by Simone Elise
I quickly walked up the driveway of Daniels’ house, spotting his pride and joy out the front. His Mustang. I swear he loved that car more than he loved anything else. And considering that, this made it the perfect plan.
I had warned him I’d get him back for those comments about my sex drive. Because what had really pissed me off was he didn’t know just how desperately I wanted to get laid. I needed sex. I needed to be touched. I had never been this desperate before, but I was even considering a one-night stand just to take the edge off.
I pulled the AK forward and aimed it at the car. I grinned as I sprayed it with bullets. Smashing windows, destroying the body.
The front door burst open and shots started coming my way. I quickly ducked behind the car.
“I TOLD YOU I’D GET YOU BACK!” I yelled while still taking cover.
“ABBY!”
I laughed. “I’M JUST TESTING THE MERCH!”
“ON MY FUCKING CAR?”
“PAYBACK IS A BITCH, RIGHT?” I got up and couldn’t wipe the smirk off my face as I sprayed more bullets at it for fun.
“YOU ARE LUCKY I DIDN’T KILL YOU!” Daniels shouted from his front steps. I knew he would be pissed off.
“YOU’RE FORGETTING THE FACT I’M THE ONE WITH THE KILLER AIM!” I backed away from the car. “DON’T YOU JUST LOVE BEING MY BOYFRIEND!”
“YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS, ABBY!”
“OH BRING IT ON, BABY!” I darted off into the street, quickly unlocking my car. I still couldn’t stop smirking. Now that, that felt good. But it didn’t take the edge off what I really needed, and that was sex. But it did make me happy and for the first time in a while, I was smiling because I was happy. Happy with myself.
Chapter 13
Reaper
“I don’t understand why it won’t bloody start!” Brad yelled and threw a spanner across the garage. Roach just laughed, and I did my best not to laugh as well. Brad had been working on this hunk of junk for the last month and even though he had fitted it with a new motor, it still wouldn’t go.
“Maybe you should give up on it, Brad,” Cameron suggested.
I nodded my head. “Buy something that goes. You have enough money for that.”
“That doesn’t make it a project!” Brad snapped at us.
I looked up out of the garage and noticed Abby driving in. I hadn’t seen her again since she disappeared with Daniels about a week ago. It was killing me. Not being able to talk to her. Not being able to call her. Not having a right to know what she was up to.
What hurt more was watching her with another man. Not being able to stop him from touching her. I hated seeing her curl into him. Hated witnessing and seeing their couple comments.
The only way I was coping was by not thinking she was with him. He was her friend. Well, that’s what I kept telling myself. Even though she spent all her time with him and I couldn’t even say that her and I were friends.
I didn’t speak to her. She didn’t speak to me.
The only communication I got from her was the ultrasound pictures under my door.
I still hadn’t left for my charter because I couldn’t leave her. Even though she wasn’t mine anymore, I still couldn’t just leave her here. Couldn’t bring myself to admit it was over.
I watched her get out of the car, then bend over and pull an AK out.
Why the hell did she have one of them? I needed an answer.
I nudged Roach. “What’s with Abby and the gun?”
Roach grunted. “That boyfriend of hers has her doing his connections. I’m guessing that is one of the samples she got this week.”
“What, she’s dealing guns?” He had to be fucking with me.
“Yelled at her. Shouted at her. Still won’t see reason. I can only yell at her so many times. She does what she wants. She doesn’t care if I disapprove or not.”
“Well, be firmer,” I gritted out. I couldn’t have her running around doing gun deals!
“Don’t know if you noticed, Reaper, but Abby’s cut all ties with us. The club and her family.” Roach looked at Abby as she walked toward the clubhouse. “Fuck, I’m expecting her to move out any day. In with that boyfriend of hers. She spends all her time with him as it is.”
“Can’t you put her on lockdown or something? Make her see reason!”
“Is she listening to you?”
That hit me right in the stomach. “No.”
“Like I said. She’s cut all ties. Any day now, there will be a truck here and she will be packing her shit in it and I’ll lose her altogether.”
“You can’t let her. You have to stop her from…” What? How could we stop her? She was on this path of destruction, and she didn’t care.
Roach arched his eyebrows at me. “See, son? Not even you can think of a way to save her from herself. She’s chosen him over her own family. I’m only putting up with him because if I don’t, I lose her altogether. And I can’t face life without Abby in it. Even if at the moment all we do is fight.”
Abby disappeared into the clubhouse. She didn’t even seem to care about the party going on around her.
I had watched her withdraw from the club. I had watched her withdraw from me, from her family, but this. Seeing her so crystal clear. Like she really, really didn’t care what anyone thought of her anymore. It hurt. Because she wasn’t just saying she didn’t care that she was sleeping with our enemy. She was basically giving us all the finger and doing whatever the hell she wanted.
Maybe I could make her see reason…oh, who was I kidding? She didn’t want to speak to me. Hell, she didn’t even want me in her life. She made that clear when we broke up and she disappeared. Like I was nothing to her; that what we had was nothing.
Feelings for her still ran deep in my blood, but I couldn’t say those feelings were returned by her.
Still, I could try, couldn’t I? Just the thought of speaking to her had my blood racing, but the thought of her pushing me away and giving me that cold exterior that she was giving everyone else?
Well, that scared me because it wasn’t just going to hurt my pride to be pushed away from her again, but it would bring all my feelings for her to the surface. Still, I had to try.
***
I spotted her at the bar, leaning over and grabbing a soft drink. She was by herself. At least no one would hear her reject me. I walked up behind her. I knew I shouldn’t, but I still couldn’t help myself. I guess old habits die hard.
I reached around her, grabbing her hips and guiding her back to the stool.
She frowned, looking behind her and when she realized it was me, her eyes widened.
“What do you want?” she said sharply.
The AK was on the bar, along with her phone and purse.
I couldn’t just tell her that I wanted her to break it off with her boyfriend, could I? She would think I was doing it because I was jealous. Which I was, but I also was more worried about what she was getting herself into.
“See you are hitting the hard stuff.” I didn’t answer her question.
“Yeah, it’s as strong as it gets at the moment.” She smiled at me. And I could honestly say after being away from her for this long, seeing that she was smiling at me, well, it made my fucking month. And I knew how desperate that made me.
I kept my hands on her hips. Was I crossing a line? I needed to touch her. God, she didn’t know how much I needed her. But she was doing perfectly fine without me, and that’s what made my life that much sadder.
“How you feeling?” How many times had I wanted to ask her that question? She was pregnant with my kid. I had to know how she was. If she was having morning sickness. Was she eating the right food? Was she looking after herself?
The wall she normally had up wasn’t there, and I could read her expression. She wasn’t ok.
“Fine.”
“You’re lying.”
A dim smile graced her lips. “You always knew how to read me the best.”
“So you aren’t well?”
I turned to look at Roach. Couldn’t he fuck off for once? I had finally gotten a chance to talk to her and he started shouting her name.
“WHAT’S THIS I HEAR YOU GAVE UP NEARLY HALF A MIL TO HUNTER?” Roach roared at her.
“How the hell did you find that out?” Abby wanted answers. Her old man had a hand in everything, of course he would know how much she spent.
“That money could have come to the club!”
“Yeah Dad, because you are really going to give them the guns that they will turn on you. Think about it.”
“You’re as involved in running this gang as your boyfriend!”
“I really don’t have time for this shit.”
“It won’t surprise me if you turn completely and help them shoot us up!”
“You and them aren’t at war!”
“We bloody well should be!”
“Why?!”
“Because they’ve taken my daughter!”
Abby groaned. “Are you done yelling at me?”
“No, I want you gone.”
Abby put her drink down. “How many times are you going to kick me out and then ring me to beg me to come back home? I’m telling you, I’m so close to calling it, old man. I’m only here because you want me here.”
“Well, fuck off then. I don’t want someone who is sleeping with my enemy. Running their guns and giving away cash the club could earn.”
“YOU KNOW WHAT? I’M DONE!” Abby threw her hands up, grabbed her gun, phone, and purse, and walked around him.
Their arguments always got everyone’s attention. This wasn’t the first fight they had, and it wasn’t the first time he had thrown her out either.
Didn’t he know we had to keep her close to keep an eye on her? I guess he did, because he would always call her an hour later and beg her to come back.
“WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!” Roach roared at her back.
“NOT YOUR PROBLEM!”
“Come back here!”
She flung around. “No. You don’t control me. The only person I answer to isn’t here. And if he knew I was having this fight with you, he would laugh.”
“So you’re running to your boyfriend then.”
“I don’t answer to Daniels.” She flung back around and stormed out.
So if she didn’t answer to Daniels, who did she answer to?
Roach was basically breathing fire. It took him about five minutes to calm down and he had his phone out.
“You could at least let her get a block away before you start begging her to come back,” I said, pissed off that he had ruined my chance with her.
“I’m not letting him have her,” Roach muttered and put the phone to his ear, and I would bet all my money that he was calling Abby. To convince her to come back. Like always, she wouldn’t just break when he applied pressure. Instead, she was distant and cold and gave it back as good as she took it.
Roach wasn’t used to his daughter not giving in to him. She had proved to him over and over again she didn’t answer to him anymore.
But every time after their fights, Roach would realize he was giving Daniels what he wants. And that’s Abby. We had to keep some of her here. Even if she was just sleeping here. It meant she wasn’t completely Daniels’.
But I knew after one of these fights they kept having that she wasn’t going to come back. And then I would have really lost any chance of getting her back.
I still hadn’t come to terms with the fact she had a boyfriend. It was easier if I didn’t say it out loud. Maybe a part of me was still believing she was mine.
Even though she was nowhere near mine anymore.
Abby
“So you going to tell me who Kade is?”
I took my eyes off my novel and looked over my shoulder. I was lying on the bed, reading. Daniels was drinking a coffee and had just let himself into the guest room I was staying in.
“Nope,” I said and went back to reading.
“So this guy must be important for you to get his name tattooed on your shoulder.”
“He was, yes.” I flicked a page. Ever since I got my tattoo, I always had it covered, never wearing a dress or top that showed it off. The last thing I wanted was for Reaper to see it. I had gotten it a month ago, just after we broke up.
Sounds stupid, I know. But I had to keep a piece of him with me. Even if he was going to move to another town, find a new woman, have kids with her. Our history had a mark on my heart and while my heart would always belong to him, I wanted a physical mark of our love, so I got his name tattooed.
Daniels is the only one who had seen it. And boy did he not stop asking questions.
“Is he a member?”
“Do you know a Kade in your gang?” I was half paying attention while half addicted to the newest romance novel I had picked up. I swear since becoming pregnant, all I did was read. I couldn’t sleep, so I read.
“I was talking about a Satan’s Son member.”
I dropped my book. “Does it really matter?”
“Yep. I want to know who you are declaring owns your body.” Daniels sat on the end of the bed finishing his coffee. “You hungry? You haven’t eaten since you got here.”
“How long have I been here?” With the whole not sleeping thing, the days just blended into each other.
“Three days.”
I sighed. “Guess that means I have to head back to the club.” I usually didn’t make Dad sweat longer than three days. I hadn’t answered any of his calls or messages. As far as he knew, I had taken him seriously and moved out.
But like I said. I don’t make it longer than three days. Or maybe I should teach him a lesson.
“Abby, are you hungry?” Daniels clicked his fingers in my face. “I swear you are getting dangerously thin.”
“My stomach is still growing.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You aren’t really my boyfriend, you don’t have to be concerned if I eat or not.”
“How am I meant to trust your shooting if you don’t have the strength to hold a gun up?”
I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. “You have a point.”
“Good. I’m taking you out for breakfast. I’d say I’d cook you something, but you know firsthand I can’t do that.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I do recall your Friday night dinners.”
He whacked my leg. “I’ll get you one of my fresh shirts to put on. Unless you want to walk around in a bra?”
I was only in my bra and jeans because I spilled coffee all down the front of the white top, staining it.
“Thanks.” I got up and followed him out and into his room.
“You know the way you keep staying here, you should leave clothes here.” Daniels threw me a shirt.
I slipped it on. “You have a point. But I just want to remind you, we aren’t in a relationship.”
He grinned. “Yet.”
I rolled my eyes. I was never getting into a relationship with anyone again. I just couldn’t do it. Because well, no one would compare to Kade, so what was the point?
***
I was on the phone with Hunter as I got out of my car. “As for the delivery. I’ve spoken to Daniels but he hasn’t given me an answer yet, but once I have one, I’ll confirm the shipment.”
He grunted an ok and I hung up.
I pushed open the clubhouse door and the smell engulfed me. I was home again.
“You could have at least answered one of his calls.”
I turned, seeing Kim at the bar. Did she really want to have a fight right now? I was so sick of fighting with them. I swore that’s all they came at me for.
“Not in the mood, Kim.”
“Well, get in the mood.” She threw a beer mug at my head and I just dodged it. It smashed into pieces on the floor. “He has been a wreck for days! Why do you have to be such a bitch?”
“He kicked me out
last time I checked.”
“You knew he didn’t mean it. He was calling you as soon as you left!”
“Well, maybe he will stop trying to throw me out then,” I snapped at her. “Now fuck off.”
She walked around the bar and blocked my way to the staircase. “You are hurting him.”
“He’ll survive.”
“Why are you doing this to everyone? Pushing everyone away.”
Again, she was getting too close. “Fuck off, Kim.” I pushed past her.
“YOU ARE GOING TO KILL HIM!”
That was exactly why I was doing all this, so that didn’t happen. Maybe it was better if he just believed I had gone off the rails than the truth. Because while Blake was making me be his shooter, I was the one destroying all the relationships around me.
I had just gotten to my bedroom when I remembered I needed to speak to Reaper. It was about the baby. I had decided I wasn’t keeping him or her. I was giving it up. I had already looked into what was involved in putting a baby up for adoption. It was fair to say my mind was made up when it came to it.
I wasn’t fit to be a mother.
And I didn’t deserve it either.
***
I knew this weekend was going to be a headache. Not only had our mark managed to escape us, but he had gotten into a car and now we were chasing him.
“I can’t believe we’re chasing him in a Carmy.” I laughed so hard, not believing that we had not only let the man go, missed him numerous times and on top of all that, was chasing him in the slowest car possible.
“This wouldn’t be happening if you hadn’t shot up my car.” Daniels threw me a pointed look. “Now get your ass out of the car and take him down.”
“I would if you could get close enough,” I sniggered.
“Abby.” He said my name as a warning.
“Righto. Calm down. Getting out the window now.” I wound the window down and hung out of it. The guy’s car was a few cars ahead of us and I saw him take a sharp right turn.
“RIGHT, he’s going right!” I screamed, half hanging out the window. Daniels spun the steering wheel and the car skidded around the corner. I was thrown back in the car. “Geez, real smooth driving.”