I’m sitting in the club, with my woman on my lap. The place is mostly empty tonight. All the brothers have gone to the Den or Pussy’s. In fact, besides me and Nicole, the only other ones around are Hawk, Frog and Nailer. They’re playing cards with one of the new prospects. A few of the Twinkies are hanging around them. The mood in the club seems almost depressing. I can’t remember it being like this except for right after we found out about Irish. I still don’t understand his betrayal. It had to be about more than money, but I’ve tried for months and months to find out more—there just seems to be nothing to find. I try to pull my mind out of those dark thoughts, before they have time to settle too deep.

“You’re awful quiet, Mama.”

“Got a lot on my mind tonight,” she whispers.

I reach down and grab her hand, bringing it to my lips, before locking our fingers together and pressing them against my chest.

“You’ve been quiet since you came back from the dress fitting. Talk to me.”

“I just have a lot to think about. I’m okay, Dragon,” she says. I hate this feeling in my gut that tells me my woman is not being completely truthful with me, so I try to tap it down. I don’t really succeed.

“Someone has been stalking around the club.”

I feel her stiffen up against me and the muscles in her hands contract.

“Stalking?”

“Hanging around outside the gates, filming. Visiting the club businesses. That kind of thing.”

“Any idea who?” she asks, and there’s a tremor in her voice. Is it concern for the club, or fear of something else? Fuck.

“Not really, no. We have a few leads.”

“I see,” she says, and you can definitely hear the tremor in her voice.

“Anything you want to tell me, Mama?”

“Should there be?” she asks, curling into my side, and burying her face into my shoulder. I can feel the moisture against my skin.

Something is bothering her and tearing her up. I need to fix it. I can’t if she doesn’t let me in. My hand curls into her hair holding her close. What did this? What brought us to the point where she’s not trusting me? Was it something I did? Didn’t do?

“You need to talk to me, Nicole. I know you have something going on. Talk to me about it so I can help.”

“I think Dani’s going to leave,” she whispers.

A big part of me is pissed the fuck off that the woman is causing problems for my girl. I can’t lie, there’s even another part of me that is happy to see her leave. Still, if her leaving is what is wrong with Nicole, I need to try and stop that. I want my woman happy.

“Why?”

“She…she feels it’d be better for her to start over somewhere else. She…she feels guilty over…,” she pauses as if trying to pick her words out carefully. “…She feels guilty over the choices she made.”

I kiss the top of Nicole’s head.

“Would it help if I talked to her?”

“No. I think it’s probably for the best.”

“She’ll be here for the wedding baby, and you can still keep in touch with her,” I say trying to make her feel better, and figuring I’m failing when her tears fall harder against my neck.

“No. She’ll be leaving before the wedding.”

“Who’s leaving?”

I look up to give Crusher a pissed off glare, but he ignores it—like usual. Instead he sits down across from me and Nic.

“Have a seat,” I grumble with sarcasm, which is completely lost on Crusher.

He flips me off and takes a swig of his beer. “So, who’s leaving?”

“Dani,” I tell him, holding Nic closer.

He looks at me, and I can tell the news upsets him. He is not a happy motherfucker. I don’t like it, for numerous reasons. Maybe it is good that Dani is leaving.

“Gonna take my woman to bed,” I grumble, and stand up with Nicole still in my arms, one arm under her legs, and my other arm around her upper body. She used to complain when I carted her around. She’s given that up, thank fuck. I guess she realized it won’t do her a bit of good, I love having her in my arms.

“Good enough. See ya’ tomorrow, Boss-man.”

I grunt my reply.

I lay Nicole on our bed, then go back and lock the door, returning to hold her close. I listen to her crying in the dark, letting her get it out of her system.

“Mama, is there something more going on with Dani?”

There’s no immediate reply so I let the silence stretch out farther.

“Mama…”

“Dragon, she’s leaving. Can’t we just let it go at that? If she was staying, then maybe it would matter.”

“I can help her…”

“I’m just going to miss her. She’ll be safe.”

Safe. That word punches me in the gut. I should question her farther, I should demand more information. I do neither of those. Maybe I’m just fucking tired of all the shit that’s been coming at my family. I don’t fucking know. So, I don’t question it. I put my hand over my woman’s stomach, feeling my son kick, and just remain quiet. It doesn’t take long, twenty minutes at the most, and my woman is sleeping. Her breathing evens out, she’s got this cute little whistle that couldn’t be called a snore, and she curls into me.

I carefully get my pillow and pad it gently to her side so she can hug it, then I get up. I’m not sleeping, not with all this shit in my head. I leave the room with one last glance at my woman. I’m upset with her. Fuck yeah, I am. She should trust me enough to talk to me. I can’t make her—which means I’m going to have to take matters into my own hands.

“Hey Drag, you’re stirring late,” Dancer says, as I make it to the main entrance of the club.

“Yeah. What are you doing here?” I ask, because it’s not a secret that Dancer hates being around the club. Brother is doing better, but he still can’t handle large crowds. The times I’ve seen him with them, he keeps Red close.

“Carrie was craving some of Nicole’s homemade strawberry dip. So, she begged until I brought her ass here to raid the Club’s fridge. So late now, I figure we’ll stay here and go home in the morning.”

“We’ve become pussy-whipped brother, wrapped around the fingers of two women. Never thought I’d fucking see the day.”

Dance shrugs, “Can’t answer for you, but no fucking place I’d rather be. It sure as hell is more than I deserve.”

I nod, I can’t argue. I feel the same.

“Glad to see you and Red are working through shit.”

For a minute his eyes take on a glazed haunted look, but it’s gone so quick, I almost miss it.

“What’s up with you anyway? Hardly ever see you around, once Nicole goes to bed.”

“That’s because her body is a hell of a lot nicer to be around than your ugly ass, but fuck, you’re never here, so what do you know?”

“Point made. Still?” he says, motioning with his drink.

I look at him; he’s not drinking alcohol. Brother is drinking a damn Coke out of a can. He hasn’t touched a drop since he got his woman back. He wasn’t an alcoholic, but he said it was too tempting to lose himself in the bottle. He said it was much more enjoyable to lose himself in his woman. I have to agree, but I’m pouring myself a shot of Jack. Dance moves over, and I stare at the drink I just poured.

“Some kind of shit is going down with Nic’s girl, Dani.”

“Fuck a duck.”

“That about sums it up.”

“Bad? Should I take Carrie and Nicole out of here?”

“Nah, at least I don’t think so. Nicole would tell me if it was that serious. I get the feeling it might be some ex-boyfriend.”

“Damn, that girl is fucked in the head when it comes to that shit.”

“Apparently.”

“Drag? You think it’s cool?” he asks, putting his empty can on the bar.

My finger is moving over the rim of my glass. Every part of me wants to say fuck no. At the same time, I know if Nicole knew something would endanger the club then she’d tell me. I trust my woman.

“Drag?” he asks standing up.

I down my drink and drop it on the bar.

“Yeah man, I’m sure.”

“Sure about what?” Red asks, coming out of the kitchen.

“Hey Red, you’re looking good.”

“Hey Dragon,” she says in her quiet voice. She goes immediately to Dancer’s side and curls into him. Dancer’s hand comes automatically over her shoulder and he kisses the top of her head. “Sure about what?”

“Nothing, Care Bear. Just asking Dragon if he needed my help with something.”

“I don’t, but if it changes, I’ll hit you up.”

Dance nods.

“You want to go home or stay here?”

Red holds up her container of dip that she got from the fridge, “Let’s go home.”

“Got what you came for?” Dance asks, smiling down at her, and it feels good to see my brother happy.

“Oh yeah,” Red says.

“What do you plan on eating that with? We don’t have any strawberries in the house.”

She looks up at him and blushes a darker red than her hair. Dance throws his head back and laughs. He laughs. Shit, I still find that unreal.

“Care Bear, one of these days you are so going to tell me what I want to hear without blushing.”

“Jacob, hush,” she mumbles as he takes her in his arms and hugs her. She peeks over his arm at me, and I just shake my head.

“Catch you two on the flip side.”

“You got it, brother,” Dance says, as they turn to leave.

“Take it easy on my brother Red, he’s an old man you know.”

“Fuck off, Dragon,” he barks, giving me the one-fingered salute.

I laugh. I’m glad to see my brother doing so much better. We still have to get revenge for him. He asked me to hold up. He wants to do it himself, but says he’s not ready. I’ve not pushed it. Seems I have enough fires to put out.

Once they leave, I lock the doors. Anyone else wants in, they have keys. I’m starting to feel that burning in my gut all the time now. Fuck, I hope Nicole isn’t holding out on me.