23. ‘Wildcat’

TWENTY-THREE

‘WILDCAT'

FRANKIE

Something hard is behind me is the thought I have right before I literally jump out of my bed. Something or someone rustles the covers as I'm reaching in my nightside table to grab my gun.

"Frankie. Beautiful, it's me. Hey, Frankie, it's Malcolm. Come on, calm down. FRANKIE, IT'S MALCOLM!!!"

The last loud scream gets my attention. Shit, I plop on the side of the bed, dropping my head in my hands. What a fucked-up way to wake up, though I feel pretty rested. I grab my phone to see the time. Holy shit, it's ten o'clock in the morning, no wonder I'm rested, slept the goddamn day away. I put the phone back on the side table just as I feel the bed depress next to me and Malcolm's arms wrap around me. I put my head to his chest and take a deep breath of all that is him. The light spattering of hair on his chest with that thin line that goes to the "promised land," as I used to call it. That brings a tiny smile to my face.

"Morning, Malcolm."

"Hey, Frankie, you okay?"

"Yeah. I don't usually have someone in bed with me, so waking up feeling your rock-hard body behind me, it scared the shit out of me, and well, you see how I reacted. Thank God I didn't get to my gun and shoot you."

Malcolm just smiles down at me while pulling me even closer, if that's possible. His heat, hands, and skin wrapped all around me, I can feel my nipples getting hard and my nether land getting wet. Welp, time to move. We need to talk before we do any of that sweaty, hot sex stuff. I hear a sigh, which tells me our minds are at the same place.

"I'm going to start coffee. In the bathroom under the sink are new toothbrushes. Do you want some breakfast? Not sure about you but I'm starving. Did we eat yesterday?"

"Yes, to all of that. Remember, somebody brought in sandwiches, which someone named Momma Diane made?"

"Oh shit, that's right. And Momma Diane is Tink and Squirt's mom. Well, yeah, we can get into all of my club drama later. So eggs, bacon, and turkey sausage sound good? And I think there's still some cut-up fruit in the refrigerator too. I'll go start everything, come out when you're ready."

"Hey, Frankie, this feels not only good but right. Though isn't usually the guy making the coffee and breakfast? How'd I get so lucky? Go, woman, start the coffee and make me some breakfast. I have spoken, wench."

Watching Malcolm fake pound on his chest brings a chuckle to my lips. Shit, this is how it could have been all these years. The love, heat, and companionship would have just kept growing between us. I mean, we could have had a toddler already if things hadn't taken a total shit on us. But we can't change the past and sure the hell don't want to drag it with me now in the present. I remember talking to Spirit from the sanctuary. Well, actually, she was walking out of the therapist's office and I was waiting to go in for a session. Our mutual therapist had to use the ladies' room so we started talking. Just from the little she revealed she's, if it's possible, more fucked up than I am. She's the one who started talking about trying to leave baggage in the past. That's when our therapist walked in and congratulated her on listening to what she told her. With that, the curtain dropped and Spirit politely said her goodbyes and left.

In the kitchen as I'm thinking about that accidental meeting, I put that on my list too. Reach out to Spirit and see how she's doing. I know Shadow has worked with her and told all of us in chapel that if Spirit wanted to become a Devil's Handmaidens sister, she'd vouch for her. And that is saying a lot. I hear Malcolm moving around in the bedroom, so I pull out cream and grab the sugar jar, placing them on the island. Then I grab two mugs, filling them with fresh coffee. I have bacon and turkey sausages in the frying pans and as I go to grab the fresh eggs from the ranch, someone is knocking on my door. Are you kidding me?

Walking to the door, I peek through the little camera thing and see Shadow. Well shit, didn't she go back to Panther's ranch last night? I open the door just as she's about to pound on it again.

"Morning, Shadow, what has you up and about this morning?"

She says nothing, just pushes her way in, walking directly to the kitchen.

"Is that coffee I'm smelling? Damn, I'd die for a cup about now. Hey, why are there two hot steaming mugs right there on the counter?"

Before I can answer, Malcolm walks out from the bedroom barefoot, jeans unbuttoned and no shirt. He has a towel around his neck and he's drying his face. Damn, I can't make this shit up. When Shadow whistles the towel drops immediately, hanging around his neck. Malcolm's eyes come first to me then to Shadow, when he grimaces. Oh, damn he didn't.

"What's the matter, Malcolm, not happy to see my smiling face after you spent the night with my sister Wildcat here? Turn around, want to see if the wildcat left marks from those nails of hers. If not then you weren't doing it right, ya know, not hitting the right ‘spot.'"

She makes the finger motion when she said spot. I can't help it, between the smirk on Shadow's face and the look of disbelief on Malcolm's I snicker, then snort, and finally start to laugh. Both heads turn to me. I see Shadow's eyes narrowing, taking it all in, while Malcolm just looks flabbergasted. Then he almost brings me to my knees.

"Fuck, Frankie, never thought I'd hear that ever again. Your laughter can light up a cloudy rainy day."

Shadow's head jerks to him, then me. Then she shakes her head. When she starts to sing off-key that is when I smile her way.

"Another one bites the dust. Yeah, yeah, another one bites the dust."

Malcolm, with a huge grin on his face, joins her and together they serenade me as I cook the bacon and sausage. As I'm making the scrambled eggs, the two of them set the table. As I'm plating the food, Malcolm warms everyone's coffee as Shadow grabs ketchup and hot sauce from the fridge. We all sit and dig in. Thank God I made more than enough. As I'm shoving eggs in my mouth, it dawns on me.

"Goddamn it, I forgot to butter the toast. Hang on a second."

I get up and walk to the toaster. Pushing the bread back down I wait and in about fifteen seconds or so it pops up. Now that it's hot the butter will melt. I bring the buttered toast to the island and they each grab a piece, leaving two on the plate. This feels so good, almost like normal, whatever that means. Though I kind of know why my sister is here, I just need to confirm it.

"Shadow, not that I don't love seeing you first thing in the morning, but what's up?"

She gazes at me first then looks over to Malcolm. Something is bothering her; I can feel it.

"Need to know what you want done with Michael. Can't keep him on ice in my wet room indefinitely. Never know, might need to use that room for some actual work. Also, it's intake day so wanted to know how much you want to be involved. Usually, you are a big part of it, but I know you got a lot going on. I can try to fill your shoes but with this on my face, not going to be the calm serene shit you bring to the table."

I look to see Malcolm staring at me. Well, so much for our talk.

"Shadow, finish breakfast. Then give us about an hour or so, then we'll do whatever you want or need. As far as Michael, that's what part of that hour is for, to figure out what's next. Does that work for you?"

She just nods, though her ice-blue eyes are on Malcolm. Not a word is said but when he gives her a chin lift, I know he got what she was saying. We all go back to breakfast and before long we're done sipping our lukewarm coffees.

"Welp, better get going. Oh, Tink called a chapel for noon. Hey, did you notice I didn't give ya any bullshit for having a half-naked fine-ass man in your house? Never said a word, though when I get back to the main house, I'm gonna have to share. Need to have something good to share occasionally, otherwise all the sisters are gonna think I'm gloom and doom."

With that she throws back the last of her coffee, grabs her plate, and shit, walks it to the sink, then with a finger to the forehead walks out. Just great, everyone is going to think we were bumping nasties all night, and I didn't even get a kiss yet. Well, a real one.

"Hey, Frankie, go get ready. I'll clean up then maybe we can talk before something else happens. One thing I can say, it's never boring out here in Timber-Ghost, Montana."

With that thought in my head, I make my way back to my bedroom where the bed is made, drapes and blinds are open and up. Damn, he's good. I walk into the en suite, take one look at my hair and literally shriek. This is how I sat with Shadow and Malcolm and ate breakfast. Shit, is that why she had her phone out? Did that bitch take pictures? I'll kill her with my own two hands. Who would have thought short hair could look so frigging crazy after going to bed with wettish hair.

After working on my hair and getting dressed again, I make my way down to where I find Malcolm sitting on my couch, the television on as he's watching the news.

"Don't know how but there's no news on what happened yesterday. Nothing about Cici or anything. How can that be?"

"Welcome to small-town America, Malcolm. So think we should get this done?"

"Yeah, I do, Beautiful."

I take a few to breathe and try to think what it is I want to say to him. Over the last couple of years, I've gone back and forth with what I'd say if we ever crossed paths. Well, now that it's here, don't really know what to say or how to express what I'm feeling. I look up to see so much love on his face it instantly hits me what to say.

"Stay."

His eyes get larger and his mouth forms an "O." Then a gorgeous as fuck smile appears on his face before he pulls me close and plants a kiss on my lips. Not a touch this time, he uses his lips, teeth, and tongue to tell me what he thought of my comment. I lose track of time because the man can kiss. When he finally pulls back after multiple kisses on the tip of my nose, back to my lips, then to my forehead, I slowly open my eyes.

"Malcolm, is that a yes?"

He throws his head back belly laughing. After a second, I join him. This lasts for a bit 'til the other thing we need to talk about comes to the surface. His face gets serious before he says the one word I'm dreading.

"Michael. What are we going to do, Frankie, with him?"

At first I shrug, trying to buy some time, though I've given it some thought. Bottom line is we can't let him live. Not only because of what he did to both of us, but with his history with Shadow and her father, Dario. That brings the evil back and that can never happen. I don't say a word, just keep my eyes on him. After about five minutes or so his head drops, as his shoulders start to shake. I reach over and pull him to me. He drops his head in my lap, wraps his arms around my thighs, and lets it all out while I really feel my hatred for Michael growing.

I'll never know why he did what he did. Before we give Shadow the go-ahead, we need to try to talk to him for some kind of closure. Especially for Malcolm. As my hands run through his hair, I can't believe that we both want the same thing. Us together. Miracles do happen… look at the two of us. Now for the hard stuff, this ain't going to be easy but with Malcolm at my side I feel we can do anything together.