Get Away

by Jade Chandler

  Dare glanced at us then back to his daughter. “Red, get your ass in here,” he hollered. From the living room, I spied a huge dining room with an open island that separated it from a massive kitchen.

  Of course, Lila was pulling something from the oven. She hadn’t changed that much.

  “Hold our daughter a couple more minutes, then you can escape,” Lila shot back. “Girls, come get a drink.”

  The oak dining room table was huge.

  “You plan to have an army of kids?” There were ten seats at her table.

  “No way, but we already run out of room on a regular basis,” Lila said.

  “Then be less friendly.” Dare handed his daughter to Lila. “I’m out of here.”

  She took the chubby baby and leaned in for a hot kiss from her biker. Then he hurried out the back door without another glance.

  Lila passed the baby to Avery and enveloped me in a hug. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.” Her soft words warmed me and put me at ease.

  Why had I worried about seeing her? Because I was crazy.

  “And you too.” We held the hug a long minute and it made me feel safe.

  She and Avery understood me.

  “So.” Lila stood back.

  Avery handed me a glass of lemonade.

  “Which one is best in bed?” Lila asked.

  I choked on the sip I’d just taken. “What?”

  “Stop playing coy.” Avery added her two cents. “Who’s best? Zero or Delta?”

  “Don’t forget Mark,” Lila added.

  My cheeks and neck burned.

  “There’s a child here,” I protested.

  “And she wants to know too.” Lila gave me that stubborn look I knew too well.

  “After all I’ve been through, this is what you ask me.” I tried to distract her.

  “Yes,” they both answered at once.

  The baby cooed as if she was asking too.

  We all laughed and I gave in, as if I’d ever had a chance to avoid it. “Why do you even care?” I planned to make them work for the intel.

  “Delta and Zero have hot reputations for their skills,” Avery quipped.

  “Pussy hounds?”

  Now Avery blushed.

  “Exactly,” Lila agreed.

  “You two already tired of what you have and need to live through me.” I knew that wasn’t the case, but they deserved a little hell.

  Lila just laughed. “I’ve got the king of pussy hounds, so I am well satisfied. But...there is a small wager on this.”

  Avery gulped. “Lila, shut it.”

  “You two...” I didn’t know what else to say about betting on something like that. “Delta is the best—for me anyway.” He’d shown me pleasure like I’d never known.

  “Pay up.” Lila held out a hand.

  Avery rolled her eyes. “Later. Really better than Zero?”

  I nodded.

  “And so you’re tapping that again? Soon.” Lila made it less a question and more a certainty.

  “We agreed on once.” I sounded certain. “So, no.”

  Now as long as they didn’t read my mind...

  “I’m sure you could renegotiate,” Lila encouraged.

  “And then when I live in Vegas and he lives here, how do we renegotiate that?”

  Avery opened her mouth but didn’t say anything.

  “Here, meet Rhianna. She makes everything look brighter.” Lila handed me her daughter. We chatted a few minutes about life, catching up on everything, yet there was no way to really close the gulf of information I didn’t know. And that was fine with me—the more I saw the happiness my friends had, the more their life tempted me.

  In another year, two babies would be here and the joy would be tenfold. Their life tempted me, but down deep it wasn’t my dream. Sure, the happy mother and wife part was my dream, most girls’ dream actually, but I didn’t want their lives in a small town amidst a nosy gaggle of bikers.

  The doorbell rang and Lila hurried to the front room. I heard chatter and laughs.

  “Come on.” Avery dragged me and little Rhianna into the living room.

  A parade of women entered over the next couple minutes, and other than the leather cuts, I wouldn’t have been able to tell they were old ladies—well a couple fit my stereotype, but so many more didn’t. These women were as diverse as the men I’d met in the club. And too late, I realized a critical mistake—I was holding the star of this gathering. The horde of women descended on me.

  Desperate to escape, I tried to hand off the baby but both Avery and Lila were across the room from me. So I shook off the panic and met the horde with the manners Mama had instilled in me. And soon, the imposing Domme had taken the baby, letting me slide away to the kitchen. I needed a minute to regroup. I found another lady there and figured she had the same idea.

  “Hiding?” I smiled to her.

  “Sorta. These groups are intimidating, and I feel like the worst sort of pretender.” She shot out her hand. “I’m Charlie, and I’m a cop.”

  I choked on my lemonade. I could see how that would be uncomfortable. While everyone swore the Brotherhood didn’t do criminal stuff, its members could be considered sketchy, at best.

  “Where’s your cut?” I’d noticed a couple of the women hadn’t worn one.

  “Um, I haven’t agreed to that.” She grinned. “Not sure I can wear that and my shield.”

  “And if someone told me, I don’t remember—do you have your own biker?”

  She giggled. “I do. One of the bounty hunters—JoJo.”

  “So you know Delta. He helped me out, big time.”

  She nodded with another grin. “My man and Delta are best friends. Served in the military together.”

  So I’d been right that he was a military man. I bet he’d been handsome in his uniform and wished I’d met him then.

  Chapter 22: Delta

  We hit Henderson by early morning. Thorn was in the motel restaurant eating when we arrived. “Get some chow, then we’ll be riding like we’re fleeing hell.”

  A girl with boobs hanging out a halter and shorts that showed off her fine ass came by to take my order. I ordered steak and eggs with pancakes. I needed the extra fuel since I’d had damn little rest. The girl batted her eyelashes and dangled her boobs in my face but I was too exhausted to fuck. That was a first for me. I’d been too drunk but never too tired. Even if Glory strolled by, I’d have to pass. The thought of Glory’s tiny waist and fuller hips made my cock stir, proving me a liar.

  “We got time for you to take care of her.” Thorn nodded to the retreating waitress. “Sometimes a good fuck is all that chases away the demons.”

  “Damn, when’d you go from badass to den mother?” I frowned at him. “You should take the damn recruits if you’ve got advice to spare.”

  “Fuck that.” Thorn dismissed the idea. “You got the hots for another hot body.”

  “What hot body?” Zero sat down across from me. He’d been on the phone and came in after me.

  Of course the bastard walked in right as Thorn was razzing me. Like I needed two of them fucking with me. “Nothing.”

  “He’s got it for Glory,” Thorn said at the same time.

  The waitress wandered back and took Zero’s order, dropping off another pot of coffee. Zero flirted and the girl giggled. I only felt world-weary and ancient. The past few weeks had changed me.

  Once the waitress flounced away, Zero turned back to me and waggled his brows and made kissing noises. “You should take her, bro.” Zero gave me a wide, shit-eating grin.

  “Not interested.” I drank down my coffee and poured another cup from the pot on the table.

  “He wants Glory,” Thorn added. “But won’t cop to it.”

  I flipped him the bird.

  Zero
laughed.

  The waitress brought our food and we dug in, making quick work of the meal. As I finished up the last of my eggs, Zero shot me a quick smile and headed for the waitress. I threw bills on the table and stalked outside. I needed fresh air.

  Thorn followed me out. “We got a few minutes to kill.” He glanced to where Zero took the giggling waitress down to the room they’d booked.

  I wished for a smoke or a bottle of bourbon, but I didn’t have either.

  “You need to talk.” Thorn took a seat on the tailgate of the truck he’d driven down here.

  Talking wasn’t what I needed. And I didn’t know what would ever ease the growing heaviness in my chest. I sat down next to him so I wouldn’t look so damn suspicious while we waited for Zero to finish up.

  “You can’t keep it all inside—believe me.” He stared off, thinking his own dark thoughts.

  I’d seen his scars and I wasn’t even close to holding in as much as he’d experienced. I could handle my demons just fine. “Man, I just need space.”

  Thorn nodded. He didn’t say anything else. Zero came strolling our way twenty minutes later with a lazy grin. It took about a half hour to drop off the rental cars and take a rideshare to the storage unit where we’d locked up our bikes.

  I needed speed and away from the two brothers trying too hard to help me out. I got their worry, and sort of appreciated it, but I had nothing to give back. I was bone dry, parched, and the holes in my soul too large to patch up. I’d likely be empty all my life—some shit you just didn’t get over.

  We sped out of town and headed south and blew through Flagstaff. I wanted to drive the 18 hours straight home but I got outvoted when we stopped for dinner in Albuquerque. So we stayed in a motel near I-40.

  While we ate, our informants gave us good news—the Triad had taken credit for the hit and were already moving into the territory DeLuca had controlled. It was the best case scenario but I couldn’t care less—all I saw were those two dead kids.

  I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Each scene with Glory replayed in my mind. The hot way we fucked filled my brain. I could almost taste her when I closed my eyes. I needed another taste, but I was afraid one more taste would addict me. She was walking heroin and I should stay the hell away before she controlled my life. Then I fast-forwarded to her in the hospital, and a dark, hateful anger engulfed me. Every single person involved had paid with their life, and still the anger ate at me.

  Those boys came back to my mind and I wanted to shoot myself in the fucking head, again. The mission was completed, so I could take the easy way out. I didn’t deserve easy, and I didn’t deserve someone clean and innocent like Glory. I was the worst kind of killer—the kind I’d put away when I was in the army. I’d wiped out two kids, and those boys’ deaths weighed on me. Darkness surrounded me and I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel the clean again. The taint kept spreading, coloring my future, my commitment to the club and even my desire to wake up again. The weight of those two crushed my chest, smothering me.

  After a fitful night of dreams, I woke up at daybreak. At six, I pounded on Thorn’s door to find him already awake. Zero wasn’t awake or alone. After too much pissing and moaning, we finally were on the road at seven. I set the pace because we needed to make up time. Each mile that passed brought me closer to my obsession, and the one thing I dare not take. Glory deserved a better man than me, even if I wanted to settle down. But I didn’t want to settle. I didn’t want a relationship, and I wanted Glory Ann Atkins. I was totally fucked.

  I revved my bike and focused on the road. The speed blew away all my thoughts, and I found the Zen of the road. I could always rely on the high riding brought me.

  When we stopped at a truck stop to eat about halfway there, I called Rebel to let him know when we’d be back and to have Glory there. While I should stay away, I needed her tonight.

  Chapter 23: Glory

  Two days later a truck I didn’t recognize stood outside Mama’s house. I’d just walked back from Avery’s store, Black Label, where I’d helped her put away a new shipment of merchandise. She’d tried to talk me into a tattoo, but that wasn’t happening. I showed too much skin as a dancer and tattoos weren’t welcome. Inside, I found Jericho eating cookies with my mom in the living room. The fierce man looked out of place amid her lace doilies and knickknacks. He was wild and untamed, and Mama’s house was a study of Southern charm with Queen Anne furniture and porcelain figurines on every free surface.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Glory Ann, that’s no way to speak to your cousin and my guest.” Mama’s chest puffed up like a hen.

  “Sorry, Mama.”

  Jericho smiled and stood. Relief flashed on his face. “I need you at the club.”

  “Why?” Hands fisted on my hips I stared up at the man who’d shut me down just a few days ago.

  “Delta is on his way home, and I thought—”

  “Give me twenty minutes and I’ll be ready.” I turned and rushed up the stairs before he could protest. I was sure the idea of twenty minutes with my mom wasn’t on his agenda, but I wasn’t seeing Delta without full armor, and that meant looking my best. What should I wear? I didn’t want to look like shit but I sure didn’t want to appear like I’d dressed up for him. Decisions, decisions. I finally pulled on a pair of jeans and one of the shirts I’d bought at Black Label a couple days ago. I slipped on some wedges and grabbed my bag.

  I was downstairs in fifteen minutes, a personal record for me. Jericho gave me a harassed look.

  “Ready?”

  “Yeah.” He almost ran toward the door, trying to get away from my mom.

  I hauled my ass up into his big truck. He backed out of the drive and drove out of town.

  “Your auntie scare you that bad?”

  He scowled at me. “She asked me to dinner Sunday night. And told me to bring Marr.”

  I burst out laughing, imagining those two in my mama’s fussy house. Then I sobered. “Don’t hurt her feelings. She’s trying to see beyond the past.”

  “I ain’t stupid, but I didn’t commit to dinner, either.” His hands tightened on the wheel. “I don’t know if it is better to go or not. Shit, you bring all kinds of complications.”

  “I think MJ is the one who did that.” I crossed my arms. “You should go. She’s your only family in town.”

  “My brothers are my fucking family.” He whipped those words at me.

  “She’s family too.” I refused to budge on that fact. “And you are her only family in town now.”

  “Yeah,” he sighed. “I get that.” He slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

  I jumped and cursed the jitters that still plagued me. Would I ever be normal again?

  “Shit was easier when the town hated us.”

  I snorted. “Well, that’s the past.”

  “If I go, you and Avery come too.”

  “You aren’t the boss of me.” I wasn’t one of his minions.

  “You’ll come.”

  And I would. Hell, I could charge admission to that dinner. Both bikers and Mama’s friends from town would pay top dollar to see that dinner play out.

  I remembered the reason I’d agreed to come with him. “Is he okay?”

  “He’ll survive.”

  Worry shot through me, leave me feeling sick and unbalanced. “Did he get hurt?”

  “Not so you could tell it.”

  “What the fuck?”

  “Forget I said anything.” He glanced over at me. “He asked me to have you at the club. That should tell you everything you need to know.” Then he clamped his mouth shut.

  “That doesn’t tell me jack shit,” I fumed. “How did the mission go? Was he injured?”

  I waited but Jericho didn’t say anything.

  Stubborn ass. I wanted to shake him. Dammit, he was a frustrating man
.

  We pulled into the club parking lot before I could badger him more. He hurried out of the truck like hellhounds nipped at his heels, and disappeared inside the club before I’d even gotten out of the truck.

  I followed him inside the clubhouse to a hive of activity. Guys were moving the scarred, mismatched tables and a band was setting up on the small stage. Two guys were carting beer to the bar in back. Hell, they were getting ready for a party. This was the last place I wanted to be. I started backing out and bumped into someone. I turned and saw Marr.

  “Pixie’s in the kitchen. Go find her.” She pointed to the swinging door, although I knew my way to the kitchen.

  “I think I should go. This isn’t my scene.”

  “Delta says different.” Marr frowned down at me. “You need to be here. Get me?”

  No. I didn’t. “I have no fucking idea what you mean. No one tells me shit.” Anger felt damn good. It was so much better than the fear and uncertainty.

  She tskd and shook her head. “Pixie said you were smart.”

  “I am,” I protested. “What has that...?” I was talking to no one. She’d walked away.

  Dammit. I needed answers and the Brotherhood wouldn’t help. That meant staying until Delta arrived. But I needed transportation too. I had heard about Brotherhood parties, and I had no plans of staying here. Why hadn’t I thought to drive my mama’s car here? Jericho, that’s why. The man rattled me.

  I spotted Mark in the crowd and zigzagged through the tables and people until I stood toe-to-toe with him. “I need your truck again.”

  He stared at me a long, awkward moment, and I worried he wasn’t going to give them to me. With a sigh, he tugged the keys from his pocket and dropped them into my outstretched hand. “Think carefully before you act tonight. Don’t do that Glory thing, yeah?”

  I wanted to protest but I knew damn well what he was talking about. I tended to end up in a snit where I acted first and thought way later. I could go from happy to pissed in a second, and I’d let my tongue run loose too many times.

  “I’ll try.” I closed my hand over the keys, already more calm. “I know this isn’t my turf.”