For the Love of Dixie (Kings of Chaos 3)

The clubhouse is packed as everyone celebrates Shadow’s last days of freedom. I’m convinced the brother didn’t want the party. He’s unimpressed with the strippers shaking their ass for all they’re worth as they pace the edges of the stage and wind their bodies down the pole.

“Are you even enjoying this?” I ask.

Shadow shrugs. “I waited forever to get the woman I wanted. I could give a fuck about the ones up on the stage. A night at home with Blue would’ve been a million times better.”

“So, why aren’t you with her?” I ask.

“Traditions have to be upheld, brother, you know that,” he answers with a grin.

“Yeah, he needs to throw us single people a bone,” Skull says, a smile crossing his face.

“You single again? I can barely keep up with your status, you change that shit so much,” Shadow taunts.

“Oh, you got jokes?” Skull asks.

“I got opinions, which I keep to myself for the most part,” Shadow replies.

“What? You want to give me shit, too?” Skull’s look goes from carefree to dark.

There’s an undercurrent running between them I don’t understand.

“Who else has been talking, Blue?” Shadow asks.

“Fuck yeah, man. She came down on me hard.” Skull sighs.

Shadow laughs.

“Your girl can be vicious when she wants to be.”

“You don’t fuck with friends or family when it comes to her,” Shadow says.

“Yeah, I noticed,” Skull mutters.

“What the hell happened between you two now?”

“Dude, we just can’t get on the same wavelength. She wants things I’m not sure about, and I need more space than her, usual, dudes. It seems to be a breaking point every time we try to get something going.”

“You can’t be half in and half out. Not with a woman like that,” Shadow says.

“I know, brother. She drives me fucking crazy. I don’t know if I can do the commitment thing. Not one hundred percent with plans to be forever. That shit is too heavy for me right now. If she’d let shit ride and unfold organically, we’d both be good. But she always has to push for more.”

“Might be good for your slacker ass,” Shadow states with a raised brow.

Skull shoots him a glare. “Shit.”

“Seems like single men are a dying breed these days,” I say.

“God, don’t say that,” Skull grumbles.

Shadow and I laugh and toss back our shots. The tray comes around again, and we grab another round. No one is driving out tonight, so we’re running through amber liquids like its water.

“What’s up with you and Dixie Rose? Ain’t seen the two of you around together much,” Skull says.

“Keeping our shit contained and away from the drama right now.”

“I can feel that, considering,” Skull whispers, looking at my father who’s seated at the front of the stage with his new cronies and my brother.

“Hate those motherfuckers,” I mumble.