by Lila Rose
“Poppy,” Muff called.
Dragging my eyes up to meet his, he grinned. “Come on, let’s get you up. You’re flashin’ your panties, and I know my brother would kick everyone’s arse if he knew other men could see them.”
Glancing down, I realised my skirt had risen up high. After everything, I didn’t expect I’d blush over it. With a nod, I caught Muff’s hand as he stood and helped me to my feet. I swayed a little. Muff placed his hands on my shoulders.
“He made you bleed,” I mumbled.
“Yeah, babe. He’ll pay for that and markin’ you.”
“Jerimiah’s going to be so pissed.”
Muff snorted. “Babe, I’m thinking he’ll be a bit more than pissed.”
Shit.
About twenty minutes later, the club had been closed, and I was standing at the bar icing my face, under Muff’s instructions, when I felt it.
The type of fury so fierce it choked the room.
It was so thick men parted for the one it was pulsating from.
Then I saw him.
Jerimiah strode through the room with his body rigid, his face tight in anger, no… rage, and he was headed right for me.
I wasn’t scared. Not for myself at least. But if anyone around us said the wrong thing, I knew he would lose the control he held. He was hanging on by a thread.
He stopped right in front of me and bent so our noses touched. His voice low, grumbly, he growled the words, “You work in a strip club.”
“Ah, at least I don’t dance.”
His jaw clenched. His eye twitched. “You work in a motherfuckin’ strip club,” he roared in my face.
“Not sure who you are to Poppy, but back the fuck off,” Samuel said from my side.
Oh crap.
Jerimiah’s biker brothers swarmed him, but it wasn’t soon enough. Jerimiah’s arm sliced out, his fist colliding with Samuel’s face. Samuel stumbled back, righted and then came back with his own arm raised.
“Stop,” I yelled, getting between them both with my arms up, ice bag dropped. They paused, not wanting to hurt me in the process of their fight.
“Fang, step back,” a guy I didn’t know said. His vest read President, so he must have been Dodge. I’d heard his name in passing.
Jerimiah didn’t move, neither did Samuel.
“Dodge, a word,” a detective called. Just before Fang had arrived, I’d given my statement. Only I’d lied.
“Fang, cool down,” Dodge ordered, before he stepped away.
Muff moved up to Samuel and whispered something. Samuel nodded and shifted off to the end of the bar with Muff. I kind of wished they hadn’t moved because then Jerimiah’s attention came back to me.
His nostrils flared as he stepped back into my space. His gaze ran over my cheek, and I knew he saw the bruise already formed. His jaw clenched again, but gently, he reached up and ran the back of his fingers along my jawbone.
“Not a fan of being kept in the dark, Poppy.”
I snorted. “And you wonder why I didn’t tell you.”
Yet another clench of his jaw. I was sure he was going to break his teeth. “Who was he?” Jerimiah demanded.
“I’m not sure.” I lied, like I had to the police. It wasn’t their problem. Python was a Venom member. Clubs liked to handle their own situations. Already I’d decided to go to Blackie and have him deal with Python. I didn’t want to drag anyone else into my mess. Blackie was the president and he’d hate it if I brought cops into club business, so it was up to Blackie to do what he had to and make sure I never saw Python again. I knew he would. He cared for me as if I were his own daughter since Blackie and Dad were close.
Jerimiah studied me. His arm swept around my waist and he brought me flush against him. “Not liking you holding back.”
“Jerimiah, I’m not—”
“Don’t lie to me,” he hurled harshly in my face.
Glaring, I pushed against his chest. One good thing about Jerimiah being there was that my nerves had lessened; instead, I was annoyed. “Do not talk to me like that. You can throw your Hulk attitude around, but not at me or I’ll kick your arse myself.”
I heard a few male chuckles around us, then, “Damn, she’s a tigress.”
“Shit yeah, did you see the way she laid into the motherfucker with her feet?”
Jerimiah’s eyes, upon hearing that, darkened. “You had to fight him?”
“Does it matter?” I asked, pushing against him again.
“Yes,” he clipped loudly.
“Fang, brother. Compound for church,” Dodge called.
Jerimiah’s hand tightened around my waist before he released me. “I’ll be seeing you real soon, Poppy.”
Rolling my eyes, I clasped my hands in front of me. “Oh, joy. I just can’t wait for then.”
He scowled. “Stay here until Charlie gets here.”
“Yes, boss,” I said, while scratching the side of my nose with my middle finger. Jerimiah’s lips twitched until he glanced again at my bruise. He fisted his hands and then left with some other brothers of his.
My anger dissipated, my nerves returning, and they twisted my stomach. Charlie was going to lose his left nut over what had happened. There was no way I would be informing my dad it was Python either. Blackie would get it all, as soon as I could dodge Charlie, because I knew he wouldn’t be letting me out of his sight anytime soon.
God, was I doing the right thing? Keeping people out of Venom’s business? Protecting my dad? Protecting Jerimiah? I didn’t know. I was out of my element, but I had to try.
Right?
Chapter Ten
Fang
Church was a waste of my time since it was the same old shit: up the hunting so we can protect what’s ours, up the security, and discuss who was working where. After, I went to my ride, climbed on, and headed to Charlie and Poppy’s. While riding, I couldn’t stop from thinking what Parker had said to Dodge, that they weren’t sure the man at the club was the same dick who was beating strippers. We had to find out for certain, and I reckoned Poppy had that answer.
I’d hated leaving her earlier, when I was so pissed, but seeing her standing there with a bruise on her face… it put God honest fear in my gut.
Someone could have taken her.
The motherfucker needed to be dealt with, and fast.
I parked my ride out the front and made my way to the door. One knock and it opened. Charlie stood in it with a grim look on his face. He opened the door wider, and I spotted Poppy sitting on the couch. She had her knees up to her chest and her arms curled around them. Moving in, I kept my eyes on her and sat beside her, but shifted to face her.
I heard Charlie shut the door and then caught him walking into my sight, placing himself in his armchair at the end of the couch.
“You know why I’m here, Poppy.”
She said nothing. Her eyes moved down to her knees.
“Honey, you gotta tell him everything,” Charlie urged.
Fuckin’ knew she’d been holding out back at the club.
“Did you know the guy who tried to take you?”
Still nothing.
“He’s not the same guy as the one on the news,” Charlie said.
I grunted. “We thought that too, at least the police did.” Scooting closer to Poppy, I nudged her foot with my knee. “Darlin’, whatever it is you’re worried about, don’t be. You shouldn’t want to protect this guy.”
Her hard eyes snapped up to mine. “I’m not. I don’t want to, but this is Venom business, not yours. Not Hawks. Dad already got it out of me, but at least he’s Venom.”
“Poppy,” Charlie barked gruffly.
“All good, Charlie,” I said. “The problem is, Poppy, it is my business, and the Hawks’s. It’s ours more than anyone’s because it happened on our property. Yo
u gotta talk to me, woman.”
She puffed out a breath. “I thought… if I went to Blackie, he could handle it before it went any further.”
“You can still go to Blackie, but it happened in a Hawks club, Poppy. You know we gotta do somethin’ about it,” I reasoned, then added, “It also happened to someone I care about, and my brother bled for it.”
“I know,” she replied quietly. “I know, and I’m sorry about it all.” She wiped her nose then scratched above her ear. “It’s my fault he was there.”
“How?” I pressed.
With her eyes back down on her knees, she said, “He’s a member of the Venom Motorcycle Club. When I came back to town, I was at the compound one night seeing Roda and Blackie and noticed him with his mates in the corner of the room. He’d just been patched in as a full member. We, um, chatted for a bit. He asked me out, and I went.” She cleared her throat, seeming nervous about explaining it. All I wanted to do was punch something.
“She went on a couple of dates with him,” Charlie added when Poppy didn’t continue. My hands fisted. Poppy noticed, so I relaxed them and stuffed them under my thighs on the couch. If she knew the anger rising about hearing her dating, she wouldn’t continue.
Though she knew me, and the sad, apologetic smile she shot me told me I wasn’t hiding my anger well.
“Yeah, the first date was okay, so I thought I’d give him another chance. That was when his true colours showed. He was an arse to everyone. No matter where we went. At the restaurant, the movies, the club after. He treated people like they were beneath him. Let’s just say it didn’t work out and when I told him there’d be no more dates… he didn’t like it. Apparently, he saw me as his.”
Fucking hell.
Fire erupted inside of me.
The cunt thought he had some bloody claim over my woman. At least with me my claim had somewhere to go. Poppy and I had a past. Had time with one another. She knew me like I knew her. I wasn’t claiming her after a couple of goddamn dates.
The guy was mental.
“What’s his name?”
“Python.”
“Do you know anything you could tell me about him?”
“Muff described him, right?”
“Yeah, but I’m talking about other things. Where he hangs when he’s not at the clubhouse. Outside friends, anything?”
“No.” She shook her head. “He didn’t talk much about himself. I’m sorry.”
Shit.
“It’s all right. At least we have a name.”
Christ, her bottom lip wobbled. “Muff got shot because of me.”
Reaching out, I placed my hand on her knee and applied pressure until I had her watery eyes. “Babe, he’s fine. It was a scrape if anything. Hell, he didn’t even leave the strip club when it reopened.” She nodded. “He’s good. Promise.”
“Okay,” she mumbled.
“But there’s something’ else we gotta talk about.”
She sighed, her head going back, eyes to the ceiling. She straightened. “Let me guess, it’s about me and where I work.”
“Damn right.”
She glanced at her father and then back. “I have to keep working, Jerimiah.”
“No, Poppy,” Charlie said. “It’s too big of a risk.”
“He got in there, yes. But now people will know who to look for, and he wouldn’t be stupid enough to try again. You know we need this money coming in, Dad.”
“I’ll pick up extra hours—”
“No. Dad, please, the hours I work are perfect. It means we can spend time with Mum during her visiting times.” Her stubborn gaze met mine. “I won’t give it up.”
“Poppy—”
“I won’t.”
Fuck. “Okay, darlin’.” I nodded. Her whole body relaxed. “I’ll talk to Dodge and Samuel. We’ll get something set up. I don’t like it, but you want it, so I’ll let you have it for you and your family.”
She didn’t need the added pressure of not having an income to help her parents out. Not while her mum was in care.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, babe. Just be careful. You’ll have someone at your back. If it ain’t Charlie, it’ll be me or another brother, but I’ll be sure you know him before he takes a shift. You can’t go anywhere without one of us following you.”
“I promise I won’t.”
“Good. Now, I gotta get goin’,” I said and stood. “Try and get some rest, both of you. I’ll have Dallas swing by as soon as he can to check your security system. Until then, stay alert.”
“We will.” Charlie nodded.
“I’m sorry again,” Poppy said. “I should have said something back at the club, but I did want to take care of it myself.”
“Know you did. At least you’ve told me now. We’ll get him, Poppy.”
“Okay,” she whispered. Leaning down, I pressed my lips to the top of her head and then ran my fingers through her hair. Silk.
“Take care,” I said, then walked to the front door. Charlie followed me out and shut the door behind himself.
“You’ll keep me updated?”
“I will. You know it.”
“Thanks, son.” He tipped his chin to me.
“Anything for you, but especially her.”
He smiled. “Know that. Be safe.”
“Always try,” I said, before heading to my ride. Stopping there, I grabbed my phone and hit Dodge’s name in my contacts.
“Yeah, brother?”
“I have a name and know he’s part of Venom.”
“Fuck. Give me the name and I’ll head to set up a meet with Blackie. But it’ll have to be tomorrow since it’s the middle of the night.”
“Python.”
“Got it. How’d you get this info?”
“Poppy. He was an ex of hers. She didn’t want to say anything because she was gonna get Blackie to sort it out.”
“This is Hawks business, was on Hawks property.”
“Know that, got her to understand it.”
“Good job, brother. Now, go get some bloody sleep.”
“Heading to do that now.”
“Talk tomorrow.”
“Done,” I replied, and ended the call.
I didn’t head back to the compound where my bed lay. Instead, I had an urge to see my ma. Maybe it was because of what Poppy was going through with Mary, or it could have been because it’d been over a week since I’d seen her last. Whatever it was, I pulled up out front and made my way to the pitch-dark house. She’d be in bed, but at least I’d see her in the morning.
Or so I thought. Just as I reached the front door, it opened, and Ma stood in it dressed in her ratty robe. One day soon I’d buy her a new one, no matter the times she’d told me it was her favourite.
“What’re you doin’ outta bed, Ma?”
She smiled warmly before I folded her in my arms and kissed her temple. “Heard your bike coming, was worried why you’d visit an old lady so late.”
“Nothing serious. I’m good, Ma.”
She wound her arm around my waist, and after I shut and locked the front door, I placed mine around her shoulders. We walked into the kitchen. She let me go and went to the cupboard. “Coffee or a stiff drink?”
“Whisky, please.”
“Right.” She grabbed the bottle from the top cupboard and a glass, then poured a two-finger width. “What’s happened, Jerimiah?” she asked, placing the glass in front of me.
After a sip, I said, “Just wanted to see you.”
“Not often you call in in the middle of the night. Something must have happened for you to do so.”
I ran a hand over my face. Goddamn, I was knackered. “Haven’t told you yet, but Poppy’s back in town.”
She tried, but failed, to cover her huge smile in ti
me. “You’ve seen her?”
Snorting, I pushed the chair opposite me out with my foot. Ma got the hint and sat in it. “Yeah, I have. Things haven’t been good for her momma. She’s got dementia, sometimes refuses to eat and drink. Doesn’t look good.”
Ma’s face fell into a concerned frown. “That’s… terrible. Mary was always such a beautiful person.”
When Switch left, Ma couldn’t go back to Venom. For her own sake, she had to cut ties with the club. Everyone understood, but there were a couple of friendships she regretted cutting, and one was Mary. Seeing my ma, with tears filling her eyes, sliced at me.
“I should have kept in contact,” she whispered.
“Mary understood. Out of any of those old ladies, Mary understood the most. Don’t beat yourself up about it, Ma.”
She nodded, sniffing. “I’ll try.”
“I know you will.” And she would. She was bloody brave and strong.
“So… Poppy?”
Chuckling, I shook my head. It had always pleased her, Mary, and Charlie how close Poppy and I were. Knew they’d hoped something would come from the two of us more than friendship. Guessed it was time to mention to Mum her wish would be true soon enough.
“It’s gonna be hard, but yeah, Ma. Poppy’ll be mine.” She clapped, stood, and I warned, “Do not do it, woman.”
Too late. She was already doing her own happy jig.
Chapter Eleven
Poppy
Dad and I left the house early to visit Mum. I’d chosen the dress she’d loved most on me. It was a rock-a-billy blue dress that Mum had picked out when we’d gone shopping one day. She’d gushed over it so much, I’d just had to have it because she’d loved it on me, after she’d forced me to try it on.
I wore it in the hope she was having a good day and remembered me.
It was terrible. I felt terrible, because as I approached her door, I couldn’t help the burning in my chest or stomach, fearing she wouldn’t know me.
Dad gripped my hand before releasing it and stepping up to open the door first, while I sucked in a much-needed deep breath and braced myself.
