by Emily Minton
His body goes stiff, but he doesn’t push her away. Instead, he just keeps staring at me. Regret flashes through his eyes before he closes them, shutting me out.
Of course, Leah doesn’t let that stop her. She goes to her toes and whispers something in Preach’s ear, then turns a saccharine sweet smile my way. “Hey, Daisy.”
I don’t bother replying to the bitch. Instead, I just shake my head and walk away. It’s not worth it.
PREACH
I watch Daisy walk away from me. I swear if I keep seeing her back, I’m gonna kill somebody. I keep telling myself this is for the best, but every damn time she walks away, I can’t seem to function. It doesn’t help that Leah is all over me all the damn time.
“So, Preach baby, when you gonna make me your Old Lady?” She asks as she runs her hands up and down my chest.
I remove her hands and take a step back. I don’t even try to keep the sneer off my face. “Keep dreaming, bitch. Only reason Ice is now an Old Lady is because she was never meant to be a whore. You? You’re a whore, and that’s all you’ll ever be,” I say as I walk out into the lounge area of the apartments.
A few minutes later, Ice walks up and hands me the paper with a list of names. “That’s all the bitches that need to go,” she says coldly, but I can see the sadness in her face. I take a look at the names and know why she’s so upset, because several of the girls are ones she helped out. She gave them a safe place to call home and a job. Shit, she’s taken care of them. There’s one name on the list that I’m thrilled to see; one that is going to make my life a hell of a lot easier.
Leah.
Can’t fuckin’ wait to get rid of that cunt. I turn from Ice and motion to Rum. I hand him the list as I walk out the door. “Grab these bitches and bring them to the warehouse.”
I climb on my bike and drive to the warehouse, wishing like fuck Timber was here. This is his job, as Sergeant at Arms, but I’m having to deal with this shit. As soon as I pull up next to the warehouse, I pull out my phone. He answers on the second ring, “Yo, brother.”
“Where the fuck are you?”
I hear a moan in the background as Timber answers, “Right now, I’m balls deep in a hot piece of ass.”
Just where I figured he’d be. At least I know it’s not Daisy. “I need your ass at the warehouse, now.”
I hear shuffling and a whine from the bitch he’s with. “What going on?”
“Got a bunch of Ice’s girls coming in. Their tests came back dirty.”
“Fuck,” he mumbles, followed by sounds of him getting dressed. “I’ll be there in a few.”
After putting my phone in my pocket, I make my way inside and start laying out the tarps. The more prepared I am now, the less cleanup we’ll have after. The club doesn’t usually hurt women, but you never know what will happen. While I’m getting shit ready, I hear a high-pitched scream from outside.
Walking out the door, I see Rum pulling Leah toward the door. She’s fighting him every step of the way. “No, you can’t do this to me. I’m gonna be Preach’s old lady. He won’t let you.”
I bark out a loud laugh and shake my head at the ignorant bitch. Turning away from the scene outside, I head back inside and finish getting shit ready.
An hour later, Leah is on her knees, begging for me to protect her. “I love you. Please don’t let them toss me out.”
I shake my head at her lies. “You don’t fuckin’ love me. You love the patch I wear.”
“How can you say that after all we’ve shared?”
I look around the room at my brothers, shaking my head to let them know the bitch is whacked. “Leah, you were never more than a place to wet my dick. Don’t mistake a couple of half ass fucks for more than it was.”
“You know that’s not true. If it was, you wouldn’t have kept coming back for more.”
“I can’t even remember fuckin’ your ass. Sure, I used your mouth a time or two when I needed to get a nut, but I would’ve never sunk my dick in you if I hadn’t been too drunk to realize how much of a bitch you were.”
“But, I love you. If you just give me a chance, you’ll love me too.”
I shake my head at her words. “I’ll only ever love one woman, and you know who that is.”
Her eyes go dark, anger starting to shine in them. “Daisy’s nothing compared to me.”
I decide not to argue that idiotic statement. Anyone one with a fuckin’ brain knows what a lie it is. “All that matters is she’s the woman I want on the back of my bike.”
Her love quickly turns to hate, and she starts to spew threats at me. “I heard that Timmons likes his pussy young. Daisy may be twenty-one, but she still looks like a kid. I’m sure he can pretend she’s what he likes.”
Without even thinking to ask her how she knows about Timmons, I pull out my piece and blow a hole right through her fuckin’ head. With fury coursing through me, I almost pull the trigger a second time, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“She’s gone. No need to waste another bullet on her skank ass,” Timber says, taking a step back.
I nod and look back to her body, staring at her, while I slide my piece into its holster on the back of my jeans. Not looking at anyone in particular, I say, “Clean this mess up and make sure the rest of these bitches know to keep their mouths shut.”
I walk to my bike and drive to the clubhouse. I make my way straight to the bar and grab a bottle before I go to my room. I open it as I walk. Taking a swig, I start to pray for the oblivion I can only find at the bottom of a bottle.
****
My bed shakes, but I’m too fucked up to figure out why. Another shake draws a nearly silent curse from my lips. A second later, something sends me flying to the floor. I hit it face first, and blood immediately starts pooling in my mouth.
“Fuckin’ floor,” I mutter, trying to push myself onto my knees.
“Get the fuck up!” someone shouts from behind me.
I slowly pull myself up and lean against the wall, knowing my legs are not strong enough to hold me just yet. I take a minute to get my balance, and start to walk back to bed, but stop when I notice someone is in my room. It takes a few seconds to work my way through the alcohol-induced haze to realize that Kidd is standing there looking at me. I try to take a step toward him, but stumble backwards, landing hard against the wall.
“Yo, Pres, what’s up?” I slur, trying, but failing to sound halfway sober.
He doesn’t reply. Instead, his fist comes smashing into my jaw. I’m too drunk to defend myself, so within seconds I’m lying on the floor in pain. A minute later, I hear Kidd yell for a prospect and a low whistle.
“What the fuck happened to him?” I hear from my doorway.
“Call Doc and get his ass over here. Tell him to fix Preach up, but he’s not allowed to give him a fuckin’ thing for pain,” Kidd says, then a few seconds later adds, “Hurry the fuck up. He’s bleeding like a stuck pig. I just want him to hurt, not die.”
Blackness starts to take over as I hear Rum talking on the phone. “Shit, brother. You must’ve fucked up royally.”
I’m not sure how long I’ve been out, when I wake up and notice Doc standing over me. What the hell?
“Get out,” I say, my head pounding.
“I don’t think I need to tell you to rest. Don’t know how well you’ll be moving around today. Pain killers are on the table by your bed,” he says.
“Nope, Doc. The Pres said nothing for pain,” Rum says, shaking his head.
“He has to have something. He has two broken ribs, and his entire body is covered in bruises.”
Kidd walks in to hear Doc’s response. “He can have Tylenol if his punk ass can’t handle the pain.”
Confused as fuck, I make my way to the bathroom down the hall. I can feel every brother’s eyes on me as I walk by them. By the time I open the door, my ribs are killing me, and it’s taking all I have just to stay upright.
I go straight to the sink and glance into the mirror of th
e bathroom, surprised by what I see. “What the fuck!” I shout.
No wonder I could barely walk. Hell, I’m lucky I can even see. Dried blood and bruises cover my face. I lean forward to get a better look, and a searing pain shoots through my side. Stepping back, I lift up my shirt and see bruising around the edges of the bandage Doc wrapped around my torso.
The door opens, and Kidd walks through. He smirks as he says, “How you feeling, brother?”
“What the fuck did I do last night?” Last thing I remember was lying down with a bottle.
He smirks. “You’ll figure it out. Just know, that’s not the last fuckin’ beating you’ll be getting either,” he says cryptically.
As he walks away, the sight of his fist flying at my face flashes through my mind. What the hell?
Chapter Fifteen
DAISY
I fiddle with the hem of the gown as I try to get comfortable in the exam room. After wiggling around a bit, I give up. There is no way humanly possible to get comfortable while sitting on a rubber covered table with nothing but flimsy paper covering my ass. Screw it, I think as I lay back and close my eyes. Thoughts of diapers and formula are making their way through my head when I hear the door open.
“Well, Miss Anderson, you are definitely expecting,” the doctor says as he walks into the room.
I knew I was pregnant, but hearing him confirm the home tests sends a shockwave through my body. Instinctively, my hands go to my stomach. Covering my child, I vow that no matter what happens between Preach and me, no matter what happens in my life, I will always love him or her with all of my heart. I had the perfect teacher on what not to do when it comes to parenting. I’m going to raise this baby surrounded by nothing but love and affection.
The doctor spends the next few minutes discussing the importance of vitamins and my diet, and then sends me for some blood work. As soon as that’s done, I’m on my way with a month’s worth of reading material and a prescription for prenatal vitamins. A few feet from my car, I hear my phone ding. I pull it out of my purse and see a message from Ice. Wanna help with interviews?
I know Preach is at the club, and I almost ignore the text. But the loss of half her girls really bothered Ice, so I can’t just leave her to pick the new girls on her own. Be there in 20.
****
Ice looks over to me and rolls her eyes. I hide my laugh with a cough and look back to the brunette sitting in front of us. “So, you took ballet classes when you were in Junior High and you want to strip to your old routine?”
She smiles, nodding her head. “Yes, it would be soooo cool. It will bring a level of sophistication to the club. Who knows? It might even get you some new customers. Doctors and lawyers love the ballet.”
I’m sure glad I came when Ice texted. If not, I would have missed this shit.
“You do know The Kitty Kat is owned by an MC, right?” Ice asks with a shake of her head.
“What’s an MC?”
What? Did she miss the bikes and the men wearing cuts all around her?
“Motorcycle Club. You know, like the one you’re sitting in,” Ice explains, frustration evident in her voice.
She scrunches her nose and says, “I’m sure those kind of guys would like it too.”
I know Ice has had enough when she looks over her shoulder. “Hey, Rum, come here.”
A few seconds later, he’s standing by her side. “Whatcha’ need, Ice?”
“When you come to The Kitty Kat, what do you come to see?”
He snorts at the stupid question. “Tits and ass.”
“Would you come to see ballet?” Ice asks.
“I guess, as long as the bitch doing it shows her tits and ass,” he says with a shrug. “Oh, don’t forget her pussy. Gotta have the pussy shot.”
I shake my head at his words. Leave it to a brother to tell like it is.
Ice smiles as she looks back at the ballerina. “Does your routine include showing your tits and ass?”
“And her pussy!” Rum shouts as he walks away.
I can’t stop myself from saying, “Yes, we can’t forget the pussy.”
The brunette’s eyes keep darting between Rum and Ice, and she stutters, “I, I, I....”
Ice finally shakes her head and says, “Just go.”
The brunette doesn’t even say goodbye before running out the door. When the door shuts behind her, Ice and I burst out laughing.
“Well, that’s two for two,” Ice says as our laughter dies down.
“But we still have one more. Maybe she’ll be a winner?” I say with a shrug.
Ice doesn’t seem too optimistic at our chances of finding a new dancer as she heads toward the bathroom. She’s probably right, but I can only hope the third girl will work out. I won’t be able to dance much longer. A few weeks at the most, and I’ll be showing. I need to help her find a few girls before I leave her high and dry.
I sit at the table for a few minutes, but then get up and walk to the bar. After grabbing a soda for Ice and me, I go back to my spot. I can’t stop myself from looking for Preach. I haven’t seen him yet, but I’m sure that he’s somewhere around here.
A couple more minutes tick by before my phone rings. It’s Skittles, asking if I’ve seen Leah. I let her know that I haven’t, and I don’t really care where she is. If my guess is right, she probably tested dirty, or Ice found out she was selling more than drinks at The Kitty Kat. If so, she’s gone. After getting off the phone, I look at the clock. It’s been nearly twenty minutes since Ice went to the bathroom. I hope she’s not sick.
When our next interviewee walks in, I decide to go check on Ice. I stumble as I step into the hallway. Looking down, I see Ice’s phone on the floor. I have known Ice for years, and I’ve never seen her without her phone. I reach down and grab it then start to call out to her. “Ice.”
When I don’t get an answer, I realize something is wrong. Bad wrong. I run toward the bathroom, throwing the door open without knocking. Empty, no Ice. I continue down the hall, screaming her name. I’m just getting to Kidd and Ice’s room when Preach comes rushing toward me. “What the fuck’s wrong?”
“Ice is gone!” I scream, slinging the door open. Empty again.
I start to go to the next door when Preach reaches out and grabs my arm. “I thought you two were doing interviews in the common room.”
“We were, but she had to go to the bathroom. Then her ass just disappeared,” I say, trying to jerk away from him and continue my search.
“Did you check the bathroom?”
I have to stop myself from popping off. This situation is too serious for me to be getting an attitude. “Of course, I did. She wasn’t there, and her phone was lying on the floor in the hallway.”
I start to say more, but am cut off by the sounds of boots coming from upstairs. Rum rounds the corner, and I can tell by the look on his face something is wrong.
He looks toward Preach and says, “Krista’s bitch ass is gone. The fucking door was locked. She must have went out the window and shimmied down the tree.”
The reality of the situation hits me like a sledgehammer. Oh my God! “She’s got Ice.”
“What?” Rum shouts.
“Ice is gone. She went to the bathroom and never came back.”
A second later, Preach has my hand and is leading me back to the common room. He pulls me into his side, whispering into my ear. “She’ll be okay, baby. We’ll find her.”
The man holding me right now is my Preach, the man I love. With all this going on, I need him too much to worry about what has happened since I came home. I lean into him, grasping his hand in mine. He keeps his arms around my waist, walking to Kidd’s office. Timber is sitting at Kidd’s desk, and Preach leads us to him.
He lifts his chin. “What’s up?”
“Ice is missing. She said she needed to go to the bathroom. It’s been twenty minutes. I went to check, and I found that on the floor,” I say fast, breathing heavy, and handing him the phone.
I can feel my heart pounding, and a wave of dizziness crashes over me. I start to wobble, nearly going down. Thankfully, Preach pulls me back to him. “Calm down, baby.”
I take a deep breath, and I do my best to listen to him. I need to stay calm for the baby. I’m not supposed to have stress.
Timber jumps from his seat. “Call in every brother you can get a hold of. We gotta fuckin’ find her!”
Preach doesn’t bother replying, just turns and walks us straight out of the room. He takes me straight to Grams, placing a kiss on my forehead before letting go of my hand. I watch him walk toward Reese before I grab Grams’ hand and bury my head in her neck.
“Ice is gone. She just disappeared,” I say, fear for my best friend eating away at me.
She doesn’t have time to respond before Reese shouts out, “Get everyone on lockdown, right now. Ice is fuckin’ gone.”
I hear a shouted “Fuck!” from outside, and my tears start to fall.
A minute later, Kidd walks through the door. He looks around the room and growls out, “When’s the last time anyone saw her?”
I pull away from Grams. “She told me she had to go to the bathroom. That was about twenty minutes ago.”
He stares at me for a second, then looks toward Rum. “Bring me Krista.”
I can see the fear in his eyes before he responds. “She’s not here, Pres.”
“What the fuck do you mean, she’s not here? I put you in charge of her ass!” Kidd shouts, taking a step toward Rum.
“I know, Kidd. I was watching her, I swear. I just came down to get her lunch, and Ice called me over to ask a question. I wasn’t away from her door more than ten minutes. I made sure the lock was secure before I left her. She must’ve climbed out the fuckin’ window.”
When I see Kidd’s eyes fill with fear, I grab my Grams’ hand again. “They have to find her.”
PREACH
Stepping outside of the clubhouse, I see Reese talking on his phone. I swear I can see the tension leave his body as he lets out a long breath. Turning to look at me, he pushes the phone into his pocket. “Go get, Kidd. We need to head to the hospital. Chipper found Ice. She’s beat up pretty bad, but at least she’s breathing. Timmons’s isn’t, though. Chipper took him out.”
