by Forgy, M. N.
My eyes fall to the suitcase on the couch with clothes and bottles strewn everywhere. Is she leaving Zeek?
“You and Zeek calling it quits?” I point to the suitcase.
“Oh thank God, can you please take one?” she pleads ignoring my question, desperation deep in her voice.
Holding my arms out I take Samuel. His little face is beet red, and his arms are flailing everywhere.
“Why is he crying?” I ask, trying to rock him.
“I have no fucking idea. He’s fed and changed, I think he’s tired but he won’t sleep! He never does and it’s really starting to come between me and Zeek without having any sleep.”
Pulling my phone out with one hand I Google how to get a baby to sleep.
Swaddling? I look the image over thinking I can do that, why not?
Tossing my phone on the couch I grab an elephant print blanket from the chair and set Samuel on top of it. Tucking his arms to the side I wrap the blanket around him tightly and sit in the chair with him. Rocking him.
His little eyes find mine, his crying hysterically quieting.
Jillian slowly walks into the room her face pale and mouth agape.
“How did you do that?” she asks in disbelief.
“Does he have a pacifier or a sucky thing?” I whisper, not knowing shit about kids.
She digs one out of her nursing bra and hands it over. I rub it on his mouth and he takes to it like I just offered him a sucker.
His eyes close, his little suckling the cutest.
Jillian plops down on the couch with Layken in one of her arms. I was going to tell her about what I found out about my dad, but right now doesn’t seem like the right time. She looks stressed enough.
“Have babies they said, it’ll be great they said,” she nearly sobs. “I’m his mother and I didn’t even think to look up how to get him to sleep. I’ve been calling the doctor nonstop and they’ve been telling me all these scary things and it was as simple as wrapping him up?” she throws her arm out at us, her eyes glossy.
“You have a lot on your plate, Jillian, you have mommy brain,” I’ve heard that’s a thing, not sure if it’s true but my friend needs me to tell her anything at this point. “You are going to forget the most basic shit because your heart is so into this,” I explain.
She sets Layken in a donut looking pillow thing and her head falls in her hands. She’s overwhelmed.
“I’m trying. Zeek is trying, it’s just…” she exhales.
I reach over and grab her hand.
“You can call me; I can take them off your hands for a few hours. Long enough for you to shower, sleep, maybe eat,” I laugh, looking at the empty Pringle cans, and a package of crackers on the coffee table.
She laughs, wiping a tear from her cheek.
“Yeah well I’m being sent to a safe-house so that isn’t going to be an option,” she says with hesitation.
My eyes cut back to the suitcase, forgetting about it amidst the chaos.
“Safe-house?”
“Yeah, the club is in some shit and Zeek thinks it’s safer if me and the kids are hidden. Can you believe this shit?” She shakes her head, standing. “I don’t fucking run. Ever!” She throws a bottle in the diaper bag and looks over her shoulder at Samuel and me.
“I don’t think I’m going to go,” she mutters. “I mean, what example is Zeek setting if he’s giving me special treatment? We are a part of his life now, and that means his club. I need them to accept me, and I’m not going to gain any of the members respect if he keeps treating me like a princess.”
I sigh. “You’re right. Everyone still sees you as the sheriff. You need to go by his way of life if you’re going to commit to your relationship, babe.”
Jillian holds her arms out, wanting her son back so I gently give him to her.
The sound of a car’s engine can be heard running idle just outside. Jillian stands, looking out the blinds.
“Who is it?” I ask, looking down at Samuel’s button nose.
I have no idea. They’re just sitting there, Should I call Zeek?” she asks.
I open the front door to get a better look at who is parked out front. A black SUV is parked in the middle of the street, and a man with a dark hat and black sunglasses stares back at me from the passenger side. His arm resting on the window jam casually. Cocking my gun, I take a step off the front porch and onto the grass.
“Can I help you?” I holler, walking in the direction of the SUV.
The sound of motorcycles thunders from just up the road, and the SUV squeals tires racing off. There’s no license plate, so I can’t run the plates.
Zeek, Felix, and Machete pull into the driveway and I instantly dive into protective mode.
“What the fuck have you gotten Jillian into!” I holler, replacing my gun in my holster.
Zeek frowns at my tone of voice, a look of confusion crossing his face. Felix whips the black bandana from his forehead and shoots me an annoyed glare.
Suddenly Jillian is racing out of the house in a fury of pissed off girlfriend and mother.
“I want you to explain right fucking now what is going on!” She shoves Zeek in the chest before he is able to get off his motorcycle completely. Nearly losing his balance, he looks down at her with a hard expression.
As they start arguing back and forth, Felix makes his way over to me.
“What happened?” he questions. I think about telling him to go find a more experienced cop but decide against being a brat. For now.
“Some SUV was just sitting outside with a man staring at the house. He didn’t do anything, but he wasn’t exactly asking for a cup of sugar either,” I tell him, crossing my arms. The way the man’s head was drawn, and looking at the house you could feel the intimidation behind him.
Felix bites his bottom lip, his chest rising with a large exhale. The way tension sets in his shoulders I can tell the club has stepped into a fucking mess.
“I’m not going to the safe-house, end of story!” Jillian shouts.
She pushes past Zeek and heads inside.
Zeek strides up to me, his forehead wrinkled. “You didn’t see shit, got it?” he threatens.
I roll my eyes at his intimidation tactics.
“That’s because I didn’t see shit. Aren’t you going to go chase him down and do whatever it is you guys do?” I point at the street as if the SUV will just reappear.
“You just don’t know when to shut up do you?” Felix tilts his head to the side, eyeing me hungrily.
“It doesn’t work that way I’m afraid.” The softness in Zeek’s voice takes me aback. He really does care for her. “Jillian wants Felix following you around,” he informs.
“What?!?” Felix and I bark in unison.
Zeek smirks like the cat that ate the fucking canary, and I instantly want to rip his head off.
“You were seen with Jillian by a possible rival. You’re at risk and Jillian thinks it’s a good idea if you have a babysitter. So, baby, meet sitter.” Zeek points between Felix and I.
“Jillian!” I roar, my eyes narrowed at the front door of the house.
She pops her hip out and crosses her arms. “It’s happening. Get over it,” she snaps before turning around and going inside.
“You’re fucking kidding me! I’m not protecting a goddamn cop!” Felix protests.
“You are, end of. We will discuss the details after we get Jillian to the clubhouse,” Zeek declares, walking past Felix and toward his house.
“You’re taking her to the clubhouse?” Felix asks in disbelief. I’m shocked myself, she may be at risk here, but she’ll definitely be at risk in there.
“She’s my queen. My crew gets with that, or gets the fuck out,” Zeek declares. “When I’m sitting in the chair behind the table, she is the one that stands behind me. Get that?” Shaking his head, Zeek stomps off.
Felix looks at me with a hard expression, obviously not pleased with the predicament.
“What? It’s not like I�
�m entirely thrilled about this either,” I huff.
Felix
“When she’s at work, she should be fine, but when she’s off the clock I really want someone to watch over her,” Jillian suggests. She’s sitting on the couch with little baby rags folded on her lap. She looks every bit of a stay-at-home mother, but the flare behind her eyes tells me that spitfire sheriff is still very much there. She’s not my friend, nor my family. We both know it but respect each other enough to appease Zeek. I’m just not used to being this close to a law enforcement without the need to run or defend myself. It takes a lot of trust to lie next to someone wearing a badge and I don’t know Jillian enough to trust her. Biting my lip, I raise a brow at Zeek, not thrilled out of all the men around here he wants his Vice President; me, to play babysitter. I got shit to do.
Jillian looks at me with pleading eyes. “She’s all I have left, Felix.” I’m not going to lie, a piece of me wants her to get on her knees and fucking beg. That would very much please me to see a sheriff on her knees begging me for something. To see the tables, turn them and be at my mercy.
Taking a breath, I silently nod instead. Zeek killed her father, and though it wasn’t entirely his fault it’s still something he can’t take back and will always be making up to her. Therefore all of us will.
“It will be taken care of, babe. Now let’s get you outta here before we can’t,” Zeek demands with a cut throat tone.
Jillian gives a tight-lipped smile and finishes packing in the other room, leaving Zeek alone with me.
“I got her in this shit, I owe her this,” Zeek explains, knowing I’m not happy about any of this. I don’t want to roll over to the mafia either, but I’m starting to wonder what the fuck we got ourselves into.
“Why me, can’t a prospect do this shit?” I ask. I hate law enforcement, probably more than anyone and here Zeek is fucking making me protect one. He’ll regret this. I’ll make this bitch dirty before the end of all this. Watch.
He points at me with a serious face, wrinkles forming around his eyes.
“Because you’re the only man I trust enough to get the job done. Alessandra means something to Jillian, so you better stop seeing her as a cop, and start as a fucking kitten you’re protecting from the big dogs. Got it?”
“Got it,” I bite out. Little does he know, he’s feeding her right to a fucking alpha dog - me.
“Look, you’re my brother following me into this hell and you either have my back or you don’t. But I need to know right now,” he cuts the shit, and it hits me hard in my chest with reality.
“No, I have your back, it’s just going to take me some time to wrap my head around why you would jeopardize everything we have, for her.” I point in the other room, my voice low. We were raised not to trust them, and it’s going to take me more time to reprogram my DNA.
He shakes his head, rubbing his cheeks.
“One day, you’ll get it. Until then, you just gotta trust me.”
I grab his hand and fist it firmly in a brotherly manner.
“I trust you. Always have,” I say seriously. I’ve been by his side since I was a kid, and he’s never let me down once. He’s my cousin, but even more a brother. We have the same blood that runs deep for this club. There is no straying from that line of loyalty. My dad was killed by a rival gang when I was in my teens, and my mother was a club whore who ran out on us when I was an infant. I was raised by the club and would do anything for it.
“Then have my back, and protect Alessandra.”
“I will. I do.”
As attractive as Alessandra is, I want to put a bullet in that tight little ass. It’s in my heart to hate her, to want to defy and wreck her. It’s also in my nature to want to fuck the ever-loving shit out of her.
The question is how can I do both and keep my president happy?
Chapter 3
Alessandra
Sitting outside of the forensics laboratory I bite at my nails anxiously, the thought of what I’m about to do makes butterflies swarm in my stomach like a hurricane about to take over a major city. There will be no going back, the damage will be done and my badge will be scuffed with my defiance of the law.
Just as I think about turning around Billy walks outside with a black bag swung over his shoulder. His hair is more of an orange than red color, and his face is square and sprinkled with freckles. His cliché lab coat matches his geeky glasses perfectly. I watch him as he gets inside of his blue Mini Cooper and drives off.
I follow, as what I have to say to him I can’t have cameras recording. At a stoplight I flash my lights at him and he glances in his rearview mirror at me. He drives forward pulling over on the side of the road. Not much traffic comes through this side of town, as it’s the back way to avoid the highway. He must be on his way home; the other way would suggest he’s going for groceries or dinner.
I pull in front of him and park. Getting out I meet him between the cars and give a big friendly smile. The ground is hot beneath my boots, and the heat is so thick you can barely take a breath. There’s cactus and bare desert around us, the city just beyond a giant broken chain-link fence not far from here.
“Hey!” I say with too much enthusiasm. Shit, tone it down. Last time we met, it didn’t go too well. I’m surprised he even stopped, to be honest.
He gives me a nervous grin, the flare in his eyes telling me he hasn’t forgotten either.
“Hey Alessandra, is there something you need? Did I forget something?” He looks over his shoulder back in the general direction of the lab. His tense posture telling me he’s scared of me. The bulge in his slacks conveying he finds me attractive too.
I giggle flirtatiously and reach for the lapel of his blue polo.
“No silly, I just had a question.” I wrinkle my nose in that cute little bimbo way I do. Using my looks to my advantage.
He looks down, his cheeks turning a shade of red. His Velcro tennis shoes kicking at the loose dirt.
“Oh yeah?” he mumbles through a too big of a grin.
“Hey, what evidence did you pull from those casings from the Sin City Outlaw’s clubhouse?” I ask, trying to keep the lust in my voice so my personal emotion doesn’t cloud that. Hopefully he buys it, I don’t want to have to do what I did last time I needed information from him.
His head pops ups, his grin gone. My rose colored glasses turning a shade darker.
“You know I can’t tell you that,” he bites his lip looking out into the distance.
“Oh come on, I’m just curious.” I twirl my hair, popping my hip out. Trying one last time to pull the information I need from him before having to do it the hard way. The risky way.
His eyes rake me up and down the words I want to hear right on the tip of his tongue.
“I can’t… I’m sorry.”
“Fuck!” I roll my eyes, my fingers straining like I want to strangle the fuck out of his geeky ass. My flirt innocent act drops like a sack of ice, and anger replacing it. His face drops as I suddenly whip out my Taser and strike him right behind the shoulder. The device vibrates my palm as it shoots an electric current through his small frame. His body spazzes and he falls forward like a dead weight. I look around making sure nobody saw, but it’s deserted. I’m so going to hell.
“Why did you have to take the hard way,” I mumble, unlocking my trunk angrily. Tucking my arms under his armpits, I shuffle him up and toss the top of his torso into the trunk.
“Jesus you’re heavier than last time,” I heave, tugging his bottom half into the small space. I begin to sweat, my heart beating harder at the thought of me getting caught shoving a body in my car.
Closing the trunk, it hits his head making him come too.
“Alessandra!” He bangs around, his voice in complete panic.
“Are you going to tell me?” I ask, leaning against my car. My arms crossed casually as I watch the dirt dance in the wind. My back is covered in sweat and tickles as it drips down my skin. Damn it’s hot out here.
&nbs
p; “Damn it, I can’t believe you’re doing this again,” he mumbles to himself, and I silently giggle. Being a good cop isn’t just about following the law and the rules you swore by. It’s about knowing when not to follow and abide by them. I don’t bleed blue, I’m a darker breed than the badge on my uniform will ever understand. If I can get a lead on those shell casings, I’ll have something to put into the pockets of Sin City Outlaws and gain their trust. I’ve gone too many years turning my head from my father’s death. Not anymore.
My personal phone rings, grabbing my attention from the screaming man in my trunk.
It’s Jillian.
“Hey, is everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, I just got to the club. I’m so out of my league here. I don’t know what Zeek brought me to, but I’m not thrilled with this. I mean, I want to protect my kids, but the sheriff in me wants to run at these assholes,” she huffs into the phone in one long breath. “The girls won’t even look in my direction so he must have said something to them,” she continues, with a hint of pride in her voice.