Page 26 of Tyrant

“I wish I had friends like that,” she quietly admits.

“You do now,” I assure her, placing a kiss on her forehead.

“What will you do tomorrow? I’m scared you won’t be safe.”

A chuckle escapes before I can help it. “Sugar, the only motherfucker you have to be worried for is the one trying to get between you and me. Their fate won’t be so lucky.”

She leans in, resting her forehead against mine. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because it’s what any husband should do for his wife. Or in my case, my ol’ lady.”

“I’m not old.”

He shakes his head. “Mm, I say you prove it. Let’s see how limber you are.”

“You didn’t just say that,” she laughs, making me crack a smile. I want inside her cunt so bad I swear I may lose my goddamn mind if it doesn’t happen sometime soon. I won’t pressure her, though. Never. It’s fucking disgusting when a man does that to a woman and I’ll never be one of ‘em.

“Decide on a movie yet?”

She shakes her head and falls to the bed beside me. I hate letting her go, but now that I study her a little closer, I can tellshe’s exhausted. She yawns, tucking her face towards the bed to hide her tiredness, and damn if it isn’t cute.

Clicking on the TV, I pull up the streaming service I have and turn on a show I’ve been invested in called Yellowstone. I remain sitting up against my headboard and rest my hand beside her head. My fingers find their way into her hair and I begin to lightly brush my digits through the strands. In no time, her eyes droop, as she watches the show, not really paying attention. Ten minutes later and she’s sleeping, her mouth parted as little puffs of air escape, alternating between quiet snores, I shouldn’t find adorable, yet somehow do regardless.

Chapter 15

Blair

Aweek passes, swiftly turning into two as I begin to find my place at the Kings of Carnage clubhouse. Tyrant wasn’t joking when he said his brothers are fine with me being here,at least if they mind, they certainly haven’t made it known to me. It’s the opposite. In fact, they are all quickly becoming my favorite people aside from Tyrant. The brothers all greet me each day when they see me, they’re not overly cheery or anything, but they are kind.

Even Havoc, the one I was certain didn’t like me from the moment I entered his clubhouse, has proven me wrong. In fact, some days he even brings me along to help out at his bar while Tyrant and the others take care of whatever they have to. He says it’s because he can use the help on his bar renovations, but I know it’s really because Tyrant is worried about my safety. He hasn’t told me what has him concerned, but my guess is Josef isn’t keeping quiet about looking for me and the club is catching wind of it.

“What did you think?” one of the club girls asks, as she turns to me. The movie we’d been watching just ended and it’s one she swore I’d love. Apparently, it’s a favorite of hers and once everyone found out I hadn’t watched television in a long time, they’ve made it their mission to have me watch all the ‘good ones.’

“Eh,” I shrug.

Her mouth drops as she releases a horrified gasp. “What? No way!”

Laughing, I grin and admit, “It wasn’t bad. Probably my favorite out of the bunch so far.”

“I still can’t believe you never watched Edward Scissorhands when you were growing up. It’s a fall time staple, and perfect to get in the Christmas spirit. It’s…it’s so romantic,” Twilah Jane says the last word breathily, making me laugh some more. She shuts the TV off, kicking her booted feet to the floor and stands, tugging her jean skirt down half an inch. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around women who wear so little clothes and it’s taking some getting used to. Even in college, we didn’t have ourbutt cheeks hanging out half the time, so it’s a little awkward for me to hang out around here when they have so much skin on display.

“Do you all do anything around here for the holidays?”

We decorated in the community, but it wasn’t the traditional sort of things you’d see out in the regular world. We’d make handmade ornaments, sometimes with scripture the Profit spoke on. We never cut down trees or anything to preserve nature. Not being able to have much of anything really put the stop in doing much extra aside from wishing each other well and saying prayers for specific people. A gift was considered as someone praying over you and repeating the Profit’s words as a blessing. A celebration was the community eating together, singing, and dancing.

It was nothing like the cheesy homemade ornaments we used to make as a child to hang on our Christmas tree along with the colorful strands of lights. Before that, during Halloween, I’d help my grandmother and mother make homemade costumes. Then we’d go together to the church where there would be fun booths set up in the parking lot. I’d get far too much candy and popcorn balls, but my parents never minded. My father helped me eat most of it.

For Thanksgiving, each year we’d be surrounded by family, a big group of us eating, along with my father and grandfather watching football. Of course, there was always praying involved, but it was never anything as serious as what was expected from us in The House of Worship. My knees ache just thinking back on the New Year’s ritual. We’d be forced to kneel all day long, praying for the upcoming year. It was always to bless the Profit and speak our undying devotion to him and his path. I can see it now for what it truly was, another method to remind us of his place and give over our individual control.

“Earth to Blair,” Twilah Jane calls, flicking her fingers in front of my face. “Did you hear me?”

I shake my head, cheeks feeling warm at being caught zoning out. “I was remembering the holidays before. We used to make homemade ornaments when I was a kid.” I leave out the part about what was expected at The House of Worship. People won’t understand any of it or why I did it, so aside from Tyrant, I keep most everything about my time with Josef to myself.

“I didn’t do any of that. Our trailer didn’t usually have power during the winter, so we spent most nights around the holidays at my Mawmaw’s to stay warm. She smoked like a train and had five cats. Christmas traditions weren’t really her thing, ya know?”

I nod, but I have no clue. I guess we all have a little fucked up in our lives in some way. I was lucky to have electric and caring parents before I found myself entrenched in the abusive ways of the cult, she’s lucky to have the MC to offer her a life she didn’t have before, one with electricity year-round. “What were you saying you do here?”

“Typically, a Halloween party, but we skipped this year since you’d just gotten to the club.”

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