Stalking the Dancer || 18+

Part Twenty One - Peace Offering

The lot outside The Oake is already crowded with bikes when we pull in. Gravel crunches under my sneakers when I get out of the truck, and it crunches even louder as Billy jogs around the back of his truck with my crutches in hand. Now that he's a little less worried about my mental stability, he's gone back to worrying about my physical stability nonstop. Which still isn't great, but the crutches will only be around for a little longer. Who knows? Maybe I can convince this new doctor to let me off the hook right away.

My mind continues to wander as I hobble toward the door, periodically waving Billy off when his muttering about carrying me gets excessive.

We've just walked under the glow of the neon above the door when it bursts open and a mass of brown curls fly toward me. I smell her perfume before I see her face, and I wrap my arms around her, letting my crutches fall on the ground.

"Careful, Ash. Her ankles' not cleared." Billy's voice is warning, but not harsh. She loosens her hold and leans back to look at me. "I'm so happy you're home!" Her arms snake around me for another hug, but my mind sticks on that word.

Home.

I expected to feel something negative toward the idea, maybe numb to it altogether. But the warmth in my chest is saying something entirely different, and I don't fight the smile that spreads across my face. "Me too." I say.

And I mean it.

Like a bull breaking out of the chute, the door is thrown open so hard that it ricochets off of the side of the building. "Doll! Get over here!" His sapphire eyes look at me expectantly, and his raven hair is falling loose from its bun. I don't get the chance to think about moving before Billy's hand is on my elbow. "If you even consider it, I swear to–" I pull myself away from Ashlee and throw myself at her brother. Thankfully he catches me and lifts me into his arms.

"Didn't you say something about carrying me?"

I bat my lashes at him as he scoffs, and a giggle bursts out when he huffs out a comment about my sass.

"Don't rub off on her so soon, Ashlee." Billy sneers over his shoulder as we move toward the door.

"No way. I never thought you'd find a girl delusional enough to put up with you. I'm not letting her go now, or I'd be stuck with you for the rest of my life!" She shouts after us. My head falls back in laughter, and I feel Billy's hold on me tighten. When my eyes find his, he's already watching me. I think that may be the tone of our relationship now: he watches my every move, and I let him because there's a part of me that loves his attention. I'm starting to wonder if I'm starting to love him. The thought makes my mouth go dry, so I look over to the bar and say the only rational thing my brain can come up with.

"I need a drink."

It's Billy's turn to laugh, but he makes no protest as he pulls out a barstool with his foot and plops me down onto the leather, moving to sit beside me. I look down the bar to see Antoine opening a mountain of beers for a group of bikers.

The bar is full, but I have a feeling it usually is. It's loud, and from the looks of the two arguing in the back corner, a little rowdy. Ray materializes across the bar from me, putting his elbows down and leaning in so I can hear him more clearly. "What're we drinking, doll?" I shrug, and he pours me a shot of something brown. I reach to take it from him, but he pulls it back at the last second. "We need to make a deal." My eyebrows scrunch, and he chuckles. His blue eyes sparkle with amusement, the blue almost seeming brighter when he smiles.

"No, doll. This shot is a peace offering. On the house, as long as you promise to take out the last of your rage on it. After that, no more breaking my shit." I feel my eyes widen at his proposal. Intriguing as it may be, I don't know if I can make such a long-term promise.