But the biggest difference her arrival had brought about had been in Deuce. During those three days, he’d been a different man. His permanent scowl had lifted, he’d been the bearer of jokes and smiles, he’d been happy. And when Deuce was happy, the club was happy.
Now that Eva was gone, Deuce was miserable, and so was everyone else.
Except Ripper. As usual, he wasn’t bothered by any of it, didn’t have a care in the world, and was laughing manically at Cox’s sour expression.
“She’s a stuck-up, spoiled fuckin’ bitch,” Cox continued. “It’s ’cause I’m Puerto Rican. She’s a fuckin Rican hater. Don’t got no appreciation for dark meat.”
“Get a fuckin’ grip,” Ripper said. “You sound like a little bitch.”
“Wait,” Blue said. “You mean to tell me, you’re not Mexican?” The old man shook his head. “And all this time I was over here thinkin’ ya were.”
Cox’s eyes went wide but just as his mouth opened, one of Deuce’s double office doors swung open, crashing loudly against the wall and cutting off whatever nonsense was going to come out of Cox’s mouth.
The four of us turned, watching as Deuce came storming out into the room, his cut in his hand and his leathers unbuttoned, hanging open in the front. Miranda, Deuce’s usual girl, came sauntering out next. Taking a seat at the bar, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from inside her low-cut top, placed one between her plump pink lips, and lit it up.
Miranda might be considered beautiful to some, all long legs and a luxurious mane of blonde hair, but I found the woman more trashy than anything else. Even so, I kept my feelings to myself. I was in no position to express my dislike for Deuce’s taste in extracurricular activities. Not when most people viewed me as an extracurricular activity as well.
“You assholes plan on doin’ fuckin’ anything today?” Deuce yelled as he stalked past us. “Or you just gonna sit on your fuckin’ asses, drinkin’ my motherfuckin’ booze?”
No one said a word, just watching in silence as he stomped across the room. He had nearly rounded the corner when he stopped suddenly and turned.
“Barbeque tomorrow,” he growled. “You cookin’, D?”
Startled, I could only nod in response. With an answering nod, Deuce disappeared.
“He’s hurtin’.” Blue nodded in the direction Deuce had gone. “Little girl shows up outta nowhere, and the two of ’em already got fuckin’ history. She’s tellin’ him she loves him, givin’ him a taste of what he’s always wanted, and then poof, she’s fuckin’ gone.”
“What the fuck you talkin’ ’bout?” Cox asked. “You tryin’ to tell me Prez is hard up for Demon pussy?”
“You’re kidding me, right?” Miranda snorted, shaking her head. Leaning forward across the countertop, her breasts pushed up clear to her chin. “He doesn’t give two shits about that little girl.”
Ignoring her, Blue looked to Cox. “You a fuckin’ dumbass? Preacher told him if he touches Eva again, he’s takin’ him to ground. So what does he do? He touches her again. And again. I call that hard-fuckin’-up.”
“Then, fuck her too,” Cox growled.
“Hello?” Miranda called out, sounding annoyed. “Anybody home? Eva was a dick distraction is all. Nothing more.”
Blue, looking exasperated, turned his attention to Miranda and gave her a toothless condescending smile. “You mean to tell me that if Eva Fox marched her sweet little ass back inside this club right this second, Deuce wouldn’t drop you like a burnin’ hot potato and take her straight to bed?”
Miranda’s posture went rigid, her expression hostile, but she said nothing.
Blue shrugged unapologetically. “Might be an old man, might not know what fuckin’ year it is, but I know real when I see it and Deuce and Eva, that was some real shit. You’re the distraction, girl. Best get your head screwed on straight ’fore you fuckin’ lose what little brains you got left up in there.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth, attempting to stifle my laughter, but I was too late. Everyone had heard me.
“What are you laughing at?” Miranda demanded, her nostrils flaring with anger. “You’re no better than I am! You want to talk about what’s real, Dorothy? Jase and Chrissy’s marriage, that’s real!”
My stomach did a nervous flip, bringing all my insecurities boiling back up to the surface, and my smile slipped from my face, falling away alongside my hand.
I knew I wasn’t like Miranda, was nothing like her. She didn’t love Deuce; she only loved what she could gain from being with him. I loved Jase, loved him with all my heart. And he’d promised me he would eventually leave his wife.
But . . . if all that were really true, why did a meaningless insult from a woman like Miranda have the ability to wound me?
With a satisfied smile, Miranda slid off her bar stool. “It’s about time you learned your place here,” she spat. Spinning on her heel, she marched quickly across the room, disappearing down the same hallway Deuce had.
“Pay no attention to that one,” Blue called out. “She ain’t ever cared ’bout nothin’ but climbin’ the ranks in the club. You ain’t her, Dorothy, you hear me, girl? You ain’t like her. I know good people when I see ’em, and I ain’t never seen nothin’ but good from you.”
“Yeah, fuck her, D.” Ripper gave me another friendly squeeze. “She ain’t got a clue what’s she’s spoutin’ off about.”
“Fuck ’em all,” Cox grumbled. “Especially Kami. Stupid bitch.”
“Goddamn, dude, you’re actually feelin’ that stuck-up, good-for-nothin’-but-fuckin’ piece of New York ass?”
Cox glared at him. “You gonna try and tell me you didn’t?”
Ripper shrugged. “Kami’s a fuckin’ party. Bitch like that ain’t good for much else. ’Sides, she’s too fuckin’ skinny. Gotta have somethin’ to grab, yeah? Fuckin’ anything at all. And that bitch ain’t got nothin’.”
“Then why the fuck was I sharin’ her with your dumb ass?”
Ripper looked affronted. “Brother, I don’t pass up hot bitches offerin’ up free parties.”
“Fuck off and die.”
“You first, asshat.”
As the two of them had continued their usual arguing and incessant bickering, a new smile began to form and I’d felt myself relaxing once again. If anyone could make me forget my problems, it was the boys. Especially these two clowns.
“Why don’t ya both fuck off and die, and lemme finish drinkin’ in peace!” Blue had yelled.
“Is that even possible?” Cox had asked. “I mean, dude, do you ever finish drinkin’?”
Later that evening, after a day of heavy drinking and feeling sorry for myself, I’d ended up drunk and alone at the bar. Just as I was getting ready to call it a night and head to Jase’s room, a large figure stepped out of the shadows.
“Ain’t no fun drinkin’ alone.”
“Hawk!” I exclaimed, putting my hand over my heart. “You scared me!”
Stone faced, Hawk continued his stride toward the bar. Sliding into the seat beside me, he gestured toward the row of bottles on the shelf.
“I’ll have two of whatever you’re havin’.”
And then he smiled.
It was the first time I’d ever seen him smile.
**•
“Wat up little, D?” Cox called out, bringing me back to the present. “You need a drink, darlin’?”
I smiled and shook my head. “Just need to borrow Lucy for a moment.”
Lucy’s head emerged from Cox’s neck, her lips swollen from fervent kisses. She gave me a confused look and asked, “Me? Why?”
I shrugged. “Just wanted to talk.”
“Go talk,” Cox encouraged her, then over her head mouthed, Thank you, thank you, thank you, rather emphatically.