It's been a busy day and it's only getting busier so I wanted to get this out there while I had a minute to spare! Thanks for reading!
Chapter Twenty Six
Ed texted and told her that he had a lot to do at the dealership because of a mix up with some sort of parts and wouldn't be home until after nine. She was positively sure that he was just going to avoid a confrontation with Sophia. Daryl had told her everything he had said to Ed when he had met with him and she was appalled by what Ed had actually agreed to. It wasn't like he knew that she was already sleeping with Daryl. He was willing to hand his wife over to a group of men to do God only knew what to her.
Sophia had called her earlier and told her everything that had happened at school. She was at the garage with Damon and there was some sort of gathering there since Buck was back. Damon couldn't bring her home and for some reason the boy refused to let her walk the mile and half alone. She thought it was kind of sweet but she really didn't know if she could keep herself composed once she saw Daryl and she knew he was there.
She wanted to see him. She always wanted to see him. He was the only thing she ever thought about anymore. Well, it was until that damn phone call earlier. Now she couldn't help but think that there could be a tiny biker growing inside her. She sighed heavily. She didn't see the point in driving to the garage since it was such a nice day out and she was really looking forward to the walk back with Sophia. So much had happened in such a short time that she felt like they were drifting further apart and she didn't want that. Their lives had grown increasingly chaotic over the last week.
When she walked around the building towards the back of the property she started feeling nervous. She could already make out a lot of people and she didn't even have a full view. Since she hadn't expected to do much today she had put on a pair of Sophia's ratty old jeans and a tank top. If Ed seen her wearing something like that he would... Well, she doubted he would say anything at all, since she wasn't actually his wife anymore. Apparently she belonged to an entire MC.
She vaguely recognized several people from the crowd. Men that had spoken to her when she was there last week. All of them regarded her with a nod and a smile. There was music but it wasn't nearly as loud as the other time she'd been here. Just a background noise, really. The smell of cooking meat filled the air and she saw several grills going at once, burly men gathered around, beer in one hand and spatulas in the other. She couldn't help but smile at that.
She finally spotted Sophia with a group of other kids leaning against the wall under the awning. Daryl was there too and he could have easily passed as one of them. His pants were at least two sizes too big, slung low and he was wearing a sleeveless button down shirt that wasn't buttoned. The ever present vest and tousled hair only added to the bad boy quality of his appearance. She had to remind herself that she couldn't drag him from the crowd and...
He looked up then, like he could feel her heated gaze on him. He pushed off the wall, and walked towards her, his face splitting into a huge grin that had her smiling back just as wide. God, had she only seen him earlier today? It felt like much longer than that. He stopped just a few inches away and she wanted to close that short distance. She needed to touch him.
"Hey," he said, sharp blue eyes studying her. She was still smiling but his eyes narrowed slightly and his smile died on his lips. "Somethin's wrong." It was a statement, not a question.
She frowned. "What is it?"
He shook his head. "I don't know. You tell me?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, momentarily forgetting that they were standing there with a lot of other people. She didn't know how he knew. She hadn't even been thinking about it. She had just been thinking about him. Now she was thinking about it and she was afraid that he would try to get it out of her.
She took a small step closer. "Is Sophia ready to go?"
He glanced over his shoulder and she followed his gaze. She blinked in surprise. Damon was leaning against the wall now, Sophia in front of him with her back leaned into his chest. His arms were around her waist and Carol had never seen her daughter more relaxed than she did in that moment. Piper leaned closer and said something and Sophia laughed. She looked... happy. Happier than she had ever seen her before. "I don't think she's ready to go," he laughed, looking back at Carol.
"I wanted you to meet somebody anyway," he said. "I few somebodies actually. June's here and so is my old man."
"Hmm," she grinned. "Meeting your family now, huh? This is getting serious, Dixon."
He shrugged and then grabbed her quickly, his hands on her hips, pulling her closer. She felt her eyes widen right before his lips came down on hers. Before she had a chance to kiss him back he pulled away, taking her hand and leading her towards the garage. For a few terrified moments she thought he was going to try to take her to his room but he veered off, pulling her in the opposite direction once they were inside.
There weren't as many people in the bar area as there were outside and she was glad. He stopped at the bar and grabbed two beers, handing her one. She almost took it and then remembered, once again, that she was a moron that could have possibly gotten pregnant. "No thanks."
He didn't ask her why she was turning down free beer, for which she was grateful. He just shrugged and handed it back to the older man that had given it to him. Daryl nodded towards a closed door. "He's in there. Probably will be for a few more minutes. Wanna sneak off to my room?" He asked as his hand slid around her waist, pulling her so her back was pressed against his chest.
She shook her head, her heart beating faster out of fear. How was she going to be able to avoid this? "Sophia's here," she said, wondering how long she would be able to use that as an excuse.
He sighed, pulling her back into the v of his legs as he sat down on one of the tall stools. "Can't blame a guy for tryin'."
She laughed, leaning against him, enjoying the feel of his warmth seeping into her. No one was paying them any attention so when his lips met the side of her neck she tilted her head, giving him better access.
"So, what made you decide to find a job?" He asked, his lips next to her ear.
She shrugged. "Because I need a way to save up to get Sophia and I our own place. I won't be able to do a whole lot because I'm doubting I'll be making very much but anything is better than this charade." She noticed then that he had grown very still behind her and panic welled up in her chest. She turned around quickly, searching his eyes.
He probably thought that she was going to try to leave Ed to pursue something serious with him. He probably felt like she was about to try to throw a net over his head and reel him in like a prize catch. That was the last thing she wanted him to feel. Against her better judgment she wanted nothing more than to be with him. To really be with him, even if the idea of that seemed ludicrous to anyone else, but she knew that was a pipe dream.
"You don't have to worry, Daryl. I'm not leaving him because of you. Well, I am leaving him because of you but it isn't what you think. You showed me that I'm worth more than I ever thought. I deserve better than him and I'm capable of taking care of me and Sophia. Staying with him is only hurting everyone I care about. I don't want you to think that you're responsible for me. I know you worry because I know you care and you're just one more person suffering because of my inability to do anything to change the situation." She was speaking quickly, trying to reassure him that she wasn't doing this for him. That she was doing what she should have done years ago, for herself and for Sophia, but it seemed like the more she talked the more stricken he looked. "Daryl, please say something," she nearly begged.
He didn't say anything. He just pulled her closer and kissed her. She took this as a good sign and relaxed into him, not caring that now his hands were roaming all over her backside and anyone glancing over would see him doing it. His hands were suggestive but the kiss was sweet, confusing her because it didn't go with the look that had just been on his face. Of course, it was Daryl she was dealing with so it didn't stay sweet for very long before he was kissing her hungrily, clouding her better judgment and giving her ideas that she couldn't afford to have right now.
"So, you're the one that's got this whole place turned on it's head."
Daryl's hands slid back up from her ass to her back as she pulled away quickly. She was only able to pull her face away because he wasn't about to let her go far. She looked over sharply but was looking the man right in the diaphragm. Her eyes moved up slowly until she was craning her neck to look him in the face. She swallowed hard. He resembled Merle more than Daryl but she could tell right away who he was. He had the same shade of eyes as Daryl's.
"I'm... uh..."
"Carol, Buck Dixon," Daryl said once it was clear that her voice was stuck somewhere in her throat.
"It's nice to finally meet you," she managed, her eyes unable to take him in without it being obvious. He was big and imposing and she felt herself glad for the grip Daryl still had on her.
Buck nodded. "You too. I heard about the problem with your old man."
"I didn't mean for Daryl to get sucked into that," she said quickly. "I would never put that on someone else." The last thing she wanted was for this man to think that she came here with the intentions of stirring up trouble. He didn't seem like the type that would tolerate something like that and she didn't want to find herself on this man's bad side.
He studied her for what felt like forever before he smiled. "I know my boy, darlin'. He does what he wants. I can tell you didn't bring this to us."
She nodded because she wasn't sure what else to do.
He gestured towards the doors that led back outside. "I better get back out there before people start tryin' to hunt me down. They're actin' like I've been gone for a year instead two weeks."
Carol smiled. She looked at Daryl, eyes wide once Buck was gone. "That's your dad?"
He nodded and let go of her long enough to retrieve his beer and down it in just a few gulps. "That'd be him."
She let him pull her close again. "Do you think he's resentful because of the Ed thing?"
Daryl shook his head. "Not a chance. You heard him. I don't do a damn thing that I don't wanna do."
She nodded. "He's so..."
Daryl laughed. "Yeah. He is."
She turned back to him, shaking her head. She slipped her arms inside his open shirt, unable to resist feeling his skin under her hands.
"You should tell Ed to get fucked and spend the night with me. The whole night. Sober this time," he said into her neck. She could feel his lips turn up in a smile.
She groaned. "That sounds amazing. But I can't. There's a lot I need to do. I'm suppose to meet with June in the morning and figure out what hours I'll be working and I still have to do a little research to see what kind of place I can end up getting for Sophia and I."
He backed her up just enough so he could stand up. "Well, you can talk to her about that now. She's right outside. She's been wanting to meet you anyway. She's pretty impressed with Sophia."
Carol let him lead her outside again. The sun was just starting to set and most of the people outside had plates in their hands as they stood in groups, chatting. He steered her towards the tables first, shoving a paper plate in her hands. "Eat."
Her eyes scanned the area where she had last seen Sophia but non of the kids were there now. Daryl pointed out towards the other side of the yard and she spotted her sitting at a table, eating with the others. She still had that easy smile that Carol could spend all day looking at. She didn't realize until now how sullen Sophia usually was. How sullen they both were.
She took the plate from him and went down the line. There was more food than she had ever seen in one place before. "How are all of you not obese?" She asked, not knowing where to start while he piled his plate high.
He shrugged. "You spend most of your life fucking, fighting or running from the law and you tend to stay pretty trim."
"You are horrible," she grinned.
"You love it."
"I do. Makes me wonder if my morals were so questionable before I met you or if it's something I've just picked up along the way."
He shrugged but his smile was wide. They found a spot in the grass and sat down. Now she was glad she had worn old jeans. They ate in comfortable silence for the most part and afterwords she found herself stretched out, leaning back on her arms while he laid on his back with his head in her lap. She was pretty sure that she hadn't felt more content in her life.