14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

I enter the clubhouse with Lottie banging her fists on my back like a spoiled ass child and everyone is sitting around the tv drinking, but all their eyes are fixed on us. “What?” I grumble and Country chuckles.

“Enjoying the show you two are putting on.”

“Don’t you fuckers have some toilets to scrub or something?”

Rooster whistles and resumes his position behind the bar.

I take Lottie to the kitchen and sit her on the counter. She doesn’t argue. She sits quietly while I grab the cheese and butter from the fridge. Going through the motions of lightly greasing the pan and turning the stove on, I butter the bread and add garlic salt to the spread. Lottie’s favorite comfort food has always been a garlic grilled cheese with provolone and colby jack.

“You remembered.” Her tone comes out softer and sweeter .

“I remember how to handle you when you get hangry. I remember everything about you.”

“How to handle me?” She purses her lips, and I can tell it’s to prevent herself from smarting off.

“Yeah, babe. Going to feed you, then fuck the rest of that attitude out of you.”

“Ha. Who said anything about letting you back in my panties?”

“You can pretend all you want to that you’re going to deny me, but I bet when I drive you home, my motorcycle won’t be the only thing that’s purring. My baby has claws. A true hellcat.”

“You’re so full of it. You don’t know when to quit, do you?”

“Go ahead, deny it.”

“Shut up and make my sandwich, and you better have ketchup.”

“Bossy,” I mutter but crack a smile and glance at her out the corner of my eye as she hops off the counter and goes to the fridge to help herself to a can of Coke.

Minutes later, she’s sheathed her claws and is disgustingly dipping her sandwich in ketchup.

“I don’t remember inviting you to stay.” Lottie bats her lashes at me from her preferred side of her bed.

After feeding her, I returned her keys and followed her back to her place. This isn’t going to work if I steam roll her at every turn. She’s always had a streak of independence about her.

“I don’t recall asking permission.”

“And you call me bossy.”

I grunt as I look for somewhere to lay my cut and settle for folding it over the footboard of the bed.

“You can hang it in the closet if you’d rather it not get knocked to the floor.”

I don’t comment on how she wants to give me space in her closet, but doesn’t want me spending the night. “Do you have a spare toothbrush, or should I use yours?”

“Second drawer of the bathroom vanity and absolutely do not use my toothbrush.” She makes a gagging expression of sticking her finger in her mouth.

“Can stick my tongue in your ass, but don’t touch your toothbrush. Got it.”

“Maybe don’t talk either. ”

In the bathroom, I glance up from pissing to see Lottie standing in the doorway watching me.

“You want to hold it for me, make sure I don’t piss on the seat?”

“Funny. I need to brush my teeth too. And you could have closed the door.”

“I wasn’t expecting a viewing party.”

“I’m going to smother you with my pillow.”

“I’d go happily if it were your pussy instead.”

“You’re literally the worst.”

I give my dick a shake and flush. After washing my hands, we stand at the sink, brushing our teeth, her elbow digging into my side, but staring at our reflection I feel content for the first time in a long motherfucking time.

The guys did an excellent job cleaning up. You’d never know that there had been a dead body on the floor nor a pool of blood. They even replaced her sliding glass door in the living room and, of course, the one in the bathroom.

In her bed, I pull her into my hold, our bodies curving together perfectly.

“If I haven’t told you,” Lottie whispers, “thank you.”

“For what?”

“Everything. Loving me when I’m not very lovable.”

“You don’t need to thank me, beautiful. I’m exactly where I want to be. Well, almost.” I slide my palm into her panties, cupping her between the legs .

“Isn’t this fucking sweet?” an unfamiliar voice pierces the room as the sound of a gun being cocked fills my ears. “Don’t bother getting up.”

“Cade? What are you doing here?”

“Did he just come out of the closet?”

“I’ll ask the questions. I’m the one with the gun.”

“I thought you had the locks changed.”

“No. I had a text. They can’t get anyone over here until next week sometime.”

“Hello.” Cade waves his pistol around.

“Is that a toy?”

“I don’t know,” Lottie tells me.

“What the fuck is wrong with you two?”

“Look, man. I saved your life.”

“Fuck you. You both ruined everything. I had him. He was going to pay for what he did.”

“So what? You’re going to hurt Lottie, whose only fault was ever trusting you?”

“No. You’re going to give me the copy of the drive. I know you made one. Guys like you aren’t stupid.”

“Is that all you want? It’s in my pants pocket.” I hold my hands up, pretending I’m not a threat.

“Cade, maybe you should go.”

“No one asked you.” He points his weapon at Lottie and that’s when I begin to lose my cool.

“Don’t point that thing unless you intend to use it. First rule of owning a gun. ”

“I should shoot you both.”

“If you’re going to do it, may I suggest you take me out first because if you shoot Lottie first…”

“Hey.” She punches me in the shoulder.

“You guys aren’t listening. What the fuck is wrong with you?” he turns the gun on me, which is where I’d rather he point it if he’s going to aim it as someone.

“A lot, but I was just saying if you shoot her first, that gives me time to take you out before you go for me.”

“I mean, you should take his advice. Creed offs people for a living.”

“He does what?”

“It’s true.”

“I’m going to shoot myself if the two of you don’t shut up.” He aims the gun at his temple and brings his hand down and the gun fires, blowing his right upper ear off.

“Did he just…” Lottie stares at me with her mouth open as Cade touches the side of his head, then looks at the blood on his fingers that’s also sprayed all over the wall behind him.

“I think he’s going to pass out,” she says as I ease off the bed and take the gun from him.

“Get a towel, beautiful. And maybe a bowl of ice.”

She nods and runs out of the room.

“How bad is it?” Cade asks.

“Could be worse. You almost blew your own brains out.”

“Am I going to die? ”

“I’m no doctor.”

“Didn’t she say you do this stuff professionally?”

“Yeah, but when I shoot, it’s to kill. You’d do well to remember that in case you walk out of here and think about getting more ideas, yeah?”

“I’ve got a towel, and I called 911.” Lottie hands the towel to Cade and he presses it to the side of his head where his ear should be.

“Hey. I don’t feel so good.” He falls back into the wall, and we help him slide down to the floor.

“What should I do with the ice?” Lottie asks.

“Do you know if they can reattach an ear?”

“What?”

I nod to the partial bit of what’s left on the floor.

“Oh.” Lottie’s face screws into a pinched expression and then she’s running to the bathroom to throw up.

The EMT’s show up a few minutes later and load Cade up in the ambulance to take him to the hospital. I may have also told them he was trying to kill himself in front of us because Lottie dumped him to get with me and how he left a bullet under her pillow as a threat. So if he tries saying shit about me, they will think he’s just nuts and having a mental health break. Other than his injury, the dude should recover. Having a fucked up ear is enough punishment for his stupidity, but he tries to pull anything again or even looks at Lottie. I won’t hesitate to kill him.

“You okay?” I hug Lottie to my chest as the ambulance pulls away, followed by the police officer who came to investigate. I gave him Cade’s gun. If they have any sense, they won’t let him have it back.

She’s still shaken from the whole situation, but holds back from crying. “So I was thinking…”

“You want to stay at the clubhouse with me?”

“Mhmm. You know I don’t really like my apartment that much, anyway.”

“The bedroom could really use a paint job,” I tell her and she lets out a giggle.

“Oh my god. That’s so mean.”

“It’s true.”

I take my woman home with me and get her settled for the night.

“You should probably call and cancel the lock change and just terminate your lease.”

“I will.”

“Did you just agree with me?”

“Don’t gloat,” she warns.

“Hmm.” I nuzzle her neck and kiss the base of her throat, tickling her skin with my tongue.

“Love you, Seth.” Her words warm my soul and everything in my world feels right as rain on a hot summer night.

“Back at you.”

“Ugh. Don’t say it like that.”

“So now you want to argue about how I say I love you. ”

My chest rumbles as I erupt with laughter.

“I hate you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah,” she sneers, trying to roll away from me.

“Well, baby. I love the hell outta you. Let me show you how much.” I roll over her on my bed, looming over her. I go in for a kiss and she bites me on the lip. “Fuck, you’re cute when you’re pissed.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are. Look.” I angle her head and force her to take in our reflection in the mirror on the back of my closet door. Her eyes soften and she melts beneath me. I hold her gaze there in the mirror. “I love you, Charlotte Rae Pierce.” A tear rolls down her cheek. “Don’t cry, baby.”

“I never thought I’d have this again.” She laces our fingers together. “I only ever want to do life with you. No matter how messed up or crazy it gets, as long as I have this. You. Every night.”

“You’ve got me. Always.” I press my lips to hers and I spend the rest of the night making soft and sweet love to my woman.