Blindsided
© 2015 Needa Warrant
All rights reserved.
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The characters, locations, and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity or resemblance to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
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Please note: This book contains violence, swearing, sexual content, drug use, and is recommended for readers 18 years of age and up. If the above offends you, please do not read this book.
Prologue:
Chapter One:
Chapter Two:
Chapter Three:
Chapter Four:
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Prologue:
Early August 1975
Elena was done with the last riding lesson of the day and was hot and tired. Her baby was kicking and she needed to get her feet up. She grabbed a glass of iced tea and a ham sandwich and sat down by the window fan. Her thoughts turned to Hunter. She felt very sad about him today. Something didn’t seem right about him and hadn’t in a long time. He had gone from the usual Hunter she knew to a mean, bitter man. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew damn well he was not the man he once was and that he was hiding something from her. She let out a sigh. At least today she didn’t feel as much rage and hatred toward him. Maybe she was beginning to heal. She would never forgive him, though. Hunter McQue could rot in hell before she asked a damn thing from him. She closed her eyes and rubbed her tummy. At least she had a part of him—even if he swore up and down the baby wasn’t his.
Jersey stood on the porch looking at the horses, a pitcher of Red Death sitting on the wobbly table. From the living room stereo Lynyrd Skynyrd was blasting Sweet Home Alabama. Jersey had been drinking since before noon, thinking of the bet Nailz and he made. Nailz bet him that he couldn’t make Joy his old lady. Jersey had gone to Joy—explained the bet and they both were playing at being together. She wanted the bet money and he wanted her. Jersey truly loved this beautiful blonde-haired woman. He loved her playful attitude and the simple things she did. He didn’t want to admit he liked working with the horses, but he did and it was time he could spend alone with Joy. She was still dancing and he was worried about another MC—the Filthy Fiends and a member named Stinky—who wanted his Joyful. Stinky had made at least two attempts to grab Joy so living with her also was protecting her. He sat down in the chair by the table and knocked another shot back. This was the life—watching the horses and waiting to hear Joy’s truck come down the gravel lane. Jersey didn’t want a pretend old lady. He wanted this to be the rest of his life. Jersey needed a miracle and he needed it soon.
Chapter One:
Joy stopped at Elena’s house before heading to her own house. She wanted to check on her friend who was pregnant by a son of bitch—who was even refusing to claim his child. Joy had gone to check on their racehorses that they had stabled at the track early this morning. Elena answered the door looking worn out. She was pregnant and trying to run a new business with Joy called the Joined Sisters Stables. They had a few racehorses that showed promise, but money would be tight for a while until the business grew. Elena was giving riding lessons, but that wouldn’t pay very many bills—nor would boarding horses. So Joy was dancing as much as she could. To make this business a success they had to work as hard as they could.
“Joy, you don’t need to check on me every time you come home. I’m fine. I’m getting over Hunter and his bullshit. Did you ask Darko to give me a job by the way? Because I got a call from him asking me to choose the dancers for his club and work out their schedules. I took it, of course.”
Joy shrugged. “Nope, he’s just a decent guy and knows you can’t dance for a while. Money is money and you need all you can get. Maybe Kima put it in his head or Dusty could have. Who knows? I’m glad you took the job. Maybe you can start up your own agency. I know some dancers who hate their agents and some who freelance and would work for you. You should think about it, Elena.”
“So what’s going on with Jersey and you? You always swore you wouldn’t be an ol’ lady. Are you just leading Jerz on because he really is a nice guy? I feel safer with him on the farm, too. If Hunter gets a wild hair up his ass at least Jersey might be able to stop him from being a fool. Darko said he’d send guys out if we ever need them, too.” Elena looked sad when she talked about Hunter and thought about their long relationship.
Twirling her blonde hair around her finger, Joy took a few moments to answer. “This thing Jerz and I have, it’s hard to explain. I do care for him in my own way. He’s a great help with the horses so far. I don’t want a bossy man. I’m used to being in charge of my life. I plan to dance as long as I can and I don’t want to get married until I’m older. We’re taking it day to day. How is that little girl doing in there?” She pointed to Elena’s huge baby bump.
Elena grinned, “She’s fine. The doctor says I should eat more, but women in my family always have an easy time and we deliver strong babies. I hope it’s a girl, too. Have you talked to Kima? She isn’t having an easy time with her baby.”
Joy shuddered and grimaced. “Jerz said she is driving Veiko nuts. She was drinking orange juice and castor oil thinking she would have the baby. All it did was get her stuck on the toilet.” Joy burst out laughing. “I’ve got to feed Jersey. I can see him on the porch. Do you want to come over and eat?”
“I made myself something. Maybe I’ll walk over later and we can check the horses together. Maybe Kima and I will be having our babies on the same day. Wouldn’t that be funny? I feel bad I’m doing so well and she’s having such a hard time with this baby.”
Joy kissed her friend goodbye and hoped Elena was really holding up as well as it seemed. Why Hunter had turned on Elena was a complete mystery. None of their men knew and it was heartbreaking to see her friend so stressed. Another reason Joy didn’t want a man for a long term relationship. They used you and abused you—mentally or physically or left you in the end when you needed them the most. It
really upset Joy to think Hunter doubted Elena’s baby wasn’t his. The relationship between Hunter and Elena had seemed rock solid. Even though Elena was a dancer, she had never looked at any man but Hunter. Joy was certain he knew that. Men looked at Elena, though. Joy was sure Elena had never noticed it. If she had, she was damn good at acting as if she didn’t. As Joy thought back, one man in particular had always gone out of his way to admire her from a distance….Thrash. Joy was a people watcher and she had noticed how Thrash always seemed to be around when Elena needed help at parties. He would carry ice for her and stick around to help with clean up, when the other bros would just figure Elena and whoever else was around would do the cleanup duties. When Thrash had announced he was going to marry that bitch China, Elena had become upset and tried to talk him out of it. So maybe there was something Joy wasn’t aware of, but she was positive Elena had never cheated on Hunter. She planned to feel Jersey out on the matter. Thinking about Jersey, Joy wondered why he couldn’t change his ways. She had feelings toward that damn bastard, but no man would ever play her for a fool again. The last time she’d been in a relationship it was a disaster. She’d been cheated on, stolen from and it wasn’t something she ever planned to let happen to herself ever again. Jersey loved go-go bars and she wanted a man that had eyes only for her. Once this bet was over and she had the money she knew she’d miss him. Tonight Joy was planning to ask Jersey to sleep in her bed. He had yet to even try to sleep with her, but she figured as long as he was around they both could benefit from her playing his pretend ol’ lady. It’d shock the shit out of him, but she was lonely and she didn’t have random sex. So tonight would be Jersey’s lucky night—if he didn’t piss her off somehow.
Chapter Two:
Jersey watched Joy park her truck. He knew she’d have stopped in to see Elena first. It bothered him she was dancing so much, but even with him paying the bills for their house, Joy was determined to put as much money in the bank as she could. At least Hunter had bought Elena’s barns. He thought Elena would be fine for the time being. Jersey admired his Joyful, she bounced in just the right places and she was blonde haired and had frosty blue eyes. Somehow, he needed to figure out how to get her in his bed. He was going nuts thinking about making love to her, but he made a deal and so far he was keeping it. Even if it meant jerking off in the shower twice a day. Shit, if that ever got out his bros would have a field day making fun of him. However, he said Joy was his ol’ lady and to keep the bet he wasn’t looking for side pussy or even hitting the go-go bars. He was too busy with the horses and trying to get Joy to see the real man he was. Not the bro who loved to fuck around and wasn’t serious about anything. He had yet to tell her he was an accountant who only worked a few months out of the year. Not many knew that and last year he hadn’t worked at all with all the shit that went down with Rabid and Kima. He also invested his money so he was far from poor. He always let people think what they saw was the real him. He liked it that way and it fit his lifestyle. For Joy, he’d show her that he was quite capable of being able to support her and her horses, even if it meant working full time for his father’s firm. If that didn’t prove to Joy that he was serious about a relationship then nothing ever would. Jersey tried to figure out a way he could tell Joy without her thinking it was just to get her into bed. He figured she had some sort of bad relationship in her past, but she was very tight lipped about it.
Joy climbed out of the truck and looked for Jersey who had been sitting on the porch. He must’ve gone inside, she thought. Suddenly arms grabbed her from behind and she kicked as has hard as she could backwards connecting with a shin. She smiled somewhat as she heard the grunts of pain and curses.
“Damn you, Jersey! You better stop doing that to me because you know I’m gonna kick you.” She turned around to look at him with a glare.
“I have to make sure you’re on your guard, Joyful—but if you know it’s me, don’t kick so hard. Your damn boots are lethal.” Jersey bent down to rub his legs, ignoring Joy’s glare.
“I never saw you get off the porch so of course I’m going to kick as hard as I can! You could have been Stinky for all I knew.” She replied heatedly.
They walked up the steps together and Joy sat on the porch swing as Jersey handed her a cold shot of Red Death. She drank it in a gulp and held out her glass for another. The porch swing was just where she needed to be and she pushed herself back and forth. It’d been a long morning at the track and later tonight she had her shift at Dirty Deeds. This was her time to relax a bit before heading off to the feed the horses.
“Before you ask, I fed and watered everyone. I checked with Elena and she said to leave the horses outside tonight. I was sitting here admiring said horses while you were talking to Elena. She seemed tired today…should she be out in this heat so close to having the baby?” Jersey knew the routine he and Joy had.
Joy held her glass out for another shot. “I don’t think she should be and thanks for taking care of the horses—you do come in handy. Would you like to give me a ride to work and pick me up tonight? I’d enjoy a ride on the bike. Plus, I can drink a few more shots if I don’t have to drive.”
“Of course! I can stop in the club and hang out until you get off, closing time again? I don’t see why Darko won’t let me into the bar.”
Joy sighed, “I don’t make the rules. I need the work and whatever your boy Hyway said to Dusty is the reason why you all are flagged. Yeah, I’m working until three am. We’ve been over this how many times, Jerz?”
Jersey frowned at her. “ Joyful, but you’re my old lady and I wanna watch you dance. I didn’t ever do shit to Dusty. Hyway should be flagged, not all of us.”
“Pretend old lady, you mean. How about this—when I come home I’ll give you a private dance?” Joy’s ice blue eyes twinkled at him.
Jersey smiled and tugged her boots off. “Yeah, that works for me. Are we taking this further, Blondie?”
“We could be…just promise me you won’t be hammered when you pick me up, okay?”
“Got it, no more drinking—but I’ll just finish up what’s left in the pitcher.” Jersey smiled to himself. Maybe change was in the air.
Joy studied the man in front of her. He was always so nice to her and she knew what a mean motherfucker he really was. Jersey was one of the club’s best fighters and he was the president of Central Jersey Bound for Hell MC. Wearing his property of vest was something many women would have loved to have. She secretly enjoyed the looks of envy other chicks gave her. At first she had been worried it might affect how much she made in tips, but so far it hadn’t. Perhaps because their club wasn’t allowed in Dirty Deeds. She meant to ask Dusty about that tonight if they had a moment to talk. Closing her eyes, Joy felt Jersey massaging her feet. It felt like heaven and she didn’t protest when he took the shot glass from her hand. She let her head fall to the back of the swing and in a few minutes, she was fast asleep.
Jersey looked at Joy and poured another shot. She looked tired and he wanted to call her out of work, but she would be furious with him. They made a good couple, he thought. Both wanted more out of life and were determined to get it. People thought Jersey was carefree and didn’t have any ambitions. How wrong they were—he had plenty of them. He didn’t find the need to explain himself to many, the bros that knew him well might know, but if they did they minded their own business. Jersey worked hard for the club and that was all that mattered to them. He downed the shot and quickly poured another, finishing the remains of the Red Death in the pitcher. Leaving Joy sleeping on the swing, he headed inside to the kitchen with the empty pitcher, put it in the sink, and ran water in it. Jersey hated the yellow kitchen. It was too bright and outdated. The whole house was in serious need of updating, but Jersey wasn’t ready to start talking to Joy about that, yet. He grabbed the receiver from the wall phone and began to dial his clubhouse. He was headed up there later and wanted to make sure everything was the way it should be. Thrash, his vice president was good at keeping or
der, but he wanted the bros aware he was coming. He made the call and hung up, hearing a motorcycle coming down the lane. He went back on the porch, hoping it wouldn’t wake up Joy. It stopped at Elena’s and he was curious to see who it was. He watched as Thrash climbed off the bike…what was he doing at Elena’s? If Hunter heard Thrash was over there, he might have another shit-fit. Jersey sat down and watched as Thrash went up to the house. His vice president had better stop over here because he had some explaining to do.
Chapter Three:
Thrash stretched, getting the kinks out of his body. He knew Jersey was watching him and shot him the middle finger. Let him wonder why he was here, it was none of his fucking business. He walked to the door where Elena was waiting and she let him inside. She looked hot and tired, but as beautiful as ever. Thrash used to have a thing for Elena, but he didn’t think she had known. If she did, she’d never let on. How Hunter tossed this exceptional woman away was beyond him. Her belly was huge and her shirt was stuck to her body. Damn Hunter. Elena wasn’t some whore to be tossed aside and left to fend for herself alone and pregnant. That really pissed him off that Hunter would treat Elena like this. However, Thrash couldn’t tell a club bro what to do in his relationship. They’d just end up fighting and both would be paying fines to the club.
“Thrash? What brings you to my door? I thought you all were avoiding me?” Elena’s voice was soft and tired sounding.
“Gonna ask me to sit, Elena? Because I’m hot and something cold to drink would be nice.” Thrash spoke plainly as he headed toward the couch.
“Of course—make yourself at home and I’ll get you some ice tea. In my present condition I have no need for alcohol.” Elena explained.
She headed toward the kitchen, leaving him to look around. At least this house was better than the house Jersey and Joy were living in. Elena’s touches were all around and he saw many things from the Lodge. It was a nice place and he was glad she had that much at least. Elena handed him a tall ice tea glass with some kind of crazy plastic webbing on the outside of it. His mother had glasses like that; she used them in the summer when they had cookouts. He noticed Elena had the same glass, but in another color…yup—just like the set his mother had. Thrash thought briefly about his mother and the reason he was here. His mother was once again a problem in his life. His sister had shown up on his door begging to live with him after she had fought with mama again. Katri was twenty years old and he couldn’t expose Kat to living over a tattoo shop. Plus, it’d interfere with his lifestyle and he sure as hell wasn’t bringing her around the bros. The wrath of his mother would be a sight to see and he smiled a little thinking about that. His sister and a biker were not in his mother’s plans. Kat needed a place to stay until he could figure out what to do with her. Thrash was hoping he could talk Elena into keeping her here. She could use the help and he didn’t think Elena should be alone. His sister was fine with the idea and she loved babies. Elena was usually very helpful in situations like this. But after what Hunter had done to her, he wasn’t sure if helping out anyone in the club was on her agenda. She had turned to Nefarious MC to help her move and that bothered Thrash. Elena has always been around to help with issues before Hunter patched his club in and afterward. Would she give a shit now when Hunter was doing his best to make sure she stayed away from all of them? He drank a long sip before he spoke.
Blindsided (Bound For Hell MC Series Book 3) Page 1