Saving Della Ray

I knew fucking her would be extremely enjoyable, but what I’d failed to anticipate was that it would blow my fucking world wide open. She had been haunting me from the moment I looked up and saw her, but when I saw her at Reno’s I almost completely lost my shit. The eyes of the other members on her made me feel like a madman. I wanted to tear their eyes out of their ogling sockets. I felt as if a raw wound had opened up in my body, and anybody and everybody could touch and prod at it.

Now they all knew what she looked like. It had compromised her in a way that she couldn’t even comprehend. My intention to completely block her out of my world had been ruined by my own weakness. If only I had not gone to her that night when the kid had been shot. My life hadn’t prepared me for this. I didn’t know how to navigate things from here onwards.

I turned my face toward the sun. No more empty promises. I was determined not to go to her again. No matter how much I wanted to. Not until I had done what I had set out to do. Not until I was sure there would be no blowback.

In an hour, we arrived at the simple detached house in the quiet neighborhood in Woodsbrow. An elderly woman came out with a wicker tray of nuts to sort through. She took one look at the six of us, all rough-looking troublemakers, added another deep wrinkle to her wrinkled brow, and turned herself and her wooden chair away from us.

“Evening, Miss Ryder,” RJ greeted loudly.

“It’s Mrs. Ryder,” she corrected venomously without bothering to spare any of us a glance.

I didn’t blame her.

“Yes ma’am,” he mocked.

“What trouble have ya’all brought with you this time round?”

“No trouble ma’am,” I said quietly. “We’ll be in and out in no time.”

She responded with a bitter humph, and we continued on our way.

“One day, we’re gonna have to take care of that bitc—’ RJ began.

I struck a blow on the back of his head ? before he could complete the statement ? that sent him sprawling into the house straight on his face.

He immediately shot to his feet, ready to pick a fight, but at the look that Tyler sent his way, he just glared at me and dusted off the front of his t-shirt.

Rugrat emerged from the bright green kitchen of the homely house, bare chested, his gut so round and shiny he looked like a blossoming pig. His beard, his hands, and his lips were stained and glistening with whatever he had been eating. “What is this?” he roared. “Y’all said you’ll be here at three-thirty.”

“So what? We’re thirty minutes early.” RJ tapped him on his man breasts. “We’re forced to be spontaneous these days … in case you haven’t heard, there’s a hit out on us.”

“What’s that about?” he asked. “You all haven’t even launched an attack and they came calling?”

“That’s not why we’re here,” Tyler snapped impatiently. He never was one for gossip and chit chat. “Get to it.”

“Yes sir,” Rugrat said, wiping his stained hands against his sagging mustard corduroy pants.

We ushered ourselves through the small door as we’d done countless of times in the past. The narrow stairs led down the basement. The dimly lit space was thick with the stink of some sort of barbecued meat from a pile of half-eaten wings on the floor.

“Where are they?” Tyler asked.

Rugrat pulled out the string of keys he kept around his waist and walked to one of the freezers. After unlocking the massive padlock that secured it, he threw it open to reveal duffel bags of weapons.

RJ and I unloaded the bags and put them on the ground to take stock of their contents.

There were almost a hundred weapons in total. Ten machine guns, handguns, shotguns, and rifles. RJ counted them aloud excitedly, confirming the numbers for me and I took careful account of them.

Once the payment was complete, we were on our way.

“Hey, have some wings before ya’ll go,” he bellowed, as we walked away.

Tank and Rooster only tapped his hanging breasts and stomach mockingly and we were on our way.

Only RJ for some reason deemed it appropriate to overturn his plate of wings, cackling excitedly as it tumbled onto the floor in a spicy mess.

“Fuck you, RJ!” Rugrat cursed.

I shut my eyes briefly to dissipate the cloud of irritation I felt. The man was such a fucking liability. One of these days …

I took my place in the car and my head filled once again with Della.

The way she’d screamed out my name, the recollection of the mischief glinting in her eyes as she blew my cock, the way she whimpered when she came, and the way she begged me not to …