Where does the time go?
“I’m sorry to hear about Apollo. I’ll miss him.” We all will.
“How long you here for?” I don’t mean to be sharp with her, but I’m not myself right now. It makes me wonder how Lynette has been putting up with me.
“Depends. Mom and Dad stayed in Cali with Cindy, but I wanted to come home for a while. I’m staying with an old school friend while I’m here.”
I nod slightly. Its good to know she’s got something sorted
“So, I heard you married Lynette. I always knew you were destined to be together.” She giggles to herself. I don’t say anything, ain’t like it’s a secret in this town that Lynette’s my wife. “Haven’t you missed me at all, Number two?”
I chuckle and climb off my bike. It has been eight years, and Coral is still calling me Number two. Number two because she always said that I was like a father to her. She told me if there was ever anyone who could love her as much as her own father it was me.
She was right, I’ve always loved her as my own. Coral left around the time I lost my Nova. It honestly felt like I lost two daughters that day, and I’ve mourned them both since. Coral grew up in the house across the street with her parents and little sister. She was best friends with Jett and Tank, and they loved her as much as I did. They missed her when she went away. She’s Tank's age, a few months older than Jett, who’s still twenty.
“I’ve missed you as much as I’ve missed Nova all these years, Sunflower.” She smiles at the name. I used to call her Sunflower because she was always smiling, always brightening up a bad day or any room she entered.
“I’m sorry you haven’t been able to find her. I heard how you’d had no joy.”
“I’ll find her one day, Sunflower, don’t you worry about that.” She nods slightly. “How’ve you been since...?” I tip my head, she knows what I mean, and from the look on her face, it still hurts her.
I did what I thought was right for Coral. She gave birth at thirteen years of age. Her parents didn’t want the child in their lives because all it did was remind them of the horrors their little girl suffered, and she really did suffer. My brother did unspeakable things to that little girl.
I will never believe what I did for Coral and the little girl I forced her to give up to be wrong. They both needed taking care of, and I made damn sure that baby went to a good family, one who would give her everything she needed in life. Until she's of age to find her birth mother that is. Doesn’t stop me feeling guilty, in any case.
BlackJack and I were there the day Coral’s mother forced her to hand the baby over. She’d been so happy to tell me all about the little girl she adored. Broke my heart to watch her hand that child over to me. There were tears, but even at that tender age, she knew it was for the best.
I have sworn to make sure Coral is safe for the rest of her life. I will kill any man who dares hurt her, and that includes my men. I will rip them limb from limb if they come near her, just as I would if she were Nova or Willow.
“Since I handed my little girl over to strangers?” I lean my ass back against my bike, one foot over the other, arms crossed over my chest. “I’ve been doing okay.” She tucks her hands into the pockets of her jeans, shrugging her shoulders. “I miss her every day, but I know she’s better off with them.
“I did well in school. Passed every exam I ever took. I graduated top of my class and got into a good college. It seems I have a knack for numbers. I graduated early with my master’s degree.”
I’m stunned. I always knew Coral was smart but damn... “I’m proud of you, Sunflower. You didn’t let it break you.”
“Nothing could break me, Shepard. I’m strong.”
“That you are. Now get the hell over here and hug me.” She laughs and runs at me. I catch her and hug her tightly. Holding Coral feels like I'm embracing my daughter somehow.
“Daddy, who is this?”
I let go of Coral and lift VJ in my arms. Coral’s eyes are shining with laughter. I haven’t seen that look in her eyes since she was a little girl. The little girl who once sat astride my bike and refused to get down, while telling me not to be such a grump. It’s nice to see.
“Who’s this handsome young man?” She asks.
“I’m VJ. I just had my sixth birthday. This is my daddy.” With his arms around my neck, he presses his cheek against mine. You might be able to tell that VJ is a Daddy's boy. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Coral. It’s so very nice to meet you, VJ.” He giggles. “I had no idea you had another son.”
“I’ve got two. Max is inside somewhere.”
“VJ and Max.” Coral mumbles more to herself than anything. “He looks just like you.”
“That’s what my mommy says. Jett and Maxy look like Daddy too, huh, Daddy?”
I smile and kiss his cheek. “That’s right,” The truth is, all three of my boys do look just like me. Max even got confused for Jett’s kid last week. It had us all laughing. Apart from Max, who promptly told everyone that Jett was his brother, Shepard is his daddy.
“She’s sexy, Daddy,” Yeah, VJ loves the ladies. God help us when he’s older. He’ll be leaving broken hearts all over the damn place.
“Oh, my god! He’s such a charmer. He is so Jett’s brother!” Coral is laughing so hard, I can’t help laughing with her.
“Someone mention my name?”
Coral spins on the spot, eyes wide, smile on her face as she watches Jett jogging towards us. She runs toward him, jumping into his arms, kissing his cheek, talking a mile a minute. Then she spots Tank, and its bedlam between them.
I chuckle to myself. It’s nice to see the three of them together again after all these years. Just as long as they keep their hands off of Coral, I won’t have to cut them off.
Chapter Fourteen
Lynette
Mamma? You have been sick.” That’s twice Max has seen me throw up today. I’m starting to think I have food poisoning. I’ve got a fever, and I’m shaking all over. I think I may have gotten sick at the club party the other night. I had a lot to drink, and I’ve been feeling off ever since.
I’ve managed to keep on going over the days following, but I have to admit, I’m struggling a little today. All I want to do is sleep, but I can’t do that with two little boys to take care of. Plus, I have Willow’s high school graduation today. I wouldn’t miss that for anything.
I’m just hoping Shepard, and his boys don’t turn up looking like thugs. They all love Willow and want to be there for her big day, but I’m hoping they don’t stand out like a sore thumb. If they’ve listened to me, they’ll be in suits. Okay, they’ll never look like businessmen, but at least they won’t look like biker criminals. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ashamed of them, and they shouldn’t have to change for anyone. However, this is a big day for Willow, and I want everything to be perfect for her.
“I’m okay, Maxy. You look so handsome, little man.” He really does in that little suit and tie. I want the boys to look good for their big sister, just as I want everyone else to look good. Max giggles when I kiss his little head, and he clutches his teddy bear harder. Never lets that thing out of his sight. Where VJ seems more grown up, wanting to be like his father, doesn’t want to cuddle with Mommy for long, Max is still very much a little boy in every way. I love that he is. Max will sit on the couch with me, cuddling while watching Disney. He’ll still crawl into bed with me just because he needs his mommy.
When VJ crawls into my bed, which isn’t often these days, it’s to cuddle with his Dad. I’m not petty, don’t get me wrong, but I miss those moments when VJ needed his mommy the most.
Sounds stupid, right? I guess I hate that he’s growing up so quickly.
Watching my daughter standing on that stage as she graduates has me in tears. I can’t believe how quickly she’s grown. Eighteen years old, graduating, and starting college to become a teacher. I am so proud of her.
As soon as the speeches are over, Willow comes
running over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and laughing excitedly. She looks beautiful in her tight white dress under her gown. Shepard wasn’t too pleased to see Willow dressed this way, he said Willow would draw the eye of every man here. He was right, but I won’t let even him dictate what she wears. My daughter is beyond beautiful, and she’s not stupid, I’ve raised her to respect herself and her body. I want Willow to let her beauty shine, and never be ashamed of it. She’s curvy in all the right places, stunningly beautiful, and yes, I am biased, but it’s the truth. I want Willow to know that she has the right to be proud of her femininity. She’s a smart girl and won’t just go jumping into bed with any man that smiles at her.
“I’m so proud of you,” I whisper in Willow’s ear, hoping she feels the conviction of my words. “Thank you, Mom.”
I’m fortunate where my daughter is concerned. I’ve raised her to value herself, to never let a man get away with hurting her. Not to be ashamed if he does, to always come to us if she needs us, and to be headstrong. She’s everything I could ever have wished for in a daughter. I only hope I can be so lucky with my boys. Looking at Jett and the way he is with Max and VJ, I know I have nothing to worry about. Both Shepard and Jett will teach my little boys to be men, and I’ll show them how to treat women with respect. Because if they ever physically hurt a woman, I'll make damn sure they don't get away with it, sons or not. I will never put up with that kind of thing from anyone.
Not that I think for one second they’ll ever do such a thing, but you just never know. You can bring your son up with the best of intentions, teach him right from wrong when it comes to women, but they don't always follow the path you've set them on.
“We’re all proud of you, sweetheart.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” I watch Willow being pulled around everyone, hugged, congratulated. She’s full of smiles and happiness. As I watch her waving to me before jumping into her friend's car, off to party the night away, I pray I never lose her.
“Come on, beautiful, BlackJack's having a barbecue, and we’re invited.”
The last thing I want right now is to stand around with everyone, drinking, and eating. I just want to sleep this sickness off. However, I don’t say that to Shepard, I just lock Max in his car seat while Shepard puts VJ in his. I then climb into the passenger seat and lean my head back against the headrest.
I must have dozed off, Shepard is shaking me, letting me know we’ve arrived. I haven’t slept long, Taylor only lives ten minutes from the school, but my head is banging like crazy. My husband gets both kids out of the car, and I watch them run inside the house. He then takes my hand and helps me out of the car. Not that I couldn’t do it myself, but he’s behaving like a gentleman, I suppose.
Shepard yanks on my arm and forcefully pulls me against the side of the house. He pushes me back against the wall, his eyes dark and searching.
“What are you doing?” I’m not in the mood for this; I just want to get inside to my sons and make sure they’re not wreaking havoc. They’re young boys, don’t they all do that? VJ certainly does.
“What’s wrong with you? You’ve been off all day.” Damn. I thought I’d masked it quite well. I should’ve known I’d never be able to fool him.
“Just not feeling so great today,”
“Are you sick?” His hand comes to my face, and I smile.
I hold Shepard's hand to my face and lean into his touch. “I haven’t been feeling too good for a couple of days. It’s nothing serious, but I have a horrible headache today.”
“I’ll get the boys and take you home.”
“No, there’s no need for you to miss this. The boys will act up if you try to make them leave right now.” They love spending time with everyone, and they hate leaving. “Besides, Coral wants to talk to you.”
“There’s plenty of time for that,” He tucks my hair behind my ear. “I’d rather take you home so you can rest.”
“I’ll rest later. I really am fine.” I love him for worrying, but it’s annoying me. It takes me a little longer to convince him that the more he stands arguing with me, the more time he’s wasting that he could be spending with his buddies.
It’s probably stupid to force myself to stay here, and party with everyone when I should sleep this off, but I figure a couple hours won’t hurt. After popping a couple of ibuprofen from my bag, I don’t feel as bad. I even help Taylor when she asks me to pop to the store with her to grab meat for the barbecue. As I’m all smiles, Shepard seems to believe that I’m okay enough to go.
Not that he could stop me, of course. We don’t have that kind of relationship. I don’t answer to anyone, but I do listen to my husband when he’s concerned.
“You do know one of the boys could’ve done this?” I tell Taylor as we load the trunk of her car with beer. How much beer can twenty-eight men drink? I know most of the girls drink beer, but most of the guys don’t even have a girl. Those without old ladies don’t bring their whores to family get-togethers.
“They could have, but I needed to get out for a bit.”
“What’s wrong?” I narrow my eyes a little. Have I really been this neglectful of my best friend of late? I hadn’t noticed how down she looks. Her usually caramel colored skin is paler than normal. Her dark eyes seem sadder. “Taylor?” I grab her wrist, stopping her from grabbing another case of beer from the cart.
“Jack and I... I mean me, I...” She looks up at me, tears now falling from her eyes. She’s starting to worry me. “I had a miscarriage a couple of weeks ago. I kept it between Jack and me, but I’m struggling. The doctor said I’d never be able to have another child.”
“Oh, babe,” I grab her and pull her into me. I rub her back as she sobs against my shoulder. How the hell did I not know about this? I should’ve been there for her the way she’s always been there for me! “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It happened so fast, Lyn. We were going to tell people about the baby when I got past the twelve-week mark. I didn’t make it past ten.” She wipes her eyes roughly. “There were complications, too much scar tissue left behind. I’m so frustrated with myself, Lynette.”
I rub her arm, not knowing what to say. I’ve never lost a baby, and I can’t even begin to imagine what that feels like. My heart hurts for her. Taylor has wanted another baby since Dominic was small. Now knowing she’ll never have another one... I can’t even imagine the hurt.
“Jack hasn’t spoken to me about what happened. He acts like nothing at all happened. He blames me, and I can’t take it.” She sobs so hard against me, and I’m going to kill BlackJack. How could he make her feel like this was her fault?
I drive us back to Taylor’s place, she’s too upset, and I don’t fancy getting in a car wreck right now. She manages to pull herself together before we get there. A couple of the guys come out and unload the car, while I grab BlackJack and drag him into a quiet room.
I slam the door behind me and fold my arms across my chest in anger.
“Wanna tell me why you’re looking at me like you want to kill me?”
BlackJack is no small man. In fact, he’s fucking huge in every way, but even big bad bikers hurt sometimes. Jack is hurting bad, I see it in his eyes.
“Taylor told me about what happened.” He says nothing, just looks at me curiously. “Why are you blaming her? Do you have any idea how much she already blames herself for something she had no control over?”
“I do not blame her!”
“Really? They why in the hell does she think that you do? She broke down to me, Jack. She feels like she failed you, that you can’t bear to be near her, and right now, she needs you as much as you need her.” He says nothing to me, just walks right past me and out the door.
I sigh to myself while rubbing my temples in hopes of relieving the pressure behind my eyes. There’s no chance of that, though, when my husband is yelling like it’s an Olympic sport. I suppose I best see what the hell is going on now.
Will this day never end?
&nb
sp; Chapter Fifteen
Shepard
I warned every one of my men what would happen if they went against me where Coral was concerned. I warned them all to stay away or risk getting a bullet through their fucking brains. She stood there not five minutes ago, telling me how in the few short months she’s been home, she’s been seeing one of my men. Yeah, that went down like a led balloon. How the hell has she been seeing anyone without me knowing? And one of my men? Where the fuck has my head been that I'd be so out of the game?
I encouraged Coral to tell me who she’s been seeing. She begged me not to make a scene, and to, please, let her be with him. She’s in love with him, she told me. He’s in love with her, she said. Doesn’t she realize men will say anything to get in a woman’s panties?
Stryker, she told me. Stryker is the one she's in love with, the one who made her promises of love, and a life she’s always dreamed of. Who the fuck is he to make her those kinds of promises? She deserves more than this life!
As I pin the cunt against the fence in the backyard, kids are screaming all around me, and Coral begs me to let him go. Stryker stares me down like the tough son of a bitch he is.
Stryker is one of my most loyal men. He’s strong, powerful, quiet for a biker, doesn’t have much to say unless it’s worth mentioning, BlackJack and Taylor's honorary son. A kid they took in after he tried to rob BlackJack a few years ago. Jack saw something in the kid and brought him into the club. He was patched in real quick. I know both BlackJack and Taylor are more than likely looking in on this right now. Taylor will want to rush me, to push me off the man whom she calls her son, even if he is only a few years younger than she is. I know Jack will be holding her back because he knows not to interfere in what I’m doing.
Stryker is a good man, and I know deep down that if he told Coral, he loves her, then he means it. Won’t change the fact I’m going to rearrange his face for what he’s done! He should have come to me the moment he realized he felt more for her. Because if he’d told me he’d fallen for her, then I would have given him my blessing. I’m not a fuckin’ monster. I wouldn’t stand in the way of two kids in love.
The President's Wife: Prequel (Snakes Henchmen MC) Page 10