Wrath
Jalisa’s abrupt return to the kitchen confused me. I was rising to go after her when Dylan stopped me.
“Pres, you don’t want to do that. She’s riding the edge of losing her temper. Let her distract herself. What we need to do is bring any ideas you have to that call later with Psycho and the Fiends. She’s asking for things from home. That’s not good.”
“What things will she want? For what?” Forge asked.
“Nothing good. I’ve gotta go and get what I was working on earlier done. Do you want me in church for the call?” he asked me.
“Absolutely. You both have to be there,” I answered.
That had been about forty minutes ago. After everyone split to do their thing and Rage chatted with me for several minutes, I was now in my office down the hall from the common room.
I was dialing Agony’s number. I postponed the call this morning via text after deciding to go to Dylan’s to pick up the laptop.
Agony had to be wondering what the hell was up. He answered on the second ring.
“Goddamn, you know how to keep a brother in fucking suspense all day. What is happening over there? Do I need to ride out with the cavalry? Call in the Marines and National Guard?” He partially jokes.
“Not yet, but keep them on standby. Sorry, I had to make you wait. The errand I had to run went way longer than planned. We did sorta find some trouble.”
“Tell me,” Agony demanded.
I ran through the details as fast as I could. When I was done, Agony was muttering.
“I can’t believe the shit people do. Damn, and she’s about to go off, according to your prospect. She sounds interesting. I gotta meet her, but that’ll have to wait. First, we need to come up with a way to protect her.”
“I know, and I’m drawing a blank,” I told him.
“Well, they know she’s there. They’ve targeted Dylan’s place.
You have them behind the walls of the compound.
Unless the Outlaws catch someone out or come at you full force, they’re at a standstill.
This asshole Killer sounds like the kind who likes to slither around.
If he’s as obsessed with her as it sounds, we need to make him stick his head out where we can chop it off. ”
“I’m more than willing to chop it off,” I growled.
“Are you willing to do anything to get rid of him and make sure she’s safe?” Agony asked.
I thought it was weird of him to ask, but I answered him. “Hell, yeah. Anyone like that deserves to be killed for what he did to those other women. He’s a menace to society.”
“Do you only want to ice him due to them or Jalisa?”
“What the hell does that mean? Of course, I want to make her safe, but even if she weren’t in the picture, I’d be interested in seeing the end of him,” I added.
“Even if it means giving up your freedom?” Agony asked quietly.
“What do you mean by giving up my freedom? Do you mean to go to prison?” I wasn’t thrilled with that idea, but I could deal with it if it were to happen.
“No, not prison, or at least I don’t consider it that, though there are some who do.
I mean, would you be willing to give up other women forever to be with just one?
Would you be willing to claim Jalisa as your old lady?
Put a property cut on her back and make her your queen?
You said you thought about it briefly. Have you thought more about it?
Would you do it? I think if it became common knowledge that another biker had claimed her, it would drive this Killer to expose himself.
He’d be insane with jealousy. It does increase the danger to you, but it would tease him out. I’d bet money.”
I sat there, not saying a word. I was speechless.
It was true the thought had passed through my mind last night, and I’d told Agony that.
After our conversation, I thought about it more before I eventually fell asleep.
Today’s drama at the apartment had increased my anger and desire to see Killer eradicated.
But what if this was a passing feeling I had for Jalisa?
If it were, I’d end up with an old lady I didn’t want.
I swore I would never be like Dad and Mom.
When the temporary passion died away, they were a couple made in hell.
I didn’t want to be with someone I hated, and I sure didn’t want to bring kids into a relationship like that.
The fights they had before Mom left had been legendary.
To a small kid, they were scary, and I would cover my ears, huddle under the covers, or hide in my closet.
However, I had to give Dad credit. He never started those and tried to keep them quiet.
Mom had been the one to do the screaming and swearing, and she’d throw stuff until he had no choice but to respond.
He’d beg her to stop and not do that because I could hear her.
Mom would yell louder and say things like I needed to listen to what a bastard my dad was.
I wanted a family. Whoever I ended up with had to want one, too. If, for some reason, we couldn’t have one the old-fashioned way, I wasn’t opposed to in vitro, surrogacy, or adoption. Being physically attracted to her wouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t see that waning.
I’d met men who talked about their women and how they gained weight and weren’t the sexy things they married, and used it as their excuse to cheat.
That was bullshit. All of us aged, and our bodies changed.
Gray hair and wrinkles appeared. Things that were tight sagged.
If you loved the person, those superficial things didn’t matter.
From what I’d experienced so far, when it came to Jalisa’s personality, she made me laugh and showed she had strength.
She worked and did something I’d have no clue how to do.
Crusher would understand it, but I wouldn’t.
She was able to get my men in line, but did it in a fun way.
She wouldn’t be someone anyone would walk all over, which was a must in a president’s old lady.
There would be things that I’d leave to her to handle.
We’d be a team even if I were the president and had the final say.
I wasn’t looking for a dictatorship kind of relationship.
Each interaction with Jalisa made me feel more drawn to her. The desire for her was intense. I dreamed of her last night after I fell asleep. They were erotic dreams that left me with a raging hard-on to deal with.
“Are you still there? Still deciding?” Agony asked.
“I’m thinking. Give a guy a minute,” I told him.
“Hey, if you’re not feeling it, that’s okay. I’m sure one of your brothers will be more than fine with making her his old lady. It doesn’t have to be you. I just thought that, as president, it would make a bigger impact. Who should we ask?” Agony asked cheerfully.
I knew what he was doing, but it didn’t stop me from reacting. I let out a snarl, then let a little of my wrath side enter my voice.
“No one is fucking claiming her in this club unless it’s me. No one, do you hear? And before you suggest one of your guys or someone in the other clubs, that’s a fuck no, too.” The mere thought made me see red and want to go on the warpath.
“Then I say we have our answer. If the idea of her being with another man causes you to act this way, I say you’ve already decided. You’re fighting it. Why? I feel it in my gut that she’s the woman for you, even if I haven’t met her.”
“I’m afraid, goddamn it!” I admitted reluctantly.
“Of what?”
“That it’s all superficial lust, and when it fades, I’ll be left with a situation like my parents. They hated each other, which was hell for me as a kid. If we have them, I don’t want that for myself or my children.”
“Wrath, there are no guarantees, you know that. But look at it this way. You’ve talked about your mom, and so has Rage.
It was clear that she objected to the biker lifestyle and rejected it after initially acting like she accepted and wanted it.
That won’t be the case here. Jalisa has grown up in our world her entire life.
She knows what comes with it. It’s not always calm and pretty.
She can deal with it at your side. As for desire fading, are you only attracted to her outward appearance? ”
“No, I’m not. She’s complicated, and it intrigues me. She’s beautiful and sexy, but there’s so much more to her than her body and looks,” I objected.
“Then don’t miss this opportunity. Fast doesn’t mean temporary or wrong. I’m proof of that, and so are a ton of our friends,” Agony reminded me.
A wave of conviction hit me. My nerves faded, and inside, I felt utter peace. My body relaxed. I’d had that happen sometimes when I made a decision, and it was as if my body and the universe knew it was right and gave me a sign. It had never been wrong.
“I’m doing it. Okay, I have to get Jalisa on board with it.
Damn, I hope that’s not a battle. I think she’s drawn to me.
If she refuses, I’ll work on her. As soon as I get her to accept, we’ll make sure to circulate the news that I’ve got an old lady and who she is. ” A plan was quickly filling my head.
“We’ll help, but you have something else to do first. You have to let Psycho and the Fiends know, but I don’t know how he’ll take it. From what I’ve heard, he’s likely to flip out. He’s called psycho for a reason,” Agony warned.
“Shit, I forgot about him. Christ, maybe I will need you, the Marines, and the Coast Guard,” I half-joked.
He chuckles. “I’d get Jalisa to help get her daddy and his club to support it. After that, we go hardcore at making it known she’s yours. How fast can you get her to agree? I’d get her property cut ASAP and anything else that’ll back your claim.”
“I’ll do it after our talk tonight with the Fiends. We were supposed to talk and plan. Not sure how we’ll do that, but I’ll see.”