“I know that I did what I felt like doing. You know that I don’t easily fall into bed with the first guy I meet. There’s something different about him, he makes me feel safe,” I said to her and her eyes softened.
I had made a conscious decision to leave out the bit about Commando’s bloodied knuckles, and the rage in his eyes every time he was reminded of the bruise on my arm…and also of course, my suspicions that he belonged to a motorcycle club. I had a feeling that Charity wouldn’t understand. She would have the same preconceived notions that I had, before I started working at The Lucky Lady. That members of MCs were nothing more than rough thugs, criminals…Commando and his friends were nothing like that. They led a different kind of lifestyle, but I had seen first hand that they operated on strict rules and principles, no matter how loosely they treated their women. Those women chose to hang around them. Besides, Commando treated me differently.
I had a feeling that Charity would judge me for my decision to sleep with him, if she knew who he really was.
“Was it an
y good?” she broke the silence in the room and when our eyes met, she could see just how good it was.
“Did you come?” she asked, sputtering with excitement now and I stifled a giggle.
“Repeatedly,” I replied and she shrieked.
“You came more than once? Like you had sex more than once?” her questions were incessant and I laughed.
“Both,” I told her and I could see the surprise in her eyes. I would have been surprised too if I hadn’t actually experienced it. Sex with Blaine or the handful of guys I had slept with before…had been nothing like this. With Commando, it was raw and wild and I couldn’t get enough of him. Even now, while I was painting Charity’s nails, I could feel the way his cock had driven into me. My pussy was still throbbing from the force and I wanted more.
I was done painting her toenails and Charity sat back on the couch, as I settled in on the floor at her feet. The pizza had gone cold by now, but I was ravenous and I ate my fifth slice, still hungry for more. I heard her sigh and I looked up at her.
“Well, as long as you know what you’re doing and he makes you happy,” she said and there was that word again. Happy. I had thought I was happy with Blaine, at least when I first met him.
But it was a different kind of happiness with him, a haze of feelings which I interpreted as happiness. In reality, I was just happy to have a boyfriend, someone to come home to who were not my strict parents. I wasn’t happy to be with him. With Commando, I felt safe, I felt satisfied and I also felt anxious when he wasn’t around.
“I’m happy,” I told her, not knowing what else to say. What did we have between us? Was it even a real thing?
“What about Blaine?” she asked and I pressed my eyes close and tried to shove away that image of Blaine standing over me, bracing himself for a punch. I was afraid of him finding me again. What else was he capable of doing? How far was he willing to take this?
I could go somewhere, I thought. I would have liked to move out, just so that Charity’s life wouldn’t be in danger anymore, but where could I go? Where could I go that Blaine wouldn’t find me? If I went anywhere, if I left town, it would mean that Commando and I wouldn’t stand a chance…of anything.
“Oooh this is the good part. Richard Gere is going to make her eggs!” Charity clapped her hands excitedly and I stared blankly at the screen. I needed to find a way of just enjoying myself and forget about everything else.
Chapter 21
Commando
The sound of the clock on the wall was loud in the quiet room. Dad was sitting across from me, behind his oak desk, his fingers steepled together. I knew Ava was safe at her friend’s house, I had just dropped her there. And when I returned to the Lucky Lady, I’d asked everyone to clear out the meeting room so I could talk to him alone.
“What is it, Kelley?” he asked, in a somber voice. He had judged from my eyes, from my demeanor that whatever it was, it was serious. He wasn’t in the habit of using my given name, at least not since I turned eighteen.
I needed to come clean with him, at least him. Things were getting out of hand with Ava and he needed to know.
“Ava Christenson,” I said her name and her red hair flashed before my eyes. For a moment Dad’s brows furrowed in confusion and then a knowing glaze washed over his face. I didn’t have to say anything else, he knew.
“When?” he asked.
“Couple of days ago.”
“How many times?”
“A few. She stayed over at my place.”
Dad banged the table with his fists, clenched his jaw and then looked away from me.
“You’re my son, Commando. The rules apply to everyone! But especially to you,” he barked and then settled himself.
“I wasn’t fucking on a mission to break the rules. This has never happened before,” I was speaking through gritted teeth and we glared at each other.
“So, what are you saying to me?” he said and I fought the urge to drop my eyes to my hands. I needed to hold his gaze. I needed him to know I was serious about what I was saying.