by Zara Teleg
“What the fuck? Beating a girl? Are you an animal? Do your brothers stand for that? Because we don’t.”
“Girl?” he hissed spitting out blood. “That bitch is dead!” He yelled at Juliet, craning his neck to see her, “You hear that bitch? You are fucking dead!” The blood from his nose was dripping to his chin.
I studied Juliet’s face; she’s pretty tough for a little thing.
I forced my rage down as had been taught me in anger management, one breath at a time, cause right now I wanted to take Joker out. Joker was not one to forgive or forget. His threats were his word. Juliet was in trouble. Big fucking trouble.
Ledger then arrived on the scene and pulled his bike next to us. He jumped off and asked if she was okay before pulling her in for a hug.
“Get her the fuck out of here, Ledge,” I growled. “Hawk and I will take care of this piece of shit.”
He put his hand on Juliet’s back. “We have to get out of here now,” he said gently but firmly. She nodded in agreement, with a look of knowing in her eyes. Why the fuck did it seem like she was so comfortable with Ledger?
She started heading toward where her jeep was parked.
“No, babe, my bike’s faster. We got to go, fast.” The rumble of bikes in the distance was getting closer.
She protested, “I-I’ve never been on a bike…and what about my Jeep?”
“The guys are gonna take care of it and the rest of your things.”
He got on his bike and roared it to life.
“Bike.” He handed her his helmet. “Now, babe.”
“But what are you going to wear?” she asked with concern in her eyes. She just got attacked, but she was concerned for him?
“Don’t worry about me, babe. We gotta go now.”
She took the helmet in one hand and used the other to pull on the knotted hair on top of her head. Golden, color-streaked locks cascaded down the middle of her back. My body stiffened with that swift action. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
As I watched her mount his bike, a primal, violent feeling suddenly came over me. Did Juliet like Ledger? Why did I even care? When her arms reached around his waist, I spun and gave Joker another fist to his face, this one knocking him out.
“Do you remember where I live?”
“Yeah, babe, can’t forget. Now hold on to me, alright? Real tight.” Juliet settled onto the bike and squeezed her arms around his waist.
“Be careful of the pipe near your leg, sweetheart.” He ran his fingers near her ankle and up her calf, causing a surge in my already angry state. He gave us a quick salute, and then they were out of there.
Why did he know where she lived? Did they have a thing?
“Hello? Rage?” Hawk was waving at me as he gripped Joker’s slumped body. “Looks like someone who says he’s not interested in anyone has it bad for a certain yoga instructor.” Hawk laughed as I watched the bike get smaller in the distance.
I crashed at Kai’s last night. I couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t have started a beef with one of the Devil’s had I stayed in the clubhouse. Kai was furious after I had filled him in. Then it had been me trying to stop him from going back to the clubhouse.
After a few drinks, I crashed on his sofa. Lying on my back, I stared at the ceiling, wrestling with the idea of checking on Juliet myself. I couldn’t decide if letting Ledge take her back to her home had been the best idea. Ledger as the one protecting her did not sit well with me. Why I instinctively felt that it should be me to protect her, I didn’t know.
I waited until early afternoon to go to the clubhouse to change. Another day of putting up with this shit and the clubhouse would be ours again.
Just as I predicted, the odor of last night’s guests greeted me. Trash was overflowing from the dumpsters, and the whole place was in disarray. Colt was not one to tolerate messes, so I hoped he got what he wanted. Although Kai’s bachelor pad wasn’t much better.
I stepped over passed-out bikers and thong-clad women draped over the drunk men. I recognized only a few people.
I unlocked my door and slipped in. I needed a shower and a nap. Tonight, Juliet was my responsibility. As pissed as I was over the situation, I was looking forward to spending time with her. She had consumed my thoughts since the day I met her, and after last night, I needed to unravel the mystery of Juliet. Maybe getting to know her better would lessen the strange magnetism I felt toward her.
I pulled my cut on over my T-shirt. I anchored my gun to its strap under my jeans before pulling my boots on. I studied myself in the mirror like I was going on a date. Once satisfied with my appearance, I sprayed on some cologne, grabbed the packed duffel, and locked the door behind me.
Weed and pizza wafted through the air from the kitchen. Hawk, Bodie, Hack, and Kai sat around the table, playing cards, with a stack of bills in the middle. Kai had his sunglasses on and his flavor of the day—a barely dressed blond, bouncing on his knee while playing on her phone.
“A game without Ledge, that’s a first. He’ll be pissed he missed it.” I leaned against the doorway to listen in and watch.
Kai shook his head, tossing another bill in the middle. “Ever since he’s gone high stakes, he never plays with us. He says he’d feel too guilty taking all our money. We only play when he’s not around.”
“You headed out to Juliet’s?” Hawk said as he threw a fifty in the center of the table.
“Fuck,” Kai threw his cards down, causing the girl on his lap to jump. “Geez, Kai, what the hell?” She fixed herself back on his knee and used her phone as a mirror to fix her hair.
“Yeah, I told Ledge I’d be there by six,” I said, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.
Hawk scooped up the money from the center of the table and glanced at his watch. “You got an hour. Sit in for a hand.” He pointed to the empty chair.
“Nah, thanks, but I’m going to get some food before I head up there.”
In unison, still staring at their cards, they said, “No.”
“No?” I arched an eyebrow. “I gotta eat if I’m going to be up there all night.”
Hawk laughed and said, “Not necessary, brother. That girl is a feeder.”
“Yup,” they all agreed.
“A what?” I was confused and hungry. I looked at the last slice of pizza in the open box.
“Every time I leave her place or she visits the club, man, I can barely make it on my bike. The girl loves cooking for people, even though it’s all that healthy shit, she makes it taste so good.” Hawk licked his lips. “Her eggplant parm is heaven.” He laughed, rubbing his stomach.
Hack chimed in, “Oh, yeah, it is. Ooohh and her pie…” He had a shit-eating grin on his face.
I turned a heated shade as I stared him down, narrowing my eyes, daring him to make another comment.
“Woah, brother,” Hack laughed placing his hands up, “she makes the best pies.”
“Is cherry your favorite?” Bodie joined in, giggling like a teen. I threw the nearest plastic cup at his curly blond head.
“Looks like someone may have a crush.” Hack chuckled, and the rest of them joined with laughs and kissy faces.
I blew past them, ignoring the last bit. I gave them the finger and my don’t-fuck-with-me-glare and slammed the door behind me. “Fuckers.”
Chapter Eight
Rage
My eyes darted back and forth watching out for deer on the isolated mountain road. With steep drop-offs on each side, I didn’t want one taking me by surprise on my bike doing nearly fifty. The road was winding, sharp and fast. Why the hell did she live up here by herself?
Turning in from the road, one could see behind the large canopy of trees; the back was open with a panoramic view of the town and Black Rock River. It was quite breathtaking. I guess the seclusion was worth it. At least from this vantage point, we could quickly find out if Joker or any of his asshole brothers decide to seek revenge on her for kicking his ass last night.
I pulled into the
lot next to Ledger’s bike. The cabin looked like something from a storybook, nestled in trees with flowers everywhere. The sound of my bike must have alerted Ledger and Juliet to my arrival. Before I made it up the flower-lined path to the small porch, the door opened.
“Welcome, brother,” Ledge said over the barking from inside the cabin.
“‘Sup, Ledge?” I gave him a head tilt. “No signs of trouble?”
“No, only trouble here is Miss Juliet,” he said and gave a little wink.
A white pit bull with floppy ears and a scarred chest ran out toward me. The pup was on alert as he cautiously checked me out, sniffing everywhere.
“Hi, bud,” I said, bending down and extending my hand for him to inspect.
“This is Lord,” said the voice that had been constantly on my mind. “Lord, this is Rage.” She came and knelt by my side as she introduced us. With her approval, he let his guard down and allowed me to pet him. Lord’s blue eyes stayed trained on Juliet.
“Nice to meet you, Lord.” I rubbed the soft fur under his chin.
“I got to get going, Rage. You got this?” Ledger climbed on his bike.
“Yes, Ledge, I got this.” I rolled my eyes, annoyed.
“You know, I’m fine. You don’t need to watch me,” Juliet said. “That asshole isn’t going to come up here. He probably slept it off and forgot all about me.”
Ledger and I looked at each other. “No,” we said at the same time.
Ready to leave, Ledger started the engine.
“Oh, shit! Wait, Ledge. I forgot I made a bag of goodies for you to take back to the boys. Give me a second.” She ran back and quickly returned with a box. “I packed a pie and some of the cinnamon rolls Kai likes.” She held out the box to him, with the sweetest smile.
“Juliet, sweetie, I think I’ve gained five pounds since being here last night,” he laughed. She tilted her head to the ground, her smile laced with guilt. She leaned into Ledge to give him a big hug. “Thanks for staying.”
My eyes shot bullets into Ledge. He must have noticed because he backed off the hug. “No worries, doll. Rage will take good care of you.” He started his bike and gave us both a nod before covering his eyes with his shades and took off.
“Come on in,” she waved. Lord followed her every move. The small front porch had hanging plants and a welcome mat at the door; the few pairs of Converse and glittery flip-flops made me smile.
The small cabin looked much bigger inside. It was painted shades of white from floor to ceiling. The furniture was white, the decor was white, and there were green plants scattered throughout, giving the place an earthy vibe. Tiny lights were strung up everywhere. They looked like fireflies.
Blues rock music filled the space, and the scent of something mouthwatering was coming from the kitchen. “I love this song.” I was referring to Chris Stapleton’s Death Row.
“Me, too.” She closed her eyes as she swayed to the music. Her ankle bracelets jingled as she moved.
Her soft yellow sundress was strapless and almost reached the floor. Just her bare feet and sexy toes were visible. The long dress clung to her body, her tan shoulders showing. She looked hotter than the half-naked girls at the club. Soft curls fell around her face from the long braid hanging from her shoulder. Her face was absent of makeup, except those shiny lips again. The pale-yellow fabric made the gold in her green eyes stand out. She brushed away a curl, revealing her bruised cheek, and I nearly lost control of my temper.
I cleared my throat and tried not to stare. “You have quite a view here.” The back wall was entirely made up of glass doors that overlooked the mountain. “I love your place.”
A small appreciative smile crept across her face. “Thanks, I’ve been here for almost three years. It took some time to redo the old place, but I love it.”
She pulled open one of the glass doors, the mountain air streamed in through the screen, stirring the air. Something smelled good.
“Are you staying at the club or do you live somewhere else?”
“The club for now.” I inhaled. “That smells fantastic.”
“Crap. I almost forgot.” Flying into the kitchen, she turned the stove down. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Just in time.”
Leaning against the rustic wooded column, I looked around some more.
“Do you like pesto?” she yelled from her small kitchen where pans were clattering.
“Yes, I love it.”
I walked toward where she was and found her fishing out a beer from the fridge. She handed me the icy cold bottle. “I hope you like craft beers, I got this one cause of the cute bunny on the label.” She pointed to the image. “It’s called Crazy Hops IPA. It’s from that local microbrew in Black Rock. I’m not a beer girl, but I like to keep some on hand for visitors, and the label sold me.”
I twisted off the lid wondering how frequent Ledge was a visitor. Did she keep beer on hand for him?
She pointed at the open glass door. “You can go out to the patio and relax. Dinner will be about fifteen more minutes.”
I did as she suggested, ducking my head and swiping the wind chimes. A roof covered the large stone patio. To the left was a purple fabric swing hanging from a rafter with yoga mats below it. To the right was a heavy bag suspended from the beam. A basket of gloves and wraps sat in the corner. Everywhere I looked were plants. A small iron table was in the center of the patio. The porch extended out to four large boxed gardens. I sipped on my beer examining the vegetables that were growing in there, little signs marked each one. There was an entire box dedicated to herbs. Others were cut and hung to dry from the rafters.
She brought out another beer, some white wine, silverware, and napkins.
“Can I help?”
“Nope, just relax.” She handed me an open beer.
As promised, fifteen minutes later, she came out from the kitchen carrying two plates. One with a smaller portion and the other piled high with pasta and bread. She put the large plate in front of me.
“My famous pesto pasta,” she said in a fake Italian accent, which made me laugh.
“This looks amazing.” I put three fingers to my lips and sent them out with a kiss.
We dug in. I’d never had homemade pesto, and I was just blown away by its flavor. Juliet baked the bread, and all the ingredients except for the pasta noodles and pine nuts came from her garden.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t mind the pine-nut cheese. I am vegan and don’t eat animal products,” she said, waiting for my reaction.
I shook my head in confusion, lifting an eyebrow “Nut cheese?”
She laughed at the confused look on my face. It led to a long conversation about plant-based living and the environment. I drank a few more beers, and she filled a second glass of white wine. I found it odd when she cut the wine with sparkling water and lemon wedges.
“What’s with the water in the wine?” I asked.
“I love wine. Red used to be my favorite, but I can’t have it anymore ‘cause it gives me sort of a migraine really quickly, even when cooked in food. White wine is a little bit better, but I still have to cut it with water. I’m not taking any chances with a migraine.” She swirled the liquid in the glass, taking a sip.
Her face was becoming flushed. She pushed back the few wavy strands that caressed her face behind her ear, revealing more of her stunning beauty.
That’s when I noticed the scars. One was in her left eyebrow, it was small and divided the hair. Another extended from the corner of her eye and went straight to her ear. It blended with her skin, you could easily miss it if you didn’t know what you were looking at. I’d seen many fighters display those scars proudly, but she masked hers gently with her hair.
I reached out to touch her face, just grazing the marred skin. She froze, eyes widening.
“Sorry…” I pulled my hand back. “I just…” I cleared my throat. “What happened?”
I heard her make a small gulp. “Accident…a few years ago. It’s nothing.�
�� She was nervous and uncomfortable.
“So, Rage, tell me…” She downed more of her wine and quickly changed the topic. “Not to be nosey, but what kept you away? Were you in jail or something?”
She wasn’t ready to talk and I didn’t want to push her. I gave a small chuckle to put her back at ease. “No, I wasn’t in jail. Almost, though. It’s a long story. I don’t want to bore you.”
She raised her almost empty goblet it in the air. “I got all night.” She took a sip and waited for me to answer.
“Alright, you asked for it.” I popped the top off a new bottle and stretched my legs out, crossing them at the ankles.
“Four years ago, I was with a few brothers at a dive bar, Charlie’s Place. You know it?” She shook her head.
“Charlie’s was a few blocks off Main Street in Sugar Maple. It was tucked in between a whole alley full of garages. Not many outsiders went there. That’s why the brothers liked it. It was kind of a getaway from the clubhouse. Anyway, that night a group of college kids were in there—the kind of guys who thought they were better than everyone else and treated waitresses like crap. I recognized a few of them who trained at The Pit. This big blond asshole was hassling Mandy, our waitress. Now she was a few years behind us in school, so we all knew her. We warned him a few times to leave her alone. But the drunker the kids got, the rowdier they became. Finally, after they knocked over a table and spilled a few bottles, Charlie kicked them out.”
Juliet was listening intently; she ran her finger along the rim of her glass as she waited for me to continue.
“We stayed until closing that night. I got on my bike and was two blocks away when I realized I had left my phone there, so I turned around and went back. Everyone was gone except Hawk, Leo, and Charlie. He was letting them finish their tie-breaking pool game while he closed out the register. On my way out, I heard a scream from the back parking lot. I knew it was Mandy. The blond fucker from before was roughing her up. He held her by the back of her head. His fist was full of her hair, her lip busted open.”
