Jerry's Passion: Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 6) (31 page)

Jerry ignored his comment. “I’m ready.” He followed the badge up the stairs he’d taken so many times since he’d become reacquainted with his mom and sister. He entered the living room, his eyes immediately going to the recliner as they always had. Wanda looked like she was dozing except for the duct tape wrapped around her mouth and nose. His gaze skimmed down to her tightly bound hands and feet and he ground his teeth together, his body growing hot. Even though she had plenty of faults, and never gave a shit about Jerry or his siblings, Wanda didn’t deserve to die like that.

“Is that Wanda Kenyon?”

He jutted his jaw and nodded. “Yeah. That’s her.”

“I’m sorry,” the detective offered while Jerry stared at the lifeless body of the woman who’d given birth to him. “Another woman was found in the bedroom.”

Jerry knew the detective would lead him to Kelsey’s room. When he walked in, the savagery of the attack shocked him.
What fuckin’ animal does this to an innocent woman?
She lay face up, although she didn’t have a face, just tissue and bone mashed together in a congealed, bloody pulp. Her body was bruised and swollen, and he averted his eyes from its nakedness, looking down at her feet. The familiar red rose tattoo right above her ankle punched him in the gut, and a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard then cleared his throat. “It’s my sister.”

The detective raised his eyebrows. “You sure?”

“I know my own fuckin’ sister. It’s her.” Jerry scanned the room, and he noticed scratch marks on the headboard that he hadn’t seen when he’d dropped by a few days before. Glancing at her thighs, he saw the angry whip marks covered in bruises and his blood turned to ice, his instinct telling him the guy she was dating was responsible for the carnage.

“When’s the last time you saw your mom and sister?” the detective asked as he flipped his notebook open.

Jerry scrubbed his face with his hand. “A few days ago.”

“Did you get in a fight with either of them?”

He narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck does that mean? I came over to drop off Wanda’s medication I’d picked up for her.” Their relationship was such that there was always tension between them, but Jerry wasn’t going to tell the fucking badge anything more than what was necessary in finding the fucker who’d murdered his family.

“Where were you last night into this morning?”

“At the clubhouse. Pretty sure you know how to get there.”

The badge paused, then scribbled something in his notebook. “Did your sister have a boyfriend?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know shit ‘bout him except he gave her money and was into real rough sex.”

“Did your sister tell you that?”

“Nah. I saw the whip marks and the way she was dressed. He liked the hardcore shit.”

“Do you know his name?”

Jerry shook his head. He remembered Kelsey had told him when he’d been over a few nights before, but as hard as he racked his brain, he couldn’t recall. “You done?”

The heavy-set detective nodded. “Stick around. We may have some more questions. We’ll release the bodies in a couple days.” He handed Jerry a card. “Call the medical examiner and let him know which mortuary you want them sent to after the autopsy and forensic tests.”

Jerry shoved the card in his front pocket and walked outside, grim-faced, his fists clenching and unclenching. He’d find the bastard who did this, and when he did, he’d make sure he suffered more than Wanda and Kelsey. He rolled his bike away from the crime scene, then hit the throttle clutch and sped away from the trailer park.

*     *     *

A week later,
the small church overflowed with people attending the funeral. Jerry recognized several faces from the trailer park, and he knew Wanda and Kelsey weren’t friendly with half of them. What was it about horrifying, gruesome deaths that attracted so many onlookers? He was flanked by his brothers, and he felt their strength and comfort while the minister spoke about the afterlife.

Jerry’s gaze fixed on Wanda and Kelsey’s coffins. A picture of Wanda when she’d just turned twenty-one was the only one he could find, and it rested next to her coffin, her smile weak, her eyes glazed. Kelsey’s picture was next to her white box, trinkets, single-stemmed flowers, and small stuffed animals encircling it. They paid homage to a girl whose life had been cut too short.

After the funeral and burial, the club held a reception for Jerry and the brothers. The old ladies had prepared steaming mounds of hot links, beef brisket, and two roasted turkeys with all the fixings. Belle handed him a plate of food. “Go on and eat something.”

“Thanks, Belle, but I’m not hungry. I do appreciate it, though.” He gave her back the plate and went to the bar to down a double.

Many brothers came by, clasping their hands on his shoulders, gripping his arms, or pulling him into bear hugs. Each time a brother gave his silent support, pride in being an Insurgent spread through him.

“Fuck, man. This must be tough,” Axe said as he placed his hand on Jerry’s shoulder.

“Yeah. Wanda was a shitty mom, but she was blood, you know? And Kelsey… Fuck, poor Kelsey.”

“Chas, Rock, Jax, Throttle, and I agreed that if you need our help in tracking and killing the bastard who did this, you can count on us.”

Jerry smiled. “Thanks, man. I’m gonna need your help, because this fucker’s not getting away with what he did.”

Then he saw her, her blonde hair a striking contrast against the black fabric of her dress. Their eyes locked in the room full of people, and she walked straight over to him. With her pale lips trembling, she leaned down, a tendril of hair grazing his arm. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Her lips brushed against his cheek and her familiar scent hit him in the groin, then Kylie was gone before he could say anything.

As the well-known strains of
Stairway to Heaven
played over the speakers, the cigarette and weed smoke curled around, and the heat of all the brothers in one place made the room seem smaller. Not able to stand the stuffiness, he slipped out into the parking lot and walked away from the club to the creek that rushed behind it. Jerry sat back on his haunches, throwing pebbles into the clear water. A twig snapped behind him, and he leapt up and turned around, his gaze falling on Kylie.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey.” He wanted to run and embrace her so hard that she’d never be able to get away.

“Are you doing okay? Do you need anything?” She took a few tentative steps toward him.

I need your tenderness, your laughter, and your softness.
“I’m okay. It was too stuffy in there. I couldn’t fuckin’ breathe.”

Kylie nodded. “Too much smoke.” She walked closer until she was in front of him. “Can I give you a hug?”

Smiling, Jerry stepped forward and hooked his arm around her waist, bringing her close to him. He cradled her face between his hands while he gently kissed her on the lips. She pressed into him, sucking lightly on his bottom lip then drawing his tongue into her mouth. They tasted, nibbled, and sucked each other; there was a subtle urgency about it as their kisses became deeper and more passionate. In that moment, it was like time paused, and they were the only important people to each other.

After several minutes, Jerry broke away and nibbled on the side of her neck, his voice muffled by her soft skin. “I’ve missed you so much, babe. I hated pushing you away.”

She pulled back slightly. “Why did you?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t want you to quit school and change all your plans for me. I didn’t wanna be responsible for you fuckin’ up your life. And the whole thing with your dad. I didn’t want to be the cause of your grief.”

“And you wanted to be with other women.”

He held her tightly talking into her hair as he stroked it. “No way. The only woman I want to be with is you. Nothing happened with Wendy the day you came to the clubhouse. I staged the whole damn thing to make you see that I wasn’t good for you.”

“Shouldn’t I have the chance to decide that?”

He sighed. “I’ve never been as miserable as I’ve been without you.” He tangled his hand in her hair and pulled it back, capturing her lips. “I love you so much, Kylie, and even if I have to give up my patch, I only want you. You’re worth everything to me.” Then he kissed her hard, digging his fingers into her soft flesh while images of his sister flashed through his mind, bleak sadness juxtaposed with hope and happiness. The dichotomy of life crushed down on him.

“I love you too. And I’m so sorry you lost your mom and sister, and in such a horrible way. I really am.” Her voice broke. “I’m here for you. You’re not alone. I’m here to listen, support, and just hold you.” She caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers. “I know it’ll take time to work out your feelings, and you’ll want space. I just want you to know you can always depend on me.”

Squeezing her, he whispered, “I know, and I’m lucky I have you.”

Her quiet presence comforted him, and it washed away some of the guilt he felt for failing to help his sister throughout her short life. Wanda and Kelsey were gone, and life went on.

He buried his face in her hair, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“S
o, what time
are you guys going to be back?” Kylie asked her dad as he sat on the wicker rocker on the front porch.

“We should be back by six or so. Belle wants to buy some baby stuff, and then I’m taking her to another doctor’s appointment. I gotta stop by the club first to do some work.”

Kylie’s stomach dropped, and she strained to keep her voice steady. “So, you’re coming back to pick Belle up?”
Please say no. Jerry’s going to pick me up in twenty minutes.
He’d called her the previous day telling her he wanted to see her and spend the day with her. Kylie knew Belle and her dad were planning to be out all day, so she made plans for Jerry to pick her up. But Belle was taking her sweet time in coming down, and her dad had just sprung the stopping at the clubhouse plan on her. Her insides twisted and churned.

“No, she’s coming with me. Addie, Cherri, and Doris are gonna be there, and Belle’s crazy for Paisley and Hope. She’s got some things to discuss with Doris ‘bout the October rally. Belle’s stepping up to the plate nicely on her old lady duties.” Banger smiled.

“That’s great.”
What the fuck is taking her so damned long to slap on some lipstick?

“Everything going all right with you? You seem nervous.”

Steady. He can read you.
“I guess I’m a little nervous about starting my new job.”

“You’ll do fine. You want me to take you?”

She had to laugh at how protective her dad was with her. “No. I’m not going to my first day at school, but thanks for asking.

“If you change your mind, let me know. Now where in the hell is that woman?” Banger stood from the chair, opened the screen door, and yelled, “Woman, we gotta go.”

Kylie saw Belle come down the stairs and say, “What’re you yelling about? Do you want to switch bodies so I can see how fast you’d be ready being eight months pregnant and having to pee all the time?” Kylie smiled; Belle didn’t take much shit from her dad.

Banger grabbed Belle’s hand, pulled her close to him, and then kissed her. “Let’s go, beautiful.” He helped her down the front steps and they made their way to the SUV parked in front of the house. “See ya.” He waved to Kylie, and then they were off.

Not five minutes after her dad and Belle drove away, the pounding sounds of a powerful Harley engine invaded the cul-de-sac. A rush of adrenaline shot through her, and she placed her hands against her fluttering stomach as she watched for Jerry on his bike. Sure enough, he rounded the corner, and the sight of him took her breath away: dark sunglasses, black skull bandana on his head, blue jeans hugging corded legs, and a white sleeveless T-shirt showing off ripped arms covered in ink.
Holy fuck. He’s gorgeous.

She met him at the curb as he pulled up, her tanned legs showing how much free time she’d had since summer break started. He yanked her to him and kissed her hard and deep, releasing a million tingles through her.

“Get on,” he said. She hopped on behind him and snagged him around his waist. She brushed her fingertips against his toned muscles and shivered at the thought of seeing him naked. With a jump, the bike roared out of the neighborhood.

The road he took when they’d left Pinewood Springs was a familiar one. It led to Evergreen Lake, a favorite place her mom and dad would take her to when she was little. She hadn’t been back to the lake since high school when one of the football jocks had taken her there, hoping to do more than gaze at the stars. Kylie had often felt like the football players dared each other to take her out to see which one would score with an outlaw president’s daughter. She hadn’t been interested in any of them because none had compared to Jerry.

As they rode on the narrow, one-lane backroads, tousled blonde ribbons whipped about her face like straws in a wisp of air. The sky was clear and blue, the air as soft as a kiss. To the left of them stretched a bright, grassy valley where rainbow-colored flowers dazzled in the whispers of summer. They rushed by the big pines, and the soaring mountains were covered with a rug of trees and yellow, pink, and blue wildflowers.