“Hello?” an older voice said over the line.
“Do you know where Addie is? This is Jack’s dad. I met you at the rally a couple of weeks ago.”
“Yes, I remember you. Addie’s out sick today,” Margaret said.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t talk to her.”
“Thanks.”
Chas squinted against the bright sun. If Addie was sick, then why didn’t she answer his phone calls? Maybe she was sleeping, but he’d been calling her since the previous night. As possible scenarios ran through his mind, his phone rang.
“Hello? Addie?”
“No, it’s me, Dad,” Jack told him.
“Hey, little buddy, how’ve you been?”
“Okay. You back?”
“Came back ’bout a half hour ago. You home from school?”
“Yeah. We had a half day, and I’m at Ronica’s house.”
“Where’s your mom?”
“She had something to do with her new boyfriend, Cody.”
“Is that right? How’s this new guy? He treat you okay?” Chas’s muscles tensed as he waited for the answer.
“I guess he’s okay. He just ignores me.”
“What’s been going on?”
“Well, Mom forgot to pick me up last night after my reading class.”
That fuckin’ bitch! All she gives a shit about is spreading her legs. “Why didn’t you call me, buddy?”
“I tried, but you didn’t pick up. It kept going to your machine.”
“Yeah, I was in some areas where there wasn’t any service. Sorry ’bout that. How’d you get home?”
“Ms. O’Leary took me to her apartment after we had pizza.”
“You stayed with Add… Ms. O’Leary? She wasn’t sick?” Chas’s heart pulled when he heard her name.
“No, but I think she got sick ’cause when she went on a ride with the cops, her face was white like a zombie, but not ugly like them.”
“Cops? What the fuck happened?” Chas’s ears pounded as heat spread from his neck to his scalp.
Jack recounted the whole story, and the more Chas heard, the more his skin flushed and he clenched and unclenched his hands. A consuming desire for vengeance took hold and shook him. Controlling his rage, he said in even tones, “Didn’t you tell the cops what happened and how you ended up at Ms. O’Leary’s?”
“I wanted to, but Mom wouldn’t let me ’splain things to them. She made me go home.”
Nostrils flaring, Chas slammed his fist against the club’s brick wall. Fuck!
“I have to go, little buddy, but I want you to keep what we talked about secret. You know, just for us. Can you do that?” he said.
“Sure, Dad. When am I gonna see you?”
“I’ll try and come by tonight, but for sure I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
“Okay, Dad. Did you bring me somethin’ special like you promised?”
Chas chuckled. “Yeah, I did. Be good. I have to take care of a few things.”
After he finished talking with Jack, Chas kicked the brick wall, cursing up a storm. He dashed inside the club, seeking Hawk.
“I got a problem,” he said to Hawk, who was playing pool.
“Fuck, I’m trying to concentrate. I’ve got a thousand dollars riding on this game,” he responded, his blue eyes flashing.
“This will only take a few minutes. I think there’s a problem with Jack’s teacher and the police. Can you give me Cara’s number? I need her help.”
After Hawk gave him his old lady’s phone number, Chas hurried out of the compound, called Cara then hauled ass to downtown Pinewood Springs.
Chapter Thirteen
In a dark, smoky dive on the corner of Peakview Avenue, Chas sat on a worn stool, his hands on the sticky bar as he counted the minutes. Why the fuck is Cara taking so long to call me? Not able to wait another second, he dialed Cara’s number. When her voice message came on, he slammed the phone down. Fuck! The four other patrons, wrinkled and weary-looking, slid their eyes toward him as they clutched their drinks.
“What the fuck are you all looking at?” Chas snarled.
Since they were at the seedy joint to drink, not fight, they turned away.
Tapping his hand on the bar, the bartender placed another shot of whiskey in front of him. Brooding, Chas threw it back. The dark liquid burned down to the pit of his stomach.
Two hours later, his phone drowned out the low murmur of the television propped above the bar. He and the other customers had been staring vacantly at it since he’d come in. Looking at the screen, Cara’s name and number flashed.
“Tell me what’s going on,” Chas demanded.
“Addie has been charged for kidnapping a child and child endangerment. She—”
When he banged his fist down on the bar, the patrons jumped as Chas disturbed their quiet reality. “What a load of fuckin’ bullshit. Brianna made the whole thing up. I should strangle the bitch. What a fuckin’ slut. Jack told me what happened. Fuck this shit. Fuck—”
“Calm down. You screaming and cussing isn’t going to change this. I have to be in court in twenty minutes, so I don’t have a lot of time. Do you want to hear what else I have to say?” Cara’s steady voice calmed him.
“Go on. Tell me.”
“You called me in time. I was able to file my appearance and handle her arraignment. I got the judge to set bail at thirty thousand dollars. Can you bail her out?”
“Fuck, that’s a lot of dough. I can get it, but I don’t know if I can get it right away. I don’t want her spending another night in that shithole.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “How is she?”
“Upset, but that’s understandable. You don’t have to pay all the money upfront. If you do pay in full, once the case is over, you’ll get it refunded less costs. You can also go to a bail bondsman and take out a ten percent bond, or put your house up as collateral. If you need help with the money, I know your brothers would chip in. Hawk and I can help, too.”
The tension which had rooted in his body since he’d learned of Addie’s arrest released a bit. A slow smile curled his lips as he said in a low voice, “Thanks, Cara, for the offer, but I need to do this on my own.”
“Okay. I’ll take Addie’s case. I’ll do it without charge. Once you post bail, she’ll be released in about an hour, and then you can take her home. I really gotta run. Call me if you have a problem or any questions.”
“Thanks again.”
He drained the last drop of whiskey in his glass, paid his tab, and sprinted out into the blinding afternoon light. Straddling his Harley, he headed toward the bail bondsman. A bolt of pleasure ran down his spine; his precious Addie would be in his arms in an hour. Pressing his foot harder on the gas, he sped on.
* * *
The clank of the steel doors drew Chas’s attention to them as they swung open. Addie’s red hair accentuated her chalky pallor, and her usually twinkling green eyes were dull and flat, puffiness readily apparent under them as if she hadn’t slept all night. When their gazes met, she hung her head down. In one long stride, Chas was next to her, putting his arm around her and pulling her close. “Let’s go, precious,” he whispered in her ear.
After a short ride, he parked his Harley in front of her apartment. Addie slid off without a word. At the entrance to her building, she turned to Chas and said, “I don’t know how to thank you for helping me out. You have to believe that I didn’t do anything to hurt or cause any harm to Jack. I’d never hurt him, or anyone. I don’t—”
Cutting her off with his mouth, he kissed her gently. She backed away. “I’m in desperate need of a shower and a glass of red wine.”
“Let’s go up, then.”
“I do appreciate what you did, but I’m exhausted and not in the right frame of mind. Another time?”
Shaking his head, he said, “No way, babe. I’m coming up whether you like it or not. You can’t be alone. We don’t have to talk, but I’m coming up. And
I don’t give a shit what you say.”
Slumping her shoulders, she said, “Okay. Come on up.”
He followed her inside, kicked off his boots and placed his feet on her coffee table as he waited for her to come out. Hearing her padded footsteps, he twisted his head as she walked into the small living room. Her thick, red tresses fell around her shoulders, and some of the pinkness had come back to her face. In Chas’s estimation, her long gray t-shirt with small rainbows all over it hugged her curves in all the right places. She’s so beautiful.
In the kitchen, she poured herself a glass of red wine and grabbed a beer bottle, handing it to Chas as she flopped down on the couch. After taking a sip of wine, she recounted what had happened.
Swallowing down his anger, Chas patted the place next to him on the couch, and Addie scooted over. Tucking her under his arm, he held her close while stroking her hair. After a while, Addie fell fast asleep. Cradling her head, he eased up and rested her head on one of the decorative pillows. He covered her with the afghan from the back of the couch. As she slept, he watched her peaceful face, tenderness tugging at his heart. While he gently stroked her cheek with his fingers, he bent over and kissed her forehead softly. Tearing himself away, he left the apartment. He wanted to see Jack, and confront his ex-wife to find out why the bitch had lied. With hardened jaw, he revved up his Harley and pulled away from the curb.
When he arrived at his ex’s house, he saw her on the metal loveseat, her lips and arms wrapped around a man.
“Jack in there?” Chas pointed his thumb at the screen door.
“Hi, Chas. I didn’t hear you ride up,” Brianna said in a slow, easy voice while she stood up.
“Yeah, Harleys are quiet, especially my cams and pipes,” Chas sneered. “Is Jack inside?”
“Harleys are badass. They’re fuckin’ powerful. I heard him. Come on, babe.” Cody, Brianna’s new boyfriend for a week, stood up beside her.
Chas, not even glancing at him, asked, “Where the fuck is Jack?”
“He’s spending the night with a friend,” Brianna told him.
“What friend? Do you know the parents?”
“I don’t know, one of the neighbor boys. He comes here to play with Jack. You’re so overprotective. You know you’re making a sissy outta him by always coddling him.” Brianna moved next to Chas, her eyes lingering on his crotch.
“Do you know the parents? Are they cool? And fuckin’ stop staring at my dick.”
Throwing her head back, she laughed. “There was a time you loved it when I stared at your dick, and shoving it in me.”
“That time’s over for good. The parents?”
“No, I don’t know them. Satisfied? You know, when we were married, if you would’ve given a shit about me like you do about him, I wouldn’t have had to get attention from other men.”
“You fucked behind my back ’cause you’re a slut. Don’t need any psychological bullshit to cover up that fact. Where the fuck does Jack’s friend live?” Chas’s hard eyes glinted.
She shrugged.
Chas grabbed her arm with force and shook her.
“Ow! Fuck!” Pain covered her face.
Cody took a few steps toward her, and stopped dead in his tracks when Chas glowered at him, saying in a dark, cruel tone, “Don’t even fuckin’ think it. Get your ass in the house. I’ve family shit I need to talk about.”
Cody didn’t move a muscle. Brianna’s eyes glistened with excitement as the anticipation of spilled blood grew. Chas shoved her out of the way and sprinted toward Cody, who took a few steps back.
Chas hissed, “I’m not gonna fuckin’ tell you again. Get your ass in the house. You can have the bitch after we talk. I’m in no mood to have you fuck with me.”
Cody said, “I don’t like the way you’re threatening me.”
Chas whipped out his knife, laid it against Cody’s twitching neck, and stated, “I’m not fuckin’ threatening, I’m telling.”
Backing up, Cody threw his hands up. “I don’t want any trouble with you. We don’t have a beef, right?”
“If you don’t want trouble, then take your ass away. I’ve wasted enough fuckin’ time with you.”
After opening the screen door, Cody entered the house backwards. Chas glared at him until he walked away. Coming up to Brianna, he snorted, “Slumming with pussies?”
“What do you want?” Brianna threw a dirty look at Cody’s retreating back.
“First, where the fuck does Jack’s friend live? Second, why the fuck did you lie about Addie? You made a shit of a mess, and I wanna know why.”
“So, it’s Addie now? What happened to Ms. Fuckin O’Leary?” A thin smile slashed her lips.
“What the fuck’s your problem?”
“I hate her. I know you took her out, and the bitch is weaseling her way into our lives. She’s trying to take you and Jack away from me. She’s all Jack talks about, and I’ve seen the way you look at her. You wanna fuck the bitch.”
“You jealous, evil cunt! You did all this shit to someone who is helping our son because I went out with her? You’re crazy.” Leaning in close to her face, Chas said in a low and rough voice, “I want you to listen to this real good—there is no fucking us. There hasn’t been us for years. It’s over. Addie’s not taking me away from you, ’cause I’m already fuckin’ gone. I’m never coming back to you. We aren’t together, so quit acting or thinking we are.”
“We could be. Jack would like that.” Brianna licked her lips.
Chas shook his head. “It’s never gonna happen. And Jack talks about Addie ’cause she’s kind and attentive to him. If you treated Jack like you loved and gave a damn about him, and not the welfare and food stamp money you’re getting because of him, maybe he’d be closer to you. And fuckin’ calling him stupid and making him feel like shit pisses me off. Told you about it once, and not gonna tell you again.” Chas jabbed a finger in Brianna’s face as his lips pulled back, baring his teeth. With his boot, he kicked a planter on the floor next to him. The terra cotta pot broke in a dozen pieces, dirt and flowers strewn on the floor.
“Whatever,” she said, waving her hand.
Cracking his knuckles, he ordered, “You’re gonna get your ass down to the police station and tell those fuckin’ badges it was a misunderstanding. If you don’t set this right, Brianna, I’ll make sure you pay, and you won’t like how I’ll do it.” Cold eyes stared at her, and he saw her shiver. He knew she was well aware he never made idle threats.
In a soft voice, she said, “I was mad because you acted like you cared about her in a romantic way. You never looked at me the way you look at her.”
“Stay the fuck outta my business. I care about Jack. If Addie loses her job, then Jack’s left in the cold. I swear, if that happens, you’ll have all kinds of hell to pay.” Chas ran his fingers through his hair. He didn’t mention Addie’s silky red hair and soft lips were always on his mind, or that he craved her in a way he didn’t fully understand.
“Jack’s staying over at the neighbors’ four doors down from here.” Twisting at the waist, she pointed to a wooden house painted blue.
“I’m gonna pick Jack up. You can fuck your pussy boyfriend all week. Jack is staying with me.” As he walked down the porch steps, he said over his shoulder, “Have your ass ready at nine o’clock tomorrow morning. You got some clearing up to do with the badges. You better be fuckin’ ready. You don’t want to piss me off. You. Really. Don’t.”
Brianna, glum-faced, nodded her understanding.
Chas started up his motorcycle, and without a backward glance, he went to pick up his son.
Stopping in front of the house in desperate need of a paint job, Chas noticed several small children milling around the front yard with no adult in sight. Jumping on the porch, Chas heard a television blasting inside. Turning the screen door handle, he entered the house. Inside, it was dark—all the curtains were pulled and the only light was the glow from a television set in the living room.
Box
es, toys, clothes, and garbage were strewn all around the house, making it difficult to walk around. In the living room, four kids from ages ten to two years old ran amok. Chas spotted Jack and another boy around his son’s age staring at the TV, a game controller in each of their hands. A woman in her mid-thirties was sprawled on a ripped couch, staring at the ceiling. In front of her, on the coffee table, a tall, colorful glass bong smoldered. A distinct, pungent smell with sweet undertones filled the room.
Surveying the scene before him with a hard gaze, Chas ground his teeth. The stoned woman on the couch didn’t even look at him. She was oblivious to what was going on around her. Brianna should be flogged! She’s a shitty mom.
“Dad!” Jack’s voice, tinged with excitement and surprise, was music to Chas’s ears.
Jack leapt up and ran over to his dad. Chas picked him up and held him in his arms then kissed him on his cheek.
Jack squirmed a bit. “Aw, Dad, I’m too big for you to be holding me. Remember?” His eyes glanced over to his friend, who sat quietly, staring at the TV screen.
“Dads are allowed to embarrass their sons sometimes.” Chas set Jack back down and ruffled his hair. “Is that the mom?” Chas pointed to the stoned woman on the couch.
“Yeah, but she’s mostly sleeping on the couch, especially after she smokes.”
Chas’s eyes flashed with sparks of anger. “Is there a dad around?”
“Yeah, but he’s sleeping in the bedroom. Andy,” Jack gestured to the boy sitting on the floor, mesmerized by the video game, “is happy, ’cause his dad can be mean. If he’s in a real bad mood, he’ll hit Andy and his sisters and brothers real hard with the belt.”
A sharp jolt hit against Chas’s gut like a knife stabbing him. A vein in his neck pulsed. “Has he ever hit you with the belt?”
Shaking his head, Jack said, “No. When he’s pissed real bad, I hide. He’s always mad at his kids, not with me.”
Embracing his son, Chas said, “Let’s get outta here.”
Outside, Chas helped Jack with his helmet. He handed Jack the leather gloves and jacket he always carried in his bike’s saddle bags.
“Hold on tight, little buddy. You’re going home with me for a week.”
Chas's Fervor: Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 3) Page 13