More Than Life Itself

Asking Questions

"I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Why do most of the people have names on their wrists?"

Dagger clears his throat uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair before placing it back down on my waist possessively. 

"In our club, when a person finds the person or people they want to spend the rest of their lives with, the tattoo the names on their wrist."

"What for? As a way to say 'I love you'?"

"Yes and no. That's one reason, but it's also a warning. It's like a wolf marking their territory. If another pack was to come and try to take the territory, they would have to fight for it."

"So, it's like a dog pissing on a log?"

Dagger chuckles and a grin makes its way across his brilliant face. 

"You could say that. It's the marking of territory, a warning for other people who might be interested that they will have to face hell to get what they want. It deters anyone from messing with the club."

"Isn't this club good to people?"

"Our main job is protect, yes, but that doesn't mean we don't have enemies. Some, like the gangs around here, don't like us because we have most of the power."

"Most people of afraid of overstepping on someone else's significant other then?"

"Yes, but that's what the tattoo is intended to do."

"Has anyone ever refused the tattoo?"

Dagger quickly shakes his head. 

"A lot of the time, the couples get married first."

"What if they divorce? Has it ever happened before?"

"Divorces don't really happen in the club. We each make sure to think about whether or not we can imagine and want to spend the rest of our lives with that person or people. It's happened twice, but the person leaving the club would die a couple of days later."

I gasp, almost choking on the french fry in my mouth. Dagger smirks and taps me on the back, so I can breathe once again. 

"What? They die?"

"Yeah. With 'rival' gangs that want to show their dominance, a few people have died."

I can tell Dagger doesn't really want to talk about the dying part anymore, so I move on.

"So, do you have anyone in mind to hold your name?"

He looks down at me, tucking a piece of my blonde hair behind my ear. His honey brown eyes stare into my blue ones. I run my finger over his jawline, studying his face just as he is to mine. A tingling sensation moves its way along my body as his makes small circle with this thumb on my collarbone. Dagger leans down, and when I think he's about to kiss me, a kiss is placed on my neck. His mouth moves up to my ear, and he places another light kiss right below it.

"Well?"

"Maybe, little one. Just maybe."

I giggle at Dagger's answer. Once again, he stares at me intensely, and I place a kiss on his cheek. 

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"I don't know. Everything. You've been good to me even though we've only met what seems like a few hours ago."

"For some reason, I feel like I've known you forever."

"Yeah. I feel the same way. It's a good feeling."

"It really is."

We beam at each other, and when the bar door bangs open to reveal Ajax, Hunt, and Dash (who always seem to be together), I don't even flinch. I know Dagger's right here to take care of me. And for now, that's enough. Maybe one day we could be more, but I'm happy right here in his lap eating the best french fries on this earth. 

Dagger plays with my blonde locks of hair and talks to me just loudly enough only for me to hear, wanting to have a private conversation with me. He tells me his favorite books and music, though very little about his childhood and parents, which I can understand. He tells me about his work and what it's like being in a motorcycle gang. He talks to me about his dreams to one day have a family and live in a big house with two dogs (at least).