by Sam Crescent
Lying back on his bed, Pussy stared up at the ceiling. Someone knocked on his door, and he ignored the sound.
Seconds later, Death came into view.
“You ignoring everyone now?” Death asked, taking a seat on the bed.
“No. I’m choosing to ignore every fucker that tries to get into my room. I’m not called Pussy for nothing. The women will all be fighting if I start answering shit.” He flipped onto his side and leaned over the bed to grab a cigarette. Lighting the tip, he lay back down, inhaling the nicotine into his lungs.
“The women are no longer leaving your room looking satisfied, Pussy. Maybe you’re losing your touch.” Death sparked up a cigarette and sat on the floor with his back leaning against the bed.
“Nah, the women are just not used to me only taking care of myself. I’m not interested in making friends with the bitches. They want to suck and fuck cock, then they can. I just don’t always return the favor.” He blew out a ring of smoke thinking about the brown-haired beauty he’d kissed a month ago.
“That doesn’t sound like you. Does this have to do with Ashley?” Death asked.
Thinking about Ashley made him sad, but it didn’t stop him from fucking other women. Now, thinking about Sasha stopped him from wanting to be with other women. It pissed him off. One simple kiss shouldn’t have left him feeling this way. Rubbing at his chest, he wondered what the hell was happening to him.
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Curse hasn’t been able to bring Mia to the club. She’s sobbing all the time, and he can’t get her to eat. He’s really struggling with this shit.” Death blew out a ring.
“What the fuck do you want me to do?” Pussy asked.
“Nothing. I’m telling you, you’re not the only one missing Ashley. I’m not an idiot, Pussy. Don’t treat me like one. You and Ashley were close. I know you were never going to give her a ring or promise her forever, but you would never turn your back on her either.”
He thought about what Death said. “We got her killed.”
“Yes, we all did. The club got her killed. We should have stopped her from going with Gonzalez. There’s a lot of shit we should have done, but we didn’t, and now we’re the ones paying the price.” Death let out a sigh. “Shit is getting nasty, Pussy. You need to start playing the game.”
“Life is not a game.”
“Fuck, Pussy. Stop being an ass. Ashley’s dead and gone. You’re going to sit around and die because she’s not going to be coming around anymore. Gonzalez fucked with us. It’s time for us to fuck back.” Death stubbed out his cigarette and walked off.
Lying back on the bed, Pussy thought about what he said. He’d not gone to see Mia ever since he saw Ashley’s severed head. Climbing off the bed, he took a quick shower and headed toward the spare ranch style house on the outskirts of Piston County. After parking up his bike, he knocked on the door and waited for Curse to let him inside.
Curse opened up the door looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
“Hey, man, does Devil want me?” he asked.
“Nah, I’ve come to see you both.” In the background he heard Mia crying. “She not taking it well?”
Curse looked behind him, shaking his head. “No, she’s not taking any shit well. She doesn’t want to have a burial until we’ve got the whole body. I’ve told it would never happen. Gonzalez wouldn’t give it to us, but she won’t budge. The girls were closer than sisters. This bond, it’s killing her. I stopped her from seeing the head, but shit, this is killing her.”
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Pussy stared at the ground. “I should have come to see her the moment I knew.”
“Pussy, don’t do this. I’m sorry I’ve not been there for you. My woman comes first unless I’m needed for club business.”
“I’m here to speak with Mia.”
Curse’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Let him in, Curse. He’s got a right to be here.”
Looking over his friend’s shoulder, he saw Mia. She looked a mess. Her raven hair showed she hadn’t even bothered to brush the long locks. Her pale face looked drawn, and he saw the signs of the weight loss she’d suffered through lack of eating in the last month.
“Come in,” Curse said.
Brushing past his friend Pussy went straight to Mia and tugged her in his arms for a hug. She sobbed. Her body shook as he held her tightly. “I’m so sorry. I miss her so much,” he said.
Tears filled his eyes as he thought about Ashley’s charming smile. Her life had ended way too suddenly.
“I know, Pussy. She wouldn’t want you to be feeling sorry. You didn’t do this.”
“I shouldn’t have let her go.”
“None of us should. We can’t blame each other.” Pussy couldn’t stop the guilt. He knew deep down there was nothing he or the club could have done. Ashley had been determined to go, and in turn, it had gotten her killed.
Pussy knew where the blame was. Staring past her shoulder, he watched Curse walk into the kitchen. Any other time Curse would have kicked his ass for touching his woman. This was not sexual, and both of them were mourning a woman they’d both lost.
Mia released him, walking into the sitting room. “I know I look a mess.”
Running fingers through his hair, Pussy took a seat.
“Please, forgive me,” he said.
“What? Why?”
“I should have fought for her.”
“Ashley wasn’t your old lady. She was always so stubborn and thought she could do whatever she liked without getting hurt.” Tears fell from Mia’s eyes. “Someone finally caught her.”
He wasn’t leaving until he helped out his brother. Curse deserved to have his woman back, and if Pussy could help, he’d be more than happy about it.
****
Sasha let out a sigh as she listened to her mother apologize for embarrassing her stepfather. Kenneth Carmichael was a monster of the worst kind. He made others around him feel small and incompetent. Sasha hated him and would love to see the smile get wiped off his face.
You’ll never see any smile getting wiped off any face.
She started to frown. Reaching out, she felt along the wall counting the steps until she had to turn a corner. Her life was confined to the house and wherever Kenneth wanted to leave her. He controlled every element of her life.
Get out.
Taking three more steps, she leaned down feeling the bed. Running her hand across the bed, she took a seat and let out a sigh. She recalled the trauma she’d suffered at Kenneth hands. Sasha had been arguing with Kenneth over her privacy being invaded. He had just stormed into her room as if he had a right to be there. Their fighting had turned aggressive. She recalled him slapping her, and he slammed her against the wall, then thrown her down the stairs.
She’d banged her head on the way down, breaking her arm and leg in the process. When she woke up in the hospital she’d not been able to see. That was over four years ago. Waking up and not being able to see she had expected something to be done to Kenneth after the attack. By the time he showed up in her room, she knew something had happened.
With her being passed out, unconscious, he’d fed them a story of how she’d been fighting with him before she stumbled and fell downstairs. Not once did he tell the truth, and worse, her mother believed him. She didn’t fight for her or even question Sasha’s side of things. Instead, because of her mother’s love for Kenneth, they were still living with the man who blinded her. Kenneth was a respected member of Piston County, handsome, and a smooth talker. He got away with it. No one would hear anything bad said about him even if it was the truth. She was trapped with no way of getting out. Not only would no one believe her, but she couldn’t walk out of the house. Her life was totally dependent on him. Twenty years old and she was dependent on a man she despised. Her mother begged her for trust, and because she loved her mother, she gave him a chance. Her mother didn’t know the truth of what happened. Now,
there was no way of Sasha’s ever getting out.
She thought about Pussy, Shane, whatever his name was. She pressed a hand to her lips. The kiss had awoken something inside her. Her nights were filled with hot sexual dreams. She couldn’t see what he was doing, but she certainly could feel it.
Her mother knocked on the door before entering. Kenneth would have just barged into the room with no consideration for her privacy. She knew her stepfather hated her.
“Hey, honey. I’ve brought you some food.”
Counting the steps, she heard how unsteady her mother was on her feet. She must have hit the gin hard this time. In answer to the verbal abuse Kenneth threw at her, her mother had turned to drink and prescription drugs. Even with the addictions, her mother was a beautiful woman, a stunner. What a fun way for them to live.
The tray of food was placed on the counter that her mother then pushed in front of her.
“Lift your hands up, honey.”
She did as her mother asked. Seconds later her mother touched her with shaking hands as she brought her palms down either side of the tray.
“Here is your fork and knife.”
Closing her eyes, Sasha gritted her teeth at how useless her situation was.
This is your life.
The doctors, in the beginning, were not sure if the blindness was permanent or not. Four years down the line, Sasha had long given up hope of her sight returning, and the doctors had also said that the damage was by now irreversible.
“Now, I don’t want you to worry about your father’s and my little spat.”
“He’s not my father.” No, her father had died in the Marines when she was ten, leaving behind a wife and daughter. Kenneth had come into their lives by the time she was eleven with his fake promises and fake lives.
“Don’t say stuff like that. He’s been wonderful to us.”
“You’re an addict, Mom, and I’m blind. He’s torn us apart.”
She heard her mother sob. In the past whenever her mother was hurt, she’d press a hand to her lips, gasping. Feeling like a total bitch, she apologized. Her mother was completely oblivious to the problems Kenneth caused. If Sasha didn’t love her mother and remember all the times they were together with fondness, she’s have been long gone by now. The drink and drugs had turned the woman she knew into something unrecognizable.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I hate having to go through this.” She reached up to touch her face.
“Oh, honey. It’s no trouble. I love being able to take care of you when other mothers are fretting about what their kids are getting up to.”
The bed dipped, and Sasha’s senses were flooded by the extreme scent of perfume, another of Kenneth’s demands from her mother.
“Why was he shouting?” she asked, trying to distract her mother.
“I was stupid and put too much pepper in the mashed potatoes. It was a simple mistake. I messed up.”
Seriously, Mom, over-peppered mashed potatoes. Don’t you see what’s wrong with that? Please, see how bad he is and realize it’s only going to get worse.
Sasha had no choice in her situation. The people believed she was clumsy and had fallen down the stairs, banging her head. Her mother, however, could change all that if only she had the courage to do so.
“Try them. Please let me know what you think.”
Her mother was an amazing cook. Before Kenneth turned up, Sasha would sit in the kitchen for hours at a time trying food she concocted. Her mother had a knack in the kitchen, and it was where her mother got the most comfort. The only food she was allowed to cook now was of the gourmet kind, and Sasha hated it.
Tasting the potatoes, she tried not to wince at the blandness of them. They were heavily peppered and salted.
“They’re nice, Mom.”
“You’re an awful liar.”
Chuckling, Sasha ate her food relishing every second her mother sat with her. Most of the time, her mother was trying to please Kenneth and staying far away from her, only spending rare moments with her. When she got chance to talk with her mother, she did try to get her to go to the cops or someone who’d listen. After four years, Sasha still hadn’t given up hope that the mother she used to know was still in there.
Sasha was twenty years old and yet felt more like a child than ever before.
There was so much she couldn’t do. Whenever she started to get confident with moving around, Kenneth would order the maid to make changes, causing her to bang into stuff.
“Mom, what do you know about the Chaos Bleeds crew? You know, the biker group in town.”
Her mother tensed at her side. She was sitting close enough for Sasha to feel the sudden change within her. Eating some of her food, Sasha took each bite carefully so as not to make a mess of herself. She’d learned early not to be greedy or she’d be wearing her food rather than enjoying it.
“They’re ruffians, all of them. Don’t let your father hear you talk about them.”
He’s not my father.
“I won’t. I just overheard some people in the library giggling about them. I just wondered who they were. I’ve never seen them before.”
She wasn’t lying. The rumors were rife about the biker group in town. She’d been reading Braille while women had been giggling over the men who were part of the club. A couple of times she’d heard Pussy’s name mentioned, and now that she knew it was Shane, she found herself listening more and more.
“You really shouldn’t concern yourself with them, honey, for your own sake. They’re a curse to the world and one I hope to see gone from our lovely town.”
The next moment her mother stopped talking, and the silence unnerved Sasha. Seconds later, she heard the reason why.
“What’s going on in here?” Kenneth asked.
“I’m just talking with Sasha while she eats.”
“You served her those shit mashed potatoes? Really? I thought you said you could cook.” The way his voice dropped Sasha knew he was sneering, and it angered her more than anything.
“I like them,” Sasha said.
“Yeah, only because you’re not seeing the shit you’re eating. Take the food away, now. Go and have a fucking drink. It’s all you’re good for.” The fork was tugged out of her grip. Her mother’s hand shook. Sasha felt it from the small contact she had with her. She wanted to reach out and shake her mother, to wake her up to the monster he was. The door to her room was closed. She wasn’t an idiot. Kenneth was still in the room waiting to have his say.
“What?” she asked, resting her hands in her lap to try to calm her nerves. Since the first attack, Kenneth only ever hurt by gripping her too tightly or giving her a slap from time to time. He’d not lashed out as much. She figured it was down to fear as he’d given off the persona of being the concerned stepfather. Anything happened to her now and things would look suspicious.
“Be careful how you talk to me, girl.”
She tensed up, sinking her nails into her skin.
“We’ve got to go out tomorrow. I’ll be dropping you off at the library.”
“I could stay home.”
“I don’t want you to stay home. We need to be seen. After tonight your mother will be useless. She’ll be swigging from the bottle as we speak.”
Closing her eyes, she tried to shut out his words. She hated him. The anger at what he’d done to her mother was still raw. He’d turned her into some kind of suburban housewife for him to toy with whenever he felt like it. Sasha despised him and hoped he died a long, slow death.
“You’ll do tomorrow. The town will see how well you’re doing, and then I can get to my meeting.”
“Who are you meeting?” she asked.
“None of your business. Play your part, and I won’t let anything bad happen to your mother or you.”
Pausing, Sasha turned her head in the direction of his voice, opening her eyes even though she couldn’t see.
“What?”
“You heard me. I’ve got ways of making people disappear. Think abo
ut that the next time one of the Chaos Bleeds scum comes near you.”
The door to her room closed behind her. Who the fuck was Kenneth Carmichael, and how could he get rid of her mother? She didn’t have the time to think about it. For now she’d do exactly as he said without causing any waves. Sasha wouldn’t let anything happen to her mother, if she could help it.
Chapter Two
The night spent with Mia and Curse hadn’t been a total waste. Pussy rode behind them as they all headed toward the clubhouse. Mia had taken a bath, brushed her hair, and changed her clothes. She’d not smelled that bad, but it hadn’t been pretty, or at least it hadn’t been to him.
Pulling into the clubhouse parking lot, he saw Devil picking up his daughter and son as Lexie walked alongside him into the main house.
“What’s going on?” Pussy asked, climbing off his bike. He never wore a helmet if he could help it. The point of being on the road was to feel the wind in his hair, across his face. The helmet would stop that. Pussy would do a lot of things for the club, but wearing a helmet wasn’t one of them.
“Nothing. I’d feel happier if my family was close by me.” Devil shook his head as he walked into the clubhouse. The whole story would come out soon.
“Devil, baby, you don’t need to worry,” Lexie said, taking her daughter out of Devil’s arms.
“I’m not worrying, but I’m not having you in harm’s way, either. You and the kids mean too fucking much to me. Speaking of kids, I’ve ordered Judi and Ripper home as well. They’re packing their shit up. Vincent and Phoebe will be back at the clubhouse soon as well.” Devil didn’t lose his stride, talking as he escorted his family inside. Pussy kept up with them wondering what the hell had happened.
“That will make it a full house, Devil. You can’t expect the men to put up with the kids.”
“Tiny does it with his club. They can’t hack this life, then they’re out. It’s as simple as that.”
They all went silent, entering the clubhouse together. Devil stopped and covered his son’s eyes then started cursing. Glancing around, Pussy saw the problem. First, for him, was the mess, and then he caught sight of the naked women and club members, along with all the alcohol on display.
