Saving Dallas Forever (20 page)

Chapter 19

Dallas

My nap was fabulous and so was the ride home. I found out why Red stretched her arms out and moved with the bike to the tune of the music. It was relaxing and liberating. I felt free, and if I closed my eyes, it kind of resembled flying. It was mid-afternoon when we arrived back at the clubhouse to find Red, Regg, Marty, and Maddie playing pool. Luke informed them they were leaving at five, and the girls suggested we find something to get into ourselves. Luke didn’t like the idea, and suggested we found something to do around here if we were still planning to go out tomorrow night.

“Why?” Red whined, but changed her tune when Regg gave her a look that told her to shut up. “Okay,” she said in defeat, not bothering with anymore questions.

“I’m sure you three can find something to get into around here,” Regg said, enjoying his moment of authority. I fought hard to control my laughter, as Red stood behind him and rolled her eyes. Everyone else was at work or at home with their kids and back to their normal lives, while we were forced to stay inside the clubhouse, which was not built to entertain three, young women who were itching to go out.

“So what are the plans for tomorrow?” I asked Maddie, who sat perched on the pool table trying to ignore Marty as he pulled his t-shirt over his head revealing his abs before the one he wore under it was pulled back down to conceal them. She ignored me or didn’t hear me, but Red answered my question excitedly.

“It’s a surprise! And you are gonna fucking love it!” She said, clapping her hands and bouncing around like a child.

“She’s gonna love it or you’re gonna love it?” Regg asked, trying to steal Red’s glee, but she wasn’t having it.

“
She’s
gonna love it,” Red said, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Who all is going?” Luke asked, half-interested, as he thumbed through some papers that lay strewn on the bar.

“All the girls,” Red said, dancing over to Luke and eyeing what he was doing, then dancing away when he gestured with his hand for her to get lost. Wherever it was we were going, it made Red very happy. Almost too happy, and it showed on Regg’s face.

“Where they going?” Marty asked, looking at Regg’s perplexed face and smiling.

“Amateur night,” Regg said in a huff.

“Dammit baby! Hush!” Red commanded, her hands flying to her hips as she glared at Regg, who just shook his head. Amateur night? For what? Luke laughed, finally getting the joke and pointed at Regg from across the room.

“You’re gonna have to keep your shit together,” he warned with a smile. Everyone laughed, but me and Regg; me because I had no fucking idea what they were talking about, and Regg because he didn’t find it very funny.

“Well y’all ain’t going. It’s just the girls,” Red informed them, this time it was her who sent Luke a look of warning.

“Oh, I’m going,” Regg said, and the fight was on.

“The fuck you are! We are going to have a ladies night out. There are only women there Regg, so don’t go giving me that lecture and shit.” Red snapped, her face turning red with anger, and I felt like it had a lot more to do with something that wasn’t being said, rather than actually going out.

“I ain’t giving you no damn lecture. I’m just telling you that if you plan to get on a stage somewhere then I’m gonna be there to make sure nothing happens,” Regg said, but I could already tell some of the fight had gone out of him. Amateur night must have been at a club, and he knew Red would want to dance.

“Nothing is going to happen. I’m just going out with my sisters to have a good time. Stop treating me like I am that same coke whore you met ten years ago. I haven’t danced in years, and I have no desire to. You of all people should know that.” Red was pissed, but she was hurt too.  

“Baby,” Regg said, regret filling his voice. He knew he had cut her deep. Apparently this was a recurring thing with these two. Regg didn’t have time to finish what he was saying before Red stomped out of the room and toward the back, leaving him trudging behind her like a whooped puppy.

“I tried to tell him,” Luke said, shaking his head still eyeing the papers on the bar.

“Red misses dancing,” Maddie said, from beside me. “She loved to dance and Regg has been known to make her feel like shit about it. The problem with Red is that she gets lost in the moment and Regg is afraid that she will relapse like-”

“Shut up, Maddie. That’s not your story to tell,” Marty said, standing before us, and glaring at Maddie.

“What? That’s her sister. She can know,” Maddie said in defense.

“If Red wants her to know she will tell her. You need to keep your fucking mouth shut.” I had never seen Marty be so demanding. It was kinda sexy and he was hella scary, causing me to shrink at his words, and they were not even directed at me.

“You are such a fucking asshole,” Maddie said to him, and again I felt as if her words were referring to another time and another place. There was so much malice in her voice that there was no mistaking her anger. She was not joking, and everyone knew it.

“Maddie!” Luke roared from across the room. Maddie’s face turned ashen, as Luke stalked toward us. Oh fuck. Maddie had screwed up this time. Red could talk to Regg that way, because he was her husband. I could talk to Luke that way, because he was my lover, but Maddie and Marty were nothing, as far as Luke knew. Here she was, a little sister to the club, being disrespectful to a patch-holder. “What the fuck is your problem? Don’t you ever speak to another member of this club like that again.” Luke was so mad he was shaking. His finger was in Maddie’s face, and although I felt the need to protect her, I remained quiet. This was the LLC they had warned me about-the one who didn’t tolerate bullshit or disrespect from any bitch when it came to his brothers or his club. As bad as I felt for Maddie, I felt even worse for Marty who stood behind Luke wanting so bad to say something, but couldn’t. Or I thought he couldn’t.

“Luke, that’s enough brother,” he said to him, his voice coming out strong and confident. Maddie and I both nearly died at the exchange.

“No, it’s not enough. She fucking knows better,” Luke seethed, still keeping his eyes on Maddie. “Maddie, I’m warning you,” Luke started, but stopped as his eyes fell to the hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to rein in his anger. “Marty.”

“Luke,” Marty said, cutting Luke off once again. If a banner had fallen from the sky along with a stream of confetti and balloons, Luke wouldn’t have gotten the message any clearer. When the realization of what was going on slapped him in the face, I lost my ability to breathe. Luke’s eyes darkened and he turned ferocious. He walked away from Maddie, shrugging off Marty’s hand as he left. The nearest thing that wasn’t nailed down was the round table we had played cards at. Luke grabbed it with his hands, slinging it across the room, with a deafening snarl. I jumped, as the table clattered to the floor, leaving Luke in search of something else to throw. Next came chairs, which he sent flying across the room, yelling and cursing, before turning back to face Marty who now stood between us and Luke. Regg came running into the room, assessing the situation and staying neutral, but I knew when he found out what was going on, he would side with Luke.

“How long?” Luke growled, shooting daggers at Marty. I held my breath, praying that Marty would think of a good lie to save him.

“Long enough,” Marty replied, without the slightest hint of worry or regret in his voice. I felt Maddie melt next to me, and I was sure if I looked at her, she would just be a big pile of mush.

“Did you not think that was something I would want to know?” Luke asked, his voice thick with sarcasm.

“With all due respect Luke, it’s none of your business who I see,” Marty replied. Regg jerked his head to Marty, in surprise.

“Oh fuck,” he said, rubbing his hands down his face. Yeah, Regg. Shit just got real. Luke laughed without humor, as he shook his head at Marty’s response.

“None of my business, huh?” Luke said, still smiling in disbelief. “She is my fucking business!” He suddenly yelled, causing me to jump. Maybe I should say something. Maybe Maddie should. I looked at Maddie as she chewed on her lip, clearly thinking the same thing I was. I nudged her, and that was all the encouragement she needed.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” she asked, jumping down from the table, and standing next to Marty.

“Sit the fuck down Maddie and stay outta this,” Luke snapped, and this time it was Marty who sent chills down my back with just the tone of his voice.

“Watch how you speak to her, brother. I won’t tell you again.” I knew Luke. I knew Luke like I knew myself. I recognized shit that a lot of people didn’t, so when that sparkle of recognition formed in his eye, I knew he was impressed with Marty’s boldness. I just hoped it worked in Marty’s favor.

“Tell me what that 13 on your cut stands for,
brother
.” Luke demanded, his hands fisting at his sides. I figured he would find something else to throw any minute. Marty must have been thinking the same thing, because he stuck his arm out in front of Maddie, pushing her behind him. Luke’s nostrils flared at the exchange, and I wondered if it was because he touched her, or because Marty thought Luke would actually hurt her. Either way, it pissed him off even more.

“M is the 13
th
letter of the alphabet,” Marty replied simply, and Regg actually smiled a little. I didn’t get it, but apparently the answer was what Marty had been trained to say in front of other ears. It held a different meaning inside the club.

“I helped you sew that motherfucker on!” Luke yelled from across the room. He was angry, but he was also hurting. He felt betrayed, and he had been. This time when Marty spoke, it was a plea for Luke to understand. He realized, just as I had, that Luke felt as if he had been cut deep.

“Luke, I never lied to you. I love her, man. I was just waiting for all this shit to be finished before I told you.” Luke was getting antsy. He was moving around too much, and I was afraid it was fixing to come to blows between him and Marty.

“You should have told me. I fucking told you she was off limits,” Luke said, his lip curled up, as he breathed deep through his nostrils. He looked like a raging fucking bull ready to attack. I had seen that look once before, right before he bent me over my desk and beat the shit outta me.

“You can’t run my life, Luke,” Maddie said, her voice soothing, begging Luke to understand. Luke pointed his finger, fixing to lay into Maddie, when Regg interceded. He knew, just like I knew that if Luke said something to Maddie, Marty was going to say something to him, and there wouldn’t be enough time for us to get out of the way before the fighting commenced.

“Luke, let’s take a walk,” Regg suggested, holding his hands up to Luke in surrender. He should have just taken off his white shirt and used it as a flag.

“I don’t want to take a walk,” Luke said, looking over Regg’s shoulder at Marty.

“I’m telling you that we’re going to take a walk,” Regg demanded, getting directly in front of Luke’s face, and blocking our view of him. Oh shit, now Regg and Luke would fight. Then Marty would jump in. Then me, Red, and Maddie would be the only ones that would try and get them to stop. But that didn’t happen. Surprisingly, Luke listened to Regg, and turned to walk out the side door into the alley.

“Cat’s outta the bag now,” Red said, walking in and taking a seat next to me on the pool table.

“I’m so sorry,” Maddie said, looking up at Marty with tears in her eyes.

“Don’t be. It was time he knew,” Marty said, taking Maddie’s face in his hands and kissing her so lovingly that Red and I both sighed as we leaned against one another. “I’m gonna go get a shower. Don’t worry, he will cool off. He just wants the best for you.”

“I’m gonna go talk to him,” Maddie announced, as soon as Marty left the room.

“Oh, no,” Red said, jumping up and blocking Maddie’s retreat. “Just leave him alone. He’s pissed, Maddie.”

“I think she should go talk to him,” I said, standing next to Maddie in her defense.

“You two,” Red said, swinging her finger between the two of us, “are suicidal idiots.” I rolled my eyes at Red’s remark and walked with Maddie outside to find Luke lifting weights, while Regg stood beside the door.

“How is he?” I asked, watching Luke bench press the heavy bar filled with weights as if it held feathers instead of metal.

“Pissed. But he is just mad at himself. He told me if he wasn’t careful you two would end up falling for each other,” he said, addressing Maddie. “It was bound to happen as much time as y’all have been spending together. Don’t be hard on him,” Regg said, looking at Luke protectively. “He just wants what’s best for you, Maddie.” I smiled, but Maddie rolled her eyes, these words having been said to her twice in a matter of minutes. My guess was she would be hearing them again very soon. I walked with Maddie over to Luke, not really feeling as if it was my place, but my sister needed me. I would tune out the conversation once it started. Or at least that’s what I told myself. Hell, I wanted to hear it just as bad as Red, who I knew was listening through a window somewhere.

“Luke,” Maddie said cautiously, as we approached a sweaty, shirtless, still-pissed Luke. I was glad I had come. While Maddie fidgeted with her hands, trying to find the right words to say, I used mine to wipe the drool that was running down my face at the sight of him. “I know you don’t like it, and I know it’s because you felt like we lied to you, but that’s not the case.” Maddie paused, waiting on some acknowledgement from Luke that he had heard her, but he continued lifting as if we weren’t even there. Maddie swallowed hard and looked at me. I gave her a reassuring smile and nod, and she stared at her feet as she continued. “He’s so good to me,” she said with a smile, her eyes becoming dreamy, as they had when she had first told me about him.
“For so long, I looked at him as just a friend. But after Texas, I came home and he was there. He listened to me and understood me. I’ve always had you for things like that, but with everything going on, I didn’t want to bother you. Luke he makes me feel like I’m important. He makes me feel like you did, but we have that connection, ya know? I know you want more for me, but
he
is my more.” At this, Luke stopped, replacing the bar, but keeping his hands on it as he stared at them. I watched his stomach, as it retracted with his deep breaths. I pulled my eyes to his face to see it looking impassive as Maddie’s words continued. I knew he was listening, but he didn’t want to. “He loves me and he loves Logan. I know this like I know you would give your life to save me from another disaster like Brett. Luke, I wouldn’t take the risk of losing you if I wasn’t sure that this was what I wanted. I love him.” Luke’s eyes swung to Maddie for the first time since she had begun speaking. Maddie continued, ignoring Luke’s stare and lost in her own little world, as if the words she had just spoken made her realize how true they were. “I love him more than anything. I don’t care that he’s not a doctor or a lawyer, or that he probably loves his Harley more than he could ever love me. All that matters is that I love him and for a long time, I didn’t even know it, but now I do. I love him, Luke.
I love him
.” I smiled at Maddie, whose look of elation caused my stomach to swarm with butterflies, and my heart to swell with pride. My little sister had finally found happiness. I would kill Luke if he fucked this up, but when I turned to him, he was sitting up, eyeing Maddie with a smirk.