by Chiah Wilder
Puck bent over Tucker’s face, listening near his mouth and nose. “Very faint breathing sounds.” He walked back over to the foot of the bed and sat down again.
After an hour, Tucker had stopped breathing completely. The men made sure they didn’t leave any telltale signs that they had been in the room. When they exited, they took off their gloves and walked around back in silence to their parked vehicles.
Animal took the plastic bag that held the empty shooters and their cups from Wheelie. The evidence would be burned in the ash pit behind the clubhouse.
“Later,” Wheelie said as he slid into the car. Tucker had died sooner than he’d thought, so he went to his house, took a quick shower, and put on a change of clothes. He looked forward to seeing Sofia soon and hoped that she’d understand that he couldn’t spend the night with her. Hawk had given him a second chance, and he didn’t want to disrespect him by fucking Sofia while she was still with Tigger. Once the divorce papers were signed, then Wheelie planned to move her into his home. The club—and Banger—would be okay with that.
Wheelie rolled his Harley out of the garage then fired her up and headed to Le Crystal.
The restaurant was dimly lit and the hostess led him to a booth in a dark corner away from most of the other diners. She handed him two menus and smiled.
“Thanks,” he said, putting the menus on the table.
“Do you have a lady joining you?”
“Yeah. I’ll have a double whiskey.”
The blonde hostess ran her eyes over him quickly and licked her lips. “Too bad … I’ll bring your drink.”
Twenty minutes into his drink, Wheelie checked his phone to see if Sofia had texted him and maybe he just didn’t hear it. Nothing. He went outside and looked around the parking lot and then smoked a joint while he kept his gaze fixed on the road. Maybe she’s lost, but why wouldn’t she text me?
A bad feeling grabbed at his gut. Wheelie went back into the restaurant. The hostess came over.
“It looks like your lady friend is late. Would you like another drink?”
“No, thanks.” Wheelie sent a text to Animal telling him to go over to Sofia’s house and see if she’s there. Seconds later, his phone pinged.
Animal: No need to. Tigger’s home. He, Cruiser & Skeet got in a few hrs ago.
The text sucker punched Wheelie, and he just stared at it for a long while before he motioned the waitress over, requesting the bill for the drink.
Wheelie: K. Thx, bro.
All he wanted to do was go home, put a steak on the grill, and get drunk. What the fuck? You knew the asshole was coming back. But the thought of Tigger pawing Wheelie’s Sofia—she was very much his woman—enraged him. The fucker will probably go to the club and fuck Tania or Charlotte. Tigger couldn’t seem to get enough of the new girls, and he was bugging them every chance he got. Just calm the fuck down. Wheelie started up his Harley and sped down the road.
Foreboding hummed along his limbs like an electric current pulsing just beneath the skin, and an icy dread prickled his neck as he leaned into the curve around the mountain. Something’s wrong. I feel it in my gut.
My woman’s in trouble. I just know it.
As fear slithered around Wheelie like a dark fog, he sped faster toward Sofia’s house.
Chapter Fifteen
The hot sun blazed down as Sofia adjusted her wide-brimmed hat while she worked in the garden. Looking at her phone, she realized three hours had already passed. Only two more hours until I see Wheelie. I better get inside and take a shower. Excitement wove through her at the anticipation of seeing him that night.
After putting away her gardening tools, Sofia walked into the house and froze when the scent of Tigger’s cologne suddenly assaulted her nostrils. Tigger’s supposed to be back tomorrow. He texted me and told me that. As she slowly entered the living room, her heart stopped as soon as she saw her husband standing there with his legs wide apart, arms crossed, and wearing a deep scowl.
“Hey,” she said softly as she tugged at the hem of her shorts. “I didn’t expect you until tomorrow night.”
Fixing his stare on her bare thighs, he sneered. “Obviously. Why the fuck are you dressed like that?”
The steel tone of his voice frightened her. “I was working in the garden. It’s real hot outside. The tomatoes are doing good, but I wished I wouldn’t have planted petunias. They need a lot of—”
“Shut the fuck up! Who the hell have you been fucking?”
Oh God … he found out about Wheelie. “Why’re you so mad at me? Didn’t you have a good trip?”
“Answer me! Whose cock are you letting in your pussy, bitch? Is that why you’re wearing those slutty shorts? Did I fuckin’ ruin your plans by coming home early?” Tigger’s face was turning redder by the minute.
“I told you I was working in the garden. No one’s here with me, I swear.”
“Liar! You’re fuckin’ someone behind my back, and you’re gonna tell me who it is so I can kill the sonofabitch.”
He doesn’t know about Wheelie. He’s just in one of his moods. “Calm down. Do you want me to fix you something to eat?”
Tigger uncrossed his arms and took a few steps toward her. He bent down and picked something up from the coffee table. “Who the fuck gave you this?” He opened his hand and the silver necklace Wheelie had given her the past Christmas dangled on two of Tigger’s fingers.
“You went through my drawer?”
Rage burned in Tigger’s eyes and from the way his jaw clenched, Sofia knew she had to try and get away from him before he hurt her. “Who the fuck gave it to you?”
“A friend. It’s no big deal.” She calculated how fast she could run out the back door and open the locked gate in the yard.
“If it’s no big deal then why the hell did you have it hidden in a drawer?” Tigger came closer and she took a few steps back. “Don’t fuckin’ move!”
“You’re getting all worked up over nothing.”
“Having my wife hide shit she gets from someone isn’t nothing. Who the fuck gave this to you?”
“Cara,” she lied.
As if startled by her answer, Tigger didn’t say anything; his burning eyes held her still. The air fairly crackled with the growing tension between them, and a shiver ran up Sofia’s spine.
After several seconds, Tigger shook his head. “Why are you wearing that skimpy top? You want Jim to see you, don’t you? I’ve seen you flirting with him, and he’s always asking me about you. Why the fuck is he doing that? He’s been over here the whole time I was gone, wasn’t he? You fuckin’ slut!”
Sofia’s head was swimming: What had been peaceful only a few hours before was now polluted with Tigger’s rage. His muscles tensed and the vein in his temple pulsed like crazy.
“Did you fuck him in our bed?” Tigger was now real close to Sofia, and she could feel the spit flying from his lips. She knew from experience that once Tigger got going there was no stopping him, and his anger would keep getting worse.
“I didn’t fuck Jim. I swear to you that I didn’t. I’m not lying.” A few tiny steps toward the front door.
“You’re just a stupid slut. I bet Jim gave you that necklace.” The muscles in his neck strained against his skin, and red blotches covered his face. “Why he’d want to give an ugly moron like you anything, I don’t know. Did you give him a good blowjob?”
Sofia felt the sweat drenching her skin and the thumping of her heart against her chest. I have to get out of here. I should’ve gone over to Belle’s. His hand hit hard and she fell from the force of it. Instinctively, she raised both hands in front of her face while her fingers clawed at the air to thwart off the second slap that drew blood to the corner of her mouth. Her piercing screams vibrated in her ears as punch after punch pummeled her face, head, and the tender flesh of her breasts, making the pain excruciating.
“You fuckin’ cunt!” he screamed as he brutally kicked her in the belly.
Sofia panicked and she slithere
d on the floor in a vain attempt to get away from him, but Tigger kept kicking her where he knew it would hurt the most.
“Spread your legs, bitch!” He bent down and pulled them so far apart she thought he’d split her in two. With the toe of his biker boot, he kicked her sex so hard, stars and black spots hazed her vision.
“No! Stop!” Sofia screamed but it seemed like the words made him crazier and only increased the number of savage kicks and punches.
“You’re mine. Only mine. No one fucks your pussy but me,” he bellowed, adding another kick to her sensitive parts.
Reaching out, Sofia scratched at Tigger with her nails, and he groaned as they tore through his flesh. Blood dripped from Sofia’s fingers, then Tigger grabbed her by the hair and dragged her backward toward the bedroom. She wrenched free, crawled over to the door, and frantically tried to turn the lock.
“Fuckin’ cunt!” Tigger shouted, kicking her in the lower back and once in the hip as she fell to the ground and curled up. His foot slammed into her ribs and then her shoulder before he wrapped her hair around his hand and yanked her across the floor.
By the time they reached the bedroom everything hurt, even her teeth, and Sofia prayed he’d spent his anger and would leave her alone and find comfort between the legs of the club girls. Blood filled her mouth, spilling down her throat, and Sofia thought she’d be sick.
“I’m going to throw up,” she croaked, trickles of red coming from the corner of her mouth.
Tigger punched her in the mouth, and the force of it blurred her vision as she felt herself slipping … slipping … gone.
* * *
Am I dead? Steady humming pricked her ears as Sofia tried to figure out where she was. Something kept buzzing around her face and she tried to swat at it but groaned when pain screeched through her arm. If I was dead I wouldn’t feel like shit, would I? Above her, she heard the whispering of voices—voices that fell silent just as her eyes fluttered open. In the darkness, shapes in monochrome came into focus as they bent over her.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” a harsh voice said.
I know that voice. It’s Banger’s. Banger’s not dead, so I must be alive. Tigger didn’t kill me. Tears seeped from the corners of her eyes.
“Fuck, man. How could you hurt your wife like this?”
That’s Hawk. They’re trying to help me. Is Wheelie here? Oh … Wheelie.
“I fucked up, Hawk.” Tigger said. “I fucked up real bad. I don’t even know how it happened. I didn’t hit her that hard—”
“The fuck you didn’t. We gotta call Doc,” Banger said. Doc had been fixing up and taking care of the Insurgents for over fifteen years. The club paid him well and admired his discretion.
The room wasn’t as obscure now that she was getting used to the light, and Sofia could see Hawk, Banger, and Tigger huddled around her bed. Banger took out his phone and spoke to someone in a low voice.
“Doc’s on his way.” Banger looked back down at her. “You put Scotch tape on her lip?”
Tigger stroked her face, and she cringed. “I didn’t know what else to do. It was bleeding so bad. Fuck … I didn’t mean it.”
“I told you to stop this shit. I even gave you the stuff some of the old ladies gave me for you to get help.” Banger’s voice rose, “You told me you had this under control.”
“I did. I’ve been real good, but I flipped out. When I got home she was wearing something slutty, and I found out she’s been cheating on me.”
“Who’s the guy?” Hawk asked, an edge of tension to his voice.
“I think it’s our next-door neighbor, Jim. I found a necklace he gave her.”
“Did you catch them together?” Banger said.
“No, but she was wearing a skimpy top and the bottom of her butt was showing ’cause the shorts were so tight.” Tigger peered down at her. “I think she’s awake. My sweetcakes is going to be just fine.”
A cool cloth dabbed at her aching face. It feels good.
Hawk leaned down close as he ran the cloth over her forehead. “Sofia. Can you hear me?”
She tried to answer but nothing came out other than a guttural croak. It was like her whole mouth and throat were filled with sand.
Tigger’s face replaced Hawk’s, concern lines etched all over it. “Are you all right, sweetcakes?”
No, you fucking idiot. I’m not all right. I hurt everywhere, and it’s because of you.
“I think she’s thirsty. I can tell. We have this connection between us.” Tigger put his hands under her shoulders and tried to sit her up. As pain burned through her, she cried out and he let go. “She’s gonna be okay, right?”
“You should’ve thought about that before you laid a hand on her. You don’t even know for a fact that she’s with your neighbor.” Hawk reapplied the cool rag on her face.
“I found the necklace. She hid it in a drawer. Why would she hide it from me?” Pricks of anger snuck into Tigger’s voice.
“’Cause you do shit like this to her,” Banger answered.
“Sofia said Cara gave it to her.”
Hawk’s hand paused for a split second then kept moving around her face. “She did.”
Hawk’s covering for me. Wheelie’s right, he’s not that bad.
Tigger ran his hand over his smooth head and took her hands in his and kissed them. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, sweetcakes. It’s just that I love you so much I go crazy with jealousy if I think a man is even thinking about you.”
“Doc’s here. Go open up,” Banger said to Tigger.
When Tigger left the room, Banger bent over Sofia. “He beat her to a fuckin’ bloody pulp.” His voice was hard and jagged. “His goddamn ass is outta the club. I’m not putting up with this shit. I tried to help him, but … fuck him.”
I can’t believe they’re kicking Tigger out of the Insurgents. He’s going to be livid … He’s going to blame me. Fear skittered through her, pinching her nerves, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
“His ass should’ve been thrown out a long time ago, but I don’t think Sofia was ready to leave him until now.” Hawk dipped the rag into a bowl on the nightstand and squeezed out the water.
Banger narrowed his eyes. “What the hell does that mean? Do you know something you’re not telling me?”
Hawk caught Sofia’s gaze. “Nope. I just meant that hanging around the old ladies has made her stronger. Of course, we have to call church on this one. It goes to the vote of the membership.”
“I know.” Banger ran is hands through his long hair. “Right now we gotta make sure Doc can fix her up. I don’t want the fuckin’ badges involved in this. We’ll settle it on our own.” Banger jerked his head at Doc when he entered.
From what Doc said, Sofia knew Tigger had hurt her bad; he’d opened her up from the lip almost to her nostril. When the medic gave her an injection of lidocaine to numb the area before stitching the cut closed, Sofia didn’t even wince, which surprised Hawk and Banger. But what they didn’t realize was by being Tigger’s old lady she’d developed the sort of fortitude a lot of soldiers would admire.
After an hour of sewing, Doc stood up straight and handed a bottle of pills to Tigger. “I’ll take those.” Banger grabbed them from his hands.
“Give her the antibiotics twice a day for ten days. I’ll come by tomorrow to check on her.”
“She’ll be at my house,” Banger said.
“What? No way. Sofia stays with me. She’s my old lady. I’m not letting her go anywhere without me.”
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” Banger turned to Doc and handed him a wad of bills as he clasped the doctor’s shoulder.
Tigger looked to Hawk. “You know this isn’t right. You wouldn’t want Cara to go away from you when she needed you the most.”
“I’d never do to my old lady the shit you did to yours. She’s staying with Banger.”
Tigger hovered over her, bringing his face inches from hers. “Tell them you don’t wanna go, sweetc
akes. Tell them they can’t break us apart.”
“I want to go,” she rasped.
“Don’t say that. I told you I didn’t mean it. I thought you were fucking around on me. You know how I get when another man looks at you. I spent four fuckin’ years in the state pen because some jerk disrespected you. I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t love you. Tell them.”
“I don’t want to stay here,” Sofia said softly.
Tigger’s pleading face turned angry, and as he raised his hand, she flinched, her body tensing for the blow, but that time it didn’t happen. Hawk yanked Tigger’s hand away and jerked him back.
“Leave me the fuck alone!” Tigger yelled, pulling away from Hawk.
Banger marched over, and he and Hawk dragged Tigger from the bedroom. “You need to get a fuckin’ grip!” Banger’s voice boomed.
Sofia held her breath, scared to death that Tigger would overpower the two men then come back in and finish her off. The door slammed forcefully, and the windows shook. When she saw Hawk step into the room, she let out a long breath, closed her eyes, and relaxed as the pain medication started to kick in. I’m safe.
Hawk picked her up from the bed, and she rested her head on his shoulder as he walked out of the house into the cool summer evening.
Chapter Sixteen
Wheelie leapt off his bike and ran up the sidewalk toward the dark house. Bam! Bam! Bam! The wooden door groaned under his assault.
“Sofia! Open up.” He tried the doorknob but it was locked. “Are you in there?” Wheelie went over to the living room window and tried it, but it didn’t budge.
“Can I help you?”
Wheelie spun around and saw a redheaded man in his mid-twenties standing on the lawn next door. “I’m just looking for my friend.”
“Tigger?” The man looked behind him then took a few steps toward Wheelie. “Are you in the same club with him?” He glanced at Wheelie’s bike against the curb.