Brick Read online

  “Fuck!” I yell. Fuck her once and get her out your system I tell myself. That is what I am going to have to do. Just fuck her real good and be done. I can do that, hell I have been doing it for years. Surely it won’t any different with Korey. But Blaze is her brother, you can’t fuck her. Fuck for once I want to fuck a woman that is off limits.

  I walk bare ass into my kitchen and pull a beer out. I know I shouldn’t want Korey but fuck me if I am already hard again just thinking about her name. Tomorrow is going to be a bitch. It is going to test my limits of self-control.

  Maybe I can be an asshole to her, and she will leave me alone. If I don’t have to talk to her that would be best, for both of us.

  Chapter 7

  Korey

  Today is my first day to work. I am so excited. Sure, my boss is hot, but I am not his type I remind myself over and over. Sure, I just found out about my brother giving the shop my artwork. But after having a few glasses of wine I am over it. I called Mav last night and apologized for yelling at him. He laughed at me, like I was sure he would. But hell, I shouldn’t get too upset over something I can’t change anymore.

  Changing out my tongue ring I noticed that I was smiling more that I was before I got here. I feel free, like I can do anything I want to. Grams would be so proud of me. Sure, I gave two fucks to society norms, like she would expect me to. “Remember society is not normal. No one is normal Korey. We are all a little weird in our own way. So be weird my moon child.” She always called me her moon child. I have always had an infinity with the moon. Don’t know why but I like the feel of the full moon light on my face at night.

  The pink hair looking back at me makes me smile. Putting a little bit of eye liner on and some eye shadow and I am ready to go. I decided to wear one of the cold shoulder shirts Amy suggested I wear paired with a ripped-up pair of jeans and flip flops I am ready. I look like your typical punk rocker ready for a rock fest. I smile at myself, no wonder my small town hated me.

  Grabbing my phone and purse I was ready for my first day. “Alright, guys I am ready. How do I look?” Sadie and Sean look at me in awe.

  “Mama, you perty.” Sean cooed at me. I smile at him. He is going to be a heart breaker.

  “Thank you buddy” I ruffled his hair.

  “Mama, your going to have a good day. Here can you take these with you. Give them to Brick. I told him I wanted my art on his wall.” Sadie smiles up at me. I shake my head at her. Yep she is going to take the world by its horns and change it.

  “Well I am sure they will make it to the wall.” I tell her as I take her drawings from her. she has a few of tigers and a dolphin. They are really good. She has always been an artist, when she was younger, I learned how much she wanted to draw when she was using ketchup to color on the walls.

  “Amy thank you so much for doing this for me.” I tell her. when we talked yesterday about how much I should pay her she waved me off. little does she know that I know her size and I have been doing some research on my end. I have found a few places that will do surrogates, the surrogate gets to decide if they want to help out the family or not. I am hoping to write a letter to them an express their situation. So, Amy may not want me to pay her, but she will paid one way or another. I just hope I am not overstepping as a friend.

  “Not a problem, but you better get going if you want to be early.” Amy smiles at me as I hurry out the door.

  “Love you guys, be good for Amy.” I call out as I leave the apartment. I never told my brother that I got my license to carry. But I did two years ago. I am packing, always. I may look young, dumb and oblivious to the world, but I am packing my heat in the form of a Beretta 9mm. I don’t plan to ever take shit from another person. I like to be nice and kind, but I have learned my lesson nine years ago. If I would have known what I do today, my life would be completely different. Hell, my life would have been different even five years ago. But live and learn is what the saying is and trust me I have lived and learned. Not everyone deserves kindness.

  When I round, the corner Brick aka Romeo is just arriving on his Harley. The pipes sound amazing. I wonder what it would feel like riding the bike under a full moon. When he parks. I watch in amazement as he handles the bike with ease. His arms flex with his muscles my mind automatically wonders into dangerous territory of wondering what it would feel like to be held with them. I shake my head as I notice he is walking to the door. “ten more years” I mutter to myself, in ten years I can try to date, my kids come first. I keep telling myself this until I stop at the door and wait for him.

  My mom’s words keep replaying over and over we don’t always get what we want. Korey, you have to remember this. You cannot always have what you want. She was scolding me for taking an ice cream cone from the freezer after she told me no. I tried to get her to understand that I wanted it badly.

  What woman wouldn’t want Brick; he is hot. Dark eyes scanning the parking lot, tall, god is he tall, muscles for days, long legs, god I bet he looks incredible naked. Like a god, a dark brooding god. His tattoos stand out against his tanned skin of his arms. His boots are huge, but it fits him, cause well he is huge. I lick my lips as my mind wanders to parts of him that are not covered. I bet that is huge too.

  “Mornin’ your early.” I barely recognize he is talking to me. Fuck, I just lusted hard after my boss. Fire me now, I don’t know if I can keep my mind out of the gutter. Damn it, it has been too long since I have had any dick in my life. Like three years. Three years without any human sexual contact is killing me slowly. Before long I will be as dry as Sahara Desert down there. I haven’t read anything yet that says it will stop working if you don’t get any for a long period of time. But still I need to wait ten years, at least.

  “Yeah, figured it would be better to early.” I smile hoping he didn’t notice I was thinking dirty thoughts about him. Ten years, ten more years, then I can jump his bones. Ten years, it is not that long. Nope ten years will fly by.

  He smiles at me and held the door opened for me. “Thanks.” I say as I walk to the counter and put my purse away. I powered up the tablet that looks like it allows for the customers to pay by credit card.

  “So, have you used a Square Payment before?” He asks me as he is leaning on the glass counter separating us. I am trying really hard to focus on the tablet, but those tattoos on his hands, my mind is going into over drive thinking inappropriate thoughts of what I could do with those hands and his fingers.

  “Well, no not really. But how hard can it be?” I shrug my shoulders and look at the tablet as it loads. I tap on the app for the square payment and see that it is self-explanatory. I just add the amount and description. But those hands, and all those tattoos covering his tanned skin. I lick my dry lips thinking about what could happen.

  “Well it can be as hard as you want it to be.” He replies. Where my mind is, it takes a dive deeper into the gutter. Fuck I am so screwed this morning. I feel the flush of my checks when I look up at him. He is eyeing me with a stern look. Fuck he knows, he knows. Ten more years. I tell myself.

  “Well according to your app, it is easy peasy.” I smile and look at the schedule book he has. “Looks like you have an appointment this morning.” I look back up at him. He gives a curt nod and walks away. I try really hard not to watch his ass as he walks away. But damn it is hard not to follow his ass that looks so damn good in his tight jeans. I lick my lips again.

  The bell above the door goes off. I look up to see a huge man walking in. he isn’t quite as big as Brick. But he is making it a close call. I look down at the appointment block and it says Tank. Huh that describe this man to a T. “Hi, you must be Tank. Brick is in his office.” I smile at him. He gives me a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “You must be the new girl.” His voice is deep and velvety. But he doesn’t affect me like Brick does. “Yep, I’m Korey.” I notice on his cut it says SAA from my research it means he is the Sargent at Arms. It is his job to protect the President and keep the club safe. It looks like he had the
job already done.

  “Blaze’s sister huh.”

  “He talks too much.” I say. Not really meaning to be disrespectful but he laughs hard.

  “Damn, Brick, you got your hands full with this one.” Tank yells out. Shit now Brick is going to think I am flirting with everyone. I want to slam my head against the glass counter.

  “Damn girl you are something else. Snake has already spread the word about you anyway. It was the pink hair.” Tank point out to my hair.

  “Well, guess I need to change it then huh. Gotta keep y’all on your toes.” I banter back at him. Yep I don’t take anymore shit. I give myself a mental fist bump.

  “Yeah, well I figure your going to keep us on all the edge of our seats.” Tank gives me a look I have seen before. I don’t like it, but what the hell I am supposed to do about it. He winks at me and I laugh. “Please tell me, that look doesn’t get you laid.” I say out loud. I didn’t mean for it be said but there it is.

  “Fuck me running. Dayumn, you wound me, Korey.” Tank slaps his hand against his heart. I roll my eyes.

  “What the hell Tank. You know the drill. Get your ass in the chair.” He barks at Tank. I watch as Tank sulks off into the hallway with a smile on his face. Brick turns and gives me a look that speaks volumes. Pretty sure it takes on a hatred there at the end. Yep I ain’t gonna make it to see the ninety days. My heart speeds up in my chest as I watch him walk away.

  My mind races, well-being hated is better than knowing he wants me. This makes it easier for me to keep my ten year rule. No one will ever love you, you are a nag, and you suck in bed. You are nothing but a two-bit whore. The last words Paul told me before the divorce ring in my head. I feel my mood go from happy to depressing thinking he was probably right. I feel a sob trying to make its way into my throat. I stomp that sob down, there is no more room for tears.

  I put on some music to take my mind off my depressing thoughts. Green Day fills up my little space behind the counter. I get lost in organizing the little area. Two people come in and schedule appointments and leave me with what they want. They asked if I could draw it for them. So, I do. The first drawing is for a in memory for their mother, it is simple really, a red rose with a banner with their mother’s name and date of birth and death in it. Then next wanted a lion sitting in the savannah not hard but it took me an hour to get it just right. When I got done with the lion, Tank and Brick came from the tattoo area. The women I was doing the lion drawing for, took a deep breath and her sights set in on Brick.

  She whispers screams at me as they pass “How do you work around them?” Is she serious. I shrug my shoulders and put the finishing lines on the desert scene. “There we go. What do you think?” I ask her. She stares at the lion and I see a lone tear fall from her eyes. I come around the counter to rub her back. I had a feeling that this lion for her was my tiger to me. “Oh, my god, you got it perfect. She looks, well she looks like a badass.” She laughed a little as Brick came back in. I looked over my shoulder and shrugged my shoulders when he gave me a questioning look.

  Brick rounded the counter and took a look at the lion. “Wow, that is going to look damn good.” He announces to the room. The woman looks up and gives a small smile. “Thanks. I told Korey here what I wanted, and she nailed it. You really need to give her a raise.” I rolled my eyes behind her. I was just doing my job.

  “Yeah, your probably right. But this is her first day here.” She rounds on me. “Are you serious. I figured you have done this for a while.”

  “Well I have been drawing for years, but this is my first job that I get to do it and get paid.” I didn’t ask Brick if it was oaky for me get the stencils ready for him. I just kind of did it. Now I may get fired.

  “Well she is a keeper. For sure. Korey you really ought to become a tattoo artist.” I snort at her. “Nah, I’m okay behind the scenes.” I tell her. when I look up Brick is giving me this odd look. I don’t get it. But he is all about being dark and broody he is just probably trying to figure me out. Good luck Romeo, no has figured me out, not even me.

  “Dawn is it?” Brick asks.

  “Yeah.” She says through her blonde hair. She looks like a barbie doll.

  “I have an opening right now, if you want to get this done today.”

  Dawn looks from me to him and smiles. “Yeah, I would like that.” She ogles his retreating firm ass. “You aren’t with him, are you?” she asks me when he gets into his ‘office’.

  “No, knock yourself out Dawn.” My heart hurts a little when I tell her that. Nine more years. Yeah, I just took a year off my rule. Fuck I am screwed.

  A few hours later Dawn and Brick emerge. “Wow, you two make a good team.” Dawn purrs as she runs a painted nail down Brick’s arm. He shrugs her off. “Glad you like it. Korey is the mastermind for this one. I just colored by number.” He grunts out. I can’t help but laugh at his joke. “Next time I will put numbers and a key at the bottom so you can.” I tell him. He gives a slight smile and shakes his head. Dawn tries again to touch him. His smirk gives way to a frown as he tries to swat her attention away. Maybe I should have lied to her. Gone is the demure hurting woman and in its place is an attention whore.

  “Hey, Brick, when are you taking me out?” I yell over at him, his eyes widen for a split second. I tilt my head in her direction. “I was thinking tonight. I could take you for a ride.” Brick’s deep voice cuts through the attention Whore named Dawn.

  Dawn immediately stops her hands and walks up to pay me. I smile at him and ring her up and go over the care instruction of her new tattoo. She leaves her number and puts in the tip jar. I can’t help but laugh at her tactics. She is definitely being bold.

  Once she is gone. It is five-forty. Almost time to close. “Thanks, for that.” Brick says from beside me. I smile at him.

  “You know more men get raped than women on a daily basis?” I ask him. His eyes get wide for a second.

  “Really? Whoever would have thought.” I shake my head at him.

  “Yep, it is real. Men just don’t report it.” I shrug my shoulders. “But when they do, most people don’t believe them.” I give him a small smile. I kind of feel bad, but when Paul called rape it was kind of hard to see it as rape when he was the one doing all of the work.

  “Well that is something new.” Brick mummers as he is checking his schedule book. I feel like there is an elephant in the room. I decide to address it.

  “Brick, I just wanted to apologize. I mean I didn’t ask if it was okay that I drew up the stencils for you. I just kind of did it.” I watch his face go from concentrating to a slow smile. The smile he gives me brings on a shiver, my nine years just dropped to eight. His smiles give way to straight white teeth. God he his irresistible when he smiles.

  “About that, keep doing it. It makes my job a little easier. And the customers get to see the drawing before their appointments.”

  “Really.” I say excitedly “I mean, cool.” I try again. But fail at keeping my smile off my face. Oh, right I almost forgot the drawings Sadie gave me. “Apparently, Sadie wants her art on your wall too.” I pulled the little drawings out and handed them to Brick. He studied them for a second.

  “These are pretty good. Maybe not tattoo worthy yet, but in a few years, she will be good enough.” He says while he looks at them. “But I will hang them in my office for sure.” When his eyes meet mine, there is something there, something tender. My heart melts a little knowing he will put my daughters work up, even if it means he can’t make a dime off of it.

  “She will love it.” I say as I get my purse ready.

  Brick walks me to the door. As he locks the door and I turn away he calls after me. “Hey, where are you going?” I turn around not really expecting he will take me on a ride.

  “Um, going home.” I point to the apartment above the shop. He walks up to me and his voice sounds lower.

  “I told you I would take you for a ride, didn’t I?” I tell myself that he just a man of his word nothing mor
e.

  “Well, it’s fine. Besides it’s not a full moon tonight.” I shrug my shoulders “But I will take a rain check.” I smile at him.

  “Full moon huh, yeah rain check would be fine.” He turns and walks away. I watch as he gets on the bike and starts it up. I have never been on one and not sure what to expect. I watch him until he pulls out into the street. As he rides away my mind has taken me down to five years. Before long I will be having a one-night stand with my boss and my brother’s best friend. Got what a big sister I am.

  I know it might be good for me, but my ex’s word come back to bite me. But I bet it won’t be good for Brick, that is why it will only be a one night stand. But all I ever will have is a one-night stand. I just am not relationship type material. I can’t keep a man in my bed. I’m just not enough.

  With my mood deflated I go back up the steps to my apartment. Heart in my throat and tears I’m holding at bay. I think how Gram’s would be upset with me. It is time to remember that I am not going to feel sorry for myself. I am not a whiner; I am not a weak woman. I am a Baker for crying out loud. My father’s blood runs through me and my Gram’s as well. The world is my fucking playground.

  Chapter 8

  Korey

  Brick pretty much has blown me off for the past few days. Today is Saturday though. After my shift I am going to be at my brother’s clubhouse for an epic party of the year. Or so my brother states. I get the feeling that Angel’s and Sinner’s just look for a reason to have a party. But hey whatever floats their boats.

  In the past after my last party, I pretty much was a party of one. If I wanted to drink, I made sure that Paul wasn’t around and would drink vodka or rum to get me drunk fast. Lame but hey what can I say a party of one. I have no idea what to expect. I do know that I can foresee that Brick will be there, but not very sociable towards me. I get it, I turned down a ride on his precious bike. But what can I say, I want to enjoy it under a full moon? This coming up week happens to be a full moon, and I really want to ask about that ride, but I am pretty sure Brick will give me the don’t fuck with me pose and decline. It is probably for the best anyways.