The Mane Event
Page 48
Then get one. Just stay away from mine.
New watch. Dire warnings. She must be quite the party in bed.
Mace snarled and Smitty held his hands up. Kidding. Calm yourself.
Taking the watch handed to him, Mace placed it on his arm. Lets get this straight, Smitty. So there are no misunderstandings down the road. I love that woman. You even look at her wrong, Im snapping your neck like a twig. Is that clear enough for you, hillbilly?
Smitty sniffed in disgust, sounding more like a cat than a dog. Crystal.
So. Sissy Mae sipped her hot chocolate. Is Mace good in bed?
Dez choked on her black coffee. They sat at a small table in front of a quiet caf. A chilly December day, but Dez wasnt in the mood to sit inside. She felt restless. She needed the fresh air, the energy of the people-filled streets. She loved the Village. Always had. And if she had a large fortune, shed live here.
Oh, Im sorry, darlin. Didnt mean to startle you.
Yes, you did. Dez wiped her chin. She couldnt believe she liked Sissy Mae Smith. But she did. Sissy reeked of warmth, honesty, and a slight insanity that made Dez completely comfortable.
Yeah. All right. I did. Sissy smiled. Im sorry, Dez. My brothers driving me crazy. It makes me mean-spirited.
Why?
Hes worried about this new business hes startin with Mace. Hes worried about me and our kin. And he needs to get laid.
You knowDez leaned back in her chairthats a little too much information for me.
Thats too much information for anybody.
And yet you felt the need to share.
I worry about him, ya know? I mean, Mace got himself a nice little girl. I want the same for my brother.
Dez slammed her coffee down, startling her new friend. She should have known Mace had another woman. Some poor Navy wife waiting for him to come home for the holidays. Whats her name?
Who?
Maces nice little girl.
Sissy raised an eyebrow. Im talking about you, darlin.
Me? Now it was Dezs turn to be startled. Im not nice, Sissy Mae. I aint little. And Mace does not have me.
She waited for Sissy to say something, but to her growing annoyance, the woman only folded her arms in front of her chest and stared at her.
Bitch.
Smitty bit into his hot pastrami on rye with spicy mustard. Mace almost laughed at the absolute rapture on the mans face.
Like it?
He receivedthe thumbs-up, since Smitty was enjoying his food way too much to answer. For the next ten minutes, the men ate without once speaking. Although they did occasionally grunt at one another.
When their plates were clean, they leaned back with their sodas and sighed in satisfaction.
So, hoss. Have you actually told her youre in love with her?
She wont let me. When I tried, she threw me down a flight of stairs.
And youre not concerned about that?
There werent that many steps.
Mace Smitty rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. She aint a village of well-armed rebels, ya know. You cant just invade under the cover of night.
But I have. And I will. Again. As many times as I have to. Until she admits shes crazy about me.
And if she aint?
If she aint what?
Crazy about ya? Then what?
He didnt want to think about it. He couldnt. He loved her too much to think about it. To worry she didnt love him. True, he could always find another woman, but hed still always be alone. Hed be alone because he wouldnt have Dez.
Mace looked at Smitty and shrugged.
Dez answered her cell. MacDermot?
Its Vinny.
Dez slammed her phone shut and took another bite of chocolate cake.
Problem? Sissy asked as she studied all the activity on the busy Village street.
Nope.
The phone rang again. Dez answered it. MacDermot.
Dont hang up.
Dez hung up and took a sip of her coffee.
How long are you going to torture them? Dez had filled Sissy in on her friends bursting into her house and putting a gun on Mace. Although she left out the astounding blow job she gave him beforehand.
Until they learn better.
Sounds like they were trying to protect you. Friends like that are hard to find, darlin. You should be grateful.
I am.
But youre going to make them sweat anyway?
Yup.
Dezs phone rang again. She glanced at caller ID. The number looked familiar to her but it wasnt one of the guys unless they grabbed someone elses phone.
MacDermot.
You fuckin bitch!
Dez grinned. Ms. Brutale. Is there a problem?
Why are the cops here? Why are they tearing my fuckin club apart?
Gee. I dont know. Dez licked her chocolate-covered fork.
New watch. Dire warnings. She must be quite the party in bed.
Mace snarled and Smitty held his hands up. Kidding. Calm yourself.
Taking the watch handed to him, Mace placed it on his arm. Lets get this straight, Smitty. So there are no misunderstandings down the road. I love that woman. You even look at her wrong, Im snapping your neck like a twig. Is that clear enough for you, hillbilly?
Smitty sniffed in disgust, sounding more like a cat than a dog. Crystal.
So. Sissy Mae sipped her hot chocolate. Is Mace good in bed?
Dez choked on her black coffee. They sat at a small table in front of a quiet caf. A chilly December day, but Dez wasnt in the mood to sit inside. She felt restless. She needed the fresh air, the energy of the people-filled streets. She loved the Village. Always had. And if she had a large fortune, shed live here.
Oh, Im sorry, darlin. Didnt mean to startle you.
Yes, you did. Dez wiped her chin. She couldnt believe she liked Sissy Mae Smith. But she did. Sissy reeked of warmth, honesty, and a slight insanity that made Dez completely comfortable.
Yeah. All right. I did. Sissy smiled. Im sorry, Dez. My brothers driving me crazy. It makes me mean-spirited.
Why?
Hes worried about this new business hes startin with Mace. Hes worried about me and our kin. And he needs to get laid.
You knowDez leaned back in her chairthats a little too much information for me.
Thats too much information for anybody.
And yet you felt the need to share.
I worry about him, ya know? I mean, Mace got himself a nice little girl. I want the same for my brother.
Dez slammed her coffee down, startling her new friend. She should have known Mace had another woman. Some poor Navy wife waiting for him to come home for the holidays. Whats her name?
Who?
Maces nice little girl.
Sissy raised an eyebrow. Im talking about you, darlin.
Me? Now it was Dezs turn to be startled. Im not nice, Sissy Mae. I aint little. And Mace does not have me.
She waited for Sissy to say something, but to her growing annoyance, the woman only folded her arms in front of her chest and stared at her.
Bitch.
Smitty bit into his hot pastrami on rye with spicy mustard. Mace almost laughed at the absolute rapture on the mans face.
Like it?
He receivedthe thumbs-up, since Smitty was enjoying his food way too much to answer. For the next ten minutes, the men ate without once speaking. Although they did occasionally grunt at one another.
When their plates were clean, they leaned back with their sodas and sighed in satisfaction.
So, hoss. Have you actually told her youre in love with her?
She wont let me. When I tried, she threw me down a flight of stairs.
And youre not concerned about that?
There werent that many steps.
Mace Smitty rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. She aint a village of well-armed rebels, ya know. You cant just invade under the cover of night.
But I have. And I will. Again. As many times as I have to. Until she admits shes crazy about me.
And if she aint?
If she aint what?
Crazy about ya? Then what?
He didnt want to think about it. He couldnt. He loved her too much to think about it. To worry she didnt love him. True, he could always find another woman, but hed still always be alone. Hed be alone because he wouldnt have Dez.
Mace looked at Smitty and shrugged.
Dez answered her cell. MacDermot?
Its Vinny.
Dez slammed her phone shut and took another bite of chocolate cake.
Problem? Sissy asked as she studied all the activity on the busy Village street.
Nope.
The phone rang again. Dez answered it. MacDermot.
Dont hang up.
Dez hung up and took a sip of her coffee.
How long are you going to torture them? Dez had filled Sissy in on her friends bursting into her house and putting a gun on Mace. Although she left out the astounding blow job she gave him beforehand.
Until they learn better.
Sounds like they were trying to protect you. Friends like that are hard to find, darlin. You should be grateful.
I am.
But youre going to make them sweat anyway?
Yup.
Dezs phone rang again. She glanced at caller ID. The number looked familiar to her but it wasnt one of the guys unless they grabbed someone elses phone.
MacDermot.
You fuckin bitch!
Dez grinned. Ms. Brutale. Is there a problem?
Why are the cops here? Why are they tearing my fuckin club apart?
Gee. I dont know. Dez licked her chocolate-covered fork.
