Falling for Her (MC #2)

4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jokester – Eighteen Years Old

“Fuck, I can’t believe you’re now eighteen and tattooing no less. I feel fucking old,” Bear mumbles, and I smirk but don’t reply, my main focus concentrating on the outline of the Eagle I’m currently tattooing on his shoulder, hoping not to fuck it up.

It’s one thing tatting a stranger and messing up, but someone you’ve looked up to, yeah fuck that shit.

Bear is a brother who decided to go on the road after his old man, Eagle, passed away from liver cancer eight years ago.

I barely remember Eagle, he was always doing the club runs and shit but Bear, well, the old fucker used to have dinner around my parent’s house at least twice a week along with Butcher. Now normally, Bear would be with our sister chapter this time of year – Eagles birthday – but this time, he’s decided to come back into town for a few days after talking to Hammer about finally getting the eagle tat that he’s always wanted and didn’t want any other fucker to do the tat. Hammer, well, he decided I’d be the best person to tattoo it, especially now that I’ve graduated, got more experience under my belt and have been apprenticing since around the time shit went down with Bullet and his pregnant old lady Scarlett as in Scarlett, Bethany’s now ex-best friend.

Shit got fucked up in the past year.

Bullet and Scar got paired in English at the start of the year and one look at her properly for the first time in eight years, Bullet fell hard and fast. Made her his instantly which is not a surprise considering he’d always bring her up without realizing, always asking questions or looking her way.

She agreed to date him, to see how things go but after he was told she planned on leaving not just the state but the fucking country after graduating because her home life was really fucking shit. Something none of us had proof of but suspected because of all her bruises she’d come to school with. Not only did he fuck with her college admissions, ensuring she could only accept the three in the surrounding area but fucker knocked her up on purpose, something she wasn’t aware of mainly because he was her first and told her he was using a condom. After graduation she packed her shit after trying to convince everyone she was fucking some old dude, cheating on Bullet and using him for his patch, something Bethany accused her of after Scar shut her out to protect her from her stepfather Ron. We came to find out the old guy was actually sent to rape her by said stepfather, selling her virginity to him, an old dude Victoria sent her way hoping to break Bullet and Scarlett up which nearly worked much to Bullet’s mother and sister’s delight.

Louise wanted Victoria with her son, and Bethany wanted to be the center of attention, which she wasn’t as soon as Scar got with Bullet, and she hated it.

Poor fucking Scarlett didn’t have it easy. Her father passed when she was small, and her mother was selling her body every night to pay for Ron’s gambling habits. She had been trying to persuade her daughter she was being assaulted, allowing her to hear it all from her tiny room when, actually, the woman enjoyed it all while Ron, her stepfather beat her if she didn’t do as he wanted.

Scar wanted to stay in the shadows until graduating and leave Hopeton behind her. She didn’t count on Bethany latching onto her, pretending to be her friend to piss off Victoria, she also didn’t count on falling for Bullet.

As soon as Ron realized who she was seeing, shit turned worse for her. The fucker threatened to hurt her mother if she didn’t get him to clear his debts at the fight club because, of course, he always bet against Bullet, the undefeated champ. His threats didn’t work, he realized she didn’t care if her mom had a gang bang, seeing as she enjoyed it anyway. He threatened to have Scar raped if she didn’t persuade Bullet to do a rematch with a fucker who was sore about losing to him in the ring and the fucker planned on cheating by stabbing him.

Scar did the only thing she could think of and ran after Bullet’s mama gave her the perfect opportunity when she recorded her in a compromising position with the man who was sent to rape her, not knowing she was being attacked but letting her mind believe she was cheating on her son.

Scar thought her plan would work, trying to admit to cheating and clearly didn’t realize that Bullet was going to fight either way because none of us believed she was cheating on him. He not only pursued her, but she never even spoke to him and always kept her distance, so it was obvious she wasn’t using Beth to get to him or his patch.

She fell in love with him and left to protect him.

For a few weeks, Scar had not contacted him and kept the phone he gave to her off so he couldn’t track her. No one had heard from her, and we couldn’t find her, which sent Bullet into a frenzy. He spent most of his time in the ring until suddenly, she tried to call him.

Fucker didn’t realize she knew he could track her through the phone, something she didn’t want to take being too prideful. Scarlett had found out she was pregnant and realized Bullet trapped her, and yeah, she threw a lot of shit at him when we went to pick her up, and he’s lucky she forgave him, and everything is perfect for them right now.

She’s due in roughly two months, her mother and stepfather are behind bars though her stepfather will not be alive for long, and I’m finally, fucking finally, nearly free of Bethany after two years of being forced to date her.

I lift the needle off Bear’s arm and dip it into more ink. Then, I return to the eagle and fill it in with shade trying to keep my hopes down.

The bitch fucked up, and she fucked up big time. I am definitely using it to free myself of this fucked up situation.

After years of playing the devoted friend to Scar, it finally came out she befriended her to piss off Victoria, which worked. Every time Victoria hurt Scar, Bethany fought back, having the excuse to hit her old friend and get more attention around the school while also causing drama at the club. As soon as Scar cut her off to protect her and she saw Bullet doubling down on Scar, seeing that Scar had everyone’s attention, Bethany decided Victoria could be her frenemy. She turned on Scar trying to convince Bullet to dump her.

She showed everyone the person I’ve known for years and gave me the perfect excuse to end things with her.

Don’t get me wrong, Scar has been trying to convince me to get back with Beth, but that will never happen. After she fucked some college student yesterday, caught on CCTV, Butcher can’t say fuck all because it looks like she disrespected me, which is his own fucking fault. As far as I’m concerned, it’s his karma for going behind my back and trying to force more on me than we spoke about.

My lovely Pres and father decided to order an old lady cut for Bethany last year and claimed I requested it.

I fucking didn’t.

She celebrated, telling the whole club I was going to claim her once I patched in while I hit the roof and threatened to expose everything Butch and my father if they ever brought it up again, but right now, it’s come in my defense to ensure no brother can encourage me to take her back.

“So you and Bethany huh?” Bear says out of nowhere, and I swallow hard.

I don’t want to lie to him but honestly, how does someone tell a brother that my patch was threatened if I didn’t tame the club princess and that my own father also went along with the Pres’ plans for me so that Bethany can get her way?

How do I explain that I did fuck all to receive this kind of treatment from them and that I always, fucking always put the club first only to have it thrown back in my face?

How the fuck do I explain that they ordered an old lady cut behind my back?

I clear my throat and mumble, “We broke up a few months ago,” while continuing to shade the eagle not looking up, refusing to.

He hums, then admits, “Yet not once did you look at that girl like she was everything to you before you started dating. I mean, if I remember correctly, she pissed you off daily because she always tried to hang off you even when you were a small boy, telling everyone that one day she was going to marry you and have your cut.”

I lift the gun off his arm with a sigh and look at him, knowing he’s not stupid. His bushy eyebrow is raised, and his light blue eyes are serious – I’m caught.

“Pres and Dad asked for a word two years ago while I was helping Bullet train for a fight,” I admit. He tilts his head, and I tell the truth, “Bethany was off the rails, and the more Louise got upset, the more pissed Pres got. A plan formed in his head when he saw Bethany’s infatuation with me or so he told me,” I lick my bottom lip as Bear furrows his brows.

I admit, “He said if I didn’t date his daughter and help calm her down then I couldn’t be a patched brother and would no longer be allowed on any club property meaning I’d be homeless all while my father stood behind me not saying a word.”

Bear's face reddens, and he snaps, “He fucking sold you to his daughter?!”

I nod once, then state, “It doesn’t matter now because we’re done. She fucked up and showed her true colors allowing me to end things when she turned on Scar, but as for my place within the club, I-I, fuck,” I look down and shake my head before looking back at a man I look up to and admit, “I don’t know if I want to be a brother anymore,” and his eyes widen, “I always thought, yes this is the life I wanted, but when your own father and a man you saw as family turns on you just for a spoiled little girl, well, it makes you re-evaluate things. They betrayed me, had my life, my feelings put at the bottom of their priorities after everything I’ve done for the club, even now.”

Bear shakes his head, runs a hand through his long brown hair, and asks, “Are they still pressuring you to take her back?”

I sigh and confirm, “Yeah, they are,” and he curses, but I continue, “Last year, Pres had a cut made for her against my knowledge and told her about it before even telling me. She spread the word that she was going to be my old lady once I had patched in. I nearly hit the man I saw as an uncle being held back by my father. For months they’ve been telling me to take her back, that Scar also wants it, but I dug my heels in, and then yesterday she finally messed up and fucked someone else which I managed to broadcast to the whole club.”

“She disrespected you, knowing there was a cut made to be your old lady,” he summarizes. I nod once, and he continues, “Meaning that gives you an out.”

I shrug and dip more ink in the needle and mumble, “It hasn’t stopped them from trying to convince me otherwise, though, and I just don’t understand why they keep pressuring me to do this, but the more they pressure me, the more likely I’ll be handing my cut in and leaving. I’ve already saved up from years of helping here though with Hammer owning the majority of the shop, I know I can just move in the apartment above…”

I continue shading the eagle as he sighs, “You’re not our fun-loving Jokester anymore, are you,” but I don’t answer him because I’m not, heck, I don’t even think I’m a brother.

I’ve missed out on a lot because of Dad and Butch, a hell of a lot.

Girls, parties, fun runs, club BBQs, and family meals were all missed because of Bethany and their decisions. Fuck, I didn’t even have a celebration for graduation because they wanted a joint party and Bethany tried to turn it into an engagement party despite the shit she caused with Scar and I don’t know how I can do this anymore.

“Fuck,” Bear mutters, laying his head back when I don’t answer him, and I hum because yeah fuck.

I sigh as I climb off my bike and stretch. Two fucking hours it took for me to finish Bear’s tat, which was done in silence once he realized I was questioning my place within the club, and now my back hurts. I’m hungry, and I know when I walk into that clubhouse, I’m about to be bombarded by my mother because I never go home for meals and then Bethany, but I don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t have a place on club land. I mean, I have a lot near Bullet’s place because I’ll be VP, but I haven’t allowed anyone to build on it, and Hammer is still trying to get the apartment fixed up above the tat shop, an apartment that he owns and said I could stay in believing I just want to better myself at the shop, so the clubhouse is the only place I can go.

“Fuck my life,” I mutter and walk over to the door and walk in and without looking up, I descend the stairs, my sole focus – the kitchen, then my room and if I don’t make eye contact with anyone then I may just make it.

I manage to walk just past the bar, and my hope builds that I’ll miss everyone I don’t want to see but I groan when I hear, “Damian baby…”

Son of a…

“Bethany, you are to call him Jokester, you know this!” my mama snaps, and I turn round and come face to face with my ex. Her face is caked with makeup, nothing natural about her look and right now in her mini skirt and basically a bra, she’s giving the clubwhores – women who work for the club and like to fuck – a run for their money.

Bethany sniffles at my mother’s sneer and lets a few tears fall making my mother flinch, but I scowl, seeing right through them.

So fucking fake.

“Baby, please, you can’t throw two years down the drain over a girl, please…” She begs, and I tilt my head.

“Over a girl?” I question loud enough for everyone to hear, including her father, who is furrowing his brows near the hallway to his office. I state, “Last time I checked, you turned on your brother's old lady and tried to force him to end things with her after she was attacked, claiming she was cheating when in fact, she was being assaulted then you wouldn’t take responsibility over the whole fucking situation. Instead, punching her in the face,” I curl my lip at her, “and let’s not forget you fucking some college guy yesterday disrespecting me,” she hiccups as her eyes widen and I lean forward and sneer, “I haven’t touched another woman in two years since we started ‘dating,’” I use quotations making her eyes narrow and anger shine through, the crocodile tears drying up quite quickly. I scoff, “And yet you opened your legs within weeks of us breaking up,” I sneer at her, “Go find another guy to fuck over!”

Her nostrils flare, and I smirk as I turn and continue my route to the kitchen; she screeches, “I swear I will be wearing that cut, Damian. You are mine, and I won’t let that bitch break us up! The cut is mine, you are mine. I made sure of it!”

I make eye contact with Butcher and raise a brow because not only did his daughter use my legal name again, but she’s just insulted his son’s pregnant old lady and admitted to ensuring to try and trap me.

His jaw locks as he snaps, “Bethany, that is twice you’ve used his legal name, and now you’ve insulted Scar. You’re banned from the clubhouse for two months!”

She gasps, “What no…” while everyone glares at her.

“Just so you know Pres, right now, I’m looking at leaving the club,” I admit quietly to Butcher as I stop near him and his eyes widen, but I shrug and ask, “How can I be part of a brotherhood when my president threatened my patch if I didn’t date his daughter, basically ruining all of my hard work and loyalty? Loyalty bear in mind, you didn’t fucking deserve!”

“I did what I had to Jokester. She was a loose cannon, and you were the only one who could stop her shit,” he whispers, and I scoff, “Then maybe you should have raised her not to be an entitled bitch because I’m fucking done.”

That said I walk past him into the kitchen. I notice Louise as soon as I walk in at the stove and she grins at me, but it soon disappears when she notices my anger and sighs, “Let me guess, Bethany?” I shrug, and she shakes her head and turns, filling up a plate with biscuits and gravy and mutters, “That girl will never learn. She should have realized how lucky she was to have you.”

Louise turns back to me and hands me a plate full of food. I give her a nod, not saying anything because she doesn’t deserve my anger. At first, I always thought she was involved, but over the last few months, it’s become clear she wasn’t. She refused to talk to her daughter for weeks after everything went down.

Kissing her cheek, I take the cutlery and turn and leave the kitchen. Then, I walk through the common room, ignoring Bethany screaming at her father, and head to my room near Bullet’s all while wondering if I should just count my losses now or wait until I have the apprenticeship and college over with first.