Christmas Outburst

CHAPTER EIGHT

– ZALE –

There’s no need for the bitch to be thrown back in prison, because I’m going to fucking kill her with my bare hands. I grit my teeth and curl my hands into fists while I watch Nixie give her statement to Sebastian.

The EMT cleaned the scratches on her cheek, and they’ve documented that shit. We’ve all agreed Nixie should press charges for assault against Vera. Dammit, I shouldn’t have left Leon with her, making her a fucking target.

“What do you think she wanted, coming to your pottery store?” one of the other officers asks.

Nixie doesn’t show any emotion when she states, “Vera said, ‘here’s your one and only warning, cunt. Stay away from my man and kid or I will kill you.’ The guy she was with told her they needed to leave and so they did.”

“What guy?” I ask, and the fact Vera might not have come to take Leon raises a huge red flag for me.

The bitch must have seen something that caused her to lash out to Nixie due to jealousy.

“Blue eyes, buzzcut, sightly taller than Vera,” Nixie instantly replies.

My gaze turns to Sebastian.

He leans a little toward me and whispers, “Sounds like it’s Joel Sandler, a prison guard. They suspect he helped her escape. The guy is wanted for questioning.”

Another twenty minutes pass and then we’re finally able to leave.

Nixie steps in the direction of her car when I slide my arm around her waist. “Not happening, darlin’. You’re coming with us.”

“What? Why?” She turns and takes a step back, forcing my arm to leave her.

“I’m not going to leave you after what happened today. I’m going to–” I rumble, but she cuts me off.

“Keep me safe? I’ll be safe alone in my own home since Vera told me to stay away from you guys or else. So, me being alone would be safe.” There’s no anger or accusation in her voice, only a hint of defeat. “I’m okay, Zale. Really, there’s no need to fuss over me or whatever. I’m sorry your afternoon was ruined; I knew you had a job set up.”

“Hold it right there.” I step into her personal space. “The job is a job and family always comes first no matter what. We’re dating, meaning we’re in a relationship, besides you being my neighbor as well. Don’t give me any shit when it comes to fussing over you because I have a damn right to fucking fuss if I want to.”

The corner of my mouth twitches and I now realize what I said. I throw a glance in Reef’s direction, and the fucker snickers.

Leon jabs his elbow into Reef’s gut and states, “Please, Nixie. We were supposed to make something together, remember?”

Nixie releases a sigh and softens her tone when she turns to my kid and says, “Okay.”

I hold my hand palm up. “Give me your keys. I’ll have one of my brothers lock up and make sure your car will be in your driveway.”

She frowns. “No need, I’m perfectly fine to drive myself.”

“I’m not asking, darlin’, I’m telling you.” I raise one of my eyebrows, a silent move challenge to see if she’d defy me.

A phone starts to ring somewhere and Nixie reaches for her pocket. “Shit, my phone. I need my phone. Vera knocked it out of my hand. It’s still in the shop. I need it. What if Meave calls and she can’t reach me?”

“On it,” Reef rumbles and jogs off.

“Dammit.” Nixie rubs her temple. “I need a long bath.”

“And you’ll get one,” I promise her when Reef rushes back in our direction.

Reef holds up her phone. “Sorry, the thing is toast.” He grabs his phone and says, “Why don’t you shoot your daughter a message to text or call me when something is up. I’ll head out to get a replacement for you right now.”

“I’ll give her a quick call, but you don’t have to get me a new one. I can do that myself.” She takes Reef’s phone and calls her daughter.

I pull Reef to the side. “Get her a new phone anyway. I’m going to take her to the clubhouse, the best place for all of us to be under one roof while handling this shit.”

“Definitely, with the cameras and security system we can nail Vera the second the bitch steps foot on our property,” Reef states.

“Agreed,” I tell him just as Nixie steps closer and hands Reef his phone back.

“Thanks, Reef. For both letting me use your phone and being my temporary emergency contact.” She gives him a genuine smile. “I told her you’d text when I arrived home. Zale here promised me a hot bath and I’m ready for this day to be over, so I might swing by the store to get myself a new phone tomorrow.”

Reef bobs his head. “Let Prez take care of you, Nixie. There’s always tomorrow to fix the issues boiling over from today.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Nixie muses.

“Dad?” Leon’s voice makes me turn to face him, and then he adds, “Can I ride with Reef? We could get some food delivered and such.”

Reef steps toward Leon and places a hand on his shoulder, giving me a slight nod he’s okay with it.

“Don’t linger,” I tell them both.

“We’ll be right behind you,” Reef assures me.

I place my hand on Nixie’s lower back and guide her in the direction of my bike.

“Ever been on the back of a bike?” I ask.

She stares at my Harley Davidson Sportster while I grab my helmet and place it on her head.

“I added the twoup seat when Leon was old enough to hang on.” I shoot her a grin. “Arms wrapped tight around my waist. Keep your feet on the footpegs until you dismount. Don’t even lower your legs when I come to a stop at the traffic lights, understood?” I wait for her to nod before I continue, “Keep your legs away from the hot and moving parts.”

I point out the exhaust and she takes it all in. Swinging my leg over the bike, I wait for her to get on behind me. She doesn’t hesitate, and when I feel her arms slide around my waist, her body pressing tightly against mine? A groan of rapture rumbles through me.

I’ve never put Vera or any other chick on the back of my bike. With Nixie I didn’t even think twice about putting her on the seat behind me. For the first part of the ride Reef is right beside me with Leon on the back of his bike. He signals with his hand when he takes a right to head for the store while I keep riding straight ahead.

Ten minutes later a prospect opens the gate and I ride up to the clubhouse. I hit the kickstand when I bring my bike to a stop. Patting Nixie’s thigh, I tell her to dismount without a word. Her eyes are filled with fire mixed with excitement as she fusses with the chinstrap to get the helmet off.

“Freaking amazing,” she gushes. “Better feeling than a ride at the carnival when I was a kid. When can we go again? Longer than this short piss of a ride.”

“Short piss of a ride?” I chuckle.

Nixie shrugs. “It was over before I could really enjoy it.”

Reaching out, I grab the back of her neck and pull her in to kiss her. She comes willingly and I feel her hands slide under my leather jacket.

Regretfully pulling back, I tell her, “Come on, let’s get you inside. It’s cold as hell out here and it’s starting to snow.”

Her smile is back, and her cheeks have a little color to them after the kiss I just gave her. Lacing my fingers with hers, I tug on her hand to take her with me into the clubhouse. Adette, Amos’s sister, instantly blocks my path when the door falls shut behind us.

“Is Reef with you?” Adette’s gaze slides to Nixie and her voice suddenly becomes sultry when she asks, “Maybe you’d like me to keep you company instead? You know I can make you feel real good.”

Fucking bitch. She makes it seem as if I’ve fucked her before and yet I’ve never laid a hand on her.

I use a dismissive tone and tell her, “Go home, Adette.”

She narrows her eyes, jerks her chin in Nixie’s direction, and her voice turns chilly when she snaps, “Who is this?”

The load of disrespect due to her tone of voice causes my emotions to speak instead of my brain when I snarl, “The president’s old lady.”

Adette takes a step back, and I know it’s not due to the harsh tone I used.

She gasps and shakes her head in disbelief when she stammers, “How…when…how…why is she your old lady when you only just met her? Vera she–”

I cut her right the fuck off, “I don’t have to explain myself to you. Reef is busy with club business. Like I said, go home Adette, you don’t have anything to do here unless it involves your brother, and if you need Amos, you can message or call him.”

Adette glares at me, huffs out a frustrated breath, and stomps out of the clubhouse.

“Everything okay?” Nixie asks.

I glance down at her and only find concern in her eyes. This woman. I know she heard every word, and how Adette openly offered herself to me, as if we’d fucked before. Nixie didn’t interfere, even when I called her my old lady.

Any other bitch I’ve encountered would seek confrontation with the other woman, then gloat about the fact I put Adette in her place, and then give me shit about fucking some random bitch in my past, even if I didn’t. Nixie? She’s utterly calm and collected, fucking asking me if I’m okay while her cheek is still bandaged from the shit my ex did.

Maybe the age difference changes how she handles things, but I get the feeling it’s all Nixie; she’s simply a strong and fierce woman.

“Yeah,” I rumble and bring our joined hands up to my mouth to kiss her knuckles. “Adette is Amos’s sister. Their father used to be a member; they grew up in the club. Vera and Adette used to be best friends, and I swear I’ve never touched Adette.”

“Okay.” Her smile is honest and tightens my chest.

Automatically I lean in and taste her smile, and swallow down the happy sigh coming from her. She still has her eyes closed when I end the kiss. The lust between us is mirrored in her gaze when her eyes flutter open.

“So,” she murmurs. “You calling me the president’s old lady is your way of telling me you’d like to go steady with me?”

A bark of laughter rips from me and I reach out to take her face in my hands.

I brush my nose against her and say, “Something like that.”

“Then I accept something like that,” she states with a huge grin.

Smirking, I mutter, “Wouldn’t accept anything else,” and slide my arm around her waist to guide her through the clubhouse in the direction of my room.

I have one of the bigger rooms next to church and when we get inside, I lock the door and point out, “Bed, bathroom, TV, desk, closet. There’s a tiny fridge beside the desk with some soda and bottled water. Help yourself to anything. I’m going to get your bath ready, then I’ll wait in the main room for Reef to get back. You can grab some clean clothes from my closet, whatever fits. Towels are underneath the sink in the bathroom, spare toothbrush as well.”

“Thanks,” she whispers and brushes her lips against mine.

She walks to my closet and grabs a clean t-shirt while I head into the bathroom to get her bath ready. I’m giving her some space, but I also need to talk to my VP because claiming Nixie in front of a brother’s sister doesn’t sit right; I need my claim to be official.