Betrayal of Cupids

by Sophia Kenzie

  I felt the tension through the phone as he processed what I had just said to him. “Is this for show? For the guy who is with you?”

  “Yes.” At least he was following me. I really didn’t want to hurt him.

  “I’m coming there.”

  Oh God, he was never going to stop with this shit. “No.”

  “Grace, I know I should trust you, but if Sean isn’t already there, I think he’ll be there soon.”

  “I can handle it.” I said under my breath.

  And then he lost it. “Fuck this Grace. I don’t know what is going on or what game you are trying to play, but you can’t treat me like this. We’re on the same team. I can’t stand by and let you face him on your own. I’ll keep my distance, but I need to make sure you’re safe, that we’re all safe. This isn’t just about you anymore, so get off your high horse and let me take care of this once and for all.”

  One day, when this whole thing was over, I would tell him how turned on I was after that outburst. Unfortunately, Mr. Muscles was regaining his composure, and I needed to put an end to the conversation. “Ryan, no. I don’t want to see you ever again. Stop calling me.”

  I hated hanging up on Ryan like that, but I knew he was smart enough to know it was all a lie. Bad as I might have felt, I couldn’t let my feelings for him cloud the mission I was preparing myself for.

  “It’s over.” I shot a look at Mr. Muscles.

  “Good.”

  “Now take me to Sean.”

  I didn’t wait for a reply, simply moved past him and into the club. I gave the obligatory head nods and smiles to the girls. They all knew what I was going through; no one wanted to breach the comfort of their non-awkward place in my life. No one wanted to talk about my father. They let me be, and for that I was grateful.

  I stepped quickly through the hallway and pushed the door to the clubhouse open. No one. They must have all been meeting for church. I could’ve taken the respectful route and waited on the couch for their dismissal, but I didn’t want to give myself the option of falling victim to fear. I was not about to talk myself out of this little rendezvous.

  “Hello boys,” I said, joyfully announcing my presence.

  A number of expected reactions filled the air. What was I doing there? Was everything all right? Was I supposed to meet with someone?

  “I would actually like to speak to my buddy, Sean, here.” I placed my hands on his shoulders, and his neck tensed at my touch. I really did have the upper hand; I just needed to continue to keep it that way.

  Sean was seated off to the side, on the “waiting bench”, as anyone who was being considered for a spot in the club would be.

  My father’s right hand man stood. While I hadn’t made a point to follow the club business since the untimely death of their president, I could only assume he was acting as the interim president, at least for the time being.

  He stepped around the table, coming close to me. I stood tall, but dropped my left hand from Sean’s shoulder as I felt it begin to shake.

  “It’s good to see you getting back to your normal self.”

  “Thanks.” Short answers would have to do it for me. I couldn’t allow my voice to crack.

  “We have normal business to attend to first, as we did just open church, but do you have time to hang out? I think it would be good for you to see what’s going on in light of your father’s passing.”

  “I would love to hang out.”

  As he made his way back to the head of the table, I sat down with Sean on the bench. I could tell he was worried. I felt an overwhelming sense of calm come over me; I loved my new position of power.

  Over the course of two and a half hours, the group talked about the business of the strip club, the new drugs they were pulling in and how they were planning on distributing them to a wider market, how the other chapters were getting along in the wake of recent events, how they could make sure the power was still theirs to keep, and what shining stars they might bring up from the other chapters to ride with the mother club. I both agreed and disagreed with some of their suggestions and decisions, but I kept my mouth shut. I was there for one purpose, and it was not to secure the growth of the Shadows: it was to get out of there.

  “Next item on the docket…” the interim president read from his legal pad. “Ah yes, the Cupids.”

  I perked up. It was my turn. Sean and I both stood.

  “So, Grace,” he addressed me, “as you know, we have Sean Cassidy here, and he’s promised a successful takeover of the Cupids if we patch him over.”

  “Wonderful,” I answered playfully.

  “We were a bit worried about where his loyalties lie, but Sean was telling us about the night you were shot.”

  “Was he?” I could feel my arm lock up. Anytime I was reminded of that night, I felt it physically. What did Sean have to say? I laid my hand back on his shoulder and applied pressure with my thumb, letting him know that I was still in control of the situation.

  He stepped forward, out of my grip. His eyes shot daggers in my direction, and his lips pursed. I simply smiled.

  “I was explaining to the group here that the night you were shot, I found you in the field.”

  “He did,” I agreed. Now was he about to tell them that he held a gun to my chest while I bounced in and out of consciousness?

  “And then I rushed you to the hospital.”

  His words were slow and steady. He was leading me. “I was rushed to the hospital.” Of course if it were up to Sean, I would’ve died from blood loss that night, but they didn’t need to know that. I was still playing the game. “Of course, on the way, he was so overcome by my beauty that he kissed me.”

  The crowd broke into an uproar of laughter. Sean slowly shook his head at me. He was getting riled up. I loved every second of it. “So then I slapped him across the face, with my good arm, of course; and told him that I was a Brennan and my father would literally kill him.”

  Another roar spread through the crowd. They were all on my side. I was winning.

  Sean nodded in understanding; he was ready for the match. He tossed his arm around me and pulled me close. “Of course any other man would have run away from that, but not I.”

  “Not you,” I teased. Where was he taking this?

  “I thought to myself: how can I use this chance meeting to my benefit? I have always yearned to be a Shadow. Maybe it was time to prove my worth.”

  Not bad, Sean. He definitely twisted the story in his favor. I knew I was up against a pro, but I needed to make sure I never underestimated him. He was good, a bad kind of good: I only prayed he wasn’t too good.

  Another man from the head table spoke up. “We were worried about you the day of the funeral. Do you still have these reservations about Sean?”

  “You know,” I started, “there are still a few things I have to clear up before I give him my stamp of approval. So how about giving two old love birds a few minutes alone?”

  A few more chuckles guided us out, and I closed the door behind us. Leading him through the darkened hallway, I proceeded to the back entrance. Unless one of the girls was sneaking a cigarette break after a set, the area was usually clear. I opened the metal door, and the sun blinded me as I stepped outside. Sean followed close behind, and as the door clicked closed, he let out a sigh of laughter.

  “You can’t tell me that wasn’t fun.”

  I responded only with a look of sarcastic contempt, shaking my head at him.

  “Come on, Gracie, we could be a great team.”

  “I don’t even know what you’re asking me right now, and believe me, I don’t want you to finish that thought.”

  “Have it your way.” He stepped closer to me.

  “You don’t scare me anymore, Sean Cassidy. I have something you need: my approval, my willingness to go along with all of this. All you have against me are threats.”

  “So the student—”

  “Has become the teacher. Yeah, I know that saying.” My heart
was racing. I was standing up for myself. It was invigorating, exciting. I felt like a new person. “But nothing you say is going to work, Sean. You listen to me, and I will make your case for the Shadows.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Damn right he was listening. Everything was working according to plan. I smiled, patted him on the cheek, and pulled open the heavy door. “I didn’t say I’d do it today.”

  I had him right in the palm of my hand. He was putty. I’d be able to squash him. At least I believed all of that, but as I pulled my hand away from his face, his fingers wrapped around my still-bruised wrist.

  “Or you could listen to me.” He yanked me close, breathing into my ear. “Ryan is on his way here right now. And I’ll know when he’s close. Danny isn’t the only one working with me.” I couldn’t hide the look of shock that crossed over my face. “You didn’t think I wouldn’t have a backup plan, did you?” His tongue wet the outline of my ear. “Would you like to rethink your place, my pretty little Gracie?”

  Ryan

  When you know your existence could be over in a few short hours, you begin to rethink some of the choices you’ve made. Your entire life, you’re encouraged to read books and watch television, and essentially get high off of other people’s adventures. You place yourself in a fantasy world that you can’t actually taste, often because you’re too scared to live out the fantasy for real. You think: what if it isn’t everything you dreamed it would be? What if this picture you’d been imagining for so long turns out to be a complete washout? What if you would need a new dream? It’s so much easier to have that belief, the belief that there’s something better, that there’s more to life than your reality.

  Grace was that something better. As I raced down the highway, determined to outride Danny, it occurred to me that I had never fought for something so hard in my entire life. What had I been wasting my time doing? The fact that I was so willing to die for the possibility of a life with another person proved to me that up until that moment, I had been doing everything wrong.

  That was it. There was no more fooling around. I would need to get in there, get her out, and start our new life fresh, far away from this mess. At this point, I didn’t even care if Sean lived or died. He wasn’t my concern anymore. Let him follow his fantasy and I’ll take mine. I’ll get the girl.

  And that girl was Grace. Even with the beating she had taken over the last few months, she was still the most beautiful being I had ever laid eyes on. Not only was she physically stunning, but her drive fascinated me. Even after knowing who I was, she never gave up on me. She had taken it upon herself, her tiny self, to protect me. She never asked for anything, and was determined to prove her worth. I’d seen her at her most vulnerable, begging to make a life for herself outside of the club. I was the first man to show her love. I was charmed by her innocence. I’ve seen her bleeding and beaten, I’ve seen her daring and demanding, and I’ve loved her since the beginning. I loved Grace Brennan. Why had I let this mess go on for so long?

  The second I said it was the second that I felt a pulling in the opposite direction. Who was I if not a member of a motorcycle club? I was a fighter, but would I be able to sustain that lifestyle without the support the Cupids offered? Would I care to? Would I care about anything? Although Danny ended up being a traitor, he brought up some valid points when it came to Grace. My love for her clouded my judgment. Had she not come along, would I have ever had the guts to try my hand at a crime-free life? And would I resent her for it later?

  I was shaken from my trance by the sound of a bike coming up on my left side. A quick glance confirmed my suspicions: Danny had caught up to me. A bit of road rage interrupted my pace. He was trying to push me onto the shoulder. I wouldn’t have it. Now, more than ever, I needed to get to Grace. No one could stop that.

  Danny fell behind me, no doubt contemplating his next approach. I picked up speed, determined to make up for the few seconds of lost time. I peeked in my mirror, but Danny was nowhere in sight. Had he made an exit? Was he hidden from view by another car? Had he given up? After about fifteen miles, I began to ease up. There was no sight of Danny on the road: maybe he had given up.

  Five miles later, and only minutes from my exit, he proved me wrong. It was the screech of tires in front of me that first caught my attention. One by one, as if in slow motion, I watched as the cars slid and spun out of control, piling into each other. I skidded to a stop, sure to pull off to the side to avoid the crashing of cars that was sure to happen behind me. I rode the shoulder, slowly, gauging the amount of destruction that had occurred. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but at the top of the pile up, right off the entrance to the highway, was Danny. He must have pulled off an exit and sped down the service road. He had caused this mayhem to stop me. My only choice was to stop him.

  I kicked off my bike and raced toward him.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “Tell me some other way to get your attention.”

  “Calling my sadistic uncle from my own home might do the trick.”

  He slid his heel across the ground. “Man, I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

  He was sorry I had to hear that? What the fuck was that about? He wasn’t sorry he got mixed up with the bastard in the first place or that he was out to ruin my life. No. He was sorry that I heard him plotting my demise.

  “So what was the plan?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Then fucking tell me what it was like so I can beat your sorry ass and get on my way.”

  “Don’t go to Alexandria.”

  “A little late for that.”

  “It’s not.” He began to plead. “Dude, he’s going to kill you. Just get out of here. You said it yourself: you want nothing to do with this life. What the hell are you still doing in it?”

  Of course he brought up the question that I continually asked myself. But this time was different. Grace was at the other end of this road. I couldn’t turn off just yet.

  “He’s got Grace.”

  “Grace is surprisingly holding her own. He doesn’t have her. The only thing he has is the threat of killing you. So don’t give him that threat. Get the hell out of here.”

  As angry as I was, he had just told me that Grace was okay. She was okay. I felt the knot that had been in my throat for the last few hours finally begin to subside. One more question accompanied by the desired answer and the weight of her possible danger would be lifted.

  “So, he’s not going to kill her?”

  He gave a nervous chuckle. “Oh, fuck man, he’s definitely going to kill her, just not yet.”

  I lost it. I threw away all inhibitions and charged him. He was on the ground with my hands at his throat. I watched his face redden, but I couldn’t let go. My hands were set and unwilling to release. I could’ve killed him. I really could’ve, but I was saving that for Sean. Sean would be my first, and I would never forget it.

  Before his eyes completely rolled out of view, I let go. His color instantly returned, and I gave him a nice slap across the face to help it along. I stood over him, shaking my head at his pitiful limp body. Just to make sure he wouldn’t be following me any time soon, I gave him a swift kick to the ribs. He shrieked from the jolt, rolling over to his side. I didn’t care. He wasn’t my friend any longer.

  I grabbed my bike and walked it past him, allowing myself one final look at my conquest.

  “Why, Danny?”

  He slowly blinked, finding the power to speak. His raspy voice whispered, “Why do you do anything, Ryan? The promise of something more.”

  With that, I kicked off the ground, heading toward the exit for Alexandria. The funny thing was that Danny and I had actually agreed on his reasoning. For him, that something more was power. For me, it was Grace.

  Grace

  How did I let that happen? After allowing me to blab on and on and take control of the situation, that terror came right back in and took it all away. The only saving grace I had was t
hat I refused to let him see me break. After his threat and his attempt to get under my skin by calling me his “pretty little Gracie,” I took a deep breath, smiled, and shut the door in his face.

  Then I stomped on the ground like a five-year-old.

  At least he didn’t see that. I ran through the building, bursting through the other side. I wanted to keep running, but as I stepped onto the gravel, Mr. Muscles caught me.

  “Grace, what happened?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine. Let go of me.” I tried to shake his grip, but his arms tightened around me. “Please, let go!”

  I was on the verge of losing it. I could feel the anger and pain and grief and hatred all colliding inside of me. It didn’t know where to go. I continued to fight, twisting my body in hopes of breaking free.

  “Grace!” His powerful voice stopped me. “Try to calm down.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do,” I shot back at him.

  “I’m not, but the advice I’m giving you is sound.”

  As I let his words sink in, I allowed the weight of my body to sink into his arms. I started to relax. I stopped replaying the last thing Sean had said to me. “Okay.”

  He loosened his grip on me. “You good?”

  “Yes.”

  “Now talk to me.”

  Who did he think he was? My shrink? Why would I want to talk to him?

  “No.”

  “Okay.” He didn’t fight me. “Let’s start with sitting.”

  Still not letting go of me, he lowered me onto the step of the club. His hands moved to my arms and he began to slowly rub me, easing my anxiety. “That’s not so bad, is it?”

  It wasn’t. Everything was still there on the surface, but I was able to step back and view it all from a different place, a calmer place.

  After a few moments of silence, Muscles turned to me. He spoke slowly, making sure I understood every word he had to say. “Grace, I can’t begin to understand what you’re going through or who you feel like you need to prove your worth to, but I really am here if you need to talk.”