Rebel (Devil's Tears MC Book 3)

by Daniela Jackson

  “Got her?” Gunner asks.

  “Got her,” I say, emotion strangling my throat.

  Sol tilts her head. “So this is what it’s all about. Come in. I will be nice to you and maybe I can even make you a cup of coffee.”

  I walk in and we sit in the kitchen.

  “I’m taking her to Zane’s chapter,” I say.

  Gunner pats my shoulder as Sol puts the kettle on. One of their kids starts crying upstairs and she runs out of the kitchen. Gunner rises to his feet, opens the cupboard and takes two tins out of it. He makes me a cup of coffee.

  “It’ll be alright,” Gunner says.

  The aroma of coffee wafts through the air. I feel as nervous as a teen even though Mike patched me in six months ago. I guess I should be more composed, but no, I’m nervous as hell.

  “I’ve never even kissed her, you know,” I say.

  “I’m no expert, but maybe buy her something nice or take her out on a date.”

  “She’s my old lady,” I growl. “You don’t do such stuff with your old lady. You…” My voice falters.

  I want to tear Star clothes off and bury my dick inside her at last. I want to fuck her to the point of total exhaustion. I’ve waited for her for so long.

  Gunner scratches his head. “A shot of vodka?”

  I nod. “One shot would do me good.”

  He takes a bottle of vodka out of the cupboard and opens it with a click. Sol walks in and frowns at us.

  “A house party?” she says with sarcasm.

  “One shot,” Gunner says as he picks up two shot glasses from the black dish drainer. “I’d pour you a shot, but since you’re pregnant again…” He grins at her then drops into the chair, pulling her onto his lap.

  Sol snorts, but one glance from Gunner tames her.

  “Stay away from Brianna,” Sol says. “Or she’ll suffocate you with care. You could stay at my parents’ place. My mom is nice. Quiet.” She turns her face to Gunner’s. “Or they could stay in Chaviva.” She looks at me. “Yeah, definitely Chaviva. Star will love it there. This is such a beautiful hotel now and Cindy and Luka are lovely.” She nods. “I envy you. I’m dreaming of a vacation, but my lovely husband wants to populate the world with our kids.”

  “Our kids get their intelligence from me,” Gunner says. “The world needs them. It’s my duty towards humanity to produce as many of them as possible.”

  “So, you’re saying I’m not intelligent?” Sol says.

  “I didn’t say that,” Gunner says and we clink glasses.

  I gulp my vodka and wash it down with coke. “When is the baby due?”

  “I’m four months pregnant,” Sol says.

  Gunner puts his palm on her stomach and nuzzles his nose against her hair. They seem to forget about me.

  Right. It’s time for me to go.

  I hug them and go to pack my clothes.

  As I put my bag on the desk, my eyes sweep over the enormous clock—Thunder’s favourite one. I only kept this clock and sold the rest after he’d passed away.

  “Told me to be happy, old man, so I’m gonna be happy at last.” I feel my throat tighten. “Mike’s a good guy as you told me.”

  Two photo frames stand on my desk—me and Thunder and me and Mike’s family. It feels sometimes like I have two personalities and two lives—one life belongs to Thunder—the other to Mike.

  Right. It’s time for me to start my life with Star. Uneasiness sits on my chest. I haven’t talked to her for ages.

  I haven’t proposed to her.

  No, Star doesn’t need this shit.

  She needs silence. I’ll give it to her.

  I’m gonna carry her in my arms for the rest of my life.

  Now we’re going to Zane’s chapter. I’ve never seen that piece of desert owned by the Shadow Wolves MC.

  Gunner Junior said I’d enjoy it there.

  They regained their heritage some time ago—the shit with the mob is cleaned up though the words ‘Shadow Wolves’ will never be said to public. This club does not exist officially. This club is dead to public.

  Yet it’s so alive.

  Star

  I’m happy living with Daisy and Mike. My dad went to Tibet some time ago and he’s happy there too. So happy that he decided to stay there forever. He calls me once a month and his voice is stronger and stronger each time. He seems calmer, more distant.

  Two weeks ago, I received a letter from him with a photo of his new family inside the envelope. He has a young woman and a baby. I have a little brother. I’m so happy for him. He looks so healthy in the photo and his wife looks so young. Looks twenty years old at most.

  Sky, my sister, is very happy too. She has a handsome husband and two kids. She’s very busy taking care of them.

  Daisy and I are busy running our kindergarten. We had to do some courses at Golden Sierra College to open it. There’s fifteen kids in total including Daisy’s Amber and Sol’s Asher and Britt.

  I get up and have a shower. As I walk down the stairs and enter the kitchen, I see Daisy with Amber hopping on her hip. Daisy is pregnant so I take Amber from her and sit her on my hip. Daisy shoots me a strange glance as Mike and Rebel walk in.

  I haven’t seen Rebel for a while. He’s been busy—first looking for Gunner Junior’s brother’s ashes and then he went to Spain to help Daisy’s grandfather, Dimitri, and after he returned from Spain he just wanted to be on the road.

  I’ve been busy but I missed him every day.

  “Sit down, Star,” Mike says.

  I drop into the chair. Something is wrong, and I feel my throat tighten. Maybe they want me to move out. What am I going to do? The shed is so cramped and so cold in winter.

  Rebel looks at me like he wants to kill me—his eyes are burning with rage like he’s a fallen angel.

  Daisy takes Amber from my arms, kisses my cheek and goes upstairs.

  Panic spreads in my veins like poison. They’re fed up with me. I’m too stupid for them to keep me for longer. I’m too uncontrollable for them to allow me to be around their kids.

  “Rebel put a claim on you, sweetheart,” Mike says. “And I agreed. Do you know what that means?”

  My eyes travel to Rebel’s. His jaw muscles twitch.

  I feel like there’s no me—like there’s only this news spreading in my being.

  “It means that I will be Rebel’s wife,” I say in a cold voice as though it’s not about me but about someone else.

  Then I feel like a hammer has struck against my brain. An urge of finding a dark hide-out stirs inside me.

  “You should go pack some clothes and cosmetics,” Rebel says, his voice rough. “We’re going to Chaviva. Be ready in half an hour.”

  I rise to my feet and nod, everything numb inside me. I go upstairs and Daisy helps me pack a small bag. She strokes my arm.

  My insides twitch and panic replaces my numbness.

  “What should I do, Daisy? What do wives do?”

  “They paint their nails and smile.” She winks at me.

  “Can I kiss him?” My tummy fills with heat.

  I’m nineteen and I’ve never kissed a boy. The boys here avoid me like I’m rotten. Only Rebel has always treated me like I am a human, not a shadow.

  “You should kiss him,” Daisy says.

  “He’s never kissed me.” I can’t hide my resentment. “Not even once. Maybe he doesn’t want to kiss me.”

  “He wants to kiss you, Star. Believe me.”

  “But Angela…” I still remember her and it still hurts.

  “He doesn’t want Angela. He wants you. Only you.”

  “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?”

  “No, Star. I’m always honest with you.”

  “But he’s never—“

  “He wants you.” Her eyes lock on mine. “Take a few deep breaths, honey.”

  I do as I’m told. Daisy throws her arm over my back and shoves me towards the door. I grab my bag and we go downstairs. Rebel takes my bag from my hand.
His eyes never leave mine. Panic strangles my throat and a shooting pain courses through my heart.

  I can’t choose clothes for myself—Daisy’s buying them for me. I can’t put make-up on properly and Daisy’s teaching me how to do that stuff. I can’t chat. I can’t kiss.

  My mind pulsates. I feel like I’m blurry. Everything is blurry and hot. Daisy hugs me. Mike hugs me. Rebel drags me out of the house, sits me on his bike, secures our bags behind me and settles himself in front of me. I wrap my arms around his chest and rest my cheek against his cut. I inhale him—resins, wind and tobacco.

  “I love you, Rebel,” I say.

  He turns to me abruptly, his eyes wild like hell fire. “I love you too. Everything’s gonna be alright, Star.” He grins. “Hold on to me. It’s a long way to Chaviva.”

  He starts the engine and the smell of fuel circles around me. The blue-grey streaks of the fumes billow out as we shoot forward.

  We ride for six hours and then we stop in front of a palace. I jump off the bike, my ass sore. My muscles are so stiff that I move like a robot. A girl who looks like Daisy walks out of the palace. She greets us, hugging us and kissing Rebel and me on the cheek.

  “I’m Cindy,” she says.

  “I know,” Rebel says. “You’re my kind of auntie.”

  Cindy smirks. “Since my sister is your stepmom…” She strokes my arms and leads us along the palace’s corridors to our room.

  My eyes sweep over pillars, shiny furniture and heavy mirrors. I feel like an ant. No, I feel like a peasant.

  After a quick shower, I put fresh clothes on, and we have a meal in a dining room that looks like a ballroom and then a tall woman approaches me and we go to a library.

  “My name is Athena,” the woman says.

  We sit on a black leather sofa as my eyes roam over the bookcases. They layer all the walls. I’ve never seen so many books. They look like they are antique—with leather covers and golden inscriptions on their spines.

  “Do you like reading?” Athena asks.

  “I do.”

  She nods, opens a notebook and puts it on her lap. With a pen in her hand, she strokes my hand with her other hand and starts asking me questions about almost everything. She is interested in what I like and what I don’t like. She asks me questions about Rebel. I’m polite and answer them to the best of my ability.

  I like her. She’s as warm as a true mother should be, but she looks like a queen.

  She strokes my hand. “Do you like it when Rebel is close to you?”

  “Yes. I like it when we’re sitting in the woods.”

  “Do you like it when he talks to you?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Tell me about your hobby. What books do you like reading?”

  “I like reading fairy tales. I love them.”

  “So do I. I love ‘Sleeping Beauty’.”

  “I love ‘Red Riding Hood’.” I lower my voice to a whisper. “I want the Wolf to be a good wolf and marry Red.”

  “I like your idea.”

  “Thank you.”

  She offers me a cookie and a glass of orange juice.

  An old man walks in. There’s an aura of menace around him, and I cringe into myself. My heart jumps up to my throat.

  “Mike’s kid?” he asks, his accent rough.

  Athena nods. “Yes, this is Star, Rebel’s wife.” She looks at me. “This is Dimitri.”

  “Nice to meet you, sir,” I say.

  So, this is Daisy’s grandpa—the mysterious businessman who built Chaviva many years ago.

  Dimitri holds my hand and plants a kiss on my knuckles. “Wish you happiness, sweetheart.”

  He’s scary, but nice.

  “Fix her,” he growls to Athena, and I shudder.

  She rolls her eyes. “You’re the boss.”

  “Exactly,” Dimitri says. “Fix her as soon as possible.”

  “Any other orders, Boss?” Athena asks.

  “Have some sleep,” Dimitri says.

  His eyes fill with concern, and he walks off.

  Athena glances at me. “That’s enough for today, but I want to talk to you from time to time.”

  “Sure.”

  “Tell Rebel to come here.”

  “I will.”

  I walk out of the library and see Rebel talking to a young man with long hair.

  “This is Tyler, Star,” Rebel says.

  I heard of Tyler and Takis, but I haven’t met them—they’re new assets to the Devil’s Tears MC.

  Tyler leans towards me and wraps his arms around me, kissing the top of my head as Rebel would. It makes me giggle.

  “We’re gonna entertain you here,” Tyler says. He turns me round, but doesn’t release me. “She’s so sweet.”

  “She is,” Rebel says.

  “Athena wants to talk to you, Rebel,” I say.

  Rebel nods and glances at Tyler. “Take care of my wife, brother.”

  “As I would take care of Daisy and Cindy,” Tyler says, his voice solemn.

  I see a woman walk towards us. She’s moving with the grace of a ballerina.

  “My mom,” Tyler says and huffs out.

  Chapter 4

  Rebel

  I move in my seat as Athena flashes me a smile like she’s some fucking good granny. The bitch should serve as a mouth to fuck. That should be her only purpose in life. Yet here I am, stuck opposite her, as her smile makes me more and more unnerved.

  “You want a glass of juice, sweetie?” the bitch asks.

  “No, thanks,” I say.

  “A shot of vodka?” the other bitch asks and stares at me with a smirk playing on her lips.

  Her name is Brianna and she’s their president’s old lady.

  I met Zane three hours ago, and I really like him.

  Those two witches?

  I fucking don’t know yet.

  Star went through the interrogation less than half an hour ago. Now it’s my turn. I’d prefer to go through this only with Athena, but Brianna is Zane’s old lady so I didn’t protest when she walked into the library with me. You respect President’s old lady no matter what. This one is very nosy, but her intentions seem to be good, so I can manage.

  “No, thanks,” I say.

  Athena puts her elbows on her thighs. Her large breasts almost pour out of her top.

  That’s fucking unhealthy. She’s Takis’ mother and he’s my club brother. I can’t be exposed to his mother’s breasts.

  “Star is a smart young woman,” Athena says. “But she can be lost at times.”

  “I know,” I bark.

  “You need to be slow with her,” Athena continues. “She may be scared of your touch from time to time.”

  “She’s never been scared of me,” I explode.

  Athena nods and sighs. “She knows a lot and other times she doesn’t know anything.”

  “I know,” I say and feel like there’s no energy inside me.

  “You have to give her very clear messages about what you want from her or what you expect,” Athena says. “Explain everything precisely, but try not to overload her with conversations. She will sometimes need solitude.”

  “I know,” I say. “But she’s always liked being with me in silence. I’ve never been too much for her.”

  Athena nods, concern filling her eyes. “You’ve never been her husband, Rebel. She may feel out of place. Lost. She may not understand you. She may react in a way you don’t understand.”

  “Maybe I could take her to mine,” Brianna says, “and Rebel could stay here in Chaviva for a few weeks. When Zane was unwell, I learned some useful stuff.”

  “No,” I growl. “She’s mine. My wife.”

  “I know, sweetie,” Athena says, “just give it time and patience. I think she can live with you, but don’t rush anything, okay?”

  “Okay.” I nod. I take a deep breath. “You think this is autism?”

  “Looks like,” Athena says then pauses. “But not quite to be honest. I talked to your dad
, so I know she’s gone through a lot. The hormones of stress were continuously pumped into her bloodstream. It can damage the nervous system. Maybe it’s just some kind of PTSD. The damage—“

  “She’s not damaged,” I growl. “She’s just… unique.”

  There’s nothing wrong with my Star. She is how she is.

  Athena nods then straightens. “Stay here for six months. I’ll watch you both from a distance.”

  “Okay,” I say.

  Whatever Star needs to feel good. I can withstand the witches’ coven for her.

  “We just want to help, Rebel,” Athena says. “But it’s always up to you.”

  “I’ll stay,” I say firmly.

  “Good,” Brianna says and glances at me like I’m five.

  “Should I decide for her or something?” I ask.

  Athena shakes her head. “She’s very intelligent. Fully capable of making decisions about herself.”

  “Alright,” Brianna says. “Let’s eat something at my place. I have my son back for a while and you have your son back, Athena. We have two more kids to look after so it’s time to celebrate.”

  We rise to our feet and leave the library. Athena and Brianna walk in front of me, holding hands. They’re talking about Tete. I don’t know who the fuck Tete is so I disconnect from them. Thoughts bombard my mind. Dirty thoughts.

  I can’t wait to see my Star naked. I can’t wait to give her multiple orgasms. My dick twitches in my pants. Brianna slows down and looks over her shoulder. She frowns as though she knows my thoughts.

  We cross the kitchen where four cooks are bustling around the stoves and ovens. Their growls mingle with the sounds of clashing pans. Heat envelops me and then a balmy breeze circles around me as we leave the kitchen through a metal door.

  Star is waiting for me in the garden. She’s talking to Tyler and Takis.

  I move closer to her and wrap my arms around her from behind, startling her.

  “It’s only me, Star,” I say into her ear and kiss her cheek.

  She turns around and clings to me. Athena’s face lights up as though she’s some fucking higher being. The bitch is happy for us—just like this.

  Takis is like her. The guy is tough when needed, but very good to people.