different rules for this situation babe,” I said flinging my dart over my shoulder as I walked back to the couch.
“The fuck?!” Picasso blurted letting me know it had indeed also hit the bullseye. “How do you normally play?”
“Depends on how heated the argument or how badly the other wants to win but blindfolded. Sometimes they spin each other around or do some other crazy thing to throw them off their game,” Harper said as she plucked her movie off the shelf ignoring the fish impression Picasso was doing.
“Alright we’re gonna start the night off with Crazy Rich Asians. ”
Picasso leaned down until I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin. “Does she always pick chick movies?”
“Every single time but she is taking pity on you this isn’t as bad as you think, it’s actually kinda funny,” I whispered back. “Now go pick what you want to watch.”
Harper danced over to the DVD player and I got everything turned on and cued up for us when the sound of the doorbell echoed in the room.
“I’ll grab it, it’s probably the pizza,” I called as I headed for the front door.
Glancing at the security feed that popped up on my phone I saw that it was indeed the pizza but it was a new driver.
Tino was typically who they sent to our place knowing that we didn’t like just anyone coming to the house.
Lucifer’s was one of the businesses that hired us for protection so they knew who I was and who I worked for.
Weston and I had worked out a deal with the owner to make sure only vetted staff could know our address.
I paused and walked over to the closet where I had a gun safe bolted to the wall.
Placing my hand on it, letting it scan my palm the safe popped open and I grabbed the gun.
Walking slowly to the door I watched the guy holding the delivery insulated bag but his head was down and he wasn’t looking around or getting impatient at the wait.
Nothing about this sat right with me. Clicking the intercom on listened for a moment but the man’s breathing was calm and steady.
“Hey thanks for the delivery. Could you leave it at the door I’ve got my hands full dealing with a sick pet,” I said into the intercom.
The man shifted and opened the bag and set the food off to the side but what also spilled out was a handgun.
Quick as I could while he was bent over I tossed open the locks and yanked the door open hitting the guy over the head with the butt of my gun.
He dropped to the ground thankfully not on top of our food.
Shoving my gun into my waistband on my back I grabbed the food and brought it to the cave making sure I didn’t show off my back.
“Pizza. Let me go grab some plates and stuff out of the kitchen, I’ll be right back,” I said as I backed out of the room again rushing to the front door.
Grabbing the man under his armpits I pulled him into the house and over to the garage door.
Once in the garage I pushed a set of shelves to the side showing a door to the basement we had built.
Hoisting the stranger up I dragged him down the steps, his feet thudding on the steps as we went.
Bless Weston for making sure we did soundproofing through the whole thing.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs I heaved the man into the metal chair that was bolted to the concrete floor and strapped him in.
Plucking one of the gags off the wall I made extra sure that my guests wouldn’t know this man was down here if he decided to wake up screaming in the dark.
“God it’s good to be home,” I sighed as I jogged back up the steps and covered the entrance.
I grabbed two fresh beers, plates, and everything else we needed before heading back to the cave. “What did you pick out Picasso?” I asked setting things down as if I didn’t just tie a man up in my basement.
“Windtalkers, I’ve never seen it but heard it was a good movie,” Picasso said as we all got comfy to watch Harper’s choice first.