“Marianne referred to you as thirsty? That’s funny.” He laughed quietly. “She should talk. I told Whistler I’d keep his secret and I have. Morgana has no clue about Michael. I was there for Whistler when he was born, he was a wreck. I hate keeping shit from Morgana, I’m glad I’m not the only one now. Maybe this will get your brother’s head out of his ass and just tell True what happened.”
Lana asked him the one question she dreaded asking, “Raven… do you see me as thirsty?”
“No, I don’t. I’ve never known you to come between brothers or go after a man that was with anyone. Not even a girlfriend. Men want you, Lana. You don’t act desperate. You’re like the honey, bees crave. If you stopped and gave yourself a break, maybe put your mind into work and let things in your life fall into place naturally, I bet you’d find what you’re looking for. Let me text Whistler before he gets worried but I bet he doesn’t know you left. Knowing him, he’s snoring and fast asleep.”
She watched his fingers move and she looked at her cell to see if she had any messages. There was one from Cody, the cowboy, asking her if she was alright. She was surprised to see that. She erased it and thought about what Raven had said. Work was something she loved and she was damn good at her job. She decided that even if she had black eyes, come Monday she was going back to her work at the prison.
“Raven, on Monday I am going back to work. I love my job and I think you’re right. I have a good life and I can make a difference in the lives of the men I talk to. I don’t need a man. I don’t know why I thought I did. Thank you.” She was sincere and her voice was strong and positive.
“Good for you, Lana. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re desperate either. You’ve had some bad breaks with men and some horrible shit happen to you. But you keep on going. Just like your sister. The North sisters are as tough as nails. Do you need to talk anymore or would you like to get some rest?”
“I think if I want to look better I’d better get some rest.” She stood up and picked up her bags as Raven unlocked the French doors.
“Good night Raven and thank you again. I know my way to the guest room.” She turned down the hall to the room she had used as a child and opened the door. Her life was about to change again but she felt it was going in the right direction.
Raven quietly went back outside and called Whistler. He hoped he was awake but he didn’t care if he woke him. Finally, a sleepy Whistler answered.
Raven barked out, “Lana is here at my house. She heard every word your bitch said about her. Leave Lana alone for a while. You and True give her more problems than she needs right now. You know bro, Marianne needs a boot up her ass. If Morgana ever heard her call Lana thirsty, she’d get her ass kicked. Pot calling the kettle black?”
“Shit! I was hoping she didn’t hear any of it. You don’t want me to head back?” Whistler was wide awake.
Raven thought for a minute. “No, I want you to get up and go see if your front door is locked. That should be your answer, I’ll stay on the line.” He listened as Whistler made his way to the door and heard him curse. Raven continued, “It’s locked which means Marianne knew Lana had left and she didn’t wake you. I’m right, aren’t I?”
Whistler was shocked, “Looks like it, Marianne is fast asleep though and this door has to be locked with a key from outside. Lana couldn’t, she had no key. Now Marianne wants me to marry her. I keep telling her not until I talk to True. Fuck! I don’t know why she’d let my sister go and not tell me either.”
“I’m not you, but if I was I’d think long and hard before I put a ring on her finger. She’s been leading you around in circles. I get some of the whys, but I don’t get why she thinks she is any better than Lana. Are you in love with her? Because you don’t have to marry her to see your son, bro. If she was my ol’ lady and Lana was my sister, I wouldn’t be too happy. You have your answers I think.” He hung up and walked into the house, and put Lana’s soda into the fridge and her bag of chips on the counter. Morgana was the sanest member of the family but he had hope for Lana now. The two North brothers, they were crazy motherfuckers and it was a damn good thing they had him, he thought.
Chapter Seven
Whistler looked at Marianne and wondered why he was so in love with her. Her blonde hair was long and spread over her naked body like a veil. She was a beautiful woman and only lately had she become cruel. He knew that was partly his fault but he had wanted to do the right thing with her from the beginning. She had said it wouldn’t be right to marry in case she was wrong and it was True’s baby. He hadn’t cared and if Michael wasn’t his, he’d still love him like he was. He supported them both and he wanted a life back home with them. Marianne had said things that were mean lately, when she was really angry. Still he hadn’t given in to her demands. He knew those words must have hit Lana like a freight train. Here he thought he was doing the right thing and he’d fucked up again. Maybe Raven was right. This wasn’t worth it. He shoved the bed hard with his leg.
“Wake up Marianne, you’ve got some explaining to do, don’t you?” He had that edge to his voice which wise men feared.
“Come to bed, baby. I don’t like it when you get mean looking. Let me make you feel good, come lay down next to me.” Her voice purred.
Whistler looked at her grimly. “Do I look thirsty to you right now? Yeah, Lana heard every word and I know you locked the door right behind her! You didn’t even wake me up. I’m tired of playing games with you. I want full custody of Michael but until you change, I don’t want you.” He pulled on his jeans and grabbed his shirt. He walked to the closet and began to pull his clothes off the hangers and tossed them on the bed. He hit the drawers next and once he had his stuff, he went and grabbed bags from the kitchen. As he stuffed the clothes into the bags, he listened to Marianne cry.
“Get up and get Michael’s stuff packed, he’s going to Morgana’s. You can figure out how to pay the rent here. But the one thing you won’t have is my son. I don’t have to support you legally but I do Michael. Fuck with me on this and you’ll be sorry. I think you know exactly what the hell I mean, don’t you?”
“You can’t take Michael, and how the hell am I supposed to support myself? I can’t pay the rent here!” She screamed back at him.
“Sucks I own the car too, doesn’t it? I guess you’ll have to see if you can get a job stripping. Your body isn’t as good as it once was and you’ve let it go to shit. You’re old to be a stripper too, you’d be looking real thirsty. Maybe you can find yourself another sucker because I’m done with you. I can support Michael and Morgana will keep him for me. True will back me and you’ll be forced to get a real job, won’t you?” He was in a full-blown rage and he walked over to the drawer that held Michael’s records and birth certificate. He grabbed them and looked at her coldly.
“Whistler, I’m begging you don’t do this to us! Please, I’ll tell Lana I didn’t mean a word of it. You know I was angry. I’m begging you. You can’t take our son, he is sleeping. I’m a good mother and you know that!” Her voice was breaking and Whistler was a sucker for tears. This time it wasn’t working in her favor though.
“I’ll wait until he wakes up. Marianne, leave me alone. If you keep that crying up, I might wring your neck and I really don’t want to hurt you.” He grabbed the bags and took them into the living room. He went back for his boots and took her cell. “I pay the bill on this too. I’m done. We’re done until you prove to me that you aren’t still thirsty for my brother and can be a decent person.” He rubbed his temples. “What you said about Lana really is what you are right now. I don’t like it and you’ve played me long enough. True would have understood if I told him right away but no you wouldn’t allow that. You’ve caused me to lie to my family and who were you, just my brother’s last resort. Yeah, you kept his house clean and cooked for him but there was no love between you two. He used you when he didn’t find a woman for the night. I know that now, even though you claimed he loved you. He’s never even looked fo
r you! Raven knows everything, you fuck with me and you don’t know where you’ll end up.”
He knew exactly where he’d like to put her but he didn’t think Raven would go for it. He looked at her again and wondered why he loved her so much. He walked out of the room and looked in on his sleeping son. Maybe he was wrong to do this. He really didn’t know. His head ached like a motherfucker and he needed aspirin. He headed to get some and downed them with a glass of water. He sat down on the couch and wondered why he’d let this charade go on for so long. He truly didn’t know what to do.
He must have fallen asleep for a few hours because when he woke up, Michael was eating breakfast. Marianne’s eyes were red and swollen. He watched her with their son and knew he couldn’t take his boy from his mother. He could however leave and come to visit him as much as he’d been doing. There would be no relationship with Marianne though. He looked at her cell and erased all the numbers in it except for a few that he felt she had to have. He would leave her here without a car and she would have to do things on his time. Maybe she’d stop taking everything for granted. She had become spoiled and manipulative.
“I’ll be back for the car later. I’ll leave Michael with you for the time being. Make a shopping list and we’ll go when I come back. No perks for you anymore. Don’t give me that look either. I’ll have my boys watching you. One move I don’t like and I’ll legally get full custody of the boy, you get me Marianne?” He had made his heart turn to stone and his voice proved it.
Marianne looked at him with sorrow. “Whistler we love each other and you can’t do this to us! What if I need to take Michael somewhere? You’re treating me badly and it’s not fair!” She cried out.
He barely heard her as he began to bring his belongings to his truck. Once they were loaded up, he handed the cell back to her.
“You’re getting as much as you deserve. I don’t know what love is outside of the love I have for Michael and my family. You killed the feelings I had for you. Maybe you can prove to me you aren’t such a coldhearted bitch. I’ll be back later and don’t pull anything stupid.” He walked over and picked up his son and kissed him goodbye. He handed Michael to his mother and walked out the door and out of Marianne’s life.
*~*
Marianne looked around the condo and felt like screaming. It was furnished beautifully but she wanted to live back in her hometown. Michael played quietly and she wondered how long she’d be able to keep her son. There was no doubt about it, she would lose in court. Not only did Whistler have money and connections but she wasn’t trained to do any real job that would support them. Her heart hurt thinking about Whistler. Outside of Michael he was the only man she’d ever loved. Why oh why had she said such mean things about Lana? They’d been good friends once and now she had ruined that too. She wiped at the tears on her cheeks. None of the Norths would forgive her now. She was scared that Raven might pay her a visit. Everyone said he was a killer and she was positive he was too. She didn’t want to be on Raven’s list.
There had to be a way to make a living and not depend on a man. She had laughed at Morgana and Lana for going to school. She’d partied while both had studied. She wished she had gone to school now. Once she had dreams of being a singer/songwriter, but she hadn’t even bothered to go to community college. Everyone said she had a beautiful voice and should sing but she didn’t have the courage to do anything with her talent back then. At least she had taken care of her voice, never smoked and it still sounded the same. She had nowhere to go, her parents were retired and had moved to Florida and Whistler wouldn’t let her move there. It wouldn’t be fair to Michael either.
She grabbed her Kindle and laid on the couch and began to read but her mind wasn’t into it. She thought back in time to when she and Whistler had hooked up. She always liked him better than True but he didn’t believe her and probably never would. True was nice enough to offer her a place to live when she’d broken her ankle and couldn’t dance.
She and True hadn’t fucked, either in many, many years. People assumed they did but True had made it clear when he’d let her move in he wasn’t interested in her that way. They’d made a deal to make it look like they screwed around because True didn’t like to be bothered by random women and they hit on him all the time. She made good arm candy and it kept the men away from her too. All of them until she had fell for Whistler. She hadn’t planned to fall for him but when Whistler wanted something, he didn’t stop until he got it. She had been that something and she’d fallen hard for him.
True hadn’t told her she couldn’t see other men but it was sort of an unspoken agreement. It was easy to clean his house and pretend they were together. He had made her promise to never tell anyone differently and that included his MC and family. Breaking a promise to True was not something she’d ever do and she had lied to keep that promise. What she should do was pick up the phone and call True and explain everything to him. She wondered what she could say to him and if Whistler would flip the fuck out on her if she made that call.
*~*
Whistler had fully intended to speak to True but he’d taken Nicola out on a date. Whistler found it hard to believe Mousey had allowed that, but he supposed it would be kinda hard to say no to his president and Nicola was a grown woman now. Only Raven was sitting at the bar in the clubhouse today. Raven had common sense and he might have some ideas on how to handle Marianne. He sat down on the seat next to him and asked Hazel for a beer. She gave him a glare and he knew she must’ve spoken to Marianne. Hazel better watch herself or she’d be replaced. Every woman in this clubhouse was replaceable except for the ol’ ladies. Some of them he didn’t like that much either.
Raven looked at him and laughed at him, Whistler felt his neck getting hot. He didn’t want Hazel to hear them.
“You up for a game of pool, Rav?” He inquired.
Raven shrugged his massive shoulders, “Sure, why not?”
The two men grabbed their beer and headed back toward the pool table.
“Didn’t want Hazel to hear what you wanna talk about, huh?” Raven was grinning at him. “I thought you were a couple or she took care of your needs.” Raven ribbed him.
“You know the truth Raven so knock it off. Marianne and I broke it off and I might need you and Morgana to take care of Michael.” Whistler sounded pained as he watched Raven’s grin fade. “It’s not so funny now, huh? I broke it off with Marianne over what she said and did to Lana.”
Raven racked up the balls and didn’t say anything until he took the first shot. “Morgana is gonna flip you never told her about your son, but you know we’ll help you out.” He lined up his next shot and both men jumped at the sound of True and Nicola coming into the clubhouse.
Whistler was no longer in the mood to play pool. He sunk the eight ball on purpose and went sit at a table. He watched True talking to Nicola and saw the interest that True had in her. She was tall, long dark hair, with a sprinkle of freckles across her face. True was treating her unlike he usually treated women. Was this because he liked her a lot or because she was Mousey’s daughter?
He decided to sit there and watch them. Maybe later he would be able to talk to True. Raven sat down and followed his stare.
“Damn, it looks like True is interested in Nicola. I wonder if he is starting to think of settling down. If he fucks with Mousey’s baby girl… he better be serious.”
Whistler mumbled back, “I was thinking the same, this could be a good thing for me.”
*~*
Marianne got up and wandered around the condo. Suddenly a thought came to her, Whistler kept a stash of money hidden here and she wasn’t sure he had taken it. She rushed into the master bedroom and headed for the closet. Pushing aside shoes and boots she cursed as she broke a nail pulling the carpet back. She found the lump of cash under the carpet. With the thick wad of cash in her hands, she smiled. She had a spare key to the car hidden too.
She sat on the floor and began to make her plans. She was going back home an
d she didn’t care what Whistler had to say about that. There was at least ten grand she’d counted so far. That would get her a small place and a lawyer to fight for Michael. Maybe she could get a job and Hazel might help her and let them stay with her. She looked at the clock. She had to get out of here, now. She began to pack and she’d pack as much of their belongings as she could. Whistler was not going to break her. No man ever had and he wasn’t going to the first!
Chapter Eight
Lana looked her face in the mirror, she would use the tree root excuse at work too. It wasn’t as bad as it had been, some Dermablend had covered most of the bruising up. She wasn’t looking her best but after all, she had tripped over a tree root and people would feel badly for her. She made her lunch, hopped into her Mustang with her briefcase and headed to work like any normal person would be doing on a Monday morning. She got right on the parkway and within a half hour she was going through the prison gate after flashing her identification badge at Ralph, the gate guard. She sighed when he didn’t make more than a have a good day Dr. North comment.
Mondays were usually busy so staying in her office was normal for her. She was going to take Raven’s advice and let things fall into place for her, rather than forcing herself into situations. She parked, walked thought the metal detector and headed for her office. She smiled at her secretary and muttered a quick hello and sat at her desk. Her office was brighter and cheerier than most in the building and she had worked hard to make it that way.
She was glancing at her first appointment, Caesar Russo. Odd, he should have been out on parole by now she thought. She liked Caesar, he was a member of True’s club but they never talked about that. She’d tried to help him understand why his behavior was unacceptable to the outside world and that he couldn’t go around assaulting people if he wanted to stay out of jail. He’d nod at her and laugh and she’d shake her head at him. She knew exactly why he was in jail for five years and beating up a crooked cop had gotten him there. She’d always wrote in her notes that he saw the error of his ways and he had been a model prisoner as far as she knew.
Thirsty (Satan's Fools MC Book 2) Page 4