Chapter 18

King/Dante

I jumped up and grabbed my cut, sliding my phone out and answering it with a snarl when I saw Joker's name flashing on the screen.

"Sorry, Prez, but your ex-wife is at the gate and causing one helluva scene."

I turned away and stalked over toward the staircase, trying to put some distance between me and Ella, who was now busying herself in the kitchen.

"What the fuck does she want?" I hissed quietly.

"She's demanding to speak with you. I'm pretty sure she's high as a kite, too."

My blood pressure shot up when his words registered. "Did she drive there?"

"Nah, man. She's with some pasty lookin' fucker in a rusted out, piece of shit Chevy Cavalier."

"Tell her you're gonna call the cops, then do it if she doesn't leave in the next two minutes."

"You got it, Prez."

I disconnected the call and slipped my phone into my back pocket, just in case they needed to reach me again. I braced my hands on the stair railing, then turned around at the sound of Ella's footsteps behind me.

She laid a gentle hand on my shoulder as she asked if everything was all right.

"Yeah," I heaved a sigh. "My ex-wife is raising hell at the compound. That was one of my brothers, wanting to know how I wanted to deal with it."

"Do you need to go?" Some of my frustration with Christy eased as I registered the disappointment in Ella's voice.

"No, sugar. I told him to call the cops on her if she wouldn't leave."

I turned and grabbed her hand, pulling her back over to the couch with me. She sat down, pulling her legs up under herself so she could face me as I sat down on the other end.

"Wow. I take it you don't get along with her?" Her eyes were wide with surprise, but surprisingly, no judgement.

I barked a laugh. "That's a fucking understatement, El."

"Tell me about her?" Ella prompted.

My jaw clenched and I gritted my teeth, hating the idea of talking about Christy. I knew she needed to know though, if we were to have any kind of relationship.

"I went to high school with Christy. She got pregnant not long after graduation, and I married her because it seemed like the right thing to do. I didn't love her, but I was determined to be a good husband and father. I had just started prospecting for the club, and it was hard, but I tried to make it work. I spent the next seven years living in a war zone and have the battle scars to prove it. Literally." I pointed to a thin white line barely noticeable along my hairline. "I still have a small scar right here from the night she hit me with a beer bottle. She was drunk, and I made the mistake of trying to take it away from her."

Ella gasped and shifted closer, reaching out to touch the small scar with her fingertip. When she lowered her hand, I reached for it, threading my fingers through hers before resting our clasped hands on my thigh. I tipped my head back and rested it on the back of the couch, losing myself in the memories of my fucking nightmare of a marriage.

"That night was the last straw. I had put up with her childish temper tantrums and her constant whining about being ‘ stuck at home' while her friends were out partying. I'd ignored her non-stop bitching that I was never home – despite the fact that if I wasn't home, it was because I was working my ass off at The Inferno to support her and our sons. I didn't even bother calling her out when I suspected her of cheating, but I had to draw the line at exposing the boys to a drunken, physically abusive, piece-of-shit mother."

"I am so sorry, Dante. I hate that you had to go through that."

I shrugged. "It was hell at the time, but I got Rome and Jagger out of it, so it was worth it. I filed for divorce the next day. I tried to fight for full custody, but it was rare for a father to win that battle back then, especially since I ran a bar and was a member of the MC. Christy cleaned herself up for court and asked for full custody herself, partly to make sure she got plenty of child support, but also to fuck me over because she knew it would destroy me to lose my boys. Fear of losing them was the only reason I'd stayed with the bitch as long as I had, and she knew it."

"Oh my God," Ella looked stunned, and clasped my hand tighter, bringing her other hand down to cover mine. I loved how fucking soft her skin was and took a second to savor the feeling before I finished my story.

"I hired a damned shark for a lawyer – cost me an arm and a leg, but it was worth every fucking penny. He was able to convince the judge to grant me joint custody with liberal visitation. I got the boys three nights a week, and every other weekend, plus two months in the summer. Since we basically split custody and wasn't raking in the child support like she'd assumed she would, it didn't take long for her to decide it was more fun to party with her friends at all hours, so I had the boys more often than not. That was just fine with me."

I stopped and took a deep breath, hating to even think about what that raging thundercunt had done next.

"Six months after the divorce was final, we had a huge fight when she dropped them off for the weekend. I'd known she was in one her moods – could see it on her face – so I'd sent the boys out to play in the back yard. Thank fuck I did, because it got ugly. It started off with pretty much the same bullshit she'd spewed over the years - having kids was the worst thing that had ever happened to her and that the boys were cramping her style and dragging her down. I was getting ready to offer her twenty-five grand to give me full custody and sign away her rights, when she told me that she her new man didn't want ‘ another man's brats' hanging around, so I could have them. She took off, and we didn't hear from her again for almost six months."

Ella's grip on my hand tightened even more, and I look down at her to find her eyes brimming with tears.

"She came crawling back when the new guy wised the fuck up and dumped her ass. By that time, though, I'd been granted full custody on the basis of abandonment. I'd also had my attorney file documents to have her parental rights terminated. She didn't respond to any of the court's notices, and never showed up for the hearings, so the judge signed off on that, too."

"I can't imagine abandoning my children like that. I just don't understand how…" Ella's breath shuddered as she tried to hold back her tears. I released her hand and wrapped my arm around her, pulling her against my chest.

"That's because you're a warm, loving human being, sugar. My ex-wife is none of those things. We found out we were having twins when she was almost five months along. I was shocked, but happy about it. She lost her shit. We had a huge blowout when we got home from the doctor's office, and then the truth came out." I hesitated before continuing. "She let slip that she had poked holes in the stash of rubbers I kept in my room at the clubhouse. She had a shitty home life and wanted a way out. I was it."

"That fucking bitch!" I chuckled at the vehemence in her tone.

"She told me then that if she'd known she was having twins early enough in the pregnancy, she would have had an abortion." At Ella's shocked cry, I held her tighter, feeling the heat of her tears on my shoulder. "By the time we broke up for good, she threw that in my face every time we argued, including the day she left the boys with me." I rested my head on top of Ella's, and she wrapped her arm around my waist and nestled closer.

"Having kids is the worst fuckin' thing that ever happened to me! I wish to God I'd had an abortion when I found out I was pregnant. They don't do nothin' but drag me down. You can have ‘em, because I sure as hell don't want ‘em anymore!" Without even realizing it, my arm tightened around Ella's shoulders as the memory of Christy's hateful words from that day filled my head.

I was shocked that I'd told Ella what Christy had said. The only people who knew were my parents, Cowboy, and my sister. I'd told them about it when I'd filed for divorce but had sworn them to secrecy. I never wanted to take a chance that my sons would hear about it, and now, I'd spilled my fucking guts to Ella.

I cleared my throat, unsure how to continue without offending her.

"There are only two people left on this earth who know that. I never, ever want Jag and Rome to know, so –"

Ella looked up and placed a fingertip over my lips, bringing my words to a halt.

"Your secret is safe with me," she vowed in a fierce whisper, and I gave her a gentle smile then placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you," I whispered back.

She gave me a sad smile, then shook her head. "I thought I had a terrible ex, but you definitely win that contest. Do Jagger and Rome see her much these days?"

I gave a bitter chuckle. "Not if they can help it. Neither of them has wanted anything to do with her since she left them. The only time any of us hear from her is when she needs money, so I'm sure that's why she showed up tonight. She's been arrested a couple of times for drunk driving, and she's been doing drugs pretty heavily for the last few years. She just got of jail again, and I threatened to have her arrested if she tries to contact either one of them, or their wives, again. I'm sure that's why she showed up at the compound instead."

My phone chimed with a text, and I shifted slightly so I could pull it out of my pocket.

Joker: No need for the cops. They took off like their asses were on fire, Prez.

Me: Good. Spread the word. If she shows up again, don't bother with a warning, just call the cops.

I got a thumbs up in reply and put my phone away again. I settled Ella against me a little more, then asked about her ex-husband. She groaned, but filled me in on her life with him, which ended when she had walked in on him fucking his receptionist in their bed.

"I was hurt, and I was angry, but more than that, I just felt so damned stupid . I knew things weren't good between us, but I didn't have a clue he was cheating. Then, when I found out about all of the other women, I started questioning how I could have missed the signs. Started doubting my own judgement. Started doubting myself as a woman." Her voice trailed off and she sounded so damned defeated that I wanted to track that motherfucker down and make him pay for every tear he'd caused her to shed.

"I went a little wild after the divorce. Well, it was wild for me, anyway," she said with a self-deprecating chuckle. "I decided to test out the theory that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. So, I had my very first one-night stand, and it actually helped restore my confidence. It didn't erase all the hurt, but it made me see that I wasn't the reason he cheated."

I cupped my hand around her jaw and lifted her head, wanting her to see the sincerity on my face as I told her, "Don't you ever think for a minute that his selfish stupidity is any reflection on you, Ella. If that bastard couldn't appreciate you for the incredible woman you are, then he definitely didn't deserve you."

"That bitch you married didn't deserve you either, Dante." At her soft declaration, an unfamiliar warmth spread through my chest. I lowered my head and placed a soft kiss on her lips, resisting the urge to take the kiss further. Much to my cock's disappointment, I was determined to follow Jagger's advice to take things slow.

Ella opened her lips in invitation as her lips moved against mine. I mustered every ounce of willpower within me and pulled away. I used my hand on her jaw to guide her head back down to my shoulder, then rested my head atop hers.

"As much as I'd love to kiss you, sugar, I want to prove to you that I'm looking for more than just sex with you."

Her arm was still draped around my waist, and she lifted her hand to play with the top button of my shirt.

"So how are you planning to do that?" My lips quirked at the sassiness in her tone.

"Well, tonight's a good start, I think. Talking, getting to know each other, cuddling a little bit."

I felt her body shaking, and realized she was trying not to laugh.

"Something funny, sugar?"

She chuckled lightly. "Sorry, I just hadn't pictured you as being a cuddler."

I shrugged, not at all offended. "You're right. I'm not sure I've ever really done it much, but I like the idea of it with you. Just sitting here with you in my arms has been a nice way to spend an evening."

"I think so, too," she agreed softly, then laid her palm flat on my chest. I covered her hand with one of mine, then dropped another kiss on the top of her head. I threaded the fingers of my other hand through her hair, admiring how soft and silky the dark tresses were.

"Will you let me take you for a ride on my bike Sunday afternoon?" I was surprised at how natural it felt to ask her that question. The men in my family didn't let random women ride with us. Some bikers didn't care, including several of my club brothers, but for the Morgan men it was an honor reserved for an Ol' Lady, or a serious girlfriend at least. Christy was the only woman who had ever been on the back of my bike, aside from my mom and my sister. Jagger and Rome had never had women outside the family riding except for Molly and Abby, and as far as I knew, Lucky had always ridden solo, too. As usual, Ace was the odd man out in the family. I'd seen that asshole with club bunnies, strippers, and random bitches on the back of his bike too many times to count.

"I'd love to! God, I haven't ridden in years," she replied excitedly.

My fingers stilled, the strands curling around my fingers as I resisted the urge to tighten my fist and twist her head back to look at me. I had to force my body to relax, and made an effort to keep my tone casual as I asked, "Who did you ride with?"

"Oh, I went to high school with a guy named Chris, who lived down the road from me. He and his older brother, Mike, both had motorcycles. Chris used to give me a ride to school sometimes if I missed the bus, and I rode around town with Mike a couple of times. He was four years older, though, so when my Gramps found out, that was the end of that." She chuckled at the memory, and I breathed deeply in an effort to ease the tension that gripped me at the thought of her on the back of some motherfucker's bike, with her arms wrapped around him, holding him tight.

The flare of possessiveness that shot through me was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I'd seen it with my sons and their wives, with my parents, even with Cowboy and my sister, but I'd never felt it myself before I'd met the woman in my arms, not even with my ex-wife. There had been hints of it that first day, thinking that my dad had a thing for her. The feeling got stronger the day I'd found her with Ryan Simpson at the bar, but this – the idea of her on another man's bike – yeah, I fucking hated it. I consoled myself with the fact that it had been over twenty years ago and sounded innocent enough.

I knew I was being a damned hypocrite. After all, I'd had Christy on my bike hundreds of times in our almost eight years together. Still, I felt the need to have Ella at my back, making her forget all about those Chris and Mike dipshits, whoever the fuck they were.

"Well, then we definitely need to get you on the back of my bike. We have Church Sunday morning at ten, but I can pick you up around noon. We'll grab lunch out, then take a ride down through Brown County if you want."

"That sounds perfect." I squeezed her hand, then raised it and brought it to my lips for a quick kiss.

Yeah, it did. The rolling hills and winding roads in that area made for some great riding, and having Ella wrapped around me would make it sheer, fucking perfection.

I left about ten minutes later, knowing that her kids would be home soon, and that if I stayed any longer, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself. When I explained that to Ella, she blushed at my words. It was cute as hell.

"Goodnight, sugar. Sweet dreams." I whispered against her temple before I opened the door and stepped out into the warm night air.

"Goodnight, Dante. Drive carefully," she cautioned, and I wondered when I'd heard those words last. Probably before my mom died.

I mounted my bike and fired it up, glancing next door to my dad's place. The front curtains twitched, and I could see his silhouette against the lights in the living room. I gave him a quick salute, knowing I'd get another lecture from him about treating his Eleanor right. The old man was worried I would fuck things up again, but once I'd convinced him that I was serious about her, he was all for us getting together.

As I rode home, I got so lost imagining all the things I wanted to do to her delectable body, I almost drove right past my own damned street. I braked and turned at the last second, cursing myself for letting my mind wander that much while I was riding. That was a damned good way to end up laying down a bike, and I fucking knew better.

I went to sleep with a smile on my face, after rubbing one out again to the thought of Ella's lush curves and addictive kisses. They were proving to be a potent combination and holding her close to me this evening had gotten me horny as hell. It had also made me want more evenings like that. She was smart and funny, sweet and fiery – everything I could want in a woman, and then some. She was going to keep me on my toes, there was no doubt about it, and I couldn't wait.