Meiling
Dingo had kissed me breathless, making me burn for him, and then he’d set me aside. I was still reeling from that kiss and wished that he’d kept going. I didn’t know if he was waiting on me to say it was okay, or if it was something else. There hadn’t been time for me to ask before his phone was ringing and he’d rushed out the door again, yelling over his shoulder that he had to take care of club business. Whatever that meant. It wasn’t like I expected him to entertain me, but I had to wonder if he would forever be running out the door.
Since I didn’t know when he’d be back, or if anyone would drop in unexpectedly, I changed into a pair of the jeans he’d bought for me and a pale green top. They were plain, but they were also the best clothes I’d owned since I was a kid. If all he ever bought me were things like this, I’d be in heaven. In fact, I’d gladly wear long sleeves, turtlenecks, and pants year-round if it meant men wouldn’t look at me the way they always had. I wanted to be invisible.
I padded barefoot into the kitchen, remembering that he’d said I could help myself to anything here. I wasn’t starving anymore, but my stomach was rumbling a little. There was a package of ground beef in the fridge, some shredded cheese, a tomato, and some peppers. I decided to brown the meat, tossing in tomato chunks and peppers. I found an onion in the pantry that I added to it, and used what little seasonings he seemed to own. I’d never been that great of a cook -- well, not any sort of cook except in my imagination -- but I’d picked up a few things here and there, mostly watching cooking shows and then making my own creations in my head that I’d hoped to try one day.
The pantry was decently stocked and I grabbed some tortilla chips, then covered them in the meat mixture, and topped it all with shredded cheese. Not the best version of nachos in the world, but they looked pretty amazing -- for my first time cooking, at any rate. I poured a glass of sweet tea and carried everything into the living room. I’d discovered that Dingo didn’t have cable, but he had a few subscription services and I’d been binge-watching sappy movies on Netflix during the first time he’d been gone. During the three hours since he’d left again. I picked another one and munched on my snack while I waited for Dingo to return.
If I’d had a phone, then I might have been tempted to Google the club and see what popped up. I really didn’t know anything about them, other than the little bit the girls at the Ruby Slipper had mentioned. I’d heard the name Demon mentioned before, but hadn’t realized he was part of the Devil’s Fury until I’d arrived here earlier. I could see why they giggled and talked about how handsome he was, but to me, Dingo was the best-looking of the lot. Then again, he’d been the only one who was nice to me, and kindness was far better than looks.
I’d never been kissed by a man with a beard before, if you could even consider what I’d experienced before as kissing. More like them smashing their mouths against mine as they took what they wanted, and that’s if they even bothered at all. I’d never had a true kiss until Dingo, and it was everything I’d ever dreamed it would be. Part of me wanted to experience everything else with him too, but I also worried that I’d either disappoint him, or everything beyond kissing would be just as painful as it had always been. I’d never even been able to make myself come, not that I’d cared much to try more than once or twice, and even then it had merely been curiosity.
The nachos were only half-eaten when I decided I couldn’t handle another bite. I set them aside and curled back up to finish the movie. Every few minutes, I found myself watching the door, hoping Dingo would return. Not knowing what he was doing, it made me worry that it could be something dangerous. While I did worry about his safety, I was also concerned about my own. If something happened to Dingo, what would the club do with me? Was I only safe as long as I was with him?
There was a knock at the front door and before I could get up to answer it, the door swung open. Beau stepped into the house, his eye blackened, his lip swollen and split, and the way he walked told me he had plenty of other injuries. I also knew that Dingo would be furious to find him here with me. My heart started to race, but I was locked in place, too scared to move. I didn’t think Beau would hurt me, at least the boy I’d known wouldn’t have, but this man was a different story. He’d been beaten because of me. Was he here to get revenge?
“Jesus, Mei. Don’t look at me like I’m some sort of monster,” he mumbled.
“S-sorry.” I curled into a tight ball in the corner of the couch, my gaze darting to the door before focusing on him again. He stood between me and the hall to my room, and blocked the front door too. “I told him not to tell you.”
“I needed to know,” he said. “And I deserved what he did to me. I only saw a few minutes. It was more than enough to tell me how badly I’d fucked up. Did… did that happen often?”
“I don’t even know what you saw,” I said.
“There were three men,” he said.
I gave a jerky nod. “Often enough. That was one of their favorite scenarios to film. It made them the most money.”
“How old…” He looked away, and I could tell this was hard on him.
“That particular… type… was filmed within a week of you leaving. The first time.”
He made a sound like a wounded bear and started pacing. “Fuck! Mei, you were only fourteen when I left. I swear I didn’t know what would happen. I’d thought maybe if I was gone, they would leave you alone, or at least spend enough time trying to find me that you’d get a chance to escape. I never imagined you’d be stuck there for four years or what they’d put you through.”
“I never blamed you,” I said. “If I could have run away, I would have. I always hoped you’d found a safe place and were happy. It never occurred to me that you were still in town, or had joined the Devil’s Fury.”
“I’m only a Prospect, and after I abandoned you like that, I’m now on probation.”
I glanced at the door again. “You need to go. If Dingo finds you here, he’s going to be furious. He told me not to even mention your name.”
He stopped his pacing and faced me. “He told you? That the club gave you to him?”
I blinked and then stared. They’d given me to him? What exactly did that mean? He’d said that I was his, that I’d have to wear something that said I was his property, and he’d said the club made me his… ol’ lady? But he’d never mentioned anything about his club giving me to him. How, exactly, could they do that if I didn’t belong to any of them? Unless they’d outright bought me from Trotter. The thought sent chills down my spine.
“Gave me to him?” I asked.
“He did tell you that you belong to him, right?” Beau asked, taking a step back. “I mean, I thought he was coming here to talk to you.”
“He said I was his, but nothing about me being given to him. I don’t understand any of this. I’d thought maybe it meant I was finally safe, that I belonged, but… is this club no different from Trotter? Dingo said that no one was allowed to touch me but him. Did he mean only until he grew tired of me? Am I still a whore but only for one man now?”
Beau groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Fucking hell. What do you know about the Devil’s Fury MC?”
I shrugged a shoulder. Nothing, in all honesty. I’d heard the men were hot and that I might find a protector here, but I’d never paid attention to the rumblings about the club other than that. Until last night, I’d never planned on paying them a visit so there hadn’t been much point in learning anything else.
“They’re a law unto themselves, Mei. The police don’t matter around here, or any other authority. What Grizzly says, goes. He’s the one in charge of it all. The President. Dingo is a patched member, which means he has status in the club, and their protection, but he’s not high up enough to claim an officer’s spot.” He moved closer. “Then there’s guys like me. I’m a Prospect, which means I get the shit jobs as a way to prove myself worthy of being a patched member. The black vests, like mine, are called cuts. Dingo’s has the club name and his name on his. Mine just says Prospect. The officers will be like Dingo and have their names on theirs, but also their positions.”
I opened and shut my mouth, not knowing where to even begin with the questions. For that matter, did I really want to know? If they didn’t care about the police, didn’t that make them just as bad as my foster family? As bad as Trotter? Had I only traded one evil for another?
Dingo’s blue-gray eyes flashed in my mind. No. There was no hatred or evil in his gaze. Only kindness, and a gentleness that I craved. I didn’t know about the others, but I was certain that he was a good man.
“The club gets their money by illegal means, mostly, and it’s divided among the members. Officers get a bigger cut, and anyone who helps with a certain job gets a higher percentage from that particular task than someone who didn’t participate at all. They’d kill to protect their own, Mei, and with you being Dingo’s ol’ lady, that means they’ll protect you too.” He folded his arms, then winced and dropped them back to his sides. “You’re his, Mei. Call it a girlfriend or whatever you want.”
He’d… claimed me? Made me his girlfriend just by saying I belonged to him? Or rather by his club telling him that I was now his. I didn’t know how he felt about it. He’d seemed more concerned with how I’d react, but he had to have remained single all this time for a reason. Was he angry that he was now responsible for me?
“He’s a decent guy, Mei. I wouldn’t leave you here with him if I thought he’d ever hurt you. I can’t promise he’ll be faithful. The guys get plenty of pussy up at the clubhouse. You saw what it was like last night. All those women are here voluntarily, and eager to take a ride on any cock at the clubhouse. Your man included.”
Could I live like that? Knowing he expected me to remain faithful, but he could be with whoever he wanted? Was that where he was now? He’d said it was club business, but what if he was really with a woman? It wasn’t like he was in love with me, or me with him, but I’d hoped that this time was really different.
I heard the rumble of a motorcycle getting close and Beau tensed, moving to the window and peering outside. He cursed and ran for the front door and bolted from the house. I heard shouting and got up to look through the blinds. Dingo had Beau on the ground, beating on him again. I wanted to intervene, to tell him that Beau hadn’t meant any harm, but part of me was scared that he’d turn that anger my way.
When he released Beau and started striding toward the house, I backed away from the window and watched the doorway. Dingo came in, slammed the door shut, and turned toward me. He was breathing heavily, his face was flushed, and there was still fury sparking in his eyes.
“Did he touch you?” he demanded.
“No. He didn’t get close to me.”
Dingo came closer, not stopping until I could feel the heat of his body. “Why was he here?”
“I don’t know. He just showed up and let himself in.” I wanted to back up, but I didn’t. He’d called me strong, brave. I wanted to prove him right and not run away like a frightened mouse. “I think he was trying to apologize for leaving me all those years ago.”
Dingo leaned closer and buried his face against my neck, breathing me in. He settled his hands on my waist and pulled me closer. I could feel his heart pounding and I realized he wasn’t just angry because Beau was here with me. Alone. He was upset because he’d been worried about me. I placed my hands on his shoulders, then slid them down his back.
“I’m okay,” I said. “I was scared at first, but he didn’t touch me.”
“If he’d laid a finger on you, I think I’d have killed him.” His voice was a deep rumble, but the sound soothed me. “Only mine for a few hours and already I’m willing to commit murder if someone does anything to hurt you. Hell, I was ready to tear apart the men who abused you before you were even mine.”
He drew back, but didn’t release me. I looked up into his eyes and the emotions swirling in their depths made me breathless. No one had ever looked at me like that. I reached up and gently stroked his beard, surprised that it felt so soft. When he’d kissed me, it hadn’t been scratchy like I’d feared. He let me explore as I petted his beard, then ran my fingers through his hair at the base of his neck.
“Or maybe I’ve just known from the moment I saw you that you were mine,” he said. “When I saw what Demon was doing, what he’d demanded of you, it was the first time I’d ever wanted to hit him.”
“Beau said your club gave me to you,” I said, needing to hear the truth from him.
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Dingo, if you don’t really want me here, if I’m an inconvenience, then I can go.”
His lips twitched, and he gave me a slight smile. “I want you here, Mei. They only said you were mine because they knew I was going to claim you -- eventually. I’d hoped to give you time, show you that I wouldn’t hurt you. They just sped up the timeline. You’re mine, beautiful. Always.”
“And are you mine?” I asked, almost fearing his answer.
“Yeah.” His gaze locked on mine. “And when the time is right, when you’re ready, I have no doubt you’ll make sure everyone knows it.”
I tipped my head to the side, assessing his words. “Does that mean I have your permission to go off on any women who try to get in your pants?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, baby. In fact, I hope one day you’ll be confident enough to show those bitches not to mess with you. The girls at the clubhouse can be a bit… territorial. None of them are claimed, but they want to be. They’ll see you as a threat, and they’ll likely try to get me to sleep with them. It’s just part of this way of life, Mei.”
I didn’t know how I felt about that, but I’d have to learn to live with it. Or find a way to make those women fear me if they came anywhere near Dingo. Then again, if I wasn’t keeping him satisfied, I couldn’t very well expect him to turn them away. Could I? I’d never been in any sort of relationship before and had no idea what the rules were, or if there even were rules.
“We have time, Mei. You don’t have to figure it all out right now. I can see you have questions, and I expect you to. Ask me whatever you want. If it’s not something I can share, then I’ll tell you.”
“Am I the only one?”
“The only woman I’ve claimed?” he asked.
I chewed my lip. “Yes and no. I mean, yes, I want to know the answer to that, but I also meant, are there other women here who belong to just one guy?”
“You’re the only one I’ve ever claimed, sweetheart. Only one I’ll ever claim. As to the other, Badger has an ol’ lady. Adalia is the Pres’s daughter, and he has two other adopted daughters. Neither belong to anyone, though. In fact, one is scared of her own shadow so you probably won’t see much of her. She tends to stay in Grizzly’s house.”
That only gave me more questions, but I decided that if I learned too much more right this moment, my head might explode. Like he’d said, we had time. I didn’t have to find out everything right now. What little I’d been told so far was enough for the time being. I’d just take the rest as it came. Living life the way I had, I’d learned to roll with the punches. Sometimes literally.
“Is your business over for the day?” I asked.
He nodded.
“So you can spend some time with me?”
Dingo looked over at the TV before dropping his gaze to me, an eyebrow arched. “Do you expect me to watch that sappy shit?”
I didn’t answer right away. Mostly because I liked watching that “sappy shit” as he’d called it. He cracked a smile, then pressed a quick kiss to my lips.
“We can watch whatever you want, Mei. I was only teasing you. I’ll even sit on the couch with you.”
I led him across the living room and let him sit first, then I curled up against him. He put an arm around my shoulders and held me close. It was the closest I’d ever gotten to what I imagined normal would be like. I’d never dated, never cuddled with someone. But I had feeling that the next few weeks I would experience a lot of firsts. Dingo seemed determined to make my life better, and he already had. I didn’t really believe in God or Fate, but something had made me come here last night, some unseen force, and I’d be forever grateful. If I hadn’t shown up, if Beau hadn’t come to get me earlier, then I wouldn’t be here right now.