China flopped down onto the single seater as Dante disappeared into the bedroom. Her eyes were bloodshot, the girl looking like she’d just buried someone. Or her relationship.
She knocked a pillow to the floor with a punch. “You lied to me,” she muttered.
“About what?”
“Your age. I’m all for love, but you’re too old for Dante. It’s gross.”
I grimaced, her words an emotional gut-punch.
“So, you going to piss off,” she said, not asked.
“No.”
“You should. You’re not welcome here.”
“I’m sorry Marino broke up with you, but you shouldn’t take it out on me.”
“Why?!” she yelled. “You’re the reason he left me.”
“How is it my fault?”
“You outed Dante’s age last night.”
“I don’t remember doing that.”
“Because you were higher than a kite. I was shocked and accidentally mentioned that I fucked him. Now I’ve lost the love of my life, all because you like fucking boys. And by the way, I know I’m being a bitch, because all up, this really isn’t your fault. I just want to take it out on someone and right now, you’re the only target in sight.”
“Ah, well—”
She cut me off, “By the way, is it worth risking going to jail just to fuck Dante? Because it definitely wasn’t worth losing Marino over him. I only did Dante because he looks like Marino, and get this, jack shit happened. Dante stuck his cock in me, then a few seconds later he passed out drunk. So, I lost Marino over a drunk fifteen-year-old who I don’t give a shit about.”
Anger flashed through me. “He is worth it, and right now, I’m thinking it’s also worth punching you,” I snapped, clenching my right hand.
One of her blonde eyebrows winged up. “For what? You’re the one breaking the law.”
“You seem to forget you’ve broken the law, too.”
“I didn’t know he was fifteen. Big difference.”
“At least I didn’t use him. You fucked Dante only because he looks like Marino.”
She glared up at me. “It takes two to tango. Dante was the one who stuck his cock into me. You should tell your boy to stop dropping his dacks for every female that comes his way. He’s a fucking slut.” She pushed off the couch and looked past me.
I glanced over my shoulder, finding an upset Dante standing in the doorway. He was now dressed in board shorts and a sleeveless hoodie that he’d borrowed from Marino, looking like the quintessential surfer.
“Don’t give me that look,” China snapped at him. “You are a slut. I’ve seen you have multiple roots in one night.”
“I think you should leave, China,” I said, my right hand still clenched, the girl lucky I felt enough sympathy not to plant it in her face.
Her expression turned miserable. “I think you should leave, and take Dante with you.”
“We can’t leave,” Dante said. “The Devil’s Crew is tryna kill me.”
“And Marino!” she yelled. “Why did you have to ruin everything?!”
Dante didn’t reply, his expression telling me he believed he had.
“Ignore her, Dante,” I said. “You didn’t ruin anything. She used you, so she only has herself to blame.”
“I used him?” China spluttered. “What about you, old woman? Eh? What do you think the cops would say about what you’re doing with him? At least I thought Dante was older. I even look younger than him and—”
“Don’t say another word!” I barked, moving towards her, making her stumble backwards. “If you think you can threaten me, you have another thing coming. You still had sex with a minor. You will still get the same punishment as me. You say a word to the police and I will repay you in kind.”
Her jaw clenched.
“You will also apologise to Dante.”
Her eyes widened. “You want me to apologise? He should apologise for fucking up my relationship. He should also apologise for entering a nightclub, making me believe he was older.”
I screwed up my face. “Are you stupid?”
She went to open her mouth.
I cut her off, “As far as I’ve heard, you were the moron who didn’t admit to fucking Dante. He didn’t out you, your stupidity did. Not only that, he didn’t remember, while you did. That means he was drunk, while you weren’t. As far as I see it, you took advantage of an intoxicated boy. That could be classified as rape, so don’t you dare put this on him.”
She blinked at me, her mouth dropping open.
“And right now, I no longer feel sorry for you. Your behaviour is atrocious. If I was Marino, I’d walk away too.”
Her bottom lip began to quiver, then she burst into tears. She covered her face, sobbing into her hands.
Not feeling one ounce of guilt, I walked over to Dante and wrapped my arms around him, his expression really upset. “Don’t feel bad, this isn’t on you.” I gave him a reassuring kiss. “It’s all on her.”
He looked over at the sobbing China. “It doesn’t feel that way.”
I placed a hand on his cheek, forcing his gaze away from the girl. “It is that way. Don’t let her guilt you. She made her bed and now she has to sleep in it alone. You were drunk, she knew what she was doing. She took advantage of you. She is the one reaping the consequences.”
“What ’bout you? You lost your job cos of me. I chased you, not the other way round. I wuz perfectly sober then.”
“I lost my job because of my decisions, not yours. I could’ve turned you down. I’m the adult here. I knew what I was doing was wrong, yet still did it, and I don’t regret it for one second.”
His shoulders relaxed a fraction.
I took hold of his face. “I mean it. None of this is on you. Not what happened with China. Not with Marino. Not with me. So, give me that smile you gave me when you came out of the water.”
He pressed his lips together, the smile strained.
“Give me a real smile.”
He exhaled. “I can’t.”
I brushed his wet hair back, water dripping down his neck. “You deserve that smile, Dante. You deserve so much more than what people give you.”
He shrugged.
“You do.”
He looked over at China again. She was now crying on the couch and not being quiet about it.
“Ignore her,” I said.
“I—”
The phone cut him off. I turned and grabbed it off the coffee table, not recognising the phone number. “Is it your father?” I asked, holding the phone out.
Nodding, Dante took the phone and clicked it on. “What’s up, Dad?” He paused. “Everything’s cool, I’m still at the safe house.” A frown furrowed his brow. “At least Craven’s good for sumpthin’. So, did they catch Jonah and Reaper? Damn!” He paused to listen. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll stay here until they’re caught. Cool. Thanks, Dad. Haere ra,” he said, saying bye in Maori.
He hung up. “Apparently, Mutt trying to kill Marino got loads of Devil’s Crew topped. Bazza phoned his boss, told him what happened. His boss teamed up with my dad’s gang and another one, wiping all but a few out. Sounds like they did a Godfather II on them, shooting the cunts. Pity those few that got away are the most dangerous.”
I didn’t reply, too busy gaping at what he’d said.
He frowned. “Guess I shouldn’t have told’ja that. But, babe, the Devil’s Crew slaughtered a number of my gang, murdered Hemi and almost killed Jasper. They also went after me, and won’t stop until I’m dead. They had to be taken out. My dad said they’re searching for the remaining few. Apparently, they’ve gone into hiding. Though, some of the men found the guy who went after Jasper. Reaper killed all but one, leaving him as a messenger, sayin’ he’s now gunning for every Skin. He’s the most dangerous of the lot, so we hafta stay here until he’s eliminated.”
“How long will that be?”
“No clue, babe.”
Noise came from the veranda, drawing my attention
to it. Marino stepped through the doorway, holding some fish, explaining where he’d been. Ignoring China, he nodded at us and walked into the pokey kitchen crammed behind a breakfast bar. China pushed up and rushed out of the bach, still crying her eyes out. Marino glanced over his shoulder, then dumped the fish in the sink. He grabbed a knife and started scaling them, the aroma strong. I walked over to him. He ignored me, continuing to clean the fish.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
He opened his mouth, then closed it.
“What were you going to say?”
“Nothing.”
“It didn’t look like nothing.”
Grunting, he dropped the knife in the sink and turned to me. “Why are you bothering me, Clara?” he asked, his eyes as bloodshot as China’s.
“Because you’re hurting. And China’s hurting.”
“She’s not my issue anymore.”
“Do you love her?”
“No,” he said softly.
“It doesn’t sound like it.”
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to be with someone like my mother. She did the same thing as China. Apparently, my dad thought my mum was sweet too. Thought she loved him, yet she still cheated.”
“I think it’s wrong that China had sex with Dante, but it isn’t cheating if she wasn’t with you at the time.”
“She fucked both me and Dante on the same damn night!”
“Cos I look like you,” Dante said, sidling up next to me.
Marino threw a glare at Dante. “Even if you say it’s technically not cheating, she’s still a liar. Two cousins in the same night, like my mum did two cousins. And I’m the result of the wrong cousin. My dad is everything to me, yet I’m not even his blood. He raised me, not that fucking Luka prick. I know about him. Supposedly he’s a loving father, takes great care of his kids. Yet I’m one of his fucking kids!” he yelled, prodding his chest. “And my mother thought he was better than my dad, yet he didn’t give a shit about me.” He turned back to the sink and washed his hands under the faucet, what he was doing feeling symbolic.
He shook his hands out and grabbed a tea towel, wiping them. “Live off the fish, got plenty more in the sea. You don’t need me here.” He pushed past us and went for the door, snatching up the keys off the coffee table.
Dante shot in front of him, blocking his way.
“Move!” Marino barked.
Dante shook his head. “No, mate, you can’t leave, it ain’t safe.”
“I can’t stay either,” he said, his face screwing up. “I have to get back to my dad.”
“He said to stay here.”
“He’s dying!”
Dante jolted. “What?”
Marino turned away from Dante, his breathing laboured, his pain tangible.
“What’s wrong with Bazza?” Dante asked.
“A brain tumour. It’s why he’s losing his sight.” Marino sniffled. “It’s also why he wants to work with Craven so bad. He wants to make sure I’m provided for, along with my twins and stepmum.”
“Your twins?”
Marino wiped his eyes and nodded. “They’re not my siblings, they’re my kids.”
“Whoa! Are they China’s?”
“Yes, and like my mum, she doesn’t have a single motherly bone in her body. When I split from her the first time, she didn’t even fight to keep the twins. My stepmum looks after them, not China. It’s why everyone thinks their Grace’s. And does China care? Fuck no. What she did with you was just the last straw.”
He went to sidestep Dante, but got blocked again. “Move.”
“You can’t leave, cuz. Your dad said—”
“Don’t care, I want to be with him.”
Dante grabbed his arm. “Nah, mate, he wants you here. Safe.”
Marino jerked free. “I was safe before you came.”
“I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have come up north if I’d known the DC were after me, but it’s too late now. We hafta stay here.”
“My dad only has a few months left and you’re telling me I have to spend it here? Fuck that. I need to be with him, not you.”
“While he wants you alive.”
Marino’s expression contorted. “Why did you have to bring this shit with you?”
“Look, my dad said that almost all the DC were wiped out last night. They only have a few left to take care of.”
Marino’s expression turned hopeful. “Which means I can go back?”
“Not yet. Give it a coupla days for them to finish the last off.”
“But—”
“You had a gun to your head and you can’t wait a coupla days? I know you’re not the sharpest tool, but that’s just bloody stupid. Two days, two friggin’ days.”
Marino looked up at the ceiling, then back at Dante. “Okay, I’ll stay, but on one condition.”
“What?”
“If China comes back, make her leave. I want her gone.”
Dante nodded. “’Kay.”
“Thanks.” He headed into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
“I think he does love her,” I said, glancing at the door. “Just has some serious mummy issues.”
Dante scratched his cheek. “Don’t blame him.”
I nodded in agreement and wrapped my arms around his waist, giving him a peck on the lips.
He snuggled closer. “I don’t have mummy issues and I wouldn’t leave you. I don’t want you leaving me either. I want you to stay right here with me.”
“You’re not going back to Auckland?”
He shook his head. “Can’t until they catch the rest of the DC.”
I squeezed him, my happiness returning.
12
Tane
Craven had me again. Through his niece. Made me his whore, like he’d made me a killer. I’d lost my shit when Blondie confirmed she was related to the psycho, had stormed out, taking off in my truck. I went back home, sitting on the front steps, staring across the road at Hemi’s two-storey house. Now I guessed it was Jasper’s, Hemi no doubt having passed it on to his poor kid. Tears prickled at my eyes. I pulled out the other cigarette I’d swiped off Mikhail and lit it up, inhaling the biting nicotine. I blew a puff out as Dante’s dogs ran around in circles, happy to see me, the neighbour having taken care of them. I ignored the pit bulls and took another puff on the ciggie, unable to take my eyes off Hemi’s house. It hurt knowing I would never see him again. Hurt as much as when I’d learned my wife had been murdered. I loved them both, my wife as the love of my life, Hemi as a bro. And now they were both gone, leaving me behind to deal with these fucking feelings, feelings I didn’t know how to handle.
I took another toke, wondering whether they had the better deal. They couldn’t feel the anguish they’d left behind. Weren’t the ones grieving. They didn’t feel a goddamned thing. Not this aching pain, this fucking hole they’d carved out of my chest. I wanted them here with me, Dante too, like they’d been ten years ago, when we’d all been happy. Before I started taking fucking meth.
I flicked the cigarette away angrily, knowing I’d fucked everything up with my addiction. And to think I’d asked Fabian for more. More of the shit that had ruined all of our lives. Because I didn’t just fuck things up for my family, I’d fucked them up for Hemi too, lumping him with all the responsibility. Even though he’d craved the control, he’d taken on too much, like watching out for Dante. If he hadn’t loved that boy like his own, he wouldn’t have run after him and gotten shot. That bullet should’ve gone into my heart, not his massive one.
“Fuck!” I swore, feeling the tears rise up again. I pushed to my feet and headed for the gate, snapping at the dogs to stay back. I slipped through the gate and locked it, crossing the road to Hemi’s house. I stopped at his mailbox and stared across the yard at his front door, almost expecting to see him step through it. To smile at me. To lumber down the path, yelling, ‘What’s up, bro?’ Giving me a handshake, his face so goddamned happy to see my cunt of a one.
But the door didn’t open.
I pulled out my phone and called through to the prez of my club. He’d phoned earlier, bringing me up to speed with what had happened with the Devil’s Crew. I’d wanted to be a part of it, but knew he was right to leave me out of the loop. I couldn’t even stay calm after learning I’d fucked Craven’s niece, so there was no way I could’ve kept my cool during a raid. I was just happy that at least Craven had done something good for once, making it safer for my boy and Hemi’s kid.
My prez answered the phone. “Did’ja tell Dante what we did?”
“Yeah,” I said. “He knows. Just make sure you get Reaper, even kill Jonah straight away. I just want them gone now.” I looked up at Hemi’s bedroom window. “Me killing them won’t bring Hemi back.”
He exhaled. “Yeah. And we’ll get them, Tane. I give you my word.”
“Ta.”
“No need for thanks. And where are you?”
“At Hemi’s house. Wuz considering sorting shit out for Jasper. The poor kid won’t be up to doing anything for a while. I wuz gonna clear the mail, the fridge, and their messages.”
“That can wait, I need you back here.”
I stiffened. “Me sorting this out is far more important than fucking that bitch’s clients. If you told me she wuz Craven’s niece, I would never have agreed to this deal.”
“Tane,” he sighed. “I know you have an issue with Craven, but whatever you do for Sierra has got nothing to do with him. He said he’s cut you free. This deal is not his, it’s separate. You’re not under his thumb anymore. You’re a free man.”
“Doesn’t feel like it when you say I hafta fuck these women just so you lot can have a place to stay at.”
He went silent.
“What? Is the great Milan feeling guilty?”
“Shut your mouth, Tane! We all have to do shit we don’t want to! Do you think it was easy for me to tell the crew’s families that their loved ones had died? Do you think it was easy for me to fucking deal with the cops after what happened? To get spoken down to, treated like a fucking perp instead of a victim? Do you think I enjoyed having to accompany the old ladies to identify their dead partners, to accompany mothers to see their sons lying on those fucking cold tables? To watch one of our men break down when he realised his old lady was one of the dead? I had to do all that! I didn’t fucking want to, but I did it because it was my duty. And I know what Sierra wants from you is warped, but fuck, man, you’ve whored yourself out for far less than housing your brothers. Why can’t you just suck it up and do this for us until we can get on our feet again? I’m broke, man. The DC not only destroyed the club, they destroyed my business. I have a big family to feed, mortgages to pay. I can’t afford to lay one cent on the table now the insurance company is giving me shit. I need Sierra’s house. And I need you to do this not only for the crew, but for me.”
Jagged Pill (Broken Lives Book 3) Page 16
