by London Casey
Trev turned and offered his hand to West. “Thank you.”
“Sure,” West said. West didn’t let Trev’s hand go. “Hey, it’s good to see fresh faces up here. Things are rocky.”
“A dead brother will do that.”
“Long before Giovanni took the bullet,” West said. “Trust me in that, son.”
“What are you thinking, old man?” Trev asked. “You’re behind the bar. You observe.”
West touched his leather cut. “I’m still wearing this. I still honor it. I just don’t think all that is appearing before our eyes. I don’t know you from shit, but we’re wearing the same cut. That makes us brothers, right?”
“Of course.”
“Remember what I said then. I have no proof of anything. I just pour the whiskey and clean up the puke.”
West grabbed the shotgun and walked away, putting it up on a gun rack behind the bar.
The front door to the bar was open and all the guys poured out.
It was time to give Giovanni his last ride.
*
Eden clung tight. Trev hung with her, standing in a long line as the hearse came to a halt. Jasper, Duke, Cade, and Xavier all came forward and carried the casket to the grave. They then backed up and stood, waiting.
A motorcycle roared in the distance and everyone looked to see that it was Ripper approaching. When Trev realized Ripper wasn’t alone, he knew the risk he took by bringing Eden with him was about to hit the fan in a big way.
That was okay though.
Trev wanted to see how people reacted and how things panned out. Right or wrong, it didn’t fucking matter. What did matter was finding out the truth about Griffin and the truth about Ripper. The shit stunk really bad and chances were it was all going to fall on the Frelen charter’s lap.
The motorcycle came up the dirt path.
Ripper rode right up to the grave and killed the engine. He climbed off, dressed in black, head to toe, a black bandana over his bald head. The woman on his ride stepped off and Trev felt himself tense up.
It was Jenn. Griffin’s secret lover. Eden’s mother.
She was always a naturally pretty woman, even if the lifestyle added years on her that weren’t kind. She had long jet black hair and a skinny figure with curves in the right spots. Her skin was tan and wrinkled like leather, a combination of the life, stress, tanning, smoking, and drinking. She took off a large pair of sunglasses and looked around.
Her eyes were glossy and when she saw Trev, she stopped. There was an awkward second between them, but then it got worse. Jenn looked at Eden. And she just stared. The seconds ticked by and felt like minutes.
Ripper went to the casket and put a hand to it.
“We’re here to say goodbye to our brother. I’ve brought everyone one last drink and we throw our glasses into the grave. We forever drink with our fallen…”
Ripper’s voice trailed off as Eden dug her nails into his hand.
Trev wanted this to happen, but not here. Not right now either.
Jenn’s eyes went wider.
She then mouthed… Eden…
Eden sank into Trev’s arm.
“Tell me,” she whispered. “Right now, Trev. Tell me. Or I’m going to freak out.”
“Freak out, beautiful,” Trev whispered back. “I have to go take a shot with my brothers. Don’t move an inch.”
“I want to hear you say it.”
Trev stepped forward and looked back.
Another piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.
“Beautiful, that woman… Ripper’s old lady… that’s your mother…”
Trev watched as Eden put her hands to her mouth.
A second later she was falling back to the ground, her head aimed to smash against a tombstone.
__
seventeen.
“Let me help her.”
“Hey, back the fuck up an inch. Give her some space.”
“Goddammit, she almost killed herself on the headstone.”
“I got her. Everyone relax. She’s afraid of cemeteries. I shouldn’t have brought her.”
“Is… is she okay?”
The last voice was a woman’s voice.
Jenn. Ripper’s old lady.
My mother.
Eden fought hard and her eyes popped open.
The first person she saw was Jenn.
It was the woman from the picture, just older. Much older. Her hair and eyes were the same. But her size, skin, they were different. She aged like hell… but what did that matter? It was Eden’s mother. Her blood mother. Her real mother. The woman who carried her for nine months.
She was also the woman who gave up Eden for adoption.
Slowly, Eden reached up for Jenn.
Jenn took her by the hand and Eden felt a surge race through her body. It was an instant connection. So intense that Eden started to cry.
“Oh, baby,” Jenn whispered. “No. Don’t worry. You’re okay.”
“Beautiful, look at me.” Trev’s voice.
Eden turned her head. “Trev…”
“I’m right here. You just got a little faint. That’s all. Do you want to sit up?”
Eden realized she was the center of attention. She felt embarrassed.
“I’m ruining the funeral,” Eden whispered.
“Hey,” Miller said. “Everyone back off her. Give her space.”
Everyone listened and Trev helped Eden up and to her feet. She collapsed to his chest and then made fists. She pounded against his chest and slowly looked up at him. She was enraged with Trev. He knew this all along. He knew what he was doing to her. Why didn’t he say something sooner? Why didn’t he prepare her for it?
Trev grabbed her arms. “Time and place, beautiful.”
“Let me get her a ride back,” Jenn said. “Take her to the house. So we both can catch our breaths.”
Jenn glanced at Ripper.
“Yeah, do that,” Ripper said. “Don’t need to be digging a second hole here.”
“I’ll go with her,” Trev said.
“No,” Ripper said. “All brothers bury the fallen together. Got it?”
Trev gritted his teeth. He glanced at Miller and then looked at Eden.
“I’ll be okay,” Eden said. “I hate cemeteries.”
“I know you do,” Trev said. He touched her face. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Do not ask questions. It’s dangerous.”
Eden felt her heart start to race. She watched as Trev pulled away and turned to face the funeral. Jenn touched her arm and that surge went through her again. She knew… they both knew…
“Come,” Jenn whispered. “Let the men finish their work.”
Eden went with Jenn. Every few seconds she looked to the woman and thought only one thing.
You’re my mother… but do you know it?
*
“West, get her a drink. Water with ice.”
“Any booze in it?” West asked.
“No,” Eden and Jenn said at the same time.
Eden grinned and Jenn winked at her.
West gave Eden a glass of water.
“Thanks,” Eden said.
“Sure thing,” West said.
“There,” Jenn said. “Get yourself some water and relax. They’ll be back soon. Don’t mind the activity as it rolls in. Hope you don’t mind seeing lots of tits.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s how they grieve. Enough strippers and glitter to last you a lifetime.”
“Strippers?”
“Not used to this life, huh?”
“No,” Eden said. “I’m… new? I mean, you know that though. Right?”
The door opened and in poured a group of women. They were all in robes and they wasted no time in stripping those robes off. They were in next to nothing and Eden gasped.
“Oh, good, the paid help is here,” Jenn said. She looked at Eden. “As long as he comes back to you at the end of the night, nothing else matters. They’re tough, but they’re like puppies. Show them you
r slit and they start drooling.”
Jenn walked away and Eden reached for her.
No… I want to talk to you…
But Jenn was gone, yelling orders at the women.
Eden turned and sipped the water.
“Now, a pretty thing like you drinking water. That could only mean you’re pregnant.”
Eden looked to her right and saw a tall guy walking toward her. He had a beer in his hand and put it down on the bar.
Shit.
“I’m not pregnant,” Eden said. “I just prefer water right now.”
“Good. Do you want to get pregnant?”
Eden gasped. She grabbed the glass of water and threw it in the guy’s face. The guy rubbed his face and then laughed.
“Okay then,” he said. “Now it’s my turn to make you wet, sweet thing.”
He took a step and then the pump of a shotgun clicked.
“Don’t fucking try it, Rocky,” West said. “That’s Trev’s old lady. From Frelen.”
He put the gun to Rocky’s head.
“I don’t see Trev,” Rocky said. “And if she was mine, I’d never leave her out of sight.”
“Fuck off,” Eden said.
“Keep talking dirty. I’m getting hard.”
“Rocky, walk the fuck away,” West said.
Rocky turned. He grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and jammed the gun into West’s chest. West fell back and Rocky then had possession of the gun.
“What are you doing?” Eden asked.
“I’m hard,” Rocky said. “You’re going to finish me off.”
“Finish yourself off, dick,” Jenn said.
She put a gun to Rocky’s head.
“Easy now,” Rocky said.
“Easy? You don’t know who this woman is. She means a lot…” Jenn looked at Eden. “… to Trev. You better put that gun down right now. If I call Ripper, he’s going to cut your hands off.”
Rocky put the shotgun on the bar.
West grabbed the gun.
“It’s okay, West,” Jenn said. She then put her hand between Rocky’s legs and squeezed. “Now, you’re hard? Go rub one off in the bathroom or on one of the paid help.”
“Okay, fine,” Rocky said. “I’m moving along.”
Rocky backed away, grabbing his beer. His eyes didn’t leave Eden.
“Rocky,” Jenn said. “If that’s considered hard, then I feel really bad for you.” She put her hand up, leaving a small gap between her thumb and pointer finger. “I mean… really bad.”
Rocky stormed away.
“You okay?” Jenn asked.
“Yeah. Right. Sure. I’m fine.”
“Maybe you should have a stiff drink.”
Eden reached for Jenn’s hand. “Don’t leave yet. I have to ask you something. I mean, I have to tell you something. About me. About why I’m here.”
Jenn stared at Eden for a few seconds. Her eyes turned glossy and she pulled her hand away.
“I have to go check on something,” Jenn said. “You stay put.” She looked at West. “Anyone else talks to her, pull the trigger. Don’t hesitate.”
“Yes, ma’am,” West said.
Just like that, Jenn slipped away again.
The guys returned a short while later. Eden had three glasses of water and needed to pee. She stood and waited for Trev to come through the door. When he did, a sense of relief washed over Eden. He looked right at her and nodded. The rest of the guys were working their way toward the strippers. Half the tops were already gone, boobs everywhere. But Trev kept his eyes locked on Eden.
He rushed right toward her.
With one step left before Eden could grab him, a hand shot out and went flat against Trev’s chest.
It was Rocky.
Oh… fuck…
“Trev?” Rocky asked.
“Yeah. What the fuck do you want?”
“You better tell your old lady to stop flirting with me… it ain’t gonna end well for any of us…”
*
They moved the pool tables out of the way in a matter of three seconds. The strippers stood against the wall, knowing they weren’t the main attraction for the moment. Ripper was howling like a fool. Miller and Gaige looked back and forth, looking as though they didn’t know what to do.
Trev took off his leather cut and handed it to Eden. He then took off his rings and put them in her hand.
“Did he touch you?” Trev asked.
“No.”
“He said stuff to you?”
“Yes.”
“Bad stuff?”
Eden nodded.
Trev gritted his teeth.
Rocky was waiting. His leather cut and t-shirt were both off. His body riddled with ink, having no real muscular definition. Not like Trev.
“You fucking even look at my old lady again and I’ll rip your eyes out,” Trev said.
“Yeah… I bet she’s really tight,” Rocky said. “Sipping her water like a good girl. I’d have her on her knees, lapping up my jizz off the floor.”
Eden gasped.
Trev went in and Rocky took a swing. He cracked Trev in the gut. Trev lurched forward and Rocky brought a fist down, connecting with Trev’s right cheek. It spun Trev, sending him stumbling. Rocky went after Trev and Trev threw an elbow, hitting Rocky in the jaw. Trev then stood and swung, landing heavy punch after heavy punch, walking Rocky back against the wall.
Rocky grabbed Trev by the shirt, growling. He spun Trev around and threw a punch. Trev side stepped and Rocky punched the wall. Trev then punched Rocky in the ribs. Rocky let out a deep cry and his knees buckled. Trev grabbed Rocky by the back of the head and started to slam his face off the wall.
Each smack was hard and then they started to get wet… from the blood.
“Okay, okay!” Ripper yelled.
Trev wasn’t done. He jammed his knee into the side of Rocky’s head. Rocky fell back but Trev wasn’t done. He grabbed a pool stick and broke it in half like a pencil. He pointed the jagged end right at Rocky’s throat.
“You ever think about her and I’ll fucking kill you,” Trev growled.
“Call this shit!” Ripper yelled. “Miller! Call him off. Right now.”
Miller and Gaige grabbed and pulled him away. They had each of Trev’s arms hooked.
“You started this shit,” Miller bellowed. “Show some goddamn respect for a brother’s old lady. Where’s your respect, Ripper?”
“You’re right,” Ripper said.
He stepped forward and reached down, lifting Rocky to his feet. He looked around the bar. “He was on probation anyway. I gave him a second chance. Any nay’s to killing this piece of shit?”
The bar was in complete silence.
“Xavier,” Ripper said. “Take this piece of shit out back and put him in the shed. Tie up his hands and feet and we’ll discuss how to handle this tomorrow.”
“No,” Rocky said. “I… I was… fucking around…”
Ripper pushed Rocky back into Xavier. Then Ripper turned and looked at Miller. “Does that meet your requirements, Miller?” A second later he pointed to the speakers in the corner. “Now get the music going. I want to see some tits dancing now.”
Eden pushed from the bar and followed Miller, Gaige, and Trev down the hallway toward the back of the bar. She was still carrying Trev’s leather cut and rings. She couldn’t believe what her life had become.
Miller opened the door to a bathroom and pushed Trev in. He and Gaige blocked the doorway.
“You need to calm down,” Miller said. “You proved your point.”
“You had every right to take that asshole down,” Gaige said. “Now we need to keep the peace while we work the rest of this out.”
“You see he’s fucked up,” Trev said.
“Let me through,” Eden called out.
Miller and Gaige broke apart.
“I’m going out there,” Miller said. “No more bullshit. From anyone.” He looked at Eden. “That includes you. Don’t fuck this up.”
Miller and Gaige walked away and Eden entered the bathroom.
She shut the door and looked at Trev. She held her hands out. “Here’s your stuff.”
“Thanks, beautiful,” Trev said. “I’m sorry that happened.”
“He scared me.”
“Nobody will ever scare you again,” Trev said. “You’re mine, okay? I want you to wear my ink.”
“What?”
“Wear my ink. So everyone knows you’re mine.”
“Are you serious?”
Trev slowly put his rings on. Then he put his leather cut back on. He grabbed Eden by the face and stared at her. “I don’t tell lies.”
“Except about my mother,” Eden said. She reached up and grabbed Trev’s hands away. She then slapped Trev across the face. “What the hell were you thinking? Why would you do that to me?”
Trev grabbed Eden and put her up on the sink. She was then almost eye level with Trev.
“Get it all out, beautiful.”
“You knew you were fucking doing this to me. You brought me knowing she was here. You didn’t warn me. And she won’t even talk to me about it.”
“She didn’t say a word?” Trev asked.
“No. She avoided the subject. But when she touched me or looked at me…”
“I had to do it,” Trev said. “Get pissed all you want. I had to fucking do it.”
“Why?”
“I’m trying to figure out who knows why. If Ripper knows. He’ll try to kill you if he does. Or maybe it was Jenn who sent the letter. Maybe she and Griffin still had something going for years. It’s hard to think about, okay? This puts the entire MC in jeopardy.”
“And my heart?” Eden asked. She felt her lips starting to quiver. “You don’t give a shit about that, huh?”
“You’re wrong. I care about your heart. I’m trying to protect everyone around me. That includes you. So now you know the entire story.” Trev sighed. “The whole story. Griffin, the man who is your father, was hitting another member’s old lady. Worse yet, a President’s old lady. It’s not really the worst thing a brother could do, but it’s up there. He got Jenn pregnant and somehow they spun it that it wasn’t Griffin’s. She gave up the baby, which was you, beautiful. I’m sure Ripper never wanted any kids so that made the decision easier. If you had been in Ripper’s care, think about your life. You’ve seen him now.”
Eden shuddered. She didn’t want to think about her life with that man raising her, thinking he was her father. It would have been loud, violent, and probably worse than that.
