Chapter 4
Switch
Fuck me. My mind is still spinning as we leave Church, Wire having no fucking good news for us.
How the fuck am I going to tell Joy that Matthew Thompson and his business partner have sold her little girl?
In what fucking world can I tell her this and it not cause her to break down?
My heart is racing so hard I can hear my heartbeat as pure fury races through me.
Even from beyond the grave Travis Hitchens is fucking with her.
“I can’t believe a father, a goddamned father would allow his kids to be sold like fucking cattle,” Jules growls, power walking past me to the nursery.
It’s not until he pushes through the door and greets Mama Debs that I realize I came this way wanting to get my eyes on Kit, to know that she’s safe and sound with us. With me.
“You OK, e tama?” Mama Debs asks, her soft hand resting against my bearded cheek.
“Not really, but I needed to see Kit.”
Mama Debs eyes me knowingly before patting my cheek gently. “You’ll be good for them.” She gives me a soft smile before stepping aside so I can get my eyes on a little girl who weaseled her way into my heart, much like her mom.
Her little red head pops up, blue eyes finding mine and grinning wide. “Hi Switch! Mom is learnin’ how to beat up bad guys!” She tells me excitedly, punching the air in front of her.
Stepping closer I squat down to her level. “Your mom is a total badass,” I grin at her. “Do you wanna go see what she's learned?”
Kit’s eyes light up and she nods her head like crazy before jumping up and taking my hand. “Yes, yes, let's go!”
“May as well ride together, I don’t wanna miss the show.” Savage says stooping to pick up Rosie from where she’s been sitting on the floor with Kit and Juno, the Big Littles all lounging around on bean bags ignoring the smaller kids.
Jules grins at Juno and for a split second her grumpy face is replaced with a huge smile as she holds her hands up for her father. Jules scoops her up and blows a raspberry in her neck. “We carpooling?” he asks over his shoulder.
We spend most of our time on our sleds so we don’t all own cages. If we need to transport the kids we either use the club SUVs or the family cars but, well their cages are with their women at the DRMC gym.
“Well, I’m going with Switch and Kit. Whoever wants to ride with us better get there now because I ain’t waiting!” Rider yells, dangling the keys in the air.
We share a look before I swing Kit up into my arms and we bolt out the door. Kit giggles from her position in my arms, the sound lighting me up from the inside out, washing away the heaviness from Church. Those giggles are like fucking medicine to my soul.
“Hurry up, fucker! Quick before we have to give Jules a ride and as much as I love Juno, I hate looking in the rear view and seeing her judge me,” Rider hisses, shoving me to move faster.
“Go Switch! Faster! Faster!”
I do exactly what the little girl in my arms says and Rider and I make it to the SUV before everyone else. Rider slides the kiddy booster seat into the car and I kick myself for not even thinking about Kit’s safety.
“Mama Debs shoved it at me on our way out,” Rider says with a wink.
I get Kit settled and before Jules is even halfway to the SUV we’re in we peel out, cackling as we do.
Our laughter dies down a little, as what we learned at Church echoes through my mind again.
My eyes flick to the rear view and my heart stutters before rage fills me as I think that there is someone out there wanting to buy, fucking buy the smiling little girl behind me.
“Breathe, brother. Ain't nothing gonna touch her,” Rider murmurs, giving me a look.
“It just fucking kills me,” I mumble back, so quietly I’m not even sure Rider heard me.
“I know, but I also know that you’ll protect them ‘til your last fucking breath. You’re a good man,” he gives me a crooked grin, clearing his throat and speaking louder, “for a ginger.”
“I’m a ginger!” Kit yells from the back.
“Nah, babygirl. You’re a sunrise.” Rider winks into the rear view mirror and Kit giggles.
I turn the radio up a little and we all sing along to another ginger as “Pink Pony Club” blasts through the speakers, the song just finishing as Rider pulls up to the gym.
Turning to Rider, I squint at him. “$10 that Niko has been hit 3 times in the balls.”
Rider stiffens as he climbs out of the SUV. “I bet twice.”
Getting out of the car, I move to the back seat, swing open the door and unbuckle Kit. “What do you think, Kit Kat? How many times has Niko been hit in the balls?”
Her little brow furrows and her tiny fingers unfurl one at a time as she does math in her head. “I say eight. One for each Ol Lady.”
“Dammit, that’s solid thinking right there.” Rider mutters to me as I nod. I think I’ve just lost $10 to a five year old.
We walk through the doors and I freeze. There, on the mats, auburn hair flying around her face, cheeks flushed and a huge grin on her face is Joy, looking like a fucking warrior.
“Holy shit,” I choke out and thank the gods that I used an inside voice.
“Wow, mommy looks like a super hero.”
“She sure does, sweetheart.”
I’m fucked. Truly and utterly fucked.
Joy
I’m doing it. Well, something similar to what Remy showed us anyway.
So far I haven’t had to hit Niko, which I’m pleased about.
Remy has us practicing punches in the air with the odd kick here and there.
Some of the women who are a little more advanced, like Blanche, Vi, Ana, and Nat all take turns throwing Niko around and I have to admit, it seems less violent and scary than I first thought.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d hate to have to do it in real life, but the way Niko pops up grinning and praising the women after every move does make me feel more at ease.
“You think you’re ready to punch more than air?” Remy calls out, grinning at me.
I look between the fist I’m holding up, and Niko. Sweet Niko who is giving up his Wednesday evening to let the Ol Ladies and me throw punches at him.
“Come on, Joy, you’ve got this,” he calls, waving me toward him.
The Ol Ladies all cheer and clap as I creep toward Niko, shaking my hands out. “You can do this Joy. You’re in a safe space, no one is going to ridicule you or make you feel small.”
“Go, Joy! Whoop his weak little ass!”
“Thanks Mom!” Niko calls back, rolling his eyes. He then gives me a wink and pops his mouth guard into his mouth, grinning so all I can see is black plastic with the DRMC logo on the front.
“You can do this, you can do this,” I chant as I reach arms length of Niko.
Balling my fist I pull it back and swing as hard as I can, hitting Niko square in the stomach. He lets out a huff of breath as the Ol Ladies, my friends, clap and cheer behind me.
“Again, Joy! This time do the combo you practiced,” Remy calls out as Jazz’s voice yells, “Get him, sista!”
Niko plants his feet, gives me a nod and braces himself.
Taking a deep breath I hold my hands up to protect my face, stepping my right foot back so I’m angled toward Niko.
My brows pull down as I concentrate on my moves.
My right hand jabs out, hitting Niko just a little left of his nose, hitting the pads covering his cheek.
Then quick as lightning my left hand curves around to hit Niko on the pad covering the right side of his face before I twist, raising my right leg up, and kicking it into the air.
I’m a little shocked at the rush of air that leaves him before he stumbles to the ground.
The adrenaline I was feeling when my punches landed rushes out of me, replaced by dread and fear that I’ve hurt such a sweet guy.
My legs shake and I feel sick to my stomach, my pulse in my ears until Niko raises his hand in the air, thumb up as he spits his mouthguard out.
I’m overwhelmed with a deafening roar from behind me and spin around to find the DRMC, but I only have eyes for Kit, who is bouncing on her toes, her little arms held high in the air as she cheers, “Go, mommy!”
“Oh my gosh,” I whisper, tears welling in my eyes.
“You did it babe, even when that little voice inside you said you couldn’t,” Jazz whispers, throwing her arm over my shoulders.
“You’re welcome. I’m sure by following my rules and maybe coming to more classes you’ll definitely be able to survive being regular murdered,” Chewy says before walking directly into Rhodie’s arms and kissing her daughter on the cheek.
“Mommy, that was so cool,” Kit says, her loud voice moving to an awed whisper at the end. “You got that bad man in the balls!” She punches her fist in the air.
“That wasn’t a bad man, sweetie, that was Niko.”
Kit’s head spins to the man behind me, grin on his face as he slowly peels his protective wear off.
It’s a nice smile, and one that I don’t think I’ve seen often.
Around the clubhouse NIko is very serious.
Jazz and Kaia told me he’s a prospect and all that entails, so I guess he has to be serious to do his job well.
Kit stares at Niko for a long while before turning her big blue eyes to mine.
“Was he pretending to be a bad man?” Kit whispers clinging closer.
“Yeah, so we could practice our punches. Did you see my punches?”
Kit nods solemnly, working something through her mind. “So good mens can pretend to be bad mens and bad mens can pretend to be good mens?”
“Um,” I’m not sure how to answer her.
“Like Daddy was a bad man but pretended to be a good man.”
I swallow, unsure how to answer Kit. It would be unfair of me to agree with her, not wanting to ruin the memory of her father, but I have a feeling it was ruined the night before Switch got us out. The night he decided to hurt me by hurting my baby girl.
“Yeah, ah, I guess.” I clear my throat, “But remember, we can trust Niko and the DRMC -”
“- and Mr. Switch! He busted me out of the playroom and we drove real fast to get here to see you kick butt!” Kit says excitedly, completely over remembering the terrible piece of trash her father was, instead turning her big eyes on Switch who grins down at her.
My breath hitches as Switch steps closer, eyes on mine. “You did good, Joy.” His head tips toward Niko. “He probably deserved the kick in the balls.” His perfect white teeth peek through his perfectly trimmed beard as he grins at me.
“Speaking of, me and Switch have a wager going,” Rider announces, “how many times did Niko get hit in the balls?”
All eyes turn to Niko who rolls his. “Eight times.”
“Ha! You got it little lady,” Rider yells, pointing at Kit before putting his hand in his back pocket and removing a worn leather man wallet. Pulling out a $10 note he hands it to Kit. “Your winnings, Kit Kat. Don’t spend it all at once,” he winks and moves aside as Switch does the same thing.
I’m speechless and I’m unsure whether to scold my new friends, these huge biker men, or let it slide.
Is it wrong for my daughter to be making bets with a bunch of bikers?
Yes. But is it a small trade off for the confidence she seems to be soaking up by hanging out with these men?
I think so. I know that the DRMC wouldn’t steer her wrong so I let it slide.
Besides, I may be a different woman from the one Switch stole away in the middle of the night.
But I’m still me. Still the woman that was beat on and ridiculed, not even just for the last ten years with Travis, but before then.
Back when I was a little girl with no mother and a father who didn’t know how to raise a daughter tenderly.
A father who only knew how to criticize and complain that nothing was good enough.
That I wasn’t good enough. It’s no wonder at the tender age of 18 I fell for Travis and his kind words. Little did I know.
“Mommy, I’m hungry, can we have pizza?” Kit asks and I raise my brows at her.
She already had dinner earlier in the evening and we all know Mama Debs would have given all the kids dessert because, well, the woman’s love language is food. The first week I was at the clubhouse I put on 2 pounds.
“Baby, it’s getting late and you have school tomorrow -” my reasoning is interrupted by a loud growl from my stomach and heat fills my cheeks when Switch’s head snaps in my direction, his gaze on me.
“Hey, I ah, I haven’t eaten yet, I was thinking of ordering in. Do you want to share some take out with me?” Switch asks.
His cool blue eyes search mine and I have to admit, butterflies hit my system.
I know that it’s wrong to feel things like this for Switch.
I know that I’m probably latching onto him because he saved me from a bad situation and he will never feel what I do.
He’s not only a biker, he’s a doctor. He saves lives.
It’s in his nature to save people and I’m no different.
Besides, he needs a tough woman, like the DRMC Ol Ladies.
My stomach rumbles again and Switch’s smile widens.
“Joy, would you like to take Kit home, do whatever you need to and allow me to bring you take out?”
I can feel my face heating and my hands shake, whether from anxiety or excitement I’m unsure.
I’ve had a great evening, feel stronger than I have in who knows how long and a man I trust is asking me to make a decision on what I want to do next.
OK, it’s not a huge decision, deciding to have dinner with a friend or not, but to me, it's everything.
“Yes,” I whisper, before clearing my throat. “Yes. I would like that.” I say, a little stronger.
“Good,” Switch whispers, “good.”