Page 15 of Fire Meets Fire

For StoryTeller, it had been different. Finding Sheri had grounded the man I’d never thought would come in off the road. He’d been nomad for years until he’d met her. Their first child had been an accident, a result of a coupling under forced circumstances, though Maria, the kid who was born nine months after, was, even in my view, quite delightful. As the only offspring of a club member, she’s spoiled rotten and a complete handful. I don’t envy her parents. But it’s clear StoryTeller adores her.

Having delivered his proclamation, StoryTeller’s face is blank as he waits presumably for some kind of response. What is he expecting? Permission to bring another kid onto the compound? My blessing, congratulations? Or is it commiserations he’s after? What do I know? I’ve spent my life doing my best to avoid complications that give you responsibility for eighteen years after.

After more than a couple of beats have gone by, I manage to find something to say. “And that’s… good?” I’d faltered between saying the opposite first.

A snort bursts forth from StoryTeller and he grins wide. “Fuckin’ ace,” he confirms. “Though I can quite see how you wouldn’t understand.”

Scratching my jaw, I realise he’s right. I don’t comprehend. My life revolves around making the best life possible for my brothers. Protecting them takes all my time. A woman would be a distraction. One kid, let alone two, would be impossible. How could you cope when you’re pulled so many ways at the same time? As for StoryTeller? He’s clearly already handed over his balls to Sheri and their daughter.

A son to follow in his footsteps, I could see some attraction in that. But… “What if it’s another girl?” I grin, interested in how he’ll cope.

He shrugs and chuckles. “Just have to make sure my double-barrelled shotgun is loaded.”

The idea doesn’t seem to bother him in the least. But then, he’s never fazed, even when Maria twists him around her finger in the clubroom. I’ve seen him seriously pretending to have a picnic with her while carrying on a conversation about transporting guns with Iron. Being a dad seems to come naturally to him. I suspect he’ll be fine with two.

If he has a son, I might even beenvious. What man doesn’t want someone to continue his line? To pass on what he’s built, knowing he’ll be leaving a legacy, and that he’ll be remembered into the future.

But, for a son, I’d need a woman. I scoff at myself. Best I focus on grooming one of the younger members when it’s time to find someone to step into my shoes.

“Congratulations,” I find myself saying belatedly.

He accepts with a chin raise, then smirks. “So, what’s going on with that woman you’ve found yourself?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snap back. “I’ve no fuckin’ woman.” I deny everything even though I knowexactly who’s he’s asking about. As if I haven’t just had my head full of her.

“No?” He’s unrepentant. “You found a thief but couldn’t keep hold of her, then she made you, and the rest of us, look like fools when she got the upper hand in the old dude’s barn. She had you by the balls there, Prez.”

My knife is out of its sheave and quivering tip down in the wood before the last word is out of his mouth. “Don’t push me, ST.”

But instead of being cowed, the fucker laughs. “Not often someone gets the better of you, Prez.”

Not often? Never more like. Well, not until her. And isn’t she full of surprises? A seasoned hand-to-hand combat fighter, an escape artist, a crack shot, and someone who doesn’t stand down. She’d be such a challenge to bring to heel. And there it goes. Thinking about how exactly I might tame her gets my cock revving to go. He doesn’t seem to give a damn that my mind sees a huge red flashing light over her head, telling me to stay far away. It seems he likes a feisty woman and shows it by chubbing up every time she crosses my mind.

StoryTeller’s watching me carefully. I force myself to show no expression on my face and refuse to shift in my seat to ease the predicament thinking about her has again caused.

“Doesn’t seem like she’s going to take you up on the challenge you issued.”

It doesn’t. I should be pleased, not disappointed. It’s been seven days since we confronted the oddly named Helo at Harold’s, and since then, there’s been no sight or sound of her, and no evidence she’s been around. And we’d know. Weasel’s been watching his stock like a Hawk. What the fuck kind of handle is Helo anyway? I’ve spent far too much time wondering whether it’s short for Eloise or something. I’ve no fucking ideawhy I’m bothered by it anyway. Even if my dick got its way, babe or good girl would do when I was fucking her.

Shit. There’s my boner again.I’m not a kid. I’m a man in my mid-forties and should be able to control myself. That bitch has got trouble stamped all over her forehead. I’m glad I hadn’t seen her again even if my dick is not.

My thoughts make my voice gruffer than I want. “Of course she hasn’t.” As StoryTeller’s eyebrows rise, I rush to correct any misassumption. “We scared the fuck out of her. She won’t be back.”

He doesn’t need to know how much part of me had hoped she’d take up the gauntlet I’d thrown down and try to break into the yard again. Oh hell, why don’t I just admit it? She intrigues me, and I want to know more about her. I still feel slightly guilty about how she passed out, wondering whether I hit her too hard which is stupid. If she’d been a man, I wouldn’t give a fuck. I’d successfully hidden my feelings, but I’d been relieved when we’d seen her the next day that she didn’t seem to be suffering any lingering effect. Well, she didn’t go comatose and fall from the rafter so I presume she was okay.

StoryTeller grins. “She was something, though, wasn’t she?”

I apply my best poker face and hope that he doesn’t know how close he is to the mark. I guess where he’s concerned, a woman has changed his life, and now he wants the rest of us loved up and locked down. Ain’t never going to happen to me. Firmly I repeat in my mind, my only interest in Helo is making sure any loopholes she found in our security have been tightened up. And, perhaps, that I still think her becoming a sweet butt would be better compensation than the five hundred dollars I charged. She could service all the brothers…Fuck no.

“Is that all you want?” Losing patience more with myself than with him, he bears the brunt as I snap, “Some of us have got work to do.”

He chuckles, shows me his finger, then presses his hands down on the arms of the chair. He’s halfway to standing when there’s another knock at the door.

“Enter,” I call out, not sure whether I appreciate yet another interruption. The answer’s certainly no when Legend bursts in and I hear the words that come out of his mouth.

“Got info about that thieving broad.” He pauses, then helpfully adds, “Helo.” As if there was any other bitch stealing from us.

StoryTeller,goddamn him,sits himself back down. His folded arms posture and the smirk on his face tells me he’s not moving despite me gifting him one of my fiercest stares. Without appearing to be over-interested, I beckon our information guru to take the second chair in front of my desk. “What you got?” I half want to know, half wish I never had to hear that name again. Oh fuck, I’m kidding myself. I want to learn everything he’s found out.

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