Making the Cut (Saving Dallas 2)

“Of course.” There was no hesitation in my voice and my eyes were determined, staring into his, daring him to not believe me. I would do what he asked and then some, I owed it to him-he was my more. He kissed me on my head and grabbed my face in his hands.

“Thank you,” he said, letting the air rush out of his lungs as if he had been holding it.

“Does that surprise you?” I asked, teasing him with the same question he had asked me only minutes before. He shook his head, smiling and breaking eye contact.

“You are about as unpredictable as the weather, Dallas Knox. Let’s eat.”

My southern breakfast was a hit with Luke. He constantly told me how delicious everything was and wanted to know where I learned to cook. I informed him that the few short years that I had lived with my grandmother, she had showed me many things like how to cook, how to can and make biscuits from scratch-each one having your initial in it.

“See, there is an L right there,” I said, pointing at the crack in the bottom of Luke’s biscuit.

“You put that in there?” I couldn’t help but smile at his comment and the innocent look on his face. Of course, I didn’t. You could just about make out any letter of the alphabet if you looked hard enough, but he didn’t have to know that.

“Absolutely. What kind of person would I be if I made you a biscuit without your initial?”

Luke shook his head, and continued eating. Apparently he believed the old tale my grandmother had told me many times, yet I was a lot younger than Luke when I figured it out.

“Who all will be there today?” I asked, standing to clear the dishes from the bar.

“Everyone. The whole club, and some brothers from a chapter out of Louisiana,” he said, watching me as I moved around the kitchen cleaning up.

“Who all does that entail?”

“Anyone who is affiliated with the club and might be in danger of Frankie,” he said, almost cautiously. I immediately wondered if that meant women that were not ol’ ladies. Luke seemed to always know what I was thinking and confirmed my suspicions.

“That includes Maddie, and some of the girls you have met before. Any hang-arounds or women the club keeps around for private entertainment. The guys will be there and we need the bitches to show them a good time. Is that gonna be a problem for you?”

I’m sure the look on my face was as if I had just seen a ghost. I could actually feel my skin pale at the thought of those women there hanging all over Luke as if he was a prized possession, which he was, but he was mine.

“They’re not for me, babe. They are for the guys from out of town and the ones who don’t have ol’ ladies,” Luke said, one of his eyebrows raised in amusement. I still had not said anything to him. Hell, what was there to say? They were going to be there whether I liked it or not. I would just have to deal with it.

“That’s fine. I can be cordial,” I said, trying to convince myself as well as him. I turned back to my kitchen duties, trying to do anything to keep the thought of them women off my mind.

“Cordial?” Luke asked. I could hear the laughter in his voice as he said it, but I refused to look at him.

“Yes, cordial. I can be nice to anyone, as long as they keep their hands and eyes off of you.” The dishes I scrubbed just a little too hard and the cabinets I slammed did not deserve the mistreatment I was showing them, but the frustration seemed to subside each time I did it.

“Babe,” Luke said, coming up behind me. “I really need you to keep your attitude in check today. Don’t embarrass me in front of my club.” Luke’s voice was gentle, but his eyes let me know that he was serious. My heart seemed to stop at the thought of him being embarrassed by me.

“I would never embarrass you,” I said, my voice shaky and barely audible. How could he ever think that?

“I meant, by defying me, darlin’. Refusing to do as I ask. I can’t stress to you how much I need you to not ask any questions and just do as you’re told. A lot of women will be there today. All of them will respect you and look to you for guidance. You are with me and that says a lot.” I nodded my head in agreement. My heart was still bruised, but I would prove to Luke that I was here for him, and that I could do this.

“Go get dressed. I need to make some calls.” Luke bent his head and his lips hesitated right above mine. I pursed my lips and stretched, closing the few inches that were between us. The kiss was chaste and soft, but any kiss from Luke left me swaying. It took me a minute, but I got my shit together and sucked in a deep breath. “This is what you want,” I chanted to myself. I knew that not all parts of the club life would be enjoyable, but I didn’t think I would be faced with them this soon. I was nervous that this would be too much for me to handle.