by Sam Crescent
Over and over, she lashed back, hitting Melanie, taking the woman by surprise by the sheer force. She slammed her fist, once, twice, a third time, and she went down. Stepping back, she waited.
Melanie got back up.
The crowd was going wild, but Tabitha didn’t care.
She hit back. Melanie hit her.
Pushing out the rage and pain, she just unleashed hell, and her opponent took it.
Finally, after what felt like an hour, the ref called it a draw. There was no winner, but she and Melanie were both bleeding, panting for breath.
Her dress was torn in a couple of places but she didn’t care because she’d never felt so alive.
The last five years, without Simon, she’d been dying inside. The only saving grace for her was her son.
“You know, you are one hell of a fighter,” Melanie said. “It was an honor to fight against you.” She held her hand out and Tabitha took it. “Until next time.”
She didn’t agree. Climbing out of the ring, she went to Niles, who looked ready to vomit. “I called your parents.”
And just then, Tiny walked in and from the look on his face, she was well and truly fucked.
Chapter Four
“Are you fucking insane?” Tiny asked, pacing the length of The Skulls’ clubhouse. In the corner, she spotted Devil. She hadn’t realized he’d turned up in Fort Wills. Did that mean another family get-together was happening or was this about Simon?
They all had a tendency to meddle where they didn’t belong and she was sick of it, and sick of them.
“Tiny,” Eva said, going to his side.
He shook her off. “Niles is a nice guy.”
“Yep, he is a nice guy. You shouldn’t be blaming him for what happened.”
“I’m not blaming him. I’m blaming you.”
Sandy stood in front of her, patching up her face. “You took a couple of good hits.”
“The woman I faced was a damn good fighter.” She smiled at the other woman and winced.
“Yes, a damn good fighter and this is going to sting for a couple of days. I don’t know what you’re going to tell Nathan.”
“I fell down or something. He doesn’t need to worry. There’s nothing he needs to deal with. He’s just a kid.” In the past few hours, the aches had started up. Her knuckles were split and bruised. She also had nice discoloration on her stomach and chest. Melanie had even kicked her a couple of times for good measure.
It had been fun.
There, she said it.
“I don’t know what the trouble is. Niles and I, it’s never going to happen. We’re not going to be anything other than friends. Especially now, I feel like he’s a little tattler. There was nothing to worry about.”
“You were fighting!” Tiny yelled. The sound echoed around the room. A couple of the guys didn’t look happy. Daisy held her hand. Anthony was in the corner with Miles. She didn’t know where everyone else was.
She’d slowly been distancing herself from the club. She didn’t know why, just that it felt right to do.
“And? It’s not like I was in Vegas, was it? At Grandpa’s place, killing people. No. it was civilized.” She spat the words right back at him, watching as Tiny and Devil shared a look. “Is that why you’re here? To go and see Simon?”
“I’m aware of his sudden appearance in Vegas,” Devil said.
“Yeah, so am I. He’s making quite a name for himself.”
“We believe he may try to reach out to you,” Devil said.
“He can kiss my ass.” She wasn’t going to forgive him or have anything to do with him. “What do you want from me?”
“I was wondering if you would consider a move to Piston County,” Devil said.
She huffed. “No. I won’t consider a move. This is where I live.”
“I want to deal with Simon and to do that, I’m going to need you to lure him there.”
“Piston County isn’t my home. You think I’m just going to move Nathan to somewhere he doesn’t know?”
“Nathan and you are family.”
She shook her head. “No, we’re not.”
“You’re still married to my son.”
“And guess what conclusion I came to today. I’m going to be divorcing him as well.”
Silence rang out across the clubhouse. She winced as Sandy dabbed at her cheek.
“What? Have I surprised everyone?” She looked at her dad, Devil, and Daisy before returning her attention to Devil. “I went on a date tonight and deep down, I felt like I was betraying some kind of pact I have with Simon. He’s not here. He’s off playing around and I’m done. I’m done waiting for a man who doesn’t have the balls to come back to me.”
“I don’t believe you’ve thought about this.”
She forced a laugh. “Are you kidding me right now? I have thought about this. Since we were kids, you were both trying to keep us separated. Always meddling. Always doing whatever it was you do to keep us apart. Guess what, it worked. We’re apart. I want a divorce!” She pushed Sandy away.
“I don’t want this. I had fun tonight. Do you even realize that? The first time in my life I actually had fun and it was fighting. I’m not going to give that up.”
“Tabitha, if Simon comes to Fort Wills, it could start a war,” Lash said.
This made her pause as she turned to the club president. One look at Lash had her gaze going to Anthony.
Her friend stared back at her.
“What do you mean?”
“As part of the turf agreement, Simon is never to set foot on Fort Wills land. If he does, we breach the peace agreement, and our club goes to war with the Dogs.” Lash held himself up tall.
“So we’re a bunch of pussies now? Is that it? We’re scared of the other club?”
“If Simon sets foot in this town, not only will it put The Skulls in an all-out war, it will put my son at risk,” Devil said.
“This is the agreement you made?”
“The Monster Dogs are not a club to mess around with.”
“We’re The Skulls,” she said.
“Yes, and you think I haven’t lived through enough death? I had to make a judgment call at the time. None of us could afford a war, and I’m not about to start one now.”
She stepped away from them. “That’s why you want me to come to Piston County. He’s safe there.”
“Simon can approach you and he’ll be safe.”
“Still, we’re protecting him while he does whatever the hell he wants. I need some air.” She walked away, shaking them off as she headed outside toward the benches. So many memories swarmed her but rather than fight them off, she embraced them, basking in the feelings of a time when life was simpler.
Their love.
Tears filled her eyes. One of which was starting to swell.
She heard footsteps and then felt Miles’s arms around her.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” she asked, burying her head close to him. She knew a deal had been made but not the ramifications of that deal.
“I wanted to, but you were always hurting. I didn’t want to make it worse. Lash and Devil made the right call at the time. We all knew it. Also, in the beginning, there was no risk of Simon coming back.”
“And you think he will now?”
“Yes. Showing up with Grandpa, it shows he’s close to us now more than ever. He’s coming for you, Tabs.”
She didn’t believe it. “Tell me, have you talked to him? Called him? Anything?”
“No. I haven’t spoken to him. Simon and I, we were never close, not really.”
She sniffled. “I hate this.”
“I know.”
“I want to be over him. I do want a divorce.”
“Simon won’t give you a divorce and he’s coming for you, no one else.”
“Come on, you can’t believe that.” She pulled away, wiping at her eyes and wincing. There were certainly consequences for being in a fight and for not being in a fight for a very long time. �
��I don’t want to make this choice. I forgot how much it sucked getting hit.” She was in so much pain, physically and emotionally.
“That’s what you get for fighting. Was the chick hot?”
“Even now, you’re all about the sex.”
“Hey, I’ve got to keep my reputation up some way.”
“What about Constance?” she asked, groaning. “I’ve been such a crappy friend.” With Nathan, work, and her life doing a complete three-sixty, she’d turned her back on close friends.
“You’re not a bad friend. Constance is away at college. She’s studying art or design or something.”
“Yeah, I did hear some fancy college was willing to pay for her scholarship.” Tabitha looked at her brother. “You know, the same scholarship she didn’t apply for or have any knowledge of.”
“What are you getting at?” Miles asked.
“I know the truth. What I’m wondering is why you’d do it.”
“She’s talented and I want her to have the best life she can.”
“Being halfway around the world.”
“She wanted to travel,” he said, shrugging.
Tabitha shook her head. “So the girl you’ve been crushing on for a lifetime is halfway around the world, traveling, for what? For you to miss her?”
“No, for when she gets back, for it to be all out of her system.”
“Do you think she’s going to come back?”
“One day.”
“And you’re waiting for her?” Tabitha asked.
“Yeah, I’m waiting. I’m not living like a monk and she’s, you know, living her life.”
“You never told her how you felt?”
“Didn’t want to.” He shrugged again.
“You’re as stubborn as Dad.”
“Yeah, and the stubborn gene completely missed you.” The sarcasm dripped from his lips.
“Wiseass,” she said. “I’ve missed this.”
“You need to come around the clubhouse more often.”
“Why don’t you come and see me at home?” she asked. “I can cook, you know.”
“Yeah, but you see, being a prospect doesn’t exactly come with a whole lot of perks.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, I’ve got to do a lot of shit I hate doing. It’s all part of the job and most of them fucking suck, but once I get my patch, I’ll be there.”
She looked toward the clubhouse and sighed. “I’ve got to go to Piston County, don’t I?”
“You don’t have to go, but if we’re all right, then Simon’s coming back for you. If you want to see him dead, stick around. I’m sure we can take on the Monster Dogs and Chaos Bleeds. We’re badass. If you don’t, then you’re going to have to consider it.”
“Even if I stay long enough to serve him with a divorce?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Will you come and visit me?”
“I’ll try to.”
She stared at her lap. Her hands were a mess. The fight tonight. The fun she had, it was starting to ebb away, leaving nothing but the memory of the pain and loss.
“I’m tired of waiting, Miles. I … the date tonight. Niles, that’s my date’s name.”
Miles burst out laughing. “Talk about keeping it close to family.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“I can just see it now. What a way to dampen the mood. Like mid-sex, you accidentally call my name.”
She hit him in the stomach. “You’re gross.”
“I can’t believe you went on a date with a guy named Niles.”
“He wasn’t that bad. Dad set it up.”
“That’s just worse. Dad set you up with a bore. Wait, is this the guy from the bank?”
“Don’t start.”
“I’m not saying a word.”
She felt his body shake with the chuckling. “It’s not funny.”
“I’m not saying anything.”
“No? But I can feel you laughing.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just, you on a date with a banker. Is he still alive? And how are you still awake?”
“It wasn’t too bad.”
“Really?”
She shoved him with her shoulder. “It wasn’t.”
“You decided on this not so bad date to go and enter a fight. You’re telling me that was just for the good of what? The universe?”
She sighed.
“Look, Tabs, I know this has been hard for you. I get it.”
She glanced at him. “I don’t think you do. There’s nothing for you to understand.” She blew out a breath. “What happened can’t be taken back.” She ran her fingers through her hair only to find more pain points, so she stopped. “I think fighting was a bad idea.”
“I bet you were a badass, though. You always were.”
“How did we get here, Miles? Seriously. I feel like I’m all alone in the world and I know that’s not true.”
“Maybe it feels that way to you,” he said. “After Nathan was born, you stopped coming around so much. I guess it can be pretty tough.”
Staring down at her hands, she felt this huge, empty hole deep inside her core. An emptiness that never seemed to be filled.
The Skulls hadn’t pulled away from her. She’d come away from them. It had been easier for her to do that than to take every single day waiting for them to hate her or Nathan.
“I’m going to go to Piston County.”
“Tabs?”
“It’s the right thing to do.” She pulled away from him. “I’ll miss you. I will. Always, but I’ve got to do this. Either to get closure on it, or to just get some answers.”
“He’s already taken so much from you.”
“Not really.” She reached for her necklace and held up the ring Simon had given her. “You see this, this is important. This is everything. I love him. I can’t stop loving him, but I know I can’t live like this anymore. I don’t want to. It’s not good for Nathan.”
“What about school?” Miles asked.
“They have schools over there. It’s all very civilized.”
“Ass, I don’t mean it like that.” This time, he nudged her shoulder. Finally, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you too.”
“You’ll be safe though, right? No funny business.”
“Nothing. I promise. I’ll be good.”
Chapter Five
Two days later
After dropping Nathan off at school, Tabitha headed back to her brand-new apartment. It wasn’t too far from where Devil and Lexie lived. It was a new build and expensive. She couldn’t have afforded it on her own, but it turned out Chaos Bleeds liked to invest in housing and apartments. She was living here rent-free.
After letting herself in, she made herself a cup of coffee and got to work putting her and Nathan’s stuff away. She’d done a lot the past couple of days. She hated living in mess. As she set up Nathan’s room with the toys he loved and the clothes already hanging up in his closet, there was a knock on the door.
Rubbing her hands down her jeans, she went to answer to find Lexie on the doorstep.
“Morning. I thought I’d come around,” Lexie said.
After recovering from breast cancer five years ago, Lexie looked like her old self. Her hair had grown back, richer in color than ever before.
“Sure, come on in.” Tabitha left Lexie to close the door. “You want coffee?”
“Love some.”
Heading to the machine, she had no doubt Chaos Bleeds had intended for her to live here from the start. The apartment was fully furnished. There was no need for her to buy even the simplest of things like pillows or lampshades. Everything had been catered to her every need, even in colors she liked as well.
Did Simon have something to do with that?
Lexie joined her in the kitchen as she added some milk to the coffee before handing it to her.
“You’re kid-free for a change,” Tabitha s
aid.
Her mother-in-law laughed.
Mother-in-law. It seemed rather odd to think of her that way, even after all these years. She poured herself a cup, the second one of the day, and sat down at the small table. The first sip had her closing her eyes, enjoying the taste.
“School days just lately, I’m always on my own,” Lexie said. “Not that it’s a problem. I’m always keeping busy.”
Tabitha smiled.
The awkwardness built with every passing second.
She took another sip, hoping for something to crop up so they could talk.
“How are you settling in?”
“It’s okay. Nathan’s trying to make the most of it.”
“He doesn’t like it?”
“This is his first time living in an apartment. He’s used to a yard so he can play. There’s a small park across the street. I’m going to take him to it regularly, so that should keep him occupied.”
“Crap, we took you both from what you knew and now you’re having to adapt already.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not.” Lexie closed her eyes, pursed her lips. “I honestly thought Devil was kidding. Why would he even agree to allow Lash to make that kind of deal that put Simon at risk? It’s fucking stupid.”
“It’s what needed to be done.”
Lexie frowned at her. “You’re not pissed?”
“I’m a lot of things, Lexie.”
“You haven’t answered my question.”
“Some shouldn’t be answered.” She reached out, putting a hand on Lexie’s arm when she got the sense the other woman wanted to argue. “Please, don’t let me open whatever that will. It’s not going to be good for either of us.”
There was a hole inside her and it was fast growing into something she didn’t like. The fight had helped her to let it out. Nathan had been shocked by the bruises on her face and the truth was she liked them. The pain helped her to feel alive. To know she was still human. She was still … herself.
Fighting had become second nature to her during high school. Since having Nathan and living her life, she hadn’t allowed herself even the luxury of watching people fight.