Relinquish (22 page)

2 Piece

So after everything we’ve gone through during her visit, she plans to just up and leave. I’m not finished with her ass yet and she’s fuckin’ trippin’ if she thinks I won’t fight for what I want. I said I wouldn’t settle for just anyone comin’ round and I won’t, but I’d damn sure settle for Avery, any day of the fuckin’ week. I sit up, rubbing my hands over my scruffy face. I need to shave; my beard is getting out of control. I normally keep it really short, but with all the shit goin’ down, I’ve been preoccupied.

“Free bird, you aren’t goin’ anywhere.”

“What do you mean?” She glances at me, hope radiating in her eyes.

“I can’t believe you’d just up and take off after you said you’d help me with shit. I told my sister you’re my chick, and you are. I’m not ready for you to leave yet, I don’t want you to go. Shit’s goin’ real good with us now, not lookin’ to cause problems by havin’ you split.”

I reach over and grab her arm. Pulling her to me, she crawls over the bed until she’s sitting next to me. I lightly trail my finger over the side of her face and tuck her hair behind her ear. She nibbles on her finger nail and I pull her hand away from her lips. I want to see all of her gorgeous face.

“What about, well, I know you like your freedom. I was trying to talk to you about this before and you told me to take it slow, not to analyze things. I haven’t really been fretting over it, but now it’s time for me to leave and I can do nothing but worry.”

“Shhh, Shorty, relax. You’re my chick and that’s all that matters, okay?”

She nods and blinks at me a few times. “Well, what happens when you get tired of me?”

“Avery, I’m not going anywhere and neither are you, damn it! You’re so inquisitive and I love that it makes you so smart, but calm down, baby. If I get tired of you, then I’ll leave you alone for twenty minutes until I miss you again. You’re not about to go sixteen hours away, when I finally have you here and by my side, where you belong.”

“You think I belong there, by your side, with you?” she asks and her eyes get a little watery.

“Baby, you were made to be beside me and on the back of my bike.” She gives me a brilliant smile and tackles me onto the bed. Tears trail down her cheeks and I wipe them gently with my fingers. “Good tears or bad?”

“No, they are totally good, happy tears. I was so worried about being so far away from you and not getting to see you. There’s something I have to say first though.”

“Alright, shoot.”

“Ugh, how do I say this? Geez.” She takes a big breath and looks toward the ceiling.

I have to admit she has me a little worried, with all this baby talk that’s been going on around the club. I damn sure am not ready to take that step. Well, maybe one day, but just not this soon. I mean, I would be happy if she were, but upset too, just…well, I hope we get some more time together before we come to that bridge. I know eventually I wouldn’t mind having maybe one kid, after we settle down some. Right now, I want to travel the country with her on my bike, make love to her wherever we see fit and party our asses off if the mood strikes us. I’m a selfsh bastard and want to hog her all to myself for a while. She grasps my hand into her small, feminine one and looks me straight in the eyes.

“Okay, so I’m kind of falling for you. I’m hooked and it’s completely okay if you don’t feel the same way, you should just know what’s going on in my head, my side of things, you know. I want to be straight with you so we are on the same page.” She keeps rambling on until I place my hand over her mouth. She tilts her head and scrunches up her forehead.

“Shush, woman. Of course I feel the same way. I wouldn’t be askin’ you to be by my side if I hadn’t fallen for you.”

“Fallen? As in, you already fell for me and you are currently in ‘fallen’ with me?”

I start laughing loudly, she’s nuts to doubt I wouldn’t be absolutely crazy ‘bout her.

“Yep, Shorty, I’m in fallen with you.”

“So you concede?”

Damn rambling woman. “As in, relinquish to my feelings? If it’s to you, Avery, then yes, is that good for you? Any other form of giving in is basically submission, and that’s all on you, baby cakes.”

“Oh, I’m down with that!” She laughs and I squeeze her tightly to me.

“Good, then go tell  ol’ boy out there, that he’s goin’ home alone and you’re stayin’ with me. If you ever decide you wanna go back there, then I’ll take you myself, ‘kay?” I tip her chin up so she’s looking in my eyes, while I let her know how serious this is.

“Okay, Silas.” She smirks and I start tickling her on her ribs until she squeals.

“Oh, that’s what that little sigh was about yesterday, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, I quite like your name, it’s pretty sexy.”

“Sexy, huh? Yeah well, just call me 2. I don’t care if you call me Silas in here, but round everyone else, not so much.”

I don’t care too much for my name since it reminds me of my mother and living in California. I left that life behind long ago. I’m happy here and trying hard not to go backwards.

“Okay, deal.” She stands, wrapping her hands around my neck, lightly scratching it and giving me good chills.

“Hurry up an’ go tell him, so I can fuck that tight pussy.” I smack her ass and she high-tails it out of the bedroom with an exaggerated eye roll in my direction. I’m glad we got that shit out of the way.

Avery

I walk down the hallway to the bar area where I’m sure Nikoli is waiting. Well, I actually skip a little from being so excited. I can’t believe 2 finally told me how he feels. I’m over the moon right now. I hope Niko understands. It’s going to be so weird not seeing him several times a week like normal. He’s sitting on the stool, grinning at me as I approach.

“Hey there, Russian beefcake.” I grin and he chuckles.

“Spit it out, little coffee cake.”

I giggle and take a seat next to him. I love the names and expressions he’s always coming up with, even if he does copy mine sometimes. I’m on cloud nine right now anyhow, he could call me a worm and I wouldn’t care.

“Well, 2 Piece kind of made it clear he wants to keep me,” I say excitably and take in his expression. He looks as if he was expecting this all along.

“Of course. He is dumb man, but not dumb enough to let you fly away.” I roll my eyes and scowl.

“He is not dumb!”

“I believe so, but you—you love him, yes?”

I nod and stare at nothing in particular on the oak bar. It’s true, I do love him. I never thought our relationship would grow into this, I never thought I would need him to feel like I want to feel. I run my nails in a few of the carved grooves and can’t help but think of what my mother would say if she saw me now and knew I feel like I ‘need’ him. She would lecture me on being realistic and growing up. I am grown, though. I know I don’t really need him, but I don’t want to think of life not having him either. 

“Yes, I love him,” I whisper and glance over to meet his eyes.  He nods and gives me a kind smile.

“I know this, man!” he says loudly and I laugh at him again.

“Oh really, you know, huh?”

I rib him and he gets serious and says more intimately, “You look at him as if he is the only one able to cut your wings. That is good and sad.” His eyes flash with something and he takes me in from top to bottom. “If he is no good, you call. I will be here in sixteen hours and I will fix him.”

I feel my eyes tearing up and I groan. What is it with me crying so much here lately? I feel like an emotional goofball. I blink back my tears and lean in to hug him tightly.

“I love you, Nikoli,” I say into his muscular shoulder. He always feels so solid, so strong when I touch him.

He clasps me tightly and talks close to my ear, “I love you, Bean, you will always be mine first. I just lend you to him.” I feel the first tear run across my nose and try to suck it up. I have to be strong and show him I am making the decision I want or he won’t leave me.

“I know that, Niko, I envy the girl who will capture your heart. I know you will treat her like gold.”

“Shiiiiit, gold? Nope, I will treat her as princess!” he says jovially and I know he is trying to lighten the situation for my benefit. It will be so hard not having him close, Niko is fiercely loyal and caring. He has been a wonderful friend to me.

“Yeah, yeah! Be safe and text when you arrive.” I shove myself off the stool and step a few paces away from him.

“I send picture of my bicep.”

“Oh god, 2 Piece is going to love seeing your messages,” I groan and shake my head.

“You know this!” He smirks as I backtrack to 2 Piece’s room.

2 Piece

Chapter 15

Three weeks later…

“I’m going with you guys, Silas,” my sister argues stubbornly.

“The hell you are! You are seven months pregnant and there is no way you can drive that whole way again by yourself. I told you we would handle it.”

“So your girlfriend and Twist can ride with you, but I’m not even allowed to drive, is that what you’re saying?

“Look, Sadie, just stay here. I don’t know what kind of trouble we may run into and I don’t want you or the baby getting hurt.”

“How can you possibly know that? You don’t even know
who
you are looking for, or what he even looks like!”

Twist approaches us as Sadie tries the same argument she’s been working on for the past few weeks. Twist and I talked it over with Prez. He had a good idea who this guy might be after hearing everything my sister said about him.

I already promised Avery a trip to Florida to meet her parents, so this gradually turned into one big trip. First Cali, then some sightseeing for Avery, then we’ll end it in Florida, before coming back home. I think when we get home I will ask her to be my Ol’ Lady. I know she wasn’t too keen on the idea of labels, but hopefully by then she will have changed her mind. Twist wants to go really badly. I’ve caught him and Sades hanging out a lot. I’m not real sure if I’m cool with that, but only time will tell. I can’t imagine what he would want with my sister and her baby, I’m a little nervous with him bein’ fuckin’ warped on certain shit and chillin’ with my sister.

“Ready, brother?” I turn toward him and ask. This is Avery’s first long ride. I have to admit I’m excited to have her with me.

Sadie steps in front of Twist, between us. “No, Silas, I’m going, damn it.”

Twist pulls her gently out of the way and attempts to calm her. I climb on my bike and Avery follows suit. I crank the engine as Twist climbs on his bike, still arguing with my sister. He shakes his head and tenderly places his hand on her cheek. I’m not sticking around for that shit, I give my bike some gas, and we are off.

Avery

Two months later…

“Oh my gawd, London! You got a puppy? A freaking adorable Doberman puppy!” I sit in the middle of her living room floor and let the little monster crawl and nibble all over me. I can’t believe Cain got her and Jamison a puppy. I am totally jealous, such a cute little guy.

“Yes, he’s a little asshole too! Not sweet like Muffin, must take after his momma.”

“Wait, Muffin? What do you mean?”

“Well, I guess Tate and Cain had it all worked out as a surprise. Tate sent one of his goons up here after Muffin’s baby momma had puppies.”

I giggle at ‘baby momma’, of course she would say that, her and Cain are around each other waaaay too much!
Ouch, little shit.
I look down and watch him go climbing all over my leg, trying to ferociously pull and bite at my jeans.

“Jesus, how old is this little tiger?”

“He’s twenty weeks old, Jamison thinks puppies the greatest thing in the world. Cain calls him the ‘road dog,’ since he came all the way from Tennessee. His real name is Adonis. Thank Cain for that one too.”

I burst out laughing and she follows suit, “Oh my gosh, that’s so great! I can’t believe you let Cain name him that!”

“Chica, you know I don’t let Cain do squat, that bullheaded man does what he wants!”

Cain and 2 Piece come walking into the living room with curious stares. Cain gives London a wet, chaste kiss then smiles mischievously. “What are y’all out here cluckin’ bout? All this damn gigglin’, we had to come check it out.”