Polly
Abraham’s mother gave me a wide grin.
“I like you,” she said. “Come here, sweetheart.”
She looked me up and down and patted my cheek, then handed me a cigarette.
“Young lady, I think you’ll be good for Bones.”
Since I was 42, I hadn’t heard this in a while and was amused.
I wanted to say, Bones and I aren’t together and it couldn’t possibly work, but the words died in my throat.
Not that I had ever held a cigarette, but I didn’t want to hurt his mother’s feelings, so I rested it between my fingers with what I hoped was an appreciative look.
Abraham lifted me into the truck before I could object, his big hands spanning my generous waist, and then Fizz and I were ordered back to the Clubhouse.
My thoughts were in a whirl and I tried to calm myself by mixing up a good winter tea blend—cinnamon, orange peel, ginger, cloves.
Unc was busy making a dinner. It looked like pelmeni, Russian-style minced meat dumplings, and he paused while I told everything that had happened.
“I just—can’t decide what to do,” I burst out.
Damn, this place had really started to feel like home to me: wooden walls, shag carpets, strange mangled pieces of machinery on the mantelpiece and all.
“I should have been horrified by what Abraham did to his brother—but I wasn’t! It’s not a—proper thing to like.”
Unc stroked his white moustache.
“I get what you’re saying girl, but Bones doesn’t do violence unless it’s justified. Did anyone ever tell you why he killed his daddy?”
“No,” I said, my heart beginning to pound.
“His daddy had found out something. Found out I wasn’t into club bunnies. At the time that wasn’t allowed in any MC. Didn’t matter that I was the best mechanic or that I’d always been loyal to the Club.”
My breath caught and my chest felt tight with anxiety.
“Bonemangler caught him beating the absolute shit out of me, and I’ll never forget looking up with blood dripping in my eyes and seeing him put those massive hands around his father’s neck and squeeze.”
Now my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest.
“I’m—so sorry that happened to you,” I squeaked out.
“Prez saved my life,” Unc said matter-of-factly. “He doesn’t like many people, and he surely got hit with the ugly stick when he was born, but if he likes you, he’d dig to hell for you.”
Oh god, it was true, wasn’t it? Tears prickled at the corner of my eyes.
“Maybe you just have a bloodthirsty side too,” Unc added with a wink and I couldn’t help laughing.
“I’ll help you with those potatotes,” I said, but just then my phone buzzed.
And I got a text I’d never in my life imagined to see.
It was from Perry. Telling me that he was about to transfer $200,000 into my bank account.
What the hell?
And I want to formally apologize for not properly splitting our assets during the divorce process. I hope I have not given you any undue distress, and look forward to our continuing amicable co-parenting relationship.
Are you being held at gunpoint? I shot back before I could help myself.
Ha ha ha ha ha he replied immediately, with a series of extremely insincere laughing emojis.
But that $200,000 in my bank account looked pretty real.
You supported me by staying at home for many years and it is the least I can do.
The least he could do? That didn’t sound like Perry at all.
I narrowed my eyes.
But it did sound like someone else I knew very well.
Do you want more? Do you want the minivan? I’ve told Bridget she has to give it up.
No, I texted back. I don’t need the minivan anymore. You know Abraham got me a new truck.
Apparently Asparagus worked fast. He was a great new recruit.
But I had the perfect use for this money.
Eagerly, I picked up the phone and called Laurie’s college, waiting impatiently to get patched through to the Financial Aid office.
Let’s get this done before Perry changes his mind!
“I’d like to put some money on Laurie Spencer’s account.”
She kept me on hold for the longest time.
“I’m sorry. That account’s already been paid in full.”
“Paid in full?” I shrieked. “By who?”
“It looks like a Mr. O’Sullivan paid for it. A Mr. Abraham O’Sullivan.”
The room swam around me as I heard the roar of a distant motorcycle and the phone slipped from my numb fingers.
Laurie’s entire college bill paid? Not having to worry about whether his major would please Perry or not? Not having to be afraid Perry would refuse to help and I’d have to scrape up as much as I could by myself?
Abraham pulled into the garage and I ran out, the ground still cold, but I could see the first hard green buds of spring on the trees.
And soon they’d be flowering. . .
“You paid for all of Laurie’s college tuition,” I said breathlessly. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Bonemangler’s big shitkicker boot knocked the kickstand down and he turned around.
“He’s a good kid.”
There were tears threatening to spill now.
“Thank you so much.”
Abraham looked sharply over at me, that magnificently cold and harsh face, the crooked nose. He looked gaunt, face lined with strain.
“I didn’t do it just to get your forgiveness. It’s done whether or not you forgive me. Because a kid doesn’t need to be 18 years old and worrying about his old man hating what he does.”
Tears were streaming down my face now.
“You didn’t deserve what happened to you, Abraham. Your father was an—evil man! I’m glad you killed him. G-great job. Really great job.”
His lips twitched up and fingers, rough and hard, were on my waist now, slipping under the loose shirt to slid across my soft skin and belly.
“Sweetheart, I’m only sorry I let too much bitterness sit in my soul.”
“There’s nothing wrong with your soul,” I said indignantly. “I resent anyone who says you don’t have a soul. You do, and it’s lovely.”
He laughed, such a funny, low, gravelly sound, and one hand was cupping the back of my neck now.
“I’m glad you think so. For you, hell, I’ll fucking work on it.”
His fingers tightened and there was a tremendous crackling and popping noise as Abraham got to his knees in front of me.
“I can’t ever make up what I said to you. Please believe me when I say that moment I knew you’d run away from me was the fucking lowest point of my life and I’ll do anything to keep it from happening again.”
“You want your freeuse girl back, don’t you?” I laughed through my tears.
“Polly, I want you back. I don’t care how. Come back and I’ll be a fucking freeuse dick for you.”
I laughed as his scratchy beard tickled my throat.
“Hmmm, actually, I rather enjoyed being a freeuse girl. Knowing at any moment, I could be cooking or gardening or in the shower or in bed reading, and you could come in and stuff your cock inside me. I wouldn’t mind doing that again.”
“Does that mean you forgive me for being a bastard? That you’ll stay here?”
“Yes, Abraham. It does.”
He gathered me into his arms then, squeezing me so tight I had to gasp for breath as he kissed me.
“I love you, Polly. I love you so much.”
“I love you back.”
“I’ve loved you for such a long time. I was just too big of an idiot to realize it. And now, I want you to get your sweet ass back in the bedroom and I’ll prove it to you.”