Ride with Me (7 page)

Tripp and I give him and Boomer a finger in the air good-bye then make our way back to the rig. It’s time to do what we came to do and drop off this load. Then we will turn and burn.

It’s time to get home.

My phone rings from a blocked number. I hesitate to answer, but it’s been four days, four days without hearing from my man.

“Caroline Milton,” I answer as my heart rate picks up.

“Lux,” his voice is raspy and heated. Immediately, I’m hot for him, but I’m also livid.

“Four days, Drexel.”

“Oh, she’s sassy. You’re making me hard, Lux.”

“Hard, Drexel Crews? You want to talk hard! It’s been four days! Four motherfucking days since I’ve heard from you.”

“Oh, she’s trashy. When I get home, I’m gonna fuck you so hard.”

“That word again. Hard! Let me tell you what’s hard. Being in love with a jackass who can’t even send a smoke signal that he’s okay!” I screech.

He laughs.

“When you get home, I’m gonna kick you in the nuts with a pointy-toed shoe.” Calming down, I add in a whisper, “After you fuck me so hard in nothing but those shoes.”

He laughs harder. “There’s my woman. Damn, I can’t wait to give it to you good.”

“Promises, promises,” I come back with on a sigh.

Rex is safe. Rex is most likely on his way back to me. This means I have work to do.

“You good, baby?” he asks.

“You good?” I give right back.

“As long as you’re at home, safe and waiting for me, then always, Lux, always.”

“I’m good, Rex.”

He laughs again. “It’s sexy when you get pissed and call me Drexel. Makes me hard.”

“Everything makes you hard.”

“Nah, there was that one time when I wanted you and didn’t have you, and I had that little issue with a barfly.”

“Drexel,” I scold. “I can take a lot of shit, and I mean a lot of shit, but you talking about some broad and getting hard or not, that’s pushing it, buddy. I may have to kick you in the nuts before you fuck me.”

“Sassy and trashy while still being classy. Lux, you know how to keep this man in love and lust. Fingers, face, or a quick fuck—what’s it gonna be first, Lux?”

“Hmmm?” I tease.

“If you’ve gotta take time to think about it, then I didn’t leave a strong enough impression before I left. I’ll have to make sure to do better next time.”

“Next time, it would be wise to know four days is pushing the limits of my patience. I’ll ride and die for you, but baby, I just need a little something to let me know you’re okay.”

“It would be wise for you to know I’ve been away from my home, my son, and my woman for over a week now, and baby, that’s hard on my mind and my body. It would be wise for you to be ready for fingers, face, and my dick for days.”

I laugh. “Good. Now get your ass home so I can beat you for worrying me.”

“Baby”—he gets serious—“this is my life. I know it ain’t easy, but I’ve gotta know you can handle it.”

I sigh, knowing I didn’t need to give him shit. This is his job.

“You coming home to me?”

“You know it.”

“Then I’m good. As long as you’re coming home to me, it’s all okay.”

“See you sooner rather than later, Lux.” He clicks off the phone, and I know that’s all I will get out of him.

For the normal business transports, I’m given an itinerary. I know when he will be home. When they have to do a club run, I know he goes back to the coast before returning to Catawba.

Time to get a bagged packed and get my plan into motion. I have a man to meet as he pulls in and a wedding to be had.

Our stop is on the outskirts of Consequences, and as planned, there are a lot of truck trailers lined up. We pull into the fifth slot over, between two other trailers, and unhook. Tripp makes the call, assuring the point man is not far behind us to take over the load, while I change the locks over from our own to the next contact’s locks.

Walking through the parking lot, I count to space fourteen, finding the trailer we will carry back. I check the tires and make sure the tags are a match to the trailer number and registration.

There are times when laws can be broken and limits can be pushed, but to make careless mistakes puts the entire operation at risk, and not just short-term, but long-term.

Crews Transports does regular road hauls. We have a legitimate side to our business, and it only takes one slip up to cost us everything … including our freedom.

I raise my hand to Tripp to signal the trailer we will hitch up to next, and he climbs into our rig. When we see the receiving truck pull up, we know our job is done. It takes no time before we are pulling out onto the open road again.

Given our recent altercation, we are both on high alert for any suspicious vehicles, and with our attention being on every little thing, the ride passes relatively quietly. The miles pass, and I keep thinking of sinking so deep inside Lux I will forget where I end and she begins.

Just before we cross back into Texas, Tripp pulls over at a mom and pop store. I look around, double-checking the mirrors, thinking I missed something.

Climbing out of the rig, I take his six and follow him as we walk toward the store.

“Wanna tell me why we’re stopping here?” I finally ask when I can’t find a threat.

“Roundman has more back up en route. Boomer and Danza will clean up the mess back there, but none of us are safe on our own. He told me to make it slow. That said, Doll goes through phases when she likes to cook and shit.”

I put my hands on hips and stop in place. “What the fuck does this place have to do with Doll and her attempt to cook?”

Tripp turns back to me, lifts his sunglasses, and wiggles his eyebrows. “Spices.”

I shake my head. “I’m missing something here.”

“When you get married and have a kid, you’ve gotta be creative with spicing things up. If I get her some spices for the kitchen, she’ll keep it hot in the bedroom.” He puts his sunglasses back into place and enters the shop.

“Tripp, I seriously doubt there is any problem with the spice in your bedroom. You’re a fucking Crews.”

He smirks. “Rex, tangible,” he says, picking up a Tex-Mex mixture. “I take this in and show my woman that I was thinking of her while I was away”—he pauses, grabbing some more spices—“and every day, I have her on my mind. Gotta learn it’s the little things, brother. Actions and shit. I don’t need to tell Doll I love her; I show her. I don’t have to question where we stand when I say we gonna do this. I know the answer. No matter what I’m asking, she’s riding with me. If I leave, she’s got my boy, my business, my brothers, and my house to handle. She holds all that down. I can give her these little things that let her know she’s with me when I’m gone.” He tosses a bottle to me. “Tangible, brother. Learn it.”

I laugh as we go to the register for him to buy some damn spices that I’m pretty sure will still be unopened five years from now.

Is this what being married is? Shopping for spices? Women have purse parties, Tupperware parties; surely, they have a spice party. Do I really need to bring home little jars of magic salt for Lux to know she’s got me by the balls?

This shit seems a little extreme. Then again, what the fuck do I know about relationships?

I turn around and go back to the shelf, picking up two jars for myself.

Tripp turns around as he hits the exit door.

I raise the jar up in the air. “Tangible.” I laugh. “I’m spicin’ shit up.”

I smile over at Doll as I pack my bag. “Am I really doing this?”

“Fuck yeah, you are!” She laughs as BW starts pulling my clothes out just as fast as I’m putting them in. He picks up a pair of my silk and lace panties and holds them high. “Sorry, Lux, he’s a Crews man.”

We both laugh as I put the garments back and continue packing.

“Shit!” I freak out. “Doll, I don’t have a dress. I don’t know when he’s coming in. Hell, I don’t know if he’ll really go down to the courthouse with me.”

“Breathe, Caroline. This is Rex. He’s going to go to the courthouse if that’s what you want.”

I smile at my friend as I zip up the suitcase. “You’re right. Okay, Kenna is covering me at work, and Sass is going to let me crash with her so I don’t freak out every second of every day while I wait for him to pull in.” I throw my hands up in the air. “I’m crazy! This is crazy!”

She laughs, and BW throws his hands up, mocking me.

“I have a surprise,” she says with mischief in her eyes.

“Well, spill it. I don’t like surprises.”

She picks her son up and rests him on her hip. “We’re coming with you!”

Tears fill my eyes. “Really?” I ask as they begin to stream down my face.

She nods. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

My two best friends and our Hellions family will be with us as we commit our lives to each other.

Doll steps over to me and puts her arm around my shoulders, whispering, “And Jolene, too.”

I gasp and finally feel like maybe this idea isn’t so bad.

Before I can take in all of my emotions, she squeezes me tightly. “And Shooter, Tessie, and Axel will be down tomorrow.”

I let out a happy sob. Everyone who matters will be with us. I just have to hope the groom will be happy enough to go through with it.

Rex always tells me: if I want something, take it. Well, I want his last name, and I’m damn sure going to take it.

***

The ride to the coast is filled with excitement and nervous jitters. I wonder when Rex will pull into town. My mind races with things I need to get in order now that we will, indeed, have our family and friends with us.

We arrive at Sass and Tank’s to say a quick hello before Doll decides we need to crash at one of the duplexes where we will have more space. This surprises me since the three of us are closer than sisters and typically stay with one another when in town.

Settling in, I can’t help smiling constantly as the happiness consumes me. Then my phone rings, and I sigh as I look at the caller ID.

“Rex,” I greet.

“Lux, your voice is getting me hard.”

I laugh. “Rex,
everything
,” I add dramatically, “makes you hard.”