by Vera Quinn
“Yes, it is. Thank you, Dra,” Maddie grudgingly says.
“That is very nice for a pushy self-serving biker. Thank you, asshole,” Micah says never taking her eyes off me.
“Language, please.” Maddie looks at Micah. Micah has an evil smirk on her face.
“Fine, a-s-s-h-o-l-e. Show us where the SUV is parked and then we will get our bags and you can go back to your clubhouse of debauchery and we can enjoy our vacation.” Micah is grinning like she accomplished something.
“That’s pretty fancy language for a stripper.” Krill has narrowed his eyes on Micah. It does nothing to deter Micah.
“Oh honey, what’s wrong? Are you bent out of shape because you would need to pay me to take my clothes off unlike the w-h-o-r-e-s at your clubhouse? You need not worry. I wouldn’t even take my clothes off for money for either of you.” I know Micah’s game. She wants either Krill or I to go off on her so she has an excuse for us not to be around Betsy and so her aunt will back her. I lay on the sweet.
“Thank you for that. I’d hate for you to get arrested for indecency in a public place. Krill may be interested later.” The smile never leaves Micah’s face, but she drives the knife into my heart.
“No, we couldn’t have that. Did you like the video I sent you of Maddie getting her freak on? Maddie nailed that s-l-u-t drop.” Micah knows I am on the verge of losing it, but I won’t give her that.
“Yes, she did, and she can demonstrate that move to me any time she wants to.” I look from Micah to Maddie and Maddie’s face is very red. Krill looks amused.
“I’d like to see that too,” Krill says, and I want to punch him, but Deb’s laugh brings my eyes to her. Betsy goes from Krill back to me.
“Okay, kids, enough play time. Let’s get B to the hotel and get her fed. She’s had an exciting morning and I can see a nap in both our near futures and then Dra you and Maddie can have that talk you have been needing to have and Micah,” Deb puts her eyes on Micah and stares her down, “you will stay out of it. Are we clear?”
“Yes, ma’am, crystal,” Micah says to Deb and then looks at me. “If you make her cry I will make you pay.”
“Momma cry,” Betsy repeats.
“No, baby. Aunt Micah is being silly.” Maddie steps up and rubs Betsy’s back and glares at her sister.
“I knew this was going to be an adventure,” Deb tells us.
“Let’s get your bags and then we can show you to the SUV,” Krill says. “Micah why don’t you ride with me so us outlaws can get acquainted.” Micah raises an eyebrow at Krill.
“Why would I want to do that and why would you be going to the hotel with us when you can go home?” Micah asks.
“I want to visit with Betsy and like I said earlier, I want to talk to Maddie,” I answer before Krill has a chance to.
“I think that is an excellent idea and Bass women always do what is best for their family,” Deb says looking pointedly at Maddie.
“I think you and I can be good friends Micah. What? Are you scared to be alone with me?” Micah glares at Krill.
“It’s not me that should be afraid, very afraid!” Krill laughs.
“Well, come on woman let’s get to it.” Krill moves to get a luggage cart and we walk to the luggage carousel to get their luggage. Maddie has stayed quiet, but she is looking at Deb and Deb is ignoring it. Betsy is not letting me go. I help Krill as much as I can to get the luggage. We make it to the SUV and Krill’s truck. Deb surprises me by getting in the truck with Krill and Micah.
“Why aren’t you riding with us?” Maddie yells at her and Deb stops from closing her door.
“I don’t want these two to kill each other,” Deb says with a serious face and shuts the door. I get Betsy buckled into her car seat and then load the bags in the very back of the SUV. Maddie has gotten in the front passenger side and I look over at Krill’s truck and Krill and Micah look deep in conversation. Deb gives me a thumb up. I walk over and motion for Krill to put down his window.
“I am taking the long way, so Maddie and I have time to talk. They have a restaurant in the hotel, so if you want to, we can eat there. Order me a burger, Krill, and whatever Maddie and Betsy would want and we will be there, shortly. I’m sure Micah and Deb can help with that.” Krill is nodding his head.
“Sure man, whatever you need,” Krill responds.
“Tell her everything, Dra,” Deb tells me.
“Be careful with Maddie, Dra. You don’t know how bad you hurt her,” Micah warns.
“I will do my best. I love your sister and my daughter, and they won’t be going home with you. They are mine and they are staying with me,” I tell Micah. Micah laughs.
“You keep telling yourself that. You have a long road ahead of you on that one. Maddie has found her backbone. You go at her with demands and her claws are going to come out. She knows about yours and Callie’s wedding and that hurt her as bad as those damn pictures. Tread lightly and don’t think that I won’t be there with a shovel to help hide your body if she decides to kill you instead of kiss you. No one will ever find you biker boy.” I turn and look at Maddie in the SUV. I will do what needs to be done. I walk back to the SUV and get in and Maddie looks nervous.
“Babe, I just wanted time to talk so I can explain some things. Relax. Was Betsy a handful on the plane?” Maddie seems to relax a little.
“Yes and no. The take-off and landing she didn’t like. I think her ears bothered her. We took the window seats and after a while she chilled and loved the clouds. Then she was the life of the party asking so many questions and getting to know everyone on the plane that talked to her. I swear, B has never met a stranger.” I know she didn’t get that from Maddie. Maddie looks back at Betsy and she is already trying to nod off. I glance at her in my mirror and her eyes are almost closed.
“She must have tired herself out.” Betsy looks peaceful.
“She was too excited to sleep last night. She wanted to see her daddy and Uncle Krill. She missed you both terribly,” Maddie says but hesitates. “I would never keep you and Krill out of Betsy’s life again. She loves you both so much and I only want what is best for her and that is for her to have all her family. I am sorry for ever keeping her away from you.”
“Thank you for telling me that. We both missed her too. That girl is the light of my life. I never knew I could love anyone that much. What about you Maddie, did you miss me too?” Maddie’s eyes come to me.
“I could lie and say that I didn’t miss you but that is exactly what that would be, a lie. I have never made it a secret that I love you Dra. I just don’t think we can either one of us, get past all the pain we have caused each other. I have also come to realize that I deserve someone that loves me the way I love them.” Maddie sighs. “I will not be someone’s second or third choice. I won’t just settle. I want it all. I want to kiss someone breathless. I want that person to want me so much that they are breathless.” Maddie won’t look at me. She is looking out the window. I glance my eyes to her and then in the mirror and see that Betsy is asleep.
“Maddie, I am going to explain a few things to you and I want you to listen to me carefully. I have never lied to you. I have been honest with you from the get go. I may not have told you everything because it is club business, but I have not lied to you. Do I have your attention?” Maddie looks at me.
“I’m listening but when you are finished you need to listen to me.” I glance at Maddie again.
“Agreed,” I tell her. “When I picked you up at the farmhouse, I meant everything I said to you. I want you as my wife. I did not voluntarily cheat on you. I know the pictures that were sent to Micah. The same pictures were sent to a few people but that was all a set up by Angus, Sunshine, and Prissy. I fucked up when it came to Sunshine.” Maddie and I both glance at Betsy to make sure she is still asleep. Maddie turns and looks at her and I glance at her in the mirror. “I should have cut Sunshine loose the first time I found out about Betsy. I knew I wanted us to be a family. I was just so pis
sed at you for keeping Betsy from me. Sunshine begged me to keep her around in case I didn’t find you. My brain was not working, and I gave in. I set her up in a condo in town, but I never lied to her. I told her when I found the two of you that she was gone, and she said she was good with that. She lied and what happened after that is on me, but I did not cheat on you when I was in my right mind.” I look at Maddie.
“You mean you were thinking with your dick.” I am shocked. Maddie never uses words like that. My cock just went rock hard. Maddie sees my shock. “Not used to that kind of talk from me, get used to it.” I smile, and I know I look forward to it.
“I stopped by Sunshine’s condo to sign papers to get my name off her lease. I paid the lease we had off, but I wanted my name off the ones going forward. I had papers to sign and she had them there. I had already told her that we were done, and she tried to convince me she was pregnant. I knew better and that should have warned me not to trust her. When I got to the condo, Prissy was there too, so I thought it was safe with a witness. I grabbed a water to drink while I read the papers and explained them to Sunshine. She said that she didn’t understand all the legal words. Sunshine and Prissy drugged the water with a syringe. They slipped me roofagra. It is two drugs mixed—Rohypnol and Viagra. It’s a date rape drug. The Rohypnol made me relax and not know what was going on. My body was in control not my brain and the Viagra kept me up, so they could take the pictures and Sunshine could violate me. I hate it and I have been tested since then. I swear to you I would have never broken my wedding vows.” I can only hope Maddie believes me.
“I’m sorry that happened to you. She raped you. I don’t even know what to say to that and I did leave because I thought you cheated but it is not the only reason I left. Micah talked to Callie and the vows you broke are the same vows that you said to Callie. How could you make our wedding day all about the wedding you had with Callie? I was already insecure about you having been married to Callie but the same hotel, chapel, and vows? That almost destroyed me. I felt my heart shatter.” I can hear the pain in Maddie’s voice and see the pain in her eyes.
“I’m not perfect and I know I took my pain out on you. I was hurt when you kept my daughter from me. That’s the only excuse I have. I wanted to hurt you the way you hurt me, and I knew sooner or later you would find out. I am truly sorry and please forgive me. We can get remarried any way you want.” Maddie is looking at me as if I am crazy.
“What if Sunshine really is pregnant this time? She very well could be,” Maddie asks.
“We were questioning Sunshine, because I knew I did not do what those pictures showed. She knew she was caught but we just didn’t know how guilty she truly was. She grabbed Whistler’s gun and shot herself. Sunshine will never bother us again,” I tell Maddie without any emotion in my voice.
“Sunshine is dead? Why would she kill herself? That is such a waste. I thought the woman was crazy but not suicidal,” Maddie says with compassion in her voice.
“You remember how I said it was Angus, Prissy, and Sunshine?” Maddie nods her head. “Angus was a prospect, remember?” Maddie is still nodding her head. “Sunshine and Angus were aliases. They weren’t who they said they were. They are the ones that were trying to help traffic drugs through our town with help from Kross Tie and Coach Jackson at the school.”
“But Angus and Kross Tie were a part of the Troubled Fathoms MC and Coach Jackson was a school teacher. Why?” That’s my Maddie. Too sweet to see the evil in everyone else.
“Kross Tie, all we can figure out is greed. It was all about the money and Coach Jackson some of the same, but he was trying to help his wife. She was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. His insurance at the school does not cover everything and they have depleted their savings. From what Bandy found, this is her second bout with cancer and teacher’s insurance isn’t very good. Their co-pay is double mine and it doesn’t cover everything. There’s also a cap on what they will cover for each illness. Jackson was desperate. Angus and Sunshine are actually Isaac and Natalie Benson. They are brother and sister and their dad, Ned, was killed the day that Callie and the BlackPath MC burnt the marijuana growers out. Callie and her family thought they were avenging me and if they hadn’t done it then the Troubled Fathoms MC would have. Natalie and Isaac wanted revenge for their dad and they wanted to bring the Troubled Fathoms MC down.” I stop for a minute and then go on. “Kross Tie was killed in a shoot-out at the gym. Angus/Isaac and Jackson are going to prison.”
“You turned them over to the authorities? What will happen to Mrs. Jackson?” Maddie is full of surprises.
“Yes, babe. We try to work on the right side of the law. As far as Mrs. Jackson is concerned, the Troubled Fathoms MC is paying her hospital bill to where it is current, and we are paying for her medicine co-pay. We are also going to try and do some fundraisers to make sure she gets everything that she needs. If Coach Jackson had come to us in the first place, we would have helped them. Sometimes pride gets in the way when it shouldn’t. We have a tight-knit community and we help each other.” That brings a smile to Maddie’s face.
“Our imperfections are what makes us human and distinctive from each other,” Maddie tells me.
“Imperfections can also make us unlovable and make us our own worst enemies. Ever hear that?” I ask Maddie.
“I get it. Alright, if that is how you feel but my mom always said that our imperfections are what makes each of us special but if you have your mind set.” Maddie winks at me. My sweet Maddie is flirting with me.
“You can always try and convince me.” I wink back at Maddie.
“Dra with all that you have said, there is still one thing that you haven’t, and until you do then we have nothing else to talk about. Don’t try it now, because you need to think about it hard and long and mean it when it is said. It’s the only thing that can change my mind.” I see the hotel in front of us. I will tell Maddie exactly how I feel as soon as we have our daughter fed and with her Aunt Deb, so when I tell Maddie, then I can show her.
“Let’s join the others and get Betsy fed so she can have her nap and then I can spend the rest of the day with my girls.” Maddie raises her eyebrow at that.
“So, we are your girls now?” she asks.
“You’ve always been my girls. It just took me a while to realize it and you’ll catch up in time,” I tell Maddie. I stop at the valet and hand the man the keys and let him know the room numbers. I open the back door and get Betsy out and then turn to the valet again to tell them about the bags in back and that they need to be moved to our rooms. I walk around the SUV and Maddie is standing there waiting. Betsy is beginning to wake up and she smiles at me and leaves her head on my shoulder. I put my hand on Maddie’s back and walk her into the hotel. Someone opens the door for us and we walk through and that is when I see Krill standing there talking to the last people I expected to see here. “Can you take Betsy and go inside, and I will be right in?” I ask Maddie. She looks at me and then over to Krill. She takes Betsy from my arms. The two women standing there talking to him look like the typical biker babes. Everything they have on is tight with plenty of skin on display. Dark makeup and plenty of attitude going on. I know both women. They are from our past and it can mean nothing good. I know Maddie wants to ask but her pride will not let her. Maddie walks into the restaurant without saying anything. I watch her, and I can tell I should have just walked in with her, but Krill looks like he could use my help. I walk over to the three.
“Jenny, what the hell kind of game are you playing?” I look at Jenny. It has been a good ten years since Jenny has been around. She and Krill were high school sweethearts. The only problem with that is Jenny’s brother is the President of the Spirit Arms MC. They are an outlaw motorcycle club and if anything will give them a quick buck then they are into it. Selling and transporting illegal firearms, prostitution, drugs and money laundering. They will deal with anyone for a dollar. The Troubled Fathoms MC and the Spirit Arms MC were once on friendly terms u
ntil Jenny’s dad was killed and her brother took over. Trick was a fair man, but Rico is not. We cut ties and ran them out of our territory. That ended Jenny and Krill’s relationship. Krill has not had a girlfriend or woman since then. When I get close to Jenny I see the years have been hard on her. Bleached blonde hair and makeup so thick it looks caked on. She looks years older than her actual age. The younger woman beside her is her sister Bethany. She has the tight clothes, but her face is fresher and still has a bit of innocence to it.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Jenny says that the Spirit Arms MC are the ones that have been peddling drugs through Sunshine. She overheard Rico giving the orders to start sending more.” I look at Jenny. I don’t know if I trust her. “She also says I have a son and Rico is holding him.” Well damn. “I need to get Bandy on this, so I am going to head to the clubhouse. Sorry Dra but I need to find out what I can.” I know what Krill is feeling. I know what I felt when I found out about Betsy.
“I’ll tell Maddie and then I will be out. Don’t leave me. Where are these two going? They need to give us more information,” I tell Krill.
“We can’t be seen with you two or we are dead. I took a big enough chance following you to Boulder. Can you meet us at the bar in Sunshine tonight?” Jenny asks in a quiet voice. Krill is nodding his head in agreement, but it seems he is shocked.
“I need to pay our bill,” Bethany says.
“I’m letting Maddie know.” I turn and walk into the restaurant. I see Bethany is sitting close to Maddie’s table. I go to the table and I see Maddie waiting for me to say something. I kiss Betsy and go to Maddie and kiss the top of her head.
“I’m needed at the clubhouse. I will see you tomorrow morning.” Maddie is watching Bethany and Micah has picked up on it too and now she is watching her. Maddie doesn’t say anything.
“Are you sure this is a wise choice Dra? Seems like you and Maddie made some headway on the ride here. Are you sure you need to leave?” Deb asks, and I know I am supposed to get the hint to stay but my brother needs me. I take some money out of my wallet and put it on the table.