“Yeah. Got it.” I end the call and finish filling my tank. I don’t know what the fuck that’s all about but doesn’t leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy. I pull off to the side of the lot and light up a smoke. By the time Rhyner arrives I’m on my second cigarette.
He pulls up like a bat out of hell. “Not here, man,” he says, revving his engine.
I follow him back to his Uncle’s compound. Shit can’t be good. I have a bad feeling in my gut. There’s a party in full swing. AC/DC is pounding through the stereo. Liquor and beer is flowing from the taps in the bar.
“Good, you’re here. Just the two I was looking for.” Porter clamps a hand down on each of our shoulders, pushing us down on the barstools. “Have a drink, but not too many. Have some friends coming by, I’d like you to meet them. Seems their interests aligns with ours.”
“Sounds good,” Rhyner tells him and I nod.
A prospect behind the bar pours us both a cold glass and once eyes are off us, we slip down the back stairs and out the back door.
“You mind telling me what’s up? I need to meet with Harper, man. She showed up at the apartment last night. I gotta put in an appearance like an hour ago.”
“Shit.” Rhy scrubs a hand over his face.
“So, whatever you need to say. I need you to say it so I can go smooth shit over with her.”
“Your girl, Morgan. I don’t know how else to say it. So, I’m gonna give it to you straight. Her old man is…” His words are cut off.
“What the fuck are you two doing back here by yourselves like two fags hiding in the corner? Parties upstairs,” a guy by the name of Rash tells us.
“Fuck you,” Rhy spits at him.
“You ain’t my type,” the bastard says with a laugh, wrapping an arm around Rhyner’s shoulder. “I’ve missed your sorry ass round here, boy. ‘Bout time you come pay your respect. Let me introduce you to this fine piece I picked up. Her name’s Sweet Lips. Got the sweetest lips that will ever wrap around your cock. You’ve never had your dick sucked until it’s been in her mouth, brother.”
Rhyner rolls his eyes but walks off with him. I don’t have time for this bullshit. I send him a text before walking around the front to get on my bike and take off.
Cole: Look man, I gotta bounce. You don’t need me to tell you how important it is I keep Harper pacified. Tell Porter I’ll roll back through and hope to meet his friends.
Rhyner: No problem, but we still need to talk.
Cole: Later man.
Rhyner: Later.
Chapter 14
Rebel
“What kind of problem?”
“Did you catch the make of that motorcycle that punk feeling up your daughter was riding?”
“Nah man, why?”
“He was riding a nineteen thirty-seven Indian, brother. He had red hair.”
“So?”
He squints at me pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Christ man, don’t you get it. That fucker is your nephew. My grandson. Colt. That was Baby and Striker’s kid if I die right here, Reb…that was him.”
“You’re losing it, old man.”
“Let me follow him.”
“No way. I promised Morgan the club wouldn’t meddle in her dating life and that includes not letting her…whatever you are stalk a guy that made out with her. I don’t like this shit, but she’s growing up, Romeo, and I gotta respect that. So do you.”
“It’s not about that. Brother, this is serious.”
“Yeah, it is. But, now isn’t the time. We gotta meet up with Porter soon, and I’d like to see my daughter.”
“Yeah, that’s another thing….,” he trails off looking at the sky,
“What?” I growl. He’s wasting time.
“I know who Miracle’s father is.”
“I’m her father,” I grit at him, clenching my fist. “And she wants to be called Morgan.”
“Well, she’ll always be Miracle in my eyes, but I’m talking about her birth father. The son of a bitch LL fucked behind my back.”
I let out a heavy sigh as his words punch me in the gut. I’ve always known the day would come. Honestly, I’ve been afraid that when she finds out who her father is that she won’t need me anymore. I know it’s dumb and selfish, but it’s how I feel. I raised her and gave her my name. She’s my daughter in every way that counts. Sharing blood with a stranger won’t change the fact.
“I wish you would have talked to me and Chelle first.”
“I made the kid a promise and I intend to keep it with or without your blessing, man.”
I nod, knowing he owes her this much.
I don’t like it, but it is what it is.
“Who is it? Anyone I know?”
“Yeah, someone we all know. Someone I fucking trusted to guard my wife,” he states a little too calm for my level of comfort.
If he says Grim, I’m gonna flip out.
“Stone.”
“Stone?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. Really?”
“I shit you not brother. Your little brother is actually the one who discovered it. Found an old lock box under the floorboard of the cabin. JT brought it to me. Thought the contents belonged to me. Didn’t even open it. He’s a good guy. I like him. Anyway, I open it to find shit that belonged to LL. Most importantly, a black book. Had dates, names.” He reaches into his cut and takes out a little black date book.
Romeo hands it to me and I flip through it seeing why he believes Stone is Morgan’s dad. It’s filled full of dates with Stone. Apparently, when he was working at the Fox’s Den, he was doing a lot more than his job. He was giving it to LL on the regular. Fuck.
“How you want to do this?” This is uncharted territory for me. We’ve always been honest with her, but seeing it written in ink, makes it real that she’s got a dad out there that isn’t me. She’s got a dad that is a member of my club. A member who fucked over our brother. A member that will have to answer for his transgression. I don’t care that it was nineteen years ago.
“I figure we sit down and break bread with her. Talk to her about school and lead into it. Then I’ll give her the truth and give the two of you some time alone. After you have your father daughter time, we’ll meet up and ride out to the Born Sinners.”
“Alright man. Let’s do this.”
I call Morgan and she says she’ll be down in a few minutes. I have a few choice words I’d like to give her about her being on the back of some punk’s Harley but not today.
Miracle
When I get downstairs to meet my old man, he seems off. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is definitely bothering him. His blue eyes appear…sad. Something is weighing him down. I hope he doesn’t have bad news. I don’t want anything to bring me down from my high from being with Cole. Last night was…beautiful—magical even. It was perfect. Everything I dreamed of and more. As I move to give my dad a hug, Rhyner drops Bridgette off and barely gives her a chance to get off his bike before peeling out again.
“Christ,” Romeo grumbles, alerting me to his presence. I hadn’t paid him no mind until now.
“You okay?” I ask my roommate as she approaches us.
She nods with the hint of a sad smile. “Never better. Rhy was in a hurry is all.” She shrugs and her eyes brighten slightly as my dad greets her. “Nice to see you again Mr. Black. And ah, um…Romeo.” She grins on his name.
“Likewise, darlin,” he says with a wink, turning on his silver devil charm.
I shake my head. “Are we gonna grab some food or what? I’m starving out here. Ya know college girl diet here.”
“You want to join us,” my dad offers, extending an invitation to my friend.
“Thanks, but no. I really need to get a shower and study. I’ll catch up with you after,” Bridgette says, attempting to comb her fingers through her windblown hair without much success.
“Okay, later.”
She waves her goodbyes and heads insid
e. I follow my dad and Romeo across the street to their motorcycles, getting on with my old man.
**
We’re halfway through our meal when Romeo takes the conversation to a turn I’ve always wanted to visit, but nothing could have ever prepared me for the words that are coming out of his mouth.
“Miracle, if you’ll recall, some years back, ye asked me to make you a promise. A promise to find out who your real and true birth father is.”
“Um, yeah…I remember.” I cast a side-eye glance at my dad. He nods his approval, so they must have had this planned. I swallow a drink of my pop and try not to get choked. My heartbeat is pulsing so fast, I can feel it in my neck.
“Rebel ye want to tell her, or can I?”
“All you, brother.”
“Just one of you tell me!” I snap. I didn’t mean to lose my cool, but this is important to me. I’ve been wanting to know who my real dad is since I learned I was adopted.
“Right.” Romeo’s dark eyes narrow on me, softening with a semi-smile. “Good news is you’ve already met him. Been around him your whole life.” He pauses taking a drink of his water. “Bad news is, I haven’t told him about you. Truth is, he might already be aware that he’s your dad. I don’t know. I haven’t taken it up with him. I wanted it to be your choice as to how you act on the information I give you.”
“Okay…so…his name?” I question, the anticipation is killing me. My palms are sweaty and my knees are knocking together under the table. My dad reaches across the way and takes my hand for support.
Romeo reaches into his cut and tosses a little black book on the table. “This book here belonged to your mother. I’ve only recently come to be in possession of it. Inside, you will find a list of dates and names. One name in particular is listed several times and the dates coincide with your birth date. I believe your father is Stone. Joey Hendrick.”
I let out the breath I wasn’t even aware I was holding. I don’t know what I was expecting him to tell me, but it wasn’t that. Stone—I know him. I know his wife, his kids. Oh God, I have more siblings. His wife is so sweet and always made me sugar cookies with the frosting on them for my birthday parties.
Did she know? No, there is no way she would’ve been making me cookies. Their marriage is one I looked up to like my parents. They’ve been together as long as I can remember. It makes me sad to think this idea I had of them was all a lie.
“Have you ever cheated on mom?” I blurt out at my dad, Rebel.
“No, why would you ask me that? Baby girl, I know I’ve made mistakes but I can tell you right here, right now and swear on everything I love that I have never stepped out on Chelle. Not once.”
“Good, that’s good.” I smile at him. “It’s just that you know, Stone…I always thought him and his old lady had a great marriage, it was one I looked up to, like you have with mom.”
“You can’t let the mistakes of a man’s past jade your outlook on love,” Romeo advises.
“I get that. It’s just…I don’t know. Now that I do know…I don’t feel any different. I guess I feel relieved to finally know, but I don’t know what I was expecting.”
“It’s a lot to take in, but I’m gonna give you two some time to catch up. Rebel, just text me. I’ll be at Wildcat Tavern.”
I grab his weathered hand. “Romeo?”
“Yeah, kid?”
I don’t know why I feel so emotional. I have to bite back my tears. “Thanks. I know it had to be hard for you to go back. I know you’ve moved on from the past…just…thank you.”
“You’ll always be special to me, Miracle. I may not have been your dad or stood by you like I ought to have done, but doesn’t mean, I don’t love you like my own, even if I don’t show it. I’m a sorry bastard, but you ever need me all you gotta do is say jump, I’ll be there.”
“I’ll remember that,” I whisper as he lets go of my hand and walks away.
Once he’s gone my dad scoots into the chair next to mine and puts an arm around me as my tears finally fall. I’m no longer lost or looking for answers. I know who I am and where I came from. I have the blood of a rebel.
Chapter 15
Romeo
Wildcat Tavern isn’t like any bar I’ve ever frequented. I noticed it when I was following Rebel to the restaurant. It’s dark and empty. Just the sort of place I am in need of after the heavy conversation at lunch. I wasn’t expecting to feel so…I don’t know how to describe it. However, the promise I had made that young girl had been weighing heavy on my heart for some time. Once upon a time, she was my child. I took care of her the first two years of her existence. I watched her take those first steps, heard her first words.
Once upon a time, I was her world and had hung her moon. I was her dad for a brief time. You don’t give up a child and walk away unscathed. That’s a wound that will never heal. No matter how much time passes by, there isn’t a day that I don’t feel that shit. I can still remember the way she would hold my finger in her tiny fist as her breath blew across my chest. I can still remember the soft fluttering of her eyes while she dreamed, nothing but sweet thoughts. She didn’t know the dangers of the world, not yet.
I was a coward and ripped her world apart.
Rebel put it back together. He showed her what a real man is, he showed her a father’s love.
She’ll never remember that once upon a time, I gave her that too, for a brief period in her life.
I take a seat at the bar and after a few minutes with nothing but my fucked up thoughts for company, I wonder if anyone actually works here. I’m half tempted to grab a bottle from behind the bar and lay a fifty on the counter.
As soon as the thought passes through my head, a woman appears from a hallway and lifts the end of the bar, taking her place in front of me.
“Haven’t seen you around here before. What can I do you for?” The woman behind the bar bats her lashes at me and I grin. She has dark auburn hair; Goddamnit, if I’m not a glutton for punishment and never learn.
“Looking to wet my whistle. Whatta ye recommend?”
She licks her bottom lip. “I can think of a few things.”
“Surprise me.” I wink at her, unable to keep my eyes from her cleavage as she leans across the quiet bar.
“My eyes are up here.” She laughs, tilting my chin upward. My heart catches in my throat. She has whiskey colored eyes. Not quite as yellow and full of wildfire like Baby’s but pretty damn close.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?
“Jordan, Jordan Marie,” she tells me. Her sweet smell wraps around me; like honeysuckle after a light summer rain. Amazing. I watch her ass as she maneuvers behind the bar. Perfect for grabbing, perfect for marking with my handprint. She slides a drink across the bar to me. Bourbon. “You passing through?”
“Yup,” I answer, after tossing back my drink.
She pours me another. “My kind of man.”
“That a fact?”
She smirks. Those Tennessee whiskey eyes light up with mischief. “Care to find out?”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
“I do believe it’s time for my break,” she says with a sly grin, coming from behind the counter and locking the door.
“Your boss won’t mind?”
“Sweetheart, I am my boss. This is my bar. Actually, the place belonged to my ex, cheating bastard of a husband. He loved this place so I took it in the divorce.” She shrugs.
“Well, Goddamn. I like your style,” I tell her.
“I’m glad. It makes me happy to pick up rough and tumble good looking men such as yourself and fuck them on his bar top.”
“A man such as myself can appreciate your honesty.”
She walks over to me and the red scoop neck shirt she is wearing amplifies that heaven sent cleavage. “So, Romeo…” She fingers my name patch on my cut. “You haven’t found your Juliet?”
“I did, and as the story goes…she died.”
Jordan’s lips curve into an amused smile. “Aren’
t we quite the pair. A lovesick Romeo and a pissed off ex-wife.”
“Don’t care much about no love stories, sweetheart. Question is, are ye gonna wet my whistle?” I grin and she steps into me. Her perfectly manicured nails find their way to my zipper. “Goddamn, that’s what I’m talkin ‘bout,” I growl as she frees me from my denim prison.
My cock juts out, ready to be pleasured by those thick lips and her wicked tongue.
Her eyes widen and she licks those red lips. Nimble hands work at my shaft, pumping my length. Precum is already beading at the head and her eager tongue darts out to taste me. Fuck yeah. My fingers thread through her hair, get tangled in the red strands, as I pull her face closer to where I desire that fucking mouth.
“Suck me,” I demand.
Those honey whiskey eyes gleam with desire as she looks up at me on her knees. I brace one hand on the bar top as she closes those thick lips over the head of my shaft. Her warm tongue licks the underside of me, while one hand grips the bottom of my dick and the other palms my balls. More precum leaks onto her pretty mouth. I love making it dirty.
Thrusting my hips forward, I impale her mouth. Jordan takes me all the way to the base. Tears spring from her eyes, as I stretch her mouth fully. Those eager fingers squeeze and release my balls, as she pops her mouth free of my dick. Her fingers move back to my shaft when she takes my balls into her mouth and sucks them, releasing each one with a pop.
Her tits are shaking as her chest heaves, and I know I’m going to cum all over them and ruin her shirt in the process. I don’t give a damn. I’m going to enjoy making a mess of her. This is exactly what I needed.
Chapter 16
Cole
When I get to Harper’s she’s in her playroom. She’s dressed to impress in her red leather corset and matching red thong. Red laced boots reach the tops of her thighs. Don’t get me wrong, the woman is dead sexy, but I know what she’s capable of, and most importantly, she isn’t Morgan. I can’t think about her right now, it’s wrong and makes me feel like pure shit, but I’m in too deep, and I have a part to play.
Some chick is kneeling, naked for Harper, licking the toe of her boot. Her hand trembles as she caresses the bitch’s thigh. Harper smacks her on the mouth, not hard enough to break the skin, but with enough force tears prick in the corners of her eyes.
Blood Of A Rebel (Black Rebel Riders' MC Book 9) Page 10