Significance, Satan's Attitude MC (9 page)

Whiskey didn’t want to discuss Rabid with his daughter and wasn’t going to. “He doesn’t matter. Never heard from him again. Don’t mention that name—he isn’t liked by anyone here. Got me?”

“I got it. I’ll keep my mouth shut about the past.” Dee was no fool.

“Good. Now give me a few minutes out here alone, please.”

He dropped a kiss on her head and Dee ran back to the house. Calmly, Whiskey strolled over to the dock and watched the waves as Elena slipped next to him quietly.

“Elena. It’s a damn good thing I smelled your perfume. It really isn’t wise to sneak up on me.”

She put her hand on his arm. “Are you angry I followed you down here? I was smoking a joint on the back steps and I saw Dee run up to the house. I thought you might like a few minutes alone with me.”

Whiskey had his arms around her and his lips were claiming hers. They kissed hungrily. Just as they broke apart, to their surprise they saw a falling star tear across the sky.

“Wish on it. I’ve never had one fail me yet,” Elena swore as they watched it fall. They held hands as they made their way to the house just in time to see the food being put out.

Elena joined the other women in the kitchen eating and was surprised that she was enjoying herself so much. Dusty stayed far away from Violet, but she noticed Violet had a sad look in her eyes as she snuck glances at her daughter. There was a story there, Elena figured, and decided she didn’t want to know it. It was so much different from hanging out with the Bound for Hell and Nefarious chicks who were eating with their men.

Angie was explaining that they were going to be staying in New Jersey. Violet looked shocked.

“Violet, this is our home. Dee’s husband’s sister, Kima, has a house we’re going to rent. You don’t have to like it, but it’s what we are doing.” Angie spoke matter-of-factly to her mother.

“And how are you paying the rent on this house, Angel Rose?” Violet didn’t like this one bit.

Bebe spoke up. “Just as we’ve always paid the rent: by dancing. We don’t want your matchmaking skills in our lives. We’ll help each other with babysitting. Lacey-Jane is moving in, so that will cut our expenses down, but you knew we’d be dancers.”

Dusty butted in. “After all, mother, who taught us how to dance when we were barely legal? You taught us well, didn’t you?”

Angie tried to change the subject. “I need to tell Hyway about Chrissy. You always told me that, didn’t you? He wants to see me and I want to see him. I think my daughter deserves to know her father. We didn’t know ours.”

Violet turned away and began to dish up her famous apple dumplings. Only Elena saw the glint of tears in her eyes. Violet took a plate over to Chrissy who was sitting at the kitchen table.

“You still love Mema, don’t you, baby?” Violet was hurting and Chrissy looked up at her.

“As long as you don’t get the flying monkeys after me. Aunt Dusty said you can call them right out of the sky.” Chrissy looked at Violet like she was the wicked witch.

“That is an awful thing to say to me. I still love you anyway.” Violet’s feelings were hurt.

The kitchen got very quiet as Violet left the room in a hurry with Chrissy running behind her.

Angie, Bebe, and Dusty looked at each other and laughed. 

“Elena, you have to understand, Violet threatened us with the flying monkeys when we were kids. Chrissy has heard all the stories, even though she knows better than to talk like that to her grandmother,” Angie explained. 

“I don’t think I’ll do that with my daughter, but do you think Violet will give me the recipe for these apple dumplings?” Elena was already on her second helping.

“Don’t bother to ask. She’ll leave an ingredient out on purpose. Ask me instead,” Bebe offered. “I know all her recipes by heart and I’ll show you how easy they are to make.”

Thorn poked his head into the kitchen with a sleepy Rhiannon on his shoulder. “Whiskey wants to get going, Elena.”

Elena made plans to see the girls as soon as they were settled. Resolved, she left the kitchen.

* * *

O
n the way to her farm, Whiskey asked her how she had liked the women of Satan’s Attitude.

“I think the only real one was Violet Rose. She was nice to me, but I don’t trust her at all.”

“You’re a wise woman, Elena. I’ll be up here for maybe a week. Do you think we could spend time together?”

“I’d love that, Whiskey, I really would.”

Whiskey got out of the car and opened the door for her. “Go unlock the house and I’ll bring the baby. Your dobie won’t bite me if he sees me with her, will he?”

“Dragon? No, he senses evil and you aren’t evil to me and Rhiannon.” However, Elena put him in with the baby when she put her into the crib.

Whiskey was fixing them drinks and he had a baggie of pot on the counter. Elena raised her eyebrows. “I got it from Darko,” he explained to her. “Dusty told me you like to smoke and Darko has the best stuff.”

“Whiskey, you’re spoiling me. You don’t smoke much, do you?”

“I dabble here and there, but I slowed way down. It lost its appeal for me, to be honest. I’ll do some speed or coke when I need to stay awake or if I’m in the mood, but that hasn’t been lately. Now why don’t we watch some TV and you can tell me more about yourself?”

“I’d rather sit on the glider and smoke a joint and look for more falling stars, if that is okay with you. I love my glider and I try not to smoke in the house.”

She got up and grabbed a pack of rolling papers as Whiskey watched her expertly roll a joint. They sat on the glider talking about all kinds of different subjects into the night.

Whiskey kept her body held tightly against his. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.

R
ebel tried to keep the women in his life from fighting. Dusty made herself scarce, leaving him to deal with Angie, Bebe, and Violet on his own. He figured she was the smart one to have left it all in his lap.

Violet had inspected the rental house from top to bottom and even she couldn’t find a single thing wrong with it. Whiskey had made a brief visit to give his input, but he was too busy spending his time with Elena to help out with the girls. Rebel grinned to himself, thinking how his advice was finally being taken—and by none other than Whiskey, of all people.

Trips to the supermarket to buy household items had left his wallet quite a bit lighter. Violet insisted on all new linens and anything else she could think of. Chrissy had all new bedding with matching curtains. Pink, of course, because she was Mema’s princess.

It was wearing on Angie’s nerves, and he could tell a fight was in the air. Lacey-Jane was losing her patience and hiding in her room with Shanna.

Angie and Violet argued about dinner and who would cook it. Neither had noticed Bebe had snuck into the kitchen to start cooking. Rebel joined her in there and leaned against the counter, a beer bottle in his hand. He watched as Bebe began to cook a shrimp stir fry. Violet hated shrimp and he wondered if she had made it on purpose.

Bebe looked up and caught him looking at the shrimp. She smiled and returned to chopping vegetables. “Rebel, it would be a good idea to take Violet and go home. She’s talking about coming to stay here and how it’s more fun to be around family.” She slammed the garlic on the cutting board, using the flat side of the knife to break open the peel.

Rebel chugged his beer. “I was thinking it might be a good idea to take her out to dinner, seeing as you’re gonna piss her off fixing that shrimp.” He watched Bebe carefully to see if she had any of his traits and decided that she did, indeed. It was a sneaky move to cook food Vi hated and a way to give them some relief from her company.

“I think you should go back to Maryland so we can start living our lives. She has us on hold here and we don’t want to fight with her, but… well, it’s Violet. We can’t help but argue with her.” Bebe laid the knife down and looked at him. “She’s making all of us unhappy and I’m sure you want to be back home.”

“I do, Bebe. So we’ll be on our way home in the morning. How about I take everyone out to breakfast before we leave?”

“That sounds like a great idea. A public restaurant where she can’t make a scene is a great idea.”

They stopped talking long enough to hear Angie scream, “I want you out of my house now! It’s time you went back home Violet and stayed there!”

Rebel put down his beer and hurried into the living room. There stood Angie with her hands over Chrissy’s ears as she yelled at her mother. The little girl wiggled away from her mother and hightailed it to the kitchen.

“Rebel, this is too much. I know she means well, but we have had enough. Please get her out of here before we say words we can’t undo.”

Angie was his calmest daughter and she wasn’t acting it at the moment.

“Violet, I think I oughta give Whiskey a call and see if he and Elena would like to go out to dinner tonight.”

Chrissy ran into the room screaming, “Shrimp stir fry, my favorite! Aunt Bebe is making it for me!”

That did it for Violet. She looked at Rebel and said, “I want to leave now,” as she got her things together. She kissed Chrissy and ignored Angie and Bebe, heading for the car.

Rebel handed some money to Angie and told her to use as she needed, and if she needed more, to call him.

* * *

R
ebel talked to one of his SAA’s and had him call Elena’s house to see if they wanted to go to dinner. Gripper came back with an invitation to dinner and directions to Elena’s house. That calmed Violet down and she was quiet as she looked out the car window. It gave Rebel time to calm his headache down, too.

Violet was charmed my Elena’s farmhouse and she was amazed at the barns and many horses. “Reb, I think Elena must have some money to have all of this. Maybe Whiskey should take this relationship seriously.”

“I told him to look for a Jersey girl, just like you, Violet. Best women there are, in my opinion. You’re really a Jersey girl, aren’t you?” he joked at her. She just smiled back.

Whiskey opened the door and Violet noted how content he seemed. She also noticed how nice and clean the house was.

Rhiannon captured her heart and she played with her while Amy set the table and Elena got the dinner ready to serve. She was unsure who Amy was and wondered if she was Elena’s oldest daughter, but they looked nothing alike.

Her curiosity got the better of her and she had to ask, “Are you related to Elena, Amy?”

Amy laughed as she replied. “I wish. I help with the baby and the horses. I get to keep my horse here and I don’t have to live at home. Elena pays me fairly for helping her. It’s my dream job until I decide what I want to do with my life.”

Rebel overheard that and an idea popped into his head. Violet should have someone to help her once he brought Brandon home and it would ease his concerns about her caring for his son.

He motioned Whiskey to step outside on to the porch.

“We’re still supporting Maude? Not that I mind, after what Hillbilly did for the club, but her kids are all grown, aren’t they?”

Whiskey wondered where this was all going, but answered as best as he could. “Yeah, as far as I know. She was a good mother and her kids took off the first chance they got. Didn’t want to be in a town where their father is known as a murderer and will be in jail the rest of his life. Goose would know better than me. Why?”

Rebel wasn’t taking any chances of Violet overhearing. “I’ll talk to you when you get home. We’re leaving in the morning. You take your time up here and enjoy my advice.”

Amy came to get them for dinner and Violet was surprised at what a good cook Elena was. Her pot roast was perfect. She even offered to help clean up, but Elena suggested they smoke a joint on the back porch while Amy cleaned up. She even had a few joints rolled for Violet to take with her, which further endeared her to Vi.

“It was really nice of you to have us over on such short notice, Elena. You should come down to Maryland and see Whiskey’s house. Of course, it isn’t a farm, but it’s really very nice.” Violet was going to do her best to see that Whiskey and Elena saw more of each other.

“If he asks me and I can get some time off of the farm, that would be nice. I’ve got students that I teach riding and there are a few more shows before the end of the season. I don’t really leave here much.” Elena was not going to push herself on Whiskey.

They made it back into the kitchen right in time. Rebel wanted to leave and Elena noticed Whiskey wasn’t encouraging them to stay either, which was fine with Elena, as she wanted Whiskey all to herself and had told Amy she could go out after Rhiannon was in her crib.

After their company left, Whiskey pulled her in for a kiss and they laid on the couch staring into each other’s eyes.

“Elena, what do you think of Rebel and Violet Rose, honestly?”

“Rebel is scary, but I think he’d be a good friend to have. Violet is a little crazy but plays some of it that way. She is smart and sneaky. I kind of like her, but I don’t trust her.”

Whiskey kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re a smart woman, Elena. Now, do you want me to stay the night or would you rather I go back to the motel?”

“Stay and hold me, of course. Did you really have to ask? I like lying in your arms.”

“Is that so?” he joked.

“I like you holding me, Whiskey. I’m not going to like it when you leave.” Elena sighed a bit sadly.

“I’ve got some time left here and I’m working on coming up more. So you’ll miss me when I’m gone?”

Elena didn’t want to think about it. “I might, but I’m sure you’ll have plenty of women to keep you company.”

He whispered in her ear, “I don’t want any of them, I just want you. I hope you feel the same.”

Her answer was in a deep lingering kiss that left no doubt in his mind at all.

* * *

R
ebel decided breakfast with the girls wasn’t the best idea with Violet still in a snit. He took her to get waffles and wanted to get on the road. He decided to drive just the two of them with his guys surrounding them, since he had to talk to Violet Rose privately.

Violet noticed right away they were in the car alone. “I’m not in the mood to fight, Reb. I know I messed up. I think about the past and I’m sorry for some of it, but I did spend over ten years without you.”

“Ten years you partied, fucked my brother, and had a good time, while I sat in a cell for a murder I never did. Then you stayed with my scumbag brother for years. You only came back when he sent you to me, because
HE WAS DYING
. Not the same thing, Violet, and you know it.” He clenched the steering wheel tighter, his mouth a firm line. “I don’t want to fight with you, either. In fact, I got some news I figured you’d like to hear. You might say it’s like a present.”

Violet looked at him suspiciously. “Yeah, sure, you’re mad at me, why would you want to give me anything? News isn’t like a present, either.”

“Guess you don’t want to know what it is, huh?” Rebel looked over at her. She was biting her lower lip, thinking hard.

“Will I like it, or will I get mad at you?”

He grinned. “I’m pretty sure you’ll want it, but you’re gonna be really pissed off at first. Unless you ask me to tell you and say you forgive me, I ain’t telling you.”

Violet didn’t answer. Rebel was always playing games with her head. He had something she’d wanted, but she was going to be mad at him. She didn’t know what it could be, but she was dying to know all about it now.

“Whatever you think I’ll be mad about, I forgive you, but I might be a little bit mad.” She turned to watch his expression.

“Not good enough. You forgive me one hundred percent, or else I’m not telling you. I’ll give it away and never tell you what it was.” Rebel smirked at her.

“Damn you, Rebel. I totally forgive you and I want to know, please.” Violet gave in, trying to not sound angry.

“Vi, you still want a baby to raise? I’m seriously asking you.”

“Of course I do. You know that. Did Whiskey change his mind?” she asked excitedly.

“No. But I have a baby for you. It’s a boy, though. Monica had a son. You didn’t blow him up, thankfully.” Rebel lit a cigarette, waiting for the questions to come flying at him.

“A baby boy? I always wanted a son… but who’s the daddy?”

Slowly, it began to dawn on her who the daddy might be, but she wisely said nothing.

“I know you, Violet, and the answer is yes, Brandon is mine. He’s six months old and you saw him with Cathy the other night. He’s got blonde hair and blue eyes.” He dragged on the last of his cigarette before grinding it out in the ashtray. “I never expected Monica would get knocked up, but she did, and I’m on the birth certificate. Now that she’s dead, I wanna raise my son.”

“Rebel, you’re a fucking bastard. Monica was a skank and you fucked her, had a kid, and didn’t think to let me know?” She looked at him with pure disgust.

“Violet Rose, if you knew she had my kid, you’d have blown her up even sooner or shot her. God knows what goes on in your crazy mind. Do you wanna raise him or do I let Goose and Cathy keep him? Doesn’t matter, he is legally my son either way.” He gave her a cunning look. “Monica was blonde like you and Brandon has blonde hair. He can pass as your son.” He let his case rest.

Violet looked out the window of the car for a few miles as she thought. She wanted to raise a baby with Rebel. They’d been cheated out of raising their girls together. But learning in one weekend Rebel had two children was difficult for her to process.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Are you sure he’s yours? Who else was she fucking besides you?”

Rebel was blunt. “Babe, she wanted to replace you. She figured I’d leave you if she had a kid. So you did both of us a favor the other night. I was long done with her as soon as I found out she was knocked up. Fucking her was the only way to stop her from telling you. You know if I fuck around it doesn’t last long. Who do I always come home to?”