Dice (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #3) (4 page)

I
tossed
my keys on the counter, and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. It was still weird walking into this house and knowing it was mine when, for so long, it was Nick’s and Sienna’s. I was happy that she wanted me to move in instead of trying to sell the place.

Not much had changed since I lived here when I was a teenager. The walls were still beige and the curtains my mom hung, however many years ago, still decorated the windows. I thought about putting a new coat of paint on the wall, something different to make it my own place. We left Nick’s chair untouched at the clubhouse, and that was more than enough as a shrine. I didn’t need to be living in one, too.

I sat on the black leather couch I brought from my apartment, kicked my feet up, and looked around the living room. Even if I wanted to paint it, I wouldn’t know what fucking color to pick. How did you decide that shit anyway? Eenie meenie miney moe didn’t seem like a logical answer. Maybe Sienna or Aubree could help me out.

My phone rang, pulling me away from the nightmare that would be color shopping with those two. I didn’t recognize the number, but answered anyway. Miles was always calling from random chicks’ houses.

“Hi, Dice. It’s Allison. You told me to call you about the apartment.”

I sat up and put my beer down. “What are you doing right now?”

“I just left Sienna’s, and I was about to go back to my hotel.”

“I live close by. Why don’t you come to my place and we can drive over to the apartment together?” I gave her the address. “You’ll see my bike in the driveway.”

“Great. I’ll see you soon.”

I downed the rest of my beer, and swiped my keys back off the counter. The rain seemed to have passed for the time being, and I stepped out into the warm night. I lit a cigarette while I waited for Allison to show.

The Prius pulled into the driveway a few minutes later, and she gave me a wave as she stepped out of the car.

“You didn’t have plans or anything that I’m interrupting, did you?” she asked, and it was adorable how concerned she looked.

“No plans. I was just enjoying a beer. So, come on. Let’s head over.” I started toward my bike, but stopped when I noticed Allison didn’t follow. “You coming?”

She shifted from one foot to the other, drawing my attention to the slight dip of her dress. It fit loosely on her body, but the dip revealed a nice rack beneath. I focused my eyes back on hers, remembering Sienna’s warning to keep my dick away from her.

“I thought I could drive,” she said, pointing behind her to the go-cart.

“I’m not getting in that thing.”

“Why not?”

“First of all, it’s a chick mobile.”

“It is not. It’s better for the environment and a lot of guys drive Priuses.”

“Did you check to see if they still had their balls?”

She laughed, and it did something to me. I made people laugh all the time, and never thought twice about it. But, there was something in her laugh that was warm and friendly that made me want to hear it again.

“No, I didn’t go around asking them to drop their pants for my inspection. I don’t think my request would have been very welcomed.”

“Then they’re gay because any guy would be happy to drop his pants for you.”

Red crept up her neck and spread through her cheeks. Her eyelashes fluttered at an attempt to look away from me.

Sienna’s warning echoed in my head, but I did what I did best and ignored it. There was no harm in a little flirting.

“Seriously, I will not get into that roller skate.”

“Then we have ourselves a bit of a predicament because I will not get on that death trap.”

“Death trap?” I said, smacking a hand against my heart. “That physically hurts me.”

“Sorry. I just hate motorcycles. They’re dangerous.”

“Nothing wrong with a little danger, Al.”

Her lip quirked at the nickname. “It’s Allison. And there is plenty wrong with danger, though something tells me danger follows wherever you go.”

“That’s because I know how to have a good time.”

She laughed again and, this time, I was smiling.

“I promise to keep you safe.” I held my hand out to her. “What do you say?”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her hand slid into mine, soft and small. “Don’t make me regret this.”

“By the time we get back, you’ll be begging to ride me again,” I said with a wink. Her eyes widened at the innuendo, but she didn’t pull her hand back. Instead, she followed me to the bike and I helped her get on. “Safety first.” I placed a helmet on her head, and adjusted the strap for her.

The scent of vanilla overpowered my senses, and it took all my restraint not to go in for a taste. Any other girl, and I would have given her every line in the book to get her to spread her legs for me. But this one had restrictions, and I needed to at least try and honor Sienna’s request.

“All set,” I said.

She smiled, and the single gesture shot scorching hot need right to my cock. The problem with the restrictions was that I couldn’t tell if they were controlling my urges, or if Allison really did have that effect on me.

I could feel the slight tremor in her hand, and wanted to soothe her fears. “Hold on tight. If you get scared, tap me and I’ll slow down. Tap me twice, and I’ll pull over.”

“Okay.” She took another deep breath, sending warm minty breath skittering across the bare skin of my neck. “Let’s do this.

I revved the engine, and she hugged her chest tightly into my back. I resisted the urge to rev it again, so she would hold me even closer, and pulled out onto the street.

While I loved to ride fast, Allison’s hold was like a death grip, and I didn’t mind taking it slow. The slower I went, the longer it would take for us to get to the apartment, and the longer she would stay pressed up against me.

If she would move her hand a few inches south, she would see how much I liked having her tits pressed into my back and her arms wrapped around me.

We pulled up to my old complex, and I killed the engine. I bought the unit when I was twenty-two for a decent price, but was having a hard time selling it. I had rented it out for a while to some guy, but he stopped paying rent, so I evicted his ass.

Having Allison live here would save me from having to check on the place weekly to make sure there were no break-ins or squatters.

“Here we are,” I said, and let her get off the bike first.

She took her helmet off, and I adjusted my dick before taking it from her.

“It’s a nice complex,” she said, her eyes scanning across the four buildings and along the manicured gardens. “Definitely not what I expected.”

“What’d you think, I lived in a dump?”

“Maybe not a dump, but something a little more manly than this. There are hydrangeas and butterfly bushes.”

I laughed. “That would be Mrs. Kramer’s unit. A very nice woman, if you don’t piss her off. She’s about eighty-four and has a mean right hook.”

“Do I even want to know how you know that?”

“Don’t mess with her plants. Make sure you never step off the sidewalk near her unit. That’s all I’m saying.” I held my hands up, and backed away toward the building.

“I’m the unit next to her in 153.” I slipped the key into the lock and pushed the door open. “The unit to the right is Mr. Rollins, a cranky old bastard that you’re better off not even attempting to talk to. He pretty much keeps to himself, so it’d be easy for you to avoid him. It’s pretty quiet here since the general population is sixty and older.”

“I bet they loved you showing up on your loud bike, all bad boy and mysterious in leather.”

“Mysterious, huh?” That was a new one. Cash and Beast held that title. I was the loud one who never knew how to shut up.

She shrugged. “I guess I consider every person I don’t know mysterious. Though, I usually don’t care to know more about them.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’d like to get to know me?” Sienna was going to cut my fucking dick off.

“Time will tell.” She walked past me, patting my chest and into the apartment. “Not bad. Good size. Doesn’t smell. The walls aren’t black.”

I flipped the light switch. “It also has one bedroom and a bath with a tub. Not many units have that option and a galley kitchen. All the furniture that is in the bedroom and the loveseat in the living room is included.”

She moved around the apartment, and I watched as she went from room to room, loving the way her ass swayed beneath her dress. She ran her finger across the loveseat. “Black leather.”

“Would you expect anything less?”

“Nope.”

“So what do you think, Al?”

“Allison,” she corrected me.

“Not a fan of nicknames?”

“Not a fan of that nickname.”

“Why not?”

“Because Al sounds like the name of a three-hundred-pound inmate.”

This girl was a fucking riot. “Lucky for you, I’ve never met a three-hundred-pound inmate named Al.”

“Have you met many inmates?” she asked, and it was so innocent, her comment made it obvious that she never met a single one.

“Quite a few.”

“Have you ever been to jail?”

I could have lied to give her peace of mind. To make her believe she wasn’t behind closed doors with a criminal. She stared at me with those big blue eyes, and I couldn’t bring myself to lie. “I have.”

“For what?”

Normally, I would proudly rattle off my list of offenses. The clubhouse whores looked at them as a fucking badge of honor. Allison was a different breed of girl, though, and I didn’t think she’d be impressed with my assault and weapons charges. And, for some reason, I wanted her to be impressed with me.

“I’m not stupid. You and Kade wear the same badges on your vests. You’re a part of some motorcycle club, and I’ve watched enough TV to know you guys aren’t exactly innocent.”

“So, why are you sticking around? You said it yourself that you don’t like danger.”

She seemed to think over my words for a moment before meeting my eyes. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”

“Then, stay and I’ll keep you safe.”

“Is that another line?”

“No.” I rested my hand under her chin and urged her to look at me. “That’s a promise.”

Her lips curved up. “Then, I’ll take it.”

A smile settled on my face as my dick jumped for fucking joy. “Perfect. Here’s the key. You can move in whenever you want.”

“If you need help I’d be happy to offer up my muscles.”

She shook her head with a laugh. “While it’s much appreciated, I don’t have a whole lot with me. All the big stuff is in storage in California. So it’s perfect that it comes with furniture.”

“Want to test the bed out now?” I winked at her and gave her the smirk that made girls swoon. Allison just rolled her eyes and swapped the keys from my hand.

“Does being that forward really work for you?”

“With most girls.”

Her hand rested on my chest and her eyes were level with mine. “Too bad for you I’m not like most girls.”

The temptation to throw her over my shoulders and drag her to the bedroom was strong, but she was right. She wasn’t like most girls. That’s what I liked about her. I was bored with the same old girls slutting around the clubhouse. The one-night stands I’d grown accustomed to. The excitement was gone and blowing my load had never been so unfulfilling.

Allison was the type of girl that you had to work for and I was willing to put in the time because something told me the reward would be worth it.

I
t had been
two weeks since I moved into Dice’s apartment, and fell into a nice routine with my new life… even if I was living a lie. I wanted to tell Kade that I was his half-sister, but every time I opened my mouth, the words froze in my throat.

I was making a bottle for DC when Kade came into the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

“Good morning,” I said, as he grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and poured himself some cereal.

“Morning.”

He wasn’t a man of many words, and I often wondered if it was because I was an outsider. Around Sienna, Dice, and his best friend, Cash, who often stopped by, he spoke more frequently. Started conversations even. When it was just him and me, however, he was the quiet, brooding type who ate his cereal while keeping a watchful eye on his son.

Sienna came into the kitchen a few minutes later, her blonde hair wet from the shower, and resting in waves on her shoulders. Kade’s face lit up the second she walked in, just as it did every time he saw her.

I didn’t know much about my brother in the couple of weeks I had been here, but the one thing I was certain of was that he loved his family fiercely. The leather vest with the patches of a motorcycle club, and the gun I’d noticed poking out of his waistband, were scary and off putting, but how dangerous could a family man really be?

“Morning, Allison,” Sienna said, heading right to the coffee pot. “I can get DC his bottle in the morning. You don’t have to get here so early.”

“I don’t mind.” I had been a morning person ever since I was a kid. Getting up at five a.m. was completely normal. When Mom was alive, it would be our time to catch up. We’d talk over a muffin or pound cake, whatever Mom picked up from the bakery the night before, and enjoy the calm before our day started.

Since she died, mornings weren’t the same. They were long and lonely and no matter how hard I tried, I never seemed to be able to sleep in. So, instead, I was stuck with the same early morning routine and the sad reminder that Mom was gone and would never be coming back. I would never share a muffin with her again or tell her about the new scarf I was crocheting.

Jealousy reared its ugly head as I watched Kade wrap his arm around Sienna’s shoulders and pull her in, kissing her forehead. I envied the love they shared and imagined finding that special someone who could make my mornings bright again. To turn it back to my favorite part of the day just like it used to be.

Sienna shoved at Kade’s chest. “I need my coffee.”

He put his cereal bowl down and laughed, blocking her against the counter with his braced arms. He bent down and whispered something in her ear that made her eyes widen, and a blush creep across her cheeks.

I grabbed the bottle and went to get DC. Whenever I was in the room with those two, I always felt like I was intruding on their privacy. They just had that chemistry every girl dreamed about when she thought of her ideal man. Something I never experienced, though I fooled myself once into thinking I did.

“Are you hungry, little man?” I said, handing him his bottle since he was as independent as they came. He rubbed at his eyes, and sucked down the bottle like a champ.

“I need to finish getting ready,” Sienna said to Kade.

“I can help you.”

“Then I’ll never get dressed,” she said with a laugh before heading down the hallway.

DC finished his bottle and threw it at me. Luckily my reflexes were quick, or I would have taken it right to the head.

“I guess this means you’re done,” I joked. I took the bottle back to the kitchen and washed it.

Kade was finishing his cereal and the words I had been dying to say, the truth that had been desperate to come out, sat in my throat like a hard unmovable lump. “Kade,” I managed, but when he looked at me every muscle in my body tensed.

“What’s up?”

Funny thing, really. Turns out I’m your sister. Half-sister that is. We have the same dad. Surprise.

My mind was saying everything I wanted to, but the words never made it past my lips. I was completely aware that I was staring at him, and needed to say something to disperse the awkwardness. I could only imagine how bad it looked and, if Sienna came in, I don’t think she’d be happy to see me staring at her man, even if he was my brother. Though she didn’t know that.

His eyebrow arched, waiting for me to say something. Anything.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to get a grip. “I was going to go to pick up a few groceries today. Did you need more cereal?”

He laughed and I wasn’t sure why. Oh, God, what if he thought I had a crush on him? Oh, that would be awkward. More awkward than this whole conversation. I needed to tell him. I couldn’t keep living this lie and pretending like I was some stranger.

I was, though. We just happened to share a bloodline that he didn’t know about.

“That’d be great, thanks,” he said, before putting his bowl in the sink and going to his son.

He lifted DC into his arms and, when DC protested by kicking and flailing trying to get back to his blocks, Kade sat with him on the floor. DC took a red block in his hand, and held it out to Kade.

The door opened. Kade looked up, and rolled his eyes. “Do I need to deadbolt the fucking door?”

“Oh yeah, sorry. Always forget to knock,” Dice said from behind me and, just hearing his voice, shot heat to my core.

He showed up here almost every morning to see his godson and I swore each time he did he looked better than the last. With that mischievous smirk, and eyes that reminded me of melted dark chocolate, it was no wonder those horrible pick-up lines worked for him. Most girls probably weren’t even listening to what he had to say, too busy getting lost in his intense panty wetting stare.

I was not immune to it either and it was another reason why I arrived so early each day. I looked forward to seeing him. I wasn’t in the market for a relationship. Probably the last thing I needed right now, but the way I looked at it was like the equivalent of going into a craft store and browsing the shelves when I had no money to spend. It was just nice to look and imagine.

“Morning, Al,” Dice said, giving me a sweet bump to the shoulder as he passed.

“It’s Allison,” I corrected like I did every morning.

“What was that, Al? I didn’t quite hear you.”

“Leave the fucking girl alone,” Kade said as Dice joined him on the floor.

DC threw his arms up, sending his block flying in the air. Dice and Kade both put their hands out to catch it before it clocked DC in the head.

Sienna called for Kade from down the hall, and he pushed to his feet. “Behave while I’m gone.”

“He always behaves. Right, little man?” Dice said.

“I wasn’t talking about him.”

Kade disappeared down the hallway, and I joined Dice and DC on the floor. DC swung his arm, and Dice rolled on his back like DC hit him. DC, completely amused by Dice, let out the loudest, cutest laugh.

“You’re really good with him,” I said.

“Nah, I’m just having fun.”

“Even still, he loves it.”

“That’s because he’s a cool kid.” Dice held his hand up. “High five.” DC was more concerned with his blocks. “Don’t leave me hanging here, dude.” DC looked up, and smiled a big gummy smile and Dice fell over again. “Kid, you kill me.” Dice sat up and his gaze fixated on me. I could feel it right down to my core. “So, how’s everything over at the apartment? Did you need your pipes checked?” He winked, and I couldn’t help but throw a block at his head.

“You really need to work on your pick up lines. They are pretty pitiful.”

He shrugged. “It made you laugh, and that’s what counts.”

I smiled and picked up a block to play with DC, ignoring the butterflies taking flight in my stomach. Danger was written all over Dice, yet when he said things like that it made me wonder if it was all a façade, if the boy beneath the leather was not dangerous at all. Just the class clown who found pleasure in entertaining people, hiding behind a bad boy image.

I looked up, catching his gaze. Dark, warm and mysterious. Three signs that told me I should stay away. It was a bad combination, and I wasn’t here to stay. I was here to learn about my brother. About the only family I had left, and then I was on to the next town.

Growing up, we never stayed in one place for too long. Mom was a bit of a gypsy who liked to move from city to town to city. It was the only thing I knew. Whenever we stayed in a place too long, we got anxious. Bored. Ready for the next adventure. Which is why this was only a stopping point on my life journey, and it was only a matter of time before I grew restless. Only a matter of time before I left and never looked back.

Dice’s eyes darkened, the look becoming almost predatory, like he wanted to devour me. “Pipes aside, is the apartment okay?”

“Mrs. Kramer baked me a pie, and Mr. Rollins growled at me this morning. But I guess that’s progress since last time I saw him he stared at me in disgust. I think we’re on our way to a conversation.”

“A growl? He must like you.”

“I am pretty likeable.”

“I’d say so.”

Heat crept up my neck and exploded in my cheeks. I felt like a silly teenager who just found out her crush thought she was cute. It was pathetic and ridiculous. I didn’t let guys have that effect on me. Not since I was sixteen and stupid.

I cleared my throat like that would diffuse the lava shooting through my cheeks. “Actually, there is a problem with the kitchen sink. Even after I turn it off, it still drips. I thought about calling a plumber.”

“I’ll come over tonight and look at it.”

“That’s not necessary. I can just call someone.”

“Why, when I can fix it?”

“Are you sure you know how?”

His lip quirked in the corner. “You’ll learn soon enough that I’m really good with my hands.”

“I don’t doubt that. I just don’t know if you can handle it.”

“Oh, I can handle it all right.”

“Dice, let's go,” Kade said, coming down the hall and pulling his leather vest into place. His hair was a little disheveled. “We have to make a stop before we head to the garage.”

Dice looked over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow.

“Time to cut the doc off.”

Dice jumped to his feet and clapped. “Let’s do it.” He and Kade said goodbye to DC, then Dice lowered his head, his lips grazing my ear. “I’ll see you tonight.”

He was just coming over to fix a sink, so why did I feel like those four words held a hell of a lot more meaning behind them?