Chapter 16 Dixie
Dixie
I slip through the door of my apartment and try to shut it as quietly as possible. I toe off my shoes and hang my jacket on the hook before tiptoeing down the hallway.
Roxy’s door opens and she leans her shoulder against the doorframe, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me.
“Where have you been? It’s after midnight.”
“So? Aren’t you almost always out until after midnight?” I move past her and open my own bedroom door.
“Because I run a bar. We both know you’ll be up early to make breakfast. You never stay out late when you need to work the next day and we both know it.” She follows me into my room and arches a brow.
“Rox, leave her alone. She’s an adult and she doesn’t need to answer to anyone.” Oakley enters my room and plops down on my bed.
“Fine, but when she ends up dead in a back alley somewhere, I don’t want to hear you complain about it!” Roxy spins on her heels and stomps out of my room. A few seconds later, her bedroom door slams shut and loud music begins blaring.
“Umm… What just happened?” I turn my attention to Oakley with wide eyes.
“She’s being super emotional. I think she has her period or something. Who knows. It’s Roxy. Someone might’ve looked at her weird and now her panties are in a bunch.” She rolls her eyes. “So where were you?”
“Didn’t you just tell Roxy to leave me alone and how I didn’t need to answer to anyone?” I grab an oversized shirt out of my drawer and begin stripping. I couldn’t care less if Oakley sees me naked.
“Yes, I did. But I'm nosey and now I’ve changed my mind.”
“Why?” I chuckle. Oakley’s my favorite person in the entire world. She’s so laidback all the time and doesn’t let much ruffle her feathers.
“That was before I saw little bruises that look an awful lot like they’re hickeys on your neck.” She points at my body and my cheeks heat.
I never cared about changing in front of my sisters because I never needed to hide anything. I didn’t realize Storm left any marks on me, otherwise I wouldn’t have changed yet.
What should I say? How do I explain this?
“Tell Storm I said he better treat you right,” she murmurs as she rolls off my bed, landing on her feet. She giggles as she leaves my room without another word. There’s no point in trying to defend myself, it would only make me look more guilty in her eyes.
As I climb in my bed, I check my phone one last time and find a text waiting for me.
Storm: What’s with the loud music?
Dixie: Roxy’s angry I came home late.
Storm: Why?
Dixie: No clue. It’s Roxy. Someone might’ve breathed too loudly in her vicinity.
Storm: Are you ok?
Dixie: About that…
Storm: What’s wrong?
Dixie:
Storm: Jeez, baby. I love getting pictures of you.
Dixie: Oakley saw the hickeys.
Storm: Man, I didn’t mean to do that. I'm sorry.
Dixie: I like them… But she asked me where I was.
Storm: And you said?
Dixie: Nothing.
Storm: Good.
Dixie: She told me to ‘Tell Storm I said he better treat you right’.
Storm: Freaking Oakley.
Sliding another tray of bread into the oven, I stand back and brush my floury hands on my apron. I'm just about to turn around and prepare the meat when strong arms wrap around my waist and a face nuzzles into my neck.
“Chopper, stop it before Storm sees us,” I mumble under my breath.
“That’s not funny,” Storm growls in my ear. “I’d gut him like a deer if he came anywhere near you.”
I chuckle as I spin around to face him and snake my arms around his neck. The furrow between his brows makes him look darker. More dangerous. And I love every second of it.
“What are you doing back here?” I ask as I press a soft kiss to his lips.
“I missed you. I haven’t seen you all day.”
“It’s like ten o’clock in the morning. Your day has barely begun.”
“I know, but I have to get to work and after that I have to go on a run for the club. I probably won't get back until late.”
“Oh, ok.” I try my hardest to hide my disappointment. I was hoping to spend some time with Storm after we both finished working tonight.
“Hey, you can always sneak into my room tonight, Little Fox.”
“I don’t know how I’ll be able to.”
“I put a hole in the wall as soon as I saw Roxy and Oakley leave today. It looks like crap still. There’s no door or anything, but I ran out of time. I wanted to make sure the loud part was handled when they weren’t home. The rest I can finish at any time, especially if you put on some music.”
“So, I can sneak in and out of your place whenever I want?” A grin tips up the corner of my lips.
“Yes. Hopefully you want to all the time too.”
“I can also snoop in your apartment while you’re working.” I wiggle my brows. “I can look for embarrassing things.”
“If that’s what you want to do, feel free.” He chuckles. “I have nothing to hide from you. Just remember, the door works both ways.”
“Well, hold on. I don’t want you snooping in my room!”
“What are you hiding, Little Fox?” He smirks.
Before I can respond, footsteps sound and we leap apart from each other before anyone can find us together. I check on my bread and pretend to be working. Storm is on his phone, acting like he’s busy. Anything to make us not look like a couple.
“Hey, Storm. I was coming to see my daughter. What are you doing back here?” Dad enters and pats Storm on the back.
My heart pounds in my chest. That was close. If Dad had found us in each other’s arms, it wouldn’t have ended well.
“Hey, Porter. I was seeing if Dixie had anything I could take for lunch or dinner. I have to get a few hours in at work, then I have that run to go on with Chopper.”
“Right.” Dad nods his head. “I didn’t think about how you’d be gone practically all day.”
“I don’t have much more than a sandwich here. I think I have some chicken pot pie in my apartment you could have.” I meet Storm’s gaze, knowing the pot pie is at his place, not mine.
“Do you mind making me a sandwich? I won't have anywhere to heat up the meal.”
“Of course.”
I move around the kitchen and quickly make Storm a sandwich. I don’t bother asking what he wants, I know well enough that I don’t need to. Once I have the sandwich wrapped up, I hand it over to him with a grin.
“Have a good day.”
“You too, Little Fox.” He hesitates for a moment and I can tell he really wants to give me a kiss or hug. Anything to get some form of contact with me, but he can't with Dad standing right there.
As soon as he walks out the door, Dad turns his attention to me. His eyes search my features, but I do my best to slip behind a neutral mask. It’s something my sisters and I learned to do long ago. Dad sees too much. He can figure things out so quickly, even when you’re trying to hide them.
“Did you need something?” I ask as I begin cleaning up the ingredients I used for the sandwich.
“I just wanted to check in with my daughter and see how things are going. It’s weird having the three of you living in a separate place.”
“We live on the same property, Dad.” I grin at him. He’s always been an amazing dad, even though he’s this no-nonsense president of a motorcycle club.
“It’s not the same. I don’t get to keep an eye on you as easily.”
“We’re not kids anymore. We can make our own decisions and mistakes.”
“I know, it’s still hard watching your babies grow up.” He frowns as he takes a seat at the counter. “I hear Storm showed you the restaurant.”
“Yes! Am I really going to be able to have my own restaurant?” Excitement fills my tone, making Dad chuckle.
“I forgot how cute you are when you get excited about something. I haven’t seen this side of you in a while.
And yes, Storm convinced me you need this.
We’ll have some of the biker bunnies, as you like to call them, learn how to do things around here.
I'm sure a decent number of the guys will be visiting your restaurant though.”
“I figured it would become a biker hangout, but I don’t want any drama there.” I point a finger in his direction and he nods his head.
“I’ll do my best to control them. Have you picked out a name for the place?”
“Storm didn’t tell you? Dang, I thought the two of you shared everything while braiding each other’s hair.” I smirk. We’ve teased Dad and Storm about their relationship for as long as I can remember.
They’ve always had these secret meetings with each other and no one else. I know they’re discussing things the president and vice president need to decide on with no one else around, but we still found it funny.
“Storm won't let me braid his hair. He says I'm not good at it and mine isn't nearly long enough to do that.” Dad runs his hand through his shaggy hair. He’s right, it’s not long enough at all. Storm’s is though.
“It’s going to be called The Little Fox Café.”
“Did Storm get to name it?” Dad’s brows raise in surprise.
“Actually, no.” I smile to myself and spend the next thirty minutes telling Dad all about the café and Artie.