Unsound

by Chantal Fernando

  “That’s different,” he mumbles, his face letting up some of the tension. He stares back up at me, his green eyes smiling.

  “How is it so different?” I scoff. Bull looks away, before slowly turning his head back to me, his eyes hooded.

  “Because I love you and will protect you from anything,” he mumbles. I gasp and blink rapidly. Is this real? Did he just say what I think he did? I care for Bull, I do. I know I would do anything for him and think about him all the time. Bull grins and shakes his head like he knows it’s taboo. I grab him by his face and turn it so he is looking right at me.

  “I love you, too,” I whisper, my lips brushing his, my cheeks turning red from the forbidden feelings. His fingers dig into my hips as he brings my lips into his fully, igniting a passionate kiss, so full of raw energy. Look at us, two people in love but bound to the world of secrets and Hell.

  I pull away, resting my head on his shoulder, looking at the spilled blood on the floor.

  “Don’t worry about Dani. I have seen the way Shadow looks at her; it’s not like he looks at other girls. I think your daughter is his biggest Hell,” I inform him, kicking his legs apart to stand between them.

  “I can relate,” he teases me, grabbing me by the hips. “So I should just let it go?” he asks, his hands rubbing up and down my back.

  “I don’t think shooting him is letting it go.” I laugh, making Bull laugh, his tension lost. “Good thing Dani’s mother split the other day. Who knows what she would do to Shadow if she found out,” I continue. Dani and her mother got into a big fight the other day. Her mother yelled how Dani was just like her father, and left Dani behind, leaving her to be looked after by her father and the club. I’m glad Dani stayed. I hoped she would.

  “Yeah, I find Lady leaving just a little too easy,” Bull admits, shaking his head. “Lady isn’t known for just letting things go,” he says. I frown, nervous at what that means. Will she be back? Try to hurt the club?

  *****

  A couple weeks have gone by and Bull has accepted Shadow to have taken Dani under his wing. Shadow is crazy about that girl, and I can’t help but smile at the two. Not to mention, Shadow and Dani just went on a getaway, and before he left, he asked Bull if he could make Dani his ol’ lady. I suddenly feel all giddy, the excitement of our bitch crowd growing.

  I am wrapping up some food together with the ol’ ladies in the kitchen. Today is the bike rally, and the club is having a big family get-together. Just as I am packing shit up to put in the fridge, I notice Dani walk in. She is tan and wearing something classy, as usual. She always looks out of place in this club, wearing expensive, shiny shit.

  “Bitches get younger and younger, I swear,” Vera insults, eyeing Dani. “You can leave the way you came in,” Vera smarts, rolling her eyes and turning back to wrapping up a dish. If she knew who she was just talking to, she would have a heart attack. Vera hasn’t met Dani yet, none of the girls have, in fact.

  “This is Dani, Bull's daughter. She ain’t fucking your man, calm down,” I remark, staring intently at Vera.

  I can’t help but laugh at the look of surprise on Vera’s face.

  “Oh, shit,” she curses, looking at Dani, smirking. “My bad.”

  “Dumb ass,” I laugh, shaking my head. Poor Dani’s face is red and drawn down, nibbling on her bottom lip. Poor thing.

  “Dani, this is Cherry, Molly, Pepper, and Vera.” I point to each of the girls, introducing them all to her, hoping to ease the tension.

  “Hi, nice to meet you all,” she replies, her tone soft and meek. Cherry looks up from her cutting board and beams a smile at Dani, her strawberry blonde hair falling in her face as she looks up.

  “Do you need any help, Babs?” Dani asks. I love this girl, the only one in the whole damn family who asks if I need help, even these bitches try and run away from helping.

  “Nah, I think we about have it covered. Think we are all about to head out to the bike show as soon as the boys are done with church,” I answer, throwing a knife in the sink.

  “You should be careful, not being patched in and all,” Vera threatens, leaning against the counter, her voice condescending, pissing me off. She needs to back off and leave Dani alone; she should know that. But I know what she is doing; she is testing Dani, seeing if Dani is strong enough to stand the role of a president’s daughter.

  “She’s Bull's daughter; nobody would be stupid enough to fuck with her,” Pepper remarks, flipping her black and grey hair over her shoulder to light a cigarette.

  “Yeah, but she’s not from around here. She might as well be a civilian; anyone would think she’s a whore,” Vera clips, eyeing Dani. “I did.”

  “With that whorish lipstick you're wearing, someone could think the same about you,” Dani spits, her lips curled, ready to take on Vera. I burst out laughing, my side hurting from the lack of air. She is so much like her father, more so now that her mother isn’t here looking over her shoulder.

  Vera smirks, adjusting her reddish brown bangs out of her face. “Feisty. I like you already.” I smile proudly. Looks like Dani made it past the girls, and she’s not even wearing her patch yet.

  BULL

  Days Later

  I walk into the club, following the other guys. We were just released after Dani and her mother, who happened to be an FBI agent, ambushed us at the fucking bike rally, taking us all into custody. The disbelief I am in right now has me speechless. I knew Lady was cruel, and I knew something was off about her story about what happened in New York, but Dani? I felt like we had a connection, that I really knew her.

  “I swear, I’ll kill that bitch. That’s why we don’t let bitches or family in this place, Prez,” Locks smarts, his tone angry as he sits down at the bar. Looks like his act of perfect husband is over now that sleeping with Lady is off the table. He was putting on an act; I knew that. I knew the life between Babs and him was nothing but sweet, yet he was kissing Babs in front of Lady. He has always had it bad for Lady and was trying to impress her and Dani. I wouldn’t put it past him to have made an advance at Lady while she was here. Babs, who is standing behind the bar, looks at me briefly, her eyes in a state of relief that I’m out of jail, before quickly averting her gaze elsewhere. I haven’t slept with her since the night of the party weeks back, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting her every time I see her.

  I feel stupid, betrayed. How could I let an FBI agent into my own club without as much as a second look? Who knows what the hell Dani is telling them? I look at Shadow and glare. I know he was head over heels for Dani. If he told her anything about the activities he condones in, we’re all fucked.

  “Get this club cleaned, anything and everything gone,” I demand, referring to anything the feds can pin on us. I’m sure they will be back when Dani spills everything, and they will be tearing this place apart.

  Locks walks down the hall with the boys, leaving Babs at the bar. “Did you suspect anything?” I ask her, hoping I’m not the only one who was blind.

  “I never liked that Lady bitch, but I’m shocked Dani had anything to do with it,” she says, her eyes widened with disbelief.

  BABS

  I wake up the next day and head to the club first thing, worried about the condition Shadow is in. The club has been hectic since he and the boys got out of custody a few days ago. I saw how much he loved Dani, how he let himself open up to her. He came crawling out of his room yesterday, blood spilling from his nose from the amount of coke he inhaled. I stripped him and threw him in a cold shower, cleaned him up, and put him in a bed with clean sheets. I wish there was more I could do to mend his broken heart. Watching a man so dark, so ominous, break and crumble is unsound.

  I have to drive slowly; the rain is coming down so hard, making it difficult to drive in.

  “National weather service has advised everyone to stay indoors and seek shelter in an interior room or the lowest level of your home or business,” wails through the radio. Looks like this storm is going to be an ugly o
ne.

  I pull up to the courtyard and sprint inside the clubhouse. I see Tom, our newest prospect, sitting on a stool and no one else. The hairs on my neck suddenly rise, something is off.

  I walk into the kitchen to start Bull’s coffee, only to find it already started and half drank. Fucking rain slowed me down, making me late.

  “I don’t need to stay in your room, Bobby. I can stay with Shadow in my old room.” My head whips toward the kitchen doors, nearly giving me whiplash. Is that? I push past the doors and look down the hall to find Bobby trying to grab ahold of Dani’s arm. She is pissed and pushing him away.

  My eyes widen to the point they hurt, and my mouth parts with disbelief.

  “What the fuck?” I mutter.

  I turn around and walk behind the bar, waiting to hear what the hell is going on. As soon as Bobby walks out from the hallway, I round the bar quickly.

  “What is she doing here?” I ask frantically. The club is going to kill her; she needs to get out now.

  “Claims she had nothing to do with it,” Bobby informs, shrugging.

  “What?” My head winces with the information.

  “Yup, her coming back here knowing the danger that would be waiting, I believe her,” Bobby tells me, nodding as he makes his way back into the chapel.

  I look down the hall, curious if Dani is telling the truth or not. For her sake, I hope so. I love this club, love the man who runs this club, but it’s a dangerous lifestyle.

  I hear my phone ringing from my purse, grabbing my attention from staring at the door down the hall.

  “What?” I whisper, not sure why I’m whispering though.

  “Is this Delilah Gia?” she asks, using my maiden name.

  “Maybe, who’s this?”

  “I have a Scarlett Gia, who has requested I call you on her behalf. She has been admitted into the hospital,” the young lady informs me.

  “Why, what happened?” I ask, my back straightening. My hands sweat, anxiety getting the better of me. I swear, if she overdosed again.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t discuss that with you on the phone,” she snaps. I scratch my head, frustrated.

  “Just fucking tell me before I try and drive through this fucking storm,” I bark.

  The lady sighs into the phone loudly. “Some kind of domestic abuse, she is in rough shape,” the nurse mumbles.

  “Shit, okay. I’ll be there.”

  I grab my purse and run back out into the rain.

  *****

  I walk into Scarlett’s hospital room and gasp. My poor baby girl. She has stiches in her eyebrow, her face swollen, and her jaw is all bandaged up. My hands squeeze into fists with anger. The club will be hearing about this.

  “Do you know who would want to do this to her?”

  I turn around and find a doctor staring at me. What’s left of his hair is colored white, his complexion pale, and his greyish eyes staring at me expectantly.

  “No, I don’t,” I lie. I know. She has been seeing some guy who looks like a thug. She has brought him by the house a couple of times and I have seen him in the apartment I got her. He just stands there with his hands in his pockets, staring off into space, stoned.

  “Had a pretty bad gash in her eyebrow and her jaw was dislocated,” he says softly, his hands in his white coat pockets, surveying Scarlett.

  “Dislocated?” I question, my voice raised in anger, shock, and disbelief.

  “She will have to be careful when she yawns or sneezes for the next six months to prevent future injuries,” he advises, checking her IV.

  “Jesus,” I mutter. I sit in the chair next to her bed and cup her cold hand.

  “Are you her mother?” he asks, looking at my hand holding hers.

  “Basically.” I’m all she’s got now.

  After two hours of sitting in the most uncomfortable chair in the world and the shittiest coffee I have ever drank, Scarlett finally wakes up, moaning and crying.

  I stand and grab her hand quickly for support.

  “Don’t open your mouth,” I demand. Her eyes start leaking tears as her body wracks with her crying.

  I grab a pen from the side table and a pad of paper.

  “Write down who did this to you.” I hand her the paper and pen, and wait.

  She looks at the paper hesitantly, tilts her head to the side and begins to shake it back and forth, refusing.

  “Now, Scarlett!” I demand.

  She begins writing, her hand shaking as she scribbles. I look over and see a glimpse of what she is writing.

  It wasn’t his fault. I—

  I snatch the paper from her hand. “I don’t care what excuse you have; nothing justifies what he did to you. Do you understand me?” She looks off and nods in acknowledgement.

  “Where is he?” I ask her, handing the paper back to her. I cross my arms and wait.

  Not making eye contact, she hands the paper back to me forcefully.

  The Green Room.

  “I’m going to take care of this, baby,” I whisper, wiping my own tears from my face. She starts crying again, making whimpering noises from her nose as she tries to keep her mouth completely closed. I shuffle her small body over and cradle her abused body, kissing the top of her head.

  “Seems we have it in our DNA to have men lay there hands on us,” I mumble. Her eyes widen, frightened. I grab her small hand and kiss the back of it gently, leaving a red lip print.

  “Don’t worry, child. It stops here; he won’t be coming near you again,” I promise.

  *****

  I sit in my chair, waiting for the storm to pass, holding my phone in my hand. I want to text Bull, tell him what happened to Scarlett, but I know he’s going through some shit right now with Dani coming back to the club.

  “Damn, it’s really coming down out there,” Locks yells, running through our front door. “Where did you go today?” he asks, stepping out of his muddy boots. I scoff; I’m surprised he noticed.

  I sigh and set my phone on the side table.

  “Scarlett got beat up pretty bad by her boyfriend, dislocated her jaw and everything,” I reply, shaking my head in shock. “He needs to pay for touching the Devil’s Dust. He—”

  “No!” Locks roars, making me jump.

  “What do you mean no?” I ask, my mouth parted in disgust.

  “What I said, no. It’s not club business; it doesn’t need to be brought to the table,” he snaps, his voice cold and unfriendly.

  “This is going to the table!” I demand, standing from the chair, angry.

  “What? You think ‘cause you’re fucking Bull, you can do whatever the hell you want, princess?” I take in a sudden breath, my eyes widening in fear. My nose pushes out a scared breath as I stare at the malicious man I used to love. I close my eyes, forcing the flashback away, memories of when Locks was human and cared for me. When I reminisce those memories, they make me weak and cause me to feel guilty for Bull and me. I haven’t had one in a while, and they won’t start now.

  “What, you think I didn’t know?” he asks, making me pop my eyes open. He stands there, arms bowed at each side like he’s ready to strike, smirking maliciously.

  “I will say this, you go to him about this, you will fucking regret it. It will be the last time you run that fucking mouth of yours. This is my club, my life. You wanna open your legs, that’s one thing, but you better keep your drama out of it,” he threatens, pointing his finger in my face. I slap his hand out of my face and glare at him.

  He scowls and walks away.

  “I’m warning you,” he adds, “leave it alone.”

  I can’t do this any longer. I need out of this marriage, and soon.

  Looks like I’ll be taking things into my own hands with Scarlett’s boyfriend.

  BULL

  I grip my handlebars tighter, left over rain from the storm making it slippery as we ride back from the warehouse. I don’t know if Dani is telling the truth or not. Her mother yelling Dani was in on the FBI raid, and then Dani sh
owing up, has me questioning a lot. Betrayal is a gamble life bestows on one who mistakenly trusts another. It’s just a chance you take loving someone. I had to get all our drugs and guns moved from the current warehouse and somewhere else, just in case. I want to believe Dani, and a part of me does, but that glimpse of hope might get her killed or my club thrown behind bars if I’m wrong. This situation, choosing between the club and family, I’ve been here before with Dani’s mom. I chose the club before Lady, and it cost me a daughter, cost me a family. I have an internal battle raging inside my head. If Dani did go along with her mother, and came back to try and gain more intel, my boys will rip her to shreds. She is my blood; I can’t allow that, no matter how much of a traitor she may be. I’ll have to stuff her pockets with cash and get her ass as far away as I can, out of the country. I look over at Shadow riding on his motorcycle next to me, his face scowled like it has been the last few days. He is messed up something bad over Dani. He has some serious trust issues, and this thing with Dani and her mom really set them back as a couple.

  We pull up to the clubhouse, soaked. I have to swerve our van when entering the courtyard, its front sticking out. I look back at it. Was that parked like that before we left? I park my bike and take my helmet off.

  “Who parked the van like that?” I ask, pointing to the black van. Shadow and Bobby both look at the van, shaking their head and shrugging.

  “Get it fixed. I about plowed into the damn thing,” I grumble. I can’t help but let my eyes wonder to where Babs parks, finding it empty. She must have left while we were on our run. I need to talk to her. This shit with Dani and Lady going on, I haven’t gotten to talk to Babs much. I pull my phone out and debate on texting her. Maybe I should call her, hear that sweet voice. I call her number and place the phone to my ear, but it goes to voicemail.

  BABS

  I lean against the shower wall, watching the blood run down the drain, turning from pure red to orange to clear. I’m no stranger to blood, seeing as much as I have over the time I have been working at the club, you get used to it. I took matters into my own hands tonight and found Scarlett’s boyfriend, taught him a lesson about putting his hands on women. I called the ol’ ladies, asking if they would help me. Vera knows the deal between me and Locks, and was instantly in on going against him. I close my eyes and the image of Dani swinging that bat, the look on her face, the tone of her voice, flashes behind them. She walked in on me and Vera getting ready to hunt down Scarlett’s boyfriend, so I had to bring her along, nervous if I didn’t, she would run to Bull or Shadow and tell them what we did. Dani has a lot more in common with Bull than I think anyone realizes. The way she snapped from scared little girl to psycho so quickly, she definitely has Devil’s Dust in her blood. I open my eyes and notice blood staining the skin around my nails. Shit. I grab the soap and scrub at them.