“No.” I gritted out my answer but did hand her my keys. Once the door was opened we went to the back room and I booted up my computer and found the program, stopping any automatic actions.
The cameras were motion activated, so nothing had recorded since Friday. Thank God, it would be there. I backed up the tape and there he was and his mouth moved, but no sound came out, thank God, I didn’t have to hear him spew that shit again. I did some quick work on the program. It had an auto copy option and I started that going on a DVD.
“Did you know that your mom was supposed to marry my dad?”
“Yeah.” Jericho’s single word held guilt. “No idea he held a grudge though.”
“Well, he does.” I laughed a little. “Crazy is the only word for it.”
I did some quick maneuvering and opened the footage over to an editing program I used for my website, it had a video feature and I cut out all but the thirty seconds of my father closing in on me and smacking me into the corner of my counter before hurrying out of the shop, never even checking to see if I was alive. I thought I’d hurt all I could fucking hurt, but the cold way he left me—it hurt, which pissed me off.
I opened my YouTube account. Maybe this was too far but too damn bad, the world deserved to know what kind of animal he was. I posted the video to my Black Label YouTube account, and in a few more seconds I pulled up my list of customers, I hit the Barden list and I sent the YouTube link out to the whole fucking list.
“What did you do?” Jericho asked.
Lila had started laughing about thirty seconds ago because she understood what I’d done, we’d worked together to set this all up.
I checked the copy feature and we still had at least ten minutes until the CD was ready, so I circled around in my chair and gave Jericho a very satisfied smile. My father hadn’t thought of everything.
“I spent the last ten minutes cutting the video, only the good part, and sending it to almost every person in Barden, plus I put it up on YouTube so the world can see it for all I care.”
Jericho stared at me a long time before he cracked a grin. “You’re a scary bitch, Pixie. Rock’s a lucky SOB.” He paced my small shop. “Why aren’t we on our way to the police station to get Rock out, if it’s out on the net? The lawyer’s there waiting on us.”
It was my turn to be surprised.
“I texted him once you remembered.”
“So I figure that the sheriff will resist and if he has the whole day from open to when the ambulances leave, he can’t really do shit about it. I stopped the loop and saved all the video on this loop, so they can see it in whatever way they want.” I held my head as it suddenly felt like a vein burst up there.
“While you two were planning Rock’s salvation, I read the nurse’s paperwork.” Lila walked over to my mini-fridge and grabbed water. “Your meds are wearing off.” She shook out two pills. “Take these.”
“Yes, Mama.” It was one of the only times I used her nickname.
The DVD popped out and I stood swaying, but no one asked if I needed help. I walked back out to Mark’s car and slid inside, grateful to be sitting again.
In less than five minutes we were at the sheriff’s office and jail—it only had four cells and then the deputies transported people to Ardmore. The lawyer was tearing into the sheriff, when we walked back to the meeting room. I glanced back at Jericho who just smiled down at me. He’d been feeding the lawyer all along, I guessed. The pain started to dull then I walked into shouting and that created a whole new level of hell. One look at Gray and I turned and shuffled outside.
Lila followed me. “What are you doing?”
“Gray won’t listen, he’ll make us wait until Monday, but that’s not happening just because he’s been made a fool of.” I punched the contact for John Kendrick, the mayor.
“John.” I got to the point. “You have less than ten minutes before I file a suit against this city, Gray is being a dumbass.”
“Avery, you okay, honey? Your daddy—”
“Have Gail look at her email, ten minutes, then you’ll be in debt up to your eyebrows.”
I hung up. My head hurt.
Seconds later Jericho stormed out and punched the cinderblock wall. “Fucking lawyer kicked me out before I got arrested too.”
“Avery just called the mayor.” Lila pointed to me.
Jericho grinned. “You did what?”
“I just warned him I’d sue the town—well Rock and I together, we’ll be able to bankrupt them.”
Jericho walked back in the room and came out with a chair. I sat down and thought about heading back to see Rock, but I wanted to see him free, not locked up and helpless. He’d be so tight, fucked up from worrying about me. No, I’d wait until he was free.
“Son of a fucking bitch,” John Kendrick growled when he looked at me. “The whole damn town? Really?”
“You fucked with my man on the say-so of the man who beat me.” I snorted. “You should fire him, and I’m telling you now you got maybe thirty minutes to let him out before I call the judge and he’ll order it.”
The mayor stared at me. “You would play that card?”
“Gray did. No way would you’ve gotten that warrant otherwise.”
“Gray’s not that stupid.” But he didn’t sound convinced as he moved into the room.
Jericho frowned at me. “What the fuck was that and why you so chummy with Judge Olson?”
I sighed. “We’re a small town. And I was his triplets’ favorite babysitter, shit I babysat them two months ago, and I told him I’d be hanging with you guys, but he told me he didn’t care as long as I kept his girls. They’re 11 now, and still are a terror for anyone but me.”
“Really?” Lila just stared at me.
“Yeah. The judge likes me, a lot.” I just sat there with eyes closed.
Five minutes later Gray stormed out without badge or gun. I shook my head and watched the mayor walk past me frowning and strode to the deputy’s area.
The lawyer came out. “He’s getting someone to release both Rock and Rebel, no charges, even though Rebel did black the idiot’s eye.” He looked down at me. “You could’ve just told me you were the one who watched the triplets.”
“I was pissed and didn’t know you were local.”
“I’m not, but I’ve appeared in the judge’s court enough to know about the saint who saved his wife’s sanity.” The guy laughed. “He likes to tell stories in his chambers.”
Heat crept into my cheeks, I really didn’t like to talk about my connection to the judge—let alone have to use it. I’d avoided him the last month because becoming involved was different than being an old lady. He hadn’t called and I hadn’t either, not that we did that normally, but still, I didn’t want to hear the disappointment or hate in his voice, too.
“Come on.” I stood up and walked down the hallway and turned left and left again until we were at the locked door to the jail. I stood against the wall and waited. Jericho, the lawyer and Lila lined up beside me. The door opened with a bang and there he was. Seeing him made my world right again. Now I’d be safe, Rock was by my side.
He glanced from me to Jericho and then his eyes zeroed in on my fucked-up face. A fact I’d avoided thinking about by avoiding mirrors, but based on the way Lila had winced it was bad.
“Siempre te amare. Sin ti no puedo respirar. Te necesito en mi vida.”
Emotion filled me and my eyes filled with tears, but this was a happy moment, I wouldn’t ruin it with tears. Besides, if one tear fell, I might never stop crying.
“Stud, I need you.” I caressed his cheek, loving the rough stubble that tickled my fingers. He was real. Mine. And now everything would be all right. I trusted him to make everything right in my world—that’s what love did.
He gently picked me up cradling
me in his arms. “We done here?”
“Yup. Mark’s outside to take you three back. Someone’s coming for Rebel and me.” Jericho gave the biker nod.
Rock strode away and I heard the mayor say, “You will let me handle this.”
“Better get moving because I’m on the hunt.” Jericho spoke with a deadly certainty.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Rock
I couldn’t imagine life without her, and it killed me she’d been hurt because of me—my lifestyle.
“You look terrible.” I grinned down at her. Green and brown bruises marred her beautiful skin. I hated it. Each mark was a sign of my failure.
She leaned into my chest. “You feel perfect.”
She was hurting if she didn’t even bother to sass me back. “Who let her out of the hospital? And why am I out?”
“In the car.” Mama held the front door open.
I slid in the back of the seat and went to set her beside me.
“No, you hold me.” She pressed closer to me.
“You got it. I love you.”
Her sleepy eyes met mine. “I love you too.” Then fluttered closed again.
“Can she sleep? Why is she out? And what the hell happened?”
It took most of the trip back to the club for Mama to fill me in on the one-woman justice team who’d checked herself out of the hospital and called in every chip she had to get me out. Fierce—that’s how Mama had described her. I’d never had anyone willing to set fire to everything in her way to get to me released. Not that I didn’t love it, because I’d gone insane being locked up with her hurt.
I’d failed her in so many ways. Fuck, I couldn’t believe she even loved me after I’d been so careless with her. Thanking whatever god had saved her, I promised to do better in the future. Much better.
I carried her inside and laid her gently on the bed in the room I used at the club. Grabbing a blanket from the closet I covered her up.
“Rock.” Her voice groggy.
I quieted her lying down next to her. “Sleep, feel better.”
Time passed as I lay there watching her sleep while memorizing the deep bruise that marked her like a map of a foreign country. I would do serious damage to her father if I caught him, but I couldn’t even imagine leaving her side until she recovered.
A quiet knock on the door surprised me, but I moved quickly to keep it from waking her. Jericho stood outside the door and motioned for me to follow. I glanced back at her not wanting her to be alone, then I saw Mama almost hidden behind Jericho. Knowing she’d stay with her, I followed Jericho and Mama slipped inside, touching my arm when she squeezed past me.
“What?” I asked as soon as we were in the main room.
“We got business, lots of it.” I saw the Council sitting around the same back table where we always sat. With a tired sigh, I nodded to Rebel, the newcomer to our group.
“Now that we’re mostly here.” Jericho looked to each of us. “Gerald Townsend is in jail. We tried to get him first, but no luck. I put word out and have someone watching to tell us if and when he gets bail.
“Before we came back for Avery, we were putting some of Romeo’s men in place to watch Bound and Renegade, that’s done, so we should be able to get the leverage we need to remove him from this fucking club. Any objections?”
He’d asked before and again we all agreed. He nodded. “What’s Avery need?”
“Mama said to take it easy, wake her up every five hours and let her heal.” I scrubbed my face. “I should have kept a guard on her, I should’ve—”
“No,” Bear broke in. “You did right, and you can’t play that game, it’s like holding a gun to your head playing Russian Roulette. You did right, the bastard slipped in and we’ll make it all good for Pixie—you got me?”
I looked away, not arguing but not agreeing either. “Fuck,” I snarled and smacked the table. “Weasel. He’s out of my shop today. I called him, wanting him to go check on Avery, and just as he was finally agreeing, the sirens started. He fucking hung up and left, leaving me blind.”
“Motherfucker,” Dare snarled and the other brothers shared similar curses.
“She’s going to be okay, so I won’t beat him to the ground, but he won’t work with me. I don’t do cowards.”
Jericho nodded. “I’ll deal with him after you fire his ass. Angel?”
“She can stay if she shows up straight to work.” Suddenly my fire was gone and exhaustion weighed me down.
“Okay. You deal with Weasel on Tuesday and we’ll know more about Gerald once he’s brought before the judge.” Jericho stared around the table. “I want two to three of us here besides Rock over the next couple of weeks. Shit is tense in town and one of our own hurt, we need to be careful.”
The group broke up and I scraped back my chair.
“Come have a drink with me.” Jericho walked to the bar.
It wasn’t a request so I followed my prez to the bar. “Sit.” He gestured and I sat beside Dare and Bear. He set out three bottles. “Glasses?”
No one spoke and we each drank deep from our own bottle. The burn of whiskey on my throat was perfect, real in a way nothing today had been.
“I know Mama told you what happened, but man, I gotta tell you I was wrong. Pixie has more than enough biker in her, shit, I don’t know if I could’ve stood up and swallowed down the pain she did to go to you.” Jericho met my gaze. “You both into pain?”
I laughed and choked on the whiskey going down. “No, she doesn’t like pain, but she’s been hanging with Marr, so maybe the tough just rubbed off—I mean about the pain.”
“One of the three of us will be here for the next couple weeks. This is too good an opportunity, I think Renegade will strike, but hell if I can figure out how or where.” Jericho nodded to Dare. “He’ll be at Marked Man until Pixie heals, after you send Weasel on his way.”
“Don’t fucking send him my way. No cowards work for me,” Bear growled. “He should be sent packing—to run from helping one of our women—worthless bastard.”
“I heard you the first and the second time,” Jericho growled back. “We’ll see when he comes to me.”
Dare clapped my back. “You need anything? This shit got intense too fucking fast.”
“Nah, I’m good.” That was a lie. “Just kicking myself for fucking up.”
Dare nodded and Bear opened his mouth.
“Shut it, Bear,” Jericho snapped.
We drank in silence a few minutes. “I’m going back to her. Thanks Jericho, for having her back. And you two—I appreciate the support.”
“Fuck that.” Dare stood and pulled me into him for a tight back-slapping hug. “You’re my brother, our brother, we stand for family.”
“Yeah.” I stood back and tears pricked my eyes, not that I’d ever let them show. “You guys be safe. Holler if you need me, otherwise I’m crashing.”
Avery looked worse the next day but by Tuesday, she was better, and feisty.
“Rock, you will fuck me or I will take the paddle to you.” She grinned at me with her split lip.
“Another day or two, I’ve screwed everything up and I don’t want to screw this up too.”
She didn’t even respond just limped around me and marched to the door. “Mark,” she yelled. “Bring me my black bag from the lake.”
“Goddammit, Avery.”
She ignored me.
Mark jogged up to our door with the bag. “You okay, Goof?”
“No, but I will be.” She grinned and shut the door in the boy’s face.
“Strip and put your hands on the cement wall.” She barked the command. “I’m done with this guilt of yours, so I’m stripping it, even if I have to call Marr for reinforcements.”
God the paddle soun
ded good, pain sounded good. My head was so fucked up I wasn’t sure which way was even up anymore.
I let my cut fall to the bed and pulled off my wife beater before shedding my jeans, my feet were already bare. I placed my hands on the concrete and spread my legs shoulder width apart—braced for any blow, every blow.
The wheel worked over my ass, digging deep until a trickle of blood ran down the back of my thigh.
“Feet, left first.”
I bent my knee giving her the sole of my foot, how had she known about that place. Marr must remember everything.
The bite of the wheel shot pain up my calves and into my ass. Pain built beautifully inside me.
She tapped my right calf. “This one.” Again she started hard, pressing the wheel into the tender flesh of the bottom of my foot. But that barely registered compared to the pain of all my weight resting on my injured foot. Pulsing pain shot through me, absolving me.
“You like that?”
“Yeah.” I wheezed. “More please.”
“Stud, you’ll burn until every smidge of your guilt is ash.” Her voice deep and commanding. “You able to support yourself with one hand when I use the paddle?”
“Yes, why?”
“You will hold the wand to your balls and each ten strokes you’ll turn it up again until you reach the highest setting.”
I froze and a chill raced through me. Devious woman, she’d figured ways to punish me the way I needed.
“Yeah,” I stuttered already hard from just her description, her voice.
She caressed my raw ass. “You want more, don’t you, stud?”
“Please, God yes,” I begged, totally lost in my need.
“Give me your hand,” she purred.
I held out my left hand. She shocked it and I shuddered. “It’s on 8 which means you get maximum force for 10 if you make it that far.” She grasped my left hand and guided it to my balls. “Feel free to apply it where you need it.” Her breathy whisper excited me.
I heard her rustle in the bag. “I count today, you enjoy.”
The paddle hit my aching ass. “One,” she said in that same sexy way. “Oh, stud, you can come, and I’ll still punish you.”
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