I don't expect things to magically change overnight between Rumor and me, but from here on out I am going to try to be her sister. "Tread is really a good brother, you should pursue him."
"I don't know if I am ready for that, but thank you." She stares blankly at the road, like her mind is lost somewhere else entirely. Perhaps she is thinking of Rebel.
"And Rumor."
"Yeah," she blinks glancing at me from the corner of her eye.
"I'm sorry; I have been such a shitty sister." I really do mean it when I say it, I feel like a total bitch.
"I know," she smiles slightly.
"Hey," I laugh at her. She laughs breaking out of the funk she was in.
"What do you have against dating a motorcycle man?"
"Growing up all I wanted was to escape the life I was given. That meant getting out of the lifestyle, leaving everything I ever knew behind, but your dad saved me and showed me that not all men who are patched and ride a Harley are bad. He showed me that there are good men in the world, but sometimes they do bad things, because even if they are wrong, it's the right choice to make. I know you harbor a lot of hate for Grim. I know you feel like he deserted you to be there for me. I'm sorry that you missed out on your dad growing up, but I'm not sorry he never gave up on finding me."
"I don't hate you Rumor and despite how I come off I don't hate Grim either."
"I know." She says as she parks Sunshine's car. We go into the house not needing to say anything more tonight. Tonight we go to sleep as sister's maybe tomorrow we can become friends...
7
When I wake up Grim and Sunshine have made it home. I can hear Rumor and Sunshine in the kitchen. My father is already gone. Guess he has called choir to order by the quiet that fills the air outside of my window. The guys are usually already banging and making a ruckus over at the garage by now. The silence only means that business is being taken care of at this hour.
I join my sister and stepmother in the kitchen they are already having breakfast. I take a cup of coffee and a seat next to Rumor at the table. I spy Sunshine smiling at the two of us sitting next to each other. "So how was your trip?" I ask trying to make polite conversation. I am nice on occasion.
"Well if spending eighty percent of a vacation hugging the toilet is what you would consider a good time, then it was great."
"Wait, are you pregnant?" Rumor asks excitedly.
Sunshine tries to hide the smile threatening at the corners of her mouth, but she is doing a shitty job of it. "Well I was supposed to wait for your father, before spilling the beans, but yes we are pregnant, you girls are going to be big sisters. Now when I tell you again tonight over dinner with Grim you better act shocked." Rumor rushes over to give Sunshine a hug and immediately swamps her with questions. I leave them to celebrate and slink into the shower. Another kid is all my father needs. I am happy for them but the timing is horrible.
Rebel
Sleeping in the basement at Romeo's isn't the worst place to pass out, I just wish I remember how in the hell I got there. I awoke to him shaking me this morning telling me it was time for choir. I don't know how Grim is going to take to the Devils Rejects popping back up so quickly in our area. I don't if I should bring up Lucky being in contact with Baby, I think I have it handled. At the thought of her name, my mind flashes to a conversation with Baby and I tell her she is a whore. Damn it, how many times am I going to hurt her? She'd be better off staying away from me all together. My heart is pulling me in two different directions. A part of me knows I could wait for Baby to turn eighteen and claim her. I know it would solidify me one day being VP even if I don't love her in that way. Then there is apart of me that wants Rumor, but I also know if I want her it could mean giving up this life all together and I don't think I can give up all that I have ever known—what I was raised to be—a leader in this club all because I find her attractive. This club is my life and up until two years ago when Rumor came into my life, I thought Baby and the club was all I would ever need.
I catch a ride to choir with Romeo, he says Rumor was with Baby when they got home last night and he found me in the basement when he checked on the still. Hope I didn't do anything too out of line last night.
"Romeo, if I tell you something, I need you to swear to me that you will keep tight lipped. I know you and Grim are tight but this concerns Baby and the good of the club."
"Alright son, let's have it." He pulls in at a filling station to talk to me before we go to choir and to fill up his truck.
"There is this punk, Lucky, he is a Devils Reject, and he made some comments to me that insinuated that he knows Baby. I told him I'd slit his throat, I gave him warning. He seemed to take it under consideration and I haven't gotten a chance to ask Baby about him yet."
"Christ. Leave it under the table for now, no need to get Grim riled up best to know there is a fire, before you go blowing smoke. Play your cards right and you'll move up fast, ya hear me."
"Yeah, I here ya." Romeo gets out pumping his gas and I send a text to Baby, telling her I am sorry if I said anything out of the way last night.
She doesn't reply, not that I really expected her to. Romeo gets back in the truck. "And another thing, keep your dick out of Baby, there has been talk. I don't think it's reached Grim's ear, but you better wait until she hits eighteen. And even then I'd be scared if I were you."
**
I empty my phone and all of my pockets out into the bin outside of the door where choir is held. Grim just returned from his honeymoon with Sunshine, and he is geared up to get down to business.
"First things first, Romeo, how's things shaping up in Chicago?"
"It's going, they have a new Prez, guy by the name of Kilmore, wants to have a sit-down with us soon. He'd like to visit and check out the still, but he is even more eager for us to send up a guy or two and set up something up there. Tread just left out this morning with a truck full for them." Romeo answers him, giving the rundown on how much we've made this month in sales with Chicago.
"Alright, Striker, how's things with the garage, anything I need to know about?" Grim continues asking each brother for updates on what's going on in their area. "Floor is open to new business."
I wait my turn and give Grim the news that the Devils Rejects are starting back up and looking to reach an agreement, leaving out the part about Baby and Lucky. To say Grim isn't happy would be the understatement of a lifetime. But being that he hasn't been President long and that he is looking to keep us all in the loop, he puts it to a vote.
"Another war with the Devils Rejects right now wouldn't be smart on our part. If they step over into our territory or mess with any of our charters they will have hell to pay, all those in favor of letting sleeping dogs lie, say aye."
A unanimous, aye rings around the room.
When I get out of choir, I have a text message from Baby that only reads a simple okay. I know I need to make things right with her, but I don't know how.
I know that it is only a matter of time before we are knee deep again with the Rejects. I am going to have to talk to her though to get in touch with Lucky. If he sent her those flowers, he is going to get a rude awakening when I see him again. Maybe I can get Baby alone tonight; I know she won't be allowed at the Roadhouse for tonight's party. If I can't get to her tonight, I will get Foxie to have her over for dinner. Grim doesn't like any of the brothers hanging around Baby or Rumor when he is around.
I send Baby a text asking her to meet me at the garage tonight during the party. She replies that she can't that her and Rumor or going out for a girls night out. That does not sound right. The Baby I know would rather kiss a dead fish than hangout with her sister. Just what in the hell did I say to her last night?
Baby
Tonight after dinner, I am going out dancing with Rumor for a girl's night and Lucky just might happen to be there. I failed to mention that he'd be there to my sister, but people can bump into each other in a public place, no harm in that. Besides Grim do
esn't care what we are doing he is just glad that we are getting along. He will be out most of the night anyways, they are holding a big party tonight at the Roadhouse, it's members and old lady's only.
Rumor comes into my room to get ready. I am going to do her makeup and she is going to do my hair. Who would have thought the two of us would be getting along so well.
"I've never been out dancing or even to a club before other than the Roadhouse. Are you sure I'll have fun?"
"Hell yeah, we are going to get dressed up looking smoking hot, and all the guys will be eating out of our hands and buying us drinks. Besides I invited Trouble along to be our DD so you don't have to worry about anything other than having a good time." I really invited Trouble because I want to see if Lucky was telling me the truth. I want to know if Trouble is trading club business with the Rejects.
Trouble pulls up out front to get us in his Transam. I see Rebel watching us from the backdoor of the kitchen at the Roadhouse. Let him worry after me for a change. I pretend I don't even see him, Rumor and I had a nice chat about him while she was doing my hair. She told me how he was there for her when she first came to live with us and how he told her he loved her. Motherfucker played my sister, and me but I still love him. It's harder for me to let him go, he was my first everything and I have loved him my whole life. Rumor has only known him a couple of years. She says she is over him and that if I choose to be with him she will respect my choice as my sister, not that it matters Rebel and I have no chance in hell of ever having a relationship. I just hope my sister is smart and she really does stay away from Rebel, he will only damage her as he has me.
The club we are going to is called The Dungeon. I figured no one we know would be caught dead in the place it's a popular place for the university kids from Eastern. The Dungeon happens to be a good hour and half from Drag Creek as well. Trouble isn't wearing his cut tonight, they wouldn't let him in the doors if he was. Rumor and I are riding in the back together so that she doesn't have to sit by herself. Trouble passes me a bag of weed so I can roll us one.
Watching Rumor take a hit for the first time is comical. I swear the girl is coughing so hard she is going to bust a lung.
"I told you not to toke so hard," I laugh at her as the tears prick the corners of her eyes. Minutes later we are all buzzed and having a good time. Rumor is laughing at anything and everything. We have to pull over to get drinks so we don't die of cottonmouth. When we come out of the filling station Lucky is leaning against the passenger side of Trouble's car. He looks like danger on legs, and it is hot. His hair has grown out more; he has it pulled back in what I refer to as a man-bun. His blue eyes are so dark. He looks so fine dressed up, wearing jeans and a black dress shirt with a white t-shirt underneath; his tattoos are peeking out of the collar. His sleeves are pushed up revealing his muscular forearms. Swoon!
"Can I ride to the club with ya'll?" He looks to Trouble and Trouble gazes to me for approval. I nod that he can come with us. I introduce Lucky to Rumor and she gets in the front to ride with Trouble allowing Lucky and me to share the backseat.
Once we start back on the road, Lucky Slides me into his lap. "You ready to say yes to me, Baby." An amused smile plays on his lips.
"I'm still thinking about it." He wraps his arms around me tighter engulfing me with his scent. He smells all manly again, alerting my attraction to him.
"What's to think about, I enjoy you, you like me, one date." He loosens his grip on me and I turn to where I am straddling his lap.
I lean in close draping my arms around his neck, my lips almost touching his so that when I speak we are practically kissing. In a whispered breath I say, "let me guess you think you can take me out show me a good time, lay me and I'll think it's love, and in return for your devotion I'll tell you anything you want to know about my family. Did I miss anything, Lucky?" Licking his bottom lip, I continue, "Do you imagine you are the first guy to assume, getting in my pants will get you one over, because you're not the first and I doubt you'll be the last."
His hand moves up my back slowly until he reaches my hair, with a fistful of my red locks he closes the short gap between our lips, his breath tastes of mint toothpaste. Our tongues collide, twisting and probing one another. He breaks our kiss briefly. "Do you know that your smart mouth drives me wild?" Kiss. "But you are wrong, I may not be the first guy to want you, but I am damn sure going to be the last to have you. I always get what I want." Smooch.
Sliding back to my side of the car, "I hope you are prepared to handle frustration."
When we get to the club, I send the guys to get us a table and order us some drinks while I take Rumor into the bathroom to fill her in on my plan for the night. "Look there is something you should know, okay well two things. One Lucky is a Reject and two he and Trouble are friends."
"Ok Baby, it isn't nice to call your date a reject." Rumor bursts out laughing, guess she had a little too much of that puff puff pass.
"No you half baked potato I mean HE is a Devils Reject."
"Ohhh," she sounds the word out slowly.
"Yeah, oh, now listen tonight I need your help. I want you to pump Trouble for information about how he and Lucky know each other without being obvious. Can you do that for me while I manage Lucky?"
"I bet you are going to handle him," she waggles her eyebrows. I am going to have to get my sister stoned more often she is a fucking riot.
I leave Rumor at the table sipping a drink hoping like hell she doesn't blow my plan to shit. Lucky leads me to the dance floor to be better acquainted or I guess I should say to rub up against me.
Calvin Harris is pounding in my ears; Lucky is pressed tight up against me, so much so that it feels like if he gets any closer we will be the same person. My skin is on fire with every touch. And when he kisses me, I swear the room spins and I lose my ability to think of anything but him dragging me to the car and having complete control over me. How is it that he makes me feel and I mean really feel like my body is humming. When I was with Rebel, it never felt anything quite like this.
We've been here nearly two hours and the only information I am getting out of Lucky is how attracted he is to me and that he isn't taking no for an answer. Rumor isn't getting much better information out of Trouble either, he says they grew up together end of story, but I still don't buy it. I am missing something...but what is the question. Rumor is trashed; time to take her home, I just hope she doesn't puke in the car.
**
After weeks of playing cat and mouse I finally gave in to Lucky, we have been secretly dating for a month now. That boy is playing a dangerous game with my heart. I had thought I loved Rebel but what I felt for him is nothing in comparison to the way I feel when Lucky is near me.
Rumor and Tread are openly dating with Grim's permission. I have to say a part of me is envious of them; I wish I could introduce Lucky and have him pick me up for our dates. Rumor has had a big helping hand in my schemes and excuses to get out of the house to see him.
Rumor
Things with Tread are going decent I suppose. I pull into the parking lot at the local dairy drive-in to meet up with Aspen for lunch. She and I have become close lately. It feels good to have a real genuine friend. She really gets me. If anyone understands my not wanting to be part of the life it is her. Aspen and Striker have been dating for a long time, but her family doesn't approve of him at all. Then there is the fact that she is moving to Chicago this coming summer, she got an offer at an animal clinic that she can't refuse. Striker isn't happy about it but he wants her to be happy. Tread told me that Striker and Aspen have an open relationship so he doesn't see them lasting after she leaves. There is no way I could share my boyfriend with anyone else. I haven't ever asked Aspen about it. The thought makes me uncomfortable. I am not keen on discussing sex, unlike Aspen. She loves to talk about it all of the time. I swear she is a sex fiend.
What no one knows is that I am thinking of going with her to Chicago. Aspen helped me apply for some colleges
and I was accepted. I cannot believe I was accepted I never really wanted to go to college. I did great on my GED but I never thought I would ever be intelligent enough for college. I am getting really excited about the possibility though.
"Hey girl," Aspen waves me over to the picnic table she has claimed us a spot at. I swear she is the best. She already has my chili cheese fries and a chocolate milkshake waiting on me.
I take my seat beside of her and dig in. "I swear they have the best shakes in the tri-state area. I am going to miss these when we move."
"Wait...you are coming with me," Aspen squeals and squeezes my neck. "We are going to have so much fun; this is going to be great! Have you told Tread yet?" Her brow knits and I hadn't really thought of how he would feel. I mean we aren't serious or anything. I haven't told a soul, I am not sure how Grim and Sunshine will feel about it, but I think they will be happy I am finally doing something with my life.
"No," I blow my bangs out of my eyes, "I haven't even told Baby about it." When I say my sister's name Aspen rolls her eyes. Baby is not on her list of favorite people. She has a bit of a jealousy issue when it comes to Baby and Striker. She thinks that they have a thing; I have tried to inform her otherwise without giving away Baby's secret. My sister has been dating a Devils Reject and the consequences could be life altering if it were to get out. The only people that know about their relationship are Trouble and I.
8
**18 years old**
Baby
Lucky and I broke up last week. I was right he's just like the rest—thinking I will give up my family because he says that he loves me. Besides it was getting too grueling, always sneaking to be with him was becoming draining. I am pretty sure Grim was getting suspicious, how many times can I run out of shampoo or need to go buy tampons in a month without it being odd. He has been in a real shit mood ever since Sunshine lost the baby. She lost my little brother around the middle of her second trimester. Something to do with his heart. She and Grim have been down ever since. Rumor and I try to cheer her up when we can, but there is only so much we can do.
Baby (Black Rebel Riders' MC) Page 6
