Legend (Requiem MC #6)

Chapter Nineteen Ankle Biter

Legend

Glory just looked radiant. I don’t think I’d ever seen her this happy. I also heard her humming some tune under her breath as we headed across the parking lot while escorted by our guards. Looking over at her, I smiled and asked, “What are you humming?”

She laughed. “An old song. I can’t get it out of my head.”

“Which one?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not gonna tell you.”

I smiled at her. “Why not?”

“It’s silly.”

“So?” I asked.

“It’s like from the 60’s or something, only I changed it up a little.

“Come on tell me,” I urged as I squeezed her hand.

She laughed and explained it, “The Chapel of Love. You know?” Glory then sang a line, “I’m going to the chapel and I’m gonna get Mar-ar-aried. ” She giggled. “But I changed it to… Going to the chapel and I’m gonna marry Leh-eh-eh-gend. ” She turned her head and beamed at me as we got to the limo.

“Ok, so that almost made me speechless. For two reasons. One I already knew. You can NOT sing.”

She gasped then burst into laughter. “And the second reason?”

“I don’t know of any chapels, do you?”

We were both howling as we fell against each other and she almost tripped as I caught her.

Oscar, the chauffeur, stood by the open door. He showed absolutely no expression over our silly arguments.

Shaking her head at Oscar’s ultra stiff demeanour, Glory paused and asked, “Can you open the trunk?”

He nodded without saying a word and formally stepped away, heading around the tail end of the limo.

Nodding at me, Glory gave me a serious stiff expression then followed him.

Tito caught her teasing and he chuckled a little as he shadowed her. Then they both stopped at the open trunk.

Reaching into her duffel, Glory dug around and pulled out a small black bag. Pausing, she reached in and grabbed a small package. Finally, she zipped her duffel up and gave Oscar a nod as she closed the trunk.

I stood and waited at the car door.

Smiling at me, she stepped over and slid into the limo seat.

I got in and Oscar shut the door.

Our guards stood there for a moment and looked around.

Finally, our enforcers went over to their cycles and climbed on. The familiar rumble of their Harley’s was loud until Glory tapped the window button and rolled them up.

Looking over at her, I smiled. “Got your ammo?”

Nodding, she grinned at me. “I also got something I want to give to you.”

The limo started moving as I cocked my head at her. “Ok, what is it?”

She actually giggled and shook her head.

I blinked at her and asked, “What is so funny? Do I have donut frosting on my lips or…?” I swiped my mouth.

Laughing, she replied, “Nah, even if you did, I would just lick it off.” She paused and looked upwards. “Oh, that sounds like a great pastime. Your lips and frosting? I like it.”

I laughed. “Ok, remind me to have DoorDash deliver a dozen and I will see what I can do. So what do you have for me to see?” I grinned at her and then shrugged my shoulders. “I hate surprises, babe.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”

“You do, eh?” I asked in a teasing tone as I scooted over and grabbed her up.

“Yes, last Christmas, I remember.”

I sighed hard. “Well, I’m not exactly proud of that.”

“I teased the hell out of you. I know.”

“Yes, even your brothers got in on it,” I referred to her gift for me that had been placed under the Requiem Christmas tree in the main room. It was so large that it caught everyone’s attention. In fact, there were actual betting odds going on with all the club members over what was in that box.

“What did you really think was in it?” she asked me with a grin.

“Since it was from you and you beat the top pranksters of Requiem?” I shrugged. “My mind went wild with ideas. And there was also the fact that you were mad at me on and off for the last three years at least.”

Glory pouted at me. “Yes, I was and no one could blame me.”

I kissed her lips with a teasing smack and pulled back. “I have to say, no one had ever given me such an extravagant gift.”

“Yes, but you looked really upset at the time.”

“Yeah…” I rolled my eyes as I repeated what she had said, “And no one could blame me.”

She laughed. “Ok, ok…it was kind of mean.”

“Kind of?” I shook my head.

Bursting out with laughter, she leaned her head back.

“It had to have taken you months to save that many boxes.” My gift was a box within a box, within a box…You get the idea.

Glory giggled now. “I had the stores all over town saving boxes for me.”

Scoffing, I said, “I bet. And the tape alone had to set you back some money.”

“It wasn’t a total prank, Legend,” she defended.

“No, you’re right. After 20 boxes, I finally got to that tiny box…” I shook my head as I remembered what I’d thought at that time. “I have to admit, I was done.”

“You almost threw it away!” Glory exclaimed.

“I know.” I smiled at her. “I actually tossed it as far as I could throw it.”

Shaking her head, she tisked. “Then I went and got it and pleaded with you to unwrap it.”

“I admit, I almost refused,” I admitted.

“But it was worth it, right?” She beamed at me.

I nodded. “I was stunned speechless. If that’s what you mean.” When I opened that tiny 2 inch box, there was a key in it. Glory then led me outside and showed me my new motorcycle. A refurbished Indian Chief, so it was new but still a classic. “Then when I refused such an expensive gift, you had to play the Jarret card.”

“I know!” Glory gushed. “I knew you would try that, so it was hard to get Dad to go along with it.”

“Go along?” I asked as I felt a niggle of doubt. At the time, she had convinced me that Jarret helped to buy the bike.

“Yes, Legend.” She cupped my cheek and confessed, “I bought the bike and he bought the matching helmet and the Indian Chief jacket, so it wasn’t a total lie?”

I chuckled as I shook my head. “Wow, Glory.”

“Hey, all’s fair in love and the war for love.”

I leaned my forehead against hers and asked, “The war for love?”

“Yes, with you, it was a war and finally, you lost.”

I laughed and kissed her lips again with a playful smack. “No, I won, baby. So, what's in your hand now? It’s small enough to be a key.”

Nodding, she pulled back and raised up the small white cardboard box. “Yes, but it is not a key. It is something I have had for years.”

I cocked my head at her. “Oh, yeah?” I felt truly curious now.

Nodding, she looked down at the little box in her hand and then handed it to me.

I paused and grabbed it.

Watching me, she motioned at it. “Open it.”

I did so. Hell, I was curious as fuck about this. Knowing this woman, there was no telling what would be in the little package. I lifted the snug lid off and dropped a small black box into my hand.

Reaching over, Glory plucked it up from my palm and then slipped off the seat to kneel on one knee on the floorboard.

Staring down at her, I then tipped my head back and laughed. Oh wow, just when I thought I had this girl pegged, she would go and surprise me yet again.

Glory shook her head at me as she waited for my laughter to subside.

Finally, I swiped at a tear of hilarity and gazed down at her while still chuckling a bit.

She scoffed. “If you aren’t going to behave, then I will just—”

I raised my hands at her defensively. “I will be good, I promise.”

Cocking her head at me, she stared into my eyes. “Legend, I have been after you for a long time. You know this as did everyone in our lives. I knew at the age of just 15 that you were mine. That we were meant to be together.” Smiling, she went on, “However, you never seemed to know this. But I can’t blame you really because men… well they aren’t as smart as they should be.”

I snickered.

She stared at me with disapproving pursed lips.

My snickering immediately stopped.

“I bought this ring when I turned 18,” she explained.

I blinked my eyes at her and opened my mouth to say wow.

Placing her fingers over my mouth, she shushed me. “Never mind your shock. I…” She raised the gold band up and went on, “…I sold that old Dodge truck Dad gave me at 16 and bought it.”

I slowly shook my head.

“No…no,” she said. “Don’t feel bad, the ring’s worth has tripled since then. And the guy who bought that truck, souped it up then it went on a monster tour.” She beamed at me. “So a happy ending all the way around.”

I smiled back. Too funny. I had to realize this was not your typical marriage proposal. However, Glory had never been your typical girl.

“Legend, I want you to be my husband, my partner and mate. The daddy to my kids, the peanut butter to my jelly and as Ma Walker once said… The sugah in my tea .”

We both laughed.

“Giovanni Cassio Descalia…Will you marry me?” she finished.

I nodded as the look in her eyes hit me square in the chest. I felt like I just got punched there. All the vulnerability she hid from the world, all her hopes and fears, everything she was inside showed right in her beautiful eyes. The effect of this look almost overwhelmed me. “I will,” I whispered in a choked voice.

As a lone tear rolled down her cheek, she grasped my hand and slid the ring onto my finger. Then she smirked. “Dang right it fits.” She let out that wicked giggle of hers.

I peered down at it. It was a thick gold band with a diamond inlay all along the circle of the ring. It too looked old like the one I had gotten for her. I loved it. It suited me well. Of course, she knew that even years ago. Grinning at her, I reached down, grabbed her up and set her into my lap. “I love all that is you, Glory. The fighter, the bad girl and the little girl that is you.”

We both grinned at this description.

Clearing my throat as it had swelled with emotion, I finished, “I can only hope to live up to the love you have for me.” Then I kissed her.

This kiss was different from the ones we had shared before. It was more like a sealing of something that we both knew would last forever. Tender, sweet and warm.

Minutes went by as we held each other. The kiss got deeper and more breathless. I couldn’t help it, my hands wandered as I caressed her all over. God, I wanted her, right here and right now.

Finally, I broke the kiss and abruptly set her from my lap onto the suede leather seat next to me. “I-I don’t want to get caught. You know…” I shook my head. “...by my cousins.”

Laughing, Glory nodded. “Yeah, that would be…” She burst into laughter. “...not very dignified.” She then gave me a wink. “But doing it in a limo is on my list now.”

I chuckled. “Oh, yeah? I didn’t know you had one.”

“Hells yeah. Ever since the shower. I call it my naughty list.”

I stared at her as I wiggled my brows playfully. “You liked that shower, hmm?”

“Liked?” She elbowed me. “I want that everyday!”

“Ok, we can try.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and leaned my head back onto the seat. “This is so perfect.” I paused. “Well, until we arrive at the estate.”

“Come on, Legend,” Glory urged while taking my hand in hers. “It can’t be that bad. I mean you are going to see your brothers.”

“Yes. That will be the best part. And wait until you meet my Aunt Maria. You and her will get along great.”

“So, we will deal with the bad parts as we go.” Glory nodded her head.

“Cross that bridge when we…” I shook my head and asked, “Is there a Texas saying for this?”

“If the crick don’t rise?” she suggested then shook her head. “Nope, not the same meaning. Um… oh, I know. If your dad is hellbent for leather, you gotta be quick out of the chute, like greased lightning.”

We both laughed.

“I remember that!” I exclaimed. “One of our fight trainers said it, Scooter, right? Like anyone could forget his name.”

Nodding, she said, “Scooter! Oh, my God…After dad hired him as an instructor, he told me his mom named him that. It was his legal name, Scooter Flag!” She laughed even harder. “We all used to crack up at his drawl and old Texan talk then he would make us run the mile while saying, that dog won’t hunt.”

I kept chuckling as I nodded. “Our class did the same and he’d yell, quit hollerin’ down the rain. Now drop and give me twenty!”

Just then, Rocky’s voice interrupted our laughter as it came over the speaker, “Home coming up in about ten minutes.”

I couldn’t help it, my laughter slowly evaporated as my back stiffened a bit.

Squeezing my hand, Glory seemed to notice this tension in me, as she asked, “What did I tell you before?”

“That I need to be greased lightning?” I teased her.

She tisked under her breath and said, “No. We face him together. We don’t allow him to get ahead of us.”

I nodded as I smiled at her. “In translation to Texican… Quick out of the chute and greased like lightning. ”

Laughing, she nodded. “Yeah, ok you really love that greased lightning part, don’t ya?”

I nodded. “What guy wouldn’t? I mean how cool does that sound?” I shrugged. “It’s greased lightning.”

Glory paused and looked thoughtful. “You know, Ma had a saying or a story that she told to Jewel and Prophet at the kitchen table.”

I nodded and said, “Her talks are famous among the Walkers.”

“Yes, they are. Jewel relayed the story to me one night at Connor House while we were playing cards and I loved it. So like Ma too. Makes no sense at the beginning, then it makes too much sense when she’s done. When Prophet was gonna go up against him, she talked about Deacon. But she made it about dogs.”

I smirked. “I’m not surprised. Probably old Hounds too. So what did she say?”

“When you’re up against him, you have to use his own game against him, then you corner him and put him in his place.”

I raised my brows. “It sounds workable but…” I shook my head at her. “She couldn’t have been talking about how to handle a parent.”

Glory nodded. “Yeah, but it was still good advice.”

“Ok, so what was the dog part?” I asked.

“She said that Deacon wanted to be a big dog. But if he really was a big dog, he wouldn’t have to force others to be his or bow to him. So, if he couldn’t run with the big dogs, he needed to stay under the damn porch.”

I stared at her then tilted my head back and laughed.

She giggled.

I gave her a slow smile. “Under the porch…” I shook my head and said, “The thing about that is…I’m the kind of man who just wants peace and to be left alone. So maybe that makes me the dog that wants to stay under the porch.”

Glory blinked at me as she looked a bit lost. “Well, hell…”

I raised our joined hands and kissed her knuckles. “But I know him well and as per Ma Walker’s advice, I will bring my best game.”

Glory smiled at me. “But you’re also forgetting something here.”

I turned my head to look at her as I asked, “What?”

“You got me. I’m not a big dog but I’m a vicious, deadly little ankle biter.”

I stared at her then cracked up into laughter.