Riding Resistance: Soul Shifterz MC

by Kayce Kyle

  “How much of that shit did you give him, Clarke?” I search his eyes for answers as Justice has been stable, but unconscious for over sixteen hours.

  We are sitting upstairs having coffee which seems to be my very own lifeline right now. Each of us are taking turns checking on Justice, and each of us being reassured the same thing every time we ask.

  Clarke looks at me annoyed that he will yet again have to repeat himself. “I’ve already told you all. He’s completely stable. He lost a bit of blood from that seven-inch piece of glass that landed in his shoulder muscle. Three, nearly four of which, were actually embedded. He’s on an IV fluid drip, and every four to six hours I add a bit of morphine to help keep him resting.”

  “Hmm,” I reply back as if I were hoping for a different answer.

  “How are your feet?” he asks.

  “Sore as shit, but I’ll manage. Amazing how just a few tiny fragments of glass can cause such bleeding, though.”

  “You got lucky. I think Justice thought it was worse than it actually was judging by his hysteria. Or could’ve been the inevitable shock that was about to set in,” Clarke states before he sips his coffee.

  Truthfully, they hurt like a bitch, but I’ve just been cringing through the pain as I make my way up and down the stairs to check on Justice every hour or so. I would just stay put down there, but I’m unsure how I feel about being the first one he sees when he wakes up. I wouldn’t want to cause any further confusion to our already fucked up situation.

  I mean, he did protect me and curse me for even leaving the bathroom during the attack. I just can’t let my old emotions get the best of me. If anything, this attack has left me wanting out of here more than ever. Justice will never leave the club behind. We’ve been over and through this before.

  My phone starts ringing in the pocket of my black denim shorts. I see it’s Tess calling. It’s like she read my mind. As soon as this bullshit is cleaned up and windows and everything else are replaced, I may just go back to California. To hell with Dane. This has made me stronger. I’ll fucking kill his ass and smile while burying the body.

  Maybe I’ll just move to Dallas and set out to do what I originally planned on anyway.

  Answering my phone, I try to hold some of the thrill back in my voice to hear her. “Hey, sweetie. How’s it going?”

  From across the room, Ace shoots me a displeased look as he’s apparently listening in. Fucking nosey ass.

  “I’m wonderful, actually. Did you get settled in?” she asks.

  “Umm, yeah, you could say that. Hey, Tess…”

  My sentence cut short by her excitement. “Good. Because I’ve already bought a plane ticket and I leave in two days. It’s non-refundable, so I won’t let you talk me out of it.”

  Oh, for fucks sake she has got to be kidding me. My bad timing habit must be contagious. She’s also as stubborn as I am, so begging and pleading with her would be useless. Even if I offered to reimburse her plane ticket. She’s never been to Texas and thinks we all wear cowboy hats and boots and ride horses. Not iron ones, either. “Okay, well let me talk to my father so we can make sure we have someone there at the airport to pick you up.”

  There’s a pause before she replies, “You won’t be picking me up?”

  Rubbing my left temple with my free hand I reply, “Yes. I’ll be there. I mean, I should be. Yes. Never mind. I will be there. I just may be accompanied by some friends. Sorry, Tess. I’ve just had very little sleep since I’ve been back. I know I’m barely making sense.”

  She pries, and by her tone, I can tell she’s letting her imagination get the best of her. “Oh? You and Mr. Hunk have been that busy, huh?” Her smile is audible through her tone.

  Casper catches my attention and motions for me in a frantic manner.

  “Look, Tess gotta go. I’ll call ya back later,” hitting the end button on my phone, I don’t even let her finish.

  My heart leaped into my throat as I was unsure if something bad had happened. Had Justice’s condition deteriorated?

  I must’ve taken off skiing down the first few stairs only to be quickly reminded of the soreness in the soles of my bandaged feet as I cried out in discomfort. Then trying to regain control of that pain once I saw Justice wide awake looking in my direction, worry covering his face.

  I realize that worried look is for me and the verbalization of my pain I’d just inadvertently announced. I look around at Ace, Casper, and Clarke who are giving me death glares as if I’d purposefully been inappropriate.

  I casually glance around to them all and mutter out, “Sorry.”

  I approach the side of Justice’s bed in our glorified hospital. As worried as I am, or was for him, I’m reluctant to make eye contact, but do so anyway. “About time you woke up and joined the rest of us in the real world,” I nervously joke.

  He musters a smirk. “Your feet?” he questions.

  “Barely a scratch,” I say.

  Justice motions with his hands for everyone else to leave the room.

  He looks at me seriously. “You’re a terrible liar, Annie Oakley. You know that?”

  He takes my hand into his. “You could’ve been fucking killed, Jen.”

  When he pulled my hand into his, a warm feeling barreled into my core and I immediately pull it away as if it were a reflex. “But I wasn’t. Better yet, neither were you. So all in all, I’d say we all got pretty lucky. You and I were the only ones even hurt.”

  “Our life story. At least we weren’t the ones causing each other the pain this time,” he says a bit hostilely, before turning his head away from me. “Go take care of your feet.”

  The tension was building, and unsure if I’d done something wrong, or if it was the pain medication causing the bit of anger I sensed, I slowly made my way up the stairs. I really didn’t feel he was in any condition to be agitated.

  Ace, Casper, and Clarke passed me. They were headed back down to be with him.

  Ace stopped me briefly letting the others go ahead. “Sweetie? Don’t lead my brother on, Jenalyn. If you got a man or some shit, let it be known.”

  He points down the stairs toward Justice. “That man down there will swear up and down he’s over you, and probably kill me if he knew I was saying this, but…never mind. I’m his brother, I just know. Don’t fuck him over again. That’s all I’m saying.”

  At this point, I’m completely confused as to what he’s even talking about and just furrow my brow at his bullshit. A man? Where did he get that from? “Just fuck off right now, Ace. I’m not in the mood.”

  Each step I take back up the stairs leaves me aching worse than the last. Clarke had given me pain killers. No way I was taking anything more than a fucking Ibuprofen. If I’m ever in the shape Justice is in, then yeah. Maybe I felt I deserved this, and maybe I was right. Even if I was wrong I didn’t care. I’d get through.

  “Finally,” I breath out as I reach the top of these stairs I secretly curse.

  “Yes, finally. Just because you’re back don't mean you’re the only female who gets to be concerned about Justice,” Roxie sneers, greeting me at the top.

  Not even up for round two with this bitch, I just use my arm as if it were the gate she implied keeping her from him, and opened it up. “Have at it.”

  She looked at me shocked at my response and hurried down the stairs.

  What was Ace even talking about with that sweetie bullshit? I’ll actually be glad when Tess gets here. Then it pummels me like a hit upside my head. Tess. Ace heard me call Tess sweetie. Dumbass.

  I just roll my eyes. “I need a fucking drink.”

  “Here, let me help you. I could use one myself,” Ty says as he helps escort me over to the bar.

  “Thanks,” I reply as he helps make sure I am securely settled onto the barstool.

  “Nah. Don’t even mention it, sharpshooter,” he joked. “And you did it like a champ. Brutal.” He nods in approval as if he’s both surprised and proud.

  I know this is supposed
to be a compliment, but he’s right. I didn’t even question it. Hell, I hadn’t even thought about it much. I just did what was necessary. It was kill or be killed.

  When I saw, Justice bleeding out and most likely dying, it just seemed to light a fire inside me. There was a sense of urgency and I just acted. This is the side of me I don’t like. The side that violence seems to come as second nature to me.

  “What can I get you?” Ty asks.

  “Vodka,” I replied and he got out several shot glasses.

  “No. Give me the fucking bottle,” I said as I snatched it away from him.

  “Damn, girl. Have you even eaten today? When was the last time you even slept?” he asked.

  “I dunno the answer to either of those questions, but she’s about to,” my dad interjects, with my mom by his side.

  His long dark blonde hair braided, and now streaked with some silver. I smile as I look at his arm now helping to hold me up noticing his tattoo on his bicep spelling out my name. My mom’s name is tattooed on the other.

  He wasted no time grabbing the bottle from me and placing it back on the bar.

  “She’s also gonna go get that much-needed rest,” my mom demanded. My resemblance to her is astonishing. My dad always said I was her spitting image. Always joking that the only thing he managed to pass down to me was his stubborn fiery temper and eye color.

  I allowed them in this moment to treat me as a baby. They needed this apparently, so I wasn’t gonna fight them on it.

  I turned back to Ty and winked. “I’ll be back after my rest and meal for that bottle, eventually.”

  He seemed like a sweet guy and very approachable. I feel a strange connection to him and honestly, I’d like to get to know him better. He just grins and shakes his head at me.

  Chapter 6

  Justice

  “And just how long has she been asleep, Pres?” I questioned as if I have the authority over Jenalyn.

  I guess Don and Clarke thought I was asleep while they conversed about Jenalyn. Rambling on about how this long sleep she’d apparently been in was much needed.

  That part I don’t disagree with, she needs rest, but they don’t know what I know. The thought of her nightmare and how real it seemed for her, infuriates me.

  Don just crossed his arms looking dauntingly at me. “This is your second full day down here. Lorna and I let her use the sleeper sofa in our room and she slept through the night and is still sleeping. She needs rest. She came home to a shit storm. I’ve got Ty and your pops checking on it because for some reason, your room was the only room targeted.”

  “That sleeping pill we slipped into her soda helped, I’m sure. We couldn’t get her to sleep while you were out, and now the opposite is happening with you. Would you please just rest? You’re probably gonna need some physical therapy also,” Clarke states bluntly while looking down and writing something.

  Plunging myself forward and up off of the bed. “You did what? You fucking drugged her? What if those fuckers had come back? I was down here passed out too,” I roar as I toss the stainless steel tray on its side and rip the IV right out of my arm.

  Don jumps in front of me. “You need to calm the fuck down, right now,” he snaps.

  “One of us was with her the entire time. Joker is outside guarding her right now. Everyone’s taking turns. You really think I’d purposefully let something happen to my Princess? Get a hold of yourself, Son,” Don states. Placing both hands on my shoulders which causes me to grimace, and close my eyes at the soreness. “Shit, sorry Son.”

  Don removes his hands. “Look, I’m only gonna say this once and once only. I don’t give a rat’s ass what you two say, my daughter is your girl. I never have and still can’t think of anyone, who will love and protect her the way you can and will. She’s stubborn, you already know this. Hell, so are you, but what she means to you, you mean the same to her. Stop fucking dancing around each other,” he says demandingly. “I won’t tolerate round two of this shit. That’s my daughter. You know what I’m talking about, Justice. Don’t fucking touch her again without making her your ‘Ol lady.”

  “Amen,” Clarke chimes in, still not even looking up from his writing, “Put us all out of our misery and both of you just give in to the inevitable.”

  My ears must’ve just deceived me as I swear Don just gave his full on permission for me to pursue his daughter, again. Once and for all. I’d given her the choice before. He was suggesting that I not give her a choice? That’s impossible with Jenalyn.

  I stop my thoughts right there. Am I really even contemplating this shit again? I was an idiot before and it fucked me up. Could I even stand round fucking two of this? Especially if her feelings really did leave with her when she boarded that plane to California?

  Visibly overwhelmed and trapped in my own thoughts, Pres and Clarke must’ve taken notice because they both urged me to sit back down.

  “I see those wheels spinning, Justice Paine. You don’t have to try right this second. She’s still sleeping anyway. I’m not the gushy type, but I know certain feelings when I see them. I’ll leave it at that,” Don says before going back upstairs.

  The ‘off limits’ subject was suddenly back on. The more I think about it, there is no way I will encourage this myself, so I’m not. The whole thing sounded better out loud from Don, but the reality is, Jenalyn doesn’t feel that way. Not to mention, I just don’t think I can knowingly allow myself to hand her my fucking heart and soul again to rip out. She can stick to art and shit. I’ll stick to killing and protecting this club.

  None of that will stop me from finding out what happened to her, though, so I can serve that asshole a dose of Justice on a silver fucking platter.

  Jenalyn

  “Jenalyn,” I hear a voice in the distance, but I can’t quite determine its whereabouts. This time, it’s a little louder, “Jenalyn!”

  It jolts me from the darkness and I wake to my hand firmly squeezing Joker’s neck. Once I realize what I’m doing, and my brain seems to be working again, I quickly release the hold I have on Joker’s neck.

  Falling back onto the bed and pillows I make my apology. “Shit Joker. I’m sorry.”

  I notice I must have had several tears as my cheeks are still damp. Quickly I wipe that away hoping he didn’t notice.

  I try to make light of the situation and pass it off as another typical nightmare. “Must’ve had a nightmare.”

  Realizing we did just endure an assault on our clubhouse I use that to my advantage. “Fucking attack must be giving me nightmares.”

  There’s nothing but silence, so I look at him to see if I can at least observe his reaction and if he’s bought my phony tale.

  His eyes are squinted and his lips thinned into a straight line just staring at me. “So the assault on the clubhouse involved a Dane…Price? I believe that is what you called him by,” he says, tugging at the short beard on his chin, bringing it to a point with each stroke.

  “And, you just happen to threaten him, then quite literally cry out for Justice?” Joker’s look and mannerism during his rebuttal seem more like an interrogation.

  Sitting up, I square my shoulders and very bluntly lie to his face, “Yes.”

  Menacing thoughts roam merrily in his eyes. He’s Casper’s Enforcer and he’s a fucking psychopath.

  A loving psychopath, if there is such a thing, but still a brutal fucker who quite literally takes pleasure in killing and torturing enemies. Savanna and I caught him once torturing a guy down in what’s now our clinic in the basement.

  A game of hide and seek. That old saying creeps into my mind. Seek and ye shall find? Yeah, I think that’s it. We were far too old to be playing that fucking game. At least I was, Savanna was a bit younger and I was trying to keep her occupied.

  Anyway, I’m pretty sure the guy being tortured was hanging from a meat hook, but I can’t be certain. He was hanging from something and there was so much blood. Joker was ripping the man’s toenails off one by one with a set
of pliers, and singing “Itsy bitsy spider” as he moved up to the man’s fingernails.

  I shudder in retort of that memory.

  Joker bursts out in laughter drawing my attention back. “That is the biggest load of bullshit if I’ve ever heard some,” he states as he stands up.

  His laughter is beginning to anger me.

  “Sweetheart, you can’t bullshit a bullshitter. I’m going to get Pres.”

  “No,” I beg to try to think quick and come up with something more believable perhaps. Maybe a partial truth. “It was just some jerk I’d met from work in California. He came on too strong and I choked him and kneed him in the balls. Causes nightmares sometimes still.”

  Joker looks at me as if he may have actually just bought what I was selling. “Well good. At least we have a name now. If only we could get the whole truth from you…hell it doesn’t matter. He’s a dead man.”

  “What name? That Dane motherfucker?” Justice growls through the doorway to my parent’s room looking at Joker for answers.

  Tilting his head slightly. “Yes, how’d you know?” Joker asks.

  Justice’s eyes meet mine and I silently request from them, for him not to tell anything he may, or may not know.

  “Long story, man.” He pats Joker on the shoulder.

  Still keeping his eyes locked with mine, he continues, “I’ve got this one under control.”

  “It’s Jenalyn. Pres’ fucking daughter, man. He has a right to know,” Joker snaps back.

  Justice’s eyes lose mine briefly as he narrows his eyes challenging Joker, “Pres’ daughter and I’m Pres’ Enforcer. Stand the fuck down on this one Joker, or we’re gonna have a problem.” Each word sharp and aggressive.

  “One fucking day, Justice. That’s it,” Joker says giving Justice a time frame to handle this.

  “Get the fuck out, Joker,” Justice demands, closing the distance between them.

  I can’t take it anymore. They’re talking about me, in front of me, as if I’m not even here. “Joker, please…listen to Justice for now. Just go. Justice is telling the truth, it’s getting handled.” That last part another partial truth. I have no idea what Justice will do, but the thought makes me shudder at the possibilities, considering the way he manhandled Littlejohn at the jail.