Page 58 of Stag

Caroline lifted the tag on the pup’s collar and showed me. Oh. Nixie. How cute.

“Is she friendly?”

I looked at all of them, and the biker who hadn’t spoken to me yet, but I think I recognised from the bike shop, shook his head, but quickly explained.

“Not with me, no. I’m sure she’s safe for you.”

A moment later, the cute little squirming warm bundle was being pushed into my arms, and started licking my chin.

“Okay, definitely friendly,” I said with a giggle, watching the familiar-looking biker guy kiss Caroline’s forehead and wait until I looked at him.

“I’m gonna go get us some drinks, that okay? We’re all regulars at Henley’s place.”

I shrugged, and he headed into the kitchen, the other biker following him, while the two women stayed with me, all of us standing in the hallway still.

“I’m V,” the other woman said, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder, but in a frustrated way, like it was getting on her nerves, rather than a ‘look at me, look at me’ kind of way.

“V? Did I read that right? Like the letter or V.E.E.?”

She grimaced. “V as in Victoria, but nobody calls me that.”

Got it. We moved over to the sofas and sat down, both of them on the other sofa together, leaving me free to let little Nixie explore the sofa I was on. The little sweetheart immediately grabbed the edge of my sleeve and started tugging it with her tiny teeth. Was she growling? I remember dogs made sounds, but I hadn’t heard them in so long.

I lifted my head to look at the women, and sure enough, the one called V was saying something, which looked like ‘Nixie, NO’, but the pup was paying no attention to her. Maybe the dog was deaf too, or was it selective hearing with dogs?

“It’s okay. It’s just an old hoodie.”

V got up and eased my sleeve from Nixie’s mouth, wagging her finger at her, as the pup wagged her tail in response.

“We’re trying to train her, but she’s stubborn as hell,” she told me, remembering to face me as she spoke. She sat beside me instead, dancing her fingers around in circles on the cushion between us, so the pup would play with those instead.

“Rocket would say she’s being a typical woman,” she said next, pointing at the kitchen doorway, as I followed her gesture. Oh. They were on their way back with drinks. Beers for the two men, and what looked like coffee for us women.

“Didn’t know how you take it, Claudia, do you need sugar in it?” The biker from the bike shop asked as he rested it in front of me. His cut said VP, and Harley on it. I remembered that now, but was that is real name or a biker thing? His business was called Harley’s, which made me think it was literally his name.

He grinned at me. “I’m sure you remember me, love, I’m Caroline’s man. That prick there is Rocket. He’s V’s pet.”

“Fucker!” The guy named Rocket replied as I glanced at him. V patted my arm and I turned to her.

“He is. He’s my naughty little pup too.”

I blinked at her, my mind racing. Like a kink thing? Was she dominant and he was her pet on his knees for her, and getting spanked. And why the hell was my mind going somewhere so pervy right now? Was it because being with Stag had helped me find a slightly more dominant side of myself than I ever knew existed?

“I love the fact that you’re clearly thinking something naughty, Claudia. We’re going to be good friends,” V said with a giggle.

It was weird, but I felt at home with them already, even the two men, and they were all patient with me, taking the time to gain my attention before speaking. For people who’d just met me, you’d have to assume they were around deaf people all the time. It was possible. Being deaf isn’t rare, I guess.

“So you’re all good friends of Stag, I’m guessing? Being in the same club and all.”

Both women instantly looked a little awkward, and when I turned to the men, Rocket was grinning at me, but Harley looked a little edgy too.

“Wow. Suddenly you all go quiet. I’m deaf, but even I can tell it’s silent right now. Is there something I should know?”

Harley and Rocket side-eyed each other, and so I turned to the ladies. V sighed, and lifted a hand, like a ‘I’m just going to say it’ kind of gesture.

“We don’t really know him that well. Caroline and me at least. He’s… uh…” she glanced at Caroline, and looked at me again, a little grimace on her face, “he’s kind of a dick to women.”

Her head suddenly darted away from me, and I saw her saying something but I couldn’t make out the words from the side. I looked instead at Rocket, and saw his lips moving too.