Chapter Twenty-Two
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DAISY
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Ice, Skittles, and I are out at Chaos Club in Kansas City. We’re having a girl’s night out. A liquor free girl’s night out for me. It’s supposed to be one of the hottest clubs in the whole damn state, but I just think being here is a waste of some good sleeping hours. When Ice approached me with the idea, I told her that it sounded like the stupidest plan I’d ever heard. That didn’t deter her though. She just laughed and threw a skimpy little black dress at me, then told me to get dressed.
I’m ashamed to admit it, but I spent the first half of the night pouting like a big baby. Ice and Skittles keep telling me that we don’t need booze to have a good time. Just being in good company is enough. They’re right, we don’t. I am enjoying their company, but I’m not having any fun. In fact, I don’t think doing anything that remotely involves a jam-packed club is fun. Fun for me would be lying in bed all day, trying to get in as much sleep as possible, while I have the chance.
Not to mention the fact that every single woman I cross paths with immediately notices my small bump and enjoys telling me all about how they miss having the pregnancy glow, and how amazing their whole nine months were. Every time anyone approaches me, I just want to scream. I want to tell every single one of them that my boobs are sore as hell, I’m so tired I could probably sleep standing up, and I’m sick as a damn dog nearly every morning. Instead, I just smile.
We’ve been at the club for a little over an hour now, when I notice that Ice hasn’t had anything but water to drink tonight. That is beyond unusual. Ice can drink most of the boys under the table. “I can be the DD. You can drink all you want.”
“Kidd wants to try for a family, so he’s ‘forbidden’ me from drinking.” She lets out a laugh, air quoting the word forbidden. “I told him the same goes for him. If I can’t drink, he can’t have any either.”
I can’t picture Kidd giving in to that. I must have said that thought out loud, because she lets out a huge laugh and says, “Hell no, he didn’t, but I told him if he wanted a kid, the same rules applied for him. Trust me, that shut him up, and the sex afterwards was hot enough to seal the deal.” She adds a wink to her statement.
“That’s great, Ice. I’m happy for you guys.”
“Yeah, I’m excited. It’s happening so fast. Just a few weeks ago, he said he wanted to wait before we had kids. Now that I’m wearing his ring, he’s doing his damnedest to plant a kid in me.”
My eyes immediately jerk to her hand, where a beautiful but simple diamond ring is perched on her finger. “You’re getting married?”
A shy smile, something I have never seen on Ice, crosses her face. “Yeah, we are. We’re waiting until September. I want us to get married on Chipper and Mindy’s anniversary. I want her to be part of it, even though she can’t be there.”
“That’s beautiful,” Skittles pipes in, an odd look on her face; a look that I don’t understand.
“Enough talk about me,” Ice says, looking toward Skittles. “How’re the new girls working out?”
She shrugs. “There are a few good ones, I think. Time will tell.”
“It always does. Not many bitches can hack the lifestyle.” Ice’s words are true. I grew up as part of the club, and it’s still hard living it every day.
“Callie finally cleared her shit out today. Now Leah’s the only one of those bitches you eighty-sixed that hasn’t got her things.”
Ice and I share a look, both of us knowing Leah isn’t ever gonna get her shit from the apartments. I’m still not sure what happened to her, but I know better than to ask. Ice knows this topic could get messy, so she switches it. “What’s this I hear about you going on a date with a cop?”
“What?” Skittles shouts as she slams her hands on the table. “You gotta spill right now.”
I can feel my lips turn up as the thought of Rick crosses my mind. He’s been to the diner every day this week, while Preach has been MIA. “It’s not really a date. He’s just gonna pick me up after work tomorrow and take me to watch some meteor shower through his new telescope.”
Ice scrunches up her nose. “He sounds like a geek.”
I laugh at her opinion, because it mirrored mine when he first asked. “I think he is, kinda, but he swears it’s amazing to see. He promises that if I don’t have fun, he’ll let me pick our next date.”
Skittles leans forward. “I thought you said it wasn’t a date.”
My smile grows as I mutter, “Whatever.”
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PREACH
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I’m sitting at the clubhouse, shooting the shit with Reese and Chipper, when Timber comes in, looking smug. I’m still feeling like hell. It’s the first day I’ve even felt like leaving my room in over a week, and I don’t feel like putting up with his ass today. My eyes narrow at him, knowing he’s going to give me shit.
“You really fucked up, man. She’s not taking you back this time,” he says as he sits down next to Reese, motioning for the new prospect to get him a beer.
“What the hell you talking about?”
“She’s done with you, man. You waited too long to get your shit together.” He starts to laugh before turning to look at Chipper. “How do you feel about the cop?”
Chipper leans toward the table, looking straight at Timber. “I don’t think she wants anyone to know.”
I narrow my eyes at Timber, trying to hold in my temper. “What the fuck are you talking about? What fuckin’ cop?”
Chipper shakes his head. “I told her I’d keep my mouth shut, and that’s what I plan to do.”
Reese slaps his hand on the table, causing their beers to shake. “I’m tired of this high school shit. Just fuckin’ tell us what you’re talking about.”
Still smiling, Timber starts to talk. “I stopped by the diner earlier. Daisy was moving the last of her shit from Chipper’s and the garage to the apartment above Mindy’s.”
He turns his head to look straight in my eyes. “I gotta tell you, man, she was there looking hot as hell. Next thing I know, she was walking out of the diner holding hands with some guy. Talked to one of the waitresses, and she said that Little Flower had started dating some cop from town. Not just a regular pig either. This guy is Homer’s son.”
“What?” I shout.
“From what I hear, they’ve only been out once, but that she had a good time. The chick I talked to says the guy seems serious about Daisy.”
Reese looks at me, his own cocky smile on his face. “Good for her. I’m glad she’s finally over your shit.”
I’m about to respond, to tell him to go fuck himself, when Timber decides to put in his two cents. “You know, Preach. I’ve always liked you. I backed Kidd’s play when he brought you on as a prospect, and I really thought you deserved your cut sooner than you got it. Now, I wonder what the fuck I ever saw that made me think you were good enough to be a Renegade Son.”
This time, I don’t hold back. “Fuck you, brother. I earned my cut just like you did.”
He stands up, knocking his chair to the floor. “If you were a real man, you would’ve claimed her the moment you realized she was carrying your child. There’s nothing standing in your way anymore. Man the fuck up and put your brand on her, or I will. I’m not losing her to a fuckin’ cop.”
I fist my hands to keep from punching the motherfucker in the mouth. “I’m trying, man. I’m getting there, but just need a little more time.”
“Damn, you are one stupid fuck,” he says, shaking his head.
Reese stands up, looking between the two of us. Knowing that we are about to come to blows, he grabs Timber’s arm. “Come on, man. Got some new pussy to check out over at The Kitty Kat.”
A minute later, I watch the two of them head out the door. Still angry, my hands shake as I grab for a beer that I don’t have. Instead, I end up taking another gulp of damn soda. “A fuckin’ cop. She’s with a cop.”
“Did I ever tell you about how I met Mindy?” Chipper asks, motioning for the prospect to bring him another round.
“Nah, man. You didn’t,” I say, finally lifting the nasty ass can of soda to my lips.
“Mindy didn’t think she was good enough for me. She was a club whore, and at the time, I was in line to be president someday.”
I nod, letting him know to go on.
“I didn’t give a fuck if she had spread for every guy in the club. As far as I was concerned, she was mine. We fought about it, but she just kept saying no. I figured she’d give in, so I gave her some time. Didn’t even talk to her for a few weeks, and I missed her the whole fuckin’ time. Next thing I know, Mary told me that Mindy was leaving town.” He takes a drink then continues. “I chased her down and ended up catching up with her right outside of town. Damn near wrecked my bike, trying to get her to pull over.”
He’s quiet for a second. I lift my soda, gaining his attention. “Then what happened?”
A smile spreads across his face. “I jerked her keys out the ignition and tossed those fuckers in the ditch. Then I grabbed her ass and brought her back to the clubhouse. I didn’t let her out of my room until she agreed to be branded. It took me two nights, but it was fun as hell.” He looks me square in the eye and adds, “We’re not normal men. We take what we want, and that includes our women. Now get your sorry ass up and go get yours.”
I take in his words for a second before pushing my chair back. Just before I stand up, he starts to talk again. “You know, the only thing I regret about my time with Mindy is those few weeks I stayed away. I swear to you, I’d give my life just to have those weeks to do over again.”
Not wanting to live with the regrets that he has, I turn and walk out of the clubhouse.