The room was silent. Finally Nailz took the bait. “What did she scream?”
Hyway seemed lost in time before he replied. “She told him she’d carve him up like a turkey and take his eyes out and eat them. It was fucking wild. Loco flipped out on her; Rabid got all white looking. Crabs had to stop Loco from beating the shit outta her. Not too long after that Loco died. There’s some history between her and Rabid or was. When I went to jail, Rabid went after Angie. She was out of NJ when I got out, with some other club now. Strangest thing was Dusty and Angie were close to his mother. I always thought Dusty freaked Rabid out, but he wouldn’t go near her. He never let anyone else touch her, either. Said it was for Loco. Most of us didn’t believe it. Diablo put his stepdaughters through hell.”
Thrash stood up. “Whatever it was, leave it alone. She’s moved on and nobody here wants to think about Rabid. We need to do some shots of tequila.” He looked at Nailz and V, “May as well stick around since you two will be staying home for a while. Let Tears sleep at the Lodge tonight.” He shot a hard look toward Hyway and Nailz and V understood that look. Thrash had issues with this nomad.
“I’ll give Elena a call, but we’re not staying long. I got shit to do at the house before Jo gets home.” Nailz wouldn’t leave until the air cooled between Thrash and Hyway. Nailz headed toward the payphone leaving V wondering if these nomads were going to be a problem.
Jersey had the biggest smile on his face as he sat with Joy. She was off work and he planned to follow her home—although she wasn’t aware of it, yet. Joy looked happy and would swat at Jersey when he got too grabby with her. Dusty sat with them and frowned as she saw Hyway.
“I’m outta here if that bastard comes over here.” Dusty’s voice was low and even. She looked angry.
Joy looked at her with concern. “Which bastard? I see lots of them here. You mean the nomad?”
Dusty nodded and got up. “I gotta see Darko, anyway. Tell Kima that I’ll try and stop over in a day or so. I don’t want to intrude until she’s settled.” She kissed Joy on the cheek and moved toward Darko’s office.
Darko saw Dusty heading to his office and saw she was upset. He truly liked this dancer. She made him good money and was very professional so he followed her.
Dusty was waiting by the locked door, leaning against it looking shaken.
Darko unlocked the door and flipped on the light as Dusty entered.
“Please lock the door. A blast from my dirty past is in here and I’d rather avoid him. I don’t even know if I should dance here. I can’t deal with him. ” Dusty’s voice was quivering.
Darko studied Dusty. He liked her and she was really upset. He also didn’t want to lose her—she made him money.
“I’ll flag him from the bar. It’s not like Bound for Hell comes in all that much, Dusty.” Darko was trying to be calming, yet reasonable.
Dusty looked up at him. “He knows crap about me and I’m staying in a motel when I dance here. What if he finds me there?”
Darko made a sudden decision. “Stay with me. I’ll give you more days to dance. I’ve got a three bedroom house and I’ll make sure my club protects you. I’ll make the call to Tramp if need be. Not expecting any favors for it, either. Just don’t want to lose my best dancer.” Darko was very serious.
“Tramp’s around again? I don’t pay attention to the club shit, maybe I better start to. So you want me to stay with you honestly? No strings either?” Dusty didn’t quite believe Darko was for real.
Darko nodded. “It’s a nice house and I don’t bring my club shit to it. You’d be fine there. Want to at least try it for a while?”
Dusty looked faraway somewhere, lost in her thoughts as she softly answered. “Yeah, I do. I’m tired of hiding and running. Can I move in after the bar closes? The motel is just down the road. I’ll just wait for you in here, okay?”
“Yeah, lock up behind me and I’ll see what the hell’s going on.”
Darko made his way over to the table where the Bound for Hell members were sitting. He looked at the two presidents sitting there. Up went his chin and he sounded angry as he spoke. “Jersey, V, I need to speak to you two now.” Darko waited as the two men got up and followed him to a storage room.
Both were slightly drunk, but seemed to sober up as they noticed Darko’s mood.
Darko folded his arms over his chest. “I almost lost my best dancer tonight. I make money here and so does she. So Bound for Hell is done here. While you got that nomad around, that’s how it is. Enjoy tonight, but after that your club stays away. I’ll be talking to Tramp tomorrow and explaining it to him. This is about your new nomad. What the hell is he doing spooking Dusty?”
Jersey faced off with him. “Bro, you can’t do that. Joy is my old lady now and Tramp wants him on Jules.”
That was a bad move and Veiko sensed the mood Darko was in. He didn’t get a word in though.
“I can’t? This is my bar, my rules. I don’t want that fucker in my bar or any of the other nomads here. You wanna pick your old lady up fine—wait outside or one of my boys will follow her home. I can’t ban just them so it’s the whole club. It isn’t personal, either. It’s him. I’ll call Tramp myself. Jules can come and stay with me if she wants. She is under my club’s protection, anyway. We good?”
V wondered what Hyway had done to crawl up Darko’s ass. He grabbed Jersey’s arm before shit got out of hand. “Yeah, bro—we’re good. We’re clearing out now anyway.”
The three men shook hands and walked back into the bar. Thrash met them halfway to the table.
“We got trouble?” He already could tell from the scowls and body language.
“Club just got banned from Dirty Deeds until further notice, thanks to the nomad.” Jersey was furious.
V wasn’t as upset as Jersey. “Looks like that nomad’s gonna be an issue. He isn’t tailing Jules, either. Darko is calling Tramp. Shit never ends.”
The Bound for Hell bikers finished their drinks and left Dirty Deeds, uncertain of when they’d be allowed back.
Chapter Thirty-One
Nailz and V talked on the way home about Kima and Veiko staying at the farmhouse so Jo would have help and for safety issues. Veiko agreed it was a good idea. He was sure the Regan’s would agree once they got over the shock of Nailz being in the picture again. Nailz decided to crash at the cabin since he had to get Tears in the morning. Jersey was following Joy home and planned to stay there. Nailz had to eat crow over that bet they made. It was just another night in the Bound for Hell MC world.
In the morning, Veiko went over to speak to the Regan’s before they picked up Jo and Kima. They hadn’t been too pleased that nobody called them when both girls went into the hospital. Nor were they very happy about Nailz, but they took it better than expected. They also agreed Kima and V should stay at the farmhouse until their house was finished and Skunk was dealt with. The Regan’s went to pick up the girls while V packed up the cabin. Nailz and Tears made sure the house was ready for the girls welcome home. Elena made sure there was lots of food for all the company that’d be stopping by.
Joy made Jersey sleep on the couch and they both woke up early. Jersey got his first lesson in mucking out stalls. Joy made him do the same stall three times before she said it was acceptable. Jersey didn’t mind, though. He was determined to win the bet and win over Joy’s heart. Joy had no idea this was more than a bet. If she had it was doubtful she would’ve agreed. Joy saw many of her friends happy as couples so while she wanted a man, she also didn’t want to be told what to do from a man. Joy had been independent for far too long.
Nailz had moved Jo’s stuff down into the big bedroom that looked onto the now wild garden. It was early spring and the pussy willows were out. The forsythia was ready to bloom any day and all kinds of tulips and other flowers were poking up in the garden. Nailz made sure Jo would be able to see the garden from the big bed. Tears had taken the flowers home from the hospital with Thorn the night before and put them throughout th
e house. The farmhouse was big and had a wrap-around porch. It needed a bit of updating, but Nailz felt at home there. By the back porch there was a hand pump and there was an oversized garage for motorcycles. The living room and dining room were huge and had fireplaces. There was a large bedroom downstairs and a big bathroom, off the kitchen. He hadn’t checked out the cellar yet, but that was where the furnace and washer and dryer were. Upstairs, there were four big bedrooms and a bathroom. Half of the third floor was turned into two more bedrooms, the rest was attic space. There were window seats by some of the windows. Tears found a bedroom with three windows which formed a curve that overlooked the front of the house. It had perfect window seats where she could daydream or read. Nailz felt good in this house and wondered what Elena was charging Jo in rent. Since Jo liked it here, he could imagine living in this house. He didn’t want his rugrats being brought up in a tiny backyard. Not when they could have all this space and be near the water. He just needed to get Jo to agree to live permanently with him. In Nailz head it made sense. Jo should understand his feeling of commitment had been decided when he made her his old lady. That should have been almost as good as a marriage license. In fact, Jo had abandoned him! He hadn’t left her or even cheated on her. The damn buzzing in his head over all of this was just too much for him. All he wanted was his Chickie back by his side. Nailz wanted their babies and Tears to be a family—a family that he could love and protect. Jo should understand all of that. A pounding on the porch roof drew his attention and he walked into the front yard to see what was going on.
Thorn was up on the roof tacking down boards with sharp nails pointing upwards. Tears was watching him from her bedroom window and they were talking away.
“Thorn, is there a reason you’re doing that?” Nailz had no idea why Thorn was so concerned with making what looked like booby traps to him.
Thorn hammered in another nail before he walked over to the ladder and climbed down.
“Yup, there is. If those Fiends plan on coming back, I’m making it a painful experience for them. What if one sees Tears? You have to think ahead, bro. I’m going to have some broken bottles up there and some fishing line to trip them, too.” Thorn looked straight into Nailz eyes. “I’m not going to let any women be taken by a Fiend. So, wanna tell me why we’re banned from Dirty Deeds?”
“It was that nomad. He pissed off Darko. We’ll have a big meeting up in the Cove where Jersey and V can tell everyone.” Nailz spotted the Regan’s car. “I need to get Jo settled and enjoy the day. You finished on that roof?”
Thorn shook his head. “No more nailing, but I’ll be up there for a while yet. You got a problem with what I’m doing?”
Nailz grinned. “Nope, if it will keep a Fiend from my daughter, it will keep her from you. Watch yourself around her. I think she’s looking at you as a potential old man in the next few years.”
Nailz left to greet Jo and Thorn went back up the ladder. Thorn watched as Nailz carefully helped Jo out of the car. The Regan’s were hovering over their girls. He was sure leaving Kima and Jo here wasn’t what they wanted to do. Thorn planned to ask Elena if he could sleep on the couch in her office. The office in the barn had a comfortable couch and a TV. Hunter would go along with it and it would be added protection.
Thorn wasn’t too happy about these nomads. He didn’t like being banned from Dirty Deeds and he didn’t see why the club needed them here. Just more unnecessary men, to stir up more shit since their chapter had no need of nomads. As for Tears watching him—Thorn was well aware of it and he was watching her, too. She was as much fun as Kima had been and one day he’d need an old lady. Tears would pass Hunter and Elena’s approval after the way they all had gotten along last night. Thorn smiled to himself as he began to string fishing line across the roof. He enjoyed hanging out with Tears…more than he let anyone know.
Jo and Kima walked into the living room and were told to sit down and relax. Both were tired of people hovering over them. Kima wanted to see what room she was going to be sleeping in so she left with V to check it out, leaving their parents with Nailz and Jo.
John walked around admiring the living and dining rooms when he caught Nailz eye. He motioned toward the kitchen and Nailz kissed Jo gently on the lips before joining him for the talk.
Nailz pushed open the swinging door to find John at the table smoking a cigarette. The older man gave Nailz a look that said he had every intention of having a serious talk with him so Nailz sat across from him.
“Nailz, my girls mean the world to me. I’d like to take them home with Jean, but I know they won’t go. I need you to explain to me how you plan on protecting them. Jo says she won’t marry you and intends to let the twins have our last name. That doesn’t sit well with me, but I’m not you. I never wanted to be a biker so I don’t know how you think.”
“We’ve got it handled, sir. I can understand how you must feel. I’ve got a daughter who’s a teenager. Somebody will be here at all times with Kima and Jo. Nights, Veiko and I will be here. I have to make sure Jo gets her rest. I’d like the babies to have my name, but so far no luck convincing Jo of that. I had a bad marriage once and I don’t think marriage is a good idea for us.” Nailz lifted up his chin.
“That is a damn shame. I hate the thought of those kids being illegitimate, but maybe I’m old fashioned. Veiko is marrying Kima and that was before anyone knew she was pregnant. You love Jo—even I can see that and she loves you…although why she’s determined not to marry you, I don’t know. I never dreamed I’d have bikers in my family. Now that damn son of mine is joining that other club. I handled the long hair and pot smoking—even Jack’s drug dealing. I dealt with Shelly being a crazy divorcee and now my girls with bikers. I think I’ve seen too much.” John stubbed out his cigarette. “I may as well get Jean home so the girls can get some rest. She means well, but the girls want us to leave.”
“I think Jo and Kima just want things to get back to normal, John. They’ve been cooped up in that hospital. Why’s Jo so determined not to marry me? I’m the one with the marriage issue. Does she think my last name isn’t good enough for the twins?” Nailz was utterly confused now.
“Nailz, that’s a female for you. God only knows what goes on in their minds. Who the hell knows why they do what they do.” John offered his hand to Nailz and they shook.
The Reagan’s left and Nailz insisted Jo get her bed rest. She didn’t argue with him. Jo was tired, but decided they needed to talk.
“Nailz, where do you think this is going with us? I’ve told you that I don’t want what we once had. I’m determined to make a life for the twins by myself. I don’t intend to step backwards.”
“I don’t know what you want, Jo. I know that I want—you and the babies and Tears. Why don’t you like my last name—isn’t it good enough for the twins? Being with me is stepping backwards? What the hell, Jo!”
Jo looked at Nailz with utter amazement. “You have the issue with being married, Nailz. You should be happy I won’t marry you. I want my children to have the same name as I do. Do you think I want to go to school and ask to pick up the McKay twins when I have sign Josephine Regan? How embarrassing would that be for me? I’ll never live over a garage again. My babies aren’t being raised as poverty’s children. Just because you nailed me and I’m pregnant with your babies doesn’t mean I have to obey you. Now I want a nap. If you want to live here for now, then you need to stop nagging at me!”
Nailz covered her up with the blanket and kissed her gently. “We’re not done with this, Chickie—and you’re meeting my parents soon. Let me know what day you want to meet them.” He walked away and left Jo to have her rest.
Once Nailz was gone, Jo smiled smugly to herself. Nailz wasn’t getting his way with the last names. The only way the babies would be McKay’s would be if she was a McKay, too. The more she didn’t say she wanted to marry him the more it seemed to bother him. She was going to stand her ground—no marriage and the babies were named Regan. She fell asleep w
ith a smile on her face.
Nailz called his parents and asked them if they wanted to meet Jo. They were shocked by the call, but already knew all about Jo from Tears. Nailz spoke only briefly to them, but it had been a good phone call—one he should have made years ago. He decided to take a rest with Jo. At least he knew where she was if he was beside her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The next few days passed quietly with no sign of the Fiends anywhere. The biggest issue was Jean asking Kima to go to a Tom Jones concert with her on the weekend. Kima refused to go because she said she wasn’t going to see a bunch of middle aged women toss their panties on a stage. Her dad was going to have to go and he wasn’t pleased, at all.
Nailz was between jobs and his parents were coming over later in the day. Jo wanted to get up and clean, but nobody would let her. Kima and V planned to go to their parents before they arrived. Jo felt like she was being deserted, but she had asked for this—as Kima pointed out.
“What if they don’t like me or if they hate me being pregnant, Kima? You should stay here with me. I went to that first club party with you, remember?” Jo was stressing and picking her cuticles.
“Stop it, Jo. Your fingers will look a mess. They’ll love you—everyone loves you. It was a big deal for you to meet them so deal with it. Even if they dislike you, do you think Nailz cares? Don’t you see it makes sense for us to leave? The less bikers here the better—or we could ask mom and dad over and make it a real family affair.” Kima grinned and winked at Jo’s look of horror.
“Ugh, stop it and just go already. I’m getting out of bed, though. I’ve had enough of people seeing me stuck in bed. How embarrassing would it be for them to meet me in my bedroom? Are you sure I look okay?”
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