“Me holding Ember.” Ink was behind me. He nodded his head toward the door, “She might need you.” I nodded and went into the kitchen, leaving them to talk and to go check on Mac.
<<<<<>>>>>
“You okay,” I asked her, going to stand beside her at the counter.
“Yeah, is he okay?” She was talking about Titan, I didn’t think she had seen us, but apparently she had.
“No.” I figured if she cared enough to ask, I should answer her honestly. She nodded and closed her eyes briefly. “You need some help?”
“Sure, first things first though…” She gave me a small half smile and I knew what she wanted.
“Yeah, I’ll get the music”
I helped her get lunch ready for everyone for all their hard work while we sang and laughed. One thing that you learn quickly when life shits on you all the time is how to be resilient and laugh when you can. Between the two of us, we have been through enough shit to know how to enjoy life where we can.
‘Demons’ by Imagine Dragons came on and we split the song naturally, our voices blending and melding together in harmony. Her voice was sultry and seductive where mine was higher and smooth. We complimented each other and this song was a personal favorite for both of us because the lyrics held personal meaning for us both.
Music was a form of therapy for us, its how we met and what brought us together, so we used it to cope with anything and everything. It helped us express our emotions in a way that only music can. “You know what I can’t believe?” I asked as the next song came on.
“What’s that?”
“The irony of it all. We work for months to get this place put together and we are open for one night and this happens.”
“Yeah, life’s a bitch sometimes, we know that more than a lot of people.”
“You think it was them?” She knew I was referring to my parents.
“Yeah, hon, I do. You have doubts?”
I sighed. “I just don’t want to believe that they would resort to killing me. I know they are asses, but still. I’m their only child.”
“Evil doesn’t care, Abby, and what they did to you was evil. My god, who takes hush money from the parent of their daughter’s would be rapist?”
“WHAT?” Neither of us had noticed Brice entered the kitchen. His face was flushed with anger. “Talk, now,” he commanded.
I looked to Mac. She was quiet and appeared emotionless. “Brice.” What did you say to that? I couldn’t tell him everything as I had planned because what I learned this morning wasn’t mine to tell. “I- I.” God, why was it so hard to say the words.
“Don’t even think about trying to say that I misheard anything.” His jaw was ticking it was clenched so tight.
After everything that had happened this morning, I knew that I was going to have to tell him some, but I really wanted some time to figure out how and what to tell him. I didn’t think it was going to be this, soon though. “Well, you obviously know now that I was attacked, but someone intervened. When I went to my parents for help, they contacted the boy’s parents and his parents paid handsomely for my parents to keep their mouths shut. When that happened, I called my grandmother for help. She blackmailed my parents to get them to let me live with her. End of story.”
“No, it’s not. You left out two very crucial things. I want the name of the guy who attacked you and I want to know how McKenzie fits into all of this.”
I was going to defy him. He wasn’t going to understand, but no way could I let anyone else get hurt because of what happened to me all those years ago. If he found out, he could come after me and those that I love. I wasn’t going to risk Brice or Mac. Plus, it wasn’t my story to tell. “No. I’ve told you all that I can.”
“Abby, I want the name.”
“No.” I pleaded to him with my eyes to understand, but he didn’t. He wasn’t going to let it go.
“DAMMIT, ABBY! GIVE ME THE FUCKING NAME!” he roared and I flinched. The next thing I knew, Ink was in the room, standing between me and Brice.
“You need to calm the fuck down, now, brother,” he said calmly.
“I’m not going to fucking hurt her, Ink, but she needs to tell me what shitstorm she’s bringing down on our club, because I was right there when those shots were fired. She’s putting the club in danger and won’t tell us how or why.”
“Brice.” I was crying again. Today was going from bad to worse especially after the joy of having him tell me he loves me. “Please, please understand I’m trying to protect you. If I talk, then we are all in danger. He has no reason to come after us as long as my mouth is shut.”
“No, Abby, you ne-“
“Brice, I love you, but I can’t. He has left me alone for years. I have not heard anything from him if I had, then I would tell you. It’s not him, Brice, because if it was, I could ruin him. He wouldn’t let that happen.” I pleaded for him to understand, but I knew he wouldn’t.
“Why are you protecting him?”
“I’m not, Brice. He’s not the one I’m protecting.”
Chapter 20
Brice
Like Titan did earlier, I left after she refused to tell me anything. Roper and Ink were going to stay with the girls until I got back, but I had to leave or I would strangle some sense into her. Gavel had left earlier, almost right after the police had gone. I decided to go see what information, if any, he could give me. Feeling helpless was new to me and I got to say I’m not a fan of this particular emotion. It doesn’t sit well with me.
We had suspicions of what went down, but we didn’t have confirmation on anything. That was one of the hard rules we lived by; no retaliating without certainty. Any illegal shit was kept out and away from the club. You wanted to do some blow, you did that shit on your own. We supported each other and had each other’s backs and if you did get in trouble outside the club we were there to help in whatever way we could: bail money, legal representation, whatever. It was a big family and they were truly my brothers.
“Dad,” I called out as I walked into his empty office. He normally didn’t work on Saturdays, but with everything that was going on, I knew this is where he would be.
“I was wondering when you would show up,” he said, not even looking up from his computer as I entered the room.
“Dad, what can you tell me?”
“Not much son, I wish I could get the girls to speak and I will try to, but I think them talking isn’t going to happen. I just want you to know, you need to prepare because this could be just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Yeah, that’s not helping much. How do I protect a woman that won’t tell me what it is I’m protecting her from?”
“I don’t know, son, you have to get her to open up. I’ll leave you to figure out how to accomplish that feat.” He sighed heavily. “My contact said that the parents are still in New York, so it wasn’t them personally. They could have hired it out, but if that is the case, they definitely didn’t get a pro. A pro wouldn’t have missed, and if you were in the way, a pro would have taken you out to get to his target. I’m glad they didn’t hire a pro, but that doesn’t mean they won’t now that their first attempt has failed.”
<<<<<>>>>>
I left my dad’s office more frustrated than when I went in there. Fuck. Abby had to talk. She had to open up for me to help her.
I wasn’t watching where I was walking and I should have been, because I would have noticed the bitch before I got that close. “Brice,” she said. Her voice was familiar, but she was different, her dark brown hair had blonde streaks throughout it. Her eyes that once appealed to me, seemed off now, like something was wrong. The golden depths of her eyes glowed with a possessive gleam as she raked her eyes over me. Her body was much the same. I never would have guessed she had a kid, but it made her seem fake as did the boobs that appeared bigger than what I remembered suggesting that they were fake as well.
“Monica.” Fuck I didn’t need her around right now. “What are you doing here?�
� Not like I really gave a fuck anyway.
“I came to see you.” I swear she stuck her bottom lip out a little to pout and fluttered her eyes at me. Her voice took on what I assumed was supposed to be a sexy tone, but it just made her look as ridiculous as the rest of her.
I smiled and then I started laughing. “Move, Monica, I got shit to do, but thanks for the laugh.” Her face flushed with anger at my mocking her.
She stood there rooted as I made my way to move around her. “Please, Brice,” I had not seen this woman since before I had deployed the second time. Then I was not only delivered news of her infidelity, but her filing for divorce while I wasn’t even here to fight for our marriage.
“I don’t owe you shit, Monica.” I started up the bike and headed back to the bar, leaving her behind or I intended to. She followed me.
After I parked my bike, I watched her get out of her car and stalk angrily toward me. What the hell she was angry about I had no fucking clue. She lost that right a long ass time ago. “What the hell do you want?” It occurred to me how right my dad was. I gave her way too many years of my life, never letting myself get close to another woman because of her betrayal and here she was, demanding my attention like I owed it to her. It’s like she knew that I had finally moved the hell on.
“I made a mistake all those years ago. I want us back.”
She had to be smoking crack. “It’s been seven years. Where’s your husband and your kid? Go back to them, Monica. We were done the moment I enlisted.” I left her and my past behind.
I made my way into the bar. McKenzie and Abby were at the bar with Ink and Roper having a drink, joking around. I was hoping Monica would take my not so subtle hint, but I should have known better. I had walked behind the bar and just wrapped my arms around Abby’s waist and pulled her up against me when Monica came through the door. “Who is she?” She demanded, her voice was strained and high and I wondered how the hell I ever thought I loved that woman.
“Excus-,” Abby cut off when I squeezed her waist a little tighter.
“Monica.” I felt Abby stiffen against me. “You need to leave. You don’t belong here and we do not belong together. I’ve moved on like you did all those years ago.”
Roper and Ink were curious as to who Monica was. The only two brothers who knew about her were Titan and Legend and they only knew because we had all gone to school together and been friends. They had never liked her and tried repeatedly to tell me that she was crazy, but I refused to believe it and held a blind eye to it all. “No, I had you first, Brice, I will always have you.” Her eyes were possessive and held an evil glint that was never there before. Ink and Roper were on alert at her words, but they stayed back and out of it, letting me take care of it.
“How long have you been in town, Monica?” I couldn’t believe after all these years she shows up telling me this shit, but with everything that happened, I couldn’t rule out that maybe this had nothing to do with Abby and everything to do with me.
“About a week,” she answered with a shrug, “I had to find a place for us to live before I came to talk to you.”
I recoiled at her words. Us, she was fucking delusional if she thought I was ever going to live with her. “There is no ‘us’, Monica, there hasn’t been an ‘us’ since college. You cheated on me, you divorced me all while I was overseas.” I put emphasis on her and how she was the one responsible for what happened between us.
“I know your angry, Brice, and I will give you time.” She sighed like she was talking to a disgruntled child. “But you will be mine again. This ugly bitch,” she motioned to Abby, “she can’t give you what I can, what I did.”
I looked at Abby’s face and she was completely confused, much like myself. Why after all this time? Roper and Ink looked angry as hell and McKenzie was fuming. “Look, bitch,” McKenzie said, stressing the word through her clenched teeth as she stood up to her full height which was several inches shorter than Monica’s, “I don’t know who the fuck you are and, really, I don’t give a shit. I do know that you are not welcome here and that whatever you think you have with Grit is and from appearances has been over. You need to move your ass along and quick before I twat punch your nasty ass.”
Roper and Ink bust out laughing. I felt Abby’s shoulders shaking with laughter and I couldn’t help but to smile myself. I was going to have to give Mac a big hug. I was going to say something to her about calling Abby a bitch, but Mac beat me to it. “Leave, Monica, go home to your husband and kid like I already told you. Nobody wants you here, least of all me.”
She drew her shoulders back and glared at all of us. I could see a crazy fury burning in her eyes. “This isn’t over. I will have you again, Brice. I was your first fuck, and I will be your last.” She stormed out of the bar and all eyes turned to me.
“What kind of crazy did you stick your dick in, brother?” Roper asked, confused as to what had just happened, just like the rest of us. I was in shock when she walked out the door.
“I have no clue, man.” I shook my head. Abby turned in my arms to study my face. I felt her eyes assessing and gauging my reaction to the appearance of Monica.
“You okay.” After everything that had gone wrong for her today, she was worried about me. God, I loved her.
“Yeah, honey, just confused as hell as to why, after all this time, she is showing up with this shit. How are you doing?”
“Disappointed, but I’m okay, I guess. We worked so hard and were open for one night and now we have to wait to open again for the ruined equipment and supplies to be replaced.”
I kissed her temple and breathed her in. “I know, honey. I’m sorry. We will find who did this and make them pay.”
“The security company will be here tomorrow to put in a new system since the one we had obviously didn’t stop them. The insurance company told me to just send receipts and pictures and they would reimburse for the damages.” She leaned against me, trying to draw from my strength. Today had been hell for both of us and she had to be just as tired as I was, if not more so. I just wanted to take her home and get her into bed.
Chapter 21
Abby
I have never been more exhausted in my life. My whole body ached from the work we did that day, cleaning and putting things back together if they could be salvaged and discarding what couldn’t be. I just wanted to take a hot bath and sleep.
“Roper, can you drive Abby’s truck back to her house? Make sure you check it before driving it,” Brice said. I was in his arms and his chin rested on the top of my head. His hand was sliding up and down my back. I felt cherished in his arms. His anger from earlier was justified. I’d be angry, too if he was hiding crap from me, but I was just trying to protect Ember and him. “I’m going to take her on my bike.”
“Ink, you got Ember?” At Ink’s nod, he said, “let’s get out of here.”
“Grit,” Ink called after us as we were headed to the door. “Do you think they would be safer at the club instead of their home?”
“No, I’m staying at the house with them. I was also going to ask you and Roper to take turns staying there with me,” he stated, leaving the statement open for Ink to answer.
“Sure. I’ll take tonight.” Roper also agreed to rotate protection detail.
“Thanks guys,” I said, giving them both small smiles. We all filed out of the bar and I locked it behind us. I watched as Roper got on the ground and checked beneath the truck. “What’s he checking for?”
“Bombs or cut break lines,” Brice said tersely. He climbed on his bike and handed me my helmet. It seemed like it didn’t faze him to say that at all.
“Checking for bombs and cut break lines is a normal occurrence for you guys?” I questioned, wary of the answer.
He smirked. “No, but we are careful all the time and more so when we know there is a threat.”
I climbed on behind him, putting my body flush against his and locking my hands around his waist. I felt the hard muscles of his abdomen against
my hands and I traced the ridges of his muscles. “Abby,” he warned in a gruff voice. I smiled to myself glad I could affect him with little effort, because he certainly affected me with no effort.
We were riding toward the house and I saw another bike headed toward us on the road. It was Titan, when he saw us, he turned around and followed us to the house. The tension between Titan and Ink and Mac was palpable. I like Ink, but I think that if anyone could help Mac, it would be Titan. I could be wrong, but I don’t think that Titan is going to give Ink the chance to take Mac from him.
“Ink,” Titan growled, “I need a word with you, now.” I worried for Ink because Titan looked mad enough to kill at this point.
“The girls and I are going in the house and leave you two to discuss your business.” Brice had a huge grin on his face as he hurried Mac and me toward the house.
“He’s not going to hurt Ink, is he?”
“Maybe a bruised jaw or a bloody nose or lip, but no, he’s not going to end him, at least not yet.” The qualification on the end of his explanation worried me. I turned to head back outside, but Brice grabbed onto my waist and ushered me inside. “No, you are not going to get in the middle of it and you sure as hell are not going back outside. In fact, go upstairs and get in the bath. I will be there in a few minutes.”
I almost moaned out loud at his command. It was one of my biggest fantasies to take a bath with a man and have him wash me and I wash him in return. Titan and Ink could settle their shit themselves, but I could not give myself the kind of sexual release that Brice could give me, so I listened to his command and headed upstairs.
The bath was big enough for two. I liked the house because the rooms were on the smaller size, but the two bathrooms were big. Why did you need more room to sleep? That was one concept I never understood, huge ass bedrooms with an abundance of space and little closets for bathrooms. I turned on the water, gauging the temperature with my hand as it came out of the spout. When I got it as hot as I wanted it, I put the stopper in and started to undress.
Phoenix Bar: A Steel Demons MC Novel Page 14