Red Hot ~Nikki Sixx

Part 56: A Man of Means

A/N—So sorry! I really wanted to get this out before Christmas but the holidays have kicked my ass. Thanks so much to my awesome beta and thanks to all of you for your patience.  Merry Christmas!

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As far as Ashten was concerned she could happily have stayed and listened to Vi and Nikki yammer on and on while she sipped on her milkshake with Frank Sinatra crooning carols in the background.

But Christmas Eve beckoned— there were still things to be done and goodbyes had to be exchanged. But not before Vi, refusing to allow them to leave empty handed, tucked a freshly baked apple pie from the dessert case into Ashten's hands.

"Now, you come back and see me. Especially if that little shit gives you any trouble." Vi smirked and nudged her head in Nikki's direction.

"I'm sure you can count on that." Ashten smiled back and let the older woman give her the kind of hug one can only get from a doting grandmother.

"Excuse me, but I am a goddamn delight!" Nikki huffed, his hands on his hips.

"Keep it up and I'll tell her about the first time you-"

"Ok, that's enough," Nikki exclaimed, silencing Vi and pulling her away from Ashten to hug her goodbye.

"Oh no, I think I want to hear this. Especially if it's embarrassing." Ashten's grin became Cheshire Cat-esque.

"Nope, we're done here. The joyfulness is over," Nikki announced, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling the blonde bombshell against him as he nudged her towards the door.

And it felt so good that Ashten almost forgot to breathe. He was warm, and solid, and smelled amazing and she just wanted to drown in him.

"You're such a horrible old woman," he called out to a laughing Vi as he guided his date out of the diner.

But not before he discretely slipped a wad of cash, which Ashten was confident was all hundreds, into the tip jar.

I see you, Nikki Sixx.

"Don't ask," Nikki responded to the cocked eyebrow he got once they got in the car.

"I am absolutely asking."

"Nope."

She pulled out one of the many weapons in her arsenal and gave him the big doe eyes, trying to butter him up.

"Don't you give me those eyes. I'm immune," he insisted, knowing damn well he was absolutely not immune. He kept his focus on the windshield, purposely avoiding getting lost in the pool of blue surrounded by long fluttering eyelashes.

"I bet I could drag it out of you."

"I'm sure you could. Preferably topless. Or even better, throw on your white physician's coat and we're in business." He threw her some side eye with a sly grin.

"Noted." Ashten chuckled and picked up her vibrating phone to read the message waiting for her. "Oh, sweet lord in the sky."

"What?"

"Tommy." She sighed deeply and put her phone away without a reply. "He and the kids started on the cookies for Santa without me."

"So?"

"So, the chances of us coming home to a house fire just increased tenfold."

"Was that a possibility?"

"Isn't it always?"

Nikki sniggered with a nod of agreement, "That's fair. But I think even Tommy can handle his kids, my kids, and a batch of cookies."