Chapter Thirteen
Elise
Two days after John arrived home in a blaze of glory, I pulled up to the warehouse in Bessie, bouncing on my seat excitedly. Having him close again felt like heaven and made me realize how deeply I’d missed him while he was at boot camp.
John had told me he and some of the brothers would be working on the walls today. I knew he’d be there all day, so I decided to bring them all lunch.
After parking Bessie next to John’s bike, I grabbed the basket of food I’d packed and jumped out, eyeing the white van sitting adjacent to the warehouse”s door. The back doors were wide open, revealing work tools, pots of paint, and big sheets of drywall.
Muted echoes of hammering and loud laughter wafted toward me from the building, along with the thump of music. John had told me the night before that he was working on the warehouse today, but it sounded like a party in there.
Brow furrowing, I approached the building, grabbed the handle, and pushed the door open. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room before my gaze rested on the sight of John and three Speed Demons, whom I hadn’t seen before, sitting on crates, drinking beer.
My guy drinking beer with his buddies on a work break wasn’t a shock. What stopped me in my tracks was the sight of the scantily clad women hanging off them.
I stood there, unnoticed, gaping at John, who patted the knee of a blonde-haired girl beside him, dressed in a bikini top and shorts.
He laughed along with the other guys as one of them told a story.
My chest squeezed painfully as the girl looked up at John with something akin to hero worship in her eyes before resting her head on his shoulder. Then, to my horror, he slid his arm across her back, completely entranced in the story his brother was relaying.
Nausea churned through my gut as tears prickled the back of my eyes. Blinking them away, I snapped my back straight while simultaneously jutting my chin up, before stalking toward them.
My chest shook, but I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or rage. I wasn’t confrontational—the thought of what I was about to do made me want to turn around and run—but I would never allow anybody to disrespect me, especially John Stone.
Maybe I should’ve gone outside and calmed down before I hashed things out, but honestly, it didn’t cross my mind. Instead, I stalked toward them, swinging the basket I was holding with an air of impatience I couldn’t contain.
John must have caught movement out of the corner of his eye because he turned his head and looked straight at me.
Metallic golden eyes met my angry ones, and my lips pursed as his face fell.
“I brought you lunch,” I announced, holding the basket up and looking pointedly at his arm, still resting across the club girl’s shoulders. “But I can see you got your hands full.”
His arm dropped, and he visibly gulped before murmuring, “Baby, I—”
“Hi,” I said brightly, eyes slashing toward the girl. “I’m Elise, John’s girlfriend.”
“Oh,” she murmured, shifting away from him uncomfortably. “I’m Tammi.”
“Nice to meet you.” My eyes slid back to John, my lip curling distastefully. “I see you’re busy, so I’ll leave you to your hard work.” Turning my back, I strutted toward the exit, ignoring John when he called after me.
Pushing the door open, I stepped into the sunshine, dazed by what had just happened.
I loved John, and I knew he loved me, but lately, he’d taken me for granted. Not one part of me suspected he was cheating, or ever would, but when did it become okay for him to put his hands on another woman that way? Was this a one-off, or something he always did when I wasn’t around? Was this normal for him?
Pulling Bessie’s door open, I went to climb into the driver’s seat but was stopped.
“Leave me alone, John,” I said, my voice husky with tears. “We can talk later.”
“Why you mad, Duchess?” he demanded, pulling my arm to turn me to face him. “Nothin’s goin’ on between Tammi and me.”
“I know,” I retorted heatedly. “But when I walk into a building—our building—and see you with your arm around another girl, it hurts me.”
He looked to the heavens and heaved out a breath. “It’s nothin’. I’m just bein’ friendly, is all. It’s the way we are with the club girls; there’s nothing in it.”
My heart jerked painfully. “You do that all the time?”
“Well, yeah.” He shrugged nonchalantly as if touching a half-dressed woman who wasn’t me was the most normal thing in the world.
“Right,” I muttered.
His eyebrows snapped together. “Right?”
It was my turn to shrug nonchalantly. “If it’s okay for you to get touchy-feely with half-dressed women, I’ll go change into my daisy dukes, find a willing man, and put my arms around him.”
His face paled.
“See you later,” I sang breezily, turning back toward Bessie.
“Elise,” John barked.
I turned my head to peer at him over my shoulder. “Yes, John?”
He scraped an exasperated hand down his face. “It won’t happen again. I’ll go back inside now and tell the girls to leave.”
My lips curved into a satisfied smile. I turned around and leaned back against Bessie, folding my arms across my chest. “I’ll wait here for them to go. You know, just in case you wanna get friendly again and kiss one of them goodbye.”
John’s eyes narrowed on me. “No need to get on my case, Elise.”
I cocked a knowing eyebrow and muttered, “You ain’t seen nothing yet, Stone.”
He sighed, turned, and stomped toward the building, disappearing through the door for a few minutes until he appeared again, followed by the girls and one of the brothers. One by one, they got into the back of the van, calling their goodbyes to John.
Tammi went to follow but stopped, turned, and gave me a wave. Sorry, she mouthed, then climbed in with the other girls, flashing the majority of her ass.
John closed the doors and watched the van slowly drive away before making his way toward me with a sheepish look on his face. “Sorry,” he muttered, taking my hands in his. “I was an asshole.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been cozying up to the club girls while you’ve been with me,” I berated gently. “I know there’s nothing in it, but you must have known it would make me uncomfortable.”
“It’s just the way we are with ‘em,” he argued. “Like a way of life.”
“Does your dad do it?” I asked.
He grimaced slightly. “Point taken. I get it, Leesy. It won’t happen again.”
“You’re the one who tells me I should have more confidence and believe in myself, but things like that make me feel like I’m not good enough.” My eyes searched his for some understanding.
John’s gaze softened, and he pulled me into his arms, still looking down at me. “You’re more than good enough, Duchess. You’re everything.” A smile hitched the corner of his mouth. “I’m proud of the way you stormed in there and gave me hell. You didn’t even have to scream and shout. Even the girls were impressed. You made Tammi feel so guilty she almost cried, and believe me, not much can make those tough bitches cry.”
I sniffed haughtily. “You shouldn’t call women bitches, John.”
He laughed. “You’ve gotta lot to learn about club life, Leesy, but with how you just gave me hell, I’ve no doubt you’ll learn fast. You wouldn’t have had the nerve to do anything like that a year ago.”
I took in his dancing golden eyes and soft expression. “It’s you, John Stone. You give me the courage to do things I never thought I could.”
He raised a hand and tapped my heart. “It’s all in there. You’ve got more courage than anyone I know. It’s why I love the bones of ya.”
As we stood there locked in each other’s gaze, a wave of conflicting emotions swept through me. John’s words were heartfelt, yet a lingering doubt gnawed at my chest. The way he could so effortlessly surround himself with women who worshipped the ground he walked on made me question his commitment.
His eyes darted between mine. “You’re still not convinced, are ya?”
“No,” I whispered. “Sometimes I feel like it’s not real, that it’ll come tumbling down around us like a house of cards. I want to have faith in us, but it’s hard when I don’t always have faith in myself. Things like today don’t help build my confidence.”
He bent his neck until our foreheads touched. “I swear on my life I’ll never go with a club whore again. You are all I want and need, Elise. What we’ve got is deeper, profound. How could I go back to ordinary after experiencing extraordinary with you?”
My stomach settled, and a feeling of warmth enveloped me.
John nuzzled my nose with his. “Got an idea. How about we meet back here at about six? I’ll bring dinner. We can eat, talk, and spend some quality time together. We haven’t seen much of each other since I’ve been back, and I’m missing my girl.”
My heart soared as John’s words sunk in. “I’ll go work at the store this afternoon to keep Dad off my back, then meet you back here at six.” I went to pull away, but John tugged me close again, his eyes blazing into mine.
Bending his neck, his lips caught mine in a searing kiss that I felt all the way down to my toes. Blood raced through my veins as his tongue tangled with mine. My stomach tugged, and I pressed my body flush against John’s, sighing as his hard, thick cock pressed against my belly.
John groaned and released my mouth. “Don’t ever doubt my feelings for you, Elise. If there’s one thing in this world you can count on, it’s how I feel about you, how I’ll always feel about you.”
As we stood, wrapped in each other’s arms, I realized how lucky I was to have a man like John Stone, with his rough edges and massive heart.
I may have been John’s biggest cheerleader, but he was my rock. He recognized my flaws and insecurities and believed in me despite them.
No other man could compare.
During the week John was home, I spent most of my free time with him at the warehouse, keeping him company while he worked. We would talk for hours, make love occasionally, eat, laugh, and kiss until we were dizzy. The only time I left him was when I had to go to class and to sleep.
As much as I hated the thought of him going back to California, I was beginning to get used to the separation. My mindset altered, and I saw him leaving as the next step toward being together. But of course, time waits for no one, and John’s leave came to an end way before I was ready to lose him again.
Constance had arranged a goodbye dinner for John at their farmhouse and had also invited Abe and Iris along. I love that John had Abe. Bandit was a great father—and John loved him immensely—but he had a screw loose. Bandit was like a nuclear reactor, whereas Abe was a voice of reason and had a calming influence on John. They thought very much alike about most things, and Abe was firmly behind John’s idea to revolutionize the club when Bandit eventually passed over the reins.
I loved Iris, too. She was strong and tough but had a sweet side that shone through. The way she and Abe looked at each other was so tender that sometimes it made me want to cry. Their love was soulmate-deep, and they worshipped each other.
I’d arrived at the farmhouse and, of course, been ushered straight into the kitchen, where Connie and Iris were preparing the food and drinking wine. It was a comfort for me to be there because those ladies supported me when John was away. They’d become special to me for various reasons, but mostly because, over time, I’d begun to see them as extended family.
The brotherhood within the club was strong, but so was the sisterhood. They took me under their wing and propped me up when I needed it, and somewhere along the way—without even noticing—they’d become my family.
Somehow, the subject of a rival club called the Burning Sinners had come up, and what the ladies had to say about them made my chest hurt.
“The intel Bandit got isn’t good,” Connie murmured, taking a seat at the table with me and Iris. “According to a source, they’ve got a big stable of girls already, some of them as young as sixteen.”
“I wonder how they’re getting away with it?” Iris mused thoughtfully. “The lawmen around here are always stopping our boys, even when they’re not doing anything wrong. I find it strange that the Sinners could run a prostitution ring and not get any comeback from it.”
Connie took a sip of wine. “Bandit reckons they’re being protected.”
“Who would do that?” I asked tightly. “If they’re hurting women and kids, why is nobody doing something about it?”
“Bandit’s sending a few boys over to Mapletree to recon. The minute he gets proof, the Demons will ride in and move ‘em out. We don’t want that kinda stuff in or near our town. I know the Demons aren’t choirboys, but they don’t shit on their own doorstep either. A big chunk of what they make goes toward improving the town and helping the people of Hambleton. They all judge my man, but Bandit’s money paid for that big extension for the high school and the new church roof. The new hospital between here and Mapletree should be called Bandit Stone Memorial instead of Baines County Memorial. I’m not saying he’s Robin Hood, but he cares about people. He certainly doesn’t condone abusing women and children.”
Connie grabbed her wine and rose from the table. She headed to the open back door and looked out at the guys, who were axe-throwing at makeshift targets in the backyard. “I hate the way Bandit gets treated by the very people he helps. Even my son gets tarred with the same brush, and it makes me so mad. There are evil, wicked people out there who deserve to be subjected to snide comments and holier-than-thou attitudes, but not Bandit, and definitely not my John.”
Standing, I joined Connie at the door and slid my arm across her shoulders. The hurt in her voice made me realize how judgments from people like my dad could wound. She was right. Bandit did terrible things, but he also tried to do some good. She said he was no Robin Hood, but in that instant, I believed he was. Okay, so his gains were ill-gotten, but he used them to help the people around him, and the way they repaid him was by talking shit.
“I’m so sorry, Connie,” I told her softly.
She patted my hand. “Hush now. You shouldn’t be apologizing. You’re the one who saw who John is underneath all his swagger. You stood up to your daddy so you could date him. I love that he’s got a girl who’ll fight for him. It shows me you’ll be a wonderful mother and fight for yours and Johnny’s kids, too.”
I turned her toward me and gazed deep into her pretty eyes. “I swear on everything I love; I’ll always fight for John, but I’ll fight extra hard for our children.”
She reached up and touched my face, the same way I’d seen her do to John hundreds of times before. “You’re a good girl, Elise.” She smiled.
A shout from outside caught my attention. I turned my head to see John throwing three small axes in succession. They flew through the ether, landing perfectly in the center of all three targets the men had set up.
Cheers and whoops file the yard as Abe punched the air with delight.
I laughed as I watched Bandit run over to John, get John’s head in a chokehold, and rub his knuckles hard across the top of his skull.
“Pa!” John protested, pushing his dad off. “That fuckin’ hurt.”
“Stop ya whining’, ya little bitch.” Bandit sniffed. “Anyone would think I took a whip to your ass the way you’re bleating. What’s the matter, boy? Get your fuckin’ period? Are you on the rag? Ya need a hot water bottle for that PMS?”
John jabbed his fists to his hips, looked to the heavens, and heaved out a sigh. “Jesus. You’re such an asshole.”
“I’ll give you, asshole, ya little bastard.” Bandit sprinted for John, and with a loud war cry, he leaped five feet into the air.
John turned and started to run, but it was too late. His dad landed on his back, and they crashed to the ground.
“Don!” Connie yelled. “Get off him. Someone will get hurt.” Her gaze slashed toward Abe. “Do something.”
But Abe was laughing so hard he bent double, holding his stomach. “G—Gonna p—piss my shorts.”
“Useless men,” Connie muttered angrily. Pulling her sleeves up, she stomped outside, shouting at Bandit and John—who, by then, were rolling around on the ground—to stop fighting.
Iris appeared at my side, laughing. “They’re all crazy. Poor Connie, imagine having to put up with those two for the next thirty years.”
To this day, I remember smiling and agreeing with her, because, when I thought back, I realized it was the last time I was truly happy.
John and I had our silly problems, but I never thought anything or anyone could come between us. We had so much love for each other, and we’d planned our future down to the finest detail.
The world was our oyster, except I should’ve remembered one thing.
Robert Burns once wrote that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. In my case, this saying had never been more accurate because, within a year, everything had gone awry, including John and me.
Within twelve short months, everything burned to ash.