the back door and took off her coat. “I wasn't expecting you till the end of the week.”
“ Hey.” He frowned. Blue wasn't with her; normally he followed her everywhere like a fucking shadow. “Where's the dog?”
She looked down. “I'm sorry, Deke.”
His gut twisted. “Fuck.” He took a deep breath and swallowed. “Why didn't you tell me? You shoulda told me, Emma.”
“ I didn't want you to worry.”
She reached out to touch him, but he brushed her hand away. “I told you to tell me. When I tell you to do something I expect you to do it.” He pushed past her and stalked outside, not giving her the chance to answer.
Sinking onto the old bench, he took a deep breath in an attempt to push down the emotions swirling around inside him. What the fuck was wrong with him? It was just a fucking dog. He roughly wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand as she sat next to him and wordlessly passed him a joint. “You must think I'm a fucking pussy.” He sniffed. “Sorry I yelled.”
She slipped her hand into his and leaned against him. “I don't think you're a pussy. I love that you care so much.” She smiled. “Not quite so keen on you laying down the law, of course.”
“When did...”
“ Last month. I would have told you, but I could tell how stressed you were.”
He nodded. She was right. Things were rapidly turning to shit in Seattle as the Serpiente tried to extend their territory northwards. All attempts to talk terms had failed, and now the shipments out east were being targeted. He had never discussed it with her, but she wasn't stupid. She knew how distracted he'd been when she called. “Things ain't great right now. I shouldn't really have come, but we need to get the girls moved and this might be the only chance.”
Emma still hadn't found a house, so while she rented a small apartment in town, the chickens would be staying at Tiny's. Deke had borrowed a van to transport them and some of her stuff. The rest would go into storage until she found somewhere more permanent. It was far from ideal, but she had to be out by the end of the month, so her options were limited. She took the joint from him and sighed. “I'm going to miss this place.”
“ Me too, baby girl.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “We'll find somewhere that you'll love just as much, I promise.”
~ oOo ~
“How about you put that fucking phone away and give me a hand here.” Deke made another attempt to tackle the chicken.
“ Nope, this is going on YouTube.” Emma grinned as, yet again, the chicken managed to escape his grasp. “You're going to be an internet star.”
She felt a little guilty as she watched him chase the hen around the yard – not enough to stop videoing him, of course – she really should've helped him, but he was the one who had let her escape from the run. And it wasn't often you got to see six-foot-four of biker defeated by a pissed-off chicken.
“This isn't funny, Emma.”
“ It is from where I'm standing. I did warn you that she'd get out if you didn't shut the door properly. Fiona is the Houdini of the poultry world.”
“ Fiona is going to be nuggets if she doesn't stand fucking still. And put that fucking phone away.”
Finally taking pity on him, she grabbed a handful of seed and crouched down with her hand out. “Come to momma, baby.” The chicken trotted over and quietly began to eat from her outstretched hand. Once she'd finished, Emma gently picked her up, carried her to the box and put her inside.
“I fucking hate you sometimes. Now give me that phone.” Deke made a grab for it, but she was too quick for him.
“ Oh no. I have perfect blackmail material here. If you don't do my bidding I'll play this to all your brothers.” Tucking the cell into the back pocket of her jeans, she reached up and kissed him. “Now help me load them into the van.”
Chickens loaded, he closed the van doors and, grabbing her hand, pulled her close. “I'm sorry I won't be
“ Hey.” He frowned. Blue wasn't with her; normally he followed her everywhere like a fucking shadow. “Where's the dog?”
She looked down. “I'm sorry, Deke.”
His gut twisted. “Fuck.” He took a deep breath and swallowed. “Why didn't you tell me? You shoulda told me, Emma.”
“ I didn't want you to worry.”
She reached out to touch him, but he brushed her hand away. “I told you to tell me. When I tell you to do something I expect you to do it.” He pushed past her and stalked outside, not giving her the chance to answer.
Sinking onto the old bench, he took a deep breath in an attempt to push down the emotions swirling around inside him. What the fuck was wrong with him? It was just a fucking dog. He roughly wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand as she sat next to him and wordlessly passed him a joint. “You must think I'm a fucking pussy.” He sniffed. “Sorry I yelled.”
She slipped her hand into his and leaned against him. “I don't think you're a pussy. I love that you care so much.” She smiled. “Not quite so keen on you laying down the law, of course.”
“When did...”
“ Last month. I would have told you, but I could tell how stressed you were.”
He nodded. She was right. Things were rapidly turning to shit in Seattle as the Serpiente tried to extend their territory northwards. All attempts to talk terms had failed, and now the shipments out east were being targeted. He had never discussed it with her, but she wasn't stupid. She knew how distracted he'd been when she called. “Things ain't great right now. I shouldn't really have come, but we need to get the girls moved and this might be the only chance.”
Emma still hadn't found a house, so while she rented a small apartment in town, the chickens would be staying at Tiny's. Deke had borrowed a van to transport them and some of her stuff. The rest would go into storage until she found somewhere more permanent. It was far from ideal, but she had to be out by the end of the month, so her options were limited. She took the joint from him and sighed. “I'm going to miss this place.”
“ Me too, baby girl.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “We'll find somewhere that you'll love just as much, I promise.”
~ oOo ~
“How about you put that fucking phone away and give me a hand here.” Deke made another attempt to tackle the chicken.
“ Nope, this is going on YouTube.” Emma grinned as, yet again, the chicken managed to escape his grasp. “You're going to be an internet star.”
She felt a little guilty as she watched him chase the hen around the yard – not enough to stop videoing him, of course – she really should've helped him, but he was the one who had let her escape from the run. And it wasn't often you got to see six-foot-four of biker defeated by a pissed-off chicken.
“This isn't funny, Emma.”
“ It is from where I'm standing. I did warn you that she'd get out if you didn't shut the door properly. Fiona is the Houdini of the poultry world.”
“ Fiona is going to be nuggets if she doesn't stand fucking still. And put that fucking phone away.”
Finally taking pity on him, she grabbed a handful of seed and crouched down with her hand out. “Come to momma, baby.” The chicken trotted over and quietly began to eat from her outstretched hand. Once she'd finished, Emma gently picked her up, carried her to the box and put her inside.
“I fucking hate you sometimes. Now give me that phone.” Deke made a grab for it, but she was too quick for him.
“ Oh no. I have perfect blackmail material here. If you don't do my bidding I'll play this to all your brothers.” Tucking the cell into the back pocket of her jeans, she reached up and kissed him. “Now help me load them into the van.”
Chickens loaded, he closed the van doors and, grabbing her hand, pulled her close. “I'm sorry I won't be
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