Butch

Matthew’s father was long gone and not coming back.

Chapter Two

“You’re not my dad,” Matthew said. Butch looked down at the little guy, and his heart went out to him. He looked saddened by his own words.

“No, I’m not.”

“I wish you were.”

Butch rolled over to look at him. Out of all the kids he knew, Matthew was sure the smartest. Thinking about his age made him think about the club’s latest additions. It wouldn’t be long before they were cursing and talking up a storm. Soon the kids would grow up, becoming the next generation of the club, like he should have been to his own father. Cutting the thought off, he stared into Matthew’s eyes. The Skulls were no longer his club either. He hoped Tate’s son was a pain in the ass for his mother. Shaking his head, he knelt down beside the bed. Cheryl was in the kitchen cleaning up the dinner dishes. He offered to help, but she asked for him to sort out Matthew.

“I know, kiddo. I wish you were mine as well.” He sat with his back against the wooden bed and picked up a story book. “It’s time for a story. Lay back down and be quiet.” Opening the first page, he started to read the book. None of the words registered in his mind, but he spoke the words, using emphasis to help entertain Matthew.

Cheryl joined him within minutes, and together they read the story. This was what he loved about being around her. He felt normal, if that was even a way to describe what was happening to him. The club had been his life for so long, and being away from it gave him an opportunity to be human instead of a guard.

“He’s asleep,” Cheryl said, taking the book from him.

Standing up, he watched her kiss her son and turn out the nightlight. There wasn’t much furniture or toys, but what they did have was taken care of. Cheryl was a hard working woman and made sure Matthew never went without. Butch knew she did though. She hadn’t bought herself something nice in three years. Whatever her son needed came before her own needs. Butch wanted the right to be able to treat them both.

“Thank you for that.” She tucked some hair behind her ear, walking downstairs. “I don’t have any beer, but I made you a tea.” He followed behind her into the kitchen. They took their drinks into the sitting room. The sofa was threadbare, and he felt a spring or two dig into his ass. She had nothing and yet never complained about it. “You know you don’t have to spend your free time hanging around with me. I’m sure you’ve got more interesting things to do,” she said, smiling.

“I like hanging out with you.” All of his friends were part of the club, and if they weren’t part of The Skulls, they were part of Chaos Bleeds. He wanted a clean slate with no danger. Cheryl was his only true friend in the world. “You and Matthew are awesome.”

“I’m sure you’re used to excitement and living life. I’ve never been to a Skull party, but I sure hear about them. I also serve some of you boys with flowers.” She pulled the band from holding her hair up. The long thick waves fell around her face and shoulders looking glossy and silky. His c**k responded, and he inwardly cursed. The last thing he wanted to be thinking about was sex. Cheryl deserved more than a rough pounding. He’d never leave her when he finished. Cheryl was the kind of woman you stayed around to see. She had lived with a broken heart from being used once before. He wasn’t going to put her through any painful experiences.

“Yeah, club life is not like real life.”

“You sound sarcastic. Why?” She pulled her legs up to her chest and stared at him.

“Are you really interested?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Why not? It’s not like I’ve got anything to talk about. You know my story. Let me know yours.”

Turning toward her, he crossed his legs feeling like a teenager. He removed his shoes the moment he walked into the house. “The Skulls is my life, and the parties we have are fun. There is always an available woman, and it’s a family. That’s what I love the most, the family way of life. The Skulls stick together through thick and thin.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or what you are. You got that patch on, you’re part of the family and the brothers will love you. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll earn that patch. Every night of being a prospect will feel like shit and like you’ve got no chance of ever being trusted or respected. Then, you earn your patch, and the world changes. You’re part of something bigger, amazing.” He smiled thinking about the love the family gave. Tiny and Eva were the parents while all of the others were their children. It was a strange way of looking at it, but it worked for him even if he was a grown ass man. “Tiny doesn’t discriminate against any member over size, color, or even if they’re homosexual. We’re a family, and providing they’ve got each other’s back, no one cares.”

“Sounds nice,” she said.

“Doesn’t matter how nice it sounds, it all comes with problems.”

“You don’t have to talk about them if you don’t trust me. I’ve heard you’re all secretive and won’t allow an outsider into the fold. I won’t hold your secrets against you.” She was caressing the back of the sofa, running her hand along the edge. He wondered what it would feel like having her hands wrapped around his cock.

“I trust you. Some of the crap that went down, you don’t need to know. We’ve got enemies intent on hurting us. Tiny has rules within the club, no drugs, no underage sex, and no beating on women. He takes care of the town and expects his men to follow those rules.” Butch liked the rules. They were the reason he respected Tiny. Maybe if the Savage Brothers had had more rules, they wouldn’t have ended up dead. Pushing those thoughts back, he brought his focus back to Cheryl.

“Why did you leave?”

He turned to look at her.

“I can see you love the club and your brothers. Why did you leave?”

Staring down at his full cup of tea he shook his head. “Because we were never out of danger, and it was all we were dealing with on a daily basis. None of us could get away from it. The women were always in the hospital. Lash, one of my brothers, he’s taken his woman abroad to Italy to get her out of danger. They’re not due back for a few months. Every woman in the club has been killed or hurt in some way.” He looked back toward her. “I don’t want to worry about you. This is not the life I want to bring you into. You and Matthew do not deserve to be in danger. I won’t let you be part of it.”