MJ’s POV

“Ow…fuck, MJ! Enough, I told you I was fine!”

I sighed and pulled the alcohol pad away from Dice’s beaten face. She really looked like hell and should have gone to the hospital. Do you think she would go? Of course not, this is fucking Dice we’re talking about here, the Batman of the world. Or at least that’s what she wanted everyone to believe. She tried to tell me she was strong but I could see the pain and regret hidden in her eyes.

The late teen years and early twenties were trying times for anyone, but it was a completely different experience when you went through it with a biker gang. You see a lot of things you wished you hadn’t, hear things you know you shouldn’t, and do things that you regret. That’s how just how the biker life was. For instance, I knew Dice had killed a few people over the years, and as much as I tried to lie to myself, I was pretty I was an accomplice to murder. No I wasn’t in the room or building when it happened, but I did drive the get away car. She didn’t think I knew what was going on, but there was no mistaking her blood-covered hands when she got in the car. What happened today wasn’t any different.

So, Dices’ dealings at the warehouse earlier weren’t any big secret, well at least not to me. Though the woman’s screams and pleading shrieks still polluted my thoughts and awoke memories I had desperately tried to push away. It wasn’t the first time I had experienced waiting out something like that when it came to the Dragons, but hopefully it would be my last. The Crimson Dragon’s had their rules, and if you broke them, betrayed them, or were a two-timer, you paid dearly. That blonde chick obviously had information that they needed, plus she broke the rules. I just wished I hadn’t heard her scream for a half an hour.

“Since you refuse to go the fucking hospital I have to clean this out so it doesn’t get infected. Now hold still,” I commanded, giving her a pointed look before I moved to clean the huge gash on her head. This undoubtedly needed stitches, especially since it was still bleeding, but I would have to make do with sterile strips from the drug store. I really wished she would bite the bullet and just got get checked out, that way we could have evidence to file a police report. Though I knew if we did that then the police would be on Dragon’s tails too so it wasn’t an option. “How did you get this anyway?”

Those green eyes winced as I swabbed the wound but then focused on me with a pointed look. Dice really hadn’t said anything since she came out of the warehouse, which was odd for her. Usually we couldn’t get her to shut up but today she just hugged me close, looked out the window, and ended up passing out into my side until we made it back into the city.

“Don’t be stupid, MJ. I’m not going to go through and give you a detailed list of how I got every single one of these injuries. So stop looking at me like that, I’m fucking fine.”

I bit down on my bottom lip and started to apply the sterile strips to close the skin. “Dice—“

“MJ, I don’t want to talk about it so drop it.”

I took in a deep breath, trying to keep myself in check. I knew that if I pushed her too hard that she would divert her anger to me. That wasn’t going to happen and I wasn’t going to put up with that shit so I would keep my mouth shut for now.

“Motherfucker!” Dice yelled as I pulled the skin closed with the first strip. “Can’t you just leave me alone? I’ll fucking do it!” The fiery redhead pulled the package out of my hand and turned to look at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. I saw her face drop slightly when she saw it for the first time. She angrily pushed all the medical supplies off the counter and slammed her fists down. “I’m going to make that bastard pay…”

“Wait…you mean Jay’s not…” I gapped at her, those greens meeting mine with a look of shock. If I didn’t know better, I would say that she slipped something that she was trying to hide.

“Of course he’s fucking dead, god you’re such an idiot,” she mused with a smirk. I watched as she carefully applied the makeshift stitches to her head. “The idiot…messing with the Dragons.”

I chewed my bottom lip as I moved behind her to braid her wet hair out of her face. “I was scared shitless you know,” I muttered softly, not looking up to meet her gaze in the mirror. “I thought he had really…”

Dice spun around in my arms and put her hands on my shoulder, her eyes locked with mine. She smirked at me with that wicked glint in her eyes. “No one can kill me,” she simply stated. “I’m fucking immortal batman and don’t you ever forget that.” I pulled her into my arms and held her close. “Now let’s go have some fun.”

I pulled back and looked at her with a raised brow. “What?”

“You heard me,” Dice moved and pulled over the bag of cosmetics Brian had bought for me. “After all that shit that went down, don’t think for a moment I’m going to leave Vegas without playing the slots.”

“Dice…” I hissed, looking out the bathroom door to the hotel suit to make sure the guys weren’t back yet. “You can’t walk around looking like-like…” I stammered, shaking my head. She just saw herself in the mirror. She looks like something from the Walking Dead and I’m sure she would cause an onset of panic if she walked around he casino.

“That’s what you’re for,” she shrugged, handing me the bag. “Work your magic because you and I both know you know how to cover bruises…” I sighed again, hating that she was right. I had covered my bruises from Malcolm so well that Dice didn’t even know the extent of what he did to me. “Where did the goon squad go?”

“I sent them to get dinner…and before you ask. I sent them to that disgustingly greasy place on strip that you love so much. Matt’s bringing you back that grease on cheese, on grease bacon burger with loaded cheese fries that you love so much,” I cringed. I didn’t know how she ate that stuff and still looked the way she did. I hoped Brian had enough wits to get me fries and a chicken salad. Oh, that sounded good.

“Perfect, so we wont be here when they get back,” Dice smiled at me as I continued to apply the make up. I knew she was trying to avoid having a private conversation with Matt. Hell, she had dodged his every question and request, which was obviously pissing him off. I didn’t know what was going on between them but I knew better than to ask.

“I don’t think that’s the best idea…” I sighed, finishing Dice’s make up. She actually looked almost normal, except for the few cuts that I couldn’t hide. This was typical Dice, distracting herself with something so that she didn’t have deal with the task at hand. Like Matt…or Jay…or that she could have possible killed someone today. Any of those options were plausible. “Why don’t we just stay in—“

“Fucking hell, MJ. I’ve been locked in a room for days and I’ll be damned if I’m going to stay in,” she snapped, adjusting her hair that I had braided.

“But Brian and Matt will be—“

Dice shrugged my words away and pulled on her leather jacket. “I don’t care. I’m done fucking caring so lets go gamble and get drunk. They’ll figure it out.” Or they will be pissed off and do something stupid…I reached to grab my phone off the table but Dice pulled me along. “You don’t need that. We’re just going downstairs and maybe if you’re good, we can go to the strip club down the road.” Okay, so maybe that thought made me smile a little bit.

I sighed and followed along, knowing that I didn’t really have a choice, unless I let her go alone. That wasn’t happening so I would have to hope Brian and Matt wouldn’t be too pissed at me. Maybe we’d be back before them? Oh, who was I kidding? I knew Dice and her definition of fun and it didn’t always match mine.

“I hope you have cash with you,” Dice said, pushing the button for the elevator.

I reached for my purse and opened my wallet to find my last check. I had cashed it and it was just sitting there like it was ready to fly out of my wallet a lot easier than it went in. “Yeah, I cashed my check the night of the party…” I tried to explain but Dice just ripped my wallet out of my hand.

“What the hell is this?” There in Dice’s hand was a Gold Mastercard and pinched my eyes shut and hung my head. Shit, I was hoping that she wouldn’t find out about that. “You’re kidding me! Gates got you a credit card? Fuck you’re money, we’re spending his!” Oh, she looked like she had won the lottery and I knew I was in a world of trouble. You would have no idea she went through a world of hell by looking at her right now. But then again, I didn’t know what she had gone through because she wouldn’t talk about it. Was this all an act? It seemed like Dice but I couldn’t be too sure, she was a master at hiding things—hence why she was the knife mistress.

“I can’t,” I hissed as the elevator dinged. “He said it was for emergencies…and for special purchases only.”

Dice snorted. “Well, I think getting away from a psychotic fuck counts as a special purchase,” she chuckled, twirling it between her fingers. Oh, I was doomed and Brian was surely going to kill me when he got this bill. Do you think he’d believe me if I told him Dice stole it from me?

“How about we spend my money first, love?” I requested as I tried to snatch the card back, but even with multiple injuries she was still faster than me. How was that fair? What did she drink, a miracle smoothie when we waiting for our hotel suite to be ready? I swear if I had her injuries I would be dead somewhere. I had to give her credit for her strength but how much of it was an act? She had to be in a lot of pain, right?

“And it even says Mrs. Haner on it?! Are you fucking kidding me?!” Dice roared, examining the front of the card. My head snapped around to her so quickly that it hurt.

“Haha, very funny,” but she didn’t stop laughing.

“Oh, I’m not kidding!” She was getting way too much enjoyment out of this. It had to be a joke. “Mrs. Haner…fuck it makes you sound like an old bitch with saggy tits! I cant fucking believe this, Gates is really going soft. Soon he’ll let you get a cat and it’ll be all down hill from there…” What was wrong with wanting a cat? They were so fucking cute and hilarious!

“It. Does. Not. Say. Mrs. Haner!” I hissed, now really putting all my effort into getting it back from her. He wouldn’t have put that one the card, right? We hadn’t been dating for more than six or seven months. That had to be a joke. “Dice I swear to god, give it back!”

Just then the elevator dinged again and I let go of Dice and stood up with the card in my hand. Dice snickered and gave a salute to the two very familiar sets of eyes watching us. “Fuck…” I hissed and pushed the card into my back pocket. I would have to look at it later.

“Just the beauties we were looking for.” Duke said with a smug look on his face as I blushed madly. He undoubtedly had heard part of that conversation by the look on his face. This was just my lucky day, wasn’t it? “Where are you going?”

“Do you really have to ask?” Dice smirked as we stepped into the elevator. I felt Duke shift closer to me and I sighed. He just couldn’t accept that I was with someone else now and wasn’t taking no for an answer. Speaking of which, Brian would be pissed if he found out we were going downstairs with the bikers. He had made it clear once we got into the room that we weren’t going to deal with the bikers again. “I’m not leaving until I’ve spent all Mrs. Haner’s money.”

My eyes grew wide as I looked at her and she only gave me an evil smirk. Oh, she was loving this wasn’t she? “Mrs. Haner? Sounds like a stuck up bitch,” Ripper said, looking between Dice and myself. Though I could feel the glare of those piercing blues on the back of my head. Duke wasn’t happy with the sounds of that but I didn’t care. It wasn’t his choice, it was mine. Not that I was ready to be Mrs. Haner right now, but still.

“It’s a joke, okay?” I snapped. I was really flustered now. “I’m not Mrs. Haner and the card doesn’t say that!” I pulled the card out of my back pocket to see I was correct. “See look here!” I pushed the card into Ripper’s hands. “Read it.”

“It says Mrs. Brian Haner Jr.” Fuck I wasn’t right. I ripped the card back out of his hand and threw it back in my wallet.

“It has to be a mistake. We’re not married…” My panicked eyes met Dice and she just smiled and shook he head at me before starting a conversation with the guys.

Why would he put that on the card? It didn’t make any sense to me but then again what did I know. It couldn’t be that bad, right? I mean we lived together, we loved each other, and we were starting to get old. I was twenty-four and he was twenty-six. Did this mean that he was going to ask me to marry him? No way, I couldn’t see Synyster Gates married. This was stupid and it was all probably some typo on the damn card. Maybe he thought it would be easier for me to use if it said Mrs. on it…I don’t fucking know!

“Well, if you’re so worried about it,” Duke whispered in my ear a few minutes later. “There is a really easy solution.” I gave him a patient look but he continued anyway. “You drop him and you come back to me in Grand Terrace.”

I scoffed and shook my head. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’m good, Duke,” I said with a small smile as we walked off the elevator. Dice grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the raging casino to our right. I was in for one hell of a nice, especially since Ripper and Viper were staying with us as bodyguards. At least that’s what I’m going to tell myself.

“Get out that cash, baby, cause Momma’s gonna win back her mustang tonight!” Dice said, rubbing her hands together as she looked at the game tables.

Matt’s POV

She’s alive. Dice is alive. I just kept repeating those words over and over in my head as I walked down the Vegas strip with Gates. She’s fine—a little beat up but fine. She is alive. Thank god for that because I was going crazy with worry. I honestly didn’t know what I would do if I lost her. I blamed myself for this whole situation and I was glad that it was finally over. Fuck, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight again…well once we got back with dinner.

“Shadz, did you hear a fucking word I said?”

I shook my head and looked over at Gates who had an impatient look on his features. “Sorry…what did you say?”

Gates rolled his eyes and blew a cloud of smoke out his nose. “I said that when we get back, MJ wants to stay with Dice for a few days. Something about wanting to help her recover,” he chuckled, shaking his head and putting the cigarette between his lips.

“She really should have went to the fucking hospital,” I sighed, running my hands over my face.

“You and I both know you can’t make Dice do something she doesn’t want to do.” Oh, you can wipe that smug look off your face Haner. I know those two share a brain but he didn’t need to rub it in. “Anyway, you can stay at my place if you want to.”

I stopped and turned to look at him with a raised brow. “Why the hell would I do that? I’m staying with her too.” Had Gates lost his damned mind in all this?

He sighed again as we reached the dive restaurant and it honestly looked as MJ said it would. It seemed about right that Dice would like a place like this and honestly, these little hellholes were my favorite too. They always had the best people and the best food.

“I think maybe you should give her a little space to deal with all this…” What the hell was Haner turning into a chick now? He had obviously been spending too much time with MJ and not enough with the guys.

“No fucking way, that psycho could still be on the loose. You heard the douche biker, she only shot him in the leg.” I took off my aviators as we stepped inside and ordered take out. “Besides, someone’s got to make sure nothing else happens to her.”

“Dude, did you miss the chick screaming at the warehouse? She wasn’t screaming from pleasure, that’s for damn sure. I think Dice can take care of herself.” Did he really just say that? He saw what she looked like when she came up those stairs. That bastard that snatched her up wasn’t something I wanted to mess with and I hoped for his sake that he was already dead. I had no qualms with killing him with my bare hands after that. Call me sick but my name wasn’t Shadows for giggles.

I shook my head and narrowed my eyes at Brian. “No.” I said simply as they passed us the bags of food. “I’m not leaving her.”

The walk back to the hotel was quiet but I couldn’t get those green eyes out of my head. Dice had only looked at me once she joined us but that was enough to send my thoughts into a frenzy. She had been avoiding me, I got that but we needed to talk. I had to tell her I was sorry for that night and that it would never happen again, but I had to get her talk to me first. The only one she really seemed to talk to was MJ and okay, maybe she swapped a couple of insults with Gates. Dice would come around, she always did and I knew it was because she couldn’t keep her hands off of me for long.

“What do you think they’re doing?” Gates said as we reached the lobby. He had a smirk plastered on his lips and I could tell that he was a sick fuck.

“Definitely not what you’re thinking,” I chuckled, as we climbed into the elevator. He punched me in the arm as the door closed. “But I don’t know, watching TV? You know how Dice feels about fucking those Hoarding shows and there was a marathon on.” How did I know that? Well, maybe because I had searched the channels in room while she was in the bathroom with MJ. I wanted her to be comfortable when she finally came to bed with me. No I wasn’t going to jump her tonight, not even if that’s what she begged for. Okay, maybe if she begged but it had to be really convincing.

Brian snorted and shook his head at me. “You’re so whipped.”

“And you’re not? You didn’t even have to ask MJ what she wanted at any of our stops. You knew,” I countered as we reached the room. He just shrugged and walked inside, knowing that he couldn’t deny it anymore. However, it was too quiet in the room.

“Dice? MJ?” I called, looking around the dark suite. “Where the hell are they?”

“Relax they are probably sleeping,” Gates headed towards the bedrooms but came back a few moments later with a locked jaw and MJ’s phone in hand.

“DICE?” I yelled before slamming my fists down on the table. Where the hell could they have gone? No one knew we were still in town –unless someone took them. “You don’t think—“

“No.”

“Then where are they?”

Notes