The Winter of Regrets

by Needa Warrant

  “Violet, don’t,” pleaded Dee. “She’s Jack’s adopted sister and she’s nuts. I sent Lacy-Jane to get her ol’ man to take her home.” Her eyes narrowing, she faced Jo. “Don’t make this any worse,” she warned her. “You do not want to mess with Violet. Dusty, could you get Jo out of here, please?”

  Dee knew Violet’s famous temper and she was afraid Jo might get knocked out by the older woman.

  “Bitch, do you know who I am?” Violet yelled.

  Jo was now beyond caring as she foolishly answered. “More lowlife biker trash, from the way you’re dressed. Do you know that my ol’ man is Nailz from Bound for Hell? Get the fuck out of this argument. It’s none of your business.”

  Violet’s eyes widened as she looked at Jo. Her nearly purple-blue eyes became darker, which is never a good sign. Dusty was trying to pull Jo away toward the door and Jo was trying to stand her ground.

  “My ol’ man is Rebel,” Violet fought back, “founding president of Satan’s Attitude, and you’re a leaky cunt. I don’t give a fuck if you’re knocked up. I’ll put you in your place, you crazy bitch.”

  Violet was ready to throw down when the door opened and Jack entered with Nailz and Rebel.

  “Jo, let’s go. I can’t believe you’d act this way.” His wide shoulders slumped in defeat. “Deidra, I’m sorry. Jo isn’t well. Let me get her out of here before she ruins the wedding more. Jack, man, I’m sorry. Please let your parents know that I got this. Jo is going home where she belongs. Enough of Jean’s pampering; we’re gonna do it my way. Either Jo gets help or I’m getting a divorce. Jo, move your fucking ass now.”

  Jack looked with disgust at Jo. “I don’t want you calling my mother. I don’t want you near my wife or my sisters. You really have lost it, Jo. You remind me of your sister Lisa. Nailz, get her out of here and we’ll help with the twins, but not Jo. She’s crazy, and if she doesn’t stop her shit, my family will be done with her.”

  Jo suddenly realized that there was no Jean to rescue her. Jack’s words cut into her; he was banishing her from the family. She looked at him with tears streaming down her face, her lips moving wordlessly. Jean wasn’t coming to help her; she would believe the lies Jack and Dee told her. She slumped against Nailz as he carried her from the room.

  Jack walked over to his wife. “Dee, she’s nuts. Please don’t let her ruin our day.” He grabbed up her hand and, together, they went to leave the room, stopping only for Jack to ask Rebel not to tell Whiskey what happened until after the wedding. Rebel just nodded, glaring harshly at his wife who didn’t appear the least bit frightened.

  Rebel looked at his wife and shook his head. “I promised Whiskey you’d behave today. Violet, you’ll be going back to the hotel if there’s another outburst from you.” He watched as his wife walked out of the room with her head held high. His behavior changed as he looked at Angie, Dusty, Bebe, and Lacy-Jane. The nasty tone left his voice as he spoke to them. “Almost all my favorite ladies in one room, minus Chrissie and Dee, of course. Angie, what brought you and Bebe to New Jersey?”

  He sat down and motioned for all the girls to sit. Angie, who looked so much like Violet, touched his heart in many ways. He could never say no to anything she wanted. “Rebel, I decided I wanted to come home and tell Hyway about Chrissie. He deserves to know he has a daughter. I plan to dance and look for a rental. Bebe can find a job and watch Chrissie or dance too.” Angie spoke fast, her Jersey accent coming through strong.

  Lacy-Jane looked at Rebel, hoping her timing was good. “Rebel, I don’t think Violet should try to take care of Shanna. I’ve been with her since the day she was born and Whiskey said I could stay here and keep her close to Dee.”

  Rebel nodded slowly. “Violet is going to try to fight that, but Whiskey told me his plans. Bebe, is this what you want to do?”

  Bebe answered quickly. “No offense, but I can’t live with Violet again. I’m staying with Angie. I want to find my own man, not someone Violet picks for me.”

  Lacy-Jane spoke up. “Kima—that’s Jack’s sister—offered to rent a house for us to share. It’s big enough and we can help each other out. It’s nice and it’s furnished. It would keep us all together.” She looked at Angie and Bebe, who nodded in agreement.

  Rebel looked at Dusty, who stood off to the side. “I want to speak to Dusty alone. You all go back to the reception and avoid Violet.”

  After the others left, Rebel patted the sofa next to him and Dusty sat down. “You haven’t been home in a long time,” he noted. “I hear you’re living with Darko. Are you happy?”

  She fidgeted a bit and didn’t meet his eyes. “Rebel, home to me is New Jersey. I know you mean well, but I can’t stand Violet. I know she is your wife and my mother, but the things that happened in the past, I can’t forgive or forget them.”

  Rebel said nothing but patted her leg.

  She continued. “I’m happy for now with Darko, but I never know when I might decide to run. He wants more from me. I don’t know if I have more to give. I think I love him, but after Loco, I am not sure if I can love. For now, it’s working. I know my mother expected me to find a man in Satan’s but I can’t be that near her.”

  Rebel said nothing, holding her in his arms and cursing the secrets that he and Violet held.

  As Nailz was heading to the parking lot, Tramp caught up with him. The look on Tramp’s face was furious and Nailz got Jo into the station wagon as fast as he could. He tried to move away so Jo didn’t hear what was going to be said, but Tramp went right to her side of the car and yanked the door open.

  Jo was scared, more scared than she had been in a long time. For Tramp to even talk to her meant she’d really fucked up badly.

  “You stupid fucking cunt. Listen to me and pay attention. I can’t give Nailz his colors back now because of your attack on Dee. I don’t give a flying fuck what your issues are, but you stop the shit now. You’re a problem and my club won’t protect your stupid ass. You cost my brother from getting his colors back because I can’t risk giving them to him until this all quiets down. You go after Dee today, of all days. She is Whiskey’s daughter and that man would think nothing of offing you for hurting her feelings. You insult Rebel’s ol’ lady, who’s likely to kill you herself. Stay in your house and stop making trouble Jo, before something bad happens to you.” He slammed the car door, then walked to Nailz. Jo watched in horror as he and Nailz walked a few feet away where she wasn’t able to hear them talking.

  Tramp clasped Nailz arm. “Sorry, bro, but I said it for her own good. Violet is nuts and Jo needs to stay far away from her. Whiskey has every right to be pissed too, but since he seems to be into Elena, I think he’ll let this pass. I was planning on giving you your colors back tomorrow, but it’s safer for you not to be in the club until this shit cools down.”

  Nailz slightly grinned at his president. “Prez, I think you scared the shit outta Jo. I planned to give her hell, but now I’ll get her to a doctor and find out what we can do. She was never like this and when I think she’s fine, she goes off the deep end. I want my colors back, but I understand that my ol’ lady may have started a war. One thing you need to do though, is tell Thrash to back off Elena. That might really cause issues, because he thinks he’s entitled to her since Hunter gave him his blessing to be with her.” Nailz pulled out his cigarettes and offered Tramp one, who declined.

  Tramp nodded and looked disgusted. “Yeah, that’s my next plan. Jersey already warned me about it. V said you need to see a doctor, so do that, and we’ll get this shit settled. Then, you can be let back into the club. I feel like I’m dealing with a bunch of cub scouts lately. Get her home before crazy Violet Rose comes out here.” He hugged Nailz, then left for Thrash.

  Nailz tossed his smoke away, got into the station wagon, then faced a terrified Jo. She spoke first: “Nailz, is my life in danger?”

  “It could be, with what you pulled today. I don’t have my club behind me to protect you. Hell, Satan’s and Nefarious may go after me fo
r what you did. I’m held responsible for what you do. You’ve made enemies in my club too.” He started the car and began to drive out of the parking lot.

  Jo chewed on her fingernail. “Should we call the police and tell them?”

  Nailz jammed on the brakes. Jo screamed and Nailz looked at her with disgust. “We don’t call the cops. If you do, I’ll tell them you’re crazy and you’ll be put away in a mental hospital. Ever hear of Greystone or Ancora? Don’t think my parents will put you in some nice private hospital because they won’t. Get your head together because if you don’t, you’re gonna end up in one of those places. My family will make sure you’re never heard of again. You don’t know them as well as you think.” He was livid and his tone was hard and cold.

  “You … You think I’m crazy?” Jo asked softly.

  Nailz was driving again. “I think having twins and being pregnant is making you screwed up. You took friendships for granted and you’re jealous of Kima and Dee. I want my Chickie back and my life back. That includes my club, Jo. I love you, but I can’t take much more of this shit. We do it my way now or I’ll look into those hospitals. Maybe we should take a ride and you can see what they look like from the outside.”

  Jo swallowed loudly. “No. I want to go home and rest. I’ll call Doctor Allan on Monday. I don’t know why I’m being like this either, and I’m so very sorry, Nailz. I’ll go back to being your Chickie. I love you.” She reached for his hand.

  He took it. “I love you, Jo. I need you to get better, and so do the boys. We’ll go home and you can rest.” Nailz felt his heart breaking for his wife.

  Tramp was on a mission to locate Thrash. At the reception he found Whiskey and Elena dancing to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ Can’t Take My Eyes off of You. They were holding each other tightly and looking into each other’s eyes as they swayed to the music. Thrash leaned against the bar, glaring at them. Veiko came up next to him and tried to talk.

  Tramp walked straight up to them. “Outside now, both of you.”

  He motioned to Jersey to follow and they all stood in the parking lot.

  Tramp didn’t mince words. “Thrash, I already have enough to deal with. Stop glaring at Whiskey and Elena. You wanna start a fucking war?”

  “I got Hunter’s blessing to be with Elena, and you’re telling me to walk away, Tramp? Not happening.” Thrash stood there pissed, his arms folded across his huge chest, his face twisted with rage.

  Tramp looked like he was going to explode. “You don’t have a say in this. Elena is her own person. Hunter doesn’t run shit from the grave. You will leave her alone and not start a war we can’t afford to have. What Hunter may have wanted, doesn’t matter. You’re pushing me to my limits here, Thrash. Don’t think I won’t pull your colors like I did Nailz. You won’t win against Whiskey. Veiko, do you think a letter from Hunter entitles your brother to Elena?”

  Veiko looked at Thrash, waiting for him to lash out. “No,” he finally said. “Elena doesn’t belong to you. She told you to back off and you don’t. Any chance you might have with her, you’ll blow, brother. Let it go. Meet somebody else. If you and Elena are meant to be, it’ll happen.”

  Jersey stood there, waiting for a fist fight. Thrash’s chest was heaving and he wasn’t taking his president’s threats or his brother’s advice well.

  “Thrash, Whiskey will leave in a few days and Elena will forget about him. If you make a scene, she’ll never speak to you again. Let Joy try to talk to her, bro. Let her hang out with him for now and he’ll leave soon enough.” Jersey was trying to smooth the shit over.

  “I should just show her the letter Hunter wrote me. Maybe that would snap her out of this shit,” Thrash reasoned.

  All three men stared at him as though he was insane.

  Tramp ground his teeth, ready to lose his temper. “You will leave Elena alone or you will turn your colors over to me. Understand? Make a choice right here, right now, Thrash. Your choice. Elena, or your club.”

  Thrash realized that there was no choice to make but one. “My club.”

  Tramp finally smiled. “Good choice brother, now you go in there and you make sure you dance with some girls. Don’t even look Whiskey’s or Elena’s way. We’ve got enough shit with Jo going at Deidra. This is some serious shit and Satan’s and Nefarious could easily turn on us. Gonna be a few days before we know if they plan to go after Nailz. We go inside and we act respectful and have a good time. Understand?”

  The three bikers nodded and Tramp hoped to God they realized how serious this situation really was.

  Deidra and Jack had eyes only for each other. They danced the night away and didn’t speak about Jo at all. For them, it was a dream wedding despite it all.

  Kima had met Angie and Bebe. They made plans to look at her aunt’s house in the morning. As Kima turned away, her mother grabbed her arm.

  “I want to know what happened with Jo,” said Jean. “I want to know what you did to make her leave the wedding.”

  “Mom, let’s take this to another room. I don’t think talking in here will make daddy happy.”

  Kima led her mother to the ladies’ room. Jean was huffing as she looked at Kima. “Jo was fine. What did you do now to upset her?”

  Kima sighed, used to her mother being blind to Jo’s problems. “Mom, she went at Dee and said some really mean things. I wasn’t in the room. Jo needs to see Dr. Allan. Nailz took her home.”

  “I don’t believe you, Kima. I don’t see why you can’t be kinder to Jo. She is your best friend and your sister.”

  “No, she isn’t my best friend, and you picked her as my sister. Did you ask Shelly or me if we wanted a sister? We liked our family as it was! You were the one, if you care to remember, who pointed out after I lost the baby that Jo had my car. She never even came to see me in the hospital. I had to ask Thorn to get a message to her to return my car.”

  “Jo has been your best friend forever, Kima. Why would we ask you or Shelly? Jo needed us, and we don’t turn our backs on our loved ones like you seem to be doing.” Jean looked disgustedly at Kima.

  The flush of a toilet startled both women. Violet Rose came out of the stall and went to wash her hands. Jean looked open-mouthed at the flashy woman, not quite sure if she was really reading the tattoo correctly. Kima stood still, smiling inwardly. After shutting off the faucet, Violet gave her a wink as she turned toward Jean.

  “Violet Rose, Rebel’s wife, pleased to meet you.” She waved her hands to shake the water off of them. Some drops hit Jean. “Oops, sorry about that splash. I couldn’t help but overhear you speaking about that crazy pregnant girl. I was there, you know. She attacked our Dee and called her names.” Violet was cunning. She looked Jean up and down. “Where we come from, you don’t hide to verbally attack a bride. Your daughter is trying to tell you she had nothing to do with it, and you still don’t believe her?” Violet’s southern accent was riddled with scorn.

  Jean stumbled with her reply. “Jo isn’t well. Kima doesn’t understand how hard Jo has things. She has twins … being pregnant … they fight …”

  Violet turned to Kima. “I’ve heard such lovely things about you, Kima. I understand you are friends with my wayward daughter, Dusty. Such a fine-looking husband you have.” She turned to look again at Jean. “I have daughters also and a granddaughter, but I would never blame my daughter for something she wasn’t even in the room for. I take it Jo is your favorite? I have a stepdaughter, yet I treat them all the same … or I try to.”

  Jean looked Violet up and down and was seething inside. Who is this flashy bitch to lecture me? she thought. “Excuse me, Violet, but this really doesn’t concern you. It is a private conversation.”

  Violet linked her arm through Kima’s and smiled at Jean. “Honey, public restrooms are great places for gossip. Now, I’m going to take your lovely daughter to meet my husband and you can find out the real story from Deidra. Bless your heart, too. Such a fine mother you are.” With that, she and Kima left the ladies’
room.

  In the hall, Kima looked at Violet and laughter bubbled up from her throat. “I don’t think my mother knows you just kindly told her to go fuck herself, Violet.”

  “Living in the south has taught me a few things,” returned Violet. “I’m from Jersey, myself. Your mother refuses to see beyond her nose. I don’t like that Jo, and she better hope I don’t see her while we’re up here. Now, come meet my Rebel!” She tugged Kima to the table where Rebel was holding court.

  Finally, the guests were departing, some to their homes, and the bikers to party elsewhere. Elena needed to get back to her house and Whiskey invited himself in for coffee. He paid the sitter and wouldn’t let Elena pay him back. He sat on her sofa and took off his suit jacket, then tore at the buttons of his shirt.

  Elena quickly made coffee while sneaking peeks at him.

  “Deidra can’t say I didn’t behave, can she? Although … I didn’t like hearing what Violet told me that was said to her by Nailz’ ol’ lady.” Whiskey pushed his boots off and lay back on the sofa.

  “It’s about time Jo got a slap on the face for her behavior, but the last one I expected it to come from was Dee.” Elena called back.

  Whiskey replied, “My girl doesn’t take shit. Has my temper, I think. Her mama didn’t take my shit either, though. Shannon fought that cancer so hard. My biggest regret is how I let Margo treat Deidra. I should have stayed away from that bitch.”

  Elena brought the coffee and put the tray on the ottoman.

  “Do you mind if I change? I’m dying to get this dress off, but I need help with the zipper. Would you unzip it for me?”

  Whiskey stood up and he brushed her hair out of the way. His fingers left a path of fire on her skin as he unzipped her dress.

  Elena walked to the bedroom to change as he took his flask and added whiskey to both cups. He wasn’t sure where this would go with Elena. He wanted her badly, but he wouldn’t push her. He didn’t see pictures of Hunter and he wondered if she was truly done mourning him. Tramp had told him the story of how Hunter had died. He wondered about a man pushing a pregnant woman out of his life and couldn’t decide if what he had done was the right thing to do. Elena wasn’t just a fuck; she’s the type of woman you made your wife. He wanted to know everything about her.