by L. Grubb
“What?” Little blondie comes over, a deep scowl marring her makeup splashed face.
“Pass us a bottle of Rosé,” Lauren says before turning back to me.
“So, chica, I want deets on you and Cobra.” Her brows wiggle at me, and I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me.
“What ‘deets’?” I ask, using quoting fingers around the word ‘deets.’
“What’s going on between you two?”
“I’m guessing just fun. He hasn’t asked me out or whatever these biker dudes do.” I shrug like I’m not really bothered. But, deep down, I want to be his Old Lady, as they call it here. I want to spend my time here knowing I belong even when I feel I don’t.
“The reason he hasn’t asked you to be his Old Lady, bitch, is because you look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. Besides, you won’t be here long. I’ll be here though.”
Anger bubbles through my veins. How fucking dare she? Who is she anyway?
I stand abruptly from my stool, hands fisted at my side. “What the fuck is your problem, little girl?”
“You! Me and Cobra had a good thing going ‘til your big ass came through the doors,” she said, leaning over the bar and pointing in my face.
Before I know what’s happening, my right fist connects with her nose and she stumbles back, stunned that I’d actually hit her. Fucking bring it on, whore.
I jump over the bar, surprised I was able to even do that and grab her fake blonde hair. I bring to her to floor and punch her again, this time in the jaw. Adrenaline spikes through me, making me shake. She scratches at my arm like the little bitch she is, but I grab her hair tighter smacking her head to the floor before strong arms slide around my middle and drag me away.
“Calm down, Alexis. She isn’t worth it,” a smooth voice says into my hair. I calm down and am led away toward the other side of the room.
“Are you all right?” It’s Champ.
“Yes. Though she started it, I just threw the first punch.” I shrug, smiling to myself. I didn’t know where that strength came from, but I’m glad it did.
“She’s forever causing trouble, and I have no fucking idea why the Prez lets her stay. Her name’s Trixie. She’s always had a thing for Cobra.”
“She said they had a good thing going before I came along.” I look inquisitively at Champ’s face, waiting for denial or confirmation, even though I said this as a statement rather than a question.
“No, they didn’t. She wishes there was though. They fucked once, maybe twice. I’m not sure.” He looks warily at me, but I just shrug it off. “She’s a whore, Alexis. All they want is to become Old Ladies, but because they sleep with everyone with a penis, they don’t. You have nothing to be worried about where she’s concerned.”
“Okay.” I look down at the floor, shuffling my feet feeling slightly uncomfortable. “Can I see Cobra yet?”
“He’s resting in the medical room at the moment. When he wakes up, I’ll come find you.” He smiles at me and places a peck on my cheek before walking off in the direction of where they have the meetings.
“Fucking hell, girl! I didn’t know you could fight like that. And there’s me sticking up for you all those years in school.” She laughs, wrapping her arms around my neck in a death grip.
“Honestly? Nor did I.” I rub my sore knuckles. Damn, that girl had a hard head.
She shows me the two bottles of wine in her hands and leads us to a table. “Now, where were we?”
Cobra
I wake in a dark room, hot and sweaty. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and try to sit up. Urgh! I groan in agony and a shooting pain slices through my side. Fuck, that hurts. Then it all comes crashing back to me. I got shot. I got shot protecting Alexis. Shit…Alexis! Where is she?
I swing my legs over the side of the cot I’m laid out on, gritting my teeth through the pain and stand on rubbery legs. Fuck!
I gingerly make my way to the slightly ajar door, opening it wide and following the light to the main room.
There, passed out of the floor is Alexis and Lauren, two empty bottles of wine beside them. I shake my head and chuckle. Looks like they had fun.
I walk down the corridor, heading to Champ’s bedroom, but stop when I hear shouting from the far end in the church room. I make my way in that direction instead, curious as to what they’re shouting about.
I open one of the heavy double doors and peer in. Prez is pacing the floor by the head of the table and everyone is looking dog tired and wary.
“Am I welcome?” I ask in a hoarse voice. Shit, I should’ve grabbed a water before heading in here.
“Cobra?” Prez’s eyes widen in shock. “Come in, boy. Take a seat. Someone fetch him a water.”
“Thanks,” I say, shuffling to my usual seat and accepting the bottle of ice cold water from Chip.
Prez drops down into his seat, staring at my face. “You feeling okay, son?”
“Yeah, I’m cool. Just my side fucking hurts.” I groan as another shooting pain goes through me. “I’ll live.”
Everyone chuckles, but quickly shuts up when Prez gives them all a death glare.
“You should be resting, VP,” he says to me, shaking his head. “But I know you don’t follow instructions well so I’ll spare the breath.”
I chuckle but instantly wince in pain. I breathe through it, letting it calm down before I speak again. “I need help moving the girls to the bedrooms. They’re passed out in the main room.”
“Alexis got into a fight this evening, VP. Battered the shit out of Trixie.” Champ smiles.
“WHAT?” I shriek, regretting it immediately. I calm myself and listen as Champ explains what happened.
“Prez, Trixie has to go,” I say, turning my attention back to him, pleading with my eyes.
I don’t care why they fought, but Trixie has been nothing but a pain in my ass since the day she came through those doors. She’s outstayed her welcome in my opinion.
“I agree. She’s been trouble for a while now, and this is just the last straw. Dope has already chucked her out into the streets. Where she goes isn’t our problem.”
I nod once at him, showing my appreciation. “So, why is everyone in here, shouting?”
I look between the Prez and the other brothers sitting around the table.
“Planning to get rid of the Hell Riders once and for all. Their attacks are coming daily now and no one is safe. But no one is agreeing on anything,” Prez says, pointedly staring at everyone.
“Because, Prez, none of the ideas you have spouted are safe enough,” Flipper pipes up, saying his piece with a low tone.
“This won’t be safe either way, Flipper. You know that, I know that. Fuck, everyone knows this will be dangerous, but our lives are unsafe anyway in this lifestyle. So buck up and stop being such a pansy,” Prez retorts, sneering menacingly at Flipper.
I ignore it all. Everyone is strung too tight from these latest attacks and with no insight to what they’re planning, shit is dangerous everywhere we go.
“The women will be locked down tight here, we’re calling in other chapters for protection and extra men,” Prez says to the room, running a hand over his head.
“When will they be coming in?” I ask.
“A week, maybe two, they’re coming from all over.”
“We don’t have that time, Prez.” I stare at him. Is he insane? We’ll all be dead within two weeks. “Is there no way to rush them?”
“No. They have to ride here from across the country, Cobra.” He stares at me. “Which means, no one leaves this building, unless I say otherwise,” he booms, making sure everyone can hear him. We nod our understanding. “Good. Now, down to serious business.”
Alexis
Ouch, my head. I rub my temples in hope of helping the pounding stop.
“I’m never drinking again,” I murmur to myself, still slurring my words.
“You’ve said that before. But, I think I’m in agreement with you this time,”
Lauren says from beside me.
We’re lying on the dusty floor of the main room, empty reminders of why I have a headache beside us. I groan as I try to sit up, nausea swimming in my stomach.
“I feel like utter shit,” I whine.
“Totally worth it though, babes. Do you remember beating that girl up? Trixie, I think Champ said her name was.” Lauren chuckles at the memory, before sitting up beside me.
I join in with the laughter then say, “Oh yeah, I remember. My knuckles kind of hurt.”
I look down at my angry red knuckles, swollen from punching little miss ‘Cobra is mine’ girl. I absentmindedly rub them, hissing at the slight pain from some of the small cuts. Not sure how the cuts got there. I frown as I stare at them.
“You have the cuts from when you jumped over the bar. You smashed one of our glasses and put your fist on some of the broken glass,” Lauren reminds me. Yeah, totally don’t remember that bit.
“Want to come chill in my room? This floor is really uncomfortable and disgusting.” I move to stand up but fail and land straight back on my ass which makes Lauren howl with laughter, snorting at my clumsyness.
I finally get to my feet but hold on to the table for balance. I still feel pretty wasted and am swaying on the spot.
Lauren links her arm through mine, and we stumble toward the bedroom, banging into a wall or two on our journey.
When we enter mine and Cobra’s room, we drop onto the bed on our stomachs. I sigh with the comfort. I don’t think I’ll ever take a bed for granted again.
“Where’s Cobra?” Lauren mumbles into the pillow on my side of the bed.
“I don’t know, Lauren, I was passed out on the floor with you.” I chuckle.
“Duh,” she says to herself, snickering silently. “Are you two okay now?”
“Yeah, I think so. I feel awful that he was shot. For protecting me of all things.” I frown, remembering the horrible incident that took place before we decided to get extremely drunk. “I don’t think I can look at him without feeling guilty.”
Lauren turns her head to face me, anger shining in her eyes. “Don’t you dare, Alexis Newman. He took a bullet for you, that should show you how he feels about you. If you would stop being the naive little girl just for a minute, you would be able tell that that man was falling for you.”
I stare at my best friend. My blood goes cold, her anger is misplaced and what she said can’t be true. “Don’t talk to me like that, Lauren. That’s out of order, and you know it. After what I went through with…with…you know, you should know why I question fucking everything a man does. I don’t trust men. Full stop.”
“I’m sorry, Alexis. I just want you to get your head out your ass and smell the damn roses. No one is perfect but you will never ever know how he really is if you don’t give him a chance.” A look of what I can only decipher as guilt, crosses her small round face, her plump lips turning down in the corners.
I reach my arm out, with difficulty through the aching that is consuming my whole body, and rub her back. “Look, we’re both hungover, or still pissed, whatever. I know I need to get my head out my ass, but I’ve built walls to protect my heart from being broken and ripped to shreds again for a reason. I really like him, I do. I just can’t comprehend him taking a damn bullet for me that could’ve killed him.”
“But it didn’t, chick. He’s going to be fine. You need to open up that ice cold heart again and let him in. He’s good for you, and I know deep down that you know that too.” She shares a small smile with me before her eyes flutter closed, and she again passes out.
I keep my arm around her, shutting my eyes and letting my thoughts run wild. Could Cobra really be falling for little old me? Should I open up and let him in? What if he shreds my heart? All these question float around my alcohol-fueled brain. I don’t have the answers, but I do know I really like Cobra. With that thought, I drift off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
Chapter 18
Cobra
Church was intense with everyone throwing suggestions at the Prez. We finally settled on a plan that would, hopefully, keep us all safe. I have my reservations, but whatever we plan to do will be a challenge, a game of survival.
I walk back into the main room, fully intending on getting Alexis to bed.
“Where the hell are they?” Champ asks.
“Funnily enough, I’ve been with you for the last two hours so I wouldn’t know,” I say sarcastically.
“Har fucking har, VP.” He glares at me, amusement dancing in is chocolate brown eyes.
I laugh and head toward my room to see if she managed to make it there. I open the door to find Alexis and Lauren snoring on the bed; Alexis cuddled up and spooning Lauren.
I turn around and motion for Champ to join me. When he reaches me and peers into the room, he clamps his hand over his mouth to stifle his laugh. I back away and close the door, hoping not to disturb them.
“That was so cute!” Champ exclaims once we’re outside on the patio, having a smoke.
I take a long drag, blowing it into the early morning air before turning to Champ and saying, “It was. Now I have nowhere to sleep myself.”
“Sleep on the sofa, and I’ll sleep on the other. It’s four o’clock, I guess we’ll be getting up in three or four hours anyway, so there’s no point in camping out in my room,” he replies, flicking his cigarette butt into the bucket by the door.
“Gonna have to, brother. No room at the inn for us.” We both walk back in laughing and walk over to the faux leather, old sofas. Fucking hell, these things certainly need replacing soon, they’re pretty nasty.
I eye them with disdain before laying on one, pulling the cream throw over me to fight the slight chill in the air. As soon as my eyes shut, I’m drifting; dreaming of Alexis and me in the alley.
I wake to giggling from across the room and open my sleepy eyes. I go to sit up but a shooting pain screams through my side, taking my breath away. Fucker. That hurts. I lay stock still, regulating my breathing.
“Babe!” I hear Alexis calling as she rushes over to me. “Don’t move, okay? I’ll get some pills for the pain.”
She strokes my hair from my eyes and smiles sweetly at me.
Lauren comes tottering over, pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other. “Here, the doc said to take these every four hours for pain.”
“Thanks, pinky.” I gratefully take the pills and water, taking them and downing the whole glass.
“Just lay still ‘til the pain wears off,” Alexis tells me, lovingly.
“Are you going to be my nurse?” I ask her, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.
She bellows out a laugh. “You are insatiable, Cobra. You can’t do anything until you’ve healed, so be a good boy.”
“Did you just call me a boy?” I narrow my eyes at her, trying hard not to smile.
“Yup. What you gonna do about it?” She raises her right brow, arms folded across her chest and trying hard not to giggle.
“You just wait ‘til my side is healed, princess. We’ll see who’s laughing then.” I smirk at her. Her spine straightens, chin held up with faux confidence.
“Something to say, darlin’?”
“You’ll have to catch me first.” She stares back with a smug look on her face.
I chuckle lightly. “Easily done, princess. You don’t have anywhere to run to.”
I love this between us, it’s so easy and fun. I’ve never had this with anyone, no one can take a good banter, I mean, none of the club whores can, that’s for sure. I’m falling for this girl, I can feel the warmth surround my heart and the butterflies in my stomach every time she’s close, the noises she makes during sex are fucking astounding. I do, I love Alexis.
Alexis
I stand there, having a stare off with Cobra, and I see the love shine from his eyes. Could Lauren be right? Does he love me? Can people fall in love so quickly after meeting them? I’m not sure, but the alien feeling inside my chest reminds me that I m
ay be falling too.
I look away first, making him chuckle in victory. I shake me head at him before walking to the bar to grab a cola. My mouth is suddenly dry as well as my throat. What is he doing to me?
“Alexis? You okay, chick?” Lauren comes and joins me, ordering a soda for herself from the prospect behind the bar.
“Yeah, why?” I turn to face her, and she’s positively glowing with a dimpled smile and a gleam in her eye. “I see you’re more than fine so I won’t bother asking.”
“Champ is just freakin’ awesome in the sack,” she says animatedly with gooey eyes and a lazy smile.
“Too much info, doll, too much damn info.” I grimace at the horrifying image of Lauren and Champ together. I scrunch my nose up to emphasize my disgust.
“Oh, shut up, Alexis. We all fucking heard you and Cobra.” She laughs.
“No you didn’t because we made damn sure to be quiet,” I blurt out, falling straight into her trap.
“Ah, so you were screwing each other around the corner then.” She smirks, now knowing she was right all along.
“Shut up.” My face flames with embarrassment. Lauren has no filter.
“We didn’t really hear you, Alexis.” She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach simultaneously. “But I knew there was a reason you disappeared around the side of the building.”
I stare at her, a scowl forming on my face and cheeks red in a furious blush. I don’t know whether to be totally embarrassed or angry that she’s not being so quiet in her assault.
“Your face is an absolute picture, babe,” she manages to wheeze out between her laughing.
I drop my head, and turn away and breathing slowly to calm down my growing anger at my best friend. “Just leave it, Lauren,” I say, sighing and walking away from her. I head toward mine and Cobra’s room to keep my anger under control. I love that girl to pieces, but shitting hell she’s irritating.
Entering the room, I notice the messy floor and unmade bed. Urgh, nothing worse than mess. I set to work tidying the room from corner to corner and making the bed.
“Alexis? You in here?” I hear Cobra say through the closed bedroom door.