Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“I’m V,” the other woman said, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder, but in a frustrated way, like it was getting on her nerves, rather than a ‘look at me, look at me’ kind of way.
“V? Did I read that right? Like the letter or V.E.E.?”
She grimaced. “V as in Victoria, but nobody calls me that.”
Got it. We moved over to the sofas and sat down, both of them on the other sofa together, leaving me free to let little Nixie explore the sofa I was on.
The little sweetheart immediately grabbed the edge of my sleeve and started tugging it with her tiny teeth.
Was she growling? I remember dogs made sounds, but I hadn’t heard them in so long.
I lifted my head to look at the women, and sure enough, the one called V was saying something, which looked like ‘Nixie, NO’, but the pup was paying no attention to her. Maybe the dog was deaf too, or was it selective hearing with dogs?
“It’s okay. It’s just an old hoodie.”
V got up and eased my sleeve from Nixie’s mouth, wagging her finger at her, as the pup wagged her tail in response.
“We’re trying to train her, but she’s stubborn as hell,” she told me, remembering to face me as she spoke. She sat beside me instead, dancing her fingers around in circles on the cushion between us, so the pup would play with those instead.
“Rocket would say she’s being a typical woman,” she said next, pointing at the kitchen doorway, as I followed her gesture. Oh. They were on their way back with drinks. Beers for the two men, and what looked like coffee for us women.
“Didn’t know how you take it, Claudia, do you need sugar in it?
” The biker from the bike shop asked as he rested it in front of me.
His cut said VP, and Harley on it. I remembered that now, but was that is real name or a biker thing?
His business was called Harley’s, which made me think it was literally his name.
He grinned at me. “I’m sure you remember me, love, I’m Caroline’s man. That prick there is Rocket. He’s V’s pet.”
“Fucker!” The guy named Rocket replied as I glanced at him. V patted my arm and I turned to her.
“He is. He’s my naughty little pup too.”
I blinked at her, my mind racing. Like a kink thing?
Was she dominant and he was her pet on his knees for her, and getting spanked.
And why the hell was my mind going somewhere so pervy right now?
Was it because being with Stag had helped me find a slightly more dominant side of myself than I ever knew existed?
“I love the fact that you’re clearly thinking something naughty, Claudia. We’re going to be good friends,” V said with a giggle.
It was weird, but I felt at home with them already, even the two men, and they were all patient with me, taking the time to gain my attention before speaking.
For people who’d just met me, you’d have to assume they were around deaf people all the time.
It was possible. Being deaf isn’t rare, I guess.
“So you’re all good friends of Stag, I’m guessing? Being in the same club and all.”
Both women instantly looked a little awkward, and when I turned to the men, Rocket was grinning at me, but Harley looked a little edgy too.
“Wow. Suddenly you all go quiet. I’m deaf, but even I can tell it’s silent right now. Is there something I should know?”
Harley and Rocket side-eyed each other, and so I turned to the ladies. V sighed, and lifted a hand, like a ‘I’m just going to say it’ kind of gesture.
“We don’t really know him that well. Caroline and me at least. He’s… uh…” she glanced at Caroline, and looked at me again, a little grimace on her face, “he’s kind of a dick to women.”
Her head suddenly darted away from me, and I saw her saying something but I couldn’t make out the words from the side. I looked instead at Rocket, and saw his lips moving too.
“Wait. Wait. I can’t follow this. What’s going on?” I pointed at Rocket. “Can you please explain?”
His shoulders lifted in a sigh and he nodded.
“He’s not a bad guy, he just has a mouth on him. He’s upset most of the women in our lives at some point, and been smacked or punched about as many times.”
He’d told me he had issues, but it sounded like they felt he didn’t care that he messed up when he spoke to them. Did he hide it all behind bravado, so they never knew?
“He’s never upset me,” I said pointedly, although I instantly second guessed my tone, because would it sound like I was saying all other women were easily offended? That wasn’t the point I was trying to make.
“Wait, I didn’t mean… wow, I just did what he does, didn’t I? Do you all know how bad he feels for every misstep he makes when he’s talking? He genuinely doesn’t mean to be offensive. He’s… he’s incredibly sweet really.”
“I’m sure someone says that about every serial killer at some point,” I saw V saying, and bit back a grin. She was probably right.
“He’s not one though, and regardless of the fact that he’s stuck working for those Bennett guys, he’s really very decent and sweet.”
“He told you?” Harley asked incredulously when I let my attention be drawn to him by his frantically waving hand.
“It was a secret? He’s working for them tonight, right? That’s why you’re all here.” I glanced at Rocket next to see if he was reacting to this news, since he seemed to be friendlier about Stag than the others.
“He’s what? You really let him do that?” Rocket elbowed Harley, and the two of them started arguing with each other, again at angles I couldn’t fully read, nor could I read two sets of lips at once, so I sighed and turned to look at Caroline. She offered me a small smile.
“They’re always like this. Arguing seems to be fun for them.
I don’t think Stag’s a bad guy, by the way.
He says some pretty messed up stuff, but I think you’re right.
I think he doesn’t mean them to come across like they do.
Sometimes…” she chewed her cheek, “Sometimes he looks shocked at himself after, like a little frown appears, but then he’s dug his hole, so he just keeps going.
I think he feels like he can’t backtrack after. ”
“So has anyone tried making an effort to get to know him, you know, beyond letting his words push you away? You just said you can see it bothers him, but you didn’t try either?”
Caroline’s jaw dropped, and V tapped my arm, glaring at me when I turned to her.
“This isn’t on her. This isn’t on any of us. If he can’t make conversation like a person, instead of an asshole, that’s on him. He’s had plenty of opportunities to get it right, and calling women ‘chicks’ or ‘bitches’ or worse isn’t how to get it right!”
I leaned down to press my lips against Nixie’s little head as she gazed up at me, those huge brown eyes blinking adorably. It wasn’t her fault she was family to a bunch of arrogant morons who couldn’t understand when a person needed support instead of anger.
“I think you all should leave now. Thanks for coming, but I’d like to rest and wait for Stag. He deserves the best of me when he gets here, and I’m not wasting that on the likes of you.”