The minute I see the little boy holding her hand as they both walk toward me, my heart comes up my throat, and I squish it on the ground with the toe of my boot.
Liberty
I hear Tread’s motorcycle rumbling around the curve near the schoolhouse. I almost gave up on him coming, but I can imagine hearing my voice took him by surprise. I take Kyler by his hand after making sure he is ready to meet his real dad. I smooth his unruly hair behind his ears and knock the dirt from the knees of his jeans.
Tread is looking as sexy as he ever did. All commanding, demanding my attention, and my devotion. Looking at him now feels as though I never left. I am instantly drawn to him. His eyes rake over me and quickly move to Kyler. The recognition on his face turns to pain. My heart skips two beats. I’m not sure I am even breathing as I wait for him to say something. Anything.
“Why now?” He asks hoarsely, barely finding his voice.
“Kyler needs to know you.”
He nods, chewing over his next words.
“Hey little man, give me five.” He steps closer to us, not paying me a bit of attention, crouching down on Kyler’s level. I don’t mind. I could die happy right now, as they take each other in.
Kyler is being bashful. His head hangs low.
Tread reaches out to check out his cast, and my son—our son flinches, shrinking back behind my leg.
Tread stands up taking in my face. I did my best to cover the bruises, but I know he can see them.
He has one word for me, one question. “Who?”
“I can explain. You want to sit?” He nods. “Kyler, baby, go on and slide some more.”
Kyler takes off for the playground again and I lead Tread to a nearby bench. I take a seat while he chooses to stand with his fists balled and his jaws clenched.
“I’m sorry, I never told you. I wanted to, but I thought, well I thought a lot of stupid things. When I left, I was on my own and I met John. He seemed nice. He didn’t care that it wasn’t his baby.” I recount my story to Tread.
His face is cold and not revealing any emotions.
When I get to the part about John hurting Kyler I am scared of the menacing expression on Tread’s face.
“I have a lot I want to say to you right now, but I’m afraid if I do, it will be things I’ll come to regret. Where is this fucker because I’m going to kill him!”
“Marc, don’t. He isn’t worth it. Can’t you just accept us in your life and be done with it? Going after him won’t change what he’s done, or what I’ve taken away from you.”
“No, but it will sure as fuck make me feel a hell of a lot better. Fuck!” He kicks the end of the bench.
“I know the words I’m sorry can’t begin to cover…”
“You had my son and never told me, and you want to say sorry. You have no idea how much I fucking hate you right now. You don’t know how many times I’ve wondered what I did wrong. I wished like hell I’d made you stay. And now that you are here, I don’t know whether to be wishin’ you would go away so I can pretend I never laid eyes on the two of ye. Or should I get down on my knees and thank God he brought ye back to me.”
His words take me by surprise. I knew he’d yell, I knew he’d hate me, but could he possibly love me, still?
“Damn it Liberty! I loved you! I still love you…”
My heart nearly jumps out of my chest. He still loves me.
“But I don’t know what to do about it.”
“You just need time, to process this, us. We can wait. I just want you to be here for Kyler, for now that’s enough.”
He nods. Then he looks to Kyler and says, “that’s my son?”
“Yeah, he is.” I beam as Kyler waves to me from the top of the slide, being careful with his cast.
“You got a place to stay?”
I shake my head.
“Help me out here Libby, you’ve been gone for six goddamn years and now you just blow into town with a kid that looks just like me. Saying you need my help. I want to give it to you. I’ve dreamed of giving you the world but my shit is complicated right now. I have a lot going on.”
“If you want us to go I’ll leave, if it’s what you really want. I just thought that maybe I could make this right.”
“Make things right? You didn’t want or need me in either of your lives until that bastard signed his death sentence. So forgive me if I’m not exactly ready to carry ye off into the sunset.” He shakes his head and takes a seat next to me. His hands are shaking.
I take his trembling hand in mine. “I lost sight of myself and the woman I used to be. I’m here to find her again, if you’ll help me.”
He squeezes my hand a bit hard and lets go. “I know a lot about losing yourself. I’ve not been right since the day ye left me.”
“We can do it together—find ourselves,” I suggest with a glimmer of hope.
He swallows hard and I follow his eyes to our son. He hangs his head down low and runs his fingers through his hair. “You destroyed me once before, you just did it a second time. There won’t be a third Libs. I want to be his father, I’m gonna be his dad.”
“That’s all I want Marc.”
Amy
Lying in Truth’s arms, I am still trying to figure out what we just shared. He says that he loves me and that he wants me to be his. He needs me to be his. I want to believe him. I hope his promises aren’t hollow. I was upset earlier and said things I shouldn’t have. I exposed Truth’s secret.
That was wrong of me. He hasn’t brought it up and I am afraid to. I’m afraid that once this moment passes he will change his mind.
“Stop thinking so damn much, I can hear your thoughts in my own head. I meant every motherfucking word. I love you Amy. When this shit blows over, I’m gonna have my name inked across your skin.”
“I’m scared to love you…to lose you,” I admit.
“I’m scared too but we got this. I got you and you got me. That’s all I need. It’s enough. You’re enough for me. You’re all I need.”
I nod and gaze around the room, remembering I am supposed to be helping Tread’s friend, Christa.
“Did we run everyone out?”
“Who gives a fuck. Just let me enjoy this moment where nothing exists but us.”
I agree and take in the moment too. This is perfect. This is how we should be, always. But oddly I feel like something or someone is missing—Tread. His name lingers on my tongue but I stay silent.
Truth
I’m in heaven with Amy in my arms. We just made love for the first time. We’ve been fucking for a year, but today was different. She owns me in ways I never thought possible, not even with Tread. I don’t give a fuck what anyone says. Making love is beautiful. Amy is fucking beautiful and she is mine. There will be no more dicking around with Tread. If I’m doing this, I am going all in, and doing it right. When she was ready to walk away from me I knew it was time to man up.
I won’t make the same mistake Tread made when he let Liberty walk away. I don’t give a fuck what he says.
I see how he pretends.
He pretends not to need her.
He pretends he doesn’t love her, but he does.
He always has and he always will.
The same way I will pretend when it comes to him. I’m attracted to him physically. Maybe I wanted him because it was easier than opening myself up to the possibility of having something real with Amy.
Speaking of, I need to check in on him and see how he is handling her call. I disentangle from my woman and dress quickly. Amy follows suit. Tread is nowhere to be found so we head back to my—our place.
There’s information I’ve been waiting on from my contact in Ohio on The White Militia. Time to call Grim and get shit rolling. Fuck waiting. I’m ready to have these motherfuckers gone so I can claim my girl and move on with my life. I’m done wasting time.
Chapter 17
Rebel
“Miracle is a good kid, you and Chelle are great with her. I appreciate wh
at you’ve done. I know it wasn’t easy and I had no right to leave her on ye like I did.” Romeo’s eyes hide a hint of regret but I know we all did best for her. His brows crinkle as he thinks about his choices.
“You did what you thought right at the time. You can see she hasn’t wanted for anything.” Chelle and I give that girl anything and everything we can, but most of all we give her love. She loves us as her parents, she just turned ten not too long ago. With her blonde hair close to my own, no one bats an eye at us as a family. We go out of our way to make her feel as if she is our blood daughter. I am happy to see her get to know Dawn in person. I think it’s good for her to have that connection to her mom. We haven’t decided what to share with her about her birth mother, but that is another conversation for a different day.
“Yeah, she seems so happy. Better than what I could’ve done for her,” he reflects.
“When you headed out man?”
“Soon, need to get back. Sunshine can’t run the winery on her own.”
Romeo and me are kicked back in my man cave shooting the shit. He hasn’t been back to the Roadhouse. Grim says he isn’t welcome there. I understand it, but I wish they could work their issues out. They’ve been brothers a long fuckin’ time. I might not be able to fix shit with my own brother, but maybe I can save their friendship. How is the only problem? I sure as fuck don’t have any answers.
“You should let Dawn stay back for a few weeks, to spend some time with Miracle. I’ll buy her a ticket to fly back. Chelle and me would love to have her here. We’ve got plenty of room.”
“If she wants to stay. I don’t have a problem with it. You’ve done well for yeself brother. I’m proud of you. Don’t fuck up what ye got. You have a good woman who loves you and beautiful children. Don’t ruin it like the rest of us did.”
“I try my damndest man. I try.” I lean back in my leather Easy Boy and fire up some puff puff pass.
“So Sunshine, you love her?”
Romeo takes a drink. “She went through some rough shit. It isn’t my story to tell, but I can tell you mine. We were both in a rough way. I had ended things with Baby, I knew she’d never get over Striker. Things were complicated. I don’t guess your mom told ye, but Striker was my boy. We shared one night that he was the result of. He didn’t know. Your old man didn’t know. Hell, Grim doesn’t even know. We thought it was best.
“The day I left Miracle with you, I got a call from Sunshine, she was in a jam. I took Dawn and Jamie and went to help her. Had I waited much longer she might have been dead. She said I saved her life, but she saved me. Man, I had nothing. Neither of us were ready to come back, so we left, and did what we needed to—to survive.”
“I feel you. Chelle and the kids saved me too. After Rumor, my brother and Baby…Fuck. So Striker…damn, I didn’t know. That’s some shit there. You and my mom?” I shake my head and pass him the joint. Looking back, I can see the resemblance between Romeo and my brother in more ways than one. Romeo is thinking of him too; I can tell by the hard look on his face. “You know your bike is out in the garage, I’ve got Striker’s ride as well. I’ll keep it as long as you like. But you could always come back.”
“Don’t think I’m welcome but I appreciate it man.”
Heavy steps sound on the stairs. By the time I am out of my chair, Grim is in the doorway. “Choir, now. Deserter, this concerns you and your bitch.”
He turns and is back up the stairs as quickly as he appeared. I shrug at Romeo. I’m just as clueless as he is.
“So about that bike?” I grin as he sighs.
“Fuck me running,” he grunts taking the key from my outstretched hand.
Tread
I’m back at my place with Liberty and Kyler—my son. I’m a fucking father. I’m so happy and terrified. Everything I never knew I wanted, until recently, is staring back at me. How can I hate her so much but want nothing more than to tie her to my bed and fuck her brains out?
I’ve not said much since she followed me home. She still has explaining to do. I don’t know what the fuck to do. Do I let her back in and get attached? I’m so damn afraid to love them. What if she takes off, again?
One thing I do know is her husband is a dead man. When I got a good look at her face and her arms, I knew right then he’d signed his death warrant, and I’m gonna be the motherfucking executioner. Soon.
I go into my room to change the sheets. Little dude is tired. Liberty looks worse for the wear, but she is still so damn pretty, bruises and all. It hurts to look at them. Pain burns in my chest. This changes everything. Her being here with my son changes everything.
Liberty may have left me, but she came back. And as much as I hate her for keeping Kyler from me, I understand. She was entitled to feel the way she did. Look what happened to Baby and Colt. Fuck, look at Rumor. They are all dead because of the life we lead.
I want to hold the past six years against her, but I can’t. We can’t go back. We can only move forward. After I get the bedroom ready, I clean the bathroom up, and call over to the Roadhouse for a pizza, in case they get hungry.
I don’t want to leave them when I only just got them, but Grim has called choir. He sent me a text a few minutes ago.
Liberty is curled up on my couch on the verge of sleep. Kyler is already in my bed. I don’t know how to approach him yet. I don’t want to fuck this up. I don’t know how to be a dad, but I will give it my all.
“Hey.” I nudge her shoulder gently.
“Hey,” she whispers with a yawn.
“I gotta step out. One of the girls will bring a pizza over, but if you want to get in bed with Kyler, we’ll talk tomorrow. I don’t know how late I’m gonna be.”
She starts to get up. I feel so damn stupid right now. Do I hug her, kiss her—just walk away? Why does this have to be hard and awkward?
Liberty saves me the choice when she leans up and kisses my cheek. “Thanks for not ripping me a new asshole. Goodnight Tread.”
The smartass in me can’t help it when I grab her thick butt and say, “Well you have plenty of it.”
“Some things never change,” she says with a warm smile.
“Liberty, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or ten days from now, but I know one thing. Six years ago, when you walked away, I should have begged you to stay. Now that you’re back, I’m never letting go.”
“Marc…” she starts, but I cut her off with a kiss. I can’t deny that my attraction to her never left. My love for her is as strong as it ever was, if not more so now.
Her mouth parts, inviting me in, inviting me home. I’ve missed her taste, her touch, I’ve just fucking missed her.
“You better be here when I get home. We have a lot to discuss.”
“I promise—I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
Some would say it’s too soon. She just showed up on my doorstep after keeping a piece of me hidden away for the past six years. And to those people I say, “Fuck you. You’ve not been in my shoes. You’ve not loved and lost. Tomorrow isn’t promised, so when life gives you a little good, you grab on tight and you ride on.”
Chapter 18
Christa
“Let go of me!” I shriek, kicking and clawing at Perry, trying to escape his hold on me.
“Stop fighting me bitch!” He rears his fist back catching my ear, just as I turn my head. “You fucked me, and now, now I am gonna fuck you!” His hands are going for the hem of my dress, and my fingers are going for his eyes.
I will claw them out if I can get the reach. He has my arms pinned with his knees. My ear is ringing from the last blow, and my chest is aching from the kick, as his weight bears down on my stomach.
My head feels swimmy as I hear the tearing of my dress. Maybe I will be lucky and pass out before he gets any further.
Crack! His fist smashes into my nose as blood gushes over my mouth. “Please,” I cry out in a strangled sob.
“Oh you’re gonna be begging you little prick tease!” He roars as
he strikes me again.
My survival instincts kick in and I begin to fight with all I have. The phone ringing capturing his attention leaves me an opening to strike hard. I dig my finger under his eyeball and squeeze the top with my thumb. Bile rises in my throat as he howls in pain. He falls back to his rear and I run for the stairs. If I can get to my room, I’ll be safe.
Perry’s too fast and has recovered as he storms the stairs behind me. I should have made for my car. He’s going to kill me.
Truth
Choir is starting and I’m not sure how this news will be received. I received my intel on the White Militia. Their leader has ties to Grim’s ex-old lady—Sunshine.
Word is they are married. Which is news to me, considering she is with Romeo. Grim wasn’t all too pleased. I gave him the information and he left in search of Rebel. Now we are all sitting and waiting for him to get this meeting underway. We are being held up by Tread. Fucker just walked in, ten minutes late.
I’ve not spoken to him since earlier today, but by the smile on his face, things with Liberty went well. Now isn’t the time to get into his shit. I’ve got news of my own, but I have to wait for the appropriate time.
Tread takes his seat and Grim brings down the gavel. “First order of business, One-off has accepted my invitation to patch in. All in favor vote aye. Those opposed vote nay.” He is voted in without issue. I knew he would be. One-off accepts his patch with pride and swears his fealty. A party will be held after this business with the skinheads is resolved.
“White Militia, what’s the word?”
It’s my turn to speak. “We already know they sell Devil’s Dust and are using Pink Lips to distribute. I know why they are here. I’ve got an address and surveillance in place. If we strike soon we can get them before they are on the move again. Seems they change locations frequently.” I pause. Shit is about to hit the fan. “Romeo, when were you going to tell us that Sunshine is married to their leader?”
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