Page 10 of Judge (Devil’s Rose MC #7)
Banging on the door has me rushing to answer it. I know that the men are meant to be riding out tomorrow, but what I’ve learned from the women over the course of our girls night drinks is that shit can hit the fan quicker than the blink of an eye.
Flinging the door open I’m met with Pops, and he looks like he means business.
“Listen, girl, I like you. You’re one of us. But for the love of god, I need you to say yes to the next person that knocks on this door, capiche?”
I blink once, then twice. “What? Who’s going to knock? What’s the question?”
“You don’t need to worry about that, just say yes.” With that his hand snakes inside, grips the door handle and then slams the door in my face. “Maybe put on some lipstick!”
What the hell? I look at my distorted reflection in the microwave and then jump out of my skin when someone bangs on the door.
“What the hell, Pops!” I yell as I fling the door open again, only to jolt and let out a squeak when I’m met with Judge’s large body blocking out the sunlight.
“Kaia,” he breathes out, staring like he hasn’t seen me in years. I guess it’s not too far from the truth. Apart from last night we haven’t really been in each other’s vicinity long enough for a full conversation. I’ve spent more time with his brothers.
“Judge.” I ignore the flinch when I call him by his road name, and not his real name. Yes, I know all about road names now. Still have no idea how the guys got them, just that the only people to call them by their government names are their Ol Ladies.
“I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner tonight?” He looks nervous as hell. So I make him sweat, for the laughs.
He rocks from foot to foot, first staring too intently at me, and then looking at something over my shoulder. I stare him down, knowing that he’s hella uncomfortable. Then I remember Pops’ words and I guess it’d be a good time to finally have a reason to talk.
“OK.”
His eyes flick to me in surprise, “OK?”
“Yeah. Yes. OK, I’ll have dinner with you.”
“I’ll pick you up at 6pm.”
He turns to walk off. “Wait, we’re on lockdown, wouldn’t we just be eating here?”
He turns toward me and damn the sunlight beaming down on him.
It’s giving him a hazy look, like he’s been lit up by damn angels or something.
It’s also highlighting how incredibly handsome he is.
This is something I don’t need. There is no need for me to look at this man as anything other than the guy I grew up with.
And had hot, soul shattering sex with. Two times.
I shake my head, to dispel the thoughts and concentrate on the not hot man staring at me.
“Pops has got everything arranged.” He shrugs one broad shoulder.
“Well, OK then. See you at 6.” He smiles that lopsided smile I used to love before walking away with a bounce in his step.
I watch his ass work behind the fabric of his jeans and wonder if I should maybe ask for his glute workout regime and then remember that that ass has been a total ass this whole time and to not be a weak willed woman.
I’ve been in trouble before thanks to pretty looks and hard thighs and I don’t need that kind of trouble in my life again.
For shit’s sake, I’m hiding out from the cartel as we speak.
“I saw what you were looking at,” a droll voice calls out.
I flip the bird in Rider’s direction and ignore his laughter as I shut the door behind me.
I have hours to go before Judge collects me, and in the meantime there are things I want to try making in the farmhouse kitchen.
My aunt’s jambalaya will go down a treat and can just simmer away until it’s ready to be eaten.
Gathering up the spices that I refuse to go anywhere without, I make my way to the farmhouse kitchen, nodding at Sniper along the way. I’m not sure of the man’s story, but something definitely haunts him.
“Hey, little lady, need a hand with anything?” Mad Dog calls out, already making his way down the front steps of the house toward me.
Before I can reply he has my little basket of spices out of my hands and into his much larger ones.
“Oh, are you cooking?” another voice nearby calls.
Swinging my head around I’m met with Nitro pushing Fox in a wheelchair along the deck.
I roll my eyes, grin and continue making my way into the kitchen.
The kitchen that thankfully is large and roomy, because somewhere along the way I’ve picked up more giant bikers all clamouring to see what I’m up to.
Spinning, I place my hands on my hips and stare them down. “I never see you all in here crowding around Mama Debs when she’s cooking.”
“That’s because we know we’re gonna get the good stuff.” My brow raises at Rider whose face turns pale before he starts backtracking, “I mean, we know you’ll give us the good stuff too, because the diner and all that, but we don’t know your repertoire yet.”
“Good save,” Switch tries to whisper but instead it reverberates off the walls.
“What he’s trying to say, but can’t because he’s a dumbass, is that you have a whole new set of meals that we would love to try, if it’s OK with you,” Fox smiles sweetly. Nitro presses a kiss to the top of his head, his hand resting on his shoulder.
They are the sweetest couple, but I was shocked to find out that this is a new development, brought on by the clubhouse attack. Watching them for a moment I can’t help but think that as shocking and awful as the attack was, some good came out of it.
I’m pulled from my thoughts by Rider, which is probably a good thing because I think I was staring like a creep at Fox and Nitro. “So, whatcha making?”
“Jambalaya. And all y’all gonna help me. Wash your hands, stand in a line, and I’ll give you your orders.” I clap my hands twice and they all rush to the sink.
A warm, heavy arm is slung over my shoulder, and I lean a little closer. I knew it was Pops straight away from his spicy cologne. “I heard you were making jambalaya. Gonna be spicy, right?”
My brow raises. I don’t know how it happened so fast, but I feel like I can trust this man with my life. But at the same time, I feel like I can’t trust him at all. He has a glint in his eye and I’m not sure if it’s going to come back on me, or hit the MC with full force.
“Sure, I mean, I can make a good spicy batch for the adults and a more mild batch for the kids.”
“I knew I liked you for a reason. I’m gonna wash up and help out.” He flicks me a wink and I side eye him as he walks toward the sink. Shrugging, I make my way around the kitchen, inspecting the clean hands and handing out jobs.
“Ah, shit, this pepper is making me cry,” Rider sniffs, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.
“What pepper?” Screaming ensues and I rush toward Rider, but the sound isn’t coming from him. “Dex? Shit, are you OK?”
His face is red and tears are streaming down his face, pants around his ankles.
“What the fuuu-” Mad Dog stares, speechless
“My balls are on fire!”
Chaos breaks out, with half the men falling to the ground pissing themselves laughing, while the others stare at Dex’s very red looking privates in horror.
“Here!”
A splash and then a glugging sound fills the air as I stare at Rhodie holding an upended three gallon jug of milk over Dex’s head.
“Not my face, my junk!” Dex yells shrilly.
“Ew! You wash your own cock off,” Rhodie says, shoving the milk jug into Dex’s chest.
Milk runs down Dex’s firm stomach, pouring directly onto his junk, his groans of relief causing my cheeks to heat.
“ Aue! What the hell is going on in here? Dex! This is a kitchen, put your raho away!” Mama Debs chides, flapping her dish towel at the men, whipping their butts to get them to move out of the mess that Dex has made.
“It’s not my fault! The pepper Pops gave me to cut must have got on my hands or something and then ended up on my cock and balls and it burns!” Dex whines.
He’s so pitiful looking that I can’t help but feel sorry for him. Then his words register. “Wait, what do you mean, the pepper Pops gave you?”
I slowly look around the room, trying to locate Pops and he’s nowhere to be seen.
“That son of a bitch! He pepper pranked us!” Rider growls, his eyes still red and irritated from the pepper he was cutting.
“He was sabotaging my jambalaya! I knew he looked dodgy like he was up to something!” I exclaim, oh, he’s going to pay for that!
“I think you’ll find he was sabotaging us, not your delicious food,” Nitro offers, but it still doesn’t help me.
“Nope. Pops is going to pay the piper. You don’t mess with a woman’s jambalaya.”
“Oohhh, what are we going to do?” Dex asks, his face looking a lot less red.
“What do you mean, we?”
“He pranked us, and you. If you have plans, girl, you gotta let us in.”
“Oh I’ll have a plan. I just need to do research first. He’ll keep.” I smile at the men, then my smile turns into a wide grin until I’m beaming.
“Ah shit, we got another loose cannon, brothers,” Rider laments, shaking his head sadly.
That just makes me throw my head back and laugh.
“ Kotiro, you have a date to get to. I’ll take care of this, you go pretty yourself up,” Mama Debs shoos.
“You better tell your man we’re coming for him,” I say cheerily on my way out.
“Oh, I’ll join you. You don’t mess with a woman’s kitchen.”
The men all stand on either side of the door, high fiving me on my way out. I don’t think I’ve had this much fun in a long time. Now to face the father of my children.