Chapter 7 #2
“I will kill them. Slice them,” Rage spits out, his hand clenched into tight fists at his sides.
Dad turns around to face him. “Calm, Rage, I will sort it,” Dad assures him, taking Rage off to the side.
Drix moves closer, blocking everyone else out. I look up at him. His eyes are still cold and full of fury. “You may have your dad and everyone else fooled, but not me.” I open and close my mouth, but any words die in my throat. “You’ve not responded to me for weeks,” he continues. “You’ve changed.”
I let out a chuckle. “I have not changed. I was keeping my distanceand working on my relationship because you kissed me,” I bite back, making sure to keep my voice low so no one else can hear me.
His jaw tenses. “You forgetting that you kissed me back?”
I stand toe to toe with him. “It was a mistake.”
He grins. “Right, you just keep telling yourself that. Just like you are telling everyone here that he didn’t do that to you.
” He angrily points to my cheek. “When we both know he did. He was pissed, angry, and that is why he lashed out. He took it out on you, and he’s keeping you away from your family.
” He pauses. “And me.” The way he says those last two words cuts me deep. Kiss or not, we have always been close.
“Yes, he was angry, and yes, we had a fight, but that is it.” I sigh, rubbing my temples. “Everyone else isn’t questioning me. Why are you?” I press.
“Because.” He shrugs, sliding his hands into his pockets.
“Because?” I push.
“Because it’s you.” He sighs. “Because. Its. You,” he says, his voice a rough blanket, caressing me.
“I...” I stutter, being swallowed in his rich blue gaze. “I...”
“Hey, baby, you going to take me for that ride now?” The blonde girl he was laughing with earlier comes to his side, linking her arm through his, her smile beaming up at him.
He looks away from me to her, smiling back at her.
Her lifts his arm and wraps it around her shoulder, pulling her close to his side.
“Sure.” His smile deepens. “Oh Ginny, this is my lifelong friend, Storm,” he introduces.
I clear my throat, swallowing and forcing a smile to my lips. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Hi, it’s so nice to see the dynamics you have here. It’s like you’re all related. Like he’s a protective big brother,” she states, smiling at me, but her gaze holds a warning, screaming ‘Back Off Bitch’!
I just continue to grin. “Well, yeah, but I have my actual big brother. Plus, it would be a little if we were to look at each other as siblings when I’ve seen his dick.
But hey, if that’s how you roll, then you do you, boo!
” I say on a high-pitched cheer. “Drix, don’t be a dick,” I add before walking over to Maisy, catching Drix’s eyes spark with amusement as I move away.
I don’t make it far before Mom intercepts me, her hands cupping my face. “What the hell happened?” she demands, her voice full of concern.
I remove her hands from my face, holding them in my hands. “Mom, it was just a hospital situation,” I assure her. “Ask Dad if you don’t believe me,” I add before she presses further.
“You need me to talk to the board?” she offers.
“Mom, no. Dad said the same. You can’t go threatening people because of an incident.”
“Why not?” She shrugs. “It works for us.”
“Star, your sauce is boiling over!” Maggie yells from the kitchen.
“Fuck, I can’t fuck up Queenie’s recipe. Don’t go anywhere,” she orders before running off in her ridiculously high-heeled stiletto boots back into the kitchen.
“Are we going to have to pretend her sauce tastes good again?” Maisy asks beside me.
I grin and look at her, pulling her into a hug. “Man, it’s good to see you,” I sigh, feeling like it’s been a lifetime.
She pulls back. “It has. What the fuck has been going on with you? And what the hell was that exchange about between you and Drix?” she probes.
“Nothing.” I shrug.
“Nothing, my ass,” she huffs, grabbing my hand before she leads me outside to one of the benches around the side.
“Easy, Maisy. Jesus.” I laugh.
“Sit,” she orders in a bossy tone. I sit and she sits beside me. “Now spill.”
I give in and tell her, both of us sharing our most personal secrets with each other for years.
Her jaw drops, and her eyes go wide, but as I’m about to tell her about Zeke pushing me and the incident this morning, I find I can’t.
I don’t know why. I guess I just didn’t want her to think badly of Zeke or try and lecture me.
“Holy fricking shit,” she breathes. “So, what you going to do? Are you going to end it with Zeke and go with Drix? Oh my god, your mom, Maggie… Hell, all of them will scream with happiness from the damn rooftops. Your dad not so much.” She winces.
“What? No.” I shake my head. “I love Zeke. Drix is just a friend who kissed me once in the heat of the moment. There is nothing more to it!” I snap.
“Jeez, I get that Zeke isn’t one of us, and that he’s different, but I wish all of you would just accept him.
He’s never going to be a bad-mouthed, overprotective, pig-headed, violent biker,” I rant, exasperated with it all.
“Sorry, I think it’s just they expected it for you and Drix, I mean. You remember when we were kids, right? He would pick you daisies, and that time when was it Billy Francis, or was it Billy Gruss?” She pauses, trying to remember the school bully.
“Billy Gruss,” I answer.
“Yes, him. He lived to torment you. He would shoot spitballs at you in class, trip you up, and during the show he lifted your dress up,” she reminds me.
“Yes, I remember. I was six. He was just an asshole kid,” I mutter.
“Yeah, well, Drix caught him about to shoot a spitball at you at lunch, and Drix threatened him even then.” She laughs.
“Said if he continued, he’d tell everyone about how he still wets the bed, then he squirted water on his pants.
He pointed and laughed so loudly that everyone heard and saw that Billy had pissed his pants,” Maisy says with a grin.
I, too, had heard that Billy had pissed his pants, but I thought it was just luck because from that moment on he left me alone. “How do you know that’s true?” I press.
“I was in Enzo and Drix’s year. I saw it.” She shrugs.
“Why didn’t you ever say anything before now?” I ask in disbelief.
“I don’t know. Didn’t seem important,” she murmurs, bumping me with her shoulder. “So, what is the plan?”
“What plan? I’m with Zeke, and I’m happy. Drix is happy with his life the way it is. With, er, what’s her face.” I gesture towards the clubhouse.
Maisy smirks and shakes her head. “Ginny, and yeah, he seems contented with her for now.”
Laughter catches our attention, and we both look over to see Enzo walk out of the clubhouse, a club bunny under his arm, giggling like a hyena on nitrous oxide.
I cringe watching her. “I’m surprised Mom allowed club bunnies here today,” I state.
“He’s been seeing her,” Maisy says, her voice sounding broken and defeated.
I drape my arm around her shoulders. “You need to find a man that isn’t a biker, that’s going to break your heart. I love my brother, but he’s a dickhead.” I sigh. “Wait, what about zoo guy?” I ask.
“You’re right, and that died off as soon as he found out about this lot.” She gestures to the clubhouse. “But I’ve actually got a date this Saturday.” She beams a little, excitement in her voice.
I turn, giving her my full attention, surprise and excitement spreading across my face. “Spill those beans right fucking now.”
She laughs, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Er, he’s nice,” she says.
“I’m going to need more than that,” I demand.
She looks down at her hands, her cheeks heating. Damn, she likes him. “He’s a mechanic. He’s fixed Mom’s truck for her. I took it in for her the other day, and we got talking. It was easy. He said he had been waiting for me to bring the truck in. So, yeah,” she breathes.
“I’m so excited for you. What’s his name, or do we just call him mechanic?” I snort.
“Knox,” she beams, her gaze wistful. She must really like this guy.
“Well, let’s hope they welcome him better than they have Zeke,” I sigh.