Relentless (Skulls Renegade Book 4)

by Elizabeth Knox

  Chapter 1

  The comeback is always stronger than the setback. - Anonymous

  1 year later…

  Bellamy

  “You killed it, Hells Bells!” I glance over to Jase, who’s the lead singer of the band that I’m touring with. I’ve been headlining with them for two weeks. Each one of the boys knows about my obvious stage fright, but somehow, every night, I seem to push past all of my fears.

  “Welcome to the big leagues, Kiddo. YouTube might’ve got you some spotlight, but damn, girl, we’re your ride to the big leagues,” Syd cockily says as he slides his arm around me while we walk back to our tour bus. Syd may be a cocky bastard, but he’s right. I was lucky to be found online from singing covers, but I’d seen other artists do it and have success. Sure, they were one in a million, but why would I have stopped? My failure wasn’t guaranteed, so that meant success was an option, and I dang well was going to see that through as best that I could.

  “You know, you don’t suck as much, anymore,” Miles growls. He’s hated me since day one, I don’t know what on Earth I ever did to him, but he hates me. I don’t mean the “Oh, I think he hates me,” kinda feeling like when it’s your first day at school and you’re the new kid. Miles really hates me. You wanna know how I know? I overheard him talking to Rocky, the fourth and final member of The Stones, that I was a charity case with no talent and that it was a waste of their time for the label to even put me with them.

  The funny thing is, I’ve known these guys for a few months, and everyone except Miles is like an adoptive brother to me. I was terrified to be coming out here, all alone with these guys, but it’s been working out so far, and I just have to be thankful that by headlining for them, it’s helping me create my own noise and build a decent fanbase.

  The fans that I have now are all haters of my ex, country musician Zac Depp. Or they’re following me because of what Zac did, and I don’t want that. I don’t want these haters to be fans of my music because Zac wronged me in the worst way. I want them to be fans because they believe in me, Bellamy Mason. Deep down, I know that it won’t happen overnight, nor do I expect it to. Now tell me if I’m silly or not, but I do expect my fans to believe in me, and respect my music, as new and raw as it is.

  “You, wanker. Stop fucking with my girl!” Evie snarls at Miles, as she steps off the step to the tour bus. “I don’t know why you hate our Bell so much, and I don’t fucking care. She’s on the tour, go fuck yourself if you don’t like it!” You’d never hear me saying half of the things that come out of this fierce Australian’s mouth, and no, it’s not because I don’t curse. It’s just because I don’t have balls the size of a watermelon, like she does.

  The wind picks up, and I can even see her blonde hair swaying in the darkness. It’s a little after eleven at night, and we just finished our show. We’re in Jacksonville, Mississippi, and our next stop is Nashville. I’ve been waiting a long time to get to Nashville. Ever since that bomb was dropped on me a year ago, all I’ve done is look into my sister, and somehow, I’ve managed to find almost everything there is to know about her.

  Elena is…something. She works for the FBI and is married to a biker Prez. When I discovered she was married to a biker Prez, I had to wonder if the apple really fell far from the tree, if she was like our father and maybe I should steer clear of her, but I knew that was wrong. Throughout my life, the only thing I’ve ever wanted was a sister, and I have one. All I have to do is see her, and I will, in just two days’ time. I will go find my sister, who is also part-owner of a bar named Bubba’s. I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I just know that I have to.

  I have to know the sister that I never had the chance to.

  Jase pulls me close to him as we walk into the converted Greyhound that houses the five of us. It’s not overly large, but it’s nice. There are four cubby sized beds in the hallway, and the only privacy is a small black curtain. The first time I came on the bus and looked at it, I almost scoffed. Now, I’m not the kind of girl who is ungrateful for anything, but there was no way in heck they were gonna see me in my undies! He let everyone know that night that I was the lady, so, I was getting the bedroom in the back. Normally, I’d insist that something didn’t have to be done…in this case, though? I didn’t fight it at all! I will gladly take the little bit of privacy that I can get.

  For the next thirty minutes, we all decompress like we do every night. I end up going straight into my room and changing into the fluffiest, most comfortable pajamas that I have, which usually end up having Pikachu or some other cute character on them. Miles heads straight for the shower, while Jase sits out in the front of the bus with his notepad and pen, writing songs as they come to him, and Syd grabs a joint from the Ziploc baggie that he thinks the rest of us don’t know about.

  I go over to my bedside table, open the drawer, and pull out my phone, checking to see if there are any notifications. I’m not surprised to find out that the only notifications I have are from twitter; trolls who insist on calling me a whore.

  Have you ever done something stupid for someone you loved? Yeah, well I have too. I did something stupid, I gave a piece of myself to someone I trusted, and he broke all that trust. He tried to do so much to me, including destroying my music career before it even started. I understood that we broke up, but you just don’t do that to people you love. Doing something like that to him would have never crossed my mind, and never would I have done what he did…

  As I glance to see what the trolls are calling me, I realize that it’s the same crap different day. The fact of the matter is that I don’t have anyone who is going to call or text me besides the people who are on this bus with me, and they’re all just co-workers. When my parents were killed, my life changed. From that point on, I had my Uncle Erik, his kids, and my ex, Zac.

  Now, I have next to no one. It’s funny how things turn out, isn’t it?

  Maybe that’s why I’m going through with this because I want to have someone. After all, when you’re alone, the only thing you want is to have someone. I can’t say what will happen when I meet Elena, how she’ll react, or if she’ll even want me in her life. The only thing I know is that I have to try because if I don’t, I will regret it for the rest of my life.

  Chapter 2

  I will not be another flower, picked for my beauty and left to die. I will be wild, difficult to find and impossible to forget. - InspirationalQuotesMagazine.com

  Bellamy

  Today is the day I meet my sister…

  Fudge! Did I really just think that? Oh boy.

  I have to remind myself to take deep, slow breaths as the anxiety sets in. Where did all of this determination come from to even find her? I feel so anxious that I can barely think straight. The only thing coming to my mind is how I’ll probably be laughed at, or told I’m not wanted. In the back of my mind, I keep telling myself to shut up because, in the end, I won’t know until I know, and there is no point in focusing on the unknown.

  “I don’t know what the hell you’re thinkin’ about, but shit, Bells, I can tell all you’re doin’ right now is thinkin’ too damn hard, and what have I told ya about that shit?” I glance over from my seat on the couch to look at Rocky, who’s been standing in the doorway to the bus for God knows how long. “What did I tell ya? I wanna hear you say it!”

  “If you keep thinkin’ like that your pretty lil’ head is gonna explode, and what a shame that would be,” I sigh, repeating exactly what he said to me.

  “You’re damn straight! Have you seen your head? It’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen!”

  “My face, you mean my face is the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen.” I correct him, shaking my head at the country buffoon.

  “No. I meant what I said and said what I meant. Your head. Bell, I dunno how to break it to ya…but your face is…eh, it’s alright.” He grins, as he moves his hand side to side, causing me to bust out into laughter with him.

  “You are such a jerk! I wonder why the women
love you.”

  “They love me ‘cause’ I’m the spittin’ image of Charlie Hunnam, baby. Dunno how many times I’ve been called Jax when I’m makin’ em scream.”

  “You make them scream alright, ‘cause your terrifying the living shit outta them,” Syd cackles, walking from the back of the bus as he plops down on the couch next to me.

  “Terrifyin’ em? Well, damn! Is it so terrifyin’ when they’re melting in front of me, ‘Harder, harder!’” He imitates what his bed partners sound like, and all I can do is blush. Never have I openly talked about sex with friends before, and maybe this is just different because I’m on a tour bus with four dudes, but…it’s a little overwhelming at times.

  “Rocky is right. What the hell is going on in your head, kid?” Syd asks me, furrowing his eyebrows and looking at me like a worried older brother would look at a sister.

  “Nothing,” I lie, hoping that he’ll just take the hint and leave me alone.

  “She fuckin’ sucks at lyin’, doesn’t she?” Rocky asks Syd, and the only thing I can do is roll my eyes.

  “Sure does. Spill it,” Syd orders, and I think of keeping it to myself, but then I just can’t help but wonder if telling them might make me feel a little bit better.

  So, I trust my gut and tell them almost everything, not leaving out any nitty gritty detail. Basically, I tell them everything except how my parents died. I may have known these guys for a few months, but that doesn’t mean that they get an inside scoop on the hell that I’ve been through my entire life. My childhood wasn’t a walk in the park. It was great until the day that it wasn’t, until everything was ripped away from me and I was faced with a newer, crueler reality.

  I should consider myself lucky; when my parents were killed, my Uncle Erik took me in. There were a few months where I was in a foster home until he could legally adopt me, and those sure were rough, but at least I had someone who wanted to pull me out from that life. In a way…I should be thankful that I was in that foster home because if I wasn’t, I would have never met Zac. If I had never met Zac, then maybe I wouldn’t have ever explored music, so that means I wouldn’t be where I am today, on this tour bus, singing alongside some of the nicest guys I know – minus Miles, of course, he’s a jerk!

  Neither Syd or Rocky say a thing to me. At this point, Rocky has come over and sat across from me on the barstool that’s in front of the small island we have along the kitchenette. He stares at me, and I think he’s going to say something funny like he usually does to lighten the mood, but he doesn’t. When he speaks it’s like hearing his voice for the first time. No, this isn’t my friend from Hicksville in the mountains. This is someone else entirely.

  “We aren’t gonna let you go find your sister alone, and sure as hell not at some biker bar in bumfuck nowhere. Syd and I go with you, and that’s that.”

  “…You guys realize that I’m going to be okay, right? This is something that I need to do alone. She doesn’t know about me, or at least I don’t think she does. I have to handle this with care ‘cause….”

  “Cause, why?” Syd asks, those dark chocolate pearls glaring me down like I’m nothing but a child making a stupid decision.

  “…cause, I’ve always wanted a sister, and I know I have one…I just want to get to know her, and I’m hoping that she’ll want to get to know me too.” Somehow, I laid my heart out on the line in front of these two without even planning to do so. Although, that’s what you do in front of friends, isn’t it? You put everything on full display, even if you know there’s a chance that you’ll be crucified for feeling a certain way. I hold a lot inside, constantly worried about what other people will think about what I say or do. When it boils down to it, I know that the only person’s opinion that I should be worried about is my very own. No one else matters.

  “We’re going with you, and there’s nothing that you can say to either of us that will make us stay behind. Yeah, you’re going to some biker bar, you are literally walking into the lion’s den, and I really don’t like that. If you want me to sit here and say I’m fine with you just waltzing in there, I can’t. But, I will tell you that we’re not just going in there to be your muscle, kiddo. We’re your friends, and this isn’t something that will be easy for you. You’re gonna need us, as much as you hate to admit it, Bellamy, you’re going to need support.”

  Just like that, I’ve been slapped in the face with the reality check that I didn’t know I needed. Syd was right. I’m going to need support, because if it all goes to crapmundo-ville…I don’t know what I’ll do.

  I really don’t know what I’ll do.

  The next thing I know, these two are talking me into grabbing the keys to Jase’s beloved Mazda, and we’re on our way to a bar named Bubba’s in Gainesville. The knot in my stomach couldn’t get any tighter, and with every breath, I become more and more terrified for whatever is about to unfold.

  My phone beeps obnoxiously, and I instantly recognize the ringtone. The one person on the planet who knows I loathe him more than anything has just texted me, the one who betrayed me and violated my trust.

  Zac.

  Reluctantly, I have to decide if I really want to open this message. Nothing could prepare me for what I was about to see.

  From: Zac

  Press play for me, baby, soon the whole world will finally get to see what kind of girl you really are.

  There are twenty-one words. I count them, and I can’t tell you if it is the twenty-one words that are making me sick to my stomach or the video that he sent with them.

  Chapter 3

  Fate whispers to the warrior, “You cannot withstand the storm” and the warrior whispers back, “I am the storm”

  - Anonymous

  Butch

  “C’mon Dais, we have to go. We can’t wait much longer,” I tell her, hopeful that my low tone will help convince her to stop waiting. It’s been three hours, and her moaning tells me that the contractions are getting closer together. We’re at the point where it could happen any second, and I am saying this right now. “I am not delivering your fucking son.”

  “Bitch!” Daisy snaps at me, her face distorting as another contraction ripples through her. I know she called me a bitch to piss me off, and I’m at my limit. This is it. I’ve had enough of this fucking shit, and I’ll be damned if this stubborn woman doesn’t have this baby in a fucking hospital. We’ve waited long enough.

  Reed decided it would be best to deal with our newest threat today. As it turns out that the Mexican Cartel is slowly seeping their way back into Nashville and the surrounding areas. Now, we don’t have the best relationship with the Cartel. Shit, they shot Kyle for fuck’s sake! All I know is that this isn’t good, the Cartel being back or Daisy having this baby right now. Neither of these two things is good!

  Daisy and I are in the clubhouse, alone, because why the fuck wouldn’t we be? At least if Elena or Jenna were here they’d talk some fucking sense into the bitch in front of me! I’ve had enough, and I mean it.

  Before I know it, I’m walking over to Daisy and pulling her up into my arms. She groans and curses at me with every step that I take until I’m sliding her in the passenger side of my truck. “You better not have this baby on my fucking leather, Dais,” I grumble, not giving a shit if I sound like the world’s biggest dick right now because let’s be honest – we all know that I am.

  “I’m not having this baby until Ollie is here!” she screams, tears flooding over her swollen cheeks. Daisy has looked amazing for most of her pregnancy. If you’d walk behind her on the street you wouldn’t have a clue that the girl was pregnant, until about three weeks ago when she started inflating like a balloon. Every part of this girl that was small and dainty is suddenly puffy.

  Instead of arguing with her like I normally do, I make my way around my truck and pop into the driver’s seat. From the corner of my eye, I glance and see she’s put on her seatbelt, which calms me down just a tad. All in all, I cannot explain how overwhelmed I am right now. Never
did I think that Ollie and the guys would be AWOL or that Daisy would be in my fucking truck, practically crowning.

  It’s just another day with the Skulls, I suppose.

  I drive as quickly and safely as I can until we reach the nearest hospital. Daisy fought me tooth and nail, complaining that this wasn’t in her birth plan, whatever the fuck that is. Apparently, it’s a big fucking deal when I take her to the hospital where her doctor won’t be at. Well, I broke it to her that if she’d have let us get on the road sooner than when we did, we could’ve driven the extra ten minutes to “her” hospital. Now she’s stuck with the reality that this kid’s birth isn’t going to follow her plan at all! He’s making the decisions, not her, and the doc just broke that to her.

  “I can’t have this baby until my boyfriend gets here!” She’s screaming at the doctor, holding her side like she’s being ripped apart, and maybe she is – I wouldn’t know.

  “You’re going to be having him soon, sweetheart, very soon! I’m going to give you another five minutes, and then we’re going to start pushing, okay?” I glance over to the old woman who is trying to coax Daisy, knowing it’s not working. When this girl gets an idea in her mind, she sure as hell doesn’t drop it.

  “Fuck, no! I can’t. I can’t have this baby…not without Ollie…” She breaks down into sobs. It takes every ounce of me to not just sit in the couch and let her cry, but I fucking know that if Daisy tells Seamus I let her cry and didn’t do a damn thing, that I’d be the one being ripped apart.

  I slide up off the cheap tan leather, brushing both of my hands on my jeans as I walk towards her bedside. My own eyes meet with the doc, silently telling her to leave the room while she has a chance, and she does. I sit in the chair to Daisy’s side, knowing that this isn’t what she ever wanted, and I’d bet that Seamus didn’t want this to happen either. I am not the man you go to when you’re freaking out, and I’m also not the man that is good at diffusing situations, yet here I am, trying my hardest to calm her down.