by Jayne Blue
“Is he running?” I asked. That was my fear.
“Yes. The authorities are issuing an all-points bulletin for him, but we’ve got him covered you and me.” The Judge winked at me and acted like I gave a damn. As if I would be happy that he could help my Daddy escape.
“What did he ask you?”
“Just to slow things down on my end. I’m going to be sure David and his partner are monitoring his exit route so he can get through.”
“Monitoring.”
“I won’t have your family thrown in jail. Don’t worry.” The Judge made a step toward me and put a hand on my hair. I also could see the look in his eye that indicated he was ready for me to entertain him.
That was over.
“I’m not worried, Richard. I’m not worried in the slightest.”
“Because you know I’m on your Daddy and your side. Good girl.”
“Just the opposite.” I pushed his hand from my hair.
“What?”
“I have every single bullshit case you’ve handled uploaded to the cloud.”
“What cloud?” The Judge was confused. When it came to technology, he had Irene, not iPhone.
“The last few weeks I’ve been rifling through your files going back years, way back.”
“You? You’re supposed to be decorating. I indulged your whims.”
“Yes. And I’ve taken complete advantage of the situation.”
“What are you saying? What’s going on?”
“You’re calling off David. And when they bring my father in you’re not letting him go.”
The Judge was shocked and appalled that I would talk to him this way. I had never once done even the tiniest thing to rebel against him, and he wasn’t’ having it. “You won’t be dictating to me little one. This is absurd.” The Judge was so used to me being docile and passive. He believed me to be his pet. I’d played my part perfectly.
“Absurd? Absurd is you thinking I want my father anywhere but in prison for life.”
“Without him, without me, you have nothing,” The Judge said.
“You tell the police right now where Daddy was headed, and I won’t send all the proof I have to the newspapers.”
“What?”
“See? I showed him my phone.”
“Carl Perdue, arrested on trafficking, evidence disappeared, case dismissed by Judge Wexler. The next day a lovely deposit in your offshore account.” I slid my finger from image to image, and The Judge watched.
“Del Ray Hobbs, arrested on murder charges, witness statements were thrown out, case dismissed by Judge Wexler. The next day that account again gets a line in your ledgers. Which you keep right here.” I walked over to the cabinet and presented the drawers like I was on a game show.
“You betrayed me. You were mine! How could you? And you betrayed your own blood. What kind of whore does that?”
“Oh, very nice Richard. You call the police right now.”
He did as I asked through pinched lips. I listened as he told the police where to find Sonny Maldonado.
“M-50 where it runs into Walcott.” He hung up the phone.
“Good work. And tomorrow. When they show up in your courtroom, there will be no mercy or special deals. You hold them all over with no bond.”
“Or you’ll do what? You ungrateful whore!” The Judge walked forward and slapped me hard across the face. I didn’t know he had it in him, and it stung. I put a hand up to my cheek. But although it hurt it didn’t knock me down. He wasn’t strong enough. He also wasn’t fast enough.
A hand pulled him back, and he went tumbling away from me. The Judge kept his balance but barely. He backed up, and his back was at the bank of windows in the office.
Ryder. Shit. He’d seen The Judge slap me. I was scared. I didn’t want him to ruin his future because of Richard Wexler. There was murder in his eyes.
“You talk to her, touch her, even think about her again in your pathetic life and I kill you.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m Ryder Montrose, and I’m the last thing you’ll see if you ever come near her again.”
“Ryder don’t!” He was about to punch him in the face. I figured that would shatter the man’s jaw. I grabbed his arm.
“Why don’t? This asshole has treated you like property for months.”
“Because. I want to.” There needed to be blood and violence. That was a language I grew up with. That was what I knew, but I knew it couldn’t come from Ryder.
The rage I’d suppressed. The hate I felt for my Daddy and for every second I’d spent tethered to The Judge boiled up.
“You’re just as base as you father.” The Judge was now hurling insults in my direction. I balled my fist tight and with the same force I’d hurled a rock at my Daddy’s henchmen on the side of the road so long ago now, I used to punch Judge Richard Wexler square on the jaw.
And he went down hard to the uncarpeted floor of his office.
“You’re no different than your thug father. You’re a Devil’s Hawks idiot just like the hundreds I’ve had in front of me,” The Judge wiped a streak of blood from his mouth.
“Actually no, she’s a Great Wolf and don’t fucking forget it. You ready to get out of here Jules?”
“Yes, yes I am.”
He took my hand, and I left the room that had been my jail, my humiliation, and my punishment for striking back at Daddy.
I spit on the floor as I walked out the door.
***
First, my father came into Judge Wexler’s courtroom in chains. Kyle Duvall told us he’d sent a team to cut off his escape route thanks to the tip I’d forced out of Richard.
Daddy looked at me with cold fury. I didn’t flinch.
Judge Wexler held him over, no bond, and scheduled another court date. His eyes darted from me to Kyle Duvall, to Ryder, and then to a diminished Sonny Maldonado. I had never seen my father penned up. I’d never seen him any way but in charge and intimidating.
“Did you want to talk to him. Say anything?” Ryder was by my side as the man who’d manipulated my entire life shuffled forward and back into the holding cell area.
“No, I really don’t. He knows I’m a part of putting him behind bars, and that’s all I need. I’m done with his dictating my life. I mean totally done.” I didn’t want a final scene. I didn’t want to let him know how I felt. I didn’t want him to have anything of me at all. Ever again.
“Good. Okay, Princess.” Ryder took me in his arms and hugged me. For all my brave talk I did feel fragile, brittle, and a little out of my mind when I thought about what we’d just pulled off.
Daddy didn’t make a scene either. He looked as menacing as ever, and I feared he’d try to get his revenge. But for now his club was in tatters, and he was facing a list of charges a mile long.
At the end of the day, sixteen Devil’s Hawks were arraigned and held.
The Judge played his part. He did what I instructed. He would live through today with his Judgeship intact.
But not much longer.
After the last of the Devil’s Hawks cases completed for the morning, Ryder and I left the courthouse.
Special Agent Kyle Duvall was also there, finally leaving after a crazy day in court.
“So I got the files you sent on The Judge.” I had promised not to give them to the media when The Judge gave up my dad. I had not promised anything about the feds.
“What will happen next?”
“You’ll be contacted by someone from my agency.”
“Not you?” Boone was a scary looking biker, and somehow Kyle Duvall was a totally different kind of imposing. He so completely looked like he was one of Daddy’s Hawks it was still startling to see him shaved, in a suit, standing like there was steel in his spine.
“No, I’m off to another assignment. You two did great work here, though. You should be proud.” Duvall looked at Ryder and put out a hand.
“Thanks, Duvall, ever get up to Grand City let me know. I owe
you a beer.”
“Thanks.” Duvall gave us a smile, something I’d never seen him do.
“What’s your next assignment?” I asked.
“Well, I’m obviously no longer under cover so your guess is as good as mine.”
“Thank you Boone, I mean Kyle. I went up on my toes and gave the mountain of a man a hug.
“Just doing my job.” And with that Kyle Duvall left Ryder and me alone. Stunned. And for the first time free.
“You seem to like that Duvall, do I have to worry?”
“Maybe. He’s pretty handsome.”
Ryder grabbed my hand and tugged me close to him. He talked low in my ear, “You’re mine princess.” And then he bit my earlobe.
I had no doubt we were headed to my apartment.
The elevator closed, and his hands were on me. His lips were on me like we were starving.
“Ryder.” I breathed his name out as his kisses trailed down my neck. The doors opened to my loft, and Ryder lifted me up and carried me across the room to my bed.
We kissed forever as his hands smoothly took off every single stitch of clothes I had on. My blouse, my skirt, my panties, all slowly gone as Ryder took his time.
I couldn’t control the sighs and the moans that escaped my lips. The pure pleasure Ryder gave me.
“I’m never letting anyone else touch you. Ever again.” He said and for a moment he lifted up and looked at me with a fire that was intense. I felt burned. Scorched.
“Oh yeah, well same goes for you. And don’t boss me around.” I pulled him down to me and reached for the metal belt buckle that held his jeans on. I unhooked it and slid down his jeans over his hip bones. I loved those hips.
Ryder pushed inside of me, slow, hard, and deliciously. The problems of the world, the Hawks, the Great Wolves, all of it melted away.
“God you feel so right, Jules. God.”
And I gave myself to Ryder completely, forever, no matter what happened next. I was his, and he was mine.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ryder
It didn’t take long to weed out the good from the bad. Great Wolves Southwood had about a dozen new probies thanks to the destruction of the Devil’s Hawks in their town.
The worst were in jail awaiting trial, the middle of the pack had scattered all over the country, and the best, the guys who were truly interested in something different, but still being in an MC trickled into the Great Wolves.
“It’s going to be a while until I trust the probies but I feel like we got the best of them.” Cruz was showing me plans for their new Wolf Den. As we talked about it was on the same piece of property as the Great Wolves Auto Body Shop.
“Consolidating your resources while expanding your base. I’d say you’re a brilliant Prez Cruz.”
“Thanks. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Ah, yeah we could.” Bret came over and punched me in the arm.
“Enough of that.” I scooped her in a hug which she thoroughly hated.
“Ugh!” She squirmed, and sure enough, Nero wasn’t far behind.
“Call off your attack Nero. I’m done hugging her.”
“What?” Nero raised an eyebrow at me.
“You guys are all set?” I asked as Polk closed the cash drawer and came over.
“We’re good. The computer, the schedule, the marketing plan. Great Wolves Auto Body is ship shape!” Polk had gone from cursing at the computer to slapping anyone’s hand who touched his baby.
Ridge finished his business with Cruz, and we were all set.
“You guys don’t be strangers. Doors always open here.” And I hugged Cruz. He was a great Prez. The club was going to be okay here, thrive, I knew Sawyer was right in investing in them. Now that the Hawks were out of the picture they had a chance.
“Remember Oswald needs to see you when he closes. Keeps him calm.” Ridge was telling Cruz.
“Yep, he’ll be the first stop every night. First, of 30 stops.”
“Damn right.” Great Wolves Security in Southwood had expanded too thanks to Ridge’s help. We were leaving this club on a high point. It felt good. It must be what Sawyer felt like when he saw his MMA gyms do well.
Shit. I was getting so adult, identifying with Sawyer these days.
“Later brother,” Cruz said, and Ridge and I rolled out. I’d miss these brothers for sure, but I had business.
Ridge and I rode a few blocks and then stopped when I had to turn off and go my own way.
“You thinking three days or so,” Ridge asked me.
“Yeah, that seems right.”
“I don’t. Seems short to me. I’m telling Sawyer you ain’t coming back until next week. Tops.” I followed Ridge’s eye line, and there was Jules. SCAD t-shirt, tight jeans, wavy hair, growing out and wild. She was hauling a single suitcase.
“Hi, Ridge.”
“Jules.”
“You ready Ryder?”
“Sure am. Let me put your bag in the back.”
“Have fun you kids,” Ridge said and revved his engine headed for Grand City.
“I like the t-shirt.”
“Yeah, feels good not to wear clothes to please The Judge.”
“No need to call him that anymore, not according today’s paper anyway.”
The headlines blared the corruption charge against Richard Wexler. A special judge had been appointed to the Devil’s Hawks cases, and Wexler was now under investigation himself.
Jules had done that. Jules had taken him down.
I was so fucking proud of her.
“Anything about Daddy today?”
“He’s hired some new lawyer. The paper’s here, you want it?” I fished it out of my bag.
“No. I don’t want to think about any of it for a while.”
“Okay, let’s ride. Hold on tight.”
“Sure.” Jules climbed on my bike, and we rode all the way to Benton Harbor. She leaned her head on my back, my shoulder, and I could have ridden that way for days.
But we had an appointment to keep.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jules
I wore my favorite t-shirt because Ryder loved it. Because I loved it. Because it represented a time when I was me without Daddy. And I was there again almost, doing what I wanted, but this time, I had Ryder by my side.
It was a new beginning.
I had my SCAD shirt, a long white gauzy skirt, and my Chuck Taylors. I walked up the steps and across the sand, and there they were.
Ryder and Violet stood on our beach. He had his board shorts on. I fucking loved those board shorts. Violet looked like the gypsy queen she was, the setting sun highlighted her dark curls.
We also needed a witness which we didn’t have until Gus Simansky, owner of the Covert Campgrounds, agreed to stand up with us. He said this was a first for him.
Gus Simansky watched as Ryder and I stood hand-in-hand. He slipped a ring made from stones from this very lake on my finger and then kissed my palm after.
Violet presided over my pink aura, and, since she was legally some type of new age minister and fully licensed, married me to her son.
“Now that you have joined yourselves in matrimony, may you strive always to meet this commitment with the same spirit you now exhibit. We all bear witness to this ceremony you have just performed and you may now call yourselves by those old and respected names, husband and wife. Bless this union. You may kiss the bride,” she told me it was an ancient blessing. I loved it. It was beautiful.
Ryder leaned in and kissed me. We were husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs.
I took his name. Maldonado was a bad idea we both agreed, what with Daddy’s case winding its way through the courts and the newspapers. I needed to break from it all the way around. I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to do what I chose. I wanted to wear what I chose. I wanted to marry whom I chose.
And I chose the name, Juliet Montrose.
“You may also stop kissing the bride anytime soon, I’m not getting any
younger.” Ryder leaned back, and we both took a breath of air.
“Thanks so much Violet, for doing this.”
“It was a blessing to me. A true gift.” She enveloped me in a hug that smelled of essential oils and felt like the warmest light.
Gus made his leave back to campground gift shop. Violet stayed on a bit and had a glass of wine with us. It was all the wedding reception I needed.
“You don’t need Pinterest, fifty bridesmaids, and a website. You just need love. Brides today are getting it backward,” Violet raised a glass to Ryder and me.
“So true,” I said.
“Oh, I have a check for you.” Violet reached into her colorful patchwork bag.
“Mom, I said no gifts.” Ryder looked annoyed.
“Oh, I know. It’s not a gift. It’s her cut.”
“What?” Ryder said, and I suppressed a smile.
“Yep. Your Mom has been helping me distribute my designs in shops across the state.
“What?”
“Yep, I’m making a bit of money. Whoa. A lot of money.” The check had three zeroes!
“Julery is getting more popular every day son. You’re lucky she’s an artist. You could retire early!”
“No chance of that. I just got word that Great Wolves MC Grand City wants me to set up another shop.”
“Yeah?” I was excited to see Ryder’s dream come true.
“If you’re in, we’re headed to Florida for a few weeks.”
“IN! Hell yes.”
“Oh, perfect. I’ll give you the name of some friends with shops all up and down the state.” Violet said and it looked like Julery and Great Wolves Auto Body would be on the road for a while.
I loved it. It was away from Southwood. It was on the road to something new. And it was with Ryder.
Plus, I could wear my Chuck Taylors. What more could a new bride want?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ryder
I asked her if she wanted a fancy wedding. She said no. I asked her if she wanted a fancy honeymoon she said no.
“All I want is you and me and the beach.” So I arranged it.
And there I was. Ryder Montrose was now a husband. I was the fucking luckiest husband on the planet. My wild bride had returned and was getting wilder by the day now that she was free of her Daddy and out from under The Judge’s wrinkled thumb.