Road to Desire (19 page)

W
E ARRIVED AT
the compound earlier than we’d planned. Austin’s sister was apparently on her way and he wanted to see her before Hawk, which meant we got there before six so Austin could convince her to stay with him.

Austin had gone off with Mack and another brother, I think his name was Flinch, and I was in the kitchen with Susie and a couple of the other ladies helping with food. I wasn’t there long before a tall, stunningly beautiful Hispanic woman walked in and studied me. She looked a little like Penelope Cruz and she held herself with a confidence I envied. She wore tight, dark jeans, knee-high black motorcycle boots and a black lace cami under a silver blousy top. Her glossy dark hair hung in straight sheets down her back, stopping at her waist, and she had heavy liner and dark red lipstick that worked with her skin coloring.

“Annie!” Susie exclaimed and pulled the younger woman in for a motherly hug. “You look hot, girl.”

Annie giggled. “Thanks Suz.”

“Is Bullet with you?”

Annie shook her head. “Just me.”

“Good for you.”

“You must be Dani,” Annie said, and hugged me. “Booker won’t shut up about you, so I think I’d know you anywhere.”

I blushed. “It’s nice to meet you finally.”

“Where is my big brother?”

“You didn’t see him when you came in?” I asked.

Annie shook her head.

“Maybe he’s in his room,” I said.

“Let’s go see,” Annie said, and took my arm. “Be back, Suz.”

“Take your time, honey.”

Annie and I walked upstairs and down the hall to Austin’s room. I knocked and turned the knob… it gave. His door was usually locked, so I figured he must be in there and pushed it open, my stomach turning at what I saw. Tiffany lay on his bed, naked, as though waiting for him.

Annie hissed. “What the fuck are you doin’ here?”

“Waiting for Booker. He’ll be here any minute.” Tiffany faced us, her head in her hand, and gave me a smug look. “What are you doing here?”

Tiffany had what most would consider a kickass body. Long legs emphasized her five-foot-eight slender body, and her large breasts, albeit fake, sat perfectly in the middle of her chest mostly because that’s where they were designed to be. She had a belly button ring and was shaved completely… down there. I was reminded that this is what Austin was used to. Not me with my extra weight and my overly large breasts that often got in the way most days. Not to mention my legs that I’d always referred to as tree stumps. I was short. Really short in comparison to Tiff.

I backed out of the room and Annie followed, pulling the door closed with a slam. “You okay?” she asked.

I shook my head and tried to swallow the bile threatening to spill.

“Dani, my brother does
not
cheat.”

“How would she have gotten in there if he hadn’t planned it?” I challenged. “Only a few people have keys.”

Before Annie could respond, heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway.

“There you are,” Austin said, and then stopped and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

I blinked back tears and bit my lip.

Austin moved Annie out of the way and squeezed my arms. “Babe. What’s wrong?”

“Your... um,” I swallowed, “whore is waiting for you.”

“What the fuck?”

“Tiff,” Annie said.

“Not following.”

“Tiff is on your bed, naked and ready, Booker.” Annie crossed her arms. “She told us she was waiting for you.”

“Fuck me,” Austin snapped. “I’ll deal with this.”

He released me, shoved open his door, and closed it behind him. Annie rolled her eyes and pushed the door open again.

“How the fuck did you get in here?” Austin bellowed.

“Buzz let me in,” Tiffany answered.

“And why the fuck would he let you in my room, Tiff?”

“I told him I was meeting you here.”

“Get the fuck out.”

“Baby, I know you miss me,” she purred. “What the hell can that little goody two shoes do for you? She probably doesn’t even know how to give a decent blow job.”

Annie wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I burst into quiet tears. Tiffany was right. I wasn’t enough for Austin.

“You’re a fuckin’ idiot, Tiff,” Austin snapped.

“We could share,” she offered. “I wouldn’t mind. She’s pretty in a Little House on the Prairie kind of way. A little chubby, but still kinda pretty.”

It was like the woman was in my mind, saying out loud every insecurity I’d ever had. Before I could fully break down, Austin was pushing a very naked Tiff out of the room, his hand wrapped around the back of her neck.

“What the hell, Booker?” she squealed, trying to cover herself with her arms.

With his free hand, he pulled out his cell phone and put it to his ear. “Buzz, get the fuck up here. Now!”

It wasn’t long before Buzz was rushing towards us.

“You let this skank in my room?” Austin snapped.

“She said you wanted her to wait for her,” Buzz answered.

“On notice, yeah? If she ever shows her face within a hundred miles of anywhere Dogs related, I will ruin her.”

Tiffany’s face went white. “What?”

“You got me, Buzz?” Austin asked.

“Yeah, Booker. Sorry,” he stammered.

“But, it was just a joke,” Tiffany rushed to say. “I meant it as a joke. Everyone knows you’re with Dani. I wouldn’t have done anything.”

“One fuckin’ night with you and I’ll regret it forever,” Austin said, his face contorted in rage. “It wasn’t even good, but I tried to be respectful anyway. Can’t believe I wasted my time on you when just a few days later I was given someone near perfect.” He still had his hand wrapped around the back of her neck. “You’ve gone through pretty much everyone here, Tiff, so you can head on downstairs and see if there are any other takers before you get the fuck out of here for good.”

“I’m not going down there naked, Booker,” she snapped.

“Why the fuck not? What makes me so special? You want a threesome so bad, go see if anyone wants to take you up on it. But it’s your last chance, Tiff, so make it count, because I see you anywhere near the club, me, or my woman again, you’ll find out what I’m like when I’m pissed. Got me?”

She nodded and he shoved her away in disgust.

“What about my clothes?” she asked.

“You wanna play the whore, babe, you don’t need clothes.”

I covered my mouth with my hand, both liking the way Austin was standing up for me, but also a little sad at another woman’s humiliation… even if she did bring it on herself.

“Buzz, no one in my room except me or Dani, yeah?”

“Yeah, Booker. Sorry.”

Austin scowled at Tiff. “What are you waiting for? Fuck off.”

She started down the hall, her head bowed, her countenance very different than it had been a few minutes ago. I stood in stunned silence, Annie’s arm still around me, and watched as Austin stepped back into his room and emerged holding Tiff’s clothes. He shoved them at Buzz and then grabbed my arm and pulled me inside. Annie followed.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest and I couldn’t stop myself from crying into his shirt.

“Baby. It’s okay,” he whispered.

“I thought… I… ”

“I know.”

“I’m so sorry, Austin. I should have trusted you.”

“We’re still new, baby. Tiffany’s a bitch, but she’s a smart bitch. She had a fifty-fifty shot of freaking you out enough to mess with your head. I don’t think she was ready for the consequences though.”

I glanced up at him. “Thank you for giving her back her clothes.”

“Baby, there are kids downstairs.”

“So, if it was adults only, you wouldn’t have given them back?”

He smiled. “I’m pleading the fifth on that one.”

I buried my face back in his chest and let him hold me.

“So you fucked Tiff,” Annie murmured

“Don’t start,” Austin said.

“That’s scrapin’ the very bottom of the barrel big brother. What the hell?”

“I was drunk and horny. She was there and willing.” My body locked and Austin gave me a gentle squeeze. “But we don’t need to go there.”

“Ignore her, Dani,” Annie said. “She’s total skank who seriously has fucked pretty much everyone in the club, other than a couple of the recruits.”

“But that’s kind of sad,” I said.

“How so?”

“Because when a woman feels insecure enough to sleep around, especially that much, she has bigger issues… like her dad didn’t love her enough maybe. I think that’s sad.”

“Holy shit, Booker,” Annie said. “How the hell did you manage to convince this woman to give you a chance? She’s obviously too good for you.”

“I’m hoping she won’t figure that out until after I marry her.” He kissed the top of my head.

Austin loosened his arms and pulled me to the chair opposite Annie’s. He sat down and guided me onto his lap, wrapping an arm tightly around my waist. Because he was so much taller than me and the chair was huge, I was able to settle myself on his chest quite comfortably.

“What’s going on with Bullet?” he asked.

“Maybe you should talk about this in private,” I said.

Annie waved her hand dismissively. “Honey, if you’ve got my brother talking marriage, you’re already family.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” I said.

“Classic Booker,” Annie said with a giggle. “Romance is not his forte.”

I bit my lip which made Austin chuckle. “She knows.”

“He’s romantic in his own way,” I said.

“Seriously,” Annie said. “Saint.”

“Yeah, she is.” Austin kissed me quickly.