Badass (3 page)

“I ordered some biker clothes for you,” Claret announced, proudly. “They are guaranteed to bring your Hell’s Angel to his knees.”

“All right, I’m game.” She stood up and wrapped the dildo in a paper towel, so she could remember to clean it properly when she got back to her room. It had been a new one, of course. They had allowed her to take it out of the plastic sealed container. The ladies had all been very nice to her, and she wasn’t a germaphobe, but she was cautious. Despite knowing the sheets were carefully laundered, Avery slept in the childhood sleeping bag she had brought from home. That sleeping bag had seen some action, lately. Even now, just thinking about Isaac made her nipples puff up and beg for attention. Last night, Avery had touched herself. After her bath, she had lain on her pink kitty sleeping bag and rubbed her breasts. It had felt so good. She hadn’t made herself come, but she had given kitty something to think about. Avery was determined that Isaac would give her that all-important first orgasm. Perhaps she was being sentimental, but it seemed necessary to her that she save all of those momentous experiences to share with him.

“Can I come too?” Sissy was the newest girl. In many ways, she was as unskilled as Avery.

“Sure – the more the merrier,” Destiny sashayed down the hall, turning sideways as she met Madam Margo. “Hey, boss lady. How’s it shaking?”

Margo held up a hand and stopped all four of them in their tracks. “We’ve got trouble – especially for you, Avery.” She looked so serious that Avery got nervous. She couldn’t imagine what the problem was.

“What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?” She was grateful for all of the girls’ help and had no idea how anything she could have done would bother anybody.

“You didn’t do anything, dear, but your being here isn’t exactly a secret anymore.” Margo held out a copy of the Las Vegas Sun. Avery took it from her hands – and right there – in living color was a picture of the whole line-up of Shady Ladies, including herself. And the headline underneath the photo said “Modern Day Mary Magdalene - Preacher’s Daughter Turns Tricks.”

Avery gasped – “Holy Mother of God, who could have done this? I thought I was incognito.”

“I was afraid of this. Sonya’s John said you looked familiar and he asked a lot of questions about you. He crept around after his session, like he was hiding from someone. I bet if you had seen him, you would have recognized his face. It’s obvious, he knows who you are.”

Avery put a hand to her forehead. “Oh, what did Sonya tell him? Heavens! I’m so far from home. Surely, this photograph won’t be picked up in Texas.” Good Lord, she could just hear her daddy now. He would have a conniption fit - even though she hadn’t done anything wrong – technically. She was just planning on practicing fornication with Isaac McCoy at the first opportunity, that was all.

“Let’s hope not, honey.” But even Avery could tell she looked doubtful.

“I just hope he didn’t make a you-tube video,” Sissy said gravely, as she twisted her platinum ponytail around her fingers.

Avery leaned back against the wall and sighed. “This is just my luck. I get branded a good-time girl and I’ve never even been around the block. I’m probably the first virgin fallen woman in history.”

****

“I can’t believe you’re gonna try and pull that old trick on Skye.” Noah shook his head at Isaac’s tomfoolery.

“Loosen up, little brother. She’s a city-girl. It’ll be fun.” It was deer season and the McCoy brothers had taken time out during the past week for a hunting trip. Archery-only season began in early October and the tradition merited a festival-like atmosphere. The brothers hunted from horseback and harvested enough deer meat to keep the kitchen in sausage and venison for the next twelve months. This year their foreman, Lance, had invited his sister down from Oklahoma City for a few weeks. “Watch this. I pulled it on Jessie when she first got here and I thought she was going to deliver that baby right then and there.”

“Yea, and Jacob almost de-balled you for doing it, too.” Noah watched as Isaac took a pair of buckeyes from his pocket and tossed them in the air. “Skye sure is a beautiful woman – are you interested in her?”

Isaac stopped for a moment and looked at his brother. “She’s beautiful, but I’m not interested. So if you are, go for it, man. What about Harper?” Isaac knew Noah had had his heart set on Harper for years. But something had happened – something that Noah refused to talk about. Isaac knew what it was, and he hoped to high heaven that knowledge didn’t blow up in his face.

A funny look passed over Noah’s countenance, “Harper and I just aren’t meant to be.” That was the truth if Isaac ever heard it, Harper was nothing but trouble.

“You’ll find someone else, Noah. Someone that will make you smile. I have no doubt about that.”

Noah wasn’t arguing with him. “Skye is something else, Isaac. Hell, she’s just about fuckin’ perfect. I don’t know if it’s that Indian blood or what – but she makes my heart beat like a war drum.”

“So, paleface, is it okay if I tease your little Indian princess?” He was enjoying this, probably too much, but that was one of the perks of being the big brother.

“I’ll be watching you,” Noah joked with his brother, but Isaac could tell he was halfway serious. Figures. He was damn sure gonna quit drinking the water at Tebow. There were weddings and babies popping up all over the place. He’d be rich if he had bought stock in garter belts and diapers.

Isaac held the door for Noah and they walked in right as Aron threw a full beer can at Jacob. It whizzed right by Isaac and he caught it, neatly. “Thanks, I needed that. What are ya’ll throwing cold ones around for?”

The eldest McCoy sat in his big leather chair, feet propped upon the ottoman. His boots were dusty and his black Stetson was pushed back on his head. “Because we’re hot, tired and dusty, Hotrod. Hand your brother that beer, he’s spent the day trying to convince Mrs. Trahan that Red Warrior wasn’t trying to run her down and gore her to death.”

Isaac handed the can of Shiner beer to Jacob, who was sitting on the couch opposite the big screen TV watching a reality show featuring shooting competitions. “Thanks, bud. Have you seen this program? These guys have all kinds of target practice – wild stuff. I think we ought to have war-games like that at our next party. What do you think?”

“Well, since the next two parties we have are Joseph’s engagement party this weekend and you and Aron’s weddings the next - I don’t think that idea will fly very high with the womenfolk.” Noah answered with his usual logical thought process.

“He’s right.” Aron took a swig of beer. “I can’t see the girls going for target practice at their love fests. We’ll have our gun shooting competition for Isaac’s birthday at Halloween. That’ll reward us for all the tedious romantic celebrations we’ve got to get through this month.” Isaac could see over Aron’s shoulder and what he saw made him want to snort. Aron hadn’t meant anything anti-wedding by his comment; after all he was desperately in love with Libby. But at the moment - Libby was right behind him, and she didn’t look happy. Isaac started to stop him from putting his foot any deeper in his mouth, but it was just too much fun. Aron started talking again, and he just made it worse. “I mean how much lovey-dovey stuff are we supposed to endure before we get to do some manly shit. Life at Tebow has become like one of them chick flicks on Lifetime Movie network. All we need is to hook you two up with a woman each, get Nathan a little girlfriend – bring Kane and Lilibet into the fold - and we could be the cast of that stupid ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ movie from the fifties. Next thing you know, all us men will be lined up like chorus girls singing them corny songs like ‘Goin Courtin’ or ‘Lonesome Polecat’.”

At Libby’s face, the brothers who could see her – drew back as far as they could. She was about to let it fly. “I don’t think you need to worry about ‘going courtin’, Mr. Aron McCoy - but ‘lonesome polecat’ will definitely describe your sleeping arrangements for the foreseeable future.” Libby was beautiful, pregnant and not amused. The expression on Aron’s face when he realized she had overheard his joking diatribe was priceless. Isaac had never seen his brother crawfish so fast before.

He got up quickly and even though he was a foot taller and over a hundred pounds heavier than his fiancé – she clearly had the upper hand. Isaac could tell she wasn’t really mad – peeved maybe. But she wanted Aron to think she was mad. In fact, when Aron looked around for moral support from his brothers, Libby gave them all a soft wink to diffuse the situation. It wasn’t often they got the best of Aron, and when they did – the family needed to take advantage. “Now Libilicious, you know I want to marry you more than anything else in the world.” He was reaching for her, but she kept backing up – staying just out of reach.

“That’s not what I just heard, Aron.” She pooched her little mouth out sexily, and Isaac realized that he and the others were getting a first hand look at feminine wiles in action. “You dread our wedding don’t you?”

“No, no – hell no,” Aron was stalking her, slowly. “You know that making you mine is my highest priority.”

“Are you sure? I mean, we could postpone it, and the ceremony won’t even go to waste. Jacob can’t wait to marry Jessie.” Libby looked over at Jacob for confirmation. “Isn’t that right, Jacob?”

Jacob jumped right in. “Sure can’t– the sooner I get my ring on her finger, the better. I intend to tie the knot before little Bowie Travis makes his appearance.”

Libby moved around Aron to talk to Jacob. “All we would have to do is cancel one of the cakes and order a few less flowers. The guest list wouldn’t even have to be changed. We’ll call the Reverend . . . . .” She didn’t get to finish the sentence before Aron had swept her off her feet and up into his arms in the traditional ‘over the threshold’ position.

“Now wait a goddarn minute – both of you.” He stared at his brothers like it was all their fault, and then he looked back at the woman in his arms. “It doesn’t matter how frou-frou the ceremony or how many monkey-suits I have to wear, I wouldn’t trade marrying you for a deed to the whole damn universe.” He kissed her hard in front of God and everybody and marched out of the room with his precious burden.

The other three sat there and then looked at one another – Jacob laughed first. “Maybe the ole polecat won’t be as lonesome as we first feared.”

“No, I think he made amends for his macho carry-on,” Isaac couldn’t help but be jealous of what Aron and Libby shared. He needed his brand of sex, if only it wasn’t keeping him from having the woman of his heart – that reality was eating him alive. He would change if he could, but he didn’t know if that was possible. Frankly, he was sick and tired of trying to be something other than what he was.

“Where’s Skye?” Noah asked out of the blue.

“She’s upstairs with Jessie, they’ll be down in a minute. Jessie’s showing her the nursery you put together for her.” Isaac watched Noah’s face and knew he was remembering the trouble he had caused Jessie and Jacob. His interference had almost cost Jessie her life and the nursery had been his way to try and make amends.

“What was Aron talking about when he said Ms. Trahan was afraid of the Warrior?” Isaac knew the big bull was as gentle as a lamb.

Jacob sat up, drained his beer bottle and smiled. “It was funny. Now – ya’ll know that bull. We’ve hand-fed and brushed him since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.”

“He loves to be brushed with a curry comb. We’ve spoiled that old monster, but he sure does sire damn fine calves. As far as Beefmaster bulls go, he’s top-notch.” Noah commented, but Isaac was amused to see that he kept one eye on the staircase. The boy was besotted!

“I love to watch him when he sees Jessie or Libby come to the gate with some nuggets in their hand. He runs at them like a freight train. When we have company, the visitors can’t be still when he comes a runnin’, they dance in their shoes, thinking that big ole’ bull is gonna run ‘em down. But he always skids to a stop – nose to nose – with those sweet little girls. Why, I’d trust him to let Jessie ride on his back, if she was a mind to.” Jacob took the remote and turned the sound down on the TV.

“So where does Ms. Trahan come into play?” Isaac knew Jacob could spend hours telling a story if you didn’t aim him in the right direction.

“She came to buy a few straws of War’s semen and she wanted to take a look at him. So I took her over to his pasture, and told her to walk down to the pond where he was standing underneath one of the big oaks. He looked like a king surveying his domain. She was impressed, but decided to get up close and personal with him.”

Isaac started laughing; he could see where this was going. “What did he do, decide to come and meet her and give her a proper escort?”

“Yea, I guess she was expecting him to just stand there like some statue, but he’s polite – he didn’t want to make her walk all that way by herself. Besides, she might be packing a few nuggets for all he knew. He was willing to give her a chance.”

“Lord, what happened next? Are we in jeopardy of a lawsuit?”

Isaac slapped Noah on the back of the head. “Down Donald Trump, this is just a funny story. Nobody’s suing anybody.”

Jacob snorted – “Actually, we’re lucky Ms. Trahan didn’t have a heart attack. She loves to play the rancher’s wife, but she don’t know a hill-a-beans about animals. Anyway, when she saw Red Warrior begin to mosey toward her – she got nervous and turned to come back to the gate. She picked up her pace a little and so did War, after all – he thought they might be playing a game.”

“I just love the way you read this bull’s mind. But, then again, you are the Bull Whisperer of central Texas. When do you think Skye and Jessie are gonna come down? Do you think I ought to go up and check on them?”

“Why don’t you do that, Romeo?” Isaac watched Noah struggle with staying or going – he decided to stay. “Do you want to play the ‘ball’ game with Skye?” He held the buckeyes out to tempt him.”

“Hell no,” Noah groused. “I can’t lie with a straight face like you can.”

“Can I get back to my story?” Jacob patiently waiting, and when they settled down he resumed. “Anyway, when little Ms. Trahan realized that War was moving toward her, she panicked and started to run. Well, War figured if she was running – maybe something was after them both – so he might oughta run too. So the faster she ran, the faster the bull ran and when I heard her screaming, she was tearing across the pasture waving her arms in the air, saying “Save me! Save me!” Jacob was waving his arms mimicking Ms. Trahan and Noah and Isaac were cracking up.