Chapter Twelve
Rebel
Something pulled me from sleep. It took a moment for the fogginess to dissipate enough I realized it was my phone. I fumbled for the device on the nightstand, my eyes still heavy with sleep. Groaning, I pressed it against my ear and mumbled, “Yeah?”
“Rebel, get your ass down to the clubhouse. Now,” Atilla’s voice boomed through the speaker, urgency lacing his gruff tone.
“Fuck, what time is it?” I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear the grogginess clouding my mind.
“Time isn’t important right now. Bull’s here, and he’s looking for you,” he warned. My stomach twisted into knots at the mention of Bull’s name.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. I looked over to where Isy still slept soundly beside me. I knew there would be consequences for crossing the line and claiming her, but the desire that burned between us had been too strong to resist. Still was.
“Tell me you didn’t fuck up, Rebel,” Atilla growled, his fatherly concern seeping through his otherwise tough exterior.
“Can’t promise that,” I admitted. I could practically feel the disappointment radiating through the phone, but there was no going back now. “I tried to get Isy to call him, but she wouldn’t budge. So, he found out about us from someone else. Any of the Reapers who showed up here, or someone they spoke to.”
“Get down here and face the music, kid,” he ordered before hanging up.
I stared at the ceiling for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to gather the strength to face whatever fury awaited me. The thought of losing everything I’d built within the Savage Raptors MC weighed heavily on my mind, but so did the memory of Isy’s touch, her body pressed against mine in the darkness. Yeah, like the Pres said, time to face the music.
“Fuck it,” I muttered, pushing myself out of bed and reaching for my clothes. If facing Bull was the price I had to pay for tasting heaven, then so be it. I wasn’t going to let Isy go. He’d just have to get used to the idea.
The cold air hit my skin as I hastily pulled on my jeans. My pulse hammered in my ears as I yanked on my boots. I pulled on the first shirt I saw, not caring how I looked. There was a good chance these clothes would be bloody soon enough anyway.
I grabbed my leather cut from the top of the dresser and shrugged it on, feeling the weight of the Savage Raptors MC patch on my back like a shield. I didn’t have time to dwell on what had transpired between Isy and me; I had a storm to weather first. Really should have made her call her dad. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad right now.
I couldn’t shake the image of Bull waiting for me at the clubhouse, rage simmering beneath his calm facade. The man was a ticking time bomb, and I’d just lit the fuse. Anyone who knew the Dixie Reapers knew there was one rule you always followed… don’t fuck with their daughters. I’d gone a step farther and claimed one without permission.
I didn’t have time to wake her or leave a note. In fact, it might be better for me to face Bull head-on before Isy woke up. It was my goal to return home before she’d even realized I was gone.
My bike roared to life beneath me as I backed down the driveway. The wind whipped around me as I tore down the road, passing the homes of my brothers, as I raced toward an uncertain fate. No fucking way I could hit him back, and I had no doubt he’d take a swing. Probably several. Isy would never forgive me if I hurt her dad.
“Get your shit together, Rebel,” I muttered to myself. “You can handle this. You’ve faced worse.”
But had I really? First time I’d ever had to stare down the father of the woman I loved. Then again, I’d never loved anyone besides Isy. She was different from every woman I’d ever known. Didn’t think her dad would care to hear about it though.
As I approached the clubhouse, it seemed a little too quiet. A group of both Savage Raptors and Dixie Reapers stood out front, with the President by the clubhouse doors.
“Here he is,” someone muttered as I got off my bike.
“Rebel,” Atilla greeted, his face a mask of concern and disappointment. “You sure as hell know how to create a scene.”
“Yeah, well, I never claimed to be a saint,” I said. “Where’s Bull?”
“Right here,” a deep voice rumbled from behind me, stopping me in my tracks. I swallowed hard.
“Let’s get this over with,” I muttered, my heart pounding against my ribcage. The weight of their stares bore down on me like a thousand tons of pressure, threatening to crush me beneath their collective judgment. But I couldn’t back down now, not when everything I cared about was at stake.
The air felt heavy as I stood face-to-face with Bull. He towered above me like a mountain. His long hair cascaded down onto his massive chest, more gray than blond. His beard framed a snarl twisting his lips.
“Rebel,” he rumbled, his voice low and menacing, as if it came from the depths of hell itself. Of course, I could somewhat understand. He had no idea his daughter had come to me willingly. The intensity in his eyes bore into mine, pinning me to the spot like a deer caught in headlights.
“Is this what you wanted?” I asked. “A showdown?”
“Boy, you don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into,” Bull warned, his chuckle sending shivers down my spine. “You think you can just steal what’s mine? Isadora is a good girl. My precious daughter wouldn’t willingly go with the likes of you.”
“Isy isn’t your property, old man.” My words were laced with venom, and I braced myself for the inevitable backlash. “And for the record, she chose me.”
Without warning, Bull lunged at me, his fist connecting with my jaw before I had the chance to react. Pain exploded through my face, but the shock of the hit fueled my adrenaline. I could taste blood in my mouth, and I knew I’d have one hell of a bruise later, but there was no time to think about that now.
“Fuck!” I gasped, stumbling back from the force of his blow. But I couldn’t let him see my fear. I couldn’t let him win like this. “Come on, old man. Is that all you’ve got?” I taunted him, wiping the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. I knew it was a reckless move, but I couldn’t help myself. The desire to provoke him, to make him see how far I was willing to go for Isy, burned like an inferno within me. He needed to know I’d never back down, that she was my everything.
“Reckless little shit.” Bull’s eyes narrowed as he prepared to strike again. “You’re going to pay for that.”
“Bring it on,” I said, tensing my muscles and watching him like a hawk, ready to dodge whatever he threw my way. Because I’d be damned if I’d ever hit back.
My vision blurred momentarily, the sting of Bull’s punch still radiating through my jaw. But I couldn’t afford to be dazed -- not now, not when everything was on the line. Gritting my teeth, I steadied myself and focused on the behemoth before me.
“You’re going to regret that.” Bull snarled, lunging toward me with another strike aimed at my face.
“Fuck you!” I spat back, just barely managing to duck under the swing and evade his massive fist. My heart pounded like a jackhammer in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I sidestepped his next blow. He was relentless, a primal force driven by fury and the need to protect what he believed was his.
“Stand down, old man,” I warned, dodging yet another punch and skirting around him, putting some distance between us. “I didn’t come here looking for a fight, but it’s clear you did. If this is what you need, then so be it. I won’t back down.”
“You can’t have Isy!”
“I told you she isn’t yours!” I shouted, feeling a surge of anger boil up within me as I blocked his next hit with my forearm, wincing at the impact. “She’s her own person, and she chose me!”
“Chose you? Ha!” Bull barked out a bitter laugh, attempting to catch me with a powerful uppercut. I narrowly avoided it, pivoting on my foot and spinning out of his reach.
“Quit trying to control her life!” I yelled. My body ached and screamed for me to retaliate, but I refused to give in, knowing full well that it’d only make things worse. I could let Bull vent his anger and frustration on me, but I couldn’t hit him back. For Isy’s sake I had to hold back. “It’s part of the reason why she left home. You were suffocating her.”
“Isy needs someone who’ll protect her, not a fucking punk like you,” Bull said, his eyes narrowing as he took another swing at me. “And don’t tell me shit about my daughter. I think I know her better than you do.”
“Maybe she doesn’t need protection -- maybe she just needs love!” I countered, ducking under his swinging arm and feeling the wind from his missed strike. “And I’ll give her that. I’ll give her everything I’ve got!”
My heart raced, my breaths ragged as I continued to weave in and out of Bull’s attacks. I could feel the heat of his fury, the intensity of our clash threatening to ignite the very air around us. He could come at me with everything he had, and I’d just have to take it. For now.
My brothers, and his, watched in silence. I wondered if someone would step in if the bastard tried to kill me. I had no doubt if I were to hit the ground, he wouldn’t stop until he’d made sure I wouldn’t take another breath.
The world around me seemed to slow as I sidestepped Bull’s next punch, adrenaline coursing through my veins like molten fire. Time inched by, each second stretched out like a lifetime as I struggled to keep my fists clenched at my sides, resisting the urge to strike back.
“Come on, Rebel,” Bull growled, his breath hot and heavy against my face. “Fight me like a fucking man.”
“Is that what this is about?” I countered, bobbing and weaving between his relentless blows. “Proving who’s more of a man?”
“Damn right it is!” he roared, swinging wide and leaving himself exposed for a brief moment. “A little pussy like you isn’t fit to be with my daughter!”
I could feel my heart thundering in my chest, every fiber of my being screaming at me to take advantage of the opening. To fight back, to defend myself and prove that I was worthy of Isy. But I knew, deep down, that giving in to my instincts would only escalate the situation further. It would prove nothing, and it might cost me the only thing that truly mattered.
So I held back, clenching my teeth and swallowing the bitter taste of my own blood as I stared into Bull’s furious eyes. My mind raced, searching for some way to end this stalemate without resorting to violence. And then, in a flash of inspiration, I found my answer.
“Fine,” I gasped, seizing a brief moment of respite as our gazes locked. “You want to know the truth? Need me to spill my guts? I love her, Bull. More than anything in this Goddamn world.”
My words hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down at the feet of this raging giant. And though I could see the shock register in his eyes, I knew that it wasn’t enough. I had to make him understand -- make him see that I was willing to face any consequence for the woman I loved.
“Isy is my life now,” I continued, my voice raw with emotion. “And if you want to take me down for that, go right ahead. But know this -- I’m not fighting you for her. If I put so much as one bruise on you, she’d never forgive me.”
The air crackled with tension as I continued to pour my heart out, every word fueled by my passion for Isy. “I’d take a bullet for her, Bull. I’d walk through fire and hell just to see her smile. And if that isn’t enough to prove my love, then I don’t know what is.”
“Your love?” Bull snorted derisively. “You think you’re good enough for my daughter? You’re nothing but a punk in a different cut!”
“Maybe I am,” I admitted, unflinching in the face of his scorn. “But I’m a punk who’s willin’ to change, to be better… for her.”
“Too late for that,” Bull growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he prepared to charge at me again.
“Enough!” Isy screamed, throwing herself between us. I’d braced for impact, but relaxed when I saw her step in front of me. “Dad, if you touch him again, I swear… I’ll never forgive you.”
The silence that followed was deafening, heavy with tension and unspoken threats. Bull’s face was a mask of fury, but beneath it, I could see the anguish that gnawed at him. I knew he loved his daughter, and the thought of losing her tore him apart.
“Isy,” he whispered hoarsely, his eyes never leaving her face. “I can’t let you be with him. He’s not good enough for you.”
“Maybe he’s not perfect,” she retorted, her voice thick with emotion. “But neither am I, Dad. If you truly love me, you’ll let us be together.”
“Stay out of this, baby girl,” Bull warned, his gaze meeting mine. “This is between me and him.”
“No, it’s not,” Isy shot back, her voice trembling but defiant. “It’s about all of us, Dad! About our future, and whether you’re going to be quiet and listen, or charge through like you do with everything else! If you’d ever stopped to actually hear what I had to say, then none of this would have happened.”
“Isy, please…” I whispered, torn between the desire to protect her and the need to prove myself. “Don’t get involved…”
“Too late,” she said, a fierce determination blazing in her eyes. “I won’t let you two destroy each other.”
She stepped forward, placing herself directly in harm’s way as she faced her father head-on. And as I watched her, my heart swelled with a mixture of pride, admiration, and love so strong it felt like a physical force.
“Are you really going to hit your own daughter, Bull?” I asked quietly, knowing the answer but wanting to hear him say it. “Or are you going give us a chance to be happy?”
The silence that followed was deafening, punctuated only by the sound of heavy breathing and pounding hearts. And then, just as it seemed we were on the brink of disaster, something shifted.
“Isy…” Bull whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re sure this is what you want? This… jackass? He’s not worthy of you.”
“More than anything,” she replied without hesitation, locking eyes with me as she spoke. “I love him, Dad. And I know he loves me. And that’s all that matters. It’s not up to you to decide if he deserves me or not. That’s my choice.”
“God help me,” Bull muttered, his gaze finally dropping away from mine as he accepted the inevitable. “All right, then. But if he ever hurts you… if he ever makes you cry --”
“Then I’ll deal with it,” Isy interrupted firmly. “But until then, let us live our lives, Dad. Let us be happy.”
With those words, the tension around us began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of hope and possibility that was nothing short of miraculous. We had fought for our love, and somehow, against all odds, we had come out victorious.
“All right.” Bull sighed, clapping me on the shoulder in a gesture of grudging acceptance. “You win. For now.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, my heart swelling with gratitude as I reached for Isy’s hand. “We won’t let you down.”
“Damn well better not,” he warned, though his eyes were soft as he turned to leave. “Now, I need a drink.”
“Come on,” Isy whispered, pulling me toward my bike. “Let’s go home.”
I couldn’t help but feel like the luckiest man alive. I had faced down Isy’s dad, told him I loved his only daughter, and now got to go home with the woman I adored.
“Rebel,” Isy murmured, her voice filled with warmth and affection. “I love you.”
“Love you too, darlin’,” I replied, wrapping my arms around her.