by Geri Glenn
He was right. His description fit Laurie to a tee. But it didn’t fit Anna. All this time, I’d been comparing the two, and when I really break shit down and think about it, Anna couldn’t be any more different from my psycho ex-wife.
Everything Laurie has ever done has been to benefit herself. She didn’t care who she stepped on or whose hearts she broke in the process. She’s only ever cared that she got what she wanted.
Anna’s the complete opposite. She’s made a lot of poor choices and put herself into countless terrible, no-win situations, but every one of them had been because she’d been trying to protect the only person in this world she loves, her sister. She may have gone about it all wrong, but what fifteen-year-old girl knows how to handle sexual abuse by someone she’s supposed to be able to trust? What adult woman would know what to do when a man has a knife to their throat?
As I watch them transform our rustic clubhouse into what looks like a Barbie van had puked all over it, I have a revelation. Anna’s been a constant. Since she came back here, intent on rebuilding her life, she’s done nothing but work toward that goal. She’s been working her ass off to get herself to where she wants to be. It was me that was the fucked up one in this situation.
It was me that played her, even if that hadn’t been my intention. In the time we’d had together, Anna had been all in. She’d been funny, sweet, and kind, and fuck me, so goddamn gorgeous. That baby she’s carrying is without a doubt mine. Anna had all but given herself to me, and I tossed her aside like a fucking dirty sock, all because I’d let my ex twist my head up all over again.
Pain slices through me as I think about the things I’d said to her, the things I’d said about her. God, I’m such a fucking asshole.
Anna
The baby shower had been a hit, or as much of a hit as one can be in a biker clubhouse. Even though I hadn’t wanted to be there at all, I wanted it to go well for Charlotte, so I busied myself tidying up, serving food and anything else I could do to stay in a separate room, away from Reaper.
I don’t know what Bosco had said to him, but no matter what I was doing, I could feel Reaper’s eyes on me. Twice he had headed toward me, and both times I’d bolted, knowing there was no way I could handle talking with him today. I know I’ll have to talk to him eventually, but it won’t be until I’m good and ready.
“Look at all this stuff!” Charlotte says, walking into the room, carrying one of the new baby afghans she’d gotten from a woman she works with. It had taken Bosco seven trips from the van to the nursery, but now that it was all here, it was up to us to find a place to put it all.
“Babies sure need a lot of stuff,” I say, holding up a contraption that I can only assume is meant to take a temperature, but not even wanting to imagine where you might stick it to get the results.
Charlotte giggles and places the blanket over the side rail of the crib Ryker had assembled in the nursery last week. “They do, and this one’s going to be so spoiled.”
I smile softly and start sorting through colourful bags and boxes, separating the clothes from the bathing supplies and other gadgets she’d gotten today.
“Anna?” Charlotte asks, manoeuvring herself into the dark wooden rocking chair in the corner. “What’s going on?”
I keep my head down and take a whiff of the contents of a green bottle of baby lotion. “What do you mean?”
Charlotte sighs heavily. “Stop.” Her tone is one of a mother. A no-nonsense type tone that has me looking up at her from under the curtain of hair I allow to fall in front of my face. “I’m serious. For a while there, you were so happy. But lately, honey, you just seem… sad.”
“I just have a lot going on,” I say softly, refusing to look her in the eye, opting instead for staring at an invisible point just over her shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”
“God!” she hollers, jumping to her feet, which is impressive considering the fact that she’s become quite round. “Would you just stop! I don’t know what you’re hiding Anna Daniels, but you better tell me now. All my life you’ve kept secrets from me and I’m tired of it. I’m your sister. Your blood! Let me in.”
A tear escapes the mental dam I’d been building and makes its getaway, slipping down my cheek.
“Please,” she whispers.
So I tell her. I tell her everything. I tell her about Carl and how he’d touched me. I tell her about Mom, and how she hadn’t believed me. I tell her how Carl had wanted her, and how I’d given myself to him to protect her, letting him rape me over and over again. I tell her about the drugs, the stealing, and the cutting. I tell her everything.
Through it all, Charlotte gasps and cries, and grasps my hand in hers, but never does she interrupt me. When I get to the part about Carl raping me, she pulls me into her arms and refuses to let me go, and somehow, that makes it easier to tell my story.
I hate telling her. I hate the pain I feel radiating from her with every word I speak, but Reaper was right about one thing. Charlotte’s a grown woman. She has a right to know, and I should have told her a long time ago. These secrets have been poisoning our relationship for years, and maybe now that the poison is out, we can finally be as close as I’ve always longed to be.
“I can’t believe Mom didn’t stop it,” Charlotte says, her eyes and nose red from crying.
“Mom had her own stuff going on, Char. I can’t say I forgive her for not doing anything, but I can say I understand what she was thinking. It was selfish, for sure, but she’s not here to fix it. The only thing I can do is try to get to a place where I can find some forgiveness and move on.”
Charlotte dashes away a tear and stares back at me with a face full of love. “You might just be the strongest person I know.”
Her words are like knives to my soul. “I’m not,” I say quietly. “I wish I was, Char, but I’m not. I’m just barely hanging on.”
She takes my hands and squeezes, forcing me to look at her, her face fierce and determined. “And that’s why you’re strong. You’ve been to hell and back, and every morning you wake up and you face the same demons over and over again. You face them and you fight them, and not only that, you’re winning. That’s strength, Anna.”
A sob forms in my throat, bursting out as she finishes her little speech. “I’m pregnant,” I say, hiccupping on my sob.
Charlotte’s face goes soft. “Is it Reaper’s?” I nod, unable to open my eyes, terrified to let the emotions out that are slowly drowning me. “Oh, Anna,” she says, pulling me into a warm and loving hug. “Don’t cry. This is wonderful news. You’re going to be a mother. A wonderful, strong, loving mother.”
“But Reaper…”
“Fuck Reaper,” she growls, her hands going to my shoulders. She pushes me back, piercing me with her stare. “He’ll either be there or he won’t. But you, Anna, you are going to bring a baby into this world, and that baby is going to be so loved. So very loved. You have me, you have Ryker, and most importantly, you have yourself.”
“I love you,” I say, hope blooming in my heart.
She grins, her eyes shining with tears. “And I love you, big sister.”
Reaper
It had been a lazy day of feeling sorry for myself and trying to decide the best way to approach Anna when I got the group text Bosco had sent out. 911. Pigs in the clubhouse. Jesus Christ. This fucker doesn’t know when the hell to quit. How many times is he going to fucking raid us before he finally accepts the fact that we don’t have any goddamn drugs?
I fire a text off to Cam, letting him know the shit’s hitting the fan and race to the clubhouse like the devil himself is chasing after me. Lightning flashes across the sky and the clouds are rolling in. I make it there in record time, finding a SWAT team patrolling the grounds, guns in hand. Ryker, Jase, and Tease, along with every other brother, club whore, and staff member are on the ground, their hands behind their backs.
I don’t even have my motorcycle turned off before a gun is shoved in my face. “On the ground, asshole.” Han
ds grab at me, shoving me to the ground, while another set pats me down. Luckily, I’d had the forethought to leave my piece at home. Having a handgun on me would be reason enough for Belanger to haul my ass into the station.
“Welcome to the party,” Jase drawls. His lip is bloody, his face scraped up. This time, the cops aren’t fucking around. Their screaming and yelling, and roughing anyone up for getting even a little bit mouthy with them.
Just then, Belanger walks out of the main door to the clubhouse, holding a backpack. He walks over and drops it on the ground in front of us. “Look what I found.”
I meet Ryker’s eyes and he just shakes his head, anger evident on his face. He doesn’t know whose backpack it is either.
“There’s over a pound of marijuana in here boys. Care to explain?” He walks down the line, nudging a few of the guys with his boot. When he gets to me, he squats and lowers his voice so that only I can hear him. “You did a nice job on my tires, Landry. Not so lucky for you, I had my dash cam running the whole time. You’re going down on vandalism alone. Not to mention, all the other shit I have on you.”
I grit my teeth and stay silent, wishing more than anything that I had the power to eviscerate a man with my eyes. Belanger stands and picks up the bag. “Take ’em all in.”
The SWAT team moves as one, swooping in and yanking everyone to their feet. The women scream and kick, putting up a hell of a fight, but aside from a few insults, the men keep their mouths closed. There’s no telling what Belanger thinks he has on us, and silence is the best option right now. At least until Bax figures out what the hell is going on.
One by one, we’re shoved into the backs of cruisers. I watch from my place in the back of Belanger’s car as they shove Ryker, Jase, Tease, and five other men into the back of a SWAT van. Most of them are in pairs, but for some reason, I’m alone until everyone else is carted off. Then Belanger climbs into the driver’s seat.
“You’re fucked now, Landry,” he says, eyeing me through the rearview mirror. “We may have only found a pound of weed, but it’s enough to haul every one of you fuckers in for questioning.”
“You don’t have shit, and you know it. You were grasping at straws before, Belanger, but now, you just look like a fuckin’ idiot.”
Belanger slams on the brakes and the car lurches forward. With my hands cuffed behind my back, I have nothing to stop myself with. My face smashes into the Plexiglas barrier between the front and back seat, and I can taste the blood in my mouth.
I keep my thoughts to myself the rest of the drive. I don’t like the look in this crazy cop’s eyes. They’re wild and twitchy, and it doesn’t take a genius to see that he’s coming unhinged.
It takes twenty minutes to get to the station, and they’re just unloading the SWAT van when we arrive. I watch as they pull Tease out and shove him to the ground. He snarls and runs at one of the officers who’s quick to jab him in the gut with his baton. Tease drops to his knees as Belanger opens the door and hauls me out.
“Tease,” I yell over the screaming officers. “Chill, man.”
Tease looks up at me, the rage on his face enough to terrify a grown man, but all he does is grit his teeth and nod, slowly coming to his feet. Incident over, they lead him inside, followed by myself and Belanger.
I don’t know where they take everyone, but I’m shoved into a cell. The cells to my left and right are empty, and I can only see a few of the others a little further down. Lucy, the whore we all love to hate, but can give one hell of a blowjob, is across the hall from me, back to the wall, knees drawn up to her chest. Tears stream down her cheeks and a shiny blue bruise is forming on her cheekbone.
“I’m so sorry, Reaper,” she sobs. “That backpack is mine. The weed is mine.”
Jesus Christ. “You sellin’ that shit, Luce?”
She shakes her head. “No. Me and a few of the girls went in on it together. We smoke it every once in a while, but we don’t sell it to anyone. I didn’t think it would ever get us all in so much trouble.” Her shoulders heave as she breaks into loud, throaty sobs.
“The weed’s not the problem, anyway. They just used it as an excuse. You’re fuckin’ tellin’ them it’s yours, though.”
She nods her head, tears still flowing. “I will. I did. I told the cop that’s been having us all followed, but that’s when he did this.” She points at the bruise on her cheek.
Cocksucker. Bax better hurry the fuck up and get us the hell out of here.
Anna
The crack of thunder that accompanies the brightest flash of lightning I’ve ever seen takes both of us by surprise. Charlotte screams, then bursts into giggles, but I don’t find it funny. Something is off. Something non-electrical has the hair standing up on the back of my neck.
It’s just getting dark outside and the power flickers, plunging the house into darkness and brightening it up again. I hear the front door open and my eyes flash to Charlotte’s. It could be Ryker, but my sinking stomach tells me it’s not.
When I enter the front hallway, the door is wide open, the rain outside splashing in on the hardwood floor. A set of muddy foot prints lead into the living room. My heart pounds as I slowly turn and face the direction in which they disappear. Standing behind me, a blade to my sister’s throat, is Shiv.
“Shut the door and get your ass in the living room,” he growls, shaking Charlotte and causing her to yelp in fear.
I do as he says, my eyes darting all around, searching out any possible makeshift weapon I can find. There’s nothing. Even if there was, it wouldn’t matter. He will cut Charlotte’s throat. I have no doubt about that.
I close the door and turn, passing them as I walk to the living room. Charlotte’s chest rises and falls, unmistakable terror in her eyes. Shiv’s eyes are wild and jumpy. Erratic. He’s high as a kite.
“Okay,” I say, taking a seat on the couch, forcing some semblance of calm into my voice. “I’m sitting. Now let my sister go.”
“Fuck you, bitch,” he screams, pressing the knife into Charlotte’s throat hard enough to cause a tiny river of blood to trail down her neck. “I’m the one giving orders here.”
He pulls the knife away from Charlotte and shoves her toward the couch. Her feet scramble to catch herself and I scream as she falls short of her goal and lands face first onto the ground. “Ahhh,” she screams, rolling to her side and drawing her knees up to her belly, her arms holding onto it protectively.
Shiv storms toward her, grabs her by the arm and yanks her to her feet, shoving her to the couch once again. Her tears pour down her face as she struggles to catch her breath. “Shut the fuck up!” His hands go to his head, his fingers tugging at his hair as he stares wildly back at us.
“Do you bitches have any idea what my life is like now because of the fucking Kings?” I watch him as I pull Charlotte to my side, reassuring her with whispered promises I’m not sure I can keep. “The fucking cops are all over me. I can’t get my hands on decent drugs anymore, and the word on the street is Reaper’s been looking everywhere for me.”
He keeps ranting, pacing the floor, pulling at his hair and waving his blade around as he speaks. I don’t even understand half of what he’s talking about, and right now, I’m having a hard time focusing on him at all. My concern is with Charlotte. She’s pale and shaking, sweat pouring from her brow. Her eyes are squeezed shut and I can physically hear her trying to control her breathing. Something’s not right. That fall did something. I need to find us a way out of this so I can get her to a hospital.
“Shiv,” I say quietly when there’s a break in his speech. “Something’s wrong with Charlotte. She needs a doctor.” He stares at me, his face blank and uncaring. “Please. She’s pregnant, and she still has six weeks to go.”
Suddenly, he lunges at me, pulling me from my seat and my protective embrace around my sister. “You think I care about that biker’s baby?” he asks, grasping me by both arms and shaking me. “She’s the fucking MC queen, right? I hope something’s wrong.�
�� He thrusts the blade in Charlotte’s direction, keeping his eyes on me. “I oughta cut the little fucker out of her myself.”
Those words both terrify and enrage me. As he stares at Charlotte, I bring my knee up, hitting him right where it counts. My plan had been to knee him, grab Charlotte and run, but my plan sucked. Especially since Shiv just screams and brings his head down, head butting me hard enough to knock me to the ground. Stars swim across my vision. “You stupid bitch!” he screams, one hand cupping his balls as he stares down at me.
The blade flashes toward me, and before I know what’s happening, he’s plunging it down at me from above. Instinctively, I lift my arm to block it and scream when the blade slices through it, the tip coming out the other side. The pain doesn’t even register as he yanks it back out, but I can’t stop staring at the giant wound in my forearm. Heat consumes me, and some part of me realizes that I’m in shock, but mostly, I just worry that we’re not going to make it out of this alive.
Reaper
“Have a seat, Landry,” Belanger says, shoving me down into the tiny aluminum chair. Another visit in the interrogation room.
“When are you gonna give this up, Belanger? You’ve got nothin’ on us.”
I watch as Belanger walks toward the door. He gives me a little smirk as he turns the lock and walks over to the camera. He flicks that off too so that the little red light disappears. “You’ve got a big mouth, Landry. You think you’re so tough.” He walks to the table and places his palms on it, directly beside me. “Invincible, even. But you’re not, are you?”
I glare at him, taking in the cocky expression and the barely tamed violence in his eyes. They’re dark, almost black.
“Did you know I grew up with Tim Chance?” He pushes off the table and walks behind me. I can’t see him any longer, but I can feel his breath as it rustles through my hair at the top of my head. “We were best friends.”
