8. Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Lilli
“Hm, fifteen?” I say, placing another bar of soap on the display, next to the fifty others I’ve carefully lined up to attract the attention of potential buyers.
Mama specializes in herbal soaps and lotions, which we’re expected to help sell at the farmer’s market. Normally, it doesn't bother me because it's an opportunity to get out of the house, but today I’m restless.
Behind me, Mercy giggles, and says, “No, it’s sixteen.”
My family returned from the retreat yesterday and while it was nice to hear sound fill the empty rooms, I can’t say that I was happy to be back in the role forced upon me by my parents.
“Oh.” My mind is a million miles away. I woke up this morning to a delicious dream of Wolf and I haven’t been able to shake the warm feeling in my veins. It’s been a few days since I saw him, but it feels like a lifetime. I barely know him, but I want to get to know him.
He certainly has a misguided sense to keep me from his life and I know he’s worried about what Daddy would do if he found out. He’s protective. But what else? Does he sleep on his side? Eat his toast with peanut butter? Hate cheesy rom coms?
Who knows, but I’m wasting my time speculating because I’m quite sure he’s not wondering the same things about me.
Maddening, but what can I do? I’m an eighteen-year-old girl who’s been sheltered from the world. He’s well, not. For all I know, he’s a murderer, as Daddy has said in countless sermons.
Shoot.
“What about…” Mercy says but everything fades when I see the sheriff at a stall down the way.
What did Darcy mean about him getting what he wants, no matter the law? Although he comes to our church every Sunday, I’ve only ever traded pleasantries with the man.
He’s always been polite and distant I suppose but now I study him for any sign that what Darcy said is true. He’s tall, taller than Daddy with a barrel chest and burgeoning belly poking beyond his uniform pants. With a shock of white hair covered by his hat, he’s not unpleasant to look at, although I shiver when I eye the gun on his belt.
He’s speaking to Mr. Hopkins who sells custom leather goods, like wallets with chains and pretty, leather-bound journals. Is this a friendly visit?
While I look for clues that he’s not just an ordinary man doing his job, he must sense my stare because he looks up. When our eyes meet, his brows furrow and summoning a weak smile, I go back to arranging soaps.
Meanwhile, my mind whirls with the possibilities until a shadow forms over me and I look up. The sheriff meets my gaze once more and I suppress a shiver as he says, “Your mama around?”
“Um, no…um…she’ll be back soon, though,” I stutter and his eyes narrow. Desperate to salvage the awkward situation, I say, “She’s grabbing more receipt books.”
As if that matters, at-freaking-all. Nice, Lilli. Real nice.
Cocking his head, his eyes roam my face before dropping to my mouth. When they move to my chest, I freeze, as he says, “You look just like her, except you’re…firm…ripe. All that pretty hair, too.”
What?
I don’t know what to say and I can only stare as his lips tilt into a dirty smirk, and he says, “Tell her I dropped by.”
As soon as he’s gone, I cover my face. What just happened? I don’t even know how to describe it, but it leaves my skin crawling, and I have the sudden urge to douse myself in hand sanitizer.
“You, okay?” The deep rumble brings me around and I stifle a gasp when I find Wolf standing over me with the fiercest scowl I've ever seen. I shrink away at that because I’ve never seen him look so, well…dangerous.
“Wh-What?” I ask and his brows flicker before he looks over his shoulder. His searing gaze sends a tingle down my spine as he glances at Mercy behind me before saying, “The sheriff bothering you?”
“Oh, uh….” I don’t know what to say. Did he bother me? Yes, but it was nothing more than sexual innuendo. He didn’t threaten me, he just made me feel…gross.
Darcy’s insinuations about the sheriff dance through my head though and it’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him about it when a pretty, young woman in tight pants and an MC shirt appears behind Wolf.
She snuggles into his arm and I back away, averting my gaze. My chest burns with a feeling I refuse to acknowledge, and I desperately want to flee but I’m stuck in this infernal booth until Mama says I can leave.
“Baby, come look over there,” she says in a breathy voice, and I raise my gaze to Wolf, with no doubt wide eyes.
His jaw twitches but he ignores her and my devastation, saying, “What did that fucker want?”
“He was buying soap,” I say, lifting my chin. Maybe I should tell him that I felt uncomfortable, and something didn’t sit right with me, but I’ll walk over hot coals before I do.
Stupid, stupid pride.
“Soap?” he growls.
“Lillith Anne? What’s going on?”
I turn to Mama coming up behind the booth and exhale quietly. It’s a sad day when I’m relieved to see her but she’s a godsend right now. Maybe Daddy’s belief in a higher power isn’t as off base as I’ve wondered over the years.
Wolf steps back and eyes me strangely. Mustering a no-doubt hideous smile, I watch him walk away with her , admiring his butt in his jeans as he does.
“Lilli?”
“Yeah, Mama?”
“Who was that?”
“Just someone buying soap.”
Spring break ends with a bang, when I come home from a walk around the neighborhood to Mama huddled in the living room with Daddy. They barely spare me a look and I stop outside in the hallway, leaning my head against the wall.
Anymore, I find I don’t like being in the dark and if that means eavesdropping, so be it.
“I saw her,” Mama hisses.
“What do you want me to do about it?” Daddy says.
“She’s showing. It’s embarrassing.”
So, they do know about her pregnancy which makes their behavior that much more sickening.
“We kicked her out. Everyone knows we don’t approve.”
“We need to do more,” Mama says.
“What do you propose I do, Kathleen? Abort her baby for her?” Daddy sneers.
The silence that follows sends a shiver down my spine and I peek my head around the wall to see Mama looking at Daddy with raised brows.
No. No way.
“Stress can do it,” Mama says.
“Stress?”
“Yes, maybe if something happens to that boy,” she spits.
“I’m not a murderer, Kathleen,” Daddy groans.
“You're useless. You always have been. Go back to that whore. That’s all you’re good for.”
My jaw drops and I glance beyond the wall to find Daddy alone with his head in his hands.
Holy crap. Did I just hear what I thought I did?
Wolf
My throat burns but I know it’s a slippery goddamn slope to hangover regrets and I push the bottle of whiskey away.
Despite creating a bunch of shit jobs that led to nowhere, nothing about the traitor in our midst has come to light. Who is the fucker?
I’ve spent ten years standing beside my brothers. We’ve all made sacrifices to be here but every one of them has been worth it. Knowing someone amongst those men has betrayed us creates a constant burn that lingers below my skin like a fucking venereal disease.
I need this fucker gone but without more information, I’m stuck.
Across the room, one of the prospects hoots and I turn my head, smiling when he slaps another prospect on the back, and the asshole stumbles.
We have a few good men lined up, but Joker is exercising caution until we have answers which means Duke is still waiting to be sworn in.
I know it’s eating at him and until he’s a full brother, I can’t tell him exactly why. Thankfully, he’s consumed with Miriam and getting set up in their new home.
Now that he’s here, Joker has found more jobs for him to make money which I’m grateful for although I know our prez does it because it’s the right thing to do.
“Ready?” Hand says, stopping by my chair.
As soon as I stand, Joker catches my eye when he exits his office and with a nod, I follow Hand out into the yard and around the building. Since the beginning, when the Saints formed, we’ve used the compound as our clubhouse. The squat building is ugly as sin but suits our purposes.
The land it rests on gives us the space to spread out and keep nosy assholes from snooping. We have enough room for the brothers and their families when needed and with the new addition of the outside kitchen, feeding everyone is easier too.
Once I’m on my ride and we’re through the gates, I fully relax. This is where I find my peace and I remind myself to speak to Romeo about setting up a ride when I return. The guys need it, not just for morale but because it’s a reminder of what we’re here for.
Brothers. Bikes. Bitches. In that order…
I glance in the rearview mirror when Hand speeds up, turning my focus to our mission. Word through an associate who sells our product got back to us and now Hand and I will be attending a party at Litch Field.
We don’t usually hang out in places like that because it’s not our crowd but tonight, our goal is to blend in and hopefully get the details on the little shit who used to run around our clubhouse in diapers.
Danny’s grandfather, Zeus Jackson, was a founding member of the Saints. A few years back, Danny was considering prospecting. That is until his father, Ace, a crack shot, tough as nails, and downright loyal brother, died for the club.
We mourned the loss the only way we knew how…with a raging party in honor of his memory. Ace’s only son, Danny, went off the rails after his death. Now the little weasel is a no-good thug who thinks his little band of losers can handle the big fish.
We’re not interested in what Danny does, he’s too small time for us but out of respect for his father, we feel obligated to warn him about the Aces because small or no, they don’t give a fuck. The Aces have been mowing down their rivals right and left and Danny is right in their path.
After pulling into the clearing south of the field, I nod at Hand as my phone rings. He returns the gesture and disappears amongst the parked cars while I pause to answer. “Yeah?”
“My boy Marcus called. Looks like shit is about to go down. This may be the opportunity we’ve been looking for but watch your back,” Joker says.
My spine tingles and I stop, staring at the sea of cars before me. The dull thrum of bass music carries on the wind and from here, I can see the partygoers in the distance.
“Who?” I growl and Joker laughs.
“Ice,” he says.
Shit. If the fucking Smokin’ Aces president is here, he’s mine . We’ve been hoping for an opportunity to interrogate one of the fuckers, but they’ve been laying low after killing our own.
Pansy ass little fuckers hid instead of facing the fucking music. Not this time though.
“I’m on it,” I say before hanging up and shoving my phone in my back pocket.
Anticipation heats my bones as I step between the cars. I’m itching to break something, and even if it isn’t Ice, an Aces rat will do just fine.
Except as soon as I pass the first row of cars, something changes. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as the crowd surges toward the parked cars.
Screams erupt and pandemonium ensues as I fight through the panicked crowd. What the fuck happened?
The sharp report of a gun firing rings out above the din, and I bark at some asshole barreling toward me with sheer terror on his face, “Move.”
He doesn’t hear me though and I toss him behind me and keep going only to pause when I hear my name. “Wolf!”
When I turn, I can’t believe my eyes because none other than Lilli-fucking-Abernathy waves at me from the car she’s kneeling on.
My lungs seize and I change my direction, scanning the area as I go. Where is the fucker with the gun and what the hell is she doing here?