A Rebel In The Roses (Black Rebel Riders' MC Book 8) (9 page)

“Was, did something happen to her?”

“Yeah, she was murdered.”

“No shit?” I look at her smiling face once more and hand his phone back. “That’s fucked up.”

He goes on to tell me a little about her, and I can’t picture him being married to a chick like that—a goody goody. I would’ve thought he’d chose the redhead, the fiery one.

“So you know my history. Are you sure you want me to sponsor you?”

I think hard on his words. His story sucks, but he’s got a wife and family now. He’s got what I never had growing up.

“Yeah man. I do.”

“Piece of advice, brother to brother. Let go of Dawn. She’s not the girl for you. When you find the one you’ll know.”

“Yeah, that’s what my sister said.”

I know I need to do something about Dawn, but what?

9

Rebel

My talk with JT has my gears turning. My mind is spinning. I have Striker on my mind. He’s been on my mind since Grim, Tread, and Romeo set off to Florida and I wasn’t invited to ride along.

Looking back, it seems strange that Romeo would ride my brother’s Indian and not his own.  Could be nothing, but I can't shake this feeling.

I head to the Roadhouse in search of Truth. If anyone knows what the fuck they're doing down south that motherfucker will.

I find him out at the garage tuning up Stone’s chopper. A wrench comes sailing and lands at my feet with a clang. “Easy brother,” I tell him retrieving his tool. A few more inches and he would have clipped me.

“You alright man?”

“Never better. Motherfucker slipped out of my greasy palm.” He laughs.

“Uh huh,” I say letting it go, but I don’t believe him. However, if he wants to talk he will. I won’t press him.

“What are you up to? Figured you’d be home with the wifey and that brat pack.” He grins.

“Got a question I was hoping you could answer.”

His brows raise piqued with curiosity. “Sure man, what’s up?”

“Florida. Where’d they go down there?”

He rubs his palms on his jeans, smearing oil on them. “Daytona.”

I nod. “You do any work for Romeo? Is there something wrong with his ride?”

“Not that I know of. What’s with all the questions?”

I rub my chin thinking on whether I want to say anything yet. I decide not to. “Just curious man. I’ll see ya around.”

“Yeah, see ye brother. Need anything else let me know.” He shoots me a chin nod before bending back down to finish his job.

I walk to my bike still unable to shake this feeling. I’m about to head home when my mom calls to me from Grim’s porch.

I walk over and bring her in for a hug. “How ye doing mom?”

“I’d be better if my son would come by and see me more often,” she scoffs.

“You see me all the time,” I yawn out.

“Come in and have a glass of tea. Make an old woman happy.”

“You’re not old,” I say appeasing her request. She smiles.

I kick back in the recliner. I may take a nap while I’m here. I know once I get in the door at the house my kids will be all over me. Not that I mind, but I miss sleep.

Mom goes to the kitchen to fix my drink.

I reach down in the side pocket on the chair to find the remote control for the TV and pull out some pictures. I start to put them back, when red hair catches my eye, Colt.

I start flipping through them. I miss my buddy.

When I get to the last two photos I’m not expecting what I am seeing. A boy about eight or so is staring at me. It can’t be... I shake my head. Must be a kid of someone mom knows or something. I look at the last picture, and there’s a little girl with eyes I’d know any-damn-where. My chest constricts, she reminds me of how Sarah might have looked as a child or Baby. 

Baby
.

I flip back to the picture of the boy.

Chills rack my body.

Mom comes from the kitchen with my tea and a sandwich. “What is this?” I grit holding the pictures for her to see.

Her face pales slightly. However, her masks quickly reappears. “Just some pictures that I found while I was cleaning.” She shrugs.

She’s good, but she can’t fool me.

I knock the plate from her hand and it goes sailing to the floor. “Don’t fucking lie to me.” I hold the pictures to her face and she takes a step back. “Where are they?”

“Christopher please. You’re angry and not making sense,” she pleads.

“Baby’s alive isn’t she?”

“No, no.” She shakes her head, but her pale face and frown gives her away.

“Fuck you. Fuck Grim. Fuck Baby.” I stomp down the stairs of the porch.

I march back to the garage as Truth is locking up for the day.  “Get your computer and meet me in Grim’s office,” I seethe.

“Jesus,” he says crouching back from my glare. “I’ll be over in a few man.”

I head to the Roadhouse and ignore the stares and voices greeting me. I go straight to the basement. My hands are shaking I’m so Goddamned angry as I unlock the door.

I pull out my phone and send my wife a text message.

Best Husband Ever: I won’t be home for dinner tonight. Club business.

Chelle Belle: I’ll leave you a plate covered on the stove. Love you, be safe.

With that settled I go over to the safe. My first try I mess up the third number. It takes me another try, but I manage to
get it open. I scan through the legal documents and don’t see anything out of place. Except...I reach to the back where I noticed Grim had stuck some book belonging to Baby’s mom a few years back and it’s gone.

I try to recall the last time I was in the safe. It was only a week ago. The book was still here. I close the safe and start going through the desk. I kick the chair when I come up empty. Raking my fingers through my hair I am about to explode.

Truth

Fucking Rebel has done lost his mind. I shake my head as I walk in the door to my apartment to grab my computer. I need a shower, but with his mood I best not keep him waiting.

I rush to the bedroom passing Amy as she comes out of the bathroom all green in the face.

“Hey woman, ye feeling okay?”

“No, your devil spawn won’t let me keep any food down!” She whines.

“Come here.” I pull her in for a hug, kissing her temple. “Want me to call Liberty to come sit with you? I gotta go handle some shit for Rebel. Not sure how long I’ll be.”

“No, I’ll be fine. Just leave me here to die from puking myself to death.” She pats her stomach and goes to bed.

Before I leave I get the trashcan from the bathroom for her and some crackers from the kitchen. 

I kiss the top of her head and grab my laptop from the nightstand.

“Love you Peaches,” I call as I go out the door. Her response is to moan and I shut the door when I hear her gagging. I can’t deal with puke. If I see puke it makes me sick too.

I jog down the stairs and over to the Roadhouse.

As I pass through the kitchen, I tell Kimmie to make me a pizza and bring it down with a beer. I have a feeling I am in for a long night.

When I step into the office, the chairs are flipped over. Books are thrown from the shelf.

“What the fuck are you doing man? Grim will kill us if you trash his shit.”

He braces both palms flat on the desk, appearing a bit like a madman. “I need you to show me everything you’ve got about this Florida trip, and tell me everything you know.”

“I don’t know much man. I don’t feel right about this…Grim know you’re poking around in his business?”

“Club business is my fucking business. You forget I’m your VP motherfucker!”

“Chill.
Damn
. I didn't mean anything by it.”
Fuck
, he’s wired up. I flip a chair right side up and take a
damn
seat. “I don’t know much. Tread was riding out to put John down. Liberty’s fuckface of a husband. Kurt was supposed to ride with him, but we know where he is, so Grim ordered Romeo to go in his place, and decided to go along for the ride.”

I open up my computer and pull up the information I have on John. Sliding it across the desk, I turn it around for him to see. He clicks through the files asking a few questions about the chats I had with John.  I tell him what I know about them getting him to meet Lulu and taking him out.

“Now you know everything I do. What has you so torn up over Florida man?”

“I don’t know just a hunch I have about something.”

Kimmie interrupts bringing in my food. I give Rebel a minute to process what’s on his mind and decide if he’s ready to be honest with me. I dig into my dinner feeling slightly guilty that Amy can’t eat.  I chug my beer and let out a loud belch.

I’m still waiting for Rebel to shit or get off the damn pot.

I start to call upstairs and tell Kimmie to bring down a six pack, but the dark expression on Rebel’s face tells me we need something harder.

Going over to Grim’s liquor cabinet I break out the bourbon. I pour us both a glass and sit them on the desk next to the bottle.

“Pull up Grim’s cell records. I want to know who he’s talking to down there.”

“Look man, I get that you have shit going on in that head of yours, but VP or not, you want me to snoop on our Prez, ye gotta tell me why.”

“
Fuck
, shit is fucked and I can’t believe it,” he says rubbing his hand over his beard. He downs his glass and mine.

Whatever he’s thinking about, it must be bad.

“I saw some pictures over at my mom’s. Kids, she has pictures of kids that look—Baby man, I think she’s alive and somehow, this Florida shit is connected.”

Damn
, just double
damn
. I don’t know what to say. I sit here stunned. I remember Tread saying when the bust went down at Dry Ridge he never saw Baby or Grim.

“What are you thinking man?”

“I’m thinking Baby and Striker are in Florida man, and that Grim, Tread, and Romeo know that. I think they are with them.”

Rebel pours us both another drink, I toss it back then I pull my computer across the desk and start hacking into Grim’s phone records, hoping I don’t live to regret it.

Liberty

I’m sitting on the porch swinging away while Kyler plays basketball with Jamie. There is an age gap between them, but Jamie is a good kid, and they get along. 

I’m not too sure about Dawn, but Kyler likes it when she watches him.

I smile when I get a message from Tread, he’s coming home. I’ve missed him. He’s only been gone a few days, but we are just getting adjusted to being back together. He’s still finding his way with being a dad.

I can’t help but think about poor Christa and Kurt. How tragic that the day she marries him, he is sent away to prison. Tread has been out doing the exact same thing Kurt did to protect me.

I don’t know that I wish he hadn't killed John. John deserves everything he gets. Well, everything he got. If Tread is coming home it means he has done what he set out for.

A shiver runs down my spine.

What if something happens to Tread?

What if he gets caught?

I shake my head. I can’t think that way. Tread is smart, not that Kurt isn’t. That situation although similar was different in many ways.

I gave Christa my phone number and told her not to be a stranger. She’s a Black Rebel now and we stick together.

My eyes pop open wide and my ears prick hearing Sunshine screaming at Dawn.

“You’re not to leave this trailer until your father gets back young lady.”

“You’re not my mother stop pretending to be!” Dawn shrieks in her face. “I hate you! I hate my dad. I hate you all. Every one of you can go fuck yourselves.” She flips her the bird and waves her middle finger in her face.

I have to bury my face in my hair to keep from laughing. It’s not funny really, but I can't stop the giggles from erupting in my throat. I wish Amy were here for this. She’d get a real kick out of the situation.

Jamie’s cheeks are tinted red with embarrassment.
Poor boy
.

“Jamie you want to stay the night? We can order a pizza and make cookies,” I tell him and he grins so wide. I didn’t figure he’d want to go home and deal with that. Besides, I don’t think he is all too happy to have Sunshine's son home.

When I asked about him he made a sour face.

I take the boys inside with me and send a text to Sunshine that I am going to keep Jamie for the night. I think she could use the break.

10

JT

After talking with Rebel I drove back into town. I’ve been thinking on what he said about Dawn not being the girl for me. I know he’s right, and I need to end things as cleanly as possible. I don’t want her old man shoving his boot up my ass.

I sent her a message and told her I was coming to get her. I don’t know if it’s the wisest plan, but I figured we could drive to the park and talk on neutral ground.

I still don’t know if I will go through with calling things off. It all depends on whether she wants to stop the partying. She’s young and I know how I was at sixteen.  I didn't give a fuck about anything. Until a few weeks ago, I still didn’t.

Another text message from Dawn comes through.

Honey: Please JT hurry and come get me. I can’t stay here with this witch a minute longer. She’s psycho.

Fuck
! Guess now isn't a good time for our talk.

JT: I’m on my way hold tight. You can sleep over at my place.

I push my foot down on the gas and speed up. This isn’t going to be anything good, but I know what it's like to want to run away. 

My mom didn’t make things easy for me. I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t have a real one. Maybe that’s Dawns’ problem.

If so, the girl is more screwed up than I realized.

I know having Perry as a step-dad really fucked me over, but Sunshine is nothing like that bastard.

I don’t think she’s the sort of woman that would get her stepchild into stealing cars and slinging dope.

Perry had me doing a hell of lot worse though.

I got girls hooked on drugs so he could get them dancing at Pink Lips to get their next fix.

One was this girl Kimmie, we had puppy love in middle school. When I found out she was one of Perry’s girls it about killed me. I’d make up excuses to stop by the club, so I could check in on her. When Perry figured out what I was doing he made a point to tell me to stay away from Kimmie with his fist.

Fucking bastard
, I’m glad he’s dead.

He told me he would fuck Kimmie and make me watch. Sick prick never got the chance.
Thank the fuck.

Dawn

“What's this?” Sunshine is standing in the door to my room holding up a baggie at me.
Shit
!

“I don’t know, garbage?” I sass rolling my eyes. “Shouldn’t you be cooking or something?”

Her foot taps on the floor. “I found it in your pocket. Explain to me why you have this Dawn!” She snaps.

I mock her tone. “What do you think it is?”

“Dawn this is serious. Your mom died from this. Is that what you want too?” Her words smack me across the face and punch me in the gut.

How dare she. “You know shit all about my mom! You don’t know anything about her or about me!”

I shove past her as Mute sticks his head out of his door. “Go back to your room and play with yourself!
You Goddamned freak
,” I shriek at him and run out the door.

Sunshine is hot on my heels screaming at me to get back in the house. She’s not my mom, no one is. My mom is dead. Does Sunshine know what my dad did? Does she care that she is sleeping with a murderer?

Sunshine smacks me hard across my cheek just as JT pulls up in his truck.

“Thank God you’re here,” I sob trying to get in the passenger side door.

Sunshine nearly breaks my finger in it when she slams it shut and stands in my way.

“
Move, you fat bitch
!”

JT exits the driver’s side and comes around the front of his truck. “Dawn, calm down.”

“Are you really taking her side? Tell her to move. Tell her to get out of the way!”

“JT…you take her anywhere and I will call the police and report you for taking a minor.”

I crumple to the ground defeated when JT throws his hands up, gets back in his truck without me, and peels out of the driveway.

“Get in the house Dawn. Your father is on his way home. Until he gets here, you’re grounded.”

I gather a fistful of rocks in my hand dying to smash them in her face right now.
Stupid bitch
.

She stands over me with her hands on her hip making that
damn tsk
noise she’s so fond of. I look up at her pouring as much hate as I can into my glare and she laughs. The bitch actually has the nerve to laugh at me.

“You’re acting like a spoiled little brat. Get your ass in the house and go to your room. I’ll not hear another word out of you until your dad has his say.”

“Whatever,” I sneer. 

As I am walking in the house I pull out my cell to call JT and tell him I’ll just sneak out later when Sunshine plucks my phone from my hand and tells me, “No phone.”

I run to my room screaming how much I hate her before I give into my urge to smack her. Flopping down on my bed, I wail into my pillows. I kick my legs out and punch my mattress.

Grabbinga picture frame from my nightstand that has a photo of my mom in it I hug it to my chest, wishing she were here
.

Mute

When Dawn called me a freak, it didn’t bother me in the way I thought it would. It only confirmed what I had thought earlier, I’m just a joke to her. I almost feel sorry for her as I hear her crying and snotting across the hall.

Sunshine knocks on my door. “I’m sorry you have to hear that. I’m sorry she was awful to you. It isn’t always like this. Since we moved back from California, she’s been different. She lashes out and does these terrible things for attention. Just ignore her. Jamie is staying with a friend so you have the room to yourself. When things calm down we can see about finding you an apartment or something.”

I smile, happy to go off on my own, but it stings she’s already wanting rid of me.

“I made BBQ chicken and fries if you’re hungry. Just help yourself to whatever you need. I’m going to take a bath and go to bed. It’s been a long day.” 

I nod and she leaves me to myself. Dawn is still crying across the hall.

Part of me wants to offer her some sort of comfort, but the other part of me knows she’d only try to take advantage of my kindness.    

I spy an iPod on the dresser with a pair of headphones attached to it. I hope Jamie won’t mind my borrowing them. I need something to drown out the sound of Dawn’s tears.

I turn it on relieved to see it has a full battery.

I shuffle through the kid’s music and he has decent taste. A mix of some old rock ‘n roll and new stuff that you hear the radio play on repeat.

I lay back in my bed and turn up the volume.

At some point I must doze off, because I come to with Dawn peering at me through her tear stained lashes.

She plucks the earbuds from my ears.

“Do you know where my brother is?”

I wipe my eyes and reach for my board.

Dawn yanks it from my hand and throws it across the room. “
Speak
Mute, I
know
you
can
.”

I shake my head going to get up, but she pushes me back and sits on me.

Her sweet smelling perfume washes over me. I lay my palms flat on the bed careful not to touch her.

“I asked you a question.” She leans in close to my face and I have to lean back, but she only moves with me, practically laying on me.

“Moof,” I tell her, trying to say move.

“No.” She smirks, with her breasts pushing into my chest.

I try to roll her off me, but using my hips instead of my hands was a terrible idea.

She scoots up further on my lap and wiggles.

“You’re like really big. You know that, right?”

I roll my eyes,
yeah
, I know that.

I grab her hips wishing I could rub her against me, but I know I have to stay away. I can’t play her games. As tempting as she is with her pouted lips and shapely curves. She isn’t a
woman
, she’s a
silly little girl
.

I shove her to the side and go to the other side of the room to retrieve my board.

“Don’t you want to have a little fun?”

I shake my head and grab my marker. She eyes me curiously as I write my message for her.

I’m just a Goddamned freak. Get out of my room
.

Her face falls when I turn it around for her to read.

“I didn’t mean it,” she whispers.

For a moment I almost believe her.
Almost
.

“I’m sorry.” She gets up from the bed and goes toward the door.

I move to let her pass by to leave. She stops in front of me and takes the board from my hand, wiping away my words. She then tosses it on her brother’s bed.

She grabs my hand. “I don’t think you’re a freak, Patrick.” I look into her sad eyes, and I feel sorry for this
lost girl
, because I know how she feels, I’m
lost
too.

I rub my finger over her lips to silence her as she continues to say she’s sorry. Her wicked mouth is so soft and warm. Her lips part under my touch, so inviting. She cups my chin. “I think you’re sort of beautiful in a messed up way, so who’s the
real freak
here?”

I laugh silently, fighting the urge to say fuck it and kiss her. She shifts standing up on her toes, wanting me to kiss her. I stroke my finger along her jaw and lean down. Her blue eyes close as she sighs with anticipation.

Her breath tickles my nose, it's intoxicating. I feel drunk on the indecision on whether or not to kiss her.