by Erin Trejo
“Blu was a good man. He kept many secrets for me, but this one was for the best,” he says.
No. No, it can’t be true. Blu wouldn’t have lied to me! He wouldn’t have made me believe he didn’t know my dad if he did.
“You’re lying,” I snap. Greg looks down before pulling his eyes back to mine.
“Come sit with me. Let me tell you what happened.”
I shake my head in disbelief as he walks over to a small couch and sits down. He pats the seat next to him but I can’t move. He can’t be my dad. Where was he all my life? Why didn’t he help me? I walk over and sit on the edge of the couch.
“Now please tell me if Justin hurt you.”
I nod my head slowly. At this point, I have nothing to lose by being honest about it. I glance over at Greg and see the rage in his eyes. He looks like one of the guys when he’s mad. Is it all for show? Is he just pretending to be pissed? He doesn’t know me. Does he?
“What did he do?” he asks, his hands clenching in his lap.
He wants to know? Okay, here it goes. I sit here and spill my life to this man. The man who claims to be my dad. If he wants to know what kind of hell I’ve lived through, I will give it to him.
Chapter 37
Nuts
My knee bounces up and down as my nerves fire off inside of me. Someone has her. Brooke called Dec as soon as she woke up from the drugs they’d injected her with. We went and picked her up and now she’s curled in Dec’s lap. They all glance at me every once in a while. Mayhem is running wild on the phone with Mystic, and Tic is on his with a few guys he knows. Nobody knows anything. Mouse is tied to a chair in the middle of the room, and that’s where my gaze has stayed. The things I want to do to him are scary. The way I’ve thought it out is even worse. I’ve never been like this. I’ve never felt this way.
“Walk outside with me.” Ruger grabs my shoulder damn near yanking me out of the chair. I shrug him off and follow him outside.
“What the fuck do you want?” I snap at him. He smiles at me. The motherfucker sees the mood I’m in and he smiles.
“I was sixteen when I first killed. My sister was seven. I saw that motherfucker my mom called a boyfriend go into her room. I heard her cry. I heard her yell for my mom, and do you know what that bitch did? She shot herself up and passed out. All while her little girl was bein’ molested in her own bed. The fury that grew inside of me,” he says shaking his head. “It was hot. Like a fire you could touch. I didn’t go in there ‘cause I didn’t want my sister to see me like that. I wasn’t sure what the fuck I was feelin’ either. When that bastard came out and went into my mom’s room, I went in behind him. All I had was a goddamn switchblade at the time. I figured it was now or never. I hesitated at first. Fuck, I was sixteen, man. You know how that fucks a kid up? Anyway, I heard my sister call out for me and I lost it. She needed me and I needed blood. I pulled my blade and walked up to that son of a bitch. He spun around and looked at me. His eyes were set in a thin line, a fuckin’ snarl on his lips. I grinned at him and brought the blade up and slashed it through his throat. I watched him choke on his own blood and fall to the floor at my feet. I knew right then – I was a killer. There was no goin’ back.”
I listen to his story. That had to have been one hell of a wake-up call. “You sayin’ I shouldn’t kill him?” I ask, needing to understand him. Ruger laughs and slaps a hand on my shoulder.
“No. I’m sayin’ you better be ready to curb that urge after. That look in your eyes, that’s the look I had. I feasted on my anger, brother. I couldn’t control it, and there are times I still can’t. It’s a rough fuckin’ life to know you are the keeper of death.” He squeezes my shoulder lightly before walking away from me and leaving me to my own thoughts.
I never looked at myself as a killer. I knew if I had to, I could. I never thought further than that, though. What my life would be like after I took a life. I suppose no one thinks that far ahead though. I shake my head and head back inside to see Mayhem sitting with his head in his hands at the bar. I walk over and drop down next to him.
“Nothin’?” I ask grabbing a beer.
“No. Mystic is pullin’ camera feeds. Sendin’ them over as he gets them up. We see the girls goin’ in the store and comin’ back out. That’s as far as the grocery store camera went. He’s pullin’ street footage now. We’ll get her back, Nuts,” he says.
I already know that. I won’t rest until I do. I take a long pull from my bottle before setting it back on the bar. I pick at the label as Mayhem watches his screen for any new information.
“You really love that girl, yeah?” he asks. I nod my head and glance over at him.
“Never thought I’d love anyone. I always thought that earnin’ this patch was all I needed, but now I can’t fuckin’ think of anything more than holdin’ onto her. Keepin’ her, makin’ her mine in every goddamn way possible,” I admit to him. Mayhem nods, his eyes drifting to Taylor.
“I wasn’t lookin’ for that one either. It happens though. We all find it at some point.”
I follow his gaze and watch the way Taylor lights up when he looks at her. I wonder if that’s the way Cherry looks when she looks at me.
Mayhem’s phone pings pulling our attention back to it. He pulls up a screen and studies it before sliding it to me. I watch the motherfuckers stick the needle in Brooke’s neck. I watch Cherry fight for her life. A surge of pride races through me.
“She’s fightin’,” I say to myself.
“Dec. Come here,” Mayhem roars. Declan comes to stand behind us, watching the video as it plays.
“No plates. No faces we know. Let’s wake this bitch up.” He nods over at Mouse. I grin as I shove off the stool and move toward him.
Now it’s time to get some answers.
I slap Mouse’s face a few times before he stirs. “Wake up, motherfucker,” I say slapping him a few more times.
“Girls, out,” Mayhem says behind me. The girls all stand to leave, but Brooke walks over and punches Mouse in the face. We all laugh at that one.
“You probably knocked his ass back out,” I say with a chuckle.
“Serves him right.” She smiles and walks away. I shake my head and look at Declan as he smiles and shrugs.
“Get up, Mouse! It’s time to play a game,” I tell him.
Chapter 38
Cherry
Greg’s been silent for a long time. Far too long if you ask me. He hasn’t moved after what I’ve told him.
“Did you know he wasn’t my brother?” I ask him breaking the silence.
“He told you he was?” Greg looks at me a little shocked. I nod my head and wring my hands in my lap.
“My mom did too.” His eyes grow wider and a new fire burns in them.
“It was never supposed to be that way. Justin was to look after you, not hurt you.” Greg grits his teeth as he looks away from me. I still don’t understand any of this.
“Why? If you are my dad, where were you?” I risk the chance of asking. If he is, I need to know.
“I was in prison most of your life. I only recently got out. I was into more than just the MC world that you are a part of. I knew Blu, met him when we were young. He’s the one that got me into drug smuggling and gun running. We made many deals over our span of friendship. I got caught up on those charges not long after you were born. I asked Blu to look after you, but your mother was such a whore back then. She didn’t stay in one place too long. She was always moving around, different clubs, different men. It was shameful but that was who she was. I lost all my associates when I went to prison. This house was all I had left to come home to,” he says.
“What about Justin?” I ask, needing to know how he plays into this.
“Justin was the son of a friend. Once he was old enough, we asked him to keep an eye on you. He was supposed to be your long-lost cousin. He was never to touch you, only to watch you. We heard he wasn’t doing his job, but what was I supposed to do from inside of the prison? I got wo
rd to Blu, and I assume that’s when you started living at the clubhouse,” he says sadly.
Could all of this be true? Would Blu have kept that from me?
“I’m so confused,” I say looking at my hands in my lap.
“I know you are. I never wanted anything to happen to you, but if people knew you were my child, they would have come after you to spite me. I didn’t want that. Your mom was a good liar. A very good liar. She would do just about anything for the drugs she wanted. I can assume Justin played into that as well. I trusted Blu with your life. He made me a promise to never tell you who I was but that was only for your safety. I know the club would have protected you but you have to understand that Blu had his own children to think of also.”
“Tic, Mayhem, and Declan,” I say softly to myself.
“You grew up with them. You learned with them. I hoped you thrived with them.”
I look over at Greg and shake my head. “I was a club whore. I turned into her. I was everything she was. I let men use me.” I start to cry when Greg puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to him. I sob into his shirt as I let this all sink in.
“I never wanted that for you, Cherry. I cut ties with Blu not long after our arrangement. I knew my chances of getting out were slim. If I had known, maybe things would have been different,” he says sadly, running his hand down my back in a soothing manner.
I don’t know what to feel. I don’t know what to think. I had a father all this time and not just Blu. I had a real father.
“Did my mom know you were in prison?” I pull back wiping my eyes.
“She knew. That’s why she took you. She didn’t want you around that back then. She was always so high on something though, I’m surprised she ever gave a damn.”
“What happens now?” I ask. Greg smiles but never let’s go of me.
“I can’t stay around here, Cherry. It was a life sentence.”
What?
“How did you get out then?” I ask in shock. He grins at me, and it all makes sense. He somehow escaped. “Oh,” I say softly.
“I want you to come with me. I want to know you, Cherry. I want my daughter. I can give you a good life. I have things in order and money in place now.” Greg stands and walks to the desk on the other side of the room. I watch him as his words roll around in my head. He wants me to go with him? Where would we go? What would I do?
“Here,” he says passing me a stack of photos. I take them and flip through them.
“Is that me?” I ask pointing at a picture of a baby. Greg smiles and nods.
“How did you get these?” I ask looking up at him.
“I said I cut ties with Blu for your safety. I had to know you were alive though. I had a friend of a friend hire someone to find you and make sure your mother didn’t kill you,” he says as if this is just another conversation.
I flip through the pictures and gasp. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe that he has these pictures of me when I was a baby. The last one I flip to takes my breath away. A sob escapes me. My hand comes to cover my mouth as tears slide down my cheeks.
“He loved you like a daughter,” Greg says as I stare at a picture of me and Blu. His arms were around me, hugging me. A giant smile on both of our faces. I remember this picture.
“It was my birthday. He said we always needed to celebrate my birthday even when I didn’t want to.” More tears fall as Greg slides his arm around me.
“He was a good man, Cherry.” I nod my head in agreement. He was a good man. A man that took care of me when my dad was gone. A man that took me in when my mom was high. He gave me more of a life than anyone else ever has.
“I won’t push you, Cherry. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want, but I will ask you to think about it. I do want to know you. You can keep those if you’d like,” Greg says nodding to the pictures.
I look up at him through the tears and say, “Thank you, Dad.”
Chapter 39
Nuts
“I won’t tell you shit!” Mouse laughs after I punch him in the jaw. Blood splatters from his mouth.
“I’ll kill you.” I tell him honestly in a flat tone.
He laughs more, but when he sees Ruger, the laughter stops. Ruger cocks his head to the side, looking at Mouse. Something in that man snaps. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a condom before dropping his jeans to the floor. I look at Mayhem but he just chuckles.
“What the fuck are you doin’?” Mouse screams as Ruger pulls the condom over his dick. Shit, Mayhem wasn’t kidding about those southern Bastards.
“I heard you liked it in the ass, Mouse.” Ruger steps toward him. He nods his head at Mayhem. He moves to grab Mouse, cutting one of his arms and leg free. He flips him quickly, holding him to the chair with his ass in the air. I glance back at Declan, but he just shrugs like this is another day to Ruger. Hell, maybe it is!
“You gonna tell my boy where his girl is?” Ruger asks Mouse. Mouse doesn’t say a word. Ruger reaches forward, pulling Mouse’s jeans and boxers down his legs. He steps up to him, barely touching him with his dick. Mouse whines but doesn’t say a word.
“You ain’t gonna tell him? You just gonna take that big dick in the ass?” Mayhem asks him with a laugh.
“If I say anything he will kill me!” Mouse yells.
“I’d be more worried about that dick of Ruger’s piercin’ somethin’ in there than Justin, man.” Mayhem laughs. Maybe he is as sick as Ruger. Fuck, I’ve never seen the guys like this before. Ruger doesn’t give any warning before shoving his dick in Mouse’s ass with a loud growl. We all share a glance as Mouse screams like a bitch.
“I knew you’d like it,” Ruger grunts as he plunges into him. I take a step back not wanting to be anywhere near that shit. As twisted as I’ve heard they are, this is something else.
“Answer the man. Where is Cherry?” Mayhem leans down still holding Mouse in place as Ruger violates the man.
“Her dad! Fuck! Her dad!” Ruger stops as Mouse cries tears. Her dad?
“She doesn’t know her dad,” Declan growls looking at Ruger. His thrusts pick back up and with each slap, making my ass hurts and he isn’t even near it!
“Justin knows him! It was all a set up! Fuck! Stop!” Mouse cries harder. Ruger looks to Declan, and when he gets that nod, he pulls out of him. He walks off toward the bathroom giving me a smirk as he goes. Sick bastard.
“Who is her dad?” Declan asks as Mayhem flips Mouse back over and slams his ass in the chair. Mouse still cries big ass tears.
“Greg Pentum!” he screams. That name means nothing to me, but Tic, Mayhem, and Dec all share a glance.
“No fuckin’ way,” Tic says scratching at his jaw.
“What?” I ask looking between them.
“Pentum was a friend of our Pop’s a long-ass time ago. Went to prison on a life sentence. No way he has her,” Mayhem says. We all look to Mouse.
“Head count hasn’t been done. They’ll know he’s missin’ soon enough,” he cries trying to catch his breath.
“What does he want with Cherry? She doesn’t know him,” Tic asks, pulling Mouse’s hair so his head tips back.
“I don’t fuckin’ know, man! Justin hired me to help get her! I know shit else, man!” he cries. I walk up and wrap my hand around his throat before leaning in closely.
“You were my brother. We were prospects together, man. I thought you were more than this. I thought you were better. If I find Cherry and one hair on her head is out of place, I will fuck you in ways that made what Ruger did seem like child’s play.”
His eyes are wide as he looks at me. His tears stream down his face much like Cherry’s do.
“How the fuck do we find an escaped convict?” Declan asks running his hand through his hair.
“Fuck! This is all kinds of crazy,” Mayhem says tugging his hair.
I turn on my heel and walk out the front door sucking in the night air. It fills my lungs, but it also clears my head. I have to find her. I won�
�t let Justin hurt her.
“That was a preview of what I wanna do to that other bastard, Justin.”
I glance over my shoulder as Ruger strolls toward me. I don’t know what to say to the man. He just ass raped Mouse like a little bitch. Not that he wasn’t deserving of it, but damn that takes some kind of balls,
“Don’t look so scared, brother. I ain’t gay,” he says lighting up a cigarette.
“If you were runnin’, where would you go?” I ask him.
“Home,” he answers immediately.
I nod once before it all clicks. Greg would do the same, wouldn’t he? He’d go home.
“Fuck! I’ll get Mystic on an address. Round the guys up,” Ruger says pulling his phone from his pocket.
Chapter 40
Cherry
“We have a few things to discuss, Cherry. Justin hired Mouse to get to you.”
I gasp when my dad says that.
“Where is Mouse?” I ask. “We haven’t seen him in a long time.”
Greg shrugs his shoulders. “I have no idea. He was nothing to me. That was all Justin’s doing. Mouse was an asset to him. What are your thoughts on Justin?” he asks me. I can tell by the smile on his face what he has in mind.
“Slow death? Torture? Are those doable?” I ask with a half-smile. My dad smiles bigger before letting out a laugh.
“I think we can arrange that,” he replies as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
“I want to see him die,” I blurt out. I’ve never really sat and watched a person die before. I mean, we get all kinds of shit happening at the club but to actually witness death? Nope. Can’t say that I have.
“Are you sure?” my dad asks, his brows furrowed.
“I need to know it’s over. I need some kind of closure.”
He nods his head and presses a few buttons on his phone. “Justin is now the enemy. Treat him as such and bring him in here.”
As soon as he hangs the phone up, I can hear Justin hollering. My heart picks up knowing he’s going to get what he deserves. The doors open and my dad’s men step in with Justin fighting. I grin as I watch them throw him down in the middle of the room.