Chapter 3
Mad Dog
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t Chewy in fits of tears, Nat dancing with Chomper and Ana threatening Chewy with a frying pan.
“What the fuck is happening?” I mutter to myself.
I know Willa doesn’t have the answer because she's frozen, eyes wide, plump lips open in an “o” that’s making my dick hard looking at it.
“Chewy told Ana if she went all emo to hit her with a pan and Nat is trying to distract Chewy with Chomper,” Rhodie answers as if that shit is totally normal.
“Baby, what’s with the tears?” Rhodie asks, edging closer to his Ol Lady.
I’m not sure what the hell he’s been doing in the 30 odd seconds before Willa and I turned up, but it definitely wasn’t cuddle her and tell her it's all gonna be OK.
“Rhodie,” I whisper, “hold her son.”
Rhodie shoots me daggers over his shoulder before edging closer.
“He did,” Kaia murmurs, “and she bit him.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. Hard. Now is not the time for me to laugh.
“That’s it, baby, you’re doing so good,” Rhodie soothes, making little hushing sounds like you would to a mad bull. “Now, what’s wrong? Is it the baby?”
Chewy’s gaze snaps to Rhodie and I take a step back at the look on her face. “The baby? The baby that’s cutting off my inferior vena cava making my feet look like this?” Chewy kicks up her foot and bursts into fresh sobs.
“Holy shitballs,” Vi whispers, looking horrified.
“Damn!” Blanche accidentally shouts before slapping a hand over her mouth.
There, high in the air in the middle of Willa’s homely kitchen is Chewy’s incredibly fat foot.
“Holy schnikes it looks like a Christmas ham with toes,” Mira whispers and Chewy’s bat ears pick up on that from across the room.
“I have ham foot Rhodie! Ham foot! Your giant sperm knocked me up and now look at me! A human body my size was not meant to procreate with a giant human your size. What about my vagina!”
“Yeah Rhodie, what about her vagina? Did you think about that you big shitstain?”
“Pops, never say the word vagina again,” Blanche says drily.
“Why not?” Pops says, spinning to eyeball Blanche and I know he’s about to fuck with her. “Do you prefer I use the word pussy?”
“Who’s a pussy?” Chewy says between sobs.
“Everyone but you, baby,” Rhodie says immediately. “Do you want an ice cream? We can get you and Laney and Chomper a cone, yeah? Would you like that?” Rhodie soothes, gently lifting his woman up from her chair.
“Can I have a sundae? I feel like a sundae. Not salted caramel though because I think that’s making my feet swell.”
“Sure thing, babe.”
“Rhodie?”
“Yeah?”
“This pregnancy is making my eyes leaky and I really don’t like it. Can we go throw axes? I think that’ll make me feel better.”
Rhodie freezes in the doorway, shoulders tense.
“Give the pregnant woman what she wants!” Lovely giggles.
“Why can’t she want pickles with bananas like a normal preggo?” Kaia asks.
“Oh Kaia, you sweet summer child. Chewy, is not, nor will ever be, normal,” Mama Debs says, shaking her head.
A smile tugs at my lips as I watch my boy agree with Chewy’s demands, carrying her out the door I hastily repaired yesterday.
I glance down at Willa, a soft look on her face as she watches them walk past the window, and I realize I know jack shit about her other than the way she tastes and what she sounds like when she comes.
Does she have kids? A family? Is she a cat person or a dog person?
What does she do for work? I stare down at her, dark wavy hair glistening as the sun hits it through the window.
She turns her face to look up at me and I’m captivated by her green gaze.
I’m so busy staring at Willa that I don’t notice the room has turned deathly silent.
“We should leave,” Mira whispers harshly, but making no moves to.
“Yeah, we should,” Lovely agrees, winking at me, but like Mira, her feet are frozen to the floor.
We all stare at each other awkwardly until Willa throws up her hands.
“Fuck’s sake! We slept together,” she blurts and we all stand in silence staring. “Yes, we had a good time. Actually, a great time.”
I can’t help but puff up at that, even if Pops snorts behind me.
“But I’m not looking for a relationship.”
And I deflate. My gut clenching. Her eyes on mine as her expression softens.
“Mad Dog is …nice.”
“Nice,” Pops coughs.
“Shut up,” I growl.
“I could use more friends in Rose Grove?” She watches me carefully, as if she’s waiting for me to push back.
“Friends,” Pops wheezes and I can’t help it when my hand shoots back and flicks him in the dick.
“Yeah, I mean, I have all these new friends.” She waves at all the Ol Ladies who nod like bobble heads as they watch this shit go down. “But, well, you’re kinda a package deal -”
“Package,” Pops snorts and I don’t have to move a muscle. Instead Willa hits him with a look that shuts him right up.
“So…friends?” I finish for her.
I mean, I’d fucking love to be more, but I also know that we missed a few steps there at the start.
Being friends takes away the pressure. More importantly, it’ll make Willa feel safe.
Even if this whole thing, her and me, goes nowhere, I’d still want that for her.
To live in Rose Grove, to spend time with her friends and to thrive.
“If that’s good with you?” She asks, almost shyly.
“Yeah, Willa. It’s good with me.”
Willa
“Well, that was a rollercoaster of emotions,” Blanche says in her deadpan way.
I stare at Mad Dog’s back as he steps through the back door, headed back to Joy and Switch’s home.
“Soooo are we gonna talk about that or…”
“Or?” I ask Nat.
“Or we can plan Chewy’s baby shower?”
I welcome the change of subject. I mean, Mad Dog does funny things to my insides, but I am not in the right frame of mind to want more.
Or even need more. So friends I can do. Especially seeing as the DRMC are now Joy’s family and it’s not like I won’t be seeing them around.
The Ol Ladies are as mad as a box of cats, and I have to admit, I kinda like that.
“OK, pen and paper are poised!” Mira says, assuming what I’m guessing is her writing position.
“Well, there have to be gators. That’s non-negotiable,” Lovely begins.
“Even I know that and I’ve not been around her for long,” I add, relaxing into the conversation.
A hand lands on mine, and my eyes meet Joy’s. She gives me a wink and my hand a little squeeze and I can’t help but capture her hand before she pulls away, returning the gesture. She’s a sweet woman and I’m so damn proud to watch her thriving in her little home next door with her family.
“So far under Chewy’s likes we have listed -” Remy squints at Mira’s writing, “Gators, axes, chemicals, medieval weapons and/or devices, true crime and dildos. Anything we’ve missed?”
I stare at the women packed into my kitchen as they all wrack their brains. I mean, Chewy is definitely one of the most unusual people I’ve ever met, so I have no doubt that her baby shower will be less than run of the mill too.
“She told me, and I quote,” Pops begins.
I’d actually forgotten he was even here.
He was uncharacteristically quiet. Probably because he’s been busy making a dent in the plate of cookies.
“No games, no balloons, no invitations with misty looking babies on the front, no baby shower at any ‘womanly’ venue in town and no gender revealing. Those were her exact words.”
“What’s a ‘womanly’ venue?” I ask the room.
We all look equally as stumped as each other until Pops sighs, drawing my attention.
“Pretty much any place that fancy ladies like to hang out.” He blows out a breath, “My girl, she’s never really fit in, and definitely not in places like that.
She loves the MC and her Girl Gang. That’s all she needs. ”
My heart goes out to Chewy a little. I get it.
I never really fit in either. As a kid we never really had a lot of money.
Mom worked her ass off to keep a roof over our heads, especially when my father decided he’d rather stay with his wife than run away with my mom, his much younger secretary.
Kids would tease me about my home haircuts and thrift store fashion and it got worse as I got older.
It's no real wonder that when Diesel and his MC blew into town I fell for his pretty words. I thought I’d found a place with a group of misfits like myself.
Turns out you can still feel lonely within a group of people.
“Willa?”
“Huh?” I’m snapped out of my thoughts, everyone’s eyes on me. “Sorry, I was away with the fairies for a minute there.”
“Interesting that, huh?” Mama Debs says, a smile playing on her lips.
“We were just saying,” Mira begins, eyes on her notes, “That the diner is Chewy’s second favorite hang out, so we could possibly do the baby shower there. What do you think?”
I point to my chest. What the hell? Why are they asking me what I think?
“Yes, you,” Mira rolls her eyes, her ever present smile on her face. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”
I look around at the expectant faces and my chest aches a little. They want my input. Mine. Shit. No matter how tough I look on the outside, this group seems to be blasting through my defenses. I need to shore these damned walls back up. Don’t want to get too attached.
“Um, well, I don’t know?” I say slowly. “Wait, what’s her number one favorite place?”
The women all share a look, and I get it. I’m not DRMC. Whatever it is, is club business, so I raise my hands, “Nope, that’s OK, club business, I get it.” I do get it, but that doesn’t stop the sting. Dammit. These people are really messing with my insides.
“No, it's not that, it's just, well, the Rev Room is stainless steel and where Chewy does her experiments. So…”
I smile, understanding dawning on me, “Ah, so great for Chewy, not so much for everyone else?”
“Bingo,” Ana says, finger gunning me.
“OK, well in that case, the diner sounds pretty good.”
Pops gives me a wink and that settles whatever feelings I had just a moment ago.
“Good, because I’m sure if we butter up the owner she may let us close it to the public that day.” Ana gives Kaia big puppy dog eyes, Jazz joining in.
Kaia rolls her eyes, “Give me the date and I’ll make sure not to let any normies walk through that door. The last thing I need is civilians walking into that.”
“Into what?” Vi says, “A medieval gator themed baby shower complete with dildos and axe decorations? I have no idea how to mix chemicals or true crime into that. Jazz, you’re the art teacher.” She spins to look at her sister who glares at her.
“I’m an art therapist. And no amount of therapy can combine chemicals and true crime into a baby shower.”
A wisp of a thought comes to me, “We could do some really vibrant fruit teas or something,” I mutter to myself, thinking through logistics and recipes.
“That’s right!” Joy claps, beaming at me. “Willa makes potions!”
“Potions?” Mira asks, head tilted. “Actually, I have just realized that I have no idea what you do for work.”
The women all bob their heads in agreement, Pops’ shrewd gaze on me. “They’re right, girl. We were all holed up at that weird ass prepper farm and I don’t think we ever covered what you do for work.”
Yeah. There’s a reason for that. I shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
But those men broke into Joy’s and there was no way I was letting that sweet woman and her baby be hurt by those motherfuckers.
Next thing I know I’m on the back of Mad Dog’s bike hauling ass to the DRMC clubhouse and things spiralled from there.
“Willa owns the little apothecary and massage shop in town.” Joy beams. The pride in her face makes my chest and belly fizz a little.
“Wild Remedy?” Jazz asks, eyes wide.
“Ah yeah, that's the one,” I reply, a little uncomfortable because the women are all smiling at me like great white sharks.
“Fox and Nitro bought me a balm from there, it’s so good on my sore muscles and joints. Oh, oh, I think I have a massage voucher for there too!” Jazz says, almost vibrating.
“That’s why they looked so familiar,” I say, snapping my fingers. I remember them coming in. I mean, who the hell wouldn't? They’re good looking men and I thought it odd they were shopping for the same woman. Now? It makes so much sense.
“Well, whaddya know, huh?” Pops asks, and my gaze narrows on his. He looks the type to be scheming.
“OK, OK, this is awesome.” Lovely says, clapping her hands, “Willa, do you think you could make some fun sort of things for Chewy’s baby shower? We’ll pay you, of course.”
“No way, I don’t charge friends.” The words slip out of my mouth before I even know what I’m saying and it shocks me to my core.
Friends. Huh. They just slipped past my defenses without me noticing. Seems like the damned DRMC are a lot more dangerous than I thought.