“She did.” She began to get up.
“Take a minute. I’ll go to her, alright?” I tilted her chin up to me and gave her a quick peck on her lips, and swiped the last tear from her cheek. Talon was standing in front of the coffee pot, looking at it quizzically.
Apparently, she didn't know how to brew a pot. “Like this,” I reached over her, grabbed the pot, filled it with water then poured it into the back of the machine. I put new grinds into the filter and pressed start waiting for the coffee to brew.
“Does it happen a lot?”
Talon took a deep breath in, “Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night crying, and it’s like she can't see me. Other times, I catch her in the middle of the day. She always pretends it’s not happening. It seems to be getting worse. It happened at home with Dad too. I don't know about the middle of the night. I wasn't allowed in their room, but I know it happened during the day. I’m not even sure she knows it’s happening.”
I nodded. I’d seen some things, but nothing like what I witnessed in there.
“Mickey?” Talon took another breath, “Why are you here?”
“That’s a straight question, and I’ll give ye a straight answer. I like yer mom, and by saying that I mean I like her in a way that I plan on sticking around.”
“You know she’s married, right?” she snapped.
“I do. I also know that yer daddy isn’t a husband. A husband doesn’t do the things he’s done to his wife. A husband should respect his wife. She should be worshiped, not what he did. She should’ve been loved. What he did was not love. He’s the reason she’s like that. I won’t let dat happen to her again. I know me being here may seem like a surprise, but I'm hoping ye’ll get used to it, and ye’ll accept the fact dat I’m here and not planning on going anywhere.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears and she walked away. I wasn’t sure what was going through her mind, but I knew she needed to have some time to process what I’d said. I poured two cups of coffee and brought them into Marie’s room. She was changed and was taming her wild red hair.
“I brought coffee. Not sure how ye take it though.”
“Black is good.” She didn't look at me. Couldn’t meet my eyes. “What happened with Talon?”
“She wanted to know why I was here. We're good, Marie; don't worry.”
“All I can do is worry.”
“Have ye talked with Aubrey yet?” I was nervous about broaching the subject, but I knew how much Aubrey had been through. She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
“Yer nowhere near fine.” I kissed her shoulder, moved her red tresses to the side, then whispered, “But you will be.”
I HATED LEAVING MARIE, but Jules, my pres, called church. I knew most of the guys were out last night and would be tired from the shenanigans. Jules was at the head of the table, when I walked in. It was always bittersweet seeing him there. He was the right man for the job, but I sure missed Dray.
Dray died a few years back, and Daws didn't have it in him to take over as president. Dray had brought me into this club, and it wasn't the same without him.
“Look at you all smiles this morning. Finally get you some old man?” Jarrod asked, sitting down in front of me.
“Just left your Mum’s place a little while ago,” I smirked.
“Har. Har. Shut the fuck up.” I laughed and shook my head. Daws entered looking every bit as tired as I was. I sat beside Jules as we waited for our brothers to stumble in.
Jules looked around, “Anyone seen Skaggs?”
“He cut out early last night,” Daws told the room.
“Find out what was so important that the fucker isn’t where he’s supposed to be.” Daws nodded.
“I got a call from my brother-in-law last night. It seems they had a shipment stolen a day ago. When I told him about Tank, he put two and two together, and one of his guys in New York just had something similar happen. This feels like someone is coming after the players; testing the water; making us think our guys are jacked, trying to turn the heat in on our organizations. Meanwhile, shipments are getting stolen all over the place. I talked to the Niners too. They got hit about a month ago. We need to find out who the fuck this is. Mickey, where are we at?” Jules looked pointedly at me as he finished speaking.
“Every contact I have is on the lookout. No one knows anything. They all want to figure this shite out. No one knows if they’ll be next.”
Daws pulled his hair from his ponytail and began running his fingers through it. It was his tell that he was coming up with a plan. “What is it, Daws?”
“Someone’s got to know something. How’s the dope on the streets?” Michael asked. “Follow the dope, and we’ll find out what’s happening.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Jules said, “Jarrod, Michael grab Skaggs' lazy ass, and hit the streets. Find out what the dope's like, if there’s a new supplier, what’s happening.”
Jarrod and Michael nodded.
Daws lit a joint and took a quick inhale, “What if we put it out there that we got a big shipment? Use your brother-in-law as cover to make up for what he lost? Let’s set these fuckers up and end this shit.”
“I like it,” I nodded in approval.
Jules's brother-in-law was as mobbed up as they got.
“I do too,” Jules said. “Let’s vote.” The room erupted in yays, and we quickly had a plan. “Anything else?” Jules asked.
“I have something.” A couple of guys raised their brows at me. This wasn't like me at all, and they knew it. “I plan on taking Marie as my old lady.”
“Knew you were grinning for a reason.” Jarrod teased, then grabbed the joint from Daws.
“She’s got a past. Thinking it was with an MC. She hasn't confirmed this, but my gut says whoever her old man was, he was a biker. She’s scared shitless of him and running. I think she came from Florida. She ain’t talking, and I’m not waiting around to find out. I want club resources.”
“We're going to be stretched thin with this other shit,” Tiny said.
“I know. I want it anyways,” I told the room.
“You’ll have it.” Jarrod put his hand on my shoulder, and I saw the looks from my brothers. They understood what she meant to me, even if I didn't fully understand it completely just yet.
Chapter Seventeen
Marie
To call, or not to call. I flipped the card from Aubrey over in my hands several times, debating on whether or not to make the call. Talon was at school, and I had the day off. Today was the third day I’d woken up with Mickey beside me, and it was also the third day I’d woken up with the same nightmare. It was always the same.
Mickey had kissed me tenderly and was leaving my cottage. The sky grew dark from an incoming storm. Thick clouds rushed in over the lake. The first big pelts of rain began to fall, and Mickey shrugged. “Feels like home. Rains all the time in Ireland.” He turned to walk away from me. My smile was huge as I waved to him. If he didn't care about the pending storm, then neither did I. A hand clamped around my mouth, preventing me from screaming. I heard his voice. “Did you think I wouldn't find you? Did you think that when I did, I wouldn't make you pay?”
I was locked tight to his body, helpless to move when he raised his arm. The rain began to fall even more. I could see Mickey’s fleeting back then heard a loud bang and watched as Mickey crumpled to the ground.
“I’ll kill any man who touches you,” Drake said, and that was it. I woke up.
Mickey was as sweet as ever. He held me and reassured me that everything would be alright, but I couldn’t keep doing this. I didn’t know what I was afraid of. Maybe if I told someone, it would make it more real? But, who was I kidding? I had the scars to prove that everything I had been through had been very real.
I’d been through much worse than a silly phone call, right? I could do this. I dialed the number, and it rang twice.
“Hello,” The sweet voice called out on the other end of the line. I waited a second. My hand t
rembled. “Hello,” she called out again.
“Hi, Aubrey?” I asked.
“Yes, this is her. Who is this?” she asked and her voice was so gentle and trusting. “Aubrey, it’s Marie -Mickey’s friend. Do you remember me?”
“Of, course I do. Where are you?”
“I’m at home. I live by Mickey in the cottages.”
“I know where that is. Let me finish up here, and I’ll bring coffee.”
“Oh, if you're at work, there’s no rush.”
“Nonsense, these guys are fine without me. Do you like pastries? Angie, Jenny’s mom, makes the best pastries and I have a ton.”
“Um, sure,” I answered.
“Great. Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll be over.”
We disconnected, and I sat nervously on the porch. I didn't know what to expect. Aubrey pulled up in a newer large white truck, with a huge extended cab that sounded a little like a jet plane, its engine was so loud. She cut the engine and jumped down. She wore cowgirl boots and a cute, flowy, brown dress that had a small flower pattern on it. I couldn't believe she worked in the shop dressed like that.
No woman would ever be safe around the boys in the club I was used to; not dressed like that.
“Want to give me a hand?” she called out. I quickly walked over to her and she handed me a couple of Styrofoam coffee cups then reached up and grabbed a box that I guess was filled with pastries.
“Want to come in?” I asked.
“Sure, let me just shoot Daws a text and let him know where I’m at.” I nodded and wondered what kind of control he had on her that she felt like she had to let him know her every move. How was she supposed to help me, when she was obviously still answering to her husband?
“Oh, don't look at me like that. There’s some club business that has Daws a little freaked, so he asked me to message him. I don't mind. Not if it gives him some peace of mind. I figure if it helps him through the day, then why not. I don't want him to be any more stressed than he needs to be.”
I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. I waited for her to send the text, then held the door open to the cottage and invited her inside. It wasn't much, but it was starting to come along.
“I’m glad you called,” Aubrey said sitting down on the ratty couch, without any concern for its cleanliness.
“So, how does this work?” I asked, feeling unsure about everything.
“Okay, no pressure. First, I want to be your friend. If you feel weird talking to me, I can find someone else for you to talk with. Mickey is family, ya know.”
I nodded, then took a sip of the coffee she brought, “Oh my goodness, this is delicious.” She smiled. “Did Mickey tell you I have a past?” she asked.
“He did, but he didn't tell me anything about it.”
“A few years ago there was a big news story about Senator Richard McCleary. Do you remember hearing anything about that?” I scoured my memories but didn't come up with anything, so I shook my head. She blew out a breath, “Half the time I meet new people, they think I look familiar, but mostly they don't know from where. Sometimes, they recognize me, or know what happened to me before they know me, so I get that me having any inclination that you’ve been through something could have felt intrusive.”
I listened to her with rapt attention as she gave me a quick recount of things she’d been through. She’d been through hell. “And he’s in jail?” I asked as she finished.
“No, not anymore. He was killed. I can't tell you that I didn’t feel relief knowing that his kind of poison wasn't on this earth anymore.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry for everything you went through to be victimized that way by someone who was supposed to take care of you.” My heart hurt for her, but she didn't look shattered the way I would’ve expected her to look.
“There’s a lot there in what you just said.” She sipped her coffee watching me like she was trying to figure me out. It made me feel vulnerable. “I guess the first thing you should know about me is that I don't see myself as a victim. Once I was able to face Rich, I no longer looked at myself as a victim, I feel like a survivor now. Plus being married to a man like Daws has helped. He’s shown me what love is. It's really something. Do I still have bad days? Sure. But working helps. Helping other women helps. But honey something I want you to get out of what you just said to me, not sure if you heard yourself but you said, by someone who was supposed to take care of you. I’m figuring it was your man who hurt you. You get that if a man’s any kind of man, he would take care of you, right?”
I drank my coffee, staring at Aubrey. She was so young and so wise. I needed to think about what she was saying to me.
“You’re a smart girl, Aubrey.” I smiled, then changed the subject. “What kind of pastries did you bring?”
I KNEW I HADN’T OPENED up to Aubrey about what I’d been through, but she gave me perspective. I liked the idea of going to the women's shelter with her, so I made plans to do it the next day I had off. After she left, I was strangely exhausted. Even though I hadn’t been the one to delve into my feelings, I still felt like I had been through an emotional overhaul.
I was sleeping on the couch, when there was a knock at the door. I was not expecting anyone and was surprised when I opened the door and saw Jules’s wife with a small beautiful little girl on her hip.
“Hi, can I help you?” I asked as I answered.
“Hi, Marie. I’m Jenny. Listen, I’m sorry to just to drop by, but I was on the phone with Aubrey. She told me she was here with you, and then I was mad that I didn't get a chance to come by sooner, so she suggested why don’t I just stop by, and introduce myself. So I thought, what the hell, and here I am. Plus, Jules wanted me to meet your daughter, and I thought I should probably meet you first. I mean, what if you're some raging bitch? Then, I wouldn’t want your kid around my kid. Aubrey says you’re not, but I needed to see for myself. Hope that didn't come off rude. I’m Jenny. Did I say that already? And I’m not sleeping, and I think I have diarrhea of the mouth, so please excuse me.”
I laughed. I stood there half asleep, and this beautiful woman with black hair and dark purple lowlights was rambling at my doorstep.
Once I gained my composure, I introduced myself, “Hi, Jenny. I’m Marie.”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
That made me nervous. What had she heard? What did Mickey say to her?
“Relax. Mostly, Jules was just trying to sell me on the idea of your daughter coming to help me. Apparently, I never like to settle, even though I’m exhausted; at least that’s what he tells me. Oh, and Maura told me about you thinking she was Mickey’s old lady and how you thought he liked to dress her up! No wonder you were pissed! Now, that was priceless.”
I laughed at myself, embarrassed. “Priceless...yeah.”
“Oh, you don’t need to get all pink in the cheeks for me, honey. Nothing but a little giggle, and all is forgotten,” She winked.The little girl on her hip fought to get down. Jenny set her down, and she took off into the cottage.
“Wait, you get back here!” Jenny took off after her daughter. I could quickly see that she needed a hand.
“Hey, you.” I crouched down to the little girl.
The little girl froze and grabbed a strand of my red hair, “Merda, Momma. Merda.” I smiled at the little girl who was transfixed with my red hair, then looked quizzically to her mom.
“She thinks you look like the princess from Brave. Have you seen it? How old is Talon?”
“She’s thirteen. I think I've seen it, Merida, right?”
“Merda, Merda,” the little girl repeated.
“I’m Marie. I’m much too old to be Princess Merida.” I laughed at the little girl, “What’s your name?”
“Senny,” she said laughing.
“This is Serenity.”
Serenity lifted her arms to me and demanded, “Up.”
Jenny laughed, “Looks like she likes you.”
We
spent the next hour getting to know each other, and although Jenny was younger than me, I felt a kinship with her. This was all too surreal. Years ago, I had Janice, but she had long since stopped hanging around our club. Now, to have both of these genuinely friendly women reaching out to me, unnerved me. I didn’t know it could be this easy with another woman.
“So, what’s your club like?” I wanted to hear it from a woman. “Do you ever see stuff you wish you wouldn’t?”
Jenny looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not sure how much you know about MC’s, but these guys, for the most part, are teddy bears. I’ve seen some sexual stuff that never really bugged me. I’m not really shy, if you can tell.” She laughed, because of course, she wasn’t shy; she just showed up uninvited. “I might as well tell you this, you’ll hear it at some point. I was married before Jules. My husband’s name was Antonio Valentino. Does that mean anything to you?”
I shook my head no, but I kind of thought I had heard the name before, but wasn’t entirely sure.
“He was a boss in the New York crime family.”
I laughed, “You were mobbed up?” She didn't seem like a mob princess.
“Not by choice. He used murdering people I love to get me to marry him.”
Suddenly, I wasn't laughing anymore. I understood what it was like to be married to someone that you didn't want to be married to. After all, I was still married, wasn’t I?
I gave her a sympathetic look as she continued. “I let Jules go. I let him think I loved Antonio, because I thought I was doing what was right. I was married for years, and the things that man put me through...” she shuddered, “It was bad, Marie.”
I had so much more in common with Jenny than I ever realized. “Let me just tell you that when Dray died, he was the old president and Daws' dad, that club came together for me. Every single member would’ve laid down their lives to make sure I was protected. I never should’ve doubted them. So, if you’re asking me about the club, I have to tell you that there’s nobody better than them.
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