by P. T. Macias
Oh, but it would be nice to be in his arms.
I’m so fucked up.
Ok, that’s Jason’s pickup parking inside the apartment complex parking lot. I pull off the blonde wig throwing it on the back seat. I grab my backpack and jump out of the car. I run over to Jason and Sara, exiting the pickup.
“Let’s go inside to talk,” Sara says, looking around nervously.
“Ok,” I say, following them into her apartment. Her mother is away, out of state, visiting her family in Montana.
We walk inside the apartment; Sara turns on the light in the hallway.
Yeah, we’re a little paranoid.
I have a seat in the armchair, crossing my arms. Jason sits on the sofa; Sara sits next to him, looking at me.
“Are you ok,” Sara asks, tucking her long legs.
“Yeah, just scared! Those men shot Dad, but I heard them yelling at him about the money that he owes them. They stated that they weren’t going to wait anymore and were going to take me to pay off Dad’s debt,” I say, gasping.
“What the fuck,” Jason says, running his hands through his long shaggy light brown hair.
“Oh gawd, that’s not good,” Sara says, blinking.
“I had Rick go over to the apartment complex to check out what happened. He said that Dad is dead, and the cops want to talk to us,” Jason says, clenching his jaw tight.
“We didn’t do anything,” I say, teary eyed.
“We know that, but they don’t,” Jason says, pushing off the sofa. He paces back and forth in the small living room. I look at him, blinking and wiping my tears.
“I’m afraid, what if those men are waiting for me,” I say, hugging my legs up to my chest.
“Oh my, I didn’t think of that,” Sara says, pursing her lips, shaking her head.
“Ash, you need to get out of town,” Jason says, stopping in front of me.
“Yeah, but where do you want me to go? We don’t have any family,” I say, chewing my lower lip.
“What about the guy you met,” Sara says, looking at me raising her right eyebrow.
“Uh, I don’t know,” I say, closing my eyes.
“What guy,” Jason asks, looking at me, furrowing his eyebrows.
“A guy that I’m seeing, We went on a few dates,” I say, resting my face on my legs, closing my eyes.
I don’t want to have him ask me a million to one questions.
Nodgecock!
“Who the fuck is he,” Jason asks, crossing his arms.
I look up at him, compressing my lips tight, shaking my head.
“He can’t help me,” I say, shrugging.
“What the fuck! If you’re dating him, you should be able to count on him,” Jason growls, walking away.
“Yeah, I’ll talk to him, but I don’t want to ask him if I can stay with him. For real? Geeze, that’s like throwing myself on him, and we’re just starting,” I say, running my fingers through my hair, fixing the messy bun.
Yeah, I’ve slept with him; he did take my virginity but is this a relationship. I so wish it is, I just don’t know. I do know that he makes me feel beautiful, loved, and cherished.
“I think that you should go to Sacramento for a few days, get a hotel, and we’ll call you for the funeral,” Sara says, looking at Jason and me. She’s such a great friend and so I hope that Jason does right with her.
“Ok, I’ll go to Sacramento until the funeral, maybe those men will forget about me,” I say, nodding.
“I think that you should sleep here tonight, and leave early in the morning,” Jason says, nodding.
“Yeah, but I need to get my clothes,” I say, biting my lip.
“I thought that you went to the laundromat,” Sara asks, furrowing her eyebrows.
“Yeah, but it’s not all of my clothes,” I say, nodding.
“It’s enough for a few days, plus you have the money that you earned tonight,” Sara says, nodding.
“What, you work? Since when,” Jason asks, stopping in front of me.
“I’ve been working soon as I turned eighteen. You’re never home, so you didn’t know because I only work on the weekends,” I say, sighing.
“Where in the hell do you work at,” Jason asks, glowering, shaking his head.
“I work at the bar,” I say, shrugging. Yeah, it’s a small little fib. It’s not like he really cares.
“Fuck, that doesn’t sound right, but I’ll look into this later. It’s late, and I want to sleep because I’m going to have to face the cops tomorrow. Who knows if those dudes will show up,” Jason says, stretching his back.
“Yeah, that sounds good, but you have to promise that you will call me when you have the funeral arrangements done,” I say, pursing my lips.
“Yeah,” Jason says, looking at Sara. He walks over, falling onto the sofa next to her. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap.
I roll my eyes pushing off the armchair. I walk down the hall to Sara’s spare room.
Nineteen
Wyatt
I need to go to the office for a break. It’s been hell, and to top it off, I can’t stop thinking of Ashley.
Tonight, at Styx strip club, it’s crazy. The motherfuckers are obnoxious. I get that they come here to have fun, to get laid, and let out steam, but hell, they’re a fucking headache.
It’s not even six pm, and yet, I’ve already kicked out two sons of a bitches from Styx. It’s going to be a long wild Friday night.
Fuck!
It’s a good thing that the brothers will be here soon to help me with the crowd and the girls.
The girls are all on their fucking PMS day, which is hell. Yeah, that’s ten girls fucking bitching and whining all fucking night.
I’ve read some articles that, when girls are in a group, their menstrual synchronization due to some McClintock effect.
That’s not fucking right!
It’s insane when it’s that time of the month.
Yeah, I get that they’re tired, but they signed up for this party.
I walk into the office to review the applications because we need another bartender and stripper.
I fall onto the black leather chair, running my hands through my dark brown hair.
Fuck!
I grab the stack of applications looking at the information shaking my head.
We should have these done electronically and have them take a photo to make the hiring process easier.
“Wyatt, do you have a minute,” Suzy says, leaning against the door frame, popping her head into the room looking at me. She looks stressed and tired.
I look up from the job applications furrowing my eyebrows.
“Yes, what do you need,” I say, dropping the papers on my desk.
“There’s a girl at the back door asking for the manager,” Suzy says, looking at me.
“Oh yeah, what does she want,” I say, leaning back into the chair.
“She didn’t say,” Suzy says, shrugging.
“Okay, hurry up and get ready, you’re up next after Bambi’s routine,” I say, pushing off the chair.
I walk out of the office, turning to go to the back door. I push it open, walking out. We have a light out here, but I need to get another one. It’s too damn dark out here. We have this space allocated for the brothers.
I pull out my cigarette and my lighter looking down the alley.
I can’t see anyone, what the fuck! Is Suzy fucking with me? I take a drag, looking to the right and then to the left, shaking my head.
“Let me go,” the voice yells, my heart stops. That sounds like Ashley.
“Come with me bitch,” the man says, pulling her arm.
I drop my cigarette on the ground, running closer to the voices. My heart is pounding, and I have a bad feeling, a gut feeling that I can’t explain.
I turn the corner, and I see the man and woman struggling. The tall, muscular motherfucker that’s wearing a cut is pulling a woman.
“No,” Ashley pulls back, sinking o
nto the ground.
“Motherfucker, let her go,” I yell, glancing at the woman.
Fuck!
It’s Ashley!
What’s going on?
“Ashley,” I yell, looking at her to make sure she’s ok.
“Stay out of this fucker,” the biker growls, pulling her arm.
“Oh my God Wyatt, this man is trying to take me,” Ashley cries, pulling her arm to escape his grasp.
“Motherfucker, let go of my old lady,” I growl, pulling the slide back, ready to squeeze the trigger to shoot the motherfucker with my Glock.
“What the hell! She’s your old lady? She’s a fucking whore! I’ve seen her at the Dolls in Chico,” the biker yells, spitting at the ground next to Ashley.
“Motherfucker, get the fuck out of here before I kill you,” I yell, ready to shoot him.
“You gotta be kidding me,” the biker growls, looking at Ashley.
“Baby, get behind me,” I growl, aiming at the biker’s fathead.
“This is the last warning,” I yell at the biker, ready to shoot the fucker. I don’t care about the backlash on the MC.
She’s mine!
“Fucker, I’m leaving, but if I see her again all alone, I’m taking her. I’ve been waiting a long time to have her,” the biker growls, shaking his fat head, raising his hands.
“You will not touch her, not even a hair, ever. If you do, I’ll hunt you down and kill you motherfucker,” I yell, shooting at his feet.
The son of a bitch jumps around, then runs away to get on his bike. I see his cut, and I get a sick feeling in my stomach.
Fuck!
The Satan Warrior flips me off, exiting the parking lot.
Fuck he’s a Satan’s Warrior, a very vicious MC. I don’t care; I need to protect what’s mine. I watch him take off, and I turn to look at Ashley crying.
“That man scared me,” Ashley says, walking over to me.
I hug her, pulling her close, tucking her head below my chin.
“You’re safe. Baby, what are you doing here? How did you know that I work here,” I ask, holding her close?
“I . . . . . didn’t. . . . . I . . . I. . . came to get a job,” Ashley says, between hiccups.
“What the fuck are you talking about? What’s going on,” I ask, kissing her temple.
Ashley pulls away, looks up into my eyes.
“I’m in trouble, I’m scared, I need a job here because I can’t stay in Redding,” Ashley says, with her brown contacts and blonde hair.
I shake my head, sighing.
“We need to talk, come with me,” I say, taking her hand.
I can tell that she was looking for a job here at Styx as a stripper. I need to know what’s going on. I can see that the men will recognize her with that damn wig, and they can’t forget her perfect body.
I take her into my office, closing the door. I take her to sit on my sofa, looking at her stripper look.
Yeah, I don’t like it.
She’s mine.
She’s not working as a stripper anymore.
“Baby, would you like some water,” I ask, kneeling in front of her.
“Yes, please,” Ashley says in a small voice, looking at her hands on her lap.
I get up to get her some water from the small refrigerator in the office. I look at the time, sighing. I walk over, sitting on the sofa, handing her the water.
“Baby, here’s the water,” I say, twisting the cap off. I hand it to her, taking in her tears, the fear, hurt, and stress in her eyes and face. I watch her take a few sips of the water, and then I take the bottle out of her hands, placing it on the floor. I take her into my arms, kissing her face.
“Baby, let’s take off that wig and contacts,” I say, running my hand up and down her arm.
Ashley looks at me; nodding takes off the wig, and then she pops out the contact lenses. She holds them in her hands, biting her lower lip.
“I need some tissue for them,” Ashley says, looking at me with her beautiful blue eyes.
I nod, getting up to get her the tissue. I return, handing her the tissue, waiting for her to gather herself. I watch her wrap the lenses and slide them into her pocket.
“Baby, come here,” I say, pulling her onto my lap. I wrap my arms around her, holding her close to my chest.
“Oh my God, Wyatt! It’s been an awful twenty-four hours,” Ashley murmurs into my ear, trembling.
“Talk to me, Baby,” I say, kissing her face, rubbing her back.
Ashley nods, leaning into me, resting her head on my shoulder.
“I went to work last night, and when I returned, I saw my Dad talking to some men in the parking lot. That was odd, because my Dad is hardly ever home, especially at that time of night. I went into the apartment from the back so he wouldn’t see me. I went to my room, and I look through the window, listening to the conversation. The two men looked like some guys from the godfather movie. They look dangerous, and they were yelling at my Dad about some money. That they couldn’t give Dad more time and that they were going to take me to pay off the debt,” Ashley says, burying her face in my neck.
“What the fuck,” I say, holding her tight. All of these motherfuckers want my girl.
Fuckers will not have her.
“I watched them shoot my Dad; I ran out of the apartment because I heard one man tell the other to come and get me. Wyatt, I’m so scared. They killed Dad. I ran to my BFF that was out on a date with my brother Jason. They met me at her apartment, both Jason and I stayed there. Sara made an anonymous call to the police to report the incident, and we found out that Dad was dead, and the police want to talk to us. I can’t talk to them, I’m afraid,” Ashley says, crying. I
“I’m so sorry, Baby, I’m here for you,” I say, holding her, hoping to give her some security in my love.
“Sara and Jason thought that I should leave Redding and to come to Sacramento. I’m staying at the Eros hotel, but I thought that I need a job, so I came here to ask,” Ashley says, pulling away from my arms, looking at me, wiping her tears.
“Baby, you’ve been through a lot, and I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you, but I am now. You don’t need to work here or anywhere because I’m taking care of you, you’re mine. We will go to the police together so you can talk to them and tell them what you witnessed. Those motherfuckers will not get a hold of you, I promise,” I say, cupping her face gazing into her eyes.
“For real? You want me,” Ashley asks, gazing into my eyes.
“Yes, you’re mine now and forever,” I say, smiling.
Ashly stares at me, searching my eyes, to validate what I told her. She bites her lower lip, nodding.
“Ok, I want to stay with you and thank you,” Ashley says, smiling a small trembling smile.
I took her lips in a soft kiss that quickly turned hot and demanding. I run my hands up and down her back, pulling her closer.
“Ice,” Bruiser knocks on the closed door.
I pull back, taking in Ashley’s flush face, smiling.
“Baby, I have to get some work done, but I want you to stay here on the sofa. Relax, as soon as possible; we’re going back to your hotel. We’ll stay there tonight, and then tomorrow we will go to my place,” I say, smiling at her.
“Ice,” Bruiser yells, knocking on the door.
“Give me a minute,” I yell, shaking my head.
“Sounds good, thank you,” Ashley says, leaning in to kiss me.
I kiss her deeply, I'm hungry for her. It’s been a few days since I’ve been with her, and it’s been hell. The club and runs have been hectic.
“Fuck Ice,” Bruiser yells, pounding on the door.
I pull back, smiling at Ashley’s blushing. She moves her hands to adjust her messy bun nodding.
“I’m going to be ok,” Ashley says, smiling at me.
“Ok, I’ll be back in a few,” I say, nodding.
Twenty
Ashley
A week later.
Today is Dad’s fune
ral, and I don’t know what to feel. He wasn’t a bad dad, per se. I mean, he didn’t beat me or anything. He just wasn’t there, as if he didn’t care about Jason and me. He did pay the apartment, bills, and bought some food for us to survive but he never hugged or talked to me. Yet, I feel this massive ache in my heart; I don’t know why or how to deal with this emptiness.
The good thing is that Wyatt is at my side; he’s taken care of me. He calls me his old lady, something to do with the MC. I’m good with it, and he says that we will marry later, and that’s really exciting because I can’t think that I will ever feel what I feel for him with anyone else.
Yeah, I’m young, and it’s quick, but I feel it deep in my soul that he’s it. Wyatt tells me that I’m his, no one else will do, I’m it. That makes me so happy.
So, I’m living with opposing feelings every single minute. I’m just thankful that Sara and Jason handled the funeral arrangements. It looks like Dad’s death has made Jason into a man, more responsible. Yeah, it’s a few days, but I can see it.
“Baby, are you ready,” Wyatt asks, walking into the room at the clubhouse. We’re going to look for our home in a few days.
“Yes, I am,” I say, turning to look at him. I smile because he always makes me happy.
“Baby, let’s go,” Wyatt says, taking my hand.
We walk out of the clubhouse, and we get into his black truck because I’ve been feeling sick for the last two days.
Two hours later, Wyatt drives the truck to the chapel for the service, and then we will go to the cemetery. It’s a small chapel, and few people came to the service, including Wyatt’s brothers. Yeah, they do feel like family after spending time at the clubhouse.
After the service, we go to the cemetery. It was difficult, painful to see Dad’s casket being lowered into the deep burial plot.
Wyatt holds me close, wearing eyeglasses. The Hades Knights MC are standing behind us, dressed in black, black glasses, and their black leather cuts. I don’t recognize the other people, but when we turned to leave, I saw them, the two men that killed Dad.
I grab Wyatt’s hand as I feel faint. Wyatt gathers me in his arms, holding me close.
