Chapter 5
five
Piper
It’s been two days since I’ve seen Jax. Even Deadeye hasn’t been around, leaving my mother both angry and anxious. A sadness fills me because Jax actually took my advice and stopped meeting me.
“Piper.” Phoebe grabs my hand, leading me to the back of the diner. “Some guy left this at one of my tables.” She unfolds what appears to be an advertisement for some kind of auction and holds it up. The closer I look, the more I notice it’s an advertisement to auction off women.
“Phoebe. You can’t be serious. You can’t auction yourself off.”
The desperation in her eyes tells me that’s exactly what she’s going to do. “Look, it says virgins go for a higher rate. If I can make that in one night and you can get Mom to sign over her rights to the littles, we can finally move out of the trailer park and into our own house.”
As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right.
We’re going nowhere as things stand—barely surviving.
“I’m the oldest—I should be the one to do it.
” I swallow my pride and my dream of experiencing my first time with the man I love.
A vision of Jax pops into my head. After this, I definitely won’t be good enough for him.
“No, Piper, you need to stay home tonight and convince Mom to sign over her rights. You’re the only one she’ll even half listen to.”
Phoebe’s right, but I don’t have to agree. “I don’t like it, Phoebe. It’s too dangerous.”
“Piper, it’s our only chance. One of these days, one of Deadeye’s men is going to force himself on one of us. This way, at least I’ll have a say in who takes my virginity—either way, I’ll lose it to a man I don’t love.”
“Let me think about it. We can talk about it on the way home.” I say, trying to buy a little more time before another one of my sisters sacrifices herself for our family.
***
The rest of our shift flies by. We sit in silence on the way home, neither of us wanting to tackle the elephant in the room. I know nothing I say to Phoebe will change her mind. Just as she knows nothing will change mine.
I pull into the driveway of the trailer park, noticing a lot more motorcycles lining the area than normal. My heart skips a beat—could this be the night our lives change for the worse?
“What’s going on?” Phoebe peers out the window, noticing all the bikers standing outside our trailer, drinking beer.
“I’m not sure, but stay here and don’t let any of them in.”
She nods, locking the door behind me. I rush into the trailer, hoping none of the bikers see me, but that's wishful thinking as they start whistling and catcalling at me. Once inside, I notice Deadeye and Jax sitting at the kitchen table, talking to my mother in hushed tones.
Jax looks up at me, and I want to run into his arms and have him tell me everything is all right. But something in his eyes makes me stop dead in my tracks, and I retreat to my shared bedroom, where I find Prue, Jovi, Jonah, and Paige.
“What are all these guys doing here?” I ask Prue.
“According to Deadeye, Mom is hosting a party.” Prue rolls her eyes, knowing damn well it wasn’t Mom’s idea. She doesn’t like anyone competing for her boyfriend’s attention, even his club members.
I pull Prue away from where Jovi and Jonah are playing UNO, whisper Phoebe’s plan for the auction to her, and explain how I’m going to convince Mom to sign over her rights to Jonah, Jovi, and Paige to me.
“Hopefully, by the time you get home from work, we’ll be packed up and ready to leave this place.” Not that any of us have that much to pack anyway.
“Okay.” She gives me a quick hug silently agreeing that we have no other choice.
“I’ll take Phoebe to the strip club and help her get ready for the auction.
I’m sure they’ll have something sexier for her to wear than what we have here.
” Prue isn’t wrong. We have absolutely nothing sexy.
We actually have only one decent dress that the three of us share.
“Wish me luck.” I lean out of her embrace, walk to the dresser, and pull out the legal papers granting me custody of Jovi, Jonah, and Paige. It was the last big purchase we scraped our money together for—the only thing missing is Mom’s signature.
“Good luck. I know you’ll succeed.” Prue follows me out of the bedroom, but instead of sticking around, she leaves the trailer park with Phoebe.
“Mom, I need to talk to you alone.”
“If you have anything to say, you can say it in front of Deadeye—you know he’s going to be your new dad soon. He just proposed to me.” She holds up her left hand, revealing a large diamond that costs as much as feeding our family for months. As excited as Mom looks, Deadeye looks equally bored.
“Congratulations, Mom.” I keep my tone even, not wanting to piss her off. “Given your new engagement status, I think it’s time we revisit your signing over your parental rights to me for Jonah, Jovi, and Paige.”
“Why would I do that? I’d never give up my babies.
” The fake sweetness in her voice makes me want to scream.
She has never cared about any of us. But I bite my tongue and continue, refusing to look at Jax and see the pity in his eyes as I beg my mother to sign the paperwork.
If Prue can take her clothes off for money and Phoebe can sell her virginity for this family, the least I can do is beg.
“Please, Mom. I’ll do anything if you just sign over your rights.”
“Anything you say?” Deadeye asks, flashing me an evil smile. “Why don’t you tell your new Daddy exactly what you're willing to do to gain custody?”
I choke back the bile rising in my throat at the predatory look in Deadeye’s eyes. “I’ll do anything.”
“This just got interesting. Sign the paper, Patty.” My mother blinks at him for a split second, then obeys, signing her rights over to me.
I snatch the paper off the table before anyone else can grab it.
“Looks like I won’t have to force you to sell your virginity at the auction house—I own you now.
” Deadeye reaches out to touch me, and I suppress a grimace.
Before he can touch me, Jax grabs his arm, twists it behind his back, and shoves Deadeye against the wall. “Like hell you do.” Then, before I know it, all hell breaks loose outside the trailer as loud male voices start yelling.
It isn’t long before Deadeye begins to struggle trying to twist out of Jax’s grip. “I should have known you’d betray me.” He curses Jax. “All for some pussy.”
Jax lets go of Deadeye, spins him around to face him, and with one punch sends him sprawling unconscious to the floor. Jax kneels next to him, zip-tying his hands behind his back.
“You’re hurting him,” Mom yells at Jax, surprising him by jumping onto his back and hitting him.
“Mom, get off Jax. He’s the good guy here, not Deadeye.” My words fall on deaf ears as Mom continues to punch Jax in the back. I wrap my arms around my mother and pull her off Jax as she continues to kick and scream.
“No, he’s not. Let me go. I need to take care of my man.” With that, I let go of her and let Jax secure her hands with zip-ties. It finally sinks in—she’s never cared about her children, only the current man in her life.
With all the anger built up over years of supporting her and barely surviving, for Prue, having to take her clothes off for money, and for Phoebe, selling her virginity to a stranger, I punch my mom in the face, rendering her unconscious.
“Way to go, slugger.” Jax gives me a smile, and I feel like I can finally breathe again for the first time in a long time. “Hurry up and grab the kids and whatever you can carry. We need to get out of here before the cops arrive.”
The front door crashes open as two big bikers come walking through. I take a step back, grabbing Jax’s hand, trying to figure out how I can save him and my siblings from these two new threats.
“Jax.” My voice trembles.
“It’s okay, Piper. They’re with me.” Jax squeezes my hand. “I’d like you to meet Viper and Diesel. They’re my brothers from the Steel Souls Club.”
“Hello, ma’am.” One of them says. “We’re here to help move you and your family back to our compound.”
“Compound?” I search Jax’s eyes.
“It’s not as scary as it sounds.” He squeezes my hand again. “It’s just a place where we all live—some of us have houses next to each other on the same property, while others live in rooms at the clubhouse.”
“Where do you live, Jax?” I ask.
“Until two days ago, I lived in the clubhouse. Now I have one of the houses—for us.”
“Oh.” I lean forward, wanting to kiss him, when one of the bikers clears his throat.
“We really need to get a move on. The cops will be here any minute.”
I rush into my bedroom and explain to Jovi and Jonah what is going on, and check on Paige as we all begin to pack.
“Ready,” I say, walking out of my bedroom for the last time, carrying Paige and a backpack stuffed with what I need for her and the papers giving me custody of my younger siblings, the rest is just junk anyway. Prue and Phoebe won’t care that I left it.
The sadness I expected to feel at leaving my bedroom for the last time never comes. In its place is a feeling of hope.
Hope of living a better life than we’ve known.
Hope of someday having a husband and a family of my own.
Hope of a future I never thought existed for my siblings and me.
“We’re ready too,” Jonah says as he and Jovi walk out of their bedroom for the last time.
We walk outside with Jax leading the way as we wind our way around knocked-out bikers tied up on the ground.
Viper and Diesel are already outside, waiting for us by a large black SUV. “I don’t have Paige’s car seat—it’s in the car, and Prue has it.” I begin to panic.
“It’s okay, Piper. We have one in the SUV.” Viper says—at least I think that’s his name.
“I thought you were bringing the truck,” Jax asks, looking between Diesel and the SUV.
“She wanted to tag along and insisted that we take the SUV.” Diesel points to the now-open backseat window of the SUV, where a little old lady is sitting.
“Hurry up. We need to get out of here.” She motions.
“I can’t believe you brought your grandma with.” Jax shakes his head at Diesel.
“Yeah, right, like I could stop her when she found out we were bringing home kids.” Diesel scoffs as he opens the back door, taking Paige from me and handing her to his grandmother, who expertly secures her in the car seat beside her.
We load our meager belongings into the back of the SUV and start to get in. “Not you, Piper. You’re riding with me.” Jax slips a helmet over my head before I can protest, then leads me away from the SUV to his motorcycle.
“I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle before.” I take a step back.
“Good. You're my woman. The only motorcycle you ride on is mine.” Jax’s possessive growl has me clenching my thighs together.
“But I’m still wearing my uniform from the diner.” I don’t add that it’s a skirt, and I can’t very well straddle a motorcycle wearing it.
“It will be okay, Princess.” He slides onto the bike, pulling me behind him, my skirt bunching around my hips as my thighs fit snug against his backside. I can only pray I’m not flashing everyone my panties. “Hold onto my waist and lean when I lean.
***
The ride to the compound took about an hour, but I wanted it to last longer.
I love the feel of the motorcycle purring between my legs as I cling to Jax.
Jax pulls his bike through a fenced-off area and down an asphalt road lined with nearly identical houses before pulling into the driveway of a gorgeous little yellow house.
He parks his bike, kills the engine, and slides off, taking me with him.
“Is this your home?” I slip off the helmet and hand it to him. “It’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it because it’s our home—yours and mine.” He takes the helmet from my hand and places it on the bike next to his.
“Oh, Jax.” I throw my arms around his neck and pepper him with kisses. “I love it.”
“As much as I love all the kisses.” He leans back with a smirk. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to draw you a bubble bath, and you're going to relax while I call my club brothers. Then, after you’re warm and relaxed, I’ll explain everything to you.”
“What about the kids? And Prue and Phoebe? Phoebe, we have to save Phoebe.” The panic rises in my voice again as I think about my sisters.
“Diesel’s grandparents live next door. They’re going to take the kids for the night while you get some rest. My club brother Ghost has Prue, and my other club brother Sin has Phoebe.”
I sigh in relief knowing my sisters are safe. “I should at least check on the kids.” I glance at the house next door, realizing Jonah, Jovi, and Diesel’s grandmother are waving to me while they’re eating at the table on the porch.
“They’re fine, honey. Get some rest, and you can see them in the morning,” Diesel’s grandmother calls to me.
“Yeah, Piper. Mrs. Holt has a PlayStation 5. She said Jonah and I can play it tonight.” Jovi yells excitedly.
“Okay, but don’t stay up too late,” I yell back, knowing I can’t compete with a video game.
“We won’t,” Jonah assures me as he and Jovi follow Mrs. Holt back into her house.
“Alright, Princess, it’s your turn to relax.”
I let Jax lead me into his home—I guess it’s our home now—and try not to stare at how perfect everything looks.
I don’t even question why he has a bottle of bubble bath in his bathroom.
I have a sneaking suspicion that once Mrs. Holt found out he was going to be her neighbor and that he was bringing me home, she went shopping.
Jax turns on the water, making sure the temperature is perfect before plugging the drain and adding the bubbles. “Take as long as you need.” He stands and kisses my forehead before leaving me to soak in a bathtub for the first time in my life.