by Zara Teleg
“What the fuck?” she said in a long drawl before she looked up from her painting. Viper and I both whistled at the hottie still leaning over the hood. “Holy motherfucking shit! Y’all are here!”
Viper and I looked at each other. Then she pulled off her hat, and burnt-orange locks fell around her face. Her blue eyes squinted a smile.
“Sissy?”
“No fucking way… That’s Pippi?” Viper said as she launched herself off the vehicle and onto us.
“My brothers are back! What time is it? I must have lost track. Holy shit, I can’t believe you two are here.”
“I can’t believe…” I was speechless looking at the woman who stood before me. The last time we saw her, she was fourteen, had acne, flat as a board, and bony. Now she had curves in all the right places. Her blue eyes were framed in thick lashes. She had smudges of paint from her thighs to her cheeks.
“Pippi, you’re a fucking hottie.” Viper spun her around, fanning out her red hair.
“Uh-huh. Now you two are regretting all the teasing, aren’t ya?” She straightened her back, her tits pushing out of her chest. “You look so…well…don’t ya eat? You are just all skin and bones,” she teased in her thick Louisiana drawl, squeezing Viper’s bicep.
“You painted this?” I walked around the vehicle, impressed by the fine detail in each flame. The way the yellow, orange, and red were blended, I could imagine it really looked like fire when it was driven.
“I did. It’s what I do. I cut out of school early after too many fights.” Sissy brushed her long, painted fingernails across her chest.
We heard Sienna’s famous whistle. I rubbed my belly. “Race ya.”
The three of us took off through the field. Sissy was still barefoot, but that little girl flew past us both.
The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up, drinking sweet tea, and eating until I felt like I was going to explode. Sissy disappeared after a while to clean up her paint, and we agreed to meet tonight at the fire pit. I’d only been here a few hours, and it already felt like home again. I didn’t realize how much I had missed them all, and how happy I was to spend as much time as I could getting to know my family again.
Chapter 4
Magnolia
Sunday, before anyone was awake, I peacefully settled in the spot under the tree to pray. Only, today I felt more alone than I had the past few days. I swore someone or something had been out here before. I listened intently, but only swamp sounds could be heard. At times, the crickets were deafening. I inhaled a long breath before writing in my journal my final words for the day and heading back to camp.
I volunteered to help with the community breakfast in town today. It was something we all would take turns doing. Shannon was not going, but lucky me, Tara and her “friends” were on the bus. I found a seat at the front, distancing myself from her as much as possible. It wasn’t far enough as I could still hear her bragging about the party she was invited to by the hot community service guys. My stomach knotted as she described how she had plans to get with the sexy guy with purple eyes.
“Hello, sir, let me help you.” I hurried to the old man struggling to get his walker to an empty spot at the table. I piled his plate high with pancakes and loads of syrup.
He smiled as he took a seat. “Thank you, dear.” He nodded. “I love pancakes. I can eat ‘em with my teeth in.” His smile caused the lines of his face to nearly meet his wild white and gray eyebrows.
I ran around the place, helping in every way I could. I wished Shannon were here, then I’d have someone else to complain to about how Tara and her friends were doing no work. The three stuck together like seaweed and did nothing more than eat pancakes and drink coffee. Anything they were asked to do, they pawned off on me.
“Hey, Maggie Grace, how are you holding up?” Catherine came to the table I was clearing, adding dishes to her bucket. “It won’t always be like this, you know.”
Puzzled, I stopped to look at her. She motioned her head to where Queen Tara was flirting with the only boy around while glaring in my direction.
“You can’t let her get under your skin. It’s obvious you two have some tension. I know she’s not participating the way most of you are, but sometimes, Maggie, you need to look deeper.” She offered a sympathetic smile.
“Deeper? There is nothing deep about Tara as long as I’ve known her.” I regretted the mean words the moment they passed my lips.
“You know, sometimes the best thing to do is to give people grace and extra kindness and watch how it comes back.” She put her arm around my shoulder. “If you keep offering kindness and they resist, then they’re the ones missing out. I’ll be sure to give her and her friends a hint about pulling their weight. You just keep up the good work.”
“Thanks, Catherine. I’m fine. I’m glad to help. Seeing the smiles today made the work worth it.” I began walking the bucket of dishes to the kitchen considering what Catherine said. Maybe I was too hard on Tara.
“Keep an attitude like that, and you will always have a warm heart and blessings.” She held the swinging door for me. “I’m headed back with as many of the tables I can fit in Paul’s truck.” Catherine looked at her watch. “The bus should be leaving here soon. Do you need anything before I go?”
“No, I’m fine. Thank you,” I said. “And, Catherine, thanks for the advice.” She gave me a kind smile and a gentle squeeze on my shoulder.
I had just begun washing the stacks of plates when the door screeched open and laughter filled the air. “Did you smell those old people? Gross. I can’t even be around my grandparents. God, it’s so annoying.” Catherine and I looked at each other and then to Tara, who had her two clones laughing at what was not even funny.
“Tara, you can help Magnolia wash dishes.” Catherine pointed to the stack of plates.
“Um, no, I just polished my nails. I can’t ruin them.” She looked at the soft pink manicure.
“It’s fine. I work better alone,” I commented. “Just let me know when the bus is ready.”
“Fine, Tara, but your manicure won’t be ruined carrying those bags to my truck.” Catherine handed each girl two bags before they left me in peace.
It felt like forever before I was done with the pile. I stretched my achy back and turned off the water. It was too quiet. I returned to the room where we had served breakfast. All the lights were out, and the front door was locked. What the? No one was around. That bitch.
I went back to the kitchen where the only other person I’d seen in the past half hour had brought the trash out. The door to the dumpster area was still open, and the older man sat smoking a cigar. He smiled at me and rubbed a hand over his bald head. “Dear, are you still here? I thought you left with all the others. That bus is gone.”
“Gone?” My stomach clenched. I rubbed my hands over my eyes as I momentarily relived the time Tara had “accidentally” locked me in the girls’ locker room after I’d put away all the gym class equipment.
“Hunny, I would drive you, but I don’t drive anymore. Cataracts.” He pointed to the circle that surrounded the outside of his chocolate-brown eyes.
We both looked up when we heard a vehicle approach. It was a truck I recognized from the mission. They must have realized I wasn’t there and sent someone back for me. It backed into the lot, then the cab door opened. I hoisted my bag over my shoulder, expecting to see Paul. Instead, feverous butterflies swarmed my stomach as Vincent slid his sunglasses onto his head, his purple eyes meeting mine.
“Magnolia?” He looked confused. “What are you doing here? Everyone else is already back at camp.”
I could feel my cheeks burning in embarrassment. “I guess I missed the bus.” I chewed my lip a moment before clearing my throat. “I could use a ride back.” My hands trembled slightly as the words left my lips. My eyes traveled over the black ink that decorated his forearms.
“It must be my lucky day. I get to give the beautiful Magnolia a ride. Now I’m glad they asked me to p
ick up the tables.” Vincent’s grin was sincere. I smiled back, feeling my cheeks warm. I’d never been alone with a boy in a car. But, as scared as I was, everything in me wanted to sit next to him in that bench seat.
“I’ll help.” I grabbed the other end of the table and helped him stack and secure them in the truck, squeezing in the last few chairs.
Vincent’s arms rippled with lean muscle as he secured the straps. I tried looking at the ground instead. I shouldn’t be thinking of him like that. Or of the way beads of sweat were running down to his very defined pectorals that were visible through his white ribbed tank. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Aren’t you hot?” He came around and opened the truck door for me.
“Uh…excuse me?”
“I have only seen you in pants and long skirts. You must be dying. Don’t you have shorts?” He closed the door and hopped on the other side before I could answer.
Vincent started the vehicle and reached over to turn down the music that was screaming from the speakers. Smiling at me, he crashed his hand on my knee. “Relax, Magnolia, I’m not going to bite.” The silver medallion with the snake and the word “Venom” below it made me question that.
“What does that mean?” I pointed to it as we pulled to a stop at the traffic light.
“This?” He pulled it away from his neck and toward me so I could get a better look. “This is my MC medallion. It has my road name on it, Venom.”
“MC?”
“Motorcycle club. My family founded the Cajun Kings. We have several chapters in Louisiana.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. The only thing I knew about motorcycle gangs was that they were trouble. I’d seen stories about them on the news.
“What’s a road name?” Curiosity had me asking more questions.
“Well…” He ran his fingers through his thick black hair that was slightly damp from the heat. “Most people are given their road name by their brothers in the club. It could be something about them or something that happened that stuck. For example, most people think a guy in our club called Ringer got his name ‘cause he is the best horseshoe player in southern Louisiana, but no. It’s what he did to a guy with a horseshoe that earned him that name.” His eyes shifted to me as he continued. “Sometimes they’re ironic, like a huge guy named Tiny. But, for my brothers and me, we were born into them.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Why were you born into them?” I asked, a little confused.
“Our father is the club president. He had them picked before we were born. My older brother, Victor, his road name is Vicious. And you’ve met my twin, Virgil. His road name is Viper. And I’m Vincent, but my club brothers call me Venom.” He smiled proudly.
He took a tight turn off the main road, and I heard the sound of something coming loose from the back of the pickup.
“Oh shit, I think we lost a chair.” Vincent pulled over to the side of the road. I hopped out and walked around to the back.
“Looks like a rope broke.” He heaved up the fallen chair onto the bed and began securing it with new rope.
“Can I do anything?” He smiled at my offer, but before he could respond, a loud pickup came barreling around the corner. The truck was tall on massive tires with blacked-out windows and two boys hollering from the back. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach as the pickup pulled to a sudden stop.
“Get back into the cab, Maggie,” Vincent said as he reached for a tire iron.
“No, girl. You keep your little ass where I can see it. Y’all are on our road,” a scruffy guy yelled as he jumped off the back of his truck. He was dirty-looking in a black shirt with cut sleeves and black jeans with a thick chain attached to them. He had a bad tattoo of a skull on his left shoulder. His face was unshaven, and his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. The other guy following him sported the same look, only he had greasy blond hair that reached his shoulders and a long knife dangling from his side.
“We were just leaving. Lost a chair,” Vincent spoke up. “We don’t want any trouble.”
I could see Vincent was eyeing the two men as they approached us.
“Well, trouble is our middle name, so I guess you won’t be going anywhere.” He was missing several teeth. Spit traveled from his mouth as he approached Vincent, who wiped his face.
“Boy, where you from?” the degenerate-looking guy asked as he stalked in my direction. My heart thumped harder with each step closer he got. Vincent positioned himself in front of me.
“I asked you where ya from?” He cocked his head.
“We’re headed back to the mission. We are volunteering to rebuild the community,” I said, not giving Vincent a chance to answer as the blond eyed the gold medal around my neck. Vincent didn’t miss the gaze.
“Volunteers?” the black-haired man asked. Then they both started laughing.
The driver of the truck rolled down his window. “What’s taking so long? Do they got anything?”
“Shut up, Louie,” the black-haired man barked. “Why don’t you remove that gold chain from around your neck so I don’t have to remove it for you?” His eyes were fixed on my medal.
“Hers is a fake. Now this,” Vincent said, “this is solid silver.”
Vincent held out the medallion that hung heavy on his neck. When both men leaned over to him, I watched his hand sliding, reaching for the iron. His eyes caught mine and shifted to the open truck door. As fast as I read his signal, he pulled out the iron rod, smashing the first guy across the arm and the other across the legs. Both shrieked as he swung again and again while yelling, “Get in the truck, Maggie!”
My heart hammered in my chest. I didn’t want to leave Vincent. There was still a guy in their truck, but I followed Vincent’s order and climbed inside.
As the driver came around, he stopped dead in his tracks as Vincent pointed the iron at him. I didn’t even see how, but he had managed to get the knife from the blond that was howling in pain, holding his broken arm.
Vincent held out his medallion. “Y’all still want this?” He made sure to point it to each of them. “You know who I am? If you stupid fucks haven’t figured it out, I’m Venom, Cajun Kings MC.”
I couldn’t hear what the men said, but a look of terror crossed each of their faces.
“That’s right. You just tried to steal from the Kings and my girl in there.” He pointed to me in the cab. “Apologize to her now, and I may not come back to find you and use this pretty little blade.” He pointed the knife to them.
“We’re sorry, we didn’t know,” one of them practically stuttered.
“She can’t hear you. Say it louder.”
The three men all looked at the truck, loudly apologizing.
Vincent then hopped into the truck and ran the wheels so dirt flew at the men who were still nursing their injuries.
The fear that had been tightening in my chest turned into something else. Vincent was so brave and confident. I had never felt so safe. It was a feeling I liked, and one I’d never known before.
Vincent threw his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to him. “You okay, Maggie Grace?”
“Uh-huh” was all I could say.
“Maggie, can we please keep what just happened between us?” he asked. He returned his hand to the wheel.
“But they can’t get away with that? You were amazing and what they did—”
“Magnolia, you know why I’m here at the camp, right?”
I bobbed my head. I had no idea what he and his brother had done to get here, but I knew it wasn’t voluntary.
“If the mission gets wind that I got into any trouble, I could go to jail.”
I shook my head. “But what if they tell?”
“They won’t. No one wants to admit they were beaten three to one.”
I nodded, agreeing and wishing he would place his arm around me again.
“You were really brave, Maggie. You kept your cool, and I’m glad you understood what I was going to do.”
I couldn’t help but smile. No one had ever called me brave before.
A few minutes later, we pulled into the back lot at the mission, coming to a stop at the supply shed. Before I could open my door, Vincent spoke again.
“You handled yourself real good today, Maggie. You surprised me.” He fiddled with the keys as if he was considering what he was going to say. “Anyway, me and my brothers are having a party this weekend at Marsh Creek. It’s going to be like a welcome home event. There’s going to be a bonfire and music. My friends from the club and some kids from the mission are coming too.”
Vincent studied my face before his hand reached out and tucked strands of hair behind my ear. His finger softly trailed down my cheek. My heart felt like a machine gun firing at his touch.
“I want you to come. You can bring your crazy-looking friend too.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I—”
“Don’t say no. Please tell me you’ll think about it.”
I nodded my head.
He jumped out of the truck and ran around the other side, opening the door for me. Vincent took my hand in his as I leapt down.
I heard a huff when I looked up to where Tara had just rounded the supply shed. I guess she wasn’t expecting to see me there. Tara’s footsteps became more like a march. Vincent’s gaze remained on me as she approached him.
“Magnolia?” She rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, Tara, somehow I missed the bus. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” I didn’t know where the courage to answer her came from. It must have been the adrenaline of seeing Vincent kick those boys’ butts. I quickly forgot my conversation with Catherine as I let the ongoing grudge I had with Tara cloud my reasoning.
“How dare you accuse me.” Tara crossed her arms.
