She needs to leave. She is barking up the wrong motherfucking tree. Tea already busted my ass for checking her out, and now that I seriously think about it, I think that is exactly why she let that fucker fuck her in the bathroom. Oh, hell no, really? Did I cause that shit?
Fuck no, I’m not!
“Get your own!” I growl. “You should be worried about your sister and not worried about drinking.” My words slur. Oh yeah, that’s the spot, I think as I gulp more of the fire down.
The blonde devil puts her hand on her hip and cocks her head. “Whatever. She has been a bitch since I arrived. If she wanted me to worry about her, she should have been more welcoming.”
I don’t understand half of what she says because of her accent, but I know that whatever that bullshit is that came out of her mouth is pathetic and cruel.
“You need to take your sorry ass on outta here, because you did not say that shit about our first lady!” Tatiana yells in anger.
My eyes dart to Tatiana. Where did she come from?
“Grow up, child.” Sabine spouts at Tea.
I groan, tip the bottle to my lips, and gulp some more before I slam the decanter down on the counter, dig out my cell phone, and type an SOS to ZZ. I can’t handle them both with all this shit I just poured down my throat floating around in my system. When I set my phone down on the bar, things only escalate, and I thank my balls that I sent out a text.
“Grow up? Bitch, please, I am grown. At least I ain’t some spoiled little princess with the worst accent I have ever fucking heard, who had to run to my sister who barely knows me so I could escape a scandal because I slept with a married fucking man!”
That’s the scandal that drove her to the United States? Really?
“Who the—? Never mind, I know who told you.”
Tea smirks at Sabine as ZZ stomps into the clubhouse. “What the fuck is going on in here?”
Thank fuck, I really didn’t want to get clawed to death in a cat fight.
“This child of yours needs to learn how to speak.”
Sabine keeps digging herself a hole, doesn’t she?
“My child needs to learn how to speak? Oh, this, bitch, I gotta hear.” ZZ crosses his arms, daring Sabine to continue.
We watch as her mouth opens and closes while her mind works to find a response. She comes up empty handed, probably because ZZ looks like he wants to snap her head off her neck.
“My daughter graduated with a 4.2 GPA. What the fuck did you graduate with?”
A chuckle bursts through my drunken haze.
“I was homeschooled.”
Tatiana loses it and doubles over as ZZ cackles evilly at Sabine’s response.
“Homeschooled children aren’t stupid, so I wonder who the fuck was teaching your ass. The nursery rhymes in children’s books, perhaps?”
Never fuck with a man’s child.
“What’s going on here?” Mace Jr. asks while striding in with a confident look on his face.
“Your dad was insulting me,” Sabine purrs.
Wait a damn minute here. With his confidence and her purring… oh, fuck no! It hasn’t even been 48 hours! How in the hell did she sink her teeth in him that quickly?
“ZZ…,” Mace Jr. questions. “What happened?”
ZZ looks to his son and then back to Sabine. I see the immediate realization of what I just put together come across his face.
“You didn’t sleep with this bitch, did you, son? I mean, yeah, she’s fine as fuck, but she even smells like a cunt!”
Mace Jr. frowns at his dad as he motions for Sabine to come to him. Seriously! I repeat, less than 48 hours!
“Son, you’re making a huge fuckin’ mistake here.”
He doesn’t look at his dad as he escorts the evil cunt out of the clubhouse to the parking lot. I look up at the monitor above the bar and watch as they get into the car. Rap stops them as they pull up to the gate and motions Smokey over. Once Smokey gets to them, he helps Rap out of his wheelchair and into the car, and then Smokey takes over gate watch. This is the biggest mistake Smokey has ever made.
“Dad, I don’t have a good feeling about any of this.” Tea’s voice trembles.
ZZ shakes his head, throws his hands into his hair, and howls loudly as he storms out of the clubhouse, leaving me alone with a hurt Tatiana.
It kills me to see her like this. Her brother chose Sabine over his twin sister and his dad. Granted, he hasn’t been here long, but still, we always, always stick with family, and I imagine that is exactly what is going through her head as sadness takes over her face.
“My gut is twisting,” she says in a soft, broken voice.
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out as I watch her walk away. Dread fills me as her words replay themselves in my head. My eyes go back to the monitor to watch her make it safely to the other building before I grab the moonshine and drink until I can’t stand straight.
***
Chapter Nineteen
Tatiana
After my brother disappeared last night, I didn’t sleep well at all. Something keeps churning inside of me. It eats away at the lining in my stomach and my skin prickles from the shaken nerves. I don’t understand how Sabine got her claws into my brother in such little time. Days ago, he was all about his newly found family, and last night he was questioning our father?
I have lunch planned with Haden today, so at least I will have a little time to get my mind off everything going on with the club, my family, and even Shadow. I shoot Haden a text to ask him to bring lunch to the compound because I can’t leave. I could if I really wanted to, but I see no reason to put more stress and worry on everyone by leaving the premises.
While I sit at the picnic table in the courtyard, I browse the web on my phone out of boredom, and quite possibly, to get my mind off everything that is happening.
The door opens and out comes Akela. Her body exudes insecurity and nervousness when she sees me out here. It lets me know she wants a breath of fresh air. The same air I constantly crave.
“Hi,” she greets, her words timid.
I motion to the other side of the picnic table for her to sit. I have no issues with her, and from what I can tell, she seems as genuine as her sister was.
“What’s up?” I ask.
Akela blows out a breath as she takes a seat across from me.
“Nothing is really wrong. I love it out here. The wind whips down into the courtyard, and the air smells so fresh and clean. It’s relaxing is all.”
“It really is all of those things,” I reply as I look back down at my cell. I really like this woman.
“Can I ask you something?” She shifts nervously.
I look back up. “Of course.” I set my phone aside and give her my full attention.
“Do you think it’s absurd that I want to move here so I get a sense of being around my sister?”
Oh, boy. The lines in my forehead crease with confusion. Why she is coming to me with this question. I’m the youngest one here, and probably the last person she should be asking advice from.
“You’re wondering why I am asking you, aren’t you?”
My head tilts up and down on its own accord.
“You’ve grown up in Jamaica, Nevada, so I thought you’d be best to ask. There is no deeper reason here. It really is that simple.”
I can’t remember the last time someone actually wanted my opinion, or valued me enough as a person to ask. My chest tightens with the knowledge that maybe others will finally realize that I am now an adult and no longer a child. If a practical stranger values my opinion, then maybe I will get the respect I deserve.
“I don’t think it’s at all absurd.”
One side of her mouth tips up slowly at my response, as my phone dings with a text. I pick it up, look at it, and smile. Haden is here, and his presence will be another welcome distraction.
“My friend is here with my lunch. You’re welcome to join us, but I don’t know if he brought enough.” I frown.
“Thank you, Tatiana. Your small answer really did give me the comfort I was looking for.”
I stand, walk around, and give her a hug. It seems friendly enough, and not at all awkward.
“Enjoy your lunch,” she says as she pulls away from me.
“Thank you.”
I text Haden directions on how to get to the courtyard of the live-in building, as Akela leaves. I hope she stays because it really is benefiting my uncle.
The door to the courtyard opens and closes behind Akela, and a few minutes later it does so again, and out comes Haden. He looks handsome as always, and he greets me with a grin while he sets the fast food down.
“Your old usual hasn’t changed, I hope.”
He knows me so well. Now that we are back to being friends, I am really going to miss him when he decides to go back to college.
“It is,” I beam at him as I sit back down. “Thank you for understanding why I didn’t want to leave the compound, and thank you for bringing lunch. It was really sweet of you.”
Haden sits down across from me and divides our food. Even though I love lettuce, I hate it on my tacos. He really does remember what I like.
“So, what’s going on, babe?” he asks as he takes a bite.
I finish chewing a mouthful before answering him.
“There’s so much going on these days that I just didn’t feel right, putting my family through even more stress, just so I could enjoy lunch with you. And it didn’t feel right to cancel on you, either, so here we are.” I gesture around the courtyard with my free hand.
“I don’t mind coming here. I get it all now. Obviously, I would understand, now that it’s too late.” He chuckles as he brings his food up to his mouth.
I grimace at his response. “Haden,” I start then stop. Based on the frown on his face, he doesn’t want me to respond to what he said.
“I want to chat about this pain thing you’ve got going on.” He laughs around a mouth full.
I put my taco down, pick up a napkin from the middle of the table, and wipe my mouth. “I don’t really need pain during sex, but he knows it’s an interest of mine now. And that was another way to take a jab at him when he saw this.” I point at the mark he left on me. “It seemed like an excellent way to piss him off more.”
I can’t believe that I admitted that.
“It was, uhm, definitely something else.” He snickers.
“I agree.”
Haden does exactly what I want him to do. He distracts me for a good two hours. It isn’t until he’s saying his goodbyes that everything comes rushing back into my head.
“Text or call me so we can do this again, babe,” he murmurs into my hair as we hug goodbye.
I squeeze him tighter before I let him go, and he walks off.
“Tell your father I said hello.” I say as I wave goodbye.
I watch him open the door and go thru it, and before it shuts, Shadow saunters through.
“What the fuck is goin’ on with you, Tea? Huh? Because one minute, you’re fuckin’ me, and the next, you’re dating your ex again?” he whoops loudly. “Was all your interest in kink all a goddamn lie? Did you do that to get to me? Because from where I’m fuckin’ standing, that is exactly what the fuck your ass did!”
I remain rooted to the spot where Haden left me when I stood and embraced him. I haven’t even had the chance to sit back down before Shadow came out here yelling at me. I think I’m more alarmed than anything else. With his shades rested on top of his head, his dark, coal black eyes glare at me.
Shadow is making it extra hard for me to understand what it is that he wants from me. I thought leaving him alone that morning was what he wanted, but his shocking gaze makes me think that maybe I was wrong. I hope I was wrong.
“You let that motherfucker fuck you in the bathroom right after I fucked you!”
I suck my lips in as I try to hold back my laughter. He really fell for it. It actually worked.
“What the fuck is so goddamn, fuckin’ funny?”
I look away from him, pick up the mess from lunch, and carry it over to the trashcan without saying another word to him.
“Shit, Tea! I wanted to give us a shot! But now fuck it. Fuck all of it!”
What? I flip around with what has to be the most confused expression I have ever made laced across my face.
“Shadow… I don’t understand. I thought you were going to brush me off the other morning. I didn’t…,” I trail off before telling him the truth. “Haden and I didn’t have sex in the bathroom. I had him bite me to piss you off. To make you think that we did.”
He grabs at the sides of his head in frustration. “I fuckin’ can’t believe you!” Shadow drops his hands from his head and stalks towards me. He seizes my elbows as he pushes me towards the bench of the picnic table.
“Bend the fuck over, Tea. I’m so angry that I need, no, I have to fuckin’ spank you while my dick tears into your pussy,” he growls.
With sheer force, he presses into my back with his palm and bends me over, and my hands slap down onto the wooden bench. I try to peek behind me to gauge his mood, but the wind sweeps into the courtyard and blows my hair over my eyes.
One large, callused hand drags my shorts and underwear down to my ankles as the other slaps down onto my bare ass.
“The crimson marks I left on your ass are fading. I think I need to smack it a lot harder.” He bends down to my ear and drawls in that sexy southern voice. His hand comes down again. The slaps echo throughout the courtyard as he repeatedly whacks my ass.
“Do we have an understanding now, darlin’? Are you goin’ to seek out others to fuck you?”
Oh, god. The sting of the slaps on my ass burn. I shake my head back and forth to say, “No,” as I moan in pleasure.
“You on birth control?”
I’ve been on birth control since I was a teenager to help with the curse of cramps, but I can’t tell him that, so I nod my head yes.
His phone ringing interrupts us before he can drive into me.
“Fuck!”
Yeah, I agree with that. Let’s do this. But I don’t get what I want. He stops and moves away from me with aggravated hesitation.
“Shadow,” he barks into his phone. Whoever it is that answers has him quickly moving. He lifts me to a standing position, and then bends down to pull my clothing up as he listens intently. When I am dressed, he tucks himself back into his jeans.
“Are you fuckin’ serious?” he booms. “Danick, I don’t know what to say, man. It’s been years. Are you sure?”
Shadow’s head bobs up and down as he tunes into the conversation. His hand goes to his sunglasses and drags them down over his pensive eyes.
When I move, it draws him from the call for a moment. “You need to find ZZ. Something went wrong at the hospital last night with Winter. I’d tell you, but…” He gestures his hand to this phone.
I mouth the word okay as I walk to the door and into the live-in building in search of answers. My gut tosses around as I think of the worst possible outcome of what has happened.
***
Chapter Twenty
It’s a Breakneck Chapter
Shadow
When I finish the call, my mind is reeling. Danick has been a friend of mine since I was sixteen years old. He took me under his wings and taught me everything there is to know about the kink world. I’m his prodigy, so to speak.
When I was eighteen, his pregnant wife was murdered. He’s been ripping across the United States ever since it happened, looking for the ones responsible. He’s cold, but he has every right to be. The information he’s given me has me more than fucking worried for my friend. He is going up against forces he shouldn’t be dealing with on his own, and I voiced that. Danick’s response was that he has help, and as my mentor, he has not once lied to me. I’m going to trust his word, but I did tell him to call me if he needs me.
When family is in trouble, you drop everything, and Danick is the only reason I know how to deal with my demons safely. I pray to the gods he gets to exact his revenge on whoever did this to his wife. My friend hasn’t been, for good reason, the same guy he was when I met him. I hope one day he will get his life back, and these fuckers get what they deserve.
***
ZZ
Fucking processing all the bullshit our family is going through right now is more than a goddamn migraine.
Storm and I lost our baby because of those fucking idiots that chased her car, and when my mind thinks about what my Prez and our first lady are going through, it stabs me right in the fucking heart all over again.
When Tatiana finds me, worry glazes her eyes. I know Shadow must have told her I have some news about the pregnancy.
“She’s on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. She will spend a few more days in the hospital before they allow her to finish it here. She has what they call placenta previa.” I explain before she has a chance to ask. “She’s going through all this bullshit because of the scarring on her cervix and uterus.”
My daughter gasps. “The rape.” I say nothing because there is no reason. Her assumption is correct. “But how did the rape affect her uterus?”
I pour a shot as I answer her. “The rape didn’t hurt her uterus, but since both are somehow scarred, she ended up with this previa shit. I don’t need to ask you to stay on the compound and out of trouble right now, do I? Pyro, Sniper, and I are going to need to be at our best, because fuck no is our Prez gonna be able to handle all this shit while he is worrying. And you know that if I’m worrying about you, I’m not at my best.”
“Dad, I’ll do my best to stay on the compound, and if I need to leave, I’ll take one of the guys with me. I promise.”
I toss the shot back and slam the glass down on the table.
“Thanks, baby girl. Your damn brother’s got me worried enough. Don’t need to be worrying about you, too.” My son’s fucking with Sabine has my nerves on edge. The bitch is a princess from hell. She’s over here to avoid a scandal, so what does that say about her character?
Shadowing Me (Breakneck Series, Book Three) Page 13