"Mom said that if you blow up the house, you're gonna be put up for adoption." I almost laughed at the way Flick paused to think about what he was doing before he continued to light the grill.
To say that things had progressed slowly over the last week, would be a severe fucking understatement.
We were still no closer to finding the Highway Men that were hiding in town, even with the daily patrols around Angel Falls.
No one had spotted anything suspicious, and they were still somehow getting their drugs into town, selling the shit, and putting people in hospital.
All we could do was sit on our fucking hands because we didn't know where to find the fucks.
Someone was feeding them information, and considering that there wasn't anyone other than patched, ranked, brothers in Church when things were being discussed had me thinking we had more than one fucking hole in our boat.
I was antsy, and that was understating things.
Even with Dove here keeping me very entertained, I still wanted to be out there.
I was stuck between getting Gunner to cut me loose to do my thing, and doing things his way. I wasn't ready for Dove to see me as the monster I really was, but I knew if I became that man, I'd probably have some answers.
There were only so many times I could sit in Church listening to Gunner talk about how nothing had changed, and that we needed to stay in lockdown until we knew more information.
Then when Church was over and most of the men had walked out, Gunner, Ox, and me would sit there and basically argue about what to do next.
Thankfully Gunner hadn't gone back on his word about getting the girls some training.
Flick and me had started to train anyone that was willing in the basics of self-defense. We were actually surprised at how many of the women wanted to know how to defend themselves, which made things interesting.
More and more men were starting to linger around the shed when we were getting the girls to train with each other. They weren't there to encourage and support them, no, it had more to do with wanting to see two women wrestle each other.
The highlight of my time in training these women, was when Flick's little blonde took him out.
It was a moment that I would never forget, and neither would Flick. Mainly because I wouldn't let him forget.
"You need to keep your wrist straight, or you'll break it." Flick instructed, his woman nodded rolling her eyes.
"I know all of this." She huffed.
"Then why do you keep bending your wrist?" Flick asked his hands on his hips.
I rested my head against the bottom rope of the ring, they had been standing in there arguing for twenty minutes.
What they were supposed to be doing was fighting, or more specifically Flick was supposed to be showing his woman how to throw a punch hard enough to buckle someone's diaphragm.
"Are you two gonna do anything other than bitch at each other?" I asked impatiently. They both looked at me.
"I'm trying to teach her." Flick said waving to her. "but she's being difficult."
"Me?!" Blondie shrieked.
"For fucks sake." I sighed, "I've had enough of this shit."
I rolled into the ring, walking up to Blondie, she flinched a little as I grabbed her wrists and held her wrists out in front of her. She gave me a sad puppy look when she realized what she had done, I didn't care, I knew I was intimidating at the best of times so I wouldn't be holding it against her.
"Make a fist," I instructed.
She curled her hands into fists and curled her wrists back.
I shook my head, "Nope."
Dropping one of her hands, I smacked the back of her wrist making her fist go flat. She squeaked from shock rather than pain, I knew that for a fact because I'd smacked Dove's ass harder than that.... and well... we all know how that went.
"What the fuck?!" Flick snapped at me, taking a step towards me.
"Shut it," I ordered, not looking at him. "This is the shit he was trying to tell you about. Stop curling them back, keep 'em straight or I'm gonna smack you again."
Blondie raised a brow at me, bringing her other fist up in front of her face.
"Don't think I won't do it," I said flatly, staring at her.
"I know you will," she stated with a knowing smirk, I chuckled under my breath shaking my head.
"Just do it."
"Like this?" She asked managing to keep her wrists flat, I nodded.
"Good, now, when you punch, it needs to come from the shoulder," I instructed, moving next to her. "Don't try to do anything fancy, just a straight jab, from the shoulder, with the wrist straight. You do that, and you'll be able to take down just about anybody."
"Even him." She nodded towards Flick. I chuckled. Flick scowled.
"Yeah, even bitch-ass giants like him."
"I wanna try it." She said with a wicked grin on her face. "On him."
"Sounds good," I smirked. "Flick, come stand here."
Flick stood in front of her, not at all worried that anything would happen considering she was half his size. I made sure that she was holding herself right, encouraging her to take a few practice shots before she let loose.
Flick laughed with every punch jabbed into his stomach.
"With this one," I murmured into her ear, "Aim for in between his top two abs. And don't hold back."
Blondie nodded, taking in a deep breath.
I stood back and watched.
Blondie pulled her arm back, and snapped it forward with a battle cry, landing the punch in the exact spot I told her to.
And then, like it was in an action replay slow-mo, Flick doubled over, coughing and hacking as he dropped to one knee in front of her.
"Yes!" Blondie squealed, throwing her hands in the air and jumping up and down.
"Atta' girl." I praised, walking over to a coughing Flick. "You really gotta stop underestimating smaller opponents." I laughed patting his shoulder.
"I am all that is man!" Blondie cheered as she did a lap around the ring.
"You're never going to let me forget this are you?" Flick croaked as he watched his woman with pride in his eyes.
"Does a bear shit in the woods?" I asked raising a brow at him. Flick shook his head.
"Every damn day," he murmured. I grinned.
"So I'm gonna remind you, every damn day that a pixie dropped you."
"Do you think having your ass kicked by Tinkerbell will affect your grilling skills?" I asked, taking a mouthful of the beer that I had.
Flick glared at me halfheartedly. "Shut up."
"Oh, come on. You gotta admit it was pretty fuckin' funny."
"You just remember how funny it is, when it comes time for Lilly to kick your ass.." Flick said flipping a steak over.
"You know what?" I said, nodding. "If she manages to do that, I'll laugh with you."
Flick rolled his eyes, "It's not as funny when you agree."
I shrugged, "But the real question is... do I care?"
Flick rolled his eyes.
"Hey," Dove's voice drew my attention.
I couldn't help myself but watch her as she came towards me, wearing one of my Harley Davidson shirts, and a pair of frayed dark blue shorts, and her favorite boots.
The woman was a walking fantasy.
"Hey yourself." I almost purred, making Flick roll his eyes and gag. I kicked his shin.
"Mack just told me that we were supposed to meet up with your boss today?" Dove said stepping close and wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Oh yeah," I said shaking my head. "I forgot to let you know that Gunner wanted to sit down with us."
"You're not in trouble are you?" She asked, tipping her head back to look at me.
"Nah, it's just about you becoming an Old Lady."
"Lil'," Flick said, "Gunner isn't our boss, he's our President."
"Boss, President, same thing." She said waving her hand around. I laughed kissing the top of her head.
"Not really, but whatever helps you." I shrugged. "There are a few things I need to warn you about before we get in there."
"Okay," she drawled. "Should I be worried?"
"Nope."
"Alright, I'm listening." She said straightening out her face into something that was supposed to look serious. Flick and I laughed, shaking our heads.
"It's not that bad," I said pulling her to sit on one of the benches.
"So, what is it?" She asked.
"Mainly... Gunner is a dick." She snorted a laugh, "that being said, dick or not, he is President of an outlaw Motorcycle club for a reason. We all respect him, and because you've chosen to stick by me, it means that you have to treat him the way we do."
"Okay I think I get it," she said nodding. "It's like meeting the parents. You need to be respectful and polite when you speak, that kinda thing."
"Yeah, sure," I said. "I mean, I've never met anyone's parents before, but I've seen movies."
"Oh shit," she gasped, "I haven't taken you to meet my parents."
"I think we've been a little busy to do that, don't you think?" I said. Dove looked horrified. "Why do you look like that?"
"You don't think that I don't respect you because I haven't taken you to see my parents... do you?!"
I laughed, I couldn't help it.
She was seriously thinking that I would be offended that she didn't take me to meet her parents. I've never had a serious girlfriend in my life so meeting someone's parents was never a big deal to me.
Shit, I hadn't even met Flick's parents and he is like a brother to me.
Sometimes...
"When everything is sorted out, you can take me to meet your parents," I said with a wide smile.
"Promise?"
"Yeah, I promise." I chuckled.
"I think I'll have trouble getting you out alive," Dove said frowning.
"You think your Dad and brother might wanna fight me?" I asked grinning. She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"No, I think I'll have to fight my mother to get you out of there." She said bluntly. I blinked at her. "My Dad will act like he hates you because you're dating me. But deep down he would be thinking of ways to get you to never leave because you look like you could protect me in any situation."
"Because I can."
"My brother will side with my Dad, while wondering how much it hurt to get all of those tattoos because deep down he really wants one but isn't that great with drawn-out pain... all while thinking of how long he would last in a fight with you," she added.
"Hurts like a bitch, and he wouldn't last long."
"Let's not get started on the other females in my family..." she trailed off shaking her head.
"They'd all love a piece of this too huh?" I asked gesturing to myself.
"I think I might need to stab some of my cousins just to get you out," she said with a calculating look on her face.
"Let's just leave the stabbing to me, okay?" I suggested, she looked at me confused.
"You want to stab my cousins?"
"What? No!" I shook my head. "Let's go meet with Gunner okay?"
I shifted in my seat, looking across the table at Dove who was starting to look nervous as fuck. I wanted to reach out to her and make sure that she was okay, but Gunner had gotten Mack to put me on the opposite side of the table for a reason.
Mack had whispered it to me as we walked it, saying that it was done so that he could see what she was like without me right next to her for support.
I had no idea what the fuck he was playing at, and I had no issues with letting him know that I wasn't happy that he put her so far away from me.
As soon as the stupid fuck gets here...
Mack was sitting at the head of the table where Ox sits, she had reassured Dove that she was going to be there, which I was grateful for. But, just like Dove and me, Mack was sitting in her chair with her hands folded over her growing stomach, waiting for her fucking husband.
"Is he doing his make-up or some shit?" I asked, leaning forward. Mack smiled shaking her head.
"Probably his hair." She commented making Dove chuckle.
Gunner strolled into the room seconds later like he hadn't kept up waiting for nearly thirty minutes. He walked up to Mack, kissing her on the head, before sitting his ass into his chair. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his fingertips as he looked down the table at us.
"So, Wolf here tells me that this is so serious that he wants you as his Old Lady," Gunner stated.
I rolled my eyes.
"Yes," Dove answered professionally.
Gunner glanced at me, and I knew that he was going to do what he liked to do the most.
Which was to piss me off...
He seemed to have a habit of testing how long it would take before I would throw something at him. But I needed to control myself, I don't think Dove would like it too much if I threw a chair at my President while his pregnant Old Lady was next to him.
Maybe if Dove can get Mack away...
"So, Wolf. Does your woman know how this works?" He asked pointing towards Dove.
"I have a name you know." She mumbled, glaring at him. I smirked.
Mack snorted, covering her mouth with her hand when she realized that everyone was looking at her.
"I knew I liked you for a reason." She said with a wink, shrugging at her husband when he raised a brow at her.
Gunner just shook his head at her.
"Wolf doesn't like it when people use your little pet name." Gunner said with a grin.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, "Why don't you just ask for her name?"
"Like you did?" Gunner asked. "You want me to stalk her for a few weeks before finally getting it?"
"He didn't stalk me." Dove snapped. I glared at him. "And my name is Lillian McKinney."
"Is that like McKinney Farm?" Mack asked, sitting forward in her seat looking like someone had told her that she had won the lottery.
"Yeah," Dove smiled, "It's my parent's farm."
"Mack?"
"Oh babe, it's that sweet farm that sells the cheese I've been getting you to go get." Mack gushed turning to face Gunner.
"I'm glad you like it, the cheese is a big seller," Dove commented.
"Do you think I could buy straight from the farm?" Mack asked. Dove shrugged.
"I'm not sure if they're doing that, it's been a while since I've been home and asked about the business," Dove admitted with a sad look on her face.
Gunner cleared his throat, "Can we continue?"
"Oh sure," Mack said sitting back. "Forgive me for having a conversation without your permission."
Dove bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. I smirked not caring if Gunner saw me laughing at him silently.
"Anyway," Gunner started. "You said that you knew why you were here."
"Yes, Wolf gave me some information. So did my friend Deanna." Dove answered. "I know this is a big deal for Wolf, and myself, and it isn't something to walk blindly into. I've thought through everything before agreeing to do this."
Gunner nodded. "It's not like a regular relationship."
"Clearly," Dove said. "I don't know many relationships that go into a lockdown with other families other than their own, because of a threat that wasn't announced by the government."
"I don't want to scare you off Lillian. But there are rules, ones that Mack can go over in detail a bit later, but if you agree to go through with this, you agree to become part of this club and that isn't something that we take lightly."
"I know, as I said, I haven't rushed this decision."
"You haven't been with Wolf for very long," Gunner started. "I need to know that you aren't going to go stomping off after a fight, or go bitching to your co-workers about your Old Man. I need to know that you're going to be loyal to him before I can agree to let this go further."
I shifted my seat back, ready to launch myself at this motherfucker for even suggesting that Dove would cheat on me.
I don't know where all these new rules came from, but the club didn't know about Mack until Gunner had made up his mind about making her his Old Lady. I don't even think that Pops had met her before she was introduced to the club.
Mack must have noticed how close her husband was to dying because she put a hand on his arm, stopping him from saying anything else.
"What my husband is trying, and failing, to say is that the club likes to make sure that a couple will last together before they let them commit to something as serious as this," Mack said with a gentle voice.
"Honestly it sounds like he's trying to scare me away from Wolf," Dove said her voice ice cold.
"I'm giving you facts." Gunner said. "You don't know him as well as you should. And you certainly don't know enough about this club."
I scoffed.
"You didn't even grow up around here, you grew up on a farm. How are you going to handle the life of an outlaw sweetheart?" Gunner snapped. I pushed myself up and out of my chair.
I was gonna kill him.
It was one thing to warn her about the dangers of this life, it was another thing altogether to insult her and make out that she wasn't smart enough, or strong enough, to handle whatever would come at her.
Dove raised a hand, stopping me from moving.
"You think because I lived outside of Angel Falls, that I wouldn't know anything about the big bad world?" Dove asked angrily. "That I would be too backward to understand this life?"
"No." Mack started.
"Yes." Gunner interrupted. "I don't think you are anything more than a little girl getting all hot over the fact that the bad boy biker wants a piece of her ass."
"Watch your fucking mouth!" I snarled, my hand wrapping around the hilt of my knife.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Dove yelled, all eyes snapped to her. "You have no idea who I am, or what I feel for Wolf, all you know is what he does for you and this club! You don't care about him, you're too self-involved for that."
"Am I now?" Gunner snarked, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest.
"Yes!" Dove snapped. "You need him to stay focused on the club. You want him focused on what you want him focused on, and from this conversation that isn't me. You want him alone, you want emotionally cut off from anyone that isn't yourself or this club!"
"Maybe I do." Gunner shrugged. "Maybe I want him to get rid of you so he goes back to being the loyal soldier he was before he met you."
"Well let me destroy that little fantasy," Dove snarled. "I am not going to let you do that to him. I won't let you keep him on a fucking leash because you need him to do your dirty work. I am not going to let you scare me off, and if you don't like that, then fuck you. I don't need your fucking approval."
"You kinda do."
"Let me make something very clear to you," she lent forward. "If you try to take him away from me, I promise you I will fight you for him. And I promise you, I won't fucking lose."
I couldn't look at anything but Dove, she was so angry yet so fucking sexy.
I had never had any defend me like that before, not since my mother died. No one would even think of going up against Gunner, let alone the club for me. But here she was, glaring down at the stupid motherfucker like the avenging angel she was.
I looked back down at Gunner, Mack was sitting there with her mouth slightly open in shock at Dove's speech. She was looking from her husband, back down to Dove, just going back and forth like she was watching a tennis match, waiting for something to happen.
If he tried anything, I'd take him out before he laid a finger on her.
Gunner nodded, a grin spreading over his face.
"Well then," he said, pushing himself out of his chair. "There's not much left to say other than this..." he paused. "Welcome to the fucking family."
I'm gonna kill this stupid motherfucker....
"If you ever do that shit again, I'll throw you out the fucking window- what are you doing?" I snapped.
Gunner smiled from the window he now stood in front of, "Checking how high up we are, to see if it's worth it."
MERRY FUCKIN' CHRISTMAS!!
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WAITING A WHILE FOR THIS AND HONESTLY, SO HAVE I.
I'M NOT GONNA BORE YOU WITH A LONG DRAWN-OUT EXPLANATION. LIFE HAPPENS.
AS ALWAYS, COMMENTS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME (BECAUSE I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU ALL), AND IF YOU ENJOYED IT DROP ME A VOTE.
STAY SAFE AND ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS (IF YOU CELEBRATE THEM)
UNTIL THE NEXT TIME,
RAVEN RAYNE