by Beth Flynn
They knew there would be some challenges, and they were looking forward to putting those obstacles behind them. One hurdle came from an unexpected and surprising source. It was their first day home and after they unpacked Jonas’ meager belongings, they walked to Brad’s house to retrieve Chaos, who was jumping with joy when he saw them.
Their beloved Doberman’s excitement later turned to aggression. That night, while Jonas was making love to Lucy, she let out a scream that came close to rattling the windows.
“I knew you would like that, wife,” he whispered into her neck.
“I didn’t realize you were still holding back, Jonas. Don’t ever stop proving me wrong,” she moaned from beneath him.
He then reminded her that just like their first time making love in the cabin, his genius wife didn’t know as much as she’d thought. He started to tell her how he couldn’t wait to show her more when he let out a rip-roaring yell. “What the fuck?”
“What? What…” Lucy didn’t get a chance to finish asking what had caused the outburst when she saw the source of it.
“He bit me on the ass!” Jonas yelled incredulously. “I can’t believe he bit me on my fucking ass.”
After taking a nip at Jonas and being frightened by his shout, Chaos slowly backed away from the bed.
“Oh, the poor baby,” Lucy cried. “He must’ve heard me scream and thinks you were hurting me. Stop scaring him, Jonas.”
“Scaring him? He bit me, not the other way around. And poor baby?” Jonas asked while sitting up and examining his backside in the mirror that sat atop the adjacent dresser. “I’m relieved to see he knows how to protect you. But, he’s not supposed to be protecting you from me.”
Lucy sat up and tried to lure Chaos over to the bed. “Jonas, he didn’t break the skin. Maybe he was giving you a love nip.”
“If that was a love nip, I’d hate to think what he would’ve done to me if he was really pissed.”
“Let him know you’re not upset with him,” she pleaded. “Please?”
His face softened. “Sure, baby. I’ll let him know while I lock him out of the room so we can finish what we started.”
Lucy reached for her glasses on the nightstand. “I thought we were finished.”
Jonas climbed off the bed and called the dog to him. While scratching at Chaos’ ears and leading him out of the room, he told her, “I was just getting started, wife.”
They both knew not to expect perfection, so the next few months didn’t come as a surprise when they experienced several hiccups along the way. They’d trudged through a Christmas visit from Lucy’s mother. It took some convincing on Lucy’s part to reassure her that Jonas made her happy and wouldn’t be interfering with her future career. She also had to convince her that he was not a drug dealer or addict.
Lenny had pulled Lucy aside during Christmas dinner preparations and quietly asked, “Wasn’t he sitting at the table with those bikers all those months ago when we saw Christy Chapman at the restaurant?”
Lucy had just taken a sweet potato casserole out of the oven. Setting it down, she turned to her brother. “Yes, he was there.”
Lenny’s eyes looked worried. “Is he a biker?”
She nodded. “I asked him to park his motorcycle at my friend Brad’s house while Mom is here.”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Lenny had to fight back emotion when he told her, “I’m so sorry, Lucy. I wasn’t there for you this past year. I’ve been so wrapped up in school and thought you were too.” He brushed a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe you’re married to a biker.”
Lucy stroked Lenny’s arm. “Don’t be sorry, brother. Jonas is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Lucy, I know what the teardrops on his face signify.” He looked away, embarrassed. “I did a little research after that day at the restaurant.” He stuck his hands in his front pockets. “And it’s only a matter of time before Mom asks or figures it out on her own. How can you be with someone like him? It’s so not you.”
“You’re only seeing the outside. Can you trust me when I tell you I know the man who is on the inside?”
Lenny didn’t appear convinced.
“By the way. You have Jonas to thank for the new BMW you’re driving. Before you ask me, it’s not stolen.”
Lenny was too shocked to reply and by the time he’d found his voice, their conversation had been interrupted by the twins’ mother, who came in to see if Lucy needed help in the kitchen. The rest of Mrs. Renquest’s visit went smoothly, and by the time she left South Florida, she’d been completely charmed by her oversized son-in-law.
Lucy spent the rest of the winter biding her time in sifting through numerous job offers. She stayed happily involved in updating their home. She’d already completed the repairs she thought were necessary to sell the place, but now that they were staying, she dove in a little deeper with new appliances, furnishings, and more modern touches. She had no desire to move, especially since where they lived had never been an issue for Jonas. He’d made it obvious that for him, home would be wherever Lucy was.
She was gratefully surprised at how well he adjusted to their ordinary lifestyle. No longer a nomad, Jonas fell into a comfortable domestic routine. Lucy was amazed and thankful that he never expected the household responsibilities to fall on her alone—not that she minded doing them. Then again, he’d done his share at the cabin, so it shouldn’t have come as too much of a shock to her. Maybe it was because he’d been taking care of himself for so long. He had no problem throwing in a load of laundry when the hamper reached its maximum. He did, however, require a lesson in how to separate her more delicate items. He didn’t leave his clothes scattered around the house or dishes piled up in the sink. He occasionally took the wheel when it came to preparing meals and even commandeered the yard work away from the landscaping crew. Soon, watching her heavily muscled and shirtless husband from the picture window as he skillfully cared for their yard became one of her favorite hobbies. Right behind taking long rides on the back of his motorcycle and devouring books together on lazy Sunday afternoons.
Jonas still worked for Anthony and part-time at Ruthies, and Lucy promptly became an expert at removing blood stains from his clothes. She stopped asking him about the work he’d been doing for Anthony. He never had a problem telling her, but more than once, she’d cringed at some of the things he’d shared. She still couldn’t reconcile the man who spent all of his free time being the perfect husband as the same one who drove off on his motorcycle to engage in illegal activities.
Jonas knew his new bride didn’t approve of or condone what he did for Anthony, but like he’d told her on their wedding day, he couldn’t change who he was. And he loved her even more and with a ferocity he didn’t think possible when she made it clear she didn’t expect him to. Knowing she wasn’t holding him to a standard somehow made him want to live up to one. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done.
Old habits were hard to break, and Jonas still battled the demons who told him who he was and who he would always be. The one thing he didn’t have to battle were carnal desires for other women. They still threw themselves at him despite his continuous rebuttals, but he found their advances annoying rather than alluring. So much so that he finally put his foot down by spreading a rumor that the last one who’d pestered him ended up in the swamp behind Camp Sawgrass. He’d never abused a woman and never would, but just like the threat to the chancellor’s wife, it hit its mark. They finally left him alone and knew when he was at the camp, it was for club business and business only.
Lucy would be lying if she didn’t admit to wondering if and when their seemingly perfect life might come to an end. She figured it was only a matter of time before someone would come knocking on their door with an accusation, or worse, an arrest warrant. She knew there was the distinct possibility that Jonas could be connected to crimes he’d committed long before she came along. Not to mention more recent ones. She had to continuously battle
the nagging thoughts that their paradise could be shattered without warning. And she’d have to accept it because it’s what she signed up for and knew going in. She rarely allowed herself to give in to the haunting voices that whispered they were living on borrowed time. But her gut told her it was exactly what they were doing.
Chapter 62
A knock did come one day, but not one they’d expected. They’d just eaten dinner and Lucy was loading her new dishwasher while Jonas was roughhousing with Chaos in the backyard. During their meal, Lucy and Jonas had been discussing the job offer she’d finally decided to accept. She was contemplating whether or not to call the man who’d offered her a position. He was so anxious for her to join his team, he’d even provided his home number in the event it was after-hours. She was getting ready to pick up the phone when the low rumble of a motorcycle caused her to pause. It sounded like it was getting closer but then abruptly stopped. Moments later, the doorbell rang and Lucy opened it to a smiling and extremely pale Hobie. He was so thin she barely recognized him. He was clutching a book to his chest and timidly said, “I hope I’m not imposing.”
“Hobie!” Lucy exclaimed as she gestured for him to come inside. “It’s been months since I’ve seen you. What a nice surprise. You could never be an imposition.”
He accepted her invitation and as he passed her, she discreetly held her hand over her nose to mask the odor. It was obvious that Hobie hadn’t bathed in some time.
“I ain’t been around the camp for a while,” he admitted. “Not since your wedding now that I think on it. Anyway, I went back today and found this where I’d left it under one of the bunks.” He held out the book and said, “I don’t know if you have the faith, Lucy, but either way, I thought you might like the Bible I used to marry you and Brooks. I never did give the two of you a wedding gift. This was my momma’s. I hope you’ll accept it.”
It took her less than a split second to discern what was happening. Fighting back tears, she smiled warmly and asked him to sit down while she went to fetch Jonas.
Jonas promptly followed her into the living room where Hobie was still standing. He knows how he smells and doesn’t want to sit on the furniture. Lucy had to hold back a sob as she plastered on a grin and insisted he take a seat. Hobie refused.
“Where you been, old man? Jonas asked. “Bear said you told him you were taking some time away to spend with a lady friend. Why do I have the feeling that wasn’t the whole truth?” He exchanged a knowing glance with Lucy who was still holding Hobie’s Bible.
“Ah, I did meet me a nice lady, Brooks. Things were going along fine for a while.” He instinctively tugged at his long beard. “Then I got to not feeling so well and didn’t want to be a burden to my new lady, so I said goodbye. I knew if I went back to the camp, Miss Christy would’ve done what Miss Christy does. You know how she gets. She’d have me getting poked and stuck with all kinds of needles. But a man knows when to fight and when not to. And even more so when the fight is about to be called.” He bobbed his head in resignation and then collapsed in Jonas’ arms.
Lucy plodded through the next week in slow motion as she stayed by Hobie’s side while the experts delivered the prognosis she knew would break her heart. Hobie was seriously ill. He’d deliberately stayed away from people who could’ve and would’ve helped him because he didn’t want to prolong the inevitable. He’d been feeling so poorly he was certain when he showed up at Jonas and Lucy’s home he was days, if not hours, away from death. The specialists told him that with medication, proper nutrition, and good care, he had a couple of months, not a couple of days. That was when Lucy insisted, and Jonas agreed, that Hobie would spend his last months in their home. Hobie ringing their doorbell only moments before she was going to accept a job offer—an offer she’d been putting off for months—was no coincidence. She knew with every fiber of her being she was meant to care for him.
Lucy’s potential employer was disappointed but understood her situation. He was just grateful she agreed to accept his offer, even if it would have to be postponed. Her old bedroom, which had been converted to an office, was now furnished to ensure Hobie’s maximum comfort. Despite the hospital-issued bed and essential medical equipment, Lucy did her best to transform the room into an inviting space. He was visited every day by two different health care providers. One saw to the personal needs Lucy deliberately shied away from. She had no issue with bathing Hobie but didn’t want him to feel embarrassed by it. The other saw to his medical needs and trained Lucy in all that was necessary for Hobie’s care.
The days gradually turned into weeks, and during that time a special friendship formed between the pastor turned biker and the highly intelligent outcast turned biker’s wife. Caring for a dying friend wouldn’t be the ideal way to spend the first year of a new marriage, but Hobie had wormed his way into Lucy’s heart in the brief time they’d spent together to discuss the wedding ceremony. At first, Lucy thought Jonas might have had second thoughts about inviting Hobie into their home. He seemed to be avoiding the spare room and working extra hours at Ruthies. However, it didn’t take Lucy long to deduce that Jonas wasn’t upset because Hobie was in their home. He was upset because Hobie was dying. Apparently, the old man had found a place in Jonas’ heart as well.
Slowly, bikers started showing up to visit their sick friend. Lucy could tell the visits had been carefully orchestrated by Anthony and Christy. No more than three bikers ever showed up on one day or more than twice a week, and they were always on their best behavior. Even offering to stay with Hobie if Lucy had errands or chores that required her attention. She was wary at first, but Jonas and Hobie assured her that her concern was understandable but for naught. The men and women who came to visit were there to pay their respects to the one biker who’d always been the voice of reason in their rag-tag group.
On one particularly quiet day, it prompted a discussion. Hobie’s caregiver had just left and Lucy was busy replacing the wall art with posters of some of Hobie’s favorite things. While she was taping a poster of the Appalachian Mountains to the wall, she casually commented, “I’m so impressed with how Anthony and Christy seem to manage a biker club. Even our wedding was meticulously planned down to the smallest detail.”
“It’s not Bear so much as it is Christy,” Hobie offered from his bed. He was sitting up and sipping on a chocolate milkshake his caregiver had brought him. “I think she’s dealing with something a lot deeper than what happened to her last year.” He hesitated. “Because…you know.”
Lucy turned around to face him. “Jonas told me she was raped.”
Hobie’s straw made a slurping sound before he swiped his hand across his mouth and nodded. “Even though she’s never shared anything with me, I know her pain was there long before that horrific incident. And I think she avoids dealing with whatever it is, as well as Anthony’s marriage proposals, by overexerting herself in other tasks. She gives her all into making sure everyone else is cared for. And I don’t have to tell you how generous she is with her money. I’ve no doubt that even if Christy wasn’t wealthy, she’d give the shirt off her back to someone who needed it.”
“I’m sure you’re right, Hobie.” With her hands firmly planted on each hip, she gave him a mock glare. “And the last time Christy was here, she told me how upset she was that you dodged the camp for as long as you did. I know you told the truth about meeting a special lady, but I think Christy and Anthony both took it pretty hard when they found out you avoided coming back because of your health. Especially when they could’ve helped you.” She shook her head as if confused. “It’s a dynamic I’ll never understand, Hobie. Anthony and Jonas operate outside the law. Let’s face it. They’re criminals.”
Hobie set his milkshake on the side table and gave her a serious yet compassionate look. “Serious criminals, Lucy. And you need to remember that. Yes, they love their women and those closest to them, but you can’t pretend they’re not fully entrenched in that lifestyle. A lifestyle that may catch up to them
one day.”
Lucy couldn’t meet his eyes. “I understand that. What I can’t understand is how men like my husband and Anthony could care so much about friends like you and still do the things they do to other people.” She tucked a hair behind her ear. “They aren’t completely heartless. Jonas loves you, Hobie. So much so that he’s avoiding this room. And Christy told me Anthony is blaming himself for not picking up on your illness. She thinks he has a sixth sense and was literally floored when he didn’t notice your declining health.”
“Anthony isn’t sensing quite as much as he used to,” Hobie responded with the intention of changing the subject. “He’s head over heels in love with Christy, and if there’s anything that can mess with a man’s soul, it’s a woman. Otherwise, he’d have picked up on X’s long weekends away.” His last comment was followed by a wink.
“Hobie,” Lucy asked with a mischievous grin. “Do you know something, and if so, do I want to know it?”
“Yeah, I know something, and I’m only willing to share because I know I can trust you.”
She leaned closer to him and, with a conspiratorial smile, urged, “Do tell.”
“Alexander is in love too,” the old biker admitted. He let the tension build before admitting, “With Nisha.”
Lucy’s brows knitted into a frown. “I’ve never heard of Nisha. Who is she?”
Hobie had a playful gleam in his eyes when he responded, “She’s Anthony’s little sister.”
Chapter 63
Less than six weeks later, it became obvious Hobie was in a state of decline of which there would be no return. Up until then he’d had good days mixed with not-so-good, but he’d always sprung back. Lucy had counted nine bad days in a row. So it was a welcome surprise when on a mild early summer afternoon, he asked Lucy to hand him his mother’s Bible, turn off the air-conditioner, and open up the windows. He wanted to smell the fresh air and hear the birds singing while he read. From his place at the foot of Hobie’s bed, Chaos raised his head and let out a low whine.