On the other side stands Elena.
“Uh, morning.”
“I need girl time, stat,” she grumbles, walking straight into my room and shutting the door behind her. She makes her way to my bed and falls flat on her back, staring up at my ceiling like I do most of the time.
“Should I even bother asking if you want to talk about it, or are you just going to spit it out?”
“You missed a hell of a lot yesterday, like of all the days that you chose not to be here, yesterday was the day.” Elena rises up, eyes fully focused on me.
I can make out the way her eyes are getting glossy, telling me that she’s bent out of shape for some reason.
“Dmitri, Jenna, Ksenia and Slash are gone. We found out that Dmitri killed Reed’s Dad, and this blonde chick and a whole bunch of muscle popped in, basically getting them all the hell out of here. Everything is so damn messed up, and I’m trying to figure out who the woman was but since I wasn’t there for the entire thing I don’t have a clue. Not a damn clue. How am I supposed to help him right now when he’s just found out his father’s murderer is basically my adopted brother and best friend? How is he not going to look at me and wonder…” Elena pauses, shutting her eyes firmly before re-opening them. “What am I supposed to do to help him?”
“So, the birthday party sucked then…” I mutter, trying to lighten the mood, knowing that there is no lightening the situation at hand.
Elena rolls her eyes. “A lot of shit happened yesterday, and I don’t know how we’re going to recover from it.”
“With time. All things take time, and as far as Dmitri goes…you know if he killed Will, then there was a reason. You and I both know that, you know he would have never done it if Will was innocent.”
“I know,” Elena agrees, pulling her legs under her.
“The only question is, what did Will do?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Then why don’t we find out,” I suggest.
I grew up in the Skulls Renegade MC, my Dad was a full patch who decided to go Nomad when I was fourteen, leaving me in the care of Will Michaels. I should be thankful that my Dad didn’t leave before that age. At least I somewhat knew how to take care of myself. I had a feeling Will was dead, and maybe it’s insensitive of me to not be a blubbering mess right now, but I knew the kind of man that Will really was.
I knew too much.
I knew the monster behind the mask.
Not many others were privy to his tendencies, especially the ones for underage girls.
If you ask me, we’re all better off now that he’s dead.
Good riddance, Will Michaels.
May you never rest in peace.
Chapter 2
You can’t do epic shit with basic people.
Anonymous
Kyle
My only concern last night was burying my dick deep inside Michelle, needing to hear those soft mews and moans that I’ve waited too long for. I don’t expect anything from her, and I doubt that she even remembers any of it. Maybe it was wrong of me to fuck her knowing how lit she was, but we’ve fucked on worse than a few drinks. After the hookah lounge, I got her sobered up enough to ride on my bike and took us both home, making sure that she was snug in her bed. I don’t know what got into me, but I couldn’t leave her. I wanted more.
So I did the last thing I thought I would have and laid down next to her, wrapping her in my arms and held her throughout the night. Lucky for me, I woke up before she did so I was able to sneak out.
It’s probably better she doesn’t remember what happened anyway. She’d regret it. After our last break up, she told me that we would never be able to fix what’s broken, and she’s right. To be honest, I don’t think there’s any fixing us anymore. We’re both far too broken to be repaired, and maybe that brokenness will lead us to a new possibility.
I make my way into the kitchen of the club and go to grab some cereal. I’m a simple man, it’s not hard to please me. Throw some food in front of my face and if it looks half way decent, you can bet your ass I’ll be eating it. I open the cupboard, grabbing a bowl and fill it with some Cinnamon crisps, not even bothering to ruin it with milk. I take a spoon from the drawer and dig in, leaning against the counter, able to hear almost everything going on around me. I think Maria and Chaos are the only two awake right now. Everyone else seems to be asleep, or maybe they’ve already been out and about. With this group, you never really know.
Michelle and Elena make their way into the kitchen, talking low and then stopping the moment their eyes land on me.
“Geeze, ladies. What’s the hushed lips about?”
“Oh, nothing,” Elena mumbles, hopping on the counter.
“Should you be doing that?” I chastise her, waiting for her smart-ass remark.
“I’m pregnant, not incapable, you baboon.”
I chuckle, eyes focusing on Michelle as she starts grabbing pans, spoons and cooking supplies. If she’s doing what I think she is, I’m about to be a very happy man.
“Get out of my way, and toss that shit out. If you’re going to eat then it’s at least going to be a good meal. Not any of that sugar in a box crap.”
“I happen to like my sugar in a box.” I point out.
“You know what happens if you keep eating it…right?”
“What would that be?”
“Your dick will fall off. It’s scientifically proven, and what a shame that would be.” She eyes me up and down, focusing on my nether regions before she struts over to the fridge, no doubt grabbing eggs and milk.
I roll my eyes, tossing my cinnamon crisps in the trash just to please the woman in front of me.
“Chocolate Chip or Blueberry?” Michelle asks.
“Do you even have to ask?” I grumble. Michelle’s known me for long enough to know my tastes.
“Uh…. seriously? I’m asking the pregnant one, not you jackass.”
I chuckle, walking over to her and kiss her on the temple. Not realizing the sentiment of what I’ve done until Elena’s eyes bug out of her head a bit.
Shit.
There’s no denying it. I want Michelle to give me another shot. We weren’t right for each other in the past, but that doesn’t mean we’re not right for each other right now, or in the future. So much has happened in both of our lives, pain, heartache, growth. We’re only a fraction of the people we were years ago, and I think we owe it to ourselves to see where we might end up going.
The only thing I worry about by rekindling my old flame with Michelle is Daisy’s reaction, but it’s not like she’ll care. She’s with Seamus, and they have Ryder. I’m alone, per usual and Michelle has had her heart broken by Max for the millionth time. I’m tired of holding back my feelings, and not expressing myself.
I want Michelle, and this time… I’m gonna get her.
I’m gonna reclaim what was once mine, whether she wants me to or not.
Chapter 3
Some days I feel everything at once. Other days, I feel nothing at all. I don’t know what’s worse; drowning beneath the waves or dying from the thirst.
O.M.
Kyle
“For once, I don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to do. I never thought that any of this would happen, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this…” Reed mumbles to himself, pacing back and forth in our father’s old hunting cabin.
It’s a few miles away from the lake house. Far enough in the woods to get some good game, but close enough to civilization if we need to run to the store. Reed wanted to come out here and remember our Dad, drinking beer and recollecting the memories that we shared with him. I didn’t think the hunting cabin was the best place to be doing that, but Reed never really asked for my opinion on many matters.
I didn’t argue with him though when he came into the kitchen this morning and pulled me aside. I’d do just about anything to get far away from Michelle after that awkward moment. I could feel the way her eyes were on me, the questions running
through her mind. It wasn’t the time or the place for me to speak to her though, and I knew that.
“Your mind is in another place. I need you to focus, Kyle. For once I just need your help.”
He’s confused, and I am too. None of what transpired yesterday while I was away makes any sense. Not a lick of it. “Look, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to help you with this one, Reed. You want answers and I hate to tell you this, but you can only get those from Dmitri and maybe Jenna too.” There’s no doubt in my mind that Jenna would know exactly why Dmitri killed our father. Those two are both ten types of fucked up, practically pigs in mud together. The thing is, Reed has always favored our Dad. Always, from the point we were small boys. Maybe it’s because I’m older, but I saw him for the shady bastard he always was. Reed had rose colored glasses on, and he still does to this day. I love my Dad, cause… well, he’s my Dad, but I’m not blind to the truth behind all of the rumors I heard about him.
Reed thinks Dad just left, but he didn’t.
He left cause’ I told him to get the fuck out of Gainesville, to never come back and in doing that I was handed the Presidency which quickly fell into Reed’s hands a few short months later. He was better suited for it, and things needed to happen in the way that they did. To this day Reed doesn’t know the truth behind our Dad running off. Either way, he’d criticize me for forcing him to leave. Like I said, he’s always been blind to the rumors of our father but I knew better. I knew about his wandering eyes, grabby hands, and the unthinkable tastes he had. Reed would argue with me. I know he would. He would blame it on jealousy from other MC’s, that they had to ruin our father’s reputation. But they weren’t.
The rumors are all true.
My father was a predator, whether my brother sees the truth in it or not.
If Dmitri killed him because of his tastes in girls, I wouldn’t blame him. There are many times that I came close, and ultimately it’s the reason I told him to leave us the fuck alone and never come back. But he did, and the Grim Reaper himself made sure that Dmitri was here to end him. I had warned him to stay away, that something bad would happen if he ever decided to step foot in our club ever again. When he came back, I thought maybe he’d change. I made the decision to give him the benefit of the doubt and another chance. But now I know that I was oh so wrong in doing that. At least if I had told him to fuck off, he’d still be alive.
That only begs the question of whether he still deserved to be alive. The answer would be no, not after all of the horrible things he’s done. It’s funny how we choose to forgive those we love for the atrocious acts they commit, even when we know the weight of the evilness. There came a point where I couldn’t forgive him anymore. I still can’t to this day. The fact of the matter is that he deserved to die, but Reed will never agree with me on that.
“I will kill him for what he’s done, and her too.” Reed seethes, shooting a glare at me.
I’ve had it. I’ve had enough of it and I’m at my breaking point. “You should be thanking him for killing Dad!”
“What?” He snaps in response.
“I’m tired of shielding you from the truth. I’m so fucking tired of it, Reed. Dad loved to rape underage girls. We both know this, no matter how much you try to deny it, he was a monster and his tendencies were going to catch up with him one way or another. Dmitri killing him did us a favor, now what you should be doing is focusing on Ramirez, not on Dmitri or Jenna, and I swear to god Reed, if you so much as touch a hair on her head you know I will kill you. Don’t fuck with me.” Reed may be my brother, but that doesn’t mean he can go around killing people – especially Jenna. The one person who was there for me when almost everyone else gave up.
“You’re going to choose that cunt over me?”
“She’s family,” I hiss, staring him down, hoping he realizes the weight of my words. Jenna has been with us for years. She is as much family to me as Reed is, and whatever stick is up his ass better come out soon. I haven’t seen him this ridiculous since Celine died. “You’re about to become a father, if that is a little girl would you really have felt comfortable with Dad around her?” I ask.
The way Reed’s pupils expand, gives me my answer.
That’s what I thought, bastard.
“I’ll see you later, after you’ve decided to stop being a dick,” I grumble. Walking out of the cabin, I hop on my bike and see where the road takes me, far away from Reed and close to the one person that’s been on my mind all day.
Chapter 4
“Never get too attached to anyone unless they also feel the same towards you, because one sided expectations can mentally destroy you.”
Extramadness
Michelle
It turns out that figuring out why Dmitri did Will in was going to take me more than a day. I was super determined this morning, especially after breakfast, but I quickly realized that the only way I would really know what happened is if I spoke to Jenna, or Dmitri. So, I called her cell over and over again, and she didn’t answer. Not once.
The sick feeling wouldn’t leave my stomach and I’m truly terrified for whatever the hell is going on. Sure, this is a change. Especially with them not being around. Everything feels off balance. I just hope they’re both okay.
“You’re looking like sex on a stick today.” I hear the voice that used to make me panty dropping wet, but now only serves to aggravate the living hell out of me.
I turn to face the beast called Max. “And that’s new how exactly?”
He gives me a devious smirk in response.
All I can do is roll my eyes and start off in the other direction, far away from him.
“Shit, Meech. What the hell has gotten into you?”
I close my eyes firmly, hearing him say my nickname only makes me feel more nauseous. Is it even possible for someone to make you feel this sick? I would have never thought so before, but now… now I understand it. I turn around to face him, not backing down from this fight. “Geeze. I dunno. Maybe I’m tired of all the empty promises, and then you weaseling your way back into my heart, giving me the hopes that we’d somehow be together completely. Every time it’s the same thing, you apologize, I decide to give you a second chance until the second chance turns into the third, then the fourth and then you out of nowhere decide to go Nomad and don’t even bother to tell me. Until you just leave me like everyone else has, when you were the one who promised to always be here for me. Maybe that is what has gotten into me, Max. I’m just tired of your bullshit.”
“I couldn’t be here anymore. Don’t you understand that?”
“I don’t understand anything about you, Max. How can I when you never let me in?”
“You know why I can’t be here all the time,” he grumbles, looking around at the empty clubhouse.
“No, I don’t. I only know how power hungry you are and how you’re never gonna get what you really want here. It’s not like Reed or Kyle will let you anyways.” It’s always been about power with Max. He wants to lead, to be in charge, to be the one who’s calling the shots. But in order for him to do that he’d have to be the Prez, and there is no possible way that is ever going to happen.
“What’s that?” He muses, cocking his head in my direction.
“What would you like me to elaborate on? The fact that you will never be the Prez or that Kyle will never let you have it.” I hiss the truth out at him, knowing that I’m poking the bear. Max has hated Kyle for years. Never has he flat out said it, but I’m not blind or dumb. When a woman hates another woman you can sense the hostility floating around, it’s no different with a man. When it’s there, it is there and nothing you can do will hide it.
Before I realize what’s happening, my back is up against the wall with Max’s intensifying grip around my neck. He squeezes my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. His thumbnail digs into my skin as he pushes my body further into the wall, as if it’s going to absorb me.
“What you g-gonna do, s-snap my n-neck?” I wheeze out
, scowling at him.
I think he’s just about to as he tightens his grip, and then he throws me to the right. I’m sure he wanted me to stumble to the ground and break into a bout of tears, but I’m not that kind of girl. I’ll be damned if another man makes me cry.
“No, when I hurt you, you’ll remember it.” Max rushes out of the clubhouse.
I curse myself wishing that someone had seen it. If Reed, or shoot, if Kyle was here… none of them would’ve put up with it. Just as I think about what Max just said, the reality sets in.
He didn’t say if, he said when.
Chapter 5
Sometimes people try to destroy you, precisely because they recognize your power – not because they don’t see it, but because they see it and don’t want it to exist.
Anonymous
Michelle
I pull a wool cardigan on close to my body before deciding to head out back. We are having an impromptu bonfire and after the past couple days, we all need to sit back and relax a bit. There’s been so much change, so much movement. Not once have any of us taken a moment to ourselves, to remember what’s important to us at the end of the day. I make my way to the bar and grab a miller lite, then walk down the hallway and out the back door, seeing far more people than I expected to.
Daisy is snug on Sea’s lap, I see a monitor in her hand showing me that she’s watching Ryder from it like she usually does. It’s past his bedtime anyway, so I should have known he’d be asleep in his crib. Reed is sitting in a chair with Elena next to him, a blanket thrown around her. I know it wasn’t her idea to be this bundled up out here that would be her overbearing husband. Pain and Chaos are over to themselves a little ways out, but the second Maria busts out from the doors behind me, Chaos is hot on her tail. They’re not fooling anyone, they both want her and I’ll bet ya that they’re both going to get her.
I approach the group, taking a seat on the picnic table closest to the fire. The blaze warms the area surrounding me, and what a comforting feeling it is. I yank my cardigan closer to me, making sure that my neck is covered. The bastard bruised the side of my neck, and I did my best to cover it up but I’m not as good as Jenna is with makeup. I gave it a good ol’ scout’s try.
Reclaimed (Skulls Renegade MC Book 6) Page 2
