Sugar and Skulls: Rebel Skulls MC Book One

by LM Terry

  He looks up smiling until he sees me. He tells her something and then jumps the steps heading towards me.

  What do I do? Well, I run. He yells my name, but I don’t stop.

  He doesn’t follow me. Was I expecting him to? I don’t really know. I don’t have time to think about it though because when I get home I see something more horrific than William kissing Penny. My bedroom door is gone. Gone as in MIA. What the hell?

  Jimmy clears his throat from behind me. I turn to see him sitting on the couch with a smug look on his face.

  “Two years, I’ve let you lock yourself away in that room. No more. I don’t know what you’re hiding but it stops now.”

  My eyes scan the trailer for any sign of Renee but evidently she’s at work. Well fuck.

  “I’m not hiding anything, Jimmy. I just like my privacy.”

  “Hmm.” He shrugs his shoulder and flips on the TV. “Your aunt is gone for the weekend so why don’t you get started on supper?”

  Bad thing number four, which is Jimmy, continues to plague me. I go to the kitchen as my mind runs rampant trying to figure out what I should do. The man from my childhood enters my thoughts. Sometimes you have to be mean, Jesse.

  I start supper, putting the sauce on to simmer. My eyes dart to my bedroom, my insides shake. This is bad. Real bad. I head to the bathroom and dig through the medicine cabinet finding the narcotics that are prescribed to Renee for her migraines. I grab a few and crush them up with a bottle of perfume and brush the powder into my hand. When I get back out to the kitchen I crack open a beer and dump all of it inside. I finish cooking and set the beer down beside Jimmy’s plate.

  “This is good. I think you’re a better cook than your aunt,” he compliments.

  He eats everything on his plate. Drinks the entire beer before asking me to be a sweetheart and grab him another. Soon he is staggering out and plopping himself on the couch. I swallow another bite praying to Father Gabriel’s god that the pills knock Jimmy out. They do.

  I sigh. I saved myself today. What the hell am I going to do tomorrow?

  As I’m packing a bag someone knocks on the door. I quietly shut my light off and hide in the closet. If it’s William I don’t want to see him and if it’s one of Jimmy’s friends I don’t want to see them either. The knocking continues and then the door opens.

  “Jimmy, Jimmy, wake up, you fuck. I got the shit.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Jimmy mumbles, still half asleep.

  “Fuck, dude. I’ll leave it right here. Clean yourself up, man.” Then the door opens and closes and it’s quiet again.

  I quickly finish packing a bag then tip toe out to the living room. Then I do something stupid. I open the case that is sitting by Jimmy. It’s filled with little baggies full of white powder. Fuck. I bet there are hundreds of them in here. Hundreds. So, what does this bitch do? I take them with me of course.

  When I get outside its dark so as fast as I can I make my way to old man Tom’s house. He’s gone for the month visiting his daughter in Phoenix. He gave me the key to take care of his dog while he’s gone. I unlock the door, feed, and water the dog then crash on the couch, exhausted.

  The next day I head to Big Dan’s hoping Raffe is there for his weekly appointment. He is. They are working on a leg piece now. I patiently watch while Dan works and when Raffe leaves I follow him out. “Hey, remember when you were looking into Jimmy a few years ago?”

  He eyes me warily. “Yeah.”

  “I have something of his I think your group might be interested in.”

  He laughs and shakes his head. “Jimmy is the least of our worries right now, Jesse. We got a shit storm going on that little girls like you wouldn’t understand.”

  It’s like a knife to my heart. Everyone pushes me off. Well, maybe not Dan but everyone else. Renee, William, my Dad and now Raffe. He isn’t going to help me. I don’t know what to do. I need to get rid of Jimmy or he’s going to hurt me. This I know for a fact. I see the looks he gives me. It’s the same look Rick gave me. The same one I saw on Gabriel’s face.

  Sometimes you have to be mean, Jesse.

  “Fuck you!” I yell at Raffe as Big Dan comes out from the shop.

  “What the hell, Jess? What’s going on?” Dan asks, stunned that I cursed at poor Raffe.

  “Nothing.” I turn and storm off.

  I head home. Jimmy is ripping the trailer apart. “What are you looking for?” I ask him. Dumb to poke at the monster I know but I never said I was smart.

  “A suitcase,” he answers angrily.

  “I think Aunt Renee has one in her closet. You going somewhere?”

  He stops and stares at me. “Fuck, no.”

  I shrug my shoulders. “What do want for supper?”

  He doesn’t answer and storms out of the trailer. I laugh and go into my aunt’s room taking all of her makeup, some of her clothes and then I head over to stay at Tom’s. I’m not staying at the trailer with no locked barrier between me and Jimmy. I have to protect what’s mine.

  Of course, William spots me. “Jesse, Jess. Wait up will you?” William yells. I keep walking. “What’s wrong? Why won’t you talk to me?” he asks after he catches up to me.

  “I’m busy,” I tell him with no emotion in my voice.

  “Okay. Hey.” He steps in front of me, blocking my way. I try to go around him, but he holds me by the shoulders. “I know what you saw. We need to talk.”

  I blink at him.

  “Come on, Jess,” he pleads.

  “There’s nothing to talk about. Now if you’ll excuse me I have things to do.” I try to shake myself out of his grip.

  “I was going to tell you about Penny. It just happened. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he says. I see the honesty in his eyes.

  But, he hurt my heart and guess what? It’s mine and I protect what’s mine. Sometimes you have to be mean, Jesse.

  “Just because you put your lips on mine and your hand between my legs doesn’t mean you owe me anything. I don’t care who you’re banging.” He winces. It was a low blow. I know. He didn’t want to hurt me back then. Gabriel made him.

  “Jess…” he lets his words trail off as he releases his grip on my shoulders.

  My shoulder bumps into his as I brush past him. “It’s fine, William.” My heart breaks into a thousand pieces as I walk away from him, they fall all over the sidewalk. I don’t stop to pick them up. Who needs them anyway? They were the pieces I reserved for William. I don’t need them anymore. Don’t look back. Don’t look back.

  When I get to Tom’s I shower and get dressed in my aunt’s black leather pants and black tank top. I brush my hair until it’s a shiny, blue-black temptation. Today, I take what’s mine. Trap County doesn’t belong to the Desert Devils and it sure as fuck doesn’t belong to the Rebel Skulls. It belongs to me. I’m one of a kind. One. The only one I can depend on.

  There isn’t one thing that goes on in this town that I don’t know about. Well, I didn’t see the Penny and William thing coming but what did I expect? I knew William and I were never going to be a thing. Too much happened to us back when we first met. Secrets both of us will take to our grave. It’s okay. I’m glad he found someone. I hope he’s happy. One of us should get a happy ever after and between the two of us, he is the one who deserves it most.

  It only takes me two days to sell all of the shit in the suitcase. I know what you’re thinking. I’m contributing to the shit show that is Trap County, but these people will get their drugs one way or another. Besides, I’m like Robin Hood, except I take from the users and give to the poor. Nobody recognized me with my skull makeup and the few who bothered to ask my name, I told them to call me Sugar. My grandmother used to tell me I was made of sugar and spice and everything nice, so it seemed appropriate.

  Anyhow, I know who needs money in this town. I’ve quietly infiltrated myself into this place over the years. So, last night I dressed in my skull outfit and in true Robin Hood fashion delivered the cash to those in need. All exc
ept for the portion that I will re-invest into buying more product. Like I said these people will get their drugs one way or another and this way I can make sure they are getting quality product. This time around it was probably junk because the Devils are strictly out to put green in their pockets. But, I’ve met the right people and I’ve been assured I’ll be getting some grade A shit from here on out. I’m going to push the Desert Devils clear out of here. No one will buy from them again.

  Monday morning rolls around and I head to the shop. Big Dan looks up from the counter when I walk in. He points to the stool across from him. “Want to talk?” he asks.

  “What do you want to talk about?” I ask, snapping my gum between my teeth.

  “What was going on the other day between you and Raffe?”

  I mindlessly flip through his book of designs. He reaches over and closes it. “Look at me, Jess.”

  I do with an exaggerated wide-eyed stare. He crosses his big arms across his chest and leans back in his chair, rubbing his hand through his beard with an expectant look on his face.

  Sighing, I stare up at the ceiling. “Remember when he was asking you about Jimmy from the Desert Devils?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, he lives with me. Well, not me. My aunt. I’m an unfortunate by-stander in the arrangement.”

  He leans forward placing his arms on the counter. “You’re shitting me.”

  “No, and I’ve been trying to help Raffe, but he doesn’t want it. He thinks I’m too young. So, it’s whatever. I don’t care anymore. If he won’t help me, I’ll help myself.”

  “What do you need help with?” he asks, a frown and a bunch of wrinkles form on his forehead.

  Shit. I said too much.

  “Nothing. I don’t need anyone’s help. It’s good. Life is good.”

  “A young man came around looking for you this weekend. Said you hadn’t been home, and he was worried about you.”

  I roll my eyes. “I was staying with a friend.”

  “Goddammit, Jess. I sense something going on with you and I want to know what the fuck it is.” He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him.

  “I’m. Fine,” I state dryly.

  And I am for the next year anyhow, life is good. I continue my weekend life as Sugar, selling drugs and giving all the money to those who need it. Renee and Jimmy don’t even notice I’m not living with them anymore. Old man Tom is letting me squat in the trailer out back of his property, letting me shower and stuff in his house. I pay him a little in rent and help him take care of the dog so it’s a win, win.

  That is until the suit lady starts butting her damn nose in my business again.

  Good news is she doesn’t send me somewhere else.

  Bad news is the good news I give you never lasts.

  Dirk

  ◆◆◆

  “What’s Big Dan doing for you now?” I ask Raffe.

  He pulls up his pant leg and shows me this sick piece with skulls and roses. “He’s got this girl that’s working for him, it’s her design. Pretty rad, huh?”

  “Big Dan has a woman working with him? Why do I not believe a word of this?” I laugh.

  “Not a woman. I said girl, fuck face. She is sweet and undeniably talented. He’s been letting her do a few designs on him and damn, bro, she is a natural. Jess has even been doing designs on herself. How she does it I have no idea. She’s a tough little cookie.”

  “Hmm. How old is she?” I swallow back half my beer and give Bill a one finger salute as he pulls up on his bike.

  “Turned seventeen a few months ago. That asshole Jimmy is snogging her aunt. I warned her straight up, he’s bad news.”

  “I need to get over there to see Dan. Maybe I’ll head over there this weekend.”

  “Yeah, you’ll miss the girl though, she doesn’t do weekends. Dan says she goes MIA every weekend. Big fucker worries about the little thing all the time. She’s a fucking knock-out. Don’t say that to his face though. I learned the hard way and now I keep all my wicked thoughts to myself.”

  I laugh hard as Bill walks up. He pats Raffe on the back and throws his cigarettes on the table taking a seat with us. “Howdie boys,” he drawls.

  “So, good news, the Desert Dipshits haven’t been able to sell shit in Trap. Some bitch, calls herself Sugar has the market locked down tight.”

  “Who is she?” Bill asks, with lazy interest. “You know we’re going to have to shut her down. It’s our county you know?”

  “Yeah, if you can figure out who she is let me know. Nobody is talking. She dresses in leather and paints her face like a goddammed skeleton.”

  I roll my lip ring between my teeth. “Raffe, are you losing your pretty boy touch?”

  “Fuck, man. My dick works fine, nobody is spilling. They love this bitch. I guess she takes care of the less fortunate and we all know there is plenty of that in Trap. So, yeah they don’t want to see us shove her out. She keeps shit rolling and the drugs are clean. Doc tells me overdoses are almost non-existent since she started selling.”

  “I want to meet this Sugar. Get me a fucking meeting with her, Raffe,” Bill says, leaving no room for arguments.

  Raffe sighs. “May as well ask me to get you an interview with the fucking Queen of England,” he grumbles and walks away, kicking rocks.

  Bill laughs and then runs his hands through his dark hair.

  “How did your meeting go with the worker?” I ask.

  “Bitch is still trying to find Jesse, to bring her in for the damn DNA test. Says she took off from her aunts wherever the fuck that is. Right now, she’s listed as a runaway. So, I’m just fucked, man.”

  “Well, shit. Wait…” my mind is moving pieces of a fucked- up puzzle around. Bill is studying my face as I try to put the edge pieces together and then slide the middle ones in place. No fucking way.

  “Bill, I think I might know where to find her. Plan on riding with me this weekend and we’ll see if I’m right.”

  “Got nothing better to do. If you help me find her I’ll give you whatever your filthy, non-existent heart wants.

  I grin and toss the rest of my beer back. How many seventeen-year-old girls named Jess are there in the world? And if my cousin is taken with this one then it might just be because she is one of us. Skulls have a way of recognizing their own.

  Chapter Eight

  Jesse ~ Seventeen years old

  ◆◆◆

  I’m watching William rub Penny’s swollen belly from behind a tree. They stopped in front of the grocery store. He still tries to talk to me. Sometimes he follows me around like a lost puppy, but I kick him to the curb each time. I shouldn’t be jealous. Shouldn’t be. But, a small, tiny, barely noticeable part is.

  It’s not like I’m girlfriend material anyway. I’m jaded as fuck and overall, just not a nice person to be around anymore. I’ve taken mean to the next level. Well that’s not entirely true cause everyone here loves me. Most people have figured out I’m her…Sugar. Yeah, tattooing myself wasn’t the greatest idea cause those things are hard to fucking hide. But whatever, nobody is going to talk. I know because the last time someone had the balls to utter my real name out loud while I was dressed as her they got a fucking bullet in their foot.

  I protect what’s mine.

  Anyhow, I’m trying to decide if I want to blow this popsicle stand and head to Cali. I’m tired of the desert. I long to see some fucking color. Like Jesus, this is the blandest place on the earth. I try to brighten it up with my murals, but you can only do so much.

  I rip my eyes from William and his pregnant girlfriend and head to the shop. Raffe’s bike is parked out front. I’m excited to see what Dan’s got done. He’s getting one of my best designs tattooed on his leg. It’s dark and sexy and I absolutely love that it is going on Raffe’s beautiful body. Even if he is an asshole and thinks I’m nothing but a kid.

  When I walk in they both look up and smile. I love it here. I’ll always love it here. Yeah, I will never make it to Cali sin
ce the thought of leaving this place makes my heart ache. I lean over to study Dan’s work. “It needs more shading there.” I point to the spot on the skull I’m talking about.

  Raffe laughs. “I always knew she was going to steal your business someday. As soon as she’s legit I’m switching to her.”

  Dan smacks him in the head. “No way is she touching you. She can only work on the ladies.”

  I laugh so hard I snort. “Whatever, big guy.”

  I head to the back to gather a few supplies. I’m working on a sugar skull piece on my arm. Dan’s been helping me. He gave up a long time ago on sticking to his I have to be eighteen before he works on me rule. I’m good at doing them on myself but sometimes it’s simply logistics and I just can’t reach or get the right angle.

  The door dings so I head out front to see if I can help since Dan is busy with Raffe.

  Fuck me. It’s suit lady.

  “Do you know you are listed as a runaway, Jesse?” she asks, not even bothering to say hello.

  Dan and Raffe both look up and Raffe audibly gasps. I hear him whisper a fuck under his breath.

  Her eyes roam behind me and when she sees him her face turns bright pink, her eyebrows shooting to her hairline. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Raffe has fucked suit lady.

  “As you can clearly see I’m not on the run. I’m here in Trap County right where you left me,” I tell her while yawning at the same time.

  Suit lady recovers and tugs on the hem of her jacket, composing herself. “While that may be, your aunt has informed me that she has not seen you in some time.”

  I laugh and take a seat on the stool. It’s been a year since my aunt’s seen me.

  “I need you to come with me, Jesse. I need to talk to you about a few things and you have to go back to your aunt’s. I’ll have to place you somewhere else if you don’t agree to stay with her. We both know that with your previous behavior issues and your age no foster family will take you. You’ll end up in a juvenile detention center until you turn eighteen. Neither of us want that so let’s grab your things and get you moved back in with Renee.”