Page 45

The Dick Game

M eredith

I had been more concerned with saving my ass when Grace had first brought up hiding in the vault.

We wouldn’t have to leave our home, but we’d be safe and out of the way.

I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking.

It hadn’t seemed like a bad gig until I’d actually seen the vault, and by then, it had been too late.

The vault was literally an old, dark, money safe, and I was afraid the must smell would harm Pumpkin.

It wasn’t airtight, but we weren’t getting a lot of fresh air, just enough not to suffocate in here.

“This is fun,” I said, sitting on the concrete floor, tucking Pumpkin against me. Grace had brought battery-operated tea lights, flashlights, and extra batteries. We were sitting in the dark, with fake flames, and I wanted to be anywhere but here.

“At least we’re not stuck at some dirty safe house,” Grace commented, straightening her legs.

“No offense, but if we have to be stuck together, I’d rather it be here instead of a safe house. Once this is over, we can go back to our rooms and pretend this shit never happened,” Kitten commented. She brought her fingers up to her face and flicked at each one, picking at her nail polish.

Agreed, even though I could barely see in front of my face.

I wasn’t an Old Lady, but there was a divide between the voted women and the club girls.

Grace acted like there wasn’t one, but it was times like this that it was too obvious to ignore.

Pebbles was the only club girl who didn’t actively cause drama.

She floated in and out, smiling and laughing with whomever was available.

I had experienced firsthand the wrath of a few others.

They had no problem with snide comments when they thought no one was paying attention.

I could have cared less they were club girls. Their choices didn’t affect me. Grizz would never cheat. If he had wanted to, he would have already done it. I didn’t like them because they were mean, seeing other women as competition.

I do the same thing. It was like a slap in the face.

Kelly. The chick with her friends that one Friday night.

All the times I had passed judgement floated through my mind, small clips when I’d been the mean girl.

Pumpkin moved against me, immediately bringing me back to the present.

If you want her to be the best version of herself, you’re going to have to teach her how.

“I can do that for you,” I whispered against her head, kissing her before sitting back against the wall.

“If you wanted to be an Old Lady, you should have never volunteered as a club girl,” Pebbles scolded Kitten, as she adjusted one of her buns. “I heard the girls for the Knights constantly have to take three or more. No, thanks,” she said, shuddering.

I shuddered, too. It was hot to think about being used like a rag doll by two or three men at a time. It was so good, I was planning on dirty talking it to Grizz. He’d never agree, which made it even more fun. However, I was with Pebbles—it didn’t sound appealing as a daily occurrence.

“Chef’s never going to claim you. He can’t.” It was like Peaches had slapped Pebbles. Her head flung backwards, and I wasn’t the only one glad she didn’t bounce off the side of the vault.

Pebbles and Chef? Didn’t see that coming.

“You’re dead wrong if you think I’m sticking around, waiting for a man.

The day that happens is the day I’ll pack my shit and leave.

Maybe you should think about your own place here.

” Pebbles fixed the other bun for something to do.

She sat in front of the candle, and the light bounced off the planes of her face.

She hid her pain well. I only recognized it because it was the same loss I held deep for my mother.

Pebbles was grieving Chef, and they lived in the same clubhouse.

“I don’t have a problem keeping the men satisfied,” Peaches shot back. I said nothing, preferring to stay out of a club girl battle. This was entertaining, though.

“Wreck’s only fucking you because you probably feel the same as Pretty but with tits.” Pebbles drew first blood.

“What? No, he’s not. I’m his favorite. He always comes to me.” Peaches crossed her arms over her chest, causing her fake tits to push up. If she wasn’t careful, she’d smother herself.

“The man is in the closet.” Pebbles kept pushing.

Everyone in the vault saw the moment Peaches understood.

She wasn’t Wreck’s favorite. She reminded him of Pretty, and the similarities were close enough that Wreck could forget for however long they were together.

Pretty was taller than Peaches, but they had the same general build—small shoulders, tapered hips, and long legs.

Peaches was also a blonde with shoulder-length hair, the same as Pretty.

“Oh, snap. Damn, Pebbles. Tell us how you really feel about it.” I didn’t know the girl who was speaking, but she had pink hair. “So, I have a confession,” she said, looking straight at me. “When you and Grizz broke up, he came to my room.”

“So?” I wasn’t sure if I cared or not. I guess it depended on where this story was going.

“Told me to get ready, so there I am, laying on the bed, butt-ass naked. The dude couldn’t get it up. Not even a chub. He stared at me, but I wasn’t sure he actually saw me before he walked out the door. Never mentioned it again.” Pink hair smirked.

I smirked back at her before we both burst out laughing. “He never has that problem with me.”

“I didn’t think so, but it was pretty funny, and since we have time…” She shrugged. Pink hair had only told that story to pull attention from the other two. It broke the ice.

“What I want to know, Aunt E, is how you got mixed up with a hot cartel boss? I’d call him Daddy if he wanted me to,” one girl said. I wasn’t sure of her name. Candy? Cinnamon? Fireball? It was something along those lines.

I need to learn their names.

“I want to know, too,” Grace agreed.

Me three! “Sabre calls you mama. Does he have a hidden daddy kink we don’t know about?

” I chided her, giving Aunt E a minute, in case she didn’t want to spill.

I didn’t want my aunt to be hurt any more than she already was about the past. Her comment about living with regret hadn’t sat well with me, ever since that day in the kitchen.

“It’s okay, hon…ey.”

She’d called me honey, and even though there was a pause in the middle, my heart skipped a beat at the normalcy. I caught Grace’s eye as she discreetly wiped a tear. She’d heard it too, and it had given us both hope.

“Young…dumb…in love…He said…every…thing right.” My aunt still wore a brace on her hip that locked around her leg. Grace and I knew she’d never be able to sit on the ground, so we’d made sure the enforcers had brought a fold-up chair with padding for her.

“How did you meet?” Grace urged, shifting JR on her lap. He was more interested in the battery-powered candle, not the conversation floating around him.

“Ugh…He was your father’s…client. You were sick…and I took…lunch. Alex there.” She brought her fingers up to her ear as if this was charades, and the word was telephone.

“He called you?” Emily had been quiet for most of the night, and we hadn’t pushed her to talk. She sat up and folded her legs underneath her, engrossed in the story.

My aunt enthusiastically shook her head before pointing to her chest. “Coy.”

“No wonder he chased you. I bet you were hot,” Pink Hair said.

The vault went completely silent before laughter echoed off the walls.

Pebbles gripped her side, falling into Kitten.

Peaches grabbed her thighs, falling forward, as if that would help her regain her composure.

Grace had buried her nose in the curls on JR’s head.

I tightened my hold on Pumpkin until she made a noise, quickly releasing her.

My aunt shrugged. “First night.” She smacked her fist against her palm. “Preg…nant.”

“That was more than I ever wanted to know about your demon spawn.” My mouth dropped open as my brain caught up with my mouth. “Aunt E, I’m so sorry.” Hurting her had never been my intention.

She waved me off. “I didn’t…know.”

“Please tell me you didn’t swear off men after. No dick is worth giving up more dick.” Pebbles shifted on the floor, but when she found a comfortable spot and sat up, we were all staring at her. “You can’t tell me I’m not right.”

“Favorite dick?” I asked her, taking the pressure off of my aunt. This conversation had completely gone off the rails. It was a good thing the babies were still little, otherwise, we’d have serious explaining to do.

“Scrub.” I swore her eyes rolled back into her head.

“Really? He’s always so mild-mannered.” Emily scrunched her nose, obviously thinking about what signs she might have missed.

“I walked through those gates right after Stands left. He was sowing some wild oats then, and the boy had skills. Still the best dick I’ve ever had. You?” She winked at me, knowing exactly what I was going to say.

“There’s only been two.” I covered Pumpkin’s ears. “You don’t need to know your daddy’s dick game is on point.”

“I didn’t want to know either,” Grace laughed. “I don’t have to tell you mine.”

“Sabre.” The club girls, Emily, and I sang in a high-pitched tone. It caused another round of laughter. JR joined in, not having a clue what he was laughing about.

“I waited for Tyler.” Emily placed her hands over her eyes, embarrassed. “I told him it just hadn’t happened, and he bought the excuse. No man was him, and I wasn’t interested.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that, sugar,” Cinnamon said, nudging her foot.

“Wait a fucking second. You took a piercing as a virgin?” Kitten’s eyes were about to pop out of her head.

“Yeah. Is it hard?” Emily’s hands lowered from her face, but only her eyes appeared.