She pops off the counter, padding barefoot across the room, quiet as a mouse. Circling her arms around my waist, she whispers, “I don’t want you to.” Her nipples rub against me, poking me through the thin fabric of her tank. I want nothing more than to strip her bare and kiss her all over.
I breathe her in, getting a whiff of her coconut scented shampoo.
“Get some sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep.” Alexa’s dainty fingers slip inside the waistband of my boxer briefs. I grab her hand, preventing any further contact.
“Alexa,” Rochelle calls out.
“Go.” I move away from her.
Alexa nods and exits the kitchen. I grip the edge of the counter and let out a breath. I need a joint.
Out in the garage I fire one up. Then like the sorry bastard that I am I jerk off to thoughts of fucking Alexa bent over the hood of my wife’s car.
**
“I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t go in there. Dr. Neville is with a patient.”
I narrow my eyes on her. “Tell him James Thatcher is here to see him about his daughter.”
She finally looks at my cut and recognition dawns on the receptionist’s face. “Right away.” Her throat bobs, and she nearly trips over her own feet as she scurries down the hall.
A minute later the door opens, and the weasel shows his face. “You have no business coming here. We have nothing to discuss.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Your daughter needs a place to live.”
“I no longer have a daughter.”
“No you don’t. Alexa is dead to you, but I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. You’re going to furnish an apartment to finish out the school year and supply her a car. And if you don’t not only will I make a call about the abuse she endured living under your roof, but I’ll also see to it you lose your license to practice.”
“You don’t scare me.”
“No?” I lift him by his throat and laugh as he struggles to free himself. “Don’t even think about it,” I warn the woman at the desk when she goes to pick up the phone.
I drop him.
He rubs at his neck. “Alexa won’t get a dime from me. Might as well pass her around at your clubhouse, but to be honest I doubt she’d be worth the trouble.”
I lean in close. “If I were you, I’d sleep armed and with one eye open. If I see you even look in her direction, I’ll buttfuck your world so hard you’ll beg me to end your meaningless life.”
The worthless asshole pisses himself.
“I’ll see myself out.”
I’m almost out the door when he calls out, “Wait.” I turn back, and he cowers under my stare. “Let me write a check.”
“No. You lost your chance to do the right thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Alexa doesn’t need you to take care of her. I’ve got her covered.”
“You come back, and I’ll press charges for assault.”
“Right. One eye open.” I slap his shoulder then depart.
Chapter Fourteen
“What’s up with you?”
I shrug at Rochelle. “I don’t know what you mean.”
She taps her finger against her chin. “Hmmm. You seem...I don’t know happy.”
“You say it like that’s a bad thing.”
“It’s not, but there’s something different about you. I don’t know. You’re kind of glowing.”
“Glowing?” I shove her shoulder and she giggle snorts.
“Yes. I can’t explain it.”
“I mean I’m living away from my folks. I’m working on getting my grades back up after all the time I missed when I was gone.”
“Does this mean you get to graduate?”
“I get to graduate if I can stay on track and don’t miss anymore school.”
“Dude. That’s amazeballs.”
“Who says amazeballs?” I make a face and grab another slice of pizza.
“I do. It’s a popular phrase.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Colter doesn’t complain.” She grins.
“I bet he doesn’t. Are you guys official now?”
“Yeah... I think so.”
“You think?”
“I mean I know he isn’t dating anyone else and he calls me his girl.”
“I’m glad you guys finally got together. I was getting sick of you two making puppy dog eyes at one another.”
Her eyes roll. “We do not do that.”
“You so do but it’s sweet. You guys are super cute together.”
“We are, aren’t we?” I nod. “When are you going to start dating again? Colter said Tanner thinks you’re hot.”
“I’m seeing someone.”
“Since when? And why do I, your best friend in the entire world not know about this?”
“He’s older so we have to be careful.” I bite into my food.
“How old? It’s not Todd is it?”
Hearing his name, my mind flashes to him pinning me down on the floor in this same room. Midchew my stomach rolls in the worst way. I drop the slice and cover my mouth, running for the bathroom.
“Alexa what’s wrong?” Rochelle yells after me as I drop to my knees and pray to the porcelain throne.
All the food and soda I consumed comes rushing up so fast it shoots out my nose.
“Can I do anything?” I shake my head, but she gathers my hair and pulls it back. “Want me to get my mom?”
“No. I felt a little off earlier.” I wipe my mouth with a tissue and flush it with my dinner.
Rochelle steps out in the hall and I clean up.
“I think I’m going to take a nap.”
“Fine, but I want to know who this new guy is.”
“New guy? Who has a new guy?” Ruthie questions, coming down the hall with a laundry basket pressed to her hip.
Her mom would kill me, Rochelle too, if they knew that James is my guy. I’m his dirty little secret. His girl on the side. The other woman. I should feel guilty, but I don’t. I love him so much it physically hurts when we aren’t together.
“I’ve just been talking to someone in an online chat. He’s in college,” I mumble.
“Well be careful you never know if you’re talking to a real person or not.”
“Of course.”
“What are you two doing just standing in the hall?”
“She threw-up,” Rochelle volunteers.
“Are you okay? Need me to get you anything?”
“No. I think the pizza was just too greasy or something.” I can’t say being in this house is hard. That one of the worst experiences I’ve ever endured began in the living room and sometimes I experience flashbacks of that night.
“I’m having dinner with some friends tonight, but if you need me to stay home I can.”
“I’ll be fine. Ro will look after me.”
“All right. I’m leaving in about an hour and won’t be back till late. You girls behave yourselves.”
“We will, Mom.”
I go into Rochelle’s room and flop on the twin bed her mom had James set up for me until I find something more permanent. My staying here is temporary. Ruthie says I can stay as long as I want, but I know she’d change her tune in a heartbeat if she knew the truth.
That I’ve been fucking her husband behind her back.
James has been gone for a few weeks now. Gone on what Rochelle called a run for the club. I wanted to ask her more about it but didn’t want to seem too interested in her dad. I only stay here to be close to him and he’s not even here.
I miss him. I wish I knew when he was coming home.
Rochelle keeps staring at her phone and giggling. Part of me is jealous. Her and Colter don’t have to hide their relationship. He can take her on a date and not have to worry who might see them together.
The bedroom door opens, and Ruthie lets us know she’s leaving. The minute she’s gone Rochelle jumps up and slides her shoes on. “Colter’s picking me up. Do
you wanna go or stay here?”
My stomach is all gross still, and I’m not in the mood to watch them sucking face all night. “I think I’ll hang here. You go. Have fun. You don’t need me tagging along every time the two of you go out.”
“I don’t mind. Colter doesn’t either. He could invite Tanner.”
“I’m afraid I’m coming down with a stomach flu or something. I wouldn’t be any fun. And I don’t want Tanner getting the idea I like him or something.”
“Okay...but if you change your mind call me and we’ll come back for you.”
“I’ll probably sleep.”
“Fine.” she huffs. “See you later.”
“Bye.”
With everyone gone I realize this is the first time I’ve been alone in the house since that night. Panic bubbles in my chest, flooding my veins with anxiety. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I know Todd can’t hurt me anymore. I’m being silly. I can’t finish the pizza but that doesn’t mean I can’t continue the movie Rochelle and I had started.
I’m about halfway through the movie when I hear a motorcycle pull up. My pulse races. James must be home, and it will be the first real moment I will get him to myself since I started staying here. I dash to the bathroom to make sure I look halfway decent considering I threw up earlier. Fingers slipping through my hair to undo the knots, I gaze at my pale appearance, and pray he’s as excited to see me as I am him.
The movie still plays from the living room, the Tv casting a soft glow on the walls of the dark room. A man sits in the recliner with his face shielded to me. A lighter flicks, and the moment I catch a whiff of the minty smoke, I gasp.
I slap a palm to my lips immediately but it’s too late. He sees me, and I see the face of the devil when he glances in my direction. “I’m surprised to see you here. I guess the last time wasn’t enough. Come back for more?” he stands as I shrink back at the recognition I have of the sound of his voice washing over me like my worst dream come true.
My head screams for my feet to move but they are rooted in place.
“I..I don’t want any trouble.”
A deep but hoarse chuckle rips from his throat. A sinister sound that is a warning that my body recognizes. Goosebumps pebble across my skin. The room seems to drop in temperature. I’m chilled to the bone. “No one’s going to save you now. I should’ve known I couldn’t count on Todd to finish the job. This time I won’t make any mistakes.” He takes a drag off his cigarette. His lips pucker to blow out a smoke ring and my skin crawls.
There’s only one way for me to go and that’s to run back down the hallway and barricade myself in one of the rooms or go out a window. Distracted by my own thoughts I’m not prepared when he grabs me, pressing the ember of his cigarette into my arm using the hand tattooed with a lion’s head wearing a crown. I cry out, kicking with all I have, but I’m powerless against his strength.
The Lion as I now call him carries me kicking and screaming to the master bedroom. He drops me on the bed, and I attempt to scramble away from him, doing a backwards crab crawl across the mattress, but he’s too fast.
Slap. I’m backhanded, his tattooed hand connecting with my mouth, splitting my lip in two with one of his rings. “You filthy little cunt. I know all about you. Been keeping an eye on you and my useless son-in-law. First you fucked with my money, had my top seller killed, and now you’ve tried to ruin my daughter’s marriage. Nobody fucks with what’s mine and gets away with it.”
“I—”
Thwack. He punches me. “Shut up. I didn’t say you speak.” A sharp pain like I’ve never experienced before shoots through my skull and my vision blurs.
Stars dance in my eyes. I know this time there’s no one to save me. I never should’ve come back, but I couldn’t stay away from James. I don’t regret loving him. I only wish we could’ve had more time. I disappear inside my mind, getting swept away in my memories of him.
We may be a thousand miles apart for all I know, but he’ll live in my heart these last minutes or seconds that I have left.
“Look at me,” the hateful man screams in my face.
I refuse him, earning me a punch to the gut. Oof. All the air goes whooshing out of me. A tear rolls down my cheek as I struggle to escape back inside my mind to thoughts of my biker. Our forbidden love. Everything we never said.
“I said look at me when I’m talking to you.” His rough hands wrap around my throat. This time I don’t deny him. My eyes bulge as I struggle to breathe. I scratch with all I have, clawing at his arms, grabbing at his shirt.
“I’m going to fuck every hole you have until your body gives out.” He lets go of my throat, and I try to roll away from him. I get on my right side when he starts tugging on my yoga pants, yanking them halfway down my legs. I try to fight, but I can scarcely catch my breath. “Stop moving.” The evil bastard attempts to pin me to the mattress. His fingers tear at my panties, nails digging into my skin.
“I forgot my... what the fuck are you doing?” Ruthie screeches. “Get off her.” She flies toward us, and I pray that she can stop him.
“Get the fuck out and mind your own God damn business.”
“I. Oh. My. God. Alexa, sweetie,” she cries, and he backhands her like he did me earlier. Her head whips to the side. “Have you lost your mind?” She screams.
“Do I need to tell you to get the fuck out again,” he roars, towering over her with his fist raised. I should run, but I’m unable to look away. I concentrate on getting my pants back up over my hips. “This is club business and nothing to do with you.”
“But she’s just...”
“I said mind your own business.” He moves to hit her again and she cowers away from him, backing out of the room slowly.
“Ruthie, please. Help me,” I cry out hoarsely, but she’s gone. Lion charges toward me. “No. Please. No,” I whimper as he grabs me up by the hair and slaps me so hard, I black out momentarily.
“Get away from her,” Ruthie says from the doorway of the bedroom aiming a handgun at my tormentor.
“This doesn’t concern you, girl.”
“I said get away from her.”
“Or what? You aren’t going to shoot me.” With his attention off me, I try to run past him. His arm hooks around my waist before I’ve taken two steps.
“Let her go and we’ll never speak of this again.”
“I don’t take orders from you. I fucking give them.” He pokes around in his pocket, producing a knife for his effort. Pressing the blade to my throat he walks me toward her. “I’m leaving and taking this little bitch with me. We have unfinished business. A score to settle. This is club business.”
We’re standing directly in front of her now and Ruthie presses the barrel of her gun between his eyes. Oh God. If she doesn’t kill him, he’ll kill us both. The blade cuts into my skin. I whimper feeling the trickle of blood rolling down my neck.
Chapter Fifteen
Stick a fork in me and call me roadkill. Lion sent me up north to deliver a whore he traded off to The Stable. It’s a ranch in Canada where they shoot porno flicks. I don’t know why he needed me to personally escort her there, but I suspect he didn’t want me poking around in his affairs.
Rolling down my street I see Lion’s motorcycle out front of my house. Ruthie’s car is running in the driveway, but no lights are on inside the house other than the occasional flicker from the Tv projecting on the walls and reflecting on the window. It’s not unusual for my father-in-law to visit with Ruthie, but I have a bad inkling in my gut. I park, shut my bike off, and head for the door.
I don’t know what gives me pause, but I open the door quietly. Slipping inside I listen and wait.
“Do-don’t make me choose,” I overhear Ruthie. The tremble in her voice sends me running. My pulse drums in my ears and races up and down my throat. I stop short in the hall behind my wife. In a standoff with her father she presses the barrel of my .45 between his eyes. Alexa is tucked into his chest with a knife to her throat.
My veins burn with the taste for vengeance. Tonight this bastard is going to die executioner style but not at her hands. I won’t let my wife have that on her heart no matter how I feel about her. I created this madness and sadness that exists between us. Look up pain in the dictionary and you’ll see our marriage. We’ve done nothing but hurt each other.
Placing my hand over Ruthie’s on the gun, I tell her, “Take Alexa and get out of here. This is between your old man and me.” The fear shining back at me through Alexa’s eyes nearly cuts me in two. He put his fucking hands on her for the last time.
Lion chuckles. “Never have liked you. You think you’re man enough to take me on?”
“Let Alexa go. It’s me you want. You’ve got me.”
He shoves Alexa into Ruthie and she eases her grip on the weapon but refuses to relinquish it to me. “Take her out of here,” she grits through her teeth. Alexa moves to my side clinging onto me for dear life.
I have a choice to make. Save the woman I love or defend the one I married. Ruthie is Rochelle’s mother, and I made a vow to love and protect her. It’s no choice. Not one anyone should have to make.
“No. This is club business. Let him answer for his sins. Drop the knife or I put you to ground without a fair trial.”
“If that’s how you want to play it.” The knife hits the floor, and he holds his palms out. “They’ll never side against me.”
I kick the knife away.
“Are you sure?” Ruthie asks.
“You and Alexa will stand as witnesses. He disrespected me by coming into my house and hurting what’s mine.” Ruthie shoots me a funny look, and I correct myself. “Alexa’s under my protection.”
“You sure that’s all it is?” Lion motions head toward Alexa curled into my side as though I’m her lifeline.
I ignore his accusation. Ruthie doesn’t need to know about Alexa and me. Not tonight. “He threatened you. Daughter or not you’re my wife. I won’t stand for anyone harming you. My family is my world. You know that. Your father doesn’t care about you or Rochelle. He spits on his patch and club. If he moves, shoot him.”
Tempting The Biker (Royal Bastards MC: Charleston, WV Book 3) Page 9
