Page 36 of Amy's Santa

“Blade, you okay to drive it?”

The ex-enforcer closes his eyes briefly, then reopens them. Truth is with his hands the way they are, a two-hour ride there and then the same distance back will be a stretch for him. “I’ll drive,” he confirms, and fuck knows I won’t be the only one feeling for him. Time’s coming up in Blade’s future when he won’t be able to ride. But he’ll keep going as long as possible. If he can’t handle a bike, club regulations say he can’t stay a club member. But he’s got a good woman beside him, like we all have, and Sabrina and Mason, his kids, will be there for him.

“Mouse,” Drummer steps back into the role of prez and starts issuing instructions, “you look for a suitable location where we can take him locally to have a discussion with him.” He flexes his hands suggesting how that chat will go. “He’s got to know that he messed with the wrong woman. Heart, not a word of this to Amy.”

“She suspects, Prez,” I interrupt him. “But I promised we’d just have a conversation.”

“Needs more than that, he needs out of her hair. Only way she’ll feel safe in Phoenix,” Wraith tells me.

I nod to show that I’m well aware. I just wish she’d come home. Hate having her away from me, albeit only a two-hour ride.

“Peg,” Drummer glares at us all for interrupting, “make sure everyone’s tooled up, will you? Anything we need isn’t there, take it from the armoury… What the fuck’s that grin for, Heart?”

“You sound just like the prez,” I explain, unrepentant. It makes everyone laugh and even Drum’s lips quirk. Old habits clearly die hard.

He waits for the mirth to die down, then continues, “I’ll let Joker know we’re going for a pleasure jaunt, get him to spread the word if Wizard asks questions.”

“What about the old ladies? They might want to tag along.”

Wraith’s got a good point, but Blade’s got an answer for him, “Fuck them hard until they can’t walk and won’t want to ride tomorrow.”

I smirk. Won’t be any hardship fuckin’ Marc. From the leers and comments, everyone’s taken it as a challenge, and the puffed up chests suggest no one feels they’ll have any problems.

“On the off chance anyone fails,” Drummer grins, “just say boys want to be boys for a while.”

“When’s Amy going back to Phoenix?”

“Tomorrow,” I answer Peg, glumly. I’m going to miss her. Especially now when I’ll be doubly scared for her knowing what can happen to a woman alone in a different city.

“You think she’s tight with this Xander? What’s your read on him, Heart?”

“He’s a good man, Drum, but he’s not what I’d want for her. Though it’s hard to tell right now, I think she’ll be happy enough. Seems a man like him is just what she wants.”

Drummer considers for a moment, then nods. “Okay, we all know what we’re doing. Meet ten sharp in the morning. Now, you fuckers, get the hell out of my house.”

We laugh as we’re meant to, stand, and leave him with waves of our hands and chin lifts. Outside in the weak winter sunlight, I stop Mouse.

“You okay with this, Mouse?”

His eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”

“Us keeping Wiz out of it.” Mouse is tight with his old lady’s younger brother. He’d become his legal guardian back when Mariana had her immigration issues and has treated him more like a son than a brother-in-law, being as proud as punch when he was voted in at the head of the table.

“Wiz means one fuck of a lot to me, Brother. He might be my brother in the true sense of the word, but so are you all. You, Heart, I’ve known even longer. I don’t know that he would stop us, but he would, at least, try to take over. I know you need this, and so do we all.” He waves to indicate the rest who’ve just left Drummer’s house and are walking back down through the compound. “What Wiz doesn’t know about what the Secret Six are getting up to, can’t hurt him.”

I bark a laugh at his appropriate reference, and nod at the point he’s made. He means Wiz can rightfully distance himself if we put a step wrong and get ourselves arrested. I slap Mouse’s back, understanding his boy might be the prez, but he’s still the kid Mouse always looked out for.

Chapter Eleven

Amy

Xander had suggested we live together, that he’d be my Dom, but he mentioned nothing about love. Now, here, where the only sounds are of birdsong and ponies munching, in the place I’d loved as a kid, Drew’s offering it all.

Bad timing. Only earlier Xander had laid a future before me in terms of something I’d thought was exactly what I wanted. Now it dawns on me, I would be settling for second best. A Dom/sub relationship which would be comfortable, but lacking. Xander would be fair, kind, caring and faithful. We’d communicate with words, there would be no misunderstanding, our expectations agreed and contracted between us.

Drew’s offering everything, a dream I’ve long thought was out of my reach. A relationship which would probably have flaws in it, where things were spontaneous and doubtless mistakes would be made. It would be exciting, unpredictable, a ride of a lifetime, and a lifetime to kiss and make-up when we got out of step.

I stare at him wide-eyed as he waits patiently for my answer. It’s hard, but I try to think rationally.

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