Mina screamed when Tommy hit the floor. She looked at Ink, but he didn’t look like he had even moved, but the proof was in the blood pouring from Tommy’s nose.
“Are you alright Mina?” Ink’s blue eyes were filled with concern as he pulled her to his chest. “You never could handle men like us. You are meant for gentleness Mina. What was Candy thinking letting you stay?”
She couldn’t even speak. She just leaned on the man who shared her blood and let him comfort her as he had done when they were smaller, before her life had turned to shit. They had been close as children, but didn’t see much of each other. Then when she and her mother had moved in her had been all grown up. She didn’t want his words to hurt her, but they did in a way. She also didn’t want him to know that men like him were the type that made her legs weak. He had always tried to shelter her from the harsher type, but they seemed to draw her.
He led her to the door and nodded toward Angel. She nodded and sent him a wink.
The night was cool, but the cape Mina wore kept her warm enough. She told Ink about how Tommy had been her neighbor and how she had loved him. She also told him that he had been screwing a girl in Mina’s treehouse the night his father killed hers. Seeing Tommy with that girl had sent her home and made her a witness to the crime. Until then she had just told him that they had been friends and it had been Tommy’s father who had killed hers. Tonight she was letting him know how much Tommy had meant to her and it felt good to get it all out. She had held it in so long.
“So he hates you because you testified.” It wasn’t a question, but Mina nodded.
“He doesn’t believe his father was the one that shot dad. He thinks I made it all up to get back at him for sleeping with that girl.”
“Did you?”
Mina didn’t let that sting. He just wanted to get the facts. “No. I’d have given anything to have seen anyone else, but I know what I saw.”
Ink ran his hands through his hair making the short strands stand up in blue tipped spikes all over his head. His silver rings caught in the glow of moonlight as did the studs piercing his eyebrow. His arms were bare and Mina wondered how he wasn’t freezing without a coat, but Ink seemed content in the bitter air of the cold October night as he thought of what the situation with Tommy meant for them. She stayed quiet and studied the dark shadows of the ink on his arms. She couldn’t make out the pictures, but they almost seemed to reach out of Ink’s flesh and call to her. She shivered and looked away as if the art on his skin could actually come out and play tonight.
Halloween had always creeped her out a little. She wanted to believe it was all fun and games, but it had been something more a long time ago, right? Was any of the talk about magic and spirits really true?
She shook her head to try to clear it. She wouldn’t sleep a wink if she kept thinking like that.
“When are you going home Mina?”
Her heart cracked a little. “Tomorrow.”
He nodded. “I love you Willamina. You know that right? I know I suck at that shit, but you are my family Mina and I will do anything to protect you.” He looked at her as if there was something he wasn’t saying.
Mina wiped a tear from her cheek. His words meant the world to her. “I love you too Jonah. You are all I have in the world. I hope none of this makes you think less of me.”
Ink pulled her close and kissed her head. “Nobody has called me Jonah since the day I was married. I like that you do. Makes me remember, you know? Even Angel calls me Ink. Sometimes I guess I forget who I really am, where I’m from.” He tilted his head. “Nothing could make me think less of you. There’s a ton of shit you don’t understand and I can’t tell you any of it, but I do love you and I will keep you safe. Family matters, even for men like me.”
“Your dad would be so proud of you and your mom would fuss about the metal in your face.” Mina laughed when Ink reached up and fingered the bars in his eyebrow. “She would hate this wouldn’t she? She sure would love Caterina though. She reminds me of mom sometimes when she puts her little hands on her hips and gives me that look mom used to give when she meant business.” He shook his head and looked out into the darkness. “I hope I did alright by you Mina. I was so fucked up back then and I didn’t know how to be around you. You were so pure. I was afraid to touch you, thought I’d get you dirty somehow that wouldn’t wash away. Then when mom and dad… I guess I was afraid to get too close. I had seen too much shit to be a normal guy and I sure didn’t know how to comfort you. I shouldn’t have left you though and I’m sorry for it. I don’t regret my life here. It’s good for me. I know you can’t understand that, but some of us can’t live the way most do. Some of us need a little more freedom and space and fewer rules. Some of us live with too many demons to ever settle down to a normal life.”
“I was grown by the time you left and I think I always knew you weren’t like everyone else. You have a free spirit. I’m happy for you Jonah. I hope that you don’t regret what you had to do to help me. You gave up so much.”
“I was so glad to be out of the Army. I was losing my mind. I spent my time trying to patch up boys who were half blown apart by roadside bombs and shit.” He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The orange glow lit his face for a few seconds before it dimmed. “Helping you gave me purpose and something to do so I didn’t have to think.”
“Oh Jonah. I’m so sorry. I was ok when you came here. I was ready to stand on my own feet, thanks to you.”
“But I left you in other ways too. I shouldn’t have and I don’t plan to do it again. I want you around. Caterina needs family. She needs to see women who live in the real world, women that aren’t… I don’t know.” Ink looked down at the ground and kicked the dirt.
It was the second time Ink had made a similar comment about the quality of the women in the club. She could almost feel his sadness and wanted to sooth him.
“There are some fine women in there Ink.” She nodded to the clubhouse. “Finer than many I see who pretend to be. You’re worried about Cat and how she will grow up, but there’s nothing wrong with the women she has here. Any of them would kill to protect her. Maybe that’s not normal, but it matters and it has a purity to it that is absent from the world. They are strong.”
“I don’t want her thinking this is the only way. I don’t want her treated like this, shit.” He stood and paced away from her. “I want a fairy tale for her. I don’t want her to think the only thing she is good for is satisfying her man. Shit makes me sick. Look at the way you were treated in there. Tommy grabbed you without even looking at your face. Why? Because one woman is as good as any other. I hate that shit. And what’s worse? These women don’t care. They think that’s all they’re good for so they just go with it. My baby will have a man that worships her the way I do Angel and she will know that there is no other woman that will do and it has nothing to do with how many fucking times she opens her legs for him.”
Mina felt pain slice through her gut. “Is that how it is with Angel?”
“I can’t believe I’m talking to you about this shit, but who the fuck else do I have? I sure as hell can’t talk to any of the brothers.”
“I won’t judge you Jonah. This is what family is for.”
“I want more kids Mina. I want a couple more kids, but Angel is so fucking terrified that if I can’t fuck her that I’ll go somewhere else. If she gets fat with my kid in her belly that I’ll want some shank. That’s what this life does to a woman. She can’t imagine that she is enough for me. She thinks if we don’t fuck ten times a day that I’m getting it at the shop or somewhere else. She trusts me about everything, but that. I can go on the road and I know she doesn’t suspect a thing, but if I’m too tired to fuck her when I get home or if I don’t slam her against the wall hard enough she can’t get it out of her head that I’ve gotten off somewhere else. It’s driving me crazy. I can’t stand for her to make a whore out of herself like that. I love her as a person. I would love her if we could never have sex agai
n.” He sat on the bench and rested his elbows on his knees as he plowed his fingers through his hair again. “I want more from my wife than a fuck buddy. I want my best friend back. I want that girl who sauntered into my shop and sat down in my chair and declared that she was going to marry me. That was it for me. She had all this confidence and all this life. I was young and yeah I wanted to fuck her but I just wanted to be close to her. I just wanted to know she was mine because she could walk away and find anybody else, but she chose me. Now I can’t convince her that she still means everything to me. I want a family with her. I need it so I know that no matter what happens to me that Caterina won’t be alone in this world the way we would have been. I know she has the club, but there’s something different about family. I want that for her, for me too and Angel. She has her sister and Shad, but they aren’t all that close, they don’t know how to be. Angel is always trying to be so tough so Preach will be proud of her. Lizzie just wants to escape really so she can live. Then Shad, well he gets it too. Family makes it all worth it.”
“How long has it been this way?”
“It started when she started showing with Caterina. It got worse right after birth when the doctor said no sex.” He shook his head. “Anytime I mention another baby she gets this look like she’s just seen a ghost and I just let it go. I just wish she had more faith in me.”
Mina knew there was little he really could do. Angel didn’t seem like the insecure type, but you never know someone until you live with them. She didn’t know what to say so she just leaned on Ink’s shoulder. “She loves you. She’s terrified of losing you and I guess maybe you’re right. She only sees one way to keep you. I don’t know what to say to help, but she does love you. That has to count for something.”
“Yeah, I know she does and the sex is amazing,” he looked at her and bumped her, “they would take my man card if I didn’t admit that. I just can’t stand the thought of her feeling like a piece of meat when I don’t need that shit. I’m a man so yeah I want sex, but just her. It’s always been just her. I’m happy just to hold her. I want her to really want me, not feel like she has to perform this duty to keep me.”
Mina knew Ink wasn’t a puritan and he had been wild in his youth, but she understood what he meant. She had felt that way too, she still did. Tommy was her one. He hated her though, even if he had fucked her senseless, he hated her.
“Fuck. I came out here to talk about you and I’ve unloaded on you like some damned teenaged girl.” He shook his head. “If I couldn’t feel it I’d swear my dick was gone.”
“Do you feel better?”
He let out a huffed laugh. “Yeah. You’re pretty good at this listening shit, maybe you should have been a shrink.”
“Then I’m glad you talked to me. Nothing will change the way Tommy feels about me so no reason to talk about it anymore. One of us should be happy.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’m going to drive on back to Candy’s. Will you tell her for me? I really don’t want to go back inside and she was having fun.”
Ink nodded looked back out at the night.
Mina walked toward the front of the clubhouse and almost fainted when she saw Angel standing by the corner, hidden in the shadows. Her face was awash with tears and she pulled Mina in for a bone-crushing hug.
“I’m sorry I eavesdropped, but I had no idea… I don’t know why I started acting that way. Oh my God I love that man. If he wants babies, I’ll give him a whole herd of babies.” Angel sobbed.
“He loves you so much.”
Angel nodded and walked toward Ink.
“Ready to go Angel cakes? God Angel what’s wrong? Baby look at me, are you okay?”
Mina heard Ink say before Angel buried her face in his chest. Mina didn’t hear anything else that was said, but she hoped they would work things out. They loved each other and just wanted the other to be unhappy. If a couple like that couldn’t work things out then everyone else was doomed.
She pulled her key out of the little pocket that had been sewn into the lining of her cape and unlocked her car door. She climbed behind the wheel and started the car after buckling her seatbelt. She was just out of sight when a dark figure rose up from the back seat and she screamed as the interior light illuminated Tommy’s face.
Ten
Tommy had only meant to relax in Willa’s car for a few minutes, but damned if he didn’t fall asleep. He’d gotten a call from Hannah. Things were going as planned, but something in the way she tried to change her voice to sound like Willa had freaked him out. He wanted to make sure Willa got back to Spec’s house alright. He had been working too hard and the quiet of the car along with the inky darkness had knocked him right out. By the time he’d awakened she was in the front seat and driving away from the clubhouse.
He had listened to her talking to Ink until the pain had been too much to bear. Then he had jimmied the lock on her little car. He hadn’t known for sure that it was hers until he’d opened the door and smelled her. She had always smelled like vanilla and something that was just all her. He had curled up in her damned car and drifted off like a kid in his mother’s arms. Now what the fuck was he going to do?
A plan started forming in his mind. Maybe this would turn out alright after all. He had her and there was no one around to stop him.
He rose up slowly and leaned over her seat letting his hand caress her throat. “Hello Willa.”
She screamed and he held her throat firmly.
“Calm the fuck down and do as you’re told.”
“Please. Please don’t hurt me.” She begged.
That just pissed him off. He wanted her scared enough to do as she was told, but didn’t she fucking realize that he had taken a bullet for her? Sure he had convinced himself that it was so he could kill her himself, but she should know he could never really hurt her. Why couldn’t she just fucking know that? He hadn’t hurt her the last time, had he? He felt bile rise in his throat at the thought.
“Drive Willa. I’ll tell you where to go. Don’t you dare do anything stupid. I want to talk to you and I want shit cleared up so don’t be getting any fucking ideas about wrecking the goddamned car. I swear if you do something to hurt us I will ring your neck.”
She was nodding, but her eyes were darting everywhere. There was no place for her to go though so he let her have her terror. A good scare never hurt anybody. She loved those damned slasher movies. This could be a real life little scare to tell their grand kids about someday.
He made her drive deep into the property, out where no one would think to look for them.
“Pull off the road and turn the car off Willa.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“No.” He had always called her Willa because he liked it better than Mina and since her name was Willamina it was just as correct. It had always been his though and he had always loved that. He had never told her why he had started calling her that and he doubted he ever would, but she was his Willa, his safety.
He saw a little spark flare in her eyes when he said no. She had always hated that word.
“Get out of the car.”
“No.”
Tommy had to fight hard not to laugh. “Either get out or I’m going to pull you over the seat and back here with me.”
She frowned. “I think I would rather get out. If those are my only options. I don’t have a shovel and lime in my trunk so you aren’t prepared to murder me out here.”
“I could always go back for them after.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“You didn’t complain the last time I had you under me.”
She just glared at him.
He decided to let it go for now. “You run and I will catch you Willa. I will have my time with you tonight so you may as well accept it.”
Mina knew that Candy would be looking for her before too long. She could run from him too. Her cape was black and it would be hard for him to see her in the dark. She didn’t think he meant to kill her, but she was plann
ing on being safe about it. This man wasn’t the gentle boy she remembered from her past. He was hard and unforgiving.
“I will listen to what you have to say, but don’t you dare touch me.” She wouldn’t be able to push him away if he touched her again. His kiss had set her ablaze even if it shouldn’t have. His touch had been punishing, but it had awakened something primal within her that she desperately wanted to put back to sleep.
Tommy clasped his hands behind his back as he climbed from the car.
“I heard one of the brothers call you rhino while you were in the hospital.” She smiled. “Did that stick?”
“Like fucking glue. I hate that name. Your fault by the way.”
Mina felt her eyes widen. “Mine? How do you figure that?” She leaned her butt against the side of her car and watched him.
“I had to rush Pick. He was a crazy motherfucker. He would have killed you just to see what color your brains were. I could see it in his face. Couldn’t let him.”
Mina shivered as she remembered that night. The man, Toothpick, had held a gun to her head to try and convince Candy to leave with him. Tommy had charged the man and took a bullet to the chest for his trouble. Candy had ended up shooting the ex-con and killing him to protect Spec and taking a bullet to the side for her trouble. Mina had been afraid Tommy would die and she had refused to leave him until he’d awakened and ordered her to leave.
“Stop it.”
“What?” Mina looked up and found Tommy standing way too close.
“Stop thinking about it.”
“You brought it up.” She shrugged.
“Do you have any idea how scared I was that night?”
Mina shook her head. His voice was as smooth as silk as he looked at her with his dark chocolate eyes as he ran the backs of his fingers down her face.
“Terrified. I had to save you.”
He was too close. Mina could smell him. He smelled of leather and beer and of man. Her heart raced as he lowered his head.
Tommy Rich: Defendes MC Series Book 7 (Defenders MC Series) Page 8