In an icy voice, Jax said, “I’m not fuckin’ askin’ you. I’m fuckin’ telling you to get your slut-ass shakin’. Now.”
Cherri shrunk against the back of the couch, tears rolling down her face. Yanking her to her feet, Jax jerked her toward him and rubbed his cock against her. “Put the music on and grind your ass, bitch.”
While she ground her butt into his crotch, his hands on her thighs, and her tits rubbing against his chest, he swallowed hard as a painful tightness grew in his throat. His thoughts spun and focused inward, and he had a sense of time stopping. Images of Cherri and him with Paisley in the park, eating ice cream, of him and Cherri at the lake making love, filled his brain as the shock and depth of her betrayal rocked his mind.
The music ended long before he even noticed it. Cherri’s small voice broke through the haze of memories. “Yes, McFahey is Paisley’s father. He wanted me to get rid of her, but I wanted her so bad. He gave me money for the abortion, and I took it and split. A friend of mine helped me through my pregnancy, and she hooked me up with Sarah in Dexter. I had to leave Denver—McFahey was looking for me. I should have told you, but I wanted to pretend none of it happened. I didn’t want McFahey spoiling my idea of who I am.”
“You were his whore?” Jax’s voice had a steel edge.
“I guess I was. I mean, he paid for my apartment, gave me presents, and a monthly allowance. What was I going to do? I had all the shit from my stepfather, I ran away from home, lied about my age so I could strip, and when McFahey offered me the arrangement, I thought I’d hit the lottery. My choice was him, or the streets. Patrick’s proposition was a no-brainer.” Her voice was flat, and she stared at the lamp on the corner table.
Jax winced when she called McFahey by his first name and a fire burned inside him, making him seethe. “Did you meet with him at Le Crystal a few days ago?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going back to him?”
“He wants me to. He made me a very generous offer, and I told him I’d think about it so he’d let me leave, but I didn’t agree to it even though I need the money to get out of here. I need to give Paisley a better life than what I had.”
Gritting his teeth, Jax said, “I told you I’d help you. Fuck. Fuck!”
“With you, it’s different. I have feelings for you. I sure as fuck don’t care about McFahey.”
Snorting, Jax said, “You have feelings for me? You have a fucked-up way of showing me. You have the goddamned nerve to tell me not to fuck other women, and you’re entering into a paid whore arrangement? Fuck you, bitch!” The back of his eyes pricked and he trembled inside Fuck! What the hell is wrong with me? Why is this bitch getting to me? We had some good fucks—move on. Shit!
“I didn’t agree to it, and I’m not gonna do it, but if I had agreed to it, it wouldn’t mean anything to me. No feelings, no emotions, nothing. Anyway, like I said, I didn’t say I was going to do it.”
“And what the fuck am I supposed to do when that asshole is sticking his cock in you? Go for a ride around the town?”
“I told you I didn’t tell him I’d do it. I’m going to tell him no when he contacts me.”
“But you fuckin’ considered it!”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Liar! Go on, get out, be a whore! I never should’ve touched you in the first place.” He opened the door, stood aside, and gestured Cherri to leave.
“Jax, please. You don’t understand. I have nothing with McFahey. That was a long time ago. I’m with you. What you and I have is real. I care for you. I lo—”
“Correction, bitch—what we had seemed real. You’re worse than any club whore. Get your ass outta here. I’m done with you.”
As Jax saw Cherri’s face crumple and her shoulders slump, he wanted to grab her, press her close to him, and stroke her hair. When she looked at him with hurt and disappointment stamped on her face, he returned her gaze with hardness even though his insides were all twisted up. Placing her hand over her mouth as wet streaks painted her face, she ran past Jax; he watched her exit the back door.
From the distance, he spotted Peaches in her skimpy sequined bikini, adjusting her thong before she took the stage. As he looked at her satisfied, smug face, he fought the urge to go over to her, put his hands around her neck, and snap it like a twig. Looking at him, she flashed him a warm smile. The bitch didn’t even know he hated the sight of her and despised her for busting open the cocoon he shared with his warm and precious Cherri.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cherri stumbled out into the parking lot, looking for Emma’s car. She had to get away from Dream House, from Jax’s hurt eyes and angry face. How the hell did he find out about McFahey? Was that fucking prick that callous to have told Jax about their past? As the tears blurred her vision, she realized it didn’t matter because whatever she and Jax had been building was torn down in a matter of a couple of hours. If she could go back in time, she would’ve trusted Jax and told him the truth about her connection with McFahey, but it was too late, and she had to live with the fact she lost Jax. She lost the first man who made her feel something. She’d never been in love before, but her feelings for Jax were deep, and it felt like love to her. Wanting to share her and Paisley’s life with him told her she loved him. He never gave her a chance to tell him because he was so damn angry, hurt, and disappointed. His disappointment in her crushed her the most.
Unable to find Emma’s car, Cherri ran to the bus stop as the Number Fifteen came into view. Boarding the bus, she found a seat. Resting her hot forehead against the cool window, she stared at the trees and houses while they blurred by. How had everything gone so wrong in such a short time? The previous day, she and Jax made incredible love and spent a wonderful morning together, and twenty-four hours later, her life went to shit and he threw her out, making her feel broken inside.
At the curb, in front of her place, Cherri noticed a parked black sedan with tinted windows as she walked up the street. The sourness in her stomach rose into her throat, and she clutched her middle.
She approached her home with heavy footsteps and a bitter taste in her mouth, wishing she could disappear. As she passed the car and fumbled with her keys, a short man with black hair, brown eyes, and a nasty scar from his left temple down to his cheek jumped out from the front seat and blocked her way.
“Someone wants to talk to you,” he said.
Before she could answer, the back door opened, and Cherri saw McFahey sitting in the shadows. “Come over here, honey. I want to talk to you.”
Cherri supported her weight with both hands on the roof of the car and bent down. “What do you want?”
Patting the empty space next to him, the councilman said, “Come sit by me so I can see you better.”
“I’m not getting in. I’ve had a long day. I’m tired. What do you want?”
“It’s fine, honey. I’m not unreasonable. I’ll talk to you like this, but next time, I won’t indulge you. Where’s the kid?”
“What kid?” Cherri stared at him with defiance glowing in her eyes.
“The one you were supposed to have taken care of. I gave you money for that. You lied to me, you bitch. You took my money and took off. Now you want to blackmail me?” He grabbed her arm, tugging her halfway into the sedan. He dug his nails into her skin, making her wince in pain.
“Stop it, you’re hurting me. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t wanna blackmail you. If I wanted to do that, I would’ve contacted you by now. Please, I just want to go away and start a new life.”
“I want you and the kid to meet me at our restaurant—you know, the one we met at a few days ago. If you want the brat to keep breathing, you won’t tell the biker you fuck about this. Got it?”
She nodded. When he released her arm, she rubbed where he hurt her, and backed away. The car door closed and drove away.
Tearing up the stairs to her bedroom, Cherri’s heart pounded as her wobbly legs barely held her weight. I gotta get out o
f here. I gotta get Paisley and get outta here. She kept repeating the words again and again like a mantra.
After slamming her bedroom door, she collapsed on her bed and buried her face in her pillow, bunching up the quilt in her fists as she cried. She cried for the young girl whose mother didn’t protect her against her monstrous stepfather, for agreeing to be McFahey’s mistress, for her beloved Paisley whom she loved more than life, and for a short-circuited relationship with Jax, Everything turned to shit in her life, but she couldn’t stay on the bed crying while Paisley was not with her. She couldn’t let McFahey see Paisley because she knew he’d take her daughter away from her forever. She’d rather die than let that happen. I should’ve left two months ago. I wanted to spend time with Jax, but my selfishness made Paisley a target. Fuck!
Wiping away the tears and blowing her nose, Cherri ran to her closet and took out two suitcases. Throwing clothes into them, she scooped up all her makeup, creams, and toiletries. She had to get Paisley and leave town. Stay focused, Cherri. You need money to get out of town.
Frantically, she dashed to the closet, pulled out a hamper full of rags and towels, and dug deep down with her shaky hands until she pulled out a metallic bronze makeup bag. Unzipping it, she dumped the contents on the closet floor. Sitting cross-legged, she gathered loose bills—her getaway stash—and counted them aloud, making piles of one hundred, fifty, twenty, ten, and five dollar bills. With a frown on her face, she placed the twenty-two hundred dollars in an envelope, cursing herself for not saving more, and for not taking the five hundred dollars Jax threw at her for the dance.
She’d tried to put away one hundred dollars a week, but with the money she paid Sarah to take care of Paisley, her living expenses and incidentals, and her reduction in salary, thanks to Jax, she was lucky she saved as much as she did in the time she’d been at Dream House. Looking at the stack of green bills again, she shook her head and bounced a curled knuckle against her mouth as her breathing accelerated and her stomach quivered.
Her butt leapt off the floor when a car in the street backfired, sounding like a gunshot. Wringing her hands, she paced the room, prodding herself to concentrate. At one point, Jax would’ve given her the money, she was certain of that, but not anymore—not after he found out about her past. It didn’t matter because she wouldn’t have asked him anyway. If he knew the true situation, he’d make matters worse by charging out like a knight in black leather. No, she’d have to figure this out alone—something she was used to doing.
Glancing at her phone clock, she realized Dream House would be closed in about three hours and in four, it would be dark and empty. Dream House was her ticket to taking Paisley and going far away from McFahey. Planning to go as far as she could, she’d make sure he’d never find her by changing both their names. Inhaling a big breath and exhaling it slowly calmed Cherri—she had a plan. Dialing Sarah’s phone number, Cherri prayed she was up and would answer the phone. After the sixth ring, Cherri almost clicked off when she heard Sarah’s voice.
“Hi, Sarah? I’m sorry I’m calling you so late. Were you sleeping?”
In a strained voice, Sarah answered, “No, not really. Why’re you calling so late?”
“I’m coming by to pick Paisley up. Is she okay? Is anything wrong?”
“Everything’s fine. I’m just tired, that’s all.”
“I’ll be coming late, like around four in the morning. Sorry, but I want to get an early start. I’ve decided to move.”
“Oh… okay. I’ll see you when you come.”
“Thanks, Sarah.”
A wrinkled brow formed on her face as a knot in her belly pulsed. Sarah sounded odd, and Cherri prayed Paisley wasn’t sick or something. Chiding herself for thinking the worst, she went into the hall and tapped on her roommate’s door. Ginger, wearing her hearts and rainbows nightshirt, opened the door, yawning. “What’s up?”
“Sorry to wake you, but an emergency has come up with my family. Can I borrow your car? Please? I’ll owe you big time.” Cherri smiled sweetly while her heart thudded against her chest.
“Your family? I didn’t know you had any family around here. Is it serious?”
“Yeah, it is. I’ll be back before noon tomorrow. Can I?”
“Okay, sure, just make sure you bring it back with the same amount of gas that’s in there.”
“Thanks. I owe you.”
With Ginger’s car keys in the palm of her hand, Cherri went back to her room to bide her time until Dream House was empty. Lying on her bed, she closed her eyes, trying to catch some sleep before beginning her new journey. Sleep didn’t come, as Jax’s hurt eyes filled her mind; beyond his anger, his roughness, and his cruel words, she saw sadness and hurt. For a small slice of time, she thought he may have cared for her, but she’d never know for sure. She didn’t want to think about him, to think about what may have been between them; it was over, so there was no point in dreaming about what could have been.
Deep inside her, the pain of never seeing Jax again gripped her with such ferocity it took her breath away. To never again see his boyish grin, run her hands through his soft hair, taste his saltiness in her mouth, or feel his warm lips on hers made her chest ache as an acute stab of emptiness cut through her heart. She turned from side to side, hoping the movement would erase the longing, the pain, and the image of Jax’s disappointed eyes. A long, forlorn sob escaped from her.
At three thirty in the morning, Cherri sat upright in her bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was eerily quiet, and a cold sweat began its descent from the back of her neck down her spine. Shivering, she pulled her covers around her trembling shoulders as she looked at the time. She had fallen asleep, and even though it was later than she planned, she had to follow through with it; otherwise, she’d be McFahey’s whore and Paisley would be lost to her forever. Jumping up, she gathered her suitcases, took one last look at her room, quietly padded down the stairs, and walked out into the chilly early morning air.
As she sat in the parking lot of Dream House, she stared at the dark windows and the security lighting around the building. The strip bar’s security wasn’t very tight, because the MC figured since the bar was owned by an outlaw biker club, no one was dumb enough to break in. Catching her breath, she knew her stupidity wouldn’t sit well with the Insurgents, but she had no choice, and she hoped they’d understand that.
Slowly slipping out of Ginger’s car, she walked over to the small back door off the alley, put the key in the lock, and disengaged the alarm when she entered the strip club. Not needing to turn any extra lights on—she knew the club inside and out—she strode over to the office and, once inside, pressed her hand on one of the wall panels which immediately swung open, revealing a safe. Standing in front of the safe, she took a deep, pained breath and closed her eyes as a thickness formed in her throat. The Insurgents—Hawk and Banger, in particular—trusted her to be assistant manager of the club, and she would be betraying that trust. She supposed it was her night of betrayal: Jax, Emma, Hawk, and Banger. Betraying Emma especially pained Cherri because she was the only true friend Cherri had in the town. Emma had believed in her before Cherri believed in herself, and she was slapping Emma in the face with this one action—stealing the day’s proceeds.
With shaking fingers, Cherri punched the numbers, entering the safe’s combination. The red light flashed and the door swung open. Ignoring her nagging conscience, Cherri focused on what she had to do, took out the money, and counted it—sixteen thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars—and closed the door.
As she drove away from Dream House, she made a vow to pay every penny back to the Insurgents, even if it took her a lifetime. She headed toward Sarah’s house, muttering, “I’m so sorry, Jax. Please forgive me.”
When Cherri arrived, the car’s tires crunched over the gravel driveway. Sarah’s house was a dark silhouette against the lightening eastern sky. Cherri stepped out on the gravel ground and slowly walked up to the porch, the steps groaning under her
weight. Ringing the doorbell, she waited for lights to wink in the windows and Sarah to open the door, but there was only silence. Swallowing hard, Cherri stared at the front door as a thread of foreboding weaved its way around her nerves. With a sweaty hand, her fingers turned the doorknob. The door squeaked open, and she walked into the darkened living room. As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, she heard a shuffle off to her right side.
“Sarah?” she whispered.
More shuffling then before Cherri could determine where the noise came from, a strong hand went across her mouth and nose, stifling her startled cry. Shadows flitted to the front and side of her as the room began to shrink and her body floated away, white spots clouding her view. She fell deeper and deeper into the void, and as she slipped away, a low, cruel voice hissed in her ear, “Welcome back, honey.”
Everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sleep evaded Jax as thoughts of Cherri stuck in his head. A knot in his stomach had been his constant companion since he yelled at Cherri the previous night. Rubbing his eyes with his fingers, Jax sighed loudly. He was so angry at her, but in the first rays of dawn, his fury subsided. Wanting to talk with her and give her the chance to explain things permeated his mind. He grabbed his jeans from the floor, dressed, and left the clubhouse.
The early morning dew misted over the tree branches as Jax revved his Harley. Arriving at Cherri’s townhouse, he rang the doorbell. No answer. He rang again while he pounded on the door. From inside, Jax heard a muffled female voice. “Wait a sec. Fuck.”
The door swung open and Ginger greeted Jax with a frown. “Who the fuck pounds on doors at the crack of dawn?”
“I came to see Cherri,” Jax said brusquely as he pushed past Ginger and started up the stairs.
“She’s not home.” Covering her mouth, Ginger yawned widely as she leaned against the doorframe.
Jax's Dilemma:Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 2) Page 23