Page 15 of Next Level (Royal Bastards MC: Oakland Chapter #1)
ALMOST THERE
W e decided to stop for the night once we crossed over the California border. We only have five to six hours left before we’re home, but I was too tired to keep driving, so we’re staying at a hotel in Yreka.
After Voodoo Doughnut, Sam called Amanda and spoke with her briefly. When she called Brooke, things got a little tense, but Sam handled it well. She knows she’s in trouble for getting in the car with the boy, but again, she’s young and trusted him.
I spoke with her a bit more about future decisions, but she said she would never get into a car with any man or boy unless I was aware of it.
We discussed Jared further, and I tried to learn more about him, but she didn’t know much.
They kept her in the dark. Jared mostly whined to her about his life.
Cherry texted me that she was home safe and to call when I got a chance.
Well, the time was now. Sam was asleep on her bed, so I grabbed my phone and headed out to the pool right outside our door. Grabbing a seat, I dial her number. I have butterflies in my stomach and feel like a teenage boy calling his first girlfriend.
I chuckle to myself. Stop being a bitch.
“Hello, handsome.”
“Hi, beautiful. How’s my Blossom?” My voice is laced with longing.
She giggles. “I’m good. Is it weird that I’m missing you?”
Yes. My Blossom misses me.
“Fuck no. To be honest. I don’t know how I’ll sleep tonight without you sprawled out on top of me.”
I can tell she’s smiling when she answers, “Well, hurry home then.”
“Hmm. You have no idea. I’m driving straight through tomorrow. Maybe stopping for gas and some food, but I’m ready to be home.”
She sighs. “I bet.”
Something my daughter said keeps bothering me, so I ask, “Question for you.”
“I’m sure I’ll have an answer for you.”
Feisty. I like it.
“Smart ass,” I huff. “So, why did you really come all the way to help me? You could have just given us the information and called the cops. It’s kind of crazy for you to fly a state over to meet a man. A man like me, without even knowing me.”
I hear her take a deep breath.
I wait.
Another deep breath, and she answers, “You got me.” I can tell she’s smiling that gorgeous smile of hers. “Like I told you, I saw your video—the devotion you have for your daughter—and to go after her.”
She pauses. “I felt something and wanted to meet you. When I talked to Sunshine, she told me you were a great guy. And… you’re fine as hell.”
Her words hit me right in the chest.
“What if I had an ol’ lady?” I question.
“Um…I may have asked Sunshine, who asked Dawg, if you were in a committed relationship,” she says truthfully.
I let out a full-belly laugh. My Blossom chased me.
“What? Don’t laugh,” she whines.
Wiping the tears away, I say with amusment in my voice, “I’m shocked. So you chased your man, huh?”
Cherry fires back, “So, you are my man?”
“Oh, I’m your man and then some,” I growl.
“What about those other women, won’t they have something to say about it?”
“I don’t give a fuck. I’ll deal with them when I get back. I want to explore us.”
“Explore us?” she breathes.
“Yeah, meaning I won’t fuck around on you, and you better not fuck around on me.
I wouldn’t call you my ol’ lady yet, but I’m willing to call you my girlfriend,” I say with determination, then I open myself up to her.
“I haven’t had a ‘girlfriend’ since Brooke, and we didn’t really date until she got pregnant, and then when all her craziness came out, I was out. ”
“So this is a trial run,” she asks playfully.
“You can call it whatever you want. I want you and you alone. I ain’t going to lie, this is all new territory for me, so bear with me, but I want us to be an us.”
She sighs her approval.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes. So, hurry and get home.”
“Tomorrow, Blossom, tomorrow,” I declare.
“Okay, Ray,” she says breathlessly.
God, I love how she says my name all sexy-like.
“Okay, I need to make some calls, but I’ll be thinking of you later when I’m showering,” I tease.
Her laugh echoes through the phone.
“I’ll send you something to look at,” Cherry says seductively.
My cock is instantly hard.
“Fuck yeah, Blossom. You got me excited just thinking about it.”
“Well, we could take care of that right now,” she purrs into the phone.
I growl, “Blossom, if I weren’t sitting around a pool with kids swimming, I would whip out my dick right now and have a pull, but I’d probably get arrested.”
Her laughter sings through the phone again.
Christ.
I shift my dick in my pants.
“Okay. If you need help later, please don’t hesitate to call me. I think I’m going to need a shower of my own soon.”
That has my dick twitching.
“Christ, Blossom, you got me feeling like a crackhead over here for you.”
“Well, like I said, get home soon. Call me later if you need me.”
I grumble, “Okay, I’ll call you later.”
We hang up the phone, and I sit forward, repositioning myself again.
“Down, boy. Down,” I tell my cock, knowing I won’t be able to stand up with this enormous erection.
My Blossom. Mine.
Since I can’t go back inside just yet, I pull up all my text messages. Knowing I need to deal with Tamara and Tink, I start to read the text messages from Tamara.
TAMARA: Baby, I’m so worried about Sam and you. Call me.
TAMARA: Your mom tells me you’re headed north. Call me.
TAMARA: How are you? Why haven’t you called me or your mom?
TAMARA: Why are you ignoring my calls?
TAMARA: The fuck, Ray? I’m worried about you. CALL ME.
TAMARA: Your mom told me you have a bitch with you.
TAMARA: Are you not calling me back because of this bitch?
TAMARA: Ray, you’re pissing me off. What the FUCK is going on?
Jesus Christ, Lord Almighty, she is completely deranged. There are at least eight more crazy texts. I delete them all.
I don’t even want to reply to her because then she’ll call me. I’ll deal with her when I get back.
I open up Tink’s text messages, but thank fuck there are is only a couple.
TINK: I’m worried about Sam. Please call with any updates.
TINK: Sorry to call. I know you’re busy. Just call when you can with an update.
TINK: I’m heading to the clubhouse to check in. I don’t want to bother you too much.
TINK: Jay told me you got her back. Thank God.
TINK: Thinking of you. See you both when you get home.
Now, those texts are like from a friend. I think Tink and I will be okay. Yeah, we fuck, but it’s like friends with benefits. At least I’m hoping that’s what this is. I decide to text her back and see what happens.
LEVEL: Tink, thanks for all the texts and calls. We’ll be home tomorrow.
I push send, and instantly, I see the dots showing that she’s typing. Fuck.
TINK: Just so glad she’s okay. See you when you get back.
Relief washes over me. Tink is a damn good woman. I pray she finds someone good. Fuck that, I’ll make sure she finds someone good.
Now that my dick’s back to normal, I can get up and head back to the hotel room.
I need to call Dawg and Zoom, then it’s time for a shower.