The men who’d found someone here were solid in their relationships. These two were cute together, playing with a relationship built on sarcasm and healing. Bounty leaned across the counter and clasped Cream by the arm before capturing her with a kiss.
Onyx couldn’t resist, “Get a room you two. I like my food without a side of bodily fluids and not formed in the shape of Bounty’s ass.”
“Mind your own damn business, Onyx.” Bounty growled.
“Be nice Bounty. He’s your friend.” Cream slapped him lightly on the arm before moving quickly back to the kitchen.
Bounty turned to him. “You need to find an Ol’ Lady Onyx, then you’ll know how it is.”
“Sure thing. I’ll get myself tied down.” Onyx chuckled. “Wait… that might be for a different purpose.” Snatching a fork, he filled his plate with food and walked over to an empty table. Sitting, he started to eat when he felt a shadow over him. Looking up, he saw it was Bounty. “Sit down my friend.”
Bounty sat across from him at the table.
Cream followed with her plate full of food. “Can I join you guys? You’ve had your cooties shots right?”
Bounty and Onyx both stood.
Bounty pulled a chair out for her and let her sit before he helped her push the chair up to the table. “How are you feeling?”
Onyx thought it was a weird question to ask his woman. But he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. He waited for her to answer.
“I still have an upset stomach and I’ve been dizzy.”
“You need to get a checkup at the clinic.” Bounty’s face had more than concern running across it.
Cream smiled gently, “I’ll go tomorrow, just to make you happy, but you know I’ll feel better and have nothing to be seen for.”
“And you’ve used that excuse for a week.”
“It’s true,” she retorted then looked at Onyx. “Back me up, Onyx. Just like when a car is making noise, take it to the mechanic and it stops. You stand there looking like an idiot.”
“It doesn’t make sense, I wonder what could be up with you?” Bounty took a bite of his food waiting for Cream to answer him.
“Domesticity an allergen for you?” Onyx teased the former nomad.
Not for a club, but for life. Cream had taken to the road for solace for a few years. The dark skinned beauty, with hair as wild and untamed as she was now sat, blissful if not a bit glowing in contrast to her saying she wasn’t well. Her blond, scruffy lover to her right. Not legal or bound yet, but they owned a home together and if Bounty helped her get past her demons, they might actually marry.
“Yeah, no,” she replied raising an eyebrow and a butter knife to Onyx. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m tired and cranky. I just don’t feel good.” Cream stared at her plate of food, but didn’t take a bite of it. “Probably, need a few days of zoning out and sleeping late.”
Onyx smiled, “Or maybe you’re pregnant.”
Bounty kicked him under the table. “Don’t say that man. There’s no way.”
“Didn’t realize you were staying chaste until Bounty drugged you and convinced a judge you really did say I do.”
Cream laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Well, don’t hurt the messenger. I’ve seen the symptoms before in this place.” Onyx shrugged and glanced over to a few new moms navigating eating and a baby in their arms. He waited for one of them to say something to dispute him, but both Cream and Bounty remained quiet. Taking their own stock of the room. He took the hint and didn’t say anything else.
When he noticed it was close to six o’clock he stood. “I got to get to church. You coming Bounty?”
“Yeah, I’m with you.” Bounty stood then leaned down kissing Cream. “Love you babe.”
“I might love you.” Cream squinted her eyes at him.
Onyx hoped he hadn’t started a fight. “I didn’t mean anything—” Onyx began as they made their way to the second floor.
“Cream needs a push to move forward,” Bounty commented. “She’s afraid of every step, even when she makes them. She tends to try to turn around and run.”
“So, you are trying?” Onyx asked.
“We’re not actively not trying,” Bounty replied. “After losing her nephew Kaden, she isn’t sure exactly when she is allowed to experience joy. Thank God, for Doc helping her through some of those issues.”
A large conference room on the second floor they referred to as the chapel held all meetings. The large rectangular wood table was far from the Camelot Hollywood described when he pulled Onyx to Montana. There was a head for a reason and seats were assigned, though the room got tighter with every meeting, it seemed as prospects and newly patched members rotated from their patrol and bar duties into the meetings. When Onyx wasn’t on patrol, he had as seat next to Hollywood near the head. Bounty was a few chairs down.
Red came in the room, silencing all around, before taking his seat and waiting for the stragglers. “Hack found three rescues in our territory. Any ideas on these rescues?” he asked.
“I can go on one,” Onyx volunteered.
“Okay, I think me and you can handle this one. We need to take a woman along with us. Any ideas?” Hack turned to Onyx.
Onyx had an idea. He was bringing Mohammed to the mountain because if there wasn’t a switch in her attitude, he would transfer to the California charter for the Steels. He liked the club, the life and what they stood for. That
