Page 23 of Big Easy
The sun is setting over Crescent City, and we are all full as a tick and ready to call it a day. Leaving Twisted Throttle and the Kings behind, my club hits the road for the forty-minute ride out to the lake house.
Sunsets are different around here—almost mystical. Like strokes of paint brushed across, purple clouds hang above the horizon. The sun's rays burst outwards in warm golden hues against the dove grey sky. Nearing the cabin, we are surrounded by water. There's an absolute stillness that settles over the bayou while our bikes move us further down the open stretch of road. The hum of the tires against the asphalt becomes the background music to the end of another day.
Turning right, we travel another half mile down a long dirt road. My family's hunting house comes into view. Unlike the home I grew up in, this one is a simple two-level home on stilts, with four small bedrooms and one bathroom on the first level, along with the combined kitchen and living room area. The second level is a loft room, and on the back of the house are two decks, one on each level of the home, which overlooks the water.
We pull up beneath the home, parking our bikes near all the hunting stands, and disassembled duck blind. "By far the best thing about our annual trip to New Orleans, brother." Slider gazes out at the water as he dismounts his bike, then helps Julia climb off. The two of them walk out toward the dock.
"It's beautiful out here," Sutton scans the area as I unload our overnight bag from the back of the bike and take her by the hand.
"I spent a lot of time out here as a kid with my old man. We'd spend all day, fishin', or huntin'."
"You grew up out here?" she asks as I lead her up the stairs behind the other couples and enter the home.
"Only part-time." The men settle into the rooms of their choosing, and I lead us up another set of stairs into the loft. I toss the bag in my hand onto the bed. Sutton crosses the small space, unlocking and sliding open the glass door. She steps out on the deck and leans against the railing.
"I'm glad you asked me to come with you." She breathes in deep as I settle in behind her. "The sunset is beautiful out here."
"That they are." We watch the bayou swallow the sun, and its light begins to fade. Gold changes to crimson and the deepening red soon shifts to a dark purple.
With Sutton in my arms, we watch dusk fade into the night. Lighting bugs flicker above the water, and croaking frogs start to harmonize with the cicadas. "My parents want us to have dinner with them tomorrow," I remind her.
"I hope they like me," Sutton turns her body to face me.
I dip my head, hovering my lips above hers. "What's not to love? They will adore you." My mouth covers hers, and the kiss intensifies. Gripping her ass cheeks, I lift her feet off of the decking. Sutton wraps her legs over my hips. I carry her to the bed inside, where I rid her and myself of our clothes then worship her body.
The following day is spent at the rally, with my men tattooing at least thirty bikers. It's finally the end of the day, and instead of shooting the shit with the others downstairs, I'm hanging in Riggs' home, above the bar.
Riggs is my last ink of the day—an inner bicep tattoo of a skull and roses. His old lady, Luna, and Sutton are in the other part of their apartment with Aria, Riggs and Luna's daughter. We hear giggles and water splashing. "Two more days with the same outcome, we may be able to top what we donated last year," I mention, adding the finishing touches to his ink.
"You had a little competition this year from the new tattoo shop in town," Riggs says as I sanitize his skin.
"Yeah, man. Ink Addicts' top artist is a fuckin' beast, and his realism tattoos are phenomenal." I wipe Riggs clean. "Alright, brother. Give it a look."
He gets up and walks to a tall mirror sitting in the corner of the living room near the balcony doors. "You killed it, brother," Riggs says. I finish packing my gear into a carry case, then toss my gloves into the trash and wash my hands. "Sure, you and your woman don't want to crash the party goin' on downstairs?"
"I promised my folks we'd have dinner with them tonight," I tell him, then go in search of my woman. Following the giggles, I find her leaning over the bathtub, playing with Riggs' little girl.Not wanting to be noticed, I stare at their interactions for a beat and suddenly find myself thinking of settling down and having babies with the beautiful creature who walked into my life not so long ago. I see her belly swollen with our baby growing inside of her, curled up on the sofa at home while she reads a bedtime story to our unborn child. The vision is so strong I could reach out and touch it.
"You'll never regret it." Riggs' voice yanks me back from dreaming.
"Regret what?" I ask and grin when Sutton gets splashed in the face with suds.
"Getting knocked on your ass from the love of a good woman."
I'm pulling up the circular driveway in front of my parents' home. I cut the engine. "When you mentioned your family is well off, I don't think I was expecting this level." Sutton takes in the house I grew up in. She looks down at her ripped jeans and plain white shirt, paired with her favorite Vans sneakers. "We should have dressed better."
I grab her by the hand, lacing our fingers together. "There's nothin' wrong with what you have on, babe. My parents aren't the judgmental type. Appearances don't mean shit to them. As long as you're a good person, that's all they see." I kiss the tip of her nose. "Come on." I pull her into my side, and we walk up to the front door, which flies open.
"Jaxson," my mom, beaming, greets with her arms stretched out wide.
"Momma." I smile, seeing her with an apron wrapped around her waist, covered in flour. Releasing Sutton’s hand for a moment, I sweep my Momma off the ground, hugging her tight.
"Put me down before you hurt yourself," she fusses like she always does. I put her down, and she kisses my cheek. "Your beard and hair are a tad longer than the last we saw you." I run my hand down my beard. "You're as handsome as ever," she declares after she does her motherly inspection, giving me a look over. "A bit thin, though." Then she turns her attention to Sutton.
"Momma, meet Sutton."
"Hi, Mrs. Carter. It's nice to meet you." Sutton holds out her hand, but instead, my mom pulls her in for a hug.
"It's nice to meet you as well, and call me Alice. Now, come inside, and let's get to know one another." My mom hooks her arm around Sutton, leaving me standing in the doorway.
