“Nic! Girl, what the hell did you do with the Twinkies?” Dani asks from behind us.

We’re standing in the kitchen. I’m making us some omelets because after round two of Dragon proving why I should probably lie to him more often, we both decided we were starving. Dragon is pushed up against my back, his bare hands stroking my stomach and his semi-erect cock is pushed against my ass. I can feel it, even through his jeans. How he’s this ready after the morning we’ve had is beyond me.

Dragon is insatiable. He has given me more orgasms in our morning together than Tony the Tool gave me during our entire relationship. I’m actually kind of sore from the workout he’s given me and it’s fantastic. Everything is pretty much in a dreamlike state until Dani’s question registers.

My body pulls up taut against Dragon and I look over at the table. Damn it! I should have cleaned that shit up. I look up at Dragon, who towers over my five foot seven frame. I see mostly his chin at this angle, but I can see the side profile of his face as he takes in the mass destruction of Twinkies. I know he’s not going to miss the significance of what I did. He looks down at me and his dark eyes sparkle.

They freaking sparkle.

I lick my lips and decide to ignore Dani and Dragon and go back to flipping the ham and cheese omelet.

“Is this a message Mama?” Dragon asks, letting go with one slow slide of his hand across my stomach and over my side.

“Message?” Dani chimes in. Then, her loud laughter can be heard... hell, probably all the way back in Blade.

“I don’t find it funny and besides it wasn’t a message,” I grumble, grabbing some plates and putting an omelet onto one of them and pouring the ingredients for another into the pan, refusing to turn around.

“What is it then, Mama?” Dragon asks, and I give him a dirty look over my shoulder. He sprawls out in a kitchen chair in front of the Twinkies. He picks up a smashed, gooey one in his hand, studying it like it holds the secret to life.

“There was a spider,” I said defensively, studiously watching my omelet and refusing to look back at him while I tell my lie. Dani’s laughter starts all over again.

“Holy shit, Nic, how big is a spider that causes you to go Thor on a defenseless box of sponge cakes?”

“It was a big spider,” I grumble. I take down another plate. “Are you hungry chick?” I ask her, trying to change the subject. Maybe food will shut her ass up.

“For your cooking? Always. Now back to this spider…”

I flip the omelet into one of the waiting plates, cut it in half and scoop part of it onto Dani’s plate. I turn off the burner and then turn around to look at my ex-best-friend and the man who may be the best sex I’ve ever had in my life, but is clearly an ass. I cross my arms above my stomach. I refuse to believe this is a defensive gesture.

“I don’t want to discuss the damned spider anymore.”

Dragon is studying me quietly, but his face is almost soft. Dani is picking up the mess on the table, every once in a while she’ll pick up a poor, flattened Twinkie, shake it and then give me a clearly fake, sorrowful look.

“I need to know how big the spider is mama. I might have to have the boys come out and spray,” he says so seriously. If I wasn’t watching his eyes and seeing the laughter in them, I would have thought he was being completely serious.

“Twinkies are bad for you,” I deadpan.

I hear Dani snort over to my right where she is throwing the damned cakes into the trash. I wish to God I had done that last night.

“Smooth, Nic,” she mumbles, trying to keep from laughing again—and failing.

“Is that right?” Dragon asks, staring right at me.

Dani’s using a dish cloth now to wipe the table down and shooting me looks that make me want to throw something at her.

“Yeah it’s high in triglycerides,” I growl, getting pissed at both of them.

“Oh Lord,” Dani mutters, throwing the dish towel toward the

sink and hits it perfectly. She then sits in the chair to Dragon’s left. To give her credit, I can tell she’s biting her lip and looking down at the table, to avoid entering into this conversation

completely.

“Try-glycer-whats?” Dragon asks.

“Triglycerides,” I repeat, wishing with all I had in me that I could stop this conversation.

“What exactly are these triglycerides?” Dragon asks and I take Dani’s plate and Dragon’s to the table to avoid looking into his eyes as I form a lie in my head.

“They...” Shit, what the hell are they? “They’re chemicals that are very harmful.

“Is that a fact?” he says, as I put his omelet in front of him.

“Yep! Totally,” I confirm, with an innocent smile on my face.

Dragon’s finger moves up to push some hair behind my ear. It’s not a sexual move at all, but it makes me feel warm inside.

“I actually think I read something about that,” Dani chimes in helpfully, as she grabs the orange juice from the fridge. She brings it to the table and then goes about getting glasses.

“What kind of things do these chemicals do?” Dragon asks, releasing my hair and looking back at his plate, taking a drink of the juice Dani puts in front of him.

“Do?” I ask, clearly panicking, and there’s no doubt he can hear it in my voice.

“Yeah. These harmful chemicals, what do they do?”

“Umm...they can make your hair fall out.” I ignore the sound of Dani choking on her orange juice.

“Well, I’ve been thinking of shaving my head anyway,” he answers quietly, taking a bite of his omelet.

“But I like your hair,” I protest without thinking and Dragon stops mid-bite to smile at me.

“Good to know, Mama.”

I try to keep from sighing. I think I might have failed. I turn to get my food and then join them at the table, hoping this conversation is finally done. Sadly, Dani doesn’t seem to want to let it die. I may have to kill her. It’s been nice having a best friend.

“I hear they cause crotch rot,” Dani giggles. She freaking giggles.

I looked down at my own food, suddenly not that hungry. Crotch rot?

“Fuck that’d never happen. I always have my Twinkies while I’m gloved,” Dragon answers, over a mouthful of food.

I think about what he’s saying, and I know up to, and including this point, he has been playing and having a great time doing so. Yet, to just casually throw that out, like it’s nothing Like the words shouldn’t bother me… hurt me?

Like sex is insignificant? Then again, he probably thinks of it like that. Despite our conversation about it just being me for however long this lasts, I’m really nothing to Dragon. For all I know, he means to end it today. I have an image of him with some faceless bimbo in my head and I’m starting to get upset all over again.

Shit! I even had unprotected sex with him earlier. Oh. My. God! It’s like I have a death wish. I just opened my legs and let him have his way with me again. Actually a lot of agains!

“Get that out of your head Mama,” Dragon growls and I look up to see him studying me.

“What?” I ask trying to sound innocent and failing miserably.

“Whatever it is that’s got you looking all pissed. I’ve always suited up. You feel me?”

“Not especially. Since I think you might have skipped that step about... oh I don’t know, all three times earlier!”

“Three times in a row? I’m thinking I need to find me a big hairy biker to ride,” Dani pipes up and I flip her off.

Dragon leans back in his chair and looks at me. I don’t back down. He shakes his head.

“You weren’t this bitchy with my cock in your mouth. I’m thinking we need to revisit that again.”

“Holy fuck me sideways in church and make me scream Jesus! Three times and oral sex? Hell, is this a local thing, because damn, I should have moved here when I was fifteen!” I hold my head down as Dani interrupts and makes me want to kill her—again.

“Bitch please! You were too busy giving it up to Denny Thomas to move,” I argue.

“Yeah well, let’s just say Denny Thomas did not do stamina. Like, at all.”

“Not many boys do at fifteen,” Dragon points out.

“Did you?” Dani asked.

“I haven’t had any complaints.”

“I just bet you haven’t. Nic, too bad you didn’t find D-Man here before Tony the Tool.”

“I need to get dressed,” I mumble, giving up all pretense of eating. I stand up taking my plate to the sink.

“Why? I thought you weren’t scheduled to work or anything today?” Dani asks.

“I need to drive into town and go to the free clinic,” I mutter, wanting away from this conversation, away from Dani, and most assuredly away from Dragon.

“What the fuck for Mama?”

I turn around as Dragon’s question echoes in the room. He is watching me with a fork full of omelet hovering halfway to his mouth.

“I need to go to the clinic because I’ve suddenly remembered the side effects of Twinkies.”

“And what would that be woman?” he asks, going back to

eating. The relaxed vibe coming off of him earlier is completely gone now, but that’s okay—so is my good mood.

“They pass around germs that can make your dick fall off.”

“Good thing you don’t have a dick,” Dragon returns—the prick.

“You know what I mean!”

“I believe I proved earlier that my dick is more than present and accounted for. I didn’t see you complaining about a fucking thing when you were choking on it and begging for more.”

Dani stops eating and looks back at me, quietly whispering, “Oh fuck me...” She knows me and because she knows me, she knows I’m about to blow. “Wrong move D-Man, totally the wrong move.”

Dragon doesn’t acknowledge her. His eyes are hard and they’re focused on me. That’s okay since I’m pretty sure mine are once again shooting hate rays of death at him.

“Maybe I forgot things I shouldn’t have.”

“Like what?” he growls, getting up from the table to come over and stand in front of me.

“Okay, so I’ll just let you two crazy kids carry on without me. I’ve got to go pull off my fingernails or stab myself with a dull knife. Anything is more fun than this,” Dani says, leaving the room.

“Eyes here, Nicole”

Oh no, he didn’t!

“I’m not a damn dog, Dragon—so, don’t treat me like one!”

“Woman, you best be explaining yourself, because I thought we had come to an understanding with this shit.”

“That’s because I was stupid and forgot!”

“Forgot what, for Christ sake?”

“That you’re a man-whore!”

“Nicole damn it, don’t start this shit.”

“Start what? You’re the one pushing it. I just said I was going to the clinic today!”

“Because you think I’d be stupid enough to pass something on to you. I told your ass I keep my shit gloved!” he growled.

“You say that, but you didn’t with me!

“I didn’t hear you telling me to stop and put on a rubber, none of the fucking, three times I’ve been inside you! I sure as hell didn’t hear you worrying about shit when you were draining my dick dry!”

“Oh my God! You’re unbelievable! News Flash Dragon! Some of that shit can eat through condoms!”

I move to go around him, intent on doing nothing more than getting the hell out of Dodge and away from Dragon before I kill him. He’s not about to let that happen though. Because, he grabs my arm, stopping me.

“Don’t do this shit, Mama. What we got going on, it’s good,” he says, his voice solid, but quieter.

“I’m getting checked Dragon, and before you put your dick back inside me, you need to go get checked too.”

“I don’t need this shit. I’m swimming in pussy. I don’t need to put up with your tight ass,” he says, his voice full of anger.

“Then don’t!” I yank on my arm to get away from him. His words hurt me and I’m close to tears. But, I’ll die before he will ever know that. Instead of letting me go Dragon picks me up and throws me over his shoulder.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I yell, trying to hold onto whatever part of his body I can grab, because it feels like I am falling.

“Mama, I’m going to go wear your ass out so that whatever crawled up in it, gets the fuck out of the way.”

“Seriously, let me the fuck down!”

“I will, just as soon as I get your ass back upstairs.”

“You know, you pick me up and carry me around a hell of a lot Dragon.”

“You complaining, Mama?”

“Hey D-Man you got company!” Dani calls out, when we are halfway up the stairs.

“Probably one of your Twinkies,” I grumble.

“Seriously Nicole, you need to shut your damn mouth because I’m going to paddle your ass for this shit.”

“Yo! Dragon, we got trouble man.” I look up and get a glimpse of the man who Dragon brings with him to the bar most often, Crusher. Really, who comes up with these names? Dragon swings me around and starts going back down the stairs. “I can walk you know,” I whine, because I’m annoyed as hell—thought maybe not as mad as earlier—probably because all talk of Twinkies has ceased.

Dragon waits until he gets to the bottom of the stairs and then lets me down. Unfortunately, he keeps hold of my hand and drags me behind him to go and talk to his buddy.

“Sorry man didn’t mean to interrupt. Hey darlin’,” Crusher says. His eyes travel the length of my body, a little too friendly. I probably should reiterate to Dragon that I’m not club pussy. Still, I let my eyes travel up his tight and very toned body. He’s wearing a black muscle shirt, which normally I’m not a fan of, but he had these sleeve tattoos on his right arm that go all the way up. It’s a mixture of blacks and a vibrant red line. It runs along the entire length, twisting and turning all over his arm. It disappears, following his collar bone. I can’t help but wish he had his shirt off—just so I could see where else it traveled and what it looked like. Not to mention, the way he says darlin’ could make a woman melt.

What was it about these bikers?

“Hey,” I huff. Dragon’s hand tightens up on my wrist and he yanks me so that I fall into his side.

“What?” I grouse.

“Quit checking Crusher out before I have to kill him,” Dragon demands.

My eyes get as big as saucers, because I am pretty sure he’s not kidding. I think I can scratch off reiterating not being club pussy from my to-do list.

“Hey boss? Man, we got shit going on. Need you out at Pussy’s now.”

“Oh my God! You have a place called, Pussy’s?!?!?”

“It’s a strip joint. That’s where I was a couple nights ago Nic. Some hot looking women there,” Dani chimes in helpfully. It doesn’t surprise me that Dani has been at the strip joint, but I notice the way Crusher checks her out, now that he has that little nugget of information. Men are such pigs.

“Of course it’s a strip joint! Dear Lord, I bet you even picked out the name, didn’t you Dragon?”

“Shut it Mama.”

“That’d be a yes. And need I remind you that this is my home and you can’t just tell me to shut up you overgrown—” I stop ranting at him when he reaches down and twists the hell out of one of my nipples and as a result, I end in a squawk. A squawk that is a painful squeal and an outraged sound of disbelief—all rolled into one sound.

Crusher gives me a half smile, but I can tell he is upset, so I remain quiet. It has nothing to do with Dragon telling me to. Though, to be honest, I’m not exactly anxious to have him seek further retribution. That shit hurts.

“What’s up?”

“Uh...” Crusher looks around the room.

“Speak!” Dragon orders, the man clearly has a big problem with politeness.

“Boss, it’s kind of... private.”

“Nicole is a part of us now. You get me? So say what you’ve got to say or get the fuck out and quit cock blocking me.”

I hold my head down. Damn, Dragon has zero filters. I can’t deny the small thrill I get from him telling one of his boys that I will be around for a while, however. I’m not sure why, but that one sentence paves over some of my insecurities which caused our earlier fight. I’m not about to tell him that, however.

“Boss it’s the new girl, Jess. She’s been beat up pretty bad. Pops found her out back in the alley.”

“Pissed off man?” Dragon asks, and I find myself thinking of this unknown Jess and hoping she would be okay.

“That’s just it Boss… she had a note taped on her chest.”

Crusher reaches into his inside jacket pocket and hands a folded white paper to Dragon. Dragon opens the paper and you can see it’s been soaked with blood and my stomach twists. That poor girl, what could have happened to her? I read the note while Dragon stares at it and then wads it up in his hand.

Devil’s Blaze

I don’t know what those two words mean, or why they’re on that note, but from the look on Dragon’s face, it’s not good. Dragon looks down at me and he grasps my chin. He looks me in the eye, not allowing me to look anywhere else.

“Mama, I need you at the club. Pack a bag.”

“Dragon... I...”

“Mama we got things to discuss. I don’t know how long I’ll be, but when I get done? I need you there. Yeah?”

“I’ll be here. Come here when you’re done.”

Dragon sighs heavily, and I can see in his eyes that I disappointed him. When he lets go of my hand, I don’t like the feeling that settles in the pit of my stomach. I reach up and let my hand caress the side of his face.

“Hey, I’ll go to the club, just later. It’d take me awhile to get changed and pack. You go do what you have to do, and come get me when you’re free.”

Dragon looks at me for a minute then nods. I stretch up to leave a chaste kiss on his lips.

“Be careful sweetheart,” I whisper and his face changes. I can’t really describe how it changes, but I do know the change was good.

“I like that,” he murmurs.

“What?”

“You soft and sweet and calling me sweetheart. I want more of that,” he answers.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I smile. Dragon holds my eyes for a minute, and then kisses the freaking hell out of me. I’m still trying to recover when he gives Crusher a nod and they’re gone. My stomach is still doing somersaults when the door closes behind them.

Dani is standing over in the corner. I’d forgotten all about her. My knees are so weak from the kiss that I have to lean on the furniture to catch my breath.

“Damn Nic. Girl, you might have a problem.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I have to agree with her.