“Why I am letting this get to me? Not like I’ve not done it myself. I’ve slept with guys before and split. They got what they wanted and so did I and neither of us had contacted the other or came back for seconds. Sex had just been sex. No relationship. Nada. And now I am bitching about something I had planned to do to him first. What the fuck is up with that!” I pointed the spatula I was using on the stir-fry at Katie who sat at the table listening to me rant like a crazy person.
“Maybe because you feel something for him and want it to mean more. I told you when I came in that they had to leave in a hurry and that is probably why Hawk didn’t stop by to tell you he was headed out of town.”
“Yes, you did. You also won’t tell me what the fuck would a motorcycle club have going on that would warrant leaving at the drop of a dime. And might I add, it was on a plane instead of their bikes.” I turned the burner off and set the skillet to the side.
“That is for Kaden to tell you, not me. The first thing you are going to have to learn about being with one of these men, is that they will tell you what they can, but nothing extra. And if they think they can get by without telling you anything at all. Well, that is exactly what they will do.” Katie took a drink of her tea and set the glass back down on the table before she continued, “Charlie, I’ve known Kaden as long as you have. I’m learning about being with a man associated with an MC, the same as you are. They are a different breed of man from at least what I have known before and don’t forget that I have known Linc a long time. And though he had shown some of the qualities I’ve witnessed with the others before, they are ten times as bad now.”
I got the plates down and sat them on the counter and reached for the skillet before I replied, “So they are jerks who turn into major assholes when you get them in a group.”
Katie laughed and got up to take the plates to the table after I placed food on them. I grabbed the silverware and joined her.
“That is one way to look at it. But I would rather look at it as—they care so much it makes them extra-protective, which then makes them extra-assholish when stuff doesn’t go their way. They are gruff, rude at times, bitchier than any female on her period can be, pushy, but they are also the most loyal, tender when you least expect, caring, and they will always put your needs first—even if they are the only ones who see it as your need. An example of what that means is why you fixed an extra plate.”
“Ah, but Mac is a cutie.” We both burst out laughing.
“Yes, he is, and young, which is why he turned fifteen shades of red from the neck up when you yelled from the door to ask him if he wanted to come in and join two cougars for dinner.”
“Hey, at least I asked if you knew someone was watching you instead of my first thought of it being someone associated with your dad’s mess. I was just going to excuse myself and sneak up on him, then zap his ass with my stun gun.” I shrugged and took another bite of food.
“Well, I’m glad you asked about him, and I didn’t have to explain to Moose or the others why Mac was taken out.”
“True.”
We finished eating without talking and then took our plates to the sink. Katie started rinsing the off and then placed them in the dishwasher.
“So are you going to cut Kaden a break when he gets back?” Katie asked as she put the last of the dishes in and closed the dishwasher.
“If he shows up and at least is sorry he didn’t show up to tell me he had to leave. I mean, I know he doesn’t have my number so I can’t blame him for not calling. But, Katie, there is a chance he had no intentions of coming back even if he didn’t have to go out of town.”
“I call bullshit. If he said it, he planned to do it. That’s something else about the men, they don’t waste words. But I saw with my eyes, Kaden looks at you. And he may not say it, which also falls under wasted words, but if he is anything like Linc, he will more than show you.”
“Alright, we shall see when he gets back. Now let’s take cutie pie, Mac, his plate out and see how many more shades of red we can get him to turn.” Katie placed foil over the plate while I grabbed Mac a drink out of the fridge.
“So...I’m taking that if you are considering giving Kaden the benefit of the doubt, the sex was good?”
“Well, what do you think? You sleep with one of them.” Katie stopped on the sidewalk and turned with a huge smile on her face.
“Why, yes. Yes, I do.” I put my free hand up and she high-fived me with her free hand, then we both started laughing. When we continued down the driveway, we noticed a motorcycle parked behind the truck with no rider on it. And as we started to cross the street, Wild Bill stepped out of the passenger side of Mac’s truck and that brought a new round of laughter from Katie and me.
“Ladies.” Wild Bill leaned against the truck and smiled.
I noticed the windows were down in the truck and it made me wonder how much they might have heard us say when we stepped out of my place. I bent and looked in the truck, and Mac’s face had a hint of pink on it, which gave me my answer. Wild Bill’s next words confirmed it.
“Haven men aim to please. Glad my men are making you happy.”
“Umm...well...thanks. We were just bringing Mac something to eat. We would have brought you a plate if we knew you were going to be here.” Katie’s stammering had Wild Bill smile growing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle, which drew a glare from Katie.
“There’s more in the house if you’d like some Wild Bill?”
“Thanks, but already ate. I just came by to see how Mac was doing. I see he is being taken care of.”
“Mac is a cutie pie. We invited him in to have dinner, but he declined,” I said as Katie walked around the truck and handed Mac the plate and drink. The blush he had going on had gone from pink to a nice shade of red at my words. Mac must have shared with Wild Bill because he chuckled as he pushed off the truck.
“Take it easy on my new man. And he was right to decline the invite to dinner. Mac’s young, but he does like his balls where they are. Not sure they would be much use to him if Moose and Hawk got ahold of them. Remember he is here to protect you if the need arises and he’d do it with his life, any of the men would. So don’t do anything to put them in unnecessary danger.” Wild Bill walked to his bike and got on, but before he started it, he spoke to Katie, “Latch or Taylor will relieve Mac in the morning, Katie. They will be rotating so one of them will be close at all time. You need anything, you call. Hear me?”
“Thanks, Wild Bill but you don’t have to—” Katie was cut off, and the argument stopped before it began as I got a firsthand glimpse of why Wild Bill was the president of Haven MC. His mouth went from the early smile that relaxed his facial features to a thin line and a facial feature that said there would be no argument.
“Your job is not to think about your safety. It’s Moose’s and the clubs. The men are on you whether you like it not. You want to argue? Save it for Moose, he has to listen. I don’t. Charlie, I think you might want to adhere to what I said. That way you know what’s ahead for you.”
“I’m not sure that’s going to be necessary.”
“We’ll see. Something for you to remember, though. We are men. We like having things our way so when we don’t get it, it takes us by surprise and we tend to overreact. Plus, it takes a couple fuck ups for us to get it right. Make sure to cut Hawk a break. My men are used to dealing with other’s feelings not their own. Have a nice night, ladies.” Wild Bill had his bike cranked and was halfway down the street before I found my voice.
“Damn, I’ve never seen that no-nonsense side of him before. It’s kinda sexy. In an old-man-if-I-didn’t-have-a-younger-and-hung-I-was-trying-to-get-in-my-corner way.”
Katie shook her head, and I actually heard Mac chuckle, either that, or he was choking on the food. I looked in the window and saw him grinning as he ate.
“If you so much as tell what you just heard, you’ll find out that Moose and Hawk aren’t the only ones who can do something to your balls. And we will make sure that we call you Cutie Pie around as many of Haven’s members as we can so when they give you a road name, it will stick.” Katie placed her arm through mine and started to usher me back to the house. And I was sure she was now regretting that she told me some of the basics on how an MC worked.
“Ma’am?” I turned Katie and me around when Mac spoke.
“What? And it's Charlie.” Mac grinned.
“Ma’am, you might want to remember that I’m a Prospect in an MC. We do the jobs the leadership tells us to do. Ones that no one else wants to do. You know, like bury bodies.”
Katie burst out laughing, and I looked at the young man who wore a smirk on his face.
“Nice. I think you are going to do just fine. I like you, Cutie Pie.”
Katie and I went back in the house. After we talked, watched a movie, and Mac took Katie home. I locked up and set the alarm, went up to my room and climbed in my bed, falling asleep wondering where Kaden was spending his night.