by Emily Minton
“What the fuck? How much did you spend on that thing?” he asks, completely missing the point that I no longer have a bed.
She ignores his question. “I didn’t get rid of it. I just put it in the garage. You’re older now. I figured you’d get your own place.”
What the hell? “How am I supposed to do that? I don’t even have a job.”
She shrugs again. “I don’t know, and I really don’t care, but I’m not moving the tanning bed. You can stay in the garage until you find somewhere else to live.”
She doesn’t give me time to respond as she walks to her room and shuts the door. I look over at Dad, hoping that he’ll tell me just to move the damn thing. Instead, he sits back down. “Don’t worry girl. We’ll fix up the garage. We can make it into a little apartment for you.”
There’s no way I’m living in the garage. There’s not even any insulation or sheetrock, just exterior walls. “I can’t live in the garage. I’ll either have to move the tanning bed or go stay with Grams.”
“If we touch her shit, she’ll throw a damn fit. You know it’s easier just to let her have her way.”
Of course it is. My entire life, she has always gotten her way. Not once has he stood up to her in my defense. “Fine, I’ll just go stay with Grams.”
It’s not a bad idea. Grams has always told me I would have a home with her if I ever want it, but Mom wouldn’t ever let me go. She knew if she did, she’d have to get off her dumb ass and do something.
Dad shakes his head. “You can’t move out. You know when my hip gets to hurting that I can barely get out of bed. I need you here to help.”
He needs me here, but he’s not willing to make her mad by giving me a room in the house. “You really expect me to live in the garage?”
“I’ll give you a couple of hundred dollars to fix it up, and she’s barely here anyway. You can stay in the house most of the time.”
He makes me sound like a dog, something that gets the privilege of being let in from time to time. “Is a couple of hundred dollars gonna pay to put walls in and the insulation?”
“I got that space heater. You shouldn’t get too cold out there,” he says with a shrug.
Our conversation ends as I watch him grab the remote and turn on the TV, effectively putting an end to any hope that I was dumb enough to have. I truly thought he would see how messed up this whole situation is, but nope; he always lets her win. I wish I had the courage to grab my suitcase and walk out, but I don’t. No matter what, he’s my dad. I can’t just leave him. Shaking my head at the situation, I walk out of the living room and head toward the garage.
PREACH
I’ve just finished another shot of Jack when Ice and Reese make their way across the room, taking seats next to me at the bar. Ice is so pissed she’s shaking. “How much do you think it’s gonna cost?”
“I don’t know, Wahine. We’ll just have to see. If it’s too much, we can take up a donation. I’m sure the brothers would help.”
“What’s going on?” I ask, wondering what the hell has her so pissed.
“That stupid bitch, Lula, stuck Daisy in the garage,” she says in a near shout.
My glass slips from my hand as a wave a shock rolls through my body. “Daisy’s back?”
“Yeah, she came back to find out that her mom moved her to the damn garage,” Reese says, missing the bigger picture.
She’s back, and I didn’t even know it. She’s back after nearly three years—three fuckin’ years without even a damn phone call. “When did she get back?”
“She and Maker came home a few days ago. If you weren’t so damn drunk, you would’ve noticed we’re having a party for him tonight.” She motions toward a group of old ladies carrying in food.
Shit! Sober is the last thing I want to be. It’s something that I have been very little of over the last few years.
For the first couple of days after Daisy left, I figured she’d be back soon. When that didn’t happen, I thought about going after her, making her come home with me, but I never did. That’s a mistake I will regret for the rest of my life.
As the weeks turned into months, I finally realized that she wasn’t coming back, so I was forced to face the truth. I had lost the only woman I’d ever loved, maybe the only woman I ever will. After that, I didn’t give a shit about anyone or anything. I lived for the brotherhood and nothing else, and I still do. Unless I have to do something for the club, I’m drunk or with one of the club whores, sometimes more than one.
“We have to do something. It’s cold enough to see your breath in that garage,” Ice says, bringing me back to the conversation.
“She’s living in the garage?” I ask as her words finally sink in to my alcohol-muddled brain.
“Yes! That bitch put a fuckin’ tanning bed in Daisy’s room. She moved all of Daisy’s shit to the garage, so that’s where she’s sleeping.”
“Maker got the bright idea to make it a pool room a few years back. He closed off the garage doors and added a bathroom, but you know how he is. He got bored and gave up. There isn’t even any insulation in the damn walls, just bare beams and a concrete floor,” Reese adds.
Ice motions for a drink before turning to look at me. “Maker gave her two hundred dollars to fix it up. That wasn’t even enough to cover half the insulation, so she spent it on another heater.”
Reese shakes his head in disgust. “She took care of him for all this time, and all she gets is two hundred dollars and an empty ass garage. That shit ain’t right.”
“No, it’s not,” I say, my own anger starting to rage. “Don’t worry about the money. I’ll take care of it.”
Ice looks at me, shock filling her face. “You’re gonna pay for it all yourself?”
“Yeah,” I say with a nod. “It won’t cost much. I’ll grab a few of the prospects, and we’ll do the work ourselves.”
“Hmmm, I don’t know about that.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know how Daisy will like the idea of you paying for it, and I’m almost certain she won’t want you in her house,” she answers.
Even after all this time, she’s still pissed. Well, she can just get the fuck over it. “Just get the damn keys from her and make sure she’s away from home for a few days. She doesn’t have to know I was the one who did it. Let her think it was Maker who paid for it, and that some of the brothers did the work.”
She gives me a hesitant nod. “I have to go to the city next weekend to look at a new sound system for The Kitty Kat. I’ll get her to go with me, and we’ll make a weekend out of it.”
Knowing that we have to lie and sneak around, just for me to be in her house, pisses me way the fuck off. I don’t let it show, though, as I pull a long swig from my bottle. “Sounds like a plan.”
A few minutes later, Ice gives Reese a quick kiss and stands up. “Later, babe. I’ve gotta go pick up a friend.”
“A friend, huh? The kind with tits?” I slur out, the Jack catching up with me.
“Yeah, but you better stay the hell away from her tits,” Ice throws over her shoulder as she leaves the bar.
Reese and I chat for a while longer while I finish off an entire bottle of Jack. By the time I see Leah walking into the clubhouse, I’m trashed and don’t give a fuck that she’s a bitch. She’s got a warm and willing mouth, and that’s all that matters. Sometimes, just seeing her makes me sick, but tonight is different. Tonight, I’ll use her to burn off my anger. I push myself from the bar, barely able to hold myself up, and stagger towards her. I know I’m too drunk to do much more than enjoy her mouth, but that’s good enough for me. When I motion toward the hall, a wicked smile spreads across her lips.
By the time we make it to my room, she’s already pulling her shirt off. “No reason to do that. Just get on your knees.”
She does as she’s told, but I can see the disappointment in her eyes. Who the fuck cares? I unzip and pull out my dick. Instantly, her mouth is on me. She may be a fuckin’ bitc
h, but the woman knows how to suck a dick.
DAISY
I hear the horn honk and rush out of the house, hoping to avoid Mom. She’s pissed that I’m going to Dad’s party at the clubhouse. Truth be told, she’s not the only one. If it was up to me, I’d stay at home. The clubhouse is the last place I want to be, but Ice is hard to say no to.
Climbing in the car, I shoot her a quick smile. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“What’s wrong with your car?” Ice asks as she starts to back out of the driveway.
“Uncle Holt took it in to get new tires. I had to help out Granny Jean with bills, so I’ve been too broke to buy any myself,” I say with a shrug. “Hopefully, I’ll have it back in the morning.”
Silence fills the car, and I start to wonder if I’ve shared too much of my drama. Ice and I have been friends for a while now, but we’ve never discussed how hard it is for me at home.
“You need a job, don’t you?” Ice says, breaking the silence.
“Yeah, I do. I was hoping to go back to work with Shelia, but she’s closed up shop. I put some applications in around town, but as it turns out, nowhere is hiring. Guess I’m gonna have to drive to Butler or Harrisonville to find something.”
“You can come and work at The Kitty Kat. You don’t gotta strip if you don’t want to. You could just waitress. The wages suck ass, but the tips are great.”
“But you serve alcohol there. I won’t be twenty-one for another three weeks, so I won’t be able to waitress.”
“Well, shit. I didn’t think of that.” There’s a long pause before she continues. “I know you may not like the idea, but you can dance. I’ve done it for years, and there’s not a damn thing to be ashamed of. The tips aren’t just good, they are fuckin’ amazing. Sometimes, I make nearly a grand a dance.”
“That much?” Holy shit!
“Yeah, but that’s not the norm. Being new, you’ll probably make a few hundred. Add in what the club pays you, and you’ll be bringing home around five hundred a night.”
The thought of taking my clothes off in front of everyone scares the shit out of me, but I don’t really have a choice. I need to get some money saved up, or I’ll be living in the garage forever. “Okay, when do I start?”
“You sure about this? If you don’t want to dance, I can try to find you something else to do. Maybe you could help clean or something.”
It’s a tempting offer, but I gotta think about my future. I can’t keep living with my parents, no matter what Dad wants. “I’m sure.”
She peeks over to me. “Come by around noon. I’ll come in early to help train you.”
We continue to chat, until we reach the clubhouse. I’m so nervous that my legs feel like noodles when I climb out of the car. As we walk toward the door, I look over to Ice.
“Is he gonna be here tonight?” I ask. When I see the look on her face, I regret ever opening my mouth.
“Yeah, he is. He was drunk off his ass when I left. I know you can’t avoid him forever, but take my advice and stay clear of Preach tonight. He turns into a real nasty motherfucker when he’s had one too many,” she says as she leads me inside.
As soon as we walk in, all of the old ladies come rushing toward us. Every one of them proceeds to give me a hug and personally tell me how glad they are to have me back. It’s almost like the party is more for me than my dad. It all seems strange to me, considering how little time I spent here before I left.
Mom walks in just a few minutes after us, and she is mad as hell that I’m here. As she watches the old ladies welcoming me back, yet ignoring her, she becomes even more furious. None of them accept her, and their acceptance of me pisses her off. There’s nothing I can do about it though. If she wouldn’t spread her legs for half of the club, the old ladies would be more than willing to take her into their fold.
After fifteen minutes of ‘welcome homes’ and hearing about how beautiful I’ve become, I head to the bathroom. I’m just stepping into the hallway when I see Preach walk out of his room. He’s zipping up his pants with Leah sauntering behind him. She’s got one of those ‘cat that just ate the cream’ looks plastered on her face. The sight gives a visual that I don’t want or need to see. The pain I have been trying to bury for the last three years becomes as fresh as it was the day I left. God, I feel like my heart is breaking all over again.
I’m shocked when I realize how much Preach has changed. The long hair I once loved to touch is now cut short, close on the sides and a little longer on top. It’s darker than it once was, nearly the color of melted chocolate. All of the golden highlights are gone. He has a piercing in his eyebrow and one in his lip. There’s a new tattoo peeking out of the neck of his shirt, and I see another one traveling down his arm.
It takes a few minutes before his gaze finally meets mine. When it does, he freezes, and a look of pure shock covers his features. He stands there, silently staring at me, until Leah wraps her hand around his arm. “Look who’s back, baby.”
Oh my God. She calls him baby. They must be more than a casual hook-up now. I close my eyes, trying to hide my pain from them.
Slowly, the look on his face changes into something cruel. “Well, if it isn’t Daisy,” he slurs as he walks closer to me.
“Garrett,” I say, trying to walk past him, and still unable to call him Preach to his face. The Preach I knew would never have hurt me the way this man did.
I have to get away before either of them realize how much it still hurts to see them together. I turn and start to walk back to the common room. My bathroom break can wait.
“Not so fast, Little Flower. We need to talk,” he says, grabbing my arm.
I try to pull away, but he’s just too strong. “Let go of me,” I say as he starts to drag me further down the hall. Leah never lets go of his arm, so she’s following us.
I can smell the whiskey on his breath when he replies. “Nuh uh, you left without giving me a chance to fuckin’ explain. Now, you’re gonna listen even if I have to force you to.”
Finally, my anger gets the best of me, and I start to shout. “Explain what? How you cheated on me with my so called best friend?”
“I didn’t cheat on you.”
“Oh, you didn’t? That’s rich, because I’m betting that you’re still screwing around with her now, aren’t you?” I watch guilt flash through his eyes before driving my point home. “Exactly.”
His eyes shoot daggers as he leans his face toward mine. “Wouldn’t be fuckin’ her at all, if you had just stayed.”
I feel the tears coming, but I refuse to let them fall. I’ve cried enough tears over Preach. Losing him nearly killed me, and I’ll be damned if I give him that much power over me again. “Even if I had stayed, Garrett, I wouldn’t have stayed with you. I don’t do sloppy seconds.”
“You don’t know that. We could have worked things out. I damn sure wouldn’t have screwed up again.”
“What’s that saying? Once a cheater, always a cheater? You don’t have an honest bone in your body. Don’t fool yourself.” I know that I’ve struck a chord deep inside of him as the words easily roll off my tongue. For once, he doesn’t have anything to come back at me with, and that alone gives me a little bit of an ego boost. I want him to know just how over his bullshit I am. He doesn’t deserve my tears anymore, and he damn sure doesn’t deserve my forgiveness.
Noticing that her man is frozen in place, Leah finally lets go of his arm and takes a step in front of him. “I don’t know what the hell the big deal is. It isn’t like you two were fucking. You had to know somewhere in that pretty little head of yours that a man like Preach would be getting it somewhere else if you weren’t putting it out on the regular.”
I jerk my eyes to her, letting her see just how much hate I feel for her deep in my bones. “This is none of your business, bitch. My advice to you would be to shut the hell up and go find your next trick of the night. Your opinion means shit to me.” Damn straight, I’m on a roll. Ice must be rubbing off on me a bit.
Leah’s jaw drops to her chest before she narrows her eyes at me and starts to say something else. Before another sound can come out of her mouth, Preach shuts her up with a jerk of his chin as he steps out from behind her and faces me again. Obviously, he doesn’t want an audience. She huffs, but listens and quickly turns around and walks away.
“You should follow her. If not, you might lose her to one of your brothers,” I say, trying to rein in some of my newfound courage.
He ignores my harsh words, and instead of taking them to heart he steps all up in my personal space. His body is barely touching mine when he leans down to whisper in my ear. “She means nothing to me. Never has, never will. You are the only woman I’ve ever loved. Seeing you now and watching that sweet little mouth of yours pop off like it just did, I know now more than ever that my love for you will never change. You’re it for me, Little Flower. Why can’t you see that?”
His words cut me to the core, while his whiskey scented breath at my ear sends a cool shiver down my spine. I want to believe him, to finally forget all the pain, but the smell of her perfume on his skin is enough for me to keep my senses intact. “No, Garrett. You don’t love me. If you did, you would’ve never cheated on me in the first place. What you’re feeling isn’t love. It’s lust. You don’t hurt people that you love, not the way you hurt me.”
He pulls back from me, barely leaving an inch between our bodies. “That’s not true. I just made a mistake, Daisy; one that I can promise you I will never make again.”
I shake my head, not believing a single thing that he says. “You’re right. You won’t, because I won’t give you the chance. You cheated on me once, and that was your fault. If you did it again, it would be my fault for being stupid enough to take you back. I’m not that dumb, Garrett, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t assume that I am.”
I can see anger flash in his eyes as his hands grasp around my arms and start to squeeze. His whole demeanor has drastically changed right before my eyes. “You know what? You’re right. I don’t know why the hell I ever wasted my time with you. You’re nothing but a stupid bitch,” he says before letting me go with a sharp jerk.
