Under Locke

by Mariana Zapata

getting places late was a huge pet peeve of mine,

His wide shoulders and thickly veined forearms were more than enough to make a girl stare. Because his face… Jesus, shit. Jesus. Shit.

Hot men went on my list of people who made me nervous and therefore had me acting like more of an idiot than usual.

The guy with the most striking face ever created blinked at me.

Life was hard sometimes and there was no book or movie that could prepare you for how harsh it could be.

A dick. A slimy bastard. A slimy, small-dicked bastard.

there weren’t that many things in life really worth being mad about.

"Nobody talks to you like that, you hear me? I don't care if it's another member of the MC or some asshole on the street. If somebody takes their anger out on you, I'll beat the shit out of them."

Such a beautiful man, and he was a complete friggin’ asshole. Go figure.

I guess you couldn't have a sense of humor if you were missing a soul.

Dick. I just stared back at him. “Just let it go, 'kay? It drives me fuckin' crazy you won't look me in the eye,”

“Not much of a party girl, eh?” “Not really.” I never had been.

Same

Sometimes strings of letters were meaningless in comparison to actions. Actions held the power of a choir versus the strength of a solitary singer. My bones recognized that this was all I would get, this one person a cappella.

He's a loner,"

That was life, wasn't it? Losing and regaining?

“You know damn well you don’t come into my shop demandin' shit, callin' my girl a bitch.”

I was so stuck in my own little world that I didn’t sense Dex’s presence inches away from me until his fingertips were on my chin, tilting my face up. “You okay?” he whispered, so close I could feel his warm breath on my nose.

“I should've kicked his fuckin' ass for talkin' to you like that,” he murmured

I blinked in his features. His long, dark eyelashes, deep set eyes, magnificent square jaw, that nearly perfect nose—Dex The Dick was unbelievably handsome.

Right then, in that moment, Dex The Dick grinned. Grinned. And sweet mother of God, it was devastating.

“No. I like to eat, and that’ll make guys think I like to give hugs with my mouth, you know what I mean?” I stated, matter-of-factly.

I'd shown up to work fifteen minutes early to find Dex outside—smoking. Gag. He'd given me that long, leisurely look that I didn't quite understand and tipped his head back, blowing a thick cloud of smoke from his lips in the opposite direction of where I stood.

"You're bein' all quiet, babe. It's weird." Uhh... What? "I don't really talk a lot." His eyes narrowed just a little bit. "You talk to everybody else."

“You buckled?” he asked me in a lowered voice. I looked down. No. “Yes.” Dex sighed, glancing at me again. “Buckle your goddamn seatbelt.”

He cares!

“Night, baby.”

And here I thought we were sort-of friends. Jerk. Slimy, moody, tiny balls.

"Son would skin my balls if I let somebody take advantage of his pretty baby sister."

"I like it when you're all cute and playful," he added.

I pinched him again. "Don't get arrested, you friggin' behemoth. C'mon."

And as hot as Dex was, when he smiled broadly it was enough for me to tear my eyes away from the dream he was half-naked. Because Dex’s smile was the nicest I’d ever seen. It was wide and genuine and playful and so rare. And it made my insides flare.

A long huff escaped from his mouth. "I've always told myself that when I have kids, I'm gonna to spoil the shit out of 'em."

"You walk out, and I'll go get you."

"Babe, I've handpicked everythin' and everyone in here. I know what I want and I get what I want," he breathed. "And I keep what's mine."

In that moment, I suddenly wished that I'd had Sonny in my life from the very beginning.

With a grunt, I rolled onto my back and blinked at the white popcorn ceiling. I sat up half-delusional, sounding more like a man than a woman. “Okay, okay. I’m up.”

Hahahah literally me

this was Dex. Hot Dex. Hot Dex that screamed at scary, mean men for me. Hot Dex with a piercing in his thing. Supposedly.

I smiled at him, taking a few more mouthfuls of food. I glanced up again only to see him still looking at me. O-kay.

that laugh coming from that man. So worth it.

"I'm sorry, Ris. I know I should've told you but I couldn't," he murmured, his voice straining. "I love you, kid. I love you so fucking much and you've been through enough shit already, I just couldn't do that to you."

I LOVE sonny

Will might not answer my emails or bother to pick up a phone and call me, but Sonny had always looked out for me. It had always been an even give and take between us. We weren't forced together by obligation, but instead he'd gone out of his way to be in my life and I'd gladly accepted it.

"I love you, dude. We'll always be fine."

SO CUTE

"You're beautiful, and you're so fuckin' sweet, and you're smart, Ritz.

you have to fight through some shitty ass days to get to the best days of your life.

“If I ever see that beautiful face cryin’ again over somethin’ that worthless sack of shit did, I’m gonna make your daddy regret ever meetin’ your ma, you got it?”

Still, he didn't flutter an eyelash as I widened my smile. The only thing he did was lower the coffee mug onto the kitchen countertop, his head tilting to the side. "Baby, just 'cuz you're cute doesn't mean I wasn't bein' serious about spankin' your tight little ass for doin' dumb shit, Ritz. You do it again, and you're gonna get it."

It wasn't often that I was really struck by how lonely I was.

“Ignore ‘em.” It was Dex’s fingertip running over the strap of my bathing suit top. ”Like your bathing suit.” He drew a line down my shoulder blade.

He tossed his head back. Yeah, he was definitely attractive. Smoking hot, level one million attractive.

“Babe, you’re the cutest fuckin’ nerd I’ve ever met.”

“And nobody else gives me hugs like this but you.”