by Colbie Kay
He sighs. “We’ll get her situated, then you deal with her. We’ll let y’all decide what to do with her after you find out what she’s done.”
We take her down into the cellar and chain her wrists just like we have to so many men, hanging her from the ceiling. Once we know she’s secure, we head back up, and our Ol’ Ladies go down.
The women I considered friends stand before me, their expressions full of confusion because they are still in the dark about my sins.
Zoey steps up to the front just like her husband would. “What did you do, Dancer? Why would our men go get you and bring you down here? Why would they feel they need to chain you up?”
“I’m so sorry,” I cry as tears fill my eyes. “I came to Kansas as an undercover cop to bring down the club.” The sound of loud gasps and hushed whispers fill the room.
Jacey stands next to Zoey. “You used us?”
“At first, it was just the job, but the longer I knew all of you, it wasn’t like that for me. The friendships were real. I swear.”
Ever moves forward. “Do you have any idea what happens when they come down here?”
My eyes travel around the space. “I can imagine.”
“No!” Sierra shouts. “You have no idea!” She wraps her arms around herself, holding her stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick. I can’t believe this.” She storms closer, inches from me. “I’m so hurt, Dancer. Maybe I should go tell Hacker to come down here right now. You were like a daughter to both of us. Letti, she loves you so much. How could you do this? I’m going to go get Hacker.”
More tears fall. “Please don’t,” I beg.
“Why?” Daphne questions.
I fight against the chains locked around my wrists. “They will kill me.”
“Why should that matter to us? You created this. You betrayed us all!” Chatty screams in my face.
“I’m pregnant!” I blurt out.
Tinsley shakes her head. “You’re just saying that.”
“I’m not! I swear.” I suck in a deep breath of dusty air and cough. “It’s Demon’s baby.”
The last to speak is Jorga, her falling tears matching mine, “After everything I’ve been through and knowing my trust issues, I find out my best friend is nothing but a liar.”
“Jorga, you are my best friend.” I hang my head as I cry harder. “I’m sorry,” I apologize for what feels like the millionth time.
“How are we supposed to trust anything you say?” Zoey asks.
Sierra responds, “I think we make her take a test in front of us before we decide what to do.”
Jacey nods. “Good idea.”
“I’ll go get the test,” Ever states and rushes out.
Zoey and Jacey tug on my jeans to get them down and off while Chatty stands behind me. Ever holds the stick between my thighs, and her eyes lift to mine. “Don’t pee on my hand.”
I look up at the ceiling to try and distract myself. It takes a few minutes, but finally, a stream begins to pour. I don’t know what’s worse having them do this to me or what Demon did in the cell.
Ever stands with the stick in hand, staring at it as the others help to pull my jeans back on me. It doesn’t take long before she holds it out for everyone to see. “It’s positive. She wasn’t lying.”
“Does Demon know?” Sierra breathes out.
I shake my head. “No, I haven’t exactly had an opportunity to tell him.”
Chatty jumps in, “What do we do? We can’t let them hurt her because of the baby, but they’re going to want to know why they can’t touch her. It’s not our place to tell Demon.”
Zoey begins to pace. “I’ll tell Hanger to come down here, make him promise not to tell Demon. No one will touch her without his okay.” Zoey stops in front of me. “Maybe you should just get the hell out of Wichita.”
“And what, not tell him?” I shake my head. “I can’t keep that from Demon, but since I put in my resignation, I’m losing my house anyway. It was covered by my department for the job.”
“It wasn’t your house?” Jorga snarls at me. “Where did my money go, my parents’ money?” She’s glaring at me as if I’m the worst person in the world. Maybe I am.
“It was held in an account. I’ll give it all back to you, I promise. I just want to fix all of this and hope one day all of you can forgive me.”
Jacey snaps, “I don’t think that’s going to happen. You wanted to take our men away from us, our kids’ fathers.”
“I’m bringing Hanger down here.” Zoey storms away.
“I wanted them to pay for my father being taken from me, but I realize that was wrong.”
“Was your dad a bad man?” Jacey gazes at me quizzically.
“No.”
Jacey steps closer. Her face only inches from mine. “Neither are our men. Hanger saved Zoey after she was beaten so badly, she almost died and was left on the side of the road. Bear saved me and our son after we were kidnapped. Writer helped free me and Zoey when we were held hostage. Gunner laid over Chatty to protect her from getting shot and took the bullets himself. Hacker, you know him as well as any of us, look at how protective he was over you. Doc delivered Cub when I couldn’t get to the hospital. Romeo found Tinsley’s daughter and brought them together. Bam Bam took care of Rowan when she showed up here cut up and starving. Tink saved your supposed best friend, Jorga, from dying when she was being stabbed. That’s only a small piece of the good our men have done. I don’t fucking care what bad shit they’ve done, the good will always be greater.”
Hanger returns with Zoey. “Crazy Girl said you ladies have made a decision.”
They all nod.
His arms cross over his chest. “What’s it gonna be?”
Zoey responds, “You can’t touch her, and neither can we.”
He stares down at his Ol’ Lady. “Why’s that?”
Zoey bites her lip and glances at me before meeting Hanger’s eyes. “Promise you won’t tell Demon?”
His brows knit. “Why?” His tone is laced with suspicion.
“She’s pregnant.”
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ!” He shouts. He steps in front of me. “How do I know that you aren’t going to come after us?”
Without hesitation, I respond, “I burned every piece of evidence there was against all of you. Judge White deleted all files in the computer system, so there is no trace of anything you guys have done. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. I would have no proof. And I quit my job. I’m no longer a detective.”
He interrogates me further, “Why did you do it?”
“Do what? The roadblock or burn the evidence?”
“All of it.”
“As I’ve said, in the beginning, it was to bring down the club, but I got close to all of you over the years. The friendships were real to me. I saw the good you guys did, and how much you love your families. I wasn’t telling Tyler anything, and he started to grow suspicious. He thought I was getting in too deep, which I was, but I took it a step too far and crossed the line when I started having sex with Demon. I couldn’t stop, I couldn’t stay away from him. I fell in love with him, but Tyler was still breathing down my neck and hounding me for information, so I set up the roadblock. Once it happened, I knew immediately I had to fix it. I came up with the plan and set it into motion. I couldn’t let Demon, Chayser, or any of you go down. You all mean too much to me, especially Demon, and now, I’m carrying his baby.”
He releases a deep breath. “What if you found out some information that would destroy you, what would you do then?”
“I wouldn’t use it against you or your club. I swear.” I plead with my eyes, praying he will see my truth.
He shakes his head. “I believe you. I won’t hold your secret from Demon for long, so you better tell my brother soon.”
“I will.” I nod my head frantically.
His knees bend so he’s eye level with me. “If you go against me or my club ever again, I will kill you. Understood?”
“I wo
n’t.” I finally feel like I can breathe as he uses his key to unlock the chains.
My arms drop with a sharp pain of stabbing needles as the circulation comes back. I shake them out. “Thank you. All of you.”
“Get the fuck outta here,” Hanger shouts as the women stay quiet. I run up the stairs and out into the night air. I bend over as I suck in the fresh air.
“I don’t know why he’s letting you go.” I straighten myself at the sound of Hacker’s voice. “You were like a daughter to me, like my own flesh and blood.” He steps closer pounding on his chest. “Do you have any fuckin’ idea how bad you’ve hurt all of us?”
“Yes.” I nod frantically. “I can’t say I’m sorry enough. I don’t know what to do, how to make you forgive me. You were like a father to me too, the father I lost.”
His fierce glare burns me. “You’re right, you can’t say you’re sorry enough because your sorry doesn’t mean shit to me. You can’t be forgiven for what you did.”
“Hacker,” Hanger says his name in warning.
“I’m not fuckin’ touching her. I just want to know why? But as I look at her fuckin’ face, I realize there is no good reason to explain the pain she has caused. Don’t ever come back to my fuckin’ club or near my Ol’ Lady again.”
Zoey’s hand touches my arm. “You need to go.”
I start to run and don’t stop until I’m outside of the gates. It’s going to be a long walk home.
I’ve been walking for a while, and I still haven’t made it to the city limits. My feet hurt, and I’m tired. My stomach is screaming for some food to the point I feel nauseous, and tears begin to fall once again. I just want to get to my house. Well, my house for the time being. I hear gravel crunching behind me and the loud rumble of a motorcycle growing close. My heart begins to pound, and my pulse races. Did they change their minds? Are they coming for me again? The motorcycle slows down, and I realize it’s Demon. “Get on.”
My brows pull tight in confusion. “Why?”
He snarls, “How many times do I gotta tell you, don’t fuckin’ question me?”
Feeling relief flood through me because I don’t have to walk the rest of the way, I climb on the back of his bike and hold on as he speeds away. I can only hope he’s actually taking me home.
After I pull into the driveway of Dancer’s house, she rushes to get off the bike. Probably terrified something is going to happen to her. But as I watch her run to her door with her hand covering her mouth, I notice she doesn’t even shut the door, and worry grows in the pit of my stomach.
I shouldn’t be concerned about her. I shouldn’t give a fuck if there’s something wrong with her, but I find myself climbing off my bike and walking up to the front porch and through the door. “Dancer?” I call out. I hear her heaving in the bathroom, and when I come to the doorway, she’s sitting on the floor with her face in the toilet. “You okay?”
“I need food,” She mumbles.
My brows arch. “You’re puking your guts out ‘cause you’re hungry?”
Her head turns to the side, and her eyes lock with mine. “I’m pregnant, Demon.”
My face twists as if I’m in actual pain. “The fuck you say?”
“I’m pregnant,” She repeats before another round of vomit expels from her.
My legs give out, and I fall to the bathroom floor. Grabbing fistfuls of my hair, I mull over what she just said, absorbing it and turning it over in my head. “It’s mine?”
Sounds rip from her, a mixture of laughing and crying and puking like the fuckin’ Exorcist. “Of course, it’s yours. No matter how you feel about me or what you think of me, I haven’t been with anyone except you. And as I recall, after that first time, you stopped wearing a condom.”
I hiss, “You weren’t taking any birth control?”
Her head lifts, and she looks at me incredulously. “No, Demon, I wasn’t. I wasn’t expecting to have sex with you, and we didn’t really discuss shit when we were in the heat of the moment, now did we? This isn’t just my fault, it’s yours too.”
My hands drop to the floor. “You want to place blame on us for creating a baby?”
She sits up straight and throws her arms in the air. “Isn’t that what you’re doing? Placing the blame on me for not being on birth control?”
“No…yes…I don’t fuckin’ know what I’m doing. It was a question. I’m trying to wrap my head around this big fuckin’ shitstorm.”
Her mouth flops open and closed like a fish. She appears flabbergasted. “So, now me being pregnant is part of the shitstorm? God, you’re an asshole!”
I groan loudly because she’s driving me fuckin’ crazy with this back and forth bullshit. “Fuckin’ Christ, Dancer! Should I even be calling you that? All of this is a shitstorm. From me getting locked up to all your fuckin’ secrets coming out to us having a baby. You can’t deny the fact everything about us is fucked up.” My voice lowers to a calmer level, “How do we bring a baby into this?”
She shrugs. “We figure it out as we go. I really need food.”
She tries to stand, but I place my hand on her shoulder. “Stay.”
I rummage through her fridge and cabinets finding everything I need to make her a turkey sandwich. Once I’m done and have cleaned everything up, I take the sandwich back into the bathroom. “Eat.” I hold the plate out to her and sit on the toilet when she takes it.
Her eyes close, and a moan escapes as she chews the first bite. “That’s so good.” My cock hardens at the sound, but fuck, I’m still pissed off at her. “Did you ever want kids?”
I think about her question. “I never thought that far ahead.”
“I never really thought about it either.” Her eyes meet mine. “Why did you bring me home?”
One side of my lips lift. “Mostly Chayser. My brother has the biggest heart of anyone I know. After everything you did, he doesn’t hate you. He’s grateful that you saved us and asked me to bring you home. Since it’s a long as fuck walk from the club to here, I didn’t fight him on it.”
Her eyes flutter as she takes another bite. I must make one hell of a sandwich. A feeling weird feeling of pride tightens in my chest that I could make the baby happy.
“He doesn’t hate me, but you do,” she speaks softly.
I sigh heavily. “I don’t know if I hate you, but I’m mad as hell. My fuckin’ feelings didn’t fuckin’ disappear no matter how much I wanted them to.”
“Can you forgive me?” She swallows the last bite of her sandwich and sets the plate down.
“I don’t know. I told you, trust is everything, and you fuckin’ broke that. I don’t know how to get it back.”
She sits up on her knees. “I’m willing to help you find a way.”
I lean back on the toilet, thankful our fight is over, but I know I have to be honest with her. I can’t fuckin’ preach about trust and hold my own secret. “Dancer, there’s something I have to tell you. I can’t sit here and talk to you about trust and us working through shit when I’m keeping something from you.”
“What?” She shifts closer to me. “Whatever it is, we can deal with it.”
Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on my knees. “You’re going to fuckin’ regret everything you did for me.”
“No, I won’t.”
I search her eyes, and the courage to speak the words I need to say grows. “Dancer, I’m the one who killed your father.”
She’s quiet and stock still.
“Say something.” I hate the fuckin’ silence.
“Tell me this is a sick joke. Tell me this is your way of payback.”
I shake my head. “Your father’s name was Mikey Kennedy. They called him Big Mike.”
Her head tilts to the side as her lips purse. Tears fill in her eyes. My heart sinks because even after everything she did, I’m the one causing her pain. “No. No. No. It can’t be you. Anyone except you.” Tears begin trailing down her cheeks as she stands. Suddenly, her hand rears back then connects with my che
ek. My head snaps to the side from the force of the blow. “Why? Why did you kill him?” She continues laying blow after blow. My face burns, but I don’t stop her.
I stand from the toilet as her slaps keep coming. “I’m sorry, Dancer.” She starts beating on my chest as wailing cries rip from her. I pull her into me. “I’m sorry. I need to explain.”
“Get out!” She screams. “Get out!”
Releasing her, I do as she asks and trek toward the front door, the memory of what happened playing like a movie in my head.
“Demon,” The sound of Bones’ voice grabs my attention away from the whore that’s been begging me to take her to my room.
“Yeah, Prez?” I jump up and stride over to him with quick footfalls.
“Follow me.” My heart thunders in my chest, wondering if something is wrong. I’ve had this prospect cut for four years now. I’ve done everything for the club, but what if he’s kicking me out? I close my eyes at the sound of his office door closing. “I’ve seen you out there, shooting the guns. You’re pretty damn good, never miss a target.”
“Thanks, Prez.” I beam with pride for myself. I’ve never had good shit said to me until Chayser and I came here. We’re so fuckin’ grateful the club took us in. We’re trying our hardest to get patched in and get a cut of that money so we can get our sisters away from our father.
“You like it here, right? You want patched in? You want those rockers?”
“More than anything.”
His smile shines. “That’s what I like to hear. I think I may have a place for you. I need a hitman in this club, and I want that man to be you. If you can do this job for me, I’ll make sure you become a patched member. We won’t even need to vote on it.”
“Seriously? What do I have to do?”
“Mikey, Big Mike, Kennedy needs to be taken out. He’s the Vice President of Knight Riders MC. You know who they are, right?”
I nod. “Our rivals.”
“That’s right. Demon, we’re suffering because of their club. They’re taking our business. You know what taking our business means?”
“Our money is affected.”