The Broken Pieces of Us (The Devil's Dust #2.1)(5)

“Shadow, go make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” I command. Locks hasn’t been himself lately and I would hate for him to do something stupid.





I place the last of the groceries in the fridge and start Bull’s coffee for the day. I have been here every day for two weeks now and have gotten this place looking more presentable than it ever has. I have washed and waxed the floors, cleaned all the dishes, dusted, cleaned the bed sheets and more. I haven’t seen Locks since the day he stormed out, and I’m thankful for that. I know when he comes back, he’ll come right for me.

“Smells f*cking great in here, babe,” Bull says, walking into the kitchen. I smile proudly as he makes his way over to the coffee pot. Every day he comes to the kitchen wanting coffee, so I make sure it’s warm and ready. He is always staring at me, a smirk on his face showing off that one dimple on the left side of his face.

“I should have hired you here a long time ago,” Bull continues, grabbing a cup from the cupboard, that dimple striking me where I stand. I have always had a crush on Bull, ever since the first day Locks introduced me to him. The way his green eyes look at me, the way he smiles and always seems interested in what I’m saying. I can’t help but wish I met Bull before Locks at times.

“It’s coming along; still have some things to do around here,” I reply, grabbing a cup as well.

Bull looks at me, his green eyes making me suck in an excited breath. I can’t help the blush that stains my cheeks, and look away. When Bull looks at me, he really looks at me. Not like Locks. When Locks looks at me, it’s as if he is disgusted that I’m in his line of sight.

“I’ll let you get to it then, doll,” Bull says sweetly, stepping around me, his hand brushing along my lower back as he passes, causing me to hold in a breath.

“Hey, Babs, I can’t cook for shit. Think you can make me some eggs if I buy some?” Shadow asks, coming into the kitchen behind Bull.

“You can’t cook eggs?” I ask, laughing.

“Nah, my bitch of a mother never taught me,” he says, running his hands through his black hair.

“I just bought some eggs, hun. I can whip you up some,” I reply, taking a sip of my hot coffee. Every time I have come around the club before I was hired, Shadow has always clung to me, asking if I needed help with setting anything up for family parties, or just generally talking to me. He’s damaged in the worst possible way because of his mother, but he has some light in there. It will just take one hell of a person to pull it out.

“Me too?” Bobby asks, shoving through the kitchen doors. Bobby, with his wavy blond hair and blue eyes, looks more like a surfer than a biker. I’ve just started to get to know him since I’ve been working here the last two weeks. Bobby is… he’s Bobby.

“You got it, babe,” I laugh, grabbing a pan to heat up.

“Seriously?” Bobby asks, his voice laced with surprise. I love to cook, more so for those who appreciate my cooking, show up and eat my food around dinner, and engage in conversation with me. I close my eyes, my mind swimming in the direction of mine and Locks’ failed relationship.

“Of course, babe, I’ll make you anything, long as you ask nicely.” I reach for the fridge and grab the carton of eggs.

“Fucking A,” Bobby mutters, making me smile.

After the boys have eaten all the eggs and drank all the orange juice, they head into their daily meeting. I sit on a stool to write a list of things to get at the store.

“I thought for sure you would have gotten the idea I didn’t want you here.”

I look up from my pad and come face to face with Locks, who has Candy wrapped around his middle. I growl in frustration. I am not about to let this f*cker talk to me like this, treat me like this.

I climb off the stool and brace myself for the conversation I have been dreading. I take my gaze from the waxed wood floor to his chocolate eyes.

“Freckles,” Locks muttered, his hand spreading across my breast. I looked down at his hand, then back at his brown eyes.

“You have never ending eyes, Babs. I could get lost in them and not care less if I ever made it back,” he whispered, laid out in front of the fireplace of our shitty apartment. We had been together for a year and things were moving so fast.

“I love you, Locks.” I suddenly gasped, the thought that had been plaguing my mind for the last couple of weeks slipping its way past my tongue.

He winced, looking at the crackling fire. I closed my eyes tightly, afraid of what he was going to say next. Surely in a year’s time, he felt something for me.

I felt his hand on my face, making my eyes dart open to his chocolate ones.

“I love you too,” he whispered.

Fake giggles take me away from Locks’ eyes, away from reminiscing, and to the cheap slut standing behind him. I close my eyes, fighting the stupid memories and the puppy love of our younger years when we used to be happy and laugh at each other. Now when we’re near each other, all we do is fight and glare. It’s depressing. It angers me when someone else makes me feel happy and beautiful and it’s not my husband, like Bull does. My hands sweat and my mouth goes dry at the impulsive thought swimming my mind.

“This, uh,” I stutter, frightened to admit my first love is nothing but a distant memory. I glance at Locks, his eyes ruthless and mocking, nothing like a couple years ago. “This is not working Locks; you and I clearly have grown apart.” Before I can finish, Locks has broken from Candy’s hold and rushes at me. I inhale deeply, sucking in the scared woman who he has carved me to be and exhaling the brave courageous woman who I am.