“Oh.” Spider cast about the room with his eyes as he searched for words. “I just came to grab a couple of changes of clothes. In case I don’t get back here for a few days.”
“Okay.” Tallie, in desperation, asked: “So, how are you holding up, Spider? I mean, with your dad, and with Kyle coming back… and the club… I know you have a lot on your plate.”
“It’s a little rough right now,” he admitted. “At least Dad’s out of the hospital for now. He came to church.”
“How was that?”
“Uh, not great. Not sure what’s gonna happen with Gonzo, frankly. Chig’s arguing to let him back in. Or actually, he’s arguing that Gonzo is still a member. We got a vote coming up about it in a couple of days.”
“How are you going to vote?” Tallie murmured.
Spider, who had been staring anywhere but at his old lady, looked at Tallie now. “I’m sorry. I know this is your brother we’re talking about, here.”
“It’s okay,” she said gently. “It’s your best friend we’re talking about here.”
“Was my best friend.” Who’s my best friend now? It used to be Tallie.
“Was,” Tallie corrected herself, a note of sadness in her voice. “I know this is really hard for you. What do you think you’re going to do?”
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. He heaved a great sigh, and changed the subject. “So, how has it been for you? Having him back?”
“Honestly? It’s been great,” Tallie said, her eyes shining. “It’s like getting my family back again. And Brenna is fantastic. She’s so… grounded. Calm. I really hope… well.” She dropped her eyes, a self-conscious smile flickering across her face. “I hope they stick around.”
For the first time, Spider realized what having Gonzo and Brenna back would mean to Tallie. She had lost so much. Didn’t she deserve to have her brother and sister-in-law in her life? Didn’t Spider have to think about that, too?
Spider’s gaze softened as he murmured gently: “I’m glad for you, Tallie. I really am.”
The unexpected note of kindness in his voice caused Tallie to tear up. “Oh, Spider,” she whispered, unable to bear it anymore. “I miss you so much.”
Then, somehow, they were in each other’s arms. Spider’s hands were in her hair, his mouth coming down on hers as if he were dying of thirst and she was cool, clear water. Their lips found each other, and the months of tension and longing between them fell away. They were the only two people in the world, coming together as one – two separated halves finding each other, whole again at last.
Spider broke away first, his mouth burning a trail down the soft, fragrant skin of her neck. Tallie wasn’t wearing a bra, and he pulled the T-shirt she was wearing over her head with one swift movement. His lips found one tautening rosebud nipple and tugged at it, his reward a low moan of desire that burst from Tallie’s throat as she clutched at him. She pulled him backwards onto the couch, on top of her, and wrapped her legs around his hips, moaning again as she felt the hard length of his desire pressing against her hot, needy sex. Their bodies took over, thrusting and grinding against one another in a rhythm that was so known to them it was instinctual. Soon, though, the barriers of cloth that separated them became too much, and Spider rose up off the couch, pulling off his jeans and kicking them across the floor. Then he was back, his delicious, hot skin against hers as their bodies took up the exquisite rhythm again. “Spider,” she whispered. And in answer, he lifted his hips up slightly and glided himself into her, finally home.
Tallie’s hands went to Spider’s waist now, anchoring herself as she met him thrust for thrust. Soft cries of desire escaped her parted lips each time he plunged into her. It had been so long since she had felt him that she knew she couldn’t last long. She urged him on, thrilling as his thrusts got deeper, harder. Soon, she felt the wave begin to build, and they rode it together, higher and higher, until finally with a shout, Spider fell over the edge and exploded, pulsing deep inside her. With a shudder, Tallie clung to him and called his name, her walls clenching and spasming around him. They held on tightly to one another as their bodies reunited, finally, everything else in the world gone except the two of them.
When Tallie emerged from the haze of her ecstasy, Spider was kissing her: her neck, her cheek, her forehead, her eyelids. Finally, his soft, gentle lips arrived at her mouth. It was the most gentle kiss Spider had ever given her. She opened her eyes to see his staring down at her. “Spider,” she whispered.
Wordlessly, he smiled down at her. Maybe things could be okay again, he found himself hoping. Maybe it’s as easy as this.
“Can you stay for dinner, or do you have to get back?” she dared to ask.
“I can stay for a bit,” he offered. “I got some stuff I haven’t taken care of, so I do need to get back to the clubhouse eventually.”
Tallie knew better than to press it. “Sounds good,” she smiled. “Do you want a beer?”
Spider sat on the couch drinking his beer while Tallie prepared stuffed pork chops and rolls. “I talked to Deanie just a couple of hours ago,” she told him. “She says Chig’s doing pretty well since he got out of the hospital.”
“Yeah, he looked okay when I saw him. A little weak, but basically okay.” Spider found himself wanting to confide in Tallie, as he used to. “He really does want Gonzo back in the club. I’m not really sure that’s what Gonzo wants, though.”
“I guess I can’t blame him. It’s been a decade; he has a totally new life. Some of the guys in the club he doesn’t even know now.”
“Yeah. In a way, I gotta give him credit for even agreeing to come back.”
Tallie put the rolls into the oven and set the timer, then came out with a glass of water to sit down beside him. “I agree. Kyle took a big risk coming back here. I hope he won’t regret it.”
Spider was staring off into space, talking to her almost as to himself. “What I don’t understand, though, is why Chig never told me he was still alive. Why didn’t he think he could trust me with that?”
“He was probably just trying to protect you, baby,” Tallie murmured. “I’m sure he thought anyone knowing but him would put that person at risk from being thrown out.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Spider muttered, considering this. He looked at her and noticed the glass of water. “You not drinking?”
“Not right now,” she said casually. “Not really in the mood.” Not yet, she told herself. I can’t tell him yet. In an attempt to shift the conversation back, she said, “Spider? Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” he answered, taking a swig of his beer.
“Do you remember when you first told me about how Kyle died?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Well, it’s not like it matters now,” she said nonchalantly. “But… didn’t you say you were with him when he died? That couldn’t have been the case, obviously. I was just… wondering why you said that?”
If Tallie had thought this might be a slightly awkward subject, she did not expect Spider’s reaction. He froze, then turned to her with a look that could only be described as barely controlled rage. For a few moments, nothing moved as she stared at him, shocked. Then, through gritted teeth and a jaw that was locked in anger, he muttered, “I gotta go.”
He was up and off the couch before she could think of anything to say in response. He strode quickly to their bedroom, and she heard the dresser drawers bang open and then closed as he pulled clothing from them. Panic rose in her throat, and she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly, as if to keep herself from flying apart into a million pieces.
“Spider!” she cried in a choked voice when he came back into the living room, but he did not look at her, only hefted the small duffel he was carrying over his shoulder and grabbed his cut, which was lying on a chair by the door. In an instant, he was gone, and she was alone again, the air still electric with his presence.
Tallie burst into helpless, raw tears a
s she realized that she had just ruined any chance she had of getting him back.
Chapter Eleven
The next day, Chig’s condition worsened dramatically, and he was rushed back to the hospital in an ambulance. Deanie followed in her Black SUV, calling Tallie frantically on her cell as she drove.
“Tallie, track down Spider, as soon as you can! They think Chig’s had a heart attack from the stress of trying to breathe!”
Tallie did her best to calm Deanie down. “I’ll find him and meet you at the hospital. Now put down your phone and drive. You’re in no condition to do both at once.”
Once Deanie had hung up, Tallie pressed Spider’s number, but there was no answer. In normal circumstances, Tallie would have stayed far away from the clubhouse after what had happened the night before. But these were far from normal circumstances. Rushing out to her car, she backed out of the driveway and sped across town to Teasers. When she arrived, she immediately saw Spider’s Harley in the parking lot out front, and silently cursed him. Why the fuck couldn’t you just answer the goddamn phone and spare me this, Spider? she thought hotly.
Tallie walked in through the front, and a brief flash of memory hit her as she remembered meeting Spider on her first day as a waitress there. She nodded to Larry and Jan, who were sitting across from one another at the bar, talking. “Spider in there?” Larry nodded mutely, then glanced at Jan with a slightly worried expression. Tallie realized they knew that she and Spider were estranged. Everybody knows, probably, she thought with a start. Well, fuck it. Nothing I can do about it now.
Tallie crossed the bar and strode through the corridor to the clubhouse on the other side. Pushing open the door marked “Private,” she entered the clubhouse and saw a half-dozen Fugitives were there, as well as a few of the off-duty strippers. One, a buxom blonde named Mandy, was standing very close to Spider, pressing her breasts against the forearm that held his beer as she pouted her lips up at him.
One by one, the men noticed her as she walked purposefully up to her man. “Spider,” she said sharply, ignoring the bimbo as though she didn’t exist.
“Tal?” Spider’s tone was surprised, but thankfully his expression didn’t look immediately guilty. Maybe he’s not banging her yet, Tallie hoped.
“Your mom just called me. Chig’s back in the hospital. They think it’s a heart attack. It’s not looking good.”
“Shit,” he said, setting down his beer. “Okay. I’ll meet you at the hospital. Tell her I’m on my way.”
Tallie merely nodded, and turned to go. “And don’t bring her,” she snapped, nodding at the pouty blonde. Ugh. Why couldn’t I resist that?
At the hospital, Chig had been admitted to the critical care unit, and was hooked up to oxygen and a series of machines with tubes running all over. Tallie was comforting Deanie, who was beside herself, and when Spider came into the room, Deanie flew to him and burst into tears. Chig seemed to have aged twenty years in just a few hours; his skin was papery and gray, and he seemed to have lost weight overnight. He lay there breathing shallowly, his eyes closed.
“What’s going on?” Spider whispered to Deanie.
“His heart is so stressed he’s at risk for another heart attack,” she said tearfully. “He can’t catch his breath, even with the oxygen tube.”
Hearing the voices, Chig opened his eyes slightly. He raised a gnarled hand and motioned toward his son. “Spider,” he said weakly. “Come here.”
Spider did as he was told and leaned over his father’s bed. “Hey, Dad. How you feelin’?”
Chig snorted softly. “Not too great, son. Think I’m gonna have to miss the vote at church.”
“Yeah,” Spider said, his tone sober. “Looks like you’re gonna be tied up.”
“Son, you know how I’m gonna vote. I give you my proxy. I vote yea to reinstating Gonz as a full member. It’s his rightful place.”
Spider nodded once. “Okay.”
“Come back and tell me how it went, will ya?”
“Okay. But I don’t have to leave for an hour or so. I’ll stay with you until then. Why don’t you try to rest?” The second Spider finished his sentence, Chig’s eyes fluttered closed. Just the effort at conversation had left him exhausted.
Spider turned and looked at his mother. Motioning toward the door, he walked through it and she followed him out into the hallway. Once they were out of hearing distance, Spider turned to face her. “Dime was there when Tallie came to tell me about Dad. I think he’s gonna try to force the vote tonight to have Chig removed from office.”
Deanie’s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. “Maybe… maybe it’s time,” she sighed.
“It’s not a very good time, but I think it’s probably inevitable.” Spider looked back toward Chig’s room. “Do you think we should tell him?”
“I’ll tell him when he wakes up,” Deanie said gently. “After all, we don’t know for sure. Let’s just let him rest right now.”
“He probably knows anyway,” Spider said. “It was gonna happen eventually, one way or another.”
Deanie nodded. Then: “Tallie’s on her way; she’ll be here soon.”
Spider’s face went dark. “I don’t wanna see her right now.”
Deanie looked up at him, her eyes searching his. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a moment, then seemed to make a decision. “Spider, I don’t know what’s going on with you two. But whatever it is, it needs to stop. You need to face whatever demon it is you’re battling and go back to your old lady.”
“What has Tallie told you?” Spider demanded.
“Not much,” she said gently. “Only… that she’s pregnant.”
“What?!” Spider blurted. “When did she tell you this?”
“I figured it out, a week or so ago. Tallie didn’t know herself until she took a pregnancy test.” Deanie looked pointedly at her son. “I had a feeling she didn’t tell you.”
“What the fuck? Why the hell wouldn’t she tell me that?” Spider retorted angrily.
“Do you really not know?” his mother asked, her voice gentle. “Spider, she doesn’t want you to feel obligated to come back to her because she’s carrying your child. She wants you to come back because you love her.”
“Holy shit,” growled Spider, shaking his head in disbelief. He ran his hand through his hair absently. “I can’t deal with this right now. Tell Chig…. Tell him I had to get back to the clubhouse if he wakes up. I’ll be back later, as soon as I can.”
Spider stormed off like a man possessed. Deanie watched him go in silence, hoping she had made the right decision.
* * *
Kyle found Tallie in the hospital cafeteria, staring off absently with a styrofoam cup of coffee in front of her. “Deanie told me you’d come down here for a break,” he said, sliding into the booth across from her. “She said that Spider’s at church.”
Tallie nodded. “Eventually, yeah. But church doesn’t start for a couple of hours. More likely, he left because he didn’t want to see me.” Tallie looked over at him expressionlessly. “We’re sort of… well, it’s complicated right now.”
“Yeah. I figured something was going on between you two.” Kyle shifted in his seat and cradled his hands in front of him. “Brenna told me you’re expecting. Spider know?”
Tallie shook her head. “I’ll have to tell him eventually. I thought for a while that things… maybe that things would get better between us. But now…” She looked at her brother with tears in her eyes. “I think it’s over, Kyle. And I don’t even know why!” A sob escaped her and Kyle grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“I don’t know whether that’s true, Tallie. Never say never. If it is, I’m sorry. But things are going to be okay. You’re going to be okay. Brenna and me, we’re your family. We’ll be there for you. I promise.”
Tallie swallowed back another sob and nodded her head. “Okay,” she whispered. She smiled at her brother tremulously: “Thanks, Kyle. No matter what happens, I’m so thankful I have you back
. And a sister, too.”
They sat for a moment in silence, and then Tallie cocked her head, as if something had just occurred to her. “Do you and Brenna have any kids?”
Kyle shrugged slightly. “Nope. We tried for a while, but it never worked out. Brenna got pregnant once, but she lost the baby. We just keep telling ourselves, if it happens, it happens. But I know it’s hard for her sometimes.”
Tallie clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, my gosh. I hope it didn’t make Brenna feel bad when she figured out I was pregnant.”
Kyle reassured her with a brief shake of the head. “Nah. Brenna, she’s fucking tough. Sometimes I think she’s tougher than me.”
Tallie smiled. “She is pretty great, Kyle. I’m glad you have her.”
“Me, too,” Kyle grinned. “Believe me.”
* * *
“Next order of business,” Spider announced. “I’m bringing forward a motion from Chig, as his proxy. He moves that the Fugitives reinstate Gonzo Henricks as a fully-patched member of the club.”
“I’ll second,” said Doc.
“Discussion?” Spider asked.
“I don’t think we can trust a guy who disappears for ten years after lying to us,” Dime Bag said, a challenge in his eye. “I don’t think the members who joined after he left have any reason to vote him in.”
Mack cleared his throat and spoke. “I been thinking about this a lot. I don’t think it’s right to vote him out. I try to think what I would’ve done in his position. What he did was the most loyal choice to the club he could have made, under the circumstances.”
Mack, Dime, and a couple of others argued back and forth for a few minutes. The rest of the men sat in stony silence, listening and brooding on their vote. Eventually, Spider called the question. “I think we’ve heard all the arguments for and against. Let’s take a vote. Given that it’s not a vote to patch a new member in, but to vote a standing member out, it’s gotta be a unanimous vote against.”
“What the fuck?! Wait a minute!” Dime exploded.
“He’s right,” Doc, the secretary, nodded. “We ain’t voting in. We’re voting out.”
Fugitives MC Page 23
