Magnolia's Fall From Grace

by Zara Teleg

  Relieved to be alone, I let tears run free, and the pain in my chest from the sobs that I had been holding began to lessen. I splashed my face with cold water, trying to get my skin to return to its pale pink and not the crimson the tears made it. After a few deep breaths, I opened the door, running straight into Shannon.

  “Hey, I was looking for you. Are you okay?” She gripped my arm, keeping me in the bathroom.

  “I just saw Vincent and Alcide in a heated conversation. I searched for you but couldn’t find you anywhere.”

  “Oh no.” My chest got tight again. I pushed past Shannon.

  “Where ya going?”

  I marched past the homes that now were mostly repaired. I stopped when I was close to the medical tent. Hiding behind a bush, I watched Vincent storming away from the tent with a bar in his hand. He stopped to light a cigarette, looking around. Alcide was leaning on his Jeep, his arms folded in an angry stance.

  I hoped this was not a sign of what was to come this weekend. I was so anxious about meeting Voodoo. I prayed for the courage to show him what I was made of, that Vincent and I were not as different as everyone thought.

  Venom

  “I can’t believe you are letting Voodoo meet Maggie.” Sissy sat on Lex’s lap, nursing her third bottle of beer.

  I crossed my feet on the cinderblock in front of the fire ring as we sat listening to music thumping from the house. I was much happier here before Voodoo and all his groupies arrived.

  “I don’t have a choice, Sissy. When Voodoo demands something, you can’t exactly say no.” I began to cough as the smoke from the roach filled my lungs. I needed to relax. My mind had been spinning since I had words with that asshole doctor.

  Sissy’s hand opened and closed, asking me to pass it her way. She pressed the small white paper between her lips and sucked in, the ember flaring bright orange as she held in before putting her lips on Lex’s. He opened his mouth, accepting the shotgun smoke. Once it had been expelled, he devoured her mouth.

  “Sissy, I want one of us to be with her at all times.” I lowered my voice. “I don’t trust some of these guys.”

  “You getting fucking soft on us?” Lex accused, shifting Sissy to his other knee.

  “No. She’s just not like the girls around here.” I wished I hadn’t said that. Lex’s eyes squinted.

  “What, she ain’t into public displays of affection?” His hand roughly reached between Sissy’s legs as his mouth leeched onto her neck, sucking hard enough to get her to squeal. He pulled away, wiping his mouth as he admired another dark suck mark he had left on Sissy’s white skin. She was beginning to look like a leopard.

  “Lex!” She threw her head back, laughing.

  “Whose bitch are you?” he asked, roughly taking her tits in one hand as the other went around her neck, squeezing as he pulled her into his chest.

  My fists clenched when she could barely eke out the words. “Yours, I’m yours, Lex.”

  The crazy-eyed bald asshole wore an evil grin as his eyes landed on my balled fists.

  “You got a problem, boy?”

  “No problem.” I stood, my eyes shifting to Sissy’s, who seemed under the fully tatted asshole’s spell. He was the kind of guy that would have Maggie running from here.

  I trudged all the way to my little fishing cabin, clutching the bottle of Jack in my hand, alternating between sips and steps. I needed to get away from them. From all of them. Lex was a sadistic fuck, and Sissy was most definitely going to get hurt around him.

  “Fuck,” I growled out, punching the door to my cabin, knowing that was precisely how the doc saw me. He thought I was a piece of shit who would only get Maggie hurt without a thought.

  I took my anger out on the door until my fist was dripping blood and I could feel the pain cutting through the Jack.

  Falling onto my mattress, I dropped the empty bottle to the floor. I had drunk enough that sleep wouldn’t evade me tonight. The spinning ceiling took me away as I tried to remember every inch of Magnolia’s beautiful face.

  I woke up to a throbbing head and hand, which I could barely open. Fuck, good thing I hit it with my left or I wouldn’t be driving my bike today.

  The hangover hit me harder than I thought. I nearly puked when I smelled the dead fish that must have been dropped by a bird near the canal. I suffered the walk to the main house. I needed food to kill my queasy gut. I had hoped I could sneak in without being noticed—no such luck.

  Opening the screen door, I was greeted by Sienna, Sissy, and several other women from the club who were prepping food for today’s party.

  How late had I slept?

  “Oh, I know that look.” Sienna rose from where she was dicing stacks of celery. “Now you just wait for a second, Venom. I’ll get you all fixed up.” She had on an apron and her auburn hair piled on her head when she carried over a steaming mug of coffee and dropped two aspirins in my hand.

  “Drink this while I fix you a plate.” She reached out, touching my chin with a sympathetic look on her face.

  “Sienna, you don’t have to. You’re busy.”

  “Yeah, Ma, you don’t offer me aspirin and breakfast when I’m hungover.” Sissy pouted from her chair with a large trash can in front of her as she added another ear of shucked corn to the pile.

  “Venom, you could make yourself useful.” Sissy pointed to the bushel of corn overflowing next to her.

  “Hush. He’s a growing boy. He needs to eat.” Sienna placed a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of me. “Eat. Then I will put you and your brother to work.”

  I devoured the food and drank the bitter coffee while listening to Sienna bark orders to the girls. She had always been a woman in control. I had always wished that she and Voodoo would have made it work. She was just too clingy for him, I thought. As much of a bastard as he was, he never wanted to hurt her, maybe because she took such good care of us.

  “Viper, glad you could join us.” Sienna filled my brother’s cup and pointed for him to sit. His black hair was disheveled, and his eyes were as puffy as mine.

  “Thanks,” he yawned, groggily accepting his meal.

  “Wow, it looks great out there.” Sissy lit a smoke while leaning against the porch column, with her bare foot kicked up behind her. “What time are you getting Maggie?”

  “I’m going to finish placing the stumps around the fire pits, hook up the speakers, and then take a shower. I guess another two hours.” I rolled another circular wood stump around the rock circle that would be one of several fire pits. I needed to get one more speaker hooked up for the setup where Forge was going to DJ.

  I passed Ringer raking out the horseshoe pits and setting up several areas for men to gather between matches. When I didn’t find the wire I was looking for, I went down to the old steel garage down at the property’s back. We had loads of old supplies there. I was inside looking when I heard voices.

  I stayed quiet when I realized it was Voodoo scolding Lex. I watched through the gap in the door. Lex was pacing, rubbing his hand over his shaved head.

  “I thought you understood. You have one more chance. Those fuckers don’t pay, you take out Joker. Those fuckers are going to learn they don’t do business in our territory.” He grabbed Lex, stilling him. “Now, you think you can handle that?”

  “Yes, Prez. I won’t let it happen again.”

  Voodoo looked around before he spoke again. “I’m giving Venom one more chance to make his granddad come around. Fucker actually got a lawyer. He doesn’t get these papers signed, sealed, and delivered, you will be burning down his precious workshop. You got that? I want you out there this week. Give him a warning before Venom goes there. Give him something to think about. I want that fucking land. I am owed that fucking land.”

  I opened and closed my fists. It took everything in me not to bust out and confront the assholes. But, if I did that, Paw-paw would have no chance. I had to convince him to do as Voodoo asked. How could they have fallen out this far? Maybe Paw-paw was right
. My father was such a cold bastard now. He really didn’t care about anything but power.

  By the time I got back to pick up Maggie, my head was spinning. I was so angry with my father. How could he even think about burning down Paw-paw’s shop if he didn’t get his way?

  Chapter 16

  Magnolia

  “I’m sorry I can’t go today.” Shannon hobbled to her bed.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” I placed the fresh ice bag on her ankle.

  “No. Go have fun. Paul is going to bring me to the main house later. Doc said the swell should be down if I stay off it a few days.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes. And you look beautiful.”

  “I almost look tan against the white of this dress.” I spun, letting the white fabric fly around me.

  Shannon began to snort as she laughed. “You consider that a tan? That’s hilarious.”

  “Ha, ha. You don’t want to have to get up again to grab your Walkman, do you?” I held it up, waving it before bringing it to her.

  The knock interrupted our laughter. I opened the door, still giggling. Vincent was so intoxicating, leaning against the post in a bright V-neck tee shirt and worn jeans over black motorcycle boots. His dark hair was pushed off his face. He reminded me of the guy on the 90210 posters that decorated Shannon’s bunk.

  “Hi.” Every time I saw him, I had this feeling that made me want to just bury myself in his chest and have his arms around me.

  “Hey.” His smile melted me as his eyes slowly made their way up and down my body. “You look gorgeous. Are you going to be okay riding my bike in a dress?”

  “Crap. I didn’t really consider that, but it goes to my knees, so I am sure it’ll be fine.”

  “If you say so. Well then, let’s go.” He glanced behind me, where Shannon had her wrapped foot elevated. “Shannon, what happened?”

  “Dance accident. Don’t ask.” She covered her face with her pillow. “Have fun,” she muffled from under it.

  I savored the ride down the long country road with arms securely around Vincent’s waist and my face pressed against his back, inhaling the fresh-laundry scent on his shirt. Sienna was so sweet to take care of everything like that for the boys. I don’t think Sissy inherited her caregiving nature.

  As we turned onto the road that led to the clubhouse, an ominous feeling had me break out in a shiver. Vehicles and bikes lined both sides of the road, and the grass lot was full. Gruff-looking men were scattered about in what almost seemed like uniforms of jeans with dangling chains, sleeves cut off the tee shirts, beards, and tattoos everywhere. As we slowed where Mongo was working the gate, one guy licked his lips when he made eye contact with me. I dug my fingers into Vincent’s shirt, holding him tight. He placed a hand over mine. “They only look scary,” he assured me.

  “Venom. If it isn’t the Crown Prince,” a man called out, holding a beer in the air. Vincent parked next to a long line of bikes. Tugging off the helmet, I shook my hair, combing through it with my fingers. Vincent’s hands came around my waist as he helped me off the bike.

  “What happened to your hand?” His left hand had cuts and had purple and red on his knuckles. “Did you get into a fight?”

  “Nope. Just me and a door not getting along. My night didn’t exactly go as planned.” He offered a wry smile.

  “You want to talk about it?” I leaned down, brushing my lips over the injured spot.

  “Not now, but thanks for the offer. He smiled and pushed my hair over my shoulder.”

  Rock music was coming from every direction, thanks to speakers that were strung around the place. Unease set in as I looked around. I was shocked at the nearly naked women who were hanging all over the rough-looking men. Thankfully, I had on the mirrored sunglasses that Shannon loaned me, so no one could see how big my eyes probably got when a man licked a topless woman’s breast before shaking salt over it, doing a shot, then sucking a lime out of her mouth. Eww.

  Vincent, who was holding my hand, began pulling me in another direction, except in every direction we took as we walked toward the house, some type of crazy thing was happening.

  “This was a bad idea,” Vincent grumbled under his breath.

  “What was?” I asked as he held my hand tight, weaving us through groups of people.

  He stopped abruptly, turning to face me.

  “Maggie, you don’t belong at a party like this. I shouldn’t have let Voodoo pressure me into bringing you. I’m sorry you have to see this.” He held both of my hands, his purple eyes almost pleading with me not to judge him.

  “Vincent,” I closed my eyes, shaking my head before looking back into his, “these people are your friends and family, right?”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “I may not be used to this type of place, but everyone deserves to have a good time and celebrate the way they see fit.”

  Before I could go on, my words were drowned out by the group in front of us chanting, “Chug, chug, chug.” Two men were holding another upside down while he drank from the hose attached to the silver keg in a vast ice bucket.

  “What the heck are they doing?”

  “It’s called a keg stand. And that,” Vincent pointed to a woman on her knees with a clear tube in her mouth and a man pouring an entire beer into it, “that is a beer bong.” Everyone cheered as she guzzled the beer in a few gulps.

  “They are meant to get you drunk faster.”

  “Oh. I see. Anyway, please don’t worry about me. And, Vincent, I want you to have fun. I don’t want to ruin your good time.”

  “This used to be a good time. Now, I’d rather be taking you on a bike ride to a secluded place. I don’t need to be here, but I am expected to be, and the moment I get the go-ahead to leave, I promise, we will.”

  I caught sight of Sissy’s red hair in a crowd. As we got closer, I saw she was under the arm of a pretty scary-looking guy. He was good looking, but frightening with his shaved head and tattoos over his muscled arms. She was staring up at him with adoration, the same way I guessed I looked at Vincent.

  “Hey, there’s Sissy. Let’s say hi.” I began to lead him in her direction.

  Vincent looked at where I was headed and stopped. “No, not yet.”

  “Why?” His reasoning didn’t matter. Before he could answer, Sissy saw us and began calling my name over the music.

  My body broke out into goosebumps when the man she was with pulled his shades down his face and gave me a cold stare, licking his lips as his eyes traveled the length of my body. Vincent stepped in front of me, keeping the guy’s creepy eyes from taking in any more. Which only worked for a second when Sissy pulled me out, laughing me into an embrace.

  “Maggie, you’re here.” She looked around me. “Where’s Shannon?”

  “She took a fall and is back at the campground with ice on her ankle, but she’ll be okay in a few days with some rest.”

  Sissy looked gorgeous. Her makeup was flawless, and her fair, freckled, flat stomach and large breasts were on full display in the short-cropped black tee over her denim cutoffs. Instead of her usual bare feet, she wore her Docs, which made her look even taller. She already had a good six inches over me.

  “Maggie.” She pushed me in front of her. “This is Lex.” Her voice turned to a sexy rasp as she said his name.

  Lex resumed his stare and then looked at Vincent. “Now I see why Venom has been hiding you away.”

  I could feel the tension between the two men, but before he could say anything back, Viper and Mongo joined us.

  “Magnolia Grace has arrived.” Viper swept me off the ground and gave me a drunken hug, spinning me around before placing me back to my feet.

  “You look sexy as fuck in that dress.” He waggled his brows. Vincent punched his arm, not missing a beat. “Ow, what did you do that for? It was a compliment.” Viper said, rubbing his arm. “Asshole. You know what? No shot for you!” Viper grabbed the bottle and small cups from Mongo’s hands. He gave u
s each a tiny cup and filled it with clear liquid from an unmarked bottle.

  “What is it?” I sniffed and passed it under Vincent’s nose for him to smell.

  “Ringer’s moonshine.”

  Vincent then took mine. “I think this might be more than you can handle.”

  “Oh, I’ll give her more than she can handle. Let her drink.” Lex thrust his cup to me.

  “Let her drink one,” the group all whined.

  “One,” Vincent said. “And Lex, back the fuck off.”

  Viper handed me a new one, and we all held our cups in the air.

  “To the Kings,” Viper yelled.

  “To the Kings,” we repeated, clicking our glasses together before shooting down the drink.

  I thought it was good at first, then I thought maybe he had mistaken the drink for gasoline as I coughed uncontrollably and my eyes began to water and burn.

  “Are you okay?” Sissy patted my back.

  “Fine. Fine.” I continued to cough.

  “I love this song.” Sissy took my hand and began dancing around me and twirling me into her. She shook her butt and sang the words. It wasn’t long before the alcohol streamed through my blood, lowering my inhibitions. I laughed and danced with Sissy. Lex had walked off with Viper, but Vincent didn’t take his eyes off me, and he was never more than a few feet away.

  Everything was fine, and we were having fun for a while until Lex returned. He jumped between Sissy and me, grinding against me. Vincent leapt into action, pulling me from the two.

  “Maggie, let’s go,” he growled.

  “What, Venom, you don’t share anymore? I remember you used to be so good at sharing.” Lex grabbed my arm, yanking me back to him.

  “Let her go, Lex. I mean, now.” Vincent’s eyes grew dark, and his icy command was heard over the music.

  “What are you going to do about it? She ain’t your old lady.” He and Vincent were now eye to eye. Sissy held my arm, keeping me out of the way.