Page 71 of Kneeling to Candy

No shit. My woman has always done what she wants.

Red’s eyes brighten as she recalls something. She snaps her fingers. “Oh. The girls are meeting at Jo’s around noon for lunch. Maybe Candy went early to help set up?”

Plausible.

“Thanks, Red,” I say in a rush, turning on my heels to head down the hall.

Red calls out behind me. “I’m heading over there now. Do you want me to tell her you’re looking for her?”

“No worries. I’ll find her.”

The only thing stopping me from accompanying Red is my desire to avoid having this conversation in front of a bunch of women. Candy is enough to contend with without the other ladies joining in.

As Red leaves for the lunch gathering, I yank my cell from my cut. Maybe I can convince Candy to talk to me after her girl time with the MC ladies.

Impatient, I dial Jo.

“Hi, Butch,” Jo sing-songs when she answers. Pots and pans rattle in the background in what I’m assuming is Jo working in her kitchen. Or it could be her rascal twins getting into the cupboards again.

“Sorry to bother you, Jo. I know you’re busy getting lunch ready for the ladies. Is Candy there? I need to speak with her.”

“Nope. Not yet. Did you try calling her?”

Flustered, I run a hand over my cropped hair. “I did. Unfortunately, she left her cell in our room.”

There’s a long pause on the other end of the line before Jo asks in an amused tone, “Our room? As in, you and Candy moved in together?”

I’ve always wanted Candy in my space. But hearing Jo referring to Candy and me living together hits home on a profound level.

As soon as possible, I need to arrange for Candy to move into my space permanently. It’s a conversation I don’t want to put off any longer. If she’s in my space, she’ll see how good we are together, right?

And if she’s comfortable living together, she’ll probably be happy being married to one another. Makes perfect sense to me.

“That’s the plan.”

“Wow,” Jo gushes. “That’s awesome, Butch. Such a big step.”

Oh, we’re taking steps alright.

First, we got married in a drunken haze. Second, we slept together for the first time. Third, we agreed to be child-free. And fourth, we’re moving in together.

Yeah, we take BIG steps.

“Thanks, Jo. Sorry to cut this short, but I got a woman to track down.”

“No problem.” And then she disconnects.

There’s another room on this level where Candy may have gone. I’m about to knock on Ebony’s door when Atlas’s previous question pops into my mind. Prez asking if Candy is mine irked me earlier and continues to upset me.

Is Candy mine?

In my head she is.

I mean, yeah, I’m married to her, and I told her I wanted her while we were in a sex-driven craze. But have I done anything to demonstrate my feelings?

Actions speak louder than words, and I need to act quickly before I lose her.

My eyes drift down the hall to the room I left. I have a profound urge to return to Red and Candy’s suite.

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