by Chiah Wilder
A wave of nausea assaulted her and she rushed toward the bathroom.
“Hang on. Where’re you going?”
“I feel sick.” Sofia turned on the light and cockroaches scattered across the floor. She cried out then rushed to the toilet and threw up. The rust stains in the bowl coupled with the mold growing on the tiled walls made the nausea even worse and she heaved again.
“What’s the matter?” Russ asked. The smoke of his cigarette making her stomach queasier.
“I’ve got the flu,” she lied.
“After you’re done in here, you gotta call Wheelie and make up with him. Tigger says you know how to get your way with a man.”
Her stomach churned and she bent her head over the toilet again, praying that the roaches didn’t crawl on her.
An hour later Sofia sat near the window and held a damp washcloth on her forehead. She rested her feet on the bed and called Wheelie. Russ sat at the edge of the mattress, chain smoking and watching her intently.
“Are you okay, baby?” The sound of his voice comforted her, and the ache that she’d had since she’d left lessened.
“Not really. I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have left.”
“He’s with you.”
“Yeah. I didn’t mean to run out like that.”
“I know you’re in trouble. I’m coming to get you. Stall.”
“I miss you so much,” Sofia’s voice hitched. Russ motioned her to cover the phone. “Hang on a sec, okay?”
Russ came over to her. “Is he buying it?” Sofia nodded. “Tell him we had a fight and you’re stranded. I took your money and you only got a little for a shitty motel. Tell him you’re scared and he has to come get you.”
Sofia shooed Russ away and he perched back on the bed. “I’m back,” she said to Wheelie.
“I heard the sonofabitch. Go ahead and tell me the shit he just said, and I’m gonna answer with what I’m gonna do. Got it?”
Fifteen minutes later, Sofia knew that Breaker, Dixie, Iceman, and Easy were outside watching and that Wheelie was ready to board a flight to San Diego.
“Tell the fucker that I’ll be there tomorrow night. Stay strong for me. The Insurgents have your back. I love you.”
“Tomorrow night? You do?”
“Yeah, I do and when this is over, I’ll show you.’
Sofia covered the phone. “Do I tell him where I am?”
Russ shook his head. “No. Tell him to call when he gets in town.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Wheelie.”
“I gotta board. I’m just two hours away, baby.”
The phone went dead, but she pretended they were talking for another twenty minutes, and then she hung up.
A wicked smile crossed Russ’ face. “Good job, sis. I’ll let Tigger know.”
As Russ talked on the phone, Sofia’s body tingled. Wheelie loves me! He’s coming to get me. It’s all good.
“How the fuck did you ever put up with Tigger?” Russ threw his phone on the bed. “He’s a real pushy sonofabitch. He’s insisting on coming over and seeing you.”
Fear curdled in Sofia’s stomach. “What did you say?” she asked in a barely audible voice.
“I told him I’d think about it.” Russ took out another cigarette and looked through the blinds. “I got a feeling someone’s watching me. Crazy, huh?” He laughed dryly. “That’s what being in prison does to you. It makes you always look behind your back. It was fuckin’ brutal in there.”
“I bet it was,” Sofia said softly. “I know you’re not a killer. Tell me what happened that night.” She had to divert his attention away from the window. What if he saw some of the Insurgents? But they know what they’re doing. I just can’t let Tigger come over here. He’ll beat me real bad and I may lose the baby.
Russ turned around and reclined against the windowsill, and looked at the stained carpet. “I didn’t mean to kill Kendra. I loved her, but I was so crazed that night because I just knew she was planning on leaving with Terry. There was a terrible sandstorm that night, and I got drunk as hell, but I had it in my mind that if I didn’t go home that night, Kendra wouldn’t be there when the storm passed in the morning.”
“Kendra was cheating on you?”
“Yeah. She denied it, but I knew she was hooking up with Terry. The bastard was a good friend of mine.” Russ stubbed out his cigarette and shifted in place. “I loved Kendra too much. If I didn’t love her, I don’t think I would’ve felt such pain. It was like she took an arrow and stabbed me in the heart. I couldn’t let her go. She was my life … without her, I was nothing.”
Chills ran up Sofia’s spine as she listened to Russ. He sounded so much like Tigger. “Did you beat Kendra like Dad does Mom?” She held her hands up while shaking her head. “I’m not judging you. I know by living the way we did, Mom taught me to be a victim, and Dad taught you to be an abuser.”
Russ glared at her. “I’m nothing like Dad.” He lit another cigarette. “I only hit Kendra when I thought I was losing her, or when she’d flirt with other men. She was a big flirt. That’s how she was with me when I first met her.” Russ laughed and stared at the wall. The phone rang, bringing Russ out of his reverie. “It’s that fuckin’ husband of yours … again.”
“Don’t let him come over. He’ll hurt me bad, and when Wheelie sees me, he’ll know something is up.”
Russ nodded. “You got a point.”
As Russ and Tigger talked, Sofia’s heart pounded in her ears. She glanced at her phone and tried to keep the smile from spreading across her face. Wheelie should be landing about now. I have to stall until he gets here.
“Fuck, man. You can’t do anything to my sister.” Russ scrubbed the side of his face with his fist. “I know you’re pissed at her, and I get that you wanna punish her for being a slut with one of your biker friends, but he’s coming tomorrow and he’ll go ballistic if he sees her beat up. After you kill the asshole then do what you want to Sofia to teach her a lesson.”
Russ’ conversation with Tigger made her skin crawl, and she slowly inched toward the door. Sofia stood with her back to it, and she waited until Russ started another coughing fit before she turned the lock. Russ glanced over at her and scowled.
“Get your ass over there,” he pointed to the chair by the bed. “Don’t go pissing me off.”
Sofia sank back down on the chair and clasped her hands on her lap. Russ and Tigger talked for quite a while, and Sofia forced herself to be calm and not look out the window. There was no way she wanted to make Russ suspicious, so she replayed all the good times she’d had with Wheelie in her mind.
Bam! Bam! The worn door groaned, and hope consumed her as she looked out the window. Then …. Tigger! Fear trickled through her when she saw him standing outside wearing the evil look she knew too well. Bile rose in her throat as she leapt up and tipped the table, knocking over several beer bottles.
“Who’s there?” Russ asked Sofia.
“Tigger.” She placed her fingers on her lips. “Don’t let him in. Please. I’m your sister,” she whispered.
Russ walked over to the door. “I won’t let him hurt you.” He swung the door open and Tigger burst it, closing it behind him. “I told you not to come here until tomorrow.”
“Nobody tells me what the fuck to do,” Tigger gritted.
“It’s just that I don’t wanna blow this thing, but it’s cool. Chill, dude.” Russ had a forced smile plastered on his face.
Sofia’s heart beat wildly as she cowered in the corner, watching Tigger carefully as he moved closer to Russ.
In one fluid movement, Tigger whipped out a hunting knife and plunged it into Russ’ chest. He cried out in a gasping, piercing shriek.
“Russ!” Sofia yelled, but stayed frozen as she watched Tigger pull out the knife and bury it over and over again into her brother’s quivering body. Blood spurted and spilled but it was lost on the cinnabar red carpet. Sofia bent down and picked up one of the beer bottles on the floor just as Russ co
llapsed. She quickly put her hands behind her back and looked at the door: the lock wasn’t turned.
“Now it’s just you and me, sweetcakes. We got a lot of shit to settle.” Tigger grabbed the sheet on the bed and wiped his bloodied hands and face.
Sofia drew a jagged breath into tight lungs and lifted her chin as Tigger glowered at her, the muscles in his jaw bunching and knotting.
“So you were fuckin’ a brother behind my back the whole time. You made a fool of me. It’s because of you that I got kicked out of the brotherhood. You’re gonna pay, bitch, but first you’re gonna watch me kill Wheelie then I got a lot of stuff planned for you.”
Where is everyone? Didn’t they see Tigger come in? Wheelie where are you?
Tigger slowly slid his belt from its loops. “What’s wrong, sweetcakes? Aren’t you happy to see me?” He locked eyes with hers, his grin maniacal, pure evil—the one she knew too well.
He’s going to pulverize me.
Instinctively, she put one hand over her stomach and braced herself for what was to come.
Chapter Twenty-One
“We gotta move now,” Wheelie said, as he rushed over to Breaker and Iceman. “How long’s Tigger been in there?”
“Just a few minutes. We were just ready to storm in,” Breaker said as he took out his 9mm Glock.
“He’s probably armed, so we gotta take him by surprise.” Wheelie took a gun Iceman handed him.
“These doors are shit—barely hanging on the hinges. We can kick them in easily.” Easy came over and joined the trio.
“Do they open inward?” Wheelie’s voice was tense.
“Yeah, so should be a cinch to kick in.” Easy threw down his joint and stubbed it out with the toe of his boot. “Dixie’s in the back. Fish showed up to help out. The window in the bathroom is busted, so they can go in through there if we need them to.”
Wheelie ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t trust Tigger. He could be hurting Sofia now. Let’s go. Tell Dixie and Fish to hold tight and just watch the back. If we need them, we’ll give them the signal.”
The four men crossed the parking lot from the side and quietly went up to the door. Wheelie heard Tigger screaming and cussing at Sofia, but he didn’t hear her voice at all. He knew he had to keep a level head and not let his emotions rule him. He motioned for Breaker to stand on one side of the door and Wheelie stood on the other side. He lifted his hand then brought it down and the two men kicked the broken down door wide open.
Sofia was in a corner, her head down and Tigger had his hand raised with a belt in it as if he was ready to strike her. Tigger spun around, his eyes wild, his face and chest marked with dried blood, and that’s when Wheelie saw the lifeless body of the man he’d hated for years lying on the ground, and he thought it was fitting that the asshole bleed out in a rundown motel. Karma’s a bitch, fucker. Wheelie looked at Tigger again and he saw Sofia behind him, her arm raised up and a beer bottle in her hand. Her face was twisted in rage and she slammed the bottle on the back of Tigger’s head. The shock of it threw him forward and Breaker and Wheelie quickly grabbed hold of him while Iceman and Easy took away all his weapons.
“You fuckin’ cunt,” Tigger said as blood trickled down his neck.
Wheelie sunk his fist into the ex-Insurgent. “Don’t disrespect my woman.” He handed him over to Iceman. “Take this piece of shit to your clubhouse. Banger wants to ask him a few questions.”
Breaker, Iceman, and Easy dragged a belligerent Tigger out of the room, and Wheelie rushed over to Sofia and cocooned her in his arms. “Did he hurt you, baby?” He cupped her chin and tilted her head back and peppered her face with feathery kisses.
“No, but he was about to. I was scared shitless.” She kissed Wheelie passionately then pulled away. “Tigger killed my brother.” Her voice quivered and he drew her into him and held her tight.
“I’m sorry for you.”
“I know Russ killed your sister and that’s awful, but he was my brother. I remember our times when I was growing up. I guess I still love him. Is that crazy and wrong?” Tears glistened on her face.
“No, babe, it’s not wrong. The Russ you knew will always be inside you and you’ll miss him.”
“But you’re happy he’s dead.”
Wheelie inhaled a breath and exhaled loudly. “I’m not gonna lie to you—I am. I’ve had hate and bitterness eating away at me for a damn long time. I never could reconcile the fact that he was still living and Kendra was dead. I feel at peace now.”
“I understand where you’re coming from. I guess I should take him back to Colorado Springs. I know my mom would want him to have a proper burial.”
“We can’t do that, babe. You know that. I can’t have the fuckin’ badges all over my ass.”
“I was here. I’ll tell them Tigger did it.” Sofia stroked his cheek. “I want to bury my brother.”
“I’ll talk to Banger about it, but there’s no way we’re getting the fuckin’ badges involved in this.”
Sofia rested her head against his chest. “I’ve been in your world for a long time. I know how it works. If you can’t send him back, can I at least have his ashes?”
“I’ll ask Banger. I’m sure Panther and the brothers are in thick with a funeral home.” Wheelie kissed her hard. “I know about the baby,” he said in a low voice. He felt Sofia stiffen in his arms. “And I couldn’t be happier. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her eyes sparkled and a smile broke her lips. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about becoming a daddy, but I’d planned to tell you last night, but then the whole Russ thing came up and … you know the rest.”
Dixie and Fish came in with two other members of their chapter—Scratch and Termite. “We’re gonna take care of this,” Dixie said waving his hand over Russ’ body.
“He’s her brother. This is Sofia—my woman.”
Dixie nodded to her. “Sorry for your loss.”
“Sofia would like his ashes. Are you in thick with any funeral homes?” Wheelie asked.
“Yep.”
“I gotta check with Banger first,” Wheelie said.
“Just give us the go and we’ll call Taylor’s Cremation. We gotta do this now.” Dixie pointed to the body.
“Let’s go,” Wheelie said to Sofia as he lifted his chin to Dixie and the others.
In the parking lot, Wheelie took out his phone and called for a cab. “Are you up to going to the beach and talking while we watch the ocean. You need to eat and drink something. Are you feeling okay? How’s the baby doing?”
Sofia laughed and brushed her lips across his. “I’d love to go to the beach. I’m good with some crackers and ginger ale, I feel fine except for some morning sickness, and the baby is great. I went to the doctor a few days ago and she said that everything looks good. I’m six weeks pregnant.” She looped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. “I can’t believe we’re going to be parents.”
Wheelie was thrilled about it, but being responsible for another human being for the rest of his life kind of freaked him out. “I’m fuckin’ shocked about it, but in a good way. You’ll be a great mom.”
“I hope so. I’m worried about it. I was thinking about going to counseling. I have some demons from childhood and my years with Tigger. What do you think?”
“Your past is a lot to handle. I think if you want to go, you should. I’ll support you on it. Call Addie. She’s involved with a lot of therapists from her years as librarian. She worked with kids, so she could give you some names.”
The cab arrived and Wheelie held the door open for her and they drove away.
“Where to?” the cab driver asked.
“Pacific Beach,” Wheelie said and Sofia smiled and snuggled close to him.
Sitting at a glass-topped wicker table on the patio of the Green Flash restaurant in Pacific Beach, Wheelie reached over and held Sofia’s hand as the waves crashed on the shore.
“It’s beautiful here. Watching the waves roll in and out over
the sand is mesmerizing and so calming. I could get used to this.”
“I like it too, but the city’s too damn busy for me. It took us forty-five minutes to go twenty damn miles.”
“It is too busy, but I like this.” She pointed to the water in front of them. “I bet off season, it’s quiet on the beach.”
“It is. I was here a couple of times in February visiting Breaker, and there was hardly anyone on the beach because the water’s too damn cold.”
“After we’re done with dinner, I’d like to walk on the beach.”
Wheelie leaned over and kissed her neck and tugged her earlobe between his teeth. “I plan to do a lot more than walk, baby.” He felt her skin pebble beneath his lips.
The water was gentle and soft as they waded through it, hand in hand. Smudges of coral and lavender streaked the fading blue sky as the fiery orange sun dipped lower in the horizon. Beachgoers shook out towels as they packed up their belongings and started walking back to the boardwalk, ending their day in the sun.
As they approached Crystal Pier, Wheelie picked up a seashell half buried in the wet sand and wiped it on his jeans. He held it up to Sofia’s ear and the amazement dancing in her eyes made him tilt his head back and laugh.
“It’s the sound of the ocean,” she said. “That’s wild.” Sofia opened her purse and put it inside then smiled up at him.
Desire raced through him, and he pulled her toward the wooden columns supporting the pier. Above them, laughter and music filtered down through the cracks in the planks. The waves crept toward them before running away, repeating the cycle and spraying salty water droplets onto their bare feet. Wheelie threw his boots on the sand then gently pushed Sofia against the post of the pier. He leaned in and kissed her deeply. Sofia hooked her arms around his neck and pressed closer to him, returning his kiss with such ardor that it drove him crazy with lust. Wheelie ran his hands over her body then tugged at her shirt, pushing it up.