Rubble: Devil's Rose #12

Chapter 9: Nicholas Frasier

"I don't hug everyone like this, you know that right?" Alice addresses, making sure I have clarification of what her hugs are normally like.

"I know, baby."

That's all I say. She doesn't need any further explanation or comment. I know this too.

I feel her pull her head away from my neck, letting her lips trail my jawline. I cradle her head with one hand, the other keeping her secure against me, as our lips meet softly.

All of our kisses have been intense, part of the sex that we're having. This is something completely different.

This is tender, gentle. It's the most intimate and romantic thing we've done in the past seventeen hours. My heart skips a beat as she moans quietly into my mouth.

Fuck, that's the sweetest and sexiest sound I've ever heard in my life.

When we finally pull away, her lips swollen so I'm sure mine are too, we are relaxed against each other and breathing heavily.

"I'll see you later, okay, sunshine?"

She nods her head in reply, clearly stunned about the kiss we just shared.

I hope she doesn't overthink it. I know she will, but fuck, I don't want her to get scared.

Which she probably will.

I set her back onto the couch, and she smiles, her fingers touching her lips.

I leave her sitting there, and even though I would prefer that I could lock the door behind me, I also know that she's safe here.

Every time a Devil's Rose MC member (literally just Major and me) has walked out of her apartment, we've claimed her as part of the club which means if you go after her, you go after all of us. Not many people have the balls for that.

I glance up to her apartment window one last time to see her already standing there, the window open and her head poking out to watch me leave. I send a wave up to her and smile before putting my helmet on my head and swinging one leg over my motorcycle.

Because she lives somewhat on the outskirts of Westmoor, the drive is about eight minutes from her place to headquarters. I'm going to be working there a lot more since another prospect is slowly starting to take over my spot at the bar.

I will still be there, especially for Alice who comes in after work, but many more of my days will be spent at headquarters doing accounting things most likely.

I had a brief stint in community college with accounting, so I know more about it than most in the Devil's Rose MC, so I help out our accountant every so often.

I don't have enough knowledge to take over the job and absolutely don't want to, but I'm a good extra hand when needed.

Parking in the back lot is easy since it's only MC members that allowed to park there and half of them aren't here. Although Major's motorcycle is here. I didn't even think about what I was going to tell this man, and I know I'm lying to him, I just don't know how I'm going to do it.

I'll be as truthful as I can but leave out the raunchy details; he doesn't need to know that shit. He wouldn't hear it even if it wasn't about his sister, not that we normally talk about women in that way.

Now that I think about it, in any conversations I've had about women, it's never been about the sex, mostly about other qualities of the woman. Or how we each feel about the woman.

The backdoor to headquarters automatically locks behind me as I step inside with my helmet under my arm. I step deeper inside the building to see Vegas and Poison in an intense conversation.

I try to move past them, wanting no part in their father-son (practically not biologically) debate. But I'm caught the second I give them a nod of acknowledgment. I should have run.

"If you were Dakota, would you want a fish?" Poison questions me, holding onto my arm as if he knows I want to run.

It's nothing against either of them. I just know I can't give Poison or Vegas the answer that they each want.

"I don't think I know Dakota well enough to answer this question," I reply democratically still convinced that no answer I give will be enough to satisfy.

"She wouldn't," Vegas concludes, trying to stop the issue and the question entirely.

"But you and June have one."

"Had, Poison. It died after two weeks because our cat ate it."

"I have a dog with Dakota."

"And it took her like a month to warm up to that. I can't imagine her wanting a fish."

They both look at me with an expression that tells me that they each want to be right.

"I say no to the fish. I also say what the fuck about Vegas' fish. Neither one of you needs a fish. And I think your Old Ladies would say the same fucking thing. Can I go now?"

Vegas and Poison nod in reply, leaving the fish conversation to rest and talking about something entirely different as I walk away from the two of them.

They feed each other in every single conversation that they have. Fucking ridiculous.

I say hi to computer room geeks, Piper, Carbon, and Slasher (who I'm not expecting to be there but is anyway).

Whiskey and Reaper are also working on something in Reaper's office, and when I try to get details, the only reply I get is from Whiskey who says that he'll be briefing us in our weekly Devil's Rose official member meeting. I forgot that was happening today.

I knock on Alpha's office door and step in after he gives me the go ahead. Bullet sits in front of Alpha's desk, feet kicked up with a drink in hand.

"Pretty damn early for whiskey," I point out, motioning my hand toward the drink.

"It's apple juice. Piper was drinking it this morning but didn't want to finish it," Bullet clarifies, understanding that my attention to it comes from a place of kindness and care, not judgment.

"Why am I not surprised about that?" I tease, sitting down not-so-gracefully on the other seat in front of Alpha's desk.

"Because it's Piper. It's exactly something that she would do."

"You two finished?" Alpha butts in, a weak look of annoyance on his face.

We both nod our heads, Bullet getting dismissed shortly after Alpha gains our attention back, and Alpha gives me directives for my time today. It's accounting things like I thought it would be, mostly due to the last round of checks we got from the police department.

Before Alpha can just go out handing everyone their paychecks, or depositing it into our bank account really, we've got to make it that we're each getting our appropriate pay.

I don't get to see the amounts that the other Devil's Rose members are getting - that wouldn't be very good - I am just seeing what the police department is paying us for and making sure it fits in the agreement that we've made with them.

I want to get my full pay too.

Because of all the little details that I have to go over, that takes up about half of my day which I'm sort of glad. I got to avoid Major while I figure out exactly how I want to phrase my conversation and time with Alice and it means that I get to see her sooner.

I got lunch with the account, Tobias, since we've become good friends through his consulting and work. At three, which is about two hours away, the Devil's Rose member meeting is happening, so I have work time to kill.

I end up making my way to the armory, kinda out of character for me but for some reason, I know Major won't be here, so I don't need to worry about that conversation yet. I'm not sure why I'm so worried about it, but I am.

I haven't lied to him ever I don't think. And I'm not completely lying, just leaving things out, but it makes me nervous.

I would do anything for Alice, and it's not like I'm going to tell what happened until Alice and I agree to do so, but it just feels weird to me.