Jake’s Silence

by Joy Blood

  “So…tell me about these bikers,” Ari starts. I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes at her yet again.

  “Believe me. If you can help it, you don’t want one,” I say, chuckling.

  “Oh, you can’t be stingy.”

  “What about Sam?”

  “What about him? We aren’t exclusive and he is too preoccupied with football to even know I exist anyway. I’m not saying I’m going to go off and marry one and become an old lady or something. I just…you know. Want to have a little fun,” she tells me with a mischievous smile.

  “Fine. I’m sure one of them can help out with that. Or maybe two or three or…”

  “No. No. I’m a one guy kind of gal. One is just enough,” she jokes, making me laugh even more.

  “Yeah, okay.” I pause for a moment before talking again. “Old lady?” I question, raising a brow at her.

  “Yeah. I know a little bit. I’m just curious to find out how much is true,” she says, rubbing her hands together. Oh boy, this is going to be an interesting weekend.

  Thirty-One

  Jake

  I watch as she drives down the highway in front of me. She has drifted into the other lane more times than I can count and through the back window I catch her hands leaving the steering wheel, too fucking much, flying about as she talks animatedly with her friend. I’m damn near about to make her pull over so I can paddle her ass for driving so irresponsibly. But I grit my teeth and keep driving, hoping to fuck she doesn’t get herself into a wreck.

  Letting her friend come along had been a last-minute decision I’m probably going to come to regret. I just wanted Key to be more comfortable going back to the clubhouse after I had humiliated her in front of my brothers. I’m sure one of them will be more than happy to entertain her friend, she didn’t look like she was apprehensive about going to the club.

  The drive doesn’t take long at all, another reason why I’m on her before she can even shut the door. She lets out a squeal when I toss her over my shoulder and stomp through the clubhouse doors straight to my room, uncaring what she is shouting or where her friend is getting off to. “Jake, what the hell? Put me down!” she shouts over my shoulder as I walk through my door and slam it shut with my boot. I take her off my shoulder and toss her onto the bed, immediately crawling above her now trembling body, my face moving right above hers.

  “You always drive like that?” I growl, my throat constricting with the force I use in the words. The look on her face transforms from shocked to pissed off in an instant.

  “That is what this is about? My driving?” she shouts into my face but before she can say anything I slam my mouth down onto hers and plunge forward my tongue, dueling with hers until her body surrenders into mine. When I pull back, I find myself cooled off but now worked up in a different way. “Need to be more careful driving, Key,” I say along her still parted lips, both of us breathing heavily.

  “Okay,” She whispers back, opening her eyes to gaze up at me. Those big blue orbs pull me in for another kiss, but we are interrupted by a knock.

  “VP. You got another girl out here,” I hear Ringer’s voice shout out through my door. Kimi wiggles her body from underneath me and goes to the door, swinging it open for the friend I’m already regretting letting come along. I just know she is going to be a cock block the whole weekend.

  * * *

  “Things with you and the old lady good?” Sage asks as we walk into the shop. I left Kimi and Ari in the clubhouse. They were immersed in a movie they found in a stack I borrowed from one of the guys. I knew if I was going to have Kimi at the clubhouse, I would need some form of entertainment for her other than talking to the club whores about what brother they hooked up with the night before. So, I went and bought a big ass TV along with a DVD player.

  “Yeah.”

  “Who is the fine piece of ass she brought with?” he questions. I already know what he is thinking. New pussy.

  “Leave’r be,” I say, knowing full well he won’t.

  “Will do. Not going to guarantee she will do the same though.” He chuckles. “Saw the way she was looking at me,” he boasts, making me let out a silent laugh.

  “Don’t knock her up,” I say and freeze when I realize what I said.

  “Heard what happened. Sorry man. Shitty deal.”

  “She didn’t do it. I’m a fuckin’ asshole.” I clear my throat and continue, “Let ‘em all know. Sure V has but…” A look crosses over his face and I know he has already heard about what happened to Kimi.

  “Heard from Gin?” he questions, changing the subject but not to one much better.

  “Stopped in ta see ‘em. He’s not ready to come back.”

  “He in Montana watchin’ that girl?” I nod my head. “Thought so. He’ll be back. Just needs to get his shit sorted. Back when him and Mindy were together, he took off like this,” he starts to explain.

  “The ex?” I ask.

  “Yeah. Real bitch. Didn’t used to be. Not until he started to fuck around on her. Then Brit came along. He fell hard for that one,” Sage says going quiet. “Lost too much that day,” he says after a long pause.

  “Shitty all round,” I respond, hoping like hell that I’m never forced to experience the loss my brothers have had to go through. May be selfish, but damn, with my woman inside the clubhouse, I can only want more for the future. I damn near fucked that up by being an irrational asshole.

  Someone turns the music up and we get back to work on the vehicles that have been rolling in for us. With the weekend coming up, it seems like we are thrown a few more than usual. All the people wanting to not be stuck without their ride until Monday.

  I’m immersed in changing out the fuel pump in a Tahoe when I hear a throat clear above me. Rolling out from under the SUV, I find Kimi standing above me holding a plate. “Thought you could use some lunch,” she says with a smile. Quickly I haul my ass off the floor and look her over. Her hair was in a long braid when we got here but now is out of its confines, hanging down past her shoulders with small crimps from being braided. I have a sudden urge to toss the plate aside and feast on her instead, but I know now isn’t the time. She is also holding a bottle of water which she hands to me first. I take it appreciatively with a smile and suck a few drinks down.

  “Thanks, Key.” I set the bottle down and take the now offered plate. On it is a neatly made BLT with a pile of chips. Damn. I dive in savoring the sandwich like it is my last meal. “Shit is good, Key.”

  “Thanks. Ellie makes them that way,” she tells me, looking around the shop. She finds a turned over bucket and sits down. Clutching and un-clutching her hands together, she continues looking everywhere but at me. She is uneasy and I have only myself to blame for that. This is supposed to feel like home to her, but because of me, it doesn’t, not anymore, if it ever did.

  “Key. They know what happened,” I say making her eyes snap to mine.

  “What happened?” she questions, then realization falls across her face. “Oh.” She looks down at the floor and pushes some dirt around with the tip of her shoe.

  “Key,” I rasp out, trying to get her attention but she doesn’t give it. So, I take it. Setting my now empty plate aside I walk over and pull her up to her feet. She starts to talk but I don’t let her. Gripping onto her tiny frame I pull her up and wrap her legs around my waist then start walking to the back where the workout room is located. She lets out a small squeal, enough to get some eyes wandering our way followed by some laughs and wolf whistles as I walk through the door and slam it shut.

  “Jake what are you—” I cut her off with my mouth on hers. Pressing her up against the now closed door I let my hands drag along her pliant body. Her fingertips start to explore as well, going right to the back of my head where she tends to put them, raking my scalp with her nails. A groan creeps its way up through my throat as I let my mouth wander across her neck, trailing kisses and bites until I get to the neckline of her low-cut t-shirt. I pull it down just enough to get
to her breast, pulling the cup of her bra down so I can suck her taut nipple in between my teeth. She gasps and clutches harder to my head, arching into me.

  “Jake,” she whimpers, and pushes me away. “Jake, stop. Please,” she pleads, still sounding affected by my mouth, but the desperation in her voice gives me pause. I pull my mouth away and look at her face for understanding. “I’m sorry.” She looks down at the floor, but I bring her face back to mine with my hand under her chin.

  “Talk to me, Key,” I beg, eyes locked on hers expectantly.

  “I can’t. Not yet. Please.” Her eyes are pleading, requesting understanding from me. Which I’m more than happy to give.

  “Shit. Sorry, Key.” I give her a kiss then let her feet drop to the floor. “When you’re ready.” I brush her hair aside, away from her face, giving her a reassuring smile.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to, but…” She looks slightly embarrassed, cheeks pinked in the cutest blush. “I can’t yet. Not for another week at least.” She admits, trying to keep her eyes from me.

  I nod, not knowing how to respond, but end up saying, “All good, Key.” Leaning in to give her worried face another kiss. This one less rushed. “What're you and Ari doing?” I ask when I pull back, knowing we need a subject change. She lets out a forced laugh at the question.

  “Well, Ari is in heaven, like a kid in the candy store. Ogling all the guys,” she says with a smile, breaking the awkward moment.

  Thirty-Two

  Kimi

  Saying that Ari is in heaven was an understatement. She has been bouncing off the walls, making me introduce her to each of the guys we walk past. Which, thankfully, haven’t been many. I left her in the care of a couple of the girls who I have seen here before. They seem nice enough. Jasmine and Cira. Jasmine has beautiful dark skin and probably the most amazing body I have ever seen. She puts women to shame. Her hair is the same length as mine and she has a slight Spanish accent much like I have caught from Sage. Cira is probably the complete opposite from her. Soft porcelain skin with small freckles across the bridge of her nose and bright green eyes. The length of her hair is the only thing the two women have in common. The long curly auburn hair of hers, up in a messy bun with the curls trying to escape their confines.

  They were the only two women I have seen since we got here. I know there are more, but most of them are old ladies or girlfriends and don’t normally stick around the club like these women do. I decided not to ask where Buggs was because I didn’t know if they all got along. From what I know the ‘club whores’, as I had heard them called before, didn’t get along with the old ladies. Just on the basis that they had more than likely slept with their husband or boyfriend at one point in time. I briefly thought about this myself, but knew Jake hadn’t been with either of them. Besides the fact I trusted him when he said he has been faithful, they told me not long after we walked into the common room. They were making lunch for the men. Which is where I left Ari deciding to take Jake’s lunch out to him myself.

  “I guess I should go in. There is more to eat inside if you are still hungry, the girls made lunch,” I say pulling away from Jake and opening the door.

  “Key,” he says, stopping me.

  “Yeah?” I turn to face him again, hand on the doorknob to walk out of the small room he took us to. He doesn’t say anything, only kisses me then guides me out the door and back into the clubhouse.

  The place is buzzing with laughter and conversation from all the men who are now in the common room eating their lunch. I still for a moment before going into the room. “Come on, Key,” Jake says, coaxing me inside. The room is filled with men. Some I don’t know but others I do. I get chin tips from Sage and Rico who are sitting across from one another.

  “Kimi. I heard you were here,” Joe says, bringing my attention to him.

  “Hi, Uncle Joe. Yeah. Spending the weekend, I guess,” I say, looking up at Jake who has his eyes narrowed on someone next to Joe. Wes.

  “Hey, Kimi. Good to see you again,” Wes says with a smile, then looks to Jake and returns his glare before walking away. I say my goodbye to Joe and tug on Jake’s arm to break his scowling stare.

  “Knock it off, Jake,” I scold him.

  “What?” he asks, as if there isn’t a problem with glaring at someone for saying hi to me.

  “Don’t what me. Do you want to pee a circle around me? Mark your territory?” I jut my hip out in defiance.

  “No.” His eyes are narrowed at me and then they rise as if a thought has hit him. “How ‘bout a tat?” he asks. My jaw drops.

  “I was only kidding. No, I will not let you brand me,” I scoff, keeping my disgusted tone low enough so no one can hear it.

  “Put my ring on your finger then,” he says. I swear my jaw really did hit the floor this time. I can’t even speak. My face must be comical because he lets out his silent laugh and pulls me close, my body still stiff from shock. “Relax, Key. Know you ain’t there yet,” he says, pulling away then grabbing my hand to drag me along, still dumbfounded at his words. I have forgotten about them by the time we get to the countertop where all the food is set out. Not much is left, but we dish up a plate and sit down at the same table as Sage and Rico.

  “Well if it ain’t Kimi,” Rico says taking a sip of whatever is in his glass.

  “Hi, Rico,” I mumble.

  “Hell, don’t be shy ‘round him. Me either. Shit, we’re family,” Sage says, tossing a smile my way. I return it and am about to say hello properly when Ari comes prancing up to the table.

  “Keeks. There you are.” I look up to see her bright smile looking between Sage and Rico. Great. “Hi, I’m Kimi’s friend, Ari.” She extends her hand to Sage first, reaching across the table to do so. Sage takes it with a smile, almost pulling her across the table and into his lap when he does. He places his lips on her knuckles, introducing himself.

  “Name’s Sage, sweet thing. Shit, been holding out on us Kimi?” Sage questions, not taking his eyes from Ari. She lets out a giggle that makes my eyes make their traditional trip around their sockets when she turns into a pile of jelly over a guy. I hear a throat clear and look over to see Rico with his eyes pointed down at his plate focusing on eating his food.

  “Ar, this is Rico. He is a friend of Vin’s,” I supply. Ari reluctantly releases Sage’s hand and turns to look at Rico who is still not acknowledging her. I watch as her eyes grow wide with interest then drop to his chair. There is no pity there, just mere curiosity.

  “Hello, Rico,” she says, extending her hand. This is when he stops staring at his plate like it holds the answers to world peace and looks over at her. Her smile falters a bit when she sees his face, but quickly recovers.

  “Hey, Ree,” he grumbles, not shaking her hand and goes back to eating his food.

  “It’s Ari, actually,” she huffs, putting her hands on her hips. He only shrugs then backs away, placing his plate and now empty glass on his lap to roll away. What was that? “What is up his ass?” she questions, not getting an answer from neither Jake nor Sage.

  “Don’t know. He is usually nice,” I offer. I really don’t know Rico except for the small moment in the laundry room.

  “Oh well.” She waves it off before sitting down at the table. “So, Sage. Do you have an old lady?” she asks with a smile. Groaning, I smack my hand to my forehead, making Jake’s shoulders roll with silent laughter.

  * * *

  The men get done eating and leave the common room and their mess behind. Jake told me I didn’t need to help with cleanup, said it was done in shifts, but I insisted since I didn’t have anything else to do. Which was a lie. I needed to get some work done, but I was procrastinating. “What is the deal with Rico?” Ari wastes no time asking the women.

  “Rico? Nothing, why?” Cira questions with a knowing smile.

  “He was a complete ass when I tried to introduce myself. He didn’t even look at me,” she complains.

  “That’s strange. He always seems so…fri
endly,” Jasmine says with a chuckle making Cira laugh too.

  “You two…?” Ari questions not finishing the sentence.

  “Oh yeah,” they both answer.

  “Well, not at the same time,” Jasmine clarifies. “That is more on Sage’s level.”

  “Oh.” Ari sounds slightly dejected at that.

  “Oh, honey. Don’t let it bug you. These men deal with shit day in and day out. They use sex and booze for release. To get past it,” Jasmine explains with a shrug as she loads the dishwasher. Ari knows this, but the look is still on her face. What is with her? “Some are happy with their whoring ways, some find their Kimi,” Jasmine smiles my way then continues, “and some of them don’t.”

  “Does Buggs ever come around?” I chance the question. I wanted Ari to meet her and since the conversation was weird, why not chance making it more uncomfortable?

  “Buggs? Yeah. Her and Rock are having a place built on the land out back of the clubhouse. She is at the store right now,” Cira says.

  “The store?” Oh yeah, I forgot about that.

  “Yeah, the clothing store the club helped her open. Nice place. Gorgeous clothes. You two should go in. We would go with you but we are on kitchen duty today,” she explains. Jasmine nods her head in agreement.

  “Yeah, the place is the shit. That’s where I got this.” She gives a little wiggle in her tight black leather shorts. Her small white tank top has the Hell’s Riders emblem on the front, so I can only assume she meant the top too. Getting something with the insignia on it might make Jake back off the whole ring and tattoo business. As if she is reading my mind Cira speaks, “You could get something that says property of Jake on it.” She laughs.

  “Oh no, I think that is going a little too far. Maybe something like you have, but that is far as I will go,” I say, taking a stand.

  “I want to go in. Can we?” Ari asks, clapping her hands together. All thoughts of Sage and Rico a distant memory.