Chapter One.
“Magic, you’ve got a bunkmate,” the guard, Jones, said warily. I looked up and smirked.
“Not for fucking long.”
“This isn’t a guy you mess with,” Jones warned.
“Yeah? We’ll see.”
Jones shrugged and walked away. Nobody could say I had been a model prisoner. I stood my ground and refused to back the fuck down. There’d been a few fights, some solitary and removal of privileges.
Twelve months I’d been here and had another twenty-four to go.
I hated this place—and the scum who were jailed alongside me.
The guards treated me the same as kiddie fuckers, rapists, stalkers, and the general filth of the earth.
Although there were some who’d never leave, thanks to yours truly.
Some of these assholes offended my morals.
After I’d placed three cellmates in the hospital, the warden decided it was best to bunk me alone. Until today.
I was lying on my bunk when a shadow crossed the cell door, and I glanced up. A hulking guy stood outside, and I frowned.
“New cellmate,” the guard said.
“If you say so.” I looked at the asshole blocking the light. “Shift, or I’ll move you.”
“Go fuck yourself,” the new inmate replied and stomped in. He was a big fucker, but I’d taken down bigger.
“Don’t get comfortable,” I warned and rolled over, showing my back. Only one person scared the crap out of me, and Jody wasn’t here.
Three days later
I should stay out of this. The shit going down didn’t concern me, but I was an interfering fuck. The little snitch who kept me informed of everything happening told me that Storm, my bunkmate, was about to get jumped.
On a mission, I strode down the cellblock corridors, and everyone moved aside. My reputation preceded me, and that made me smirk. Storm was in the shower block, and that’s where the attack was planned.
I entered a shitshow. Storm was fighting six men at once, and I didn’t favour the odds on that.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed the nearest guy, hauled him back, and narrowly missed being shanked.
Now pissed, I smashed him face first into a wall three times before he dropped unconscious.
A second turned as Storm let loose a punch that sent a third dropping to the floor like a stone.
Four against two, that seemed fairer. Within minutes, the fight was over, and Storm and I were pushed back towards the wall, having assumed the position. The guards were yelling as Storm and I swapped amused glances.
“Wanna tell me what that shit was?”
“I’m an enforcer for Riders of Vengeance MC. Those are nobodies from a street gang we’re at war with. They believed I was an easy target,” Storm explained.
“Not today, brother,” I replied and chuckled as the guards stared askance. Here came solitary again.
“I owe you,” Storm stated and didn’t sound happy.
“Yeah, you sure do. And I know the favour I want.” My mind flew to Jody, and I smiled. Even inside this shithole, I could protect my girl.
◆◆◆
Jody - June 2006
“Going to see Magic?” my sister Mimi asked.
“Yes.”
“Mom and Dad hate him, Mom thinks you’re wasting your life on a jailbird,” Mimi stated with a smirk.
“There’s only room for one of us to crawl up their asses,” I replied, and Mimi gasped.
“You’re hateful. What is wrong with you?” Mimi fluffed her hair and preened in the mirror.
“You.” I checked my makeup a final time and grabbed a jacket. The quicker I got away from Mimi, the less time she had to cause shit.
“Mom said Magic is a career criminal,” Mimi sneered.
“Good for Mom.” I checked my purse and noted it was forty dollars light. My eyes narrowed on Mimi. “You took money again.”
“No, I didn’t. You must have spent that on the jailbird,” Mimi cooed, looking smug.
I smiled slowly, and Mimi had the smarts to look worried. “What did I promise last time you stole my stuff?”
“Mom!” Mimi shrieked as I shot forward. Before Mimi could react, I slammed her face-first into the mirror, hearing it shatter. Hopefully, I’d just broken her nose and cut her. While Mimi was stunned, I ripped the diamond earrings my parents had bought from her ears.
“Jody! What are you doing?” Mom screamed as she barged into the room.
“You raised a dirty, fucking thief. Don’t deny I didn’t warn everyone what would happen if Mimi stole again,” I explained calmly.
“You psychopath,” Mimi cried as blood poured from her nose and forehead.
“Oh my God. Donnie!” Mom yelled, rushing over to Mimi.
“Jody took my earrings,” Mimi sobbed.
“Give them back!” Mom ordered.
“No. Mimi took forty bucks from me; those are compensation.”
“I didn’t, Mom, honest.” Mimi wailed and buried her head in Mom’s shoulder.
Mom eyed me hatefully. “I’m done with you, Jody. Ever since you got involved with that dirty criminal, you’ve been worse than usual!”
“Because Magic taught me to stand up for myself and not take your bullshit anymore?” I smiled because what I was about to say would trigger everyone. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m leaving. You’ve not even noticed I’ve been moving my stuff out. You’re so absorbed in Mimi and Myles.”
Dad appeared and caught my last words. “What’s this?” he demanded.
“I’m moving out, Dad. Want to kiss me goodbye?” I quipped, pocketing the earrings.
“Jody stole my earrings!” Mimi cried again. Although Mimi’s nose wasn’t broken, there was a cut across her forehead—good.
“That sticky-fingered little bitch lifted forty bucks. I warned everyone last time what would happen. You haven’t stopped Mimi. Now whenever Mimi looks in the mirror, she’ll remember the price of stealing,” I replied.
“Give me those earrings,” Dad ordered.
Confrontationally, I leaned forward. “No. And you can’t make me.”
Outside, I heard bike pipes, and I grinned. The promised escort was here.
“Time for me to leave. I’d like you to know that if I never encounter you again, it would be too soon! See ya, definitely wouldn’t wanna be ya. Especially with those two deadbeats you call kids.”
“Jody!” Dad said sternly. “Where are you going? It’s a weeknight, there’s a nine o’clock curfew, remember?”
I eyed Dad and felt pity. Any love I had for my parents had long disappeared.
Mimi and Myles were both younger than me and spoiled rotten.
No matter what, I was blamed for everything.
Hell, Mimi and Myles had done things in front of my parents, and I was still the culprit.
I was looking forward to freedom, which came courtesy of Magic.
“Didn’t you get the memo, Dad? I’m moving out,” I stated, and Dad’s jaw dropped open.
“You can’t!” he spluttered.
“Sure, I can. I’m twenty-one and an adult.” I knew what was coming and began counting down.
“You can’t leave without warning,” Mom gasped, looking at Dad.
“Because you’ll miss me. Aww, Mom, that’s so sweet,” I cooed, knowing that wasn’t the reason.
“You’ll have to pay six months’ rent up front. That’s the cost of moving without notice,” Dad said.
Bingo. They wouldn’t miss me, just my money.
“Nah, not happening. You’ve had plenty out of me. Make Tweedledee and Dum get a job. Because I’m not paying for their sorry asses anymore.” I picked up my purse and bag and stared at Dad. “Are you going to move?”
“Not until you give me a cheque,” Dad replied.
I tilted my head toward the window and smiled coldly. Dad’s eyes darted to the side. “Outside are some bikers. They’re friends of Magic. If I shout for help, they’ll kick the door in and come in. They won’t take any prisoners either.”
Mom blanched as Mimi flinched back. “Bikers?” she whispered.
“Yup. Problem?” I replied.
“What have you become? Some biker whore? Who’d have thought my daughter would have turned out like this?” Mom lamented, and I laughed.
“Let’s get this straight. Your daughter? For twenty-one years, you’ve rued the day I was born and made no bones about it. Constant criticism, never-ending punishments for things I didn’t do, continuous putdowns. You didn’t want me and made that perfectly clear. Nothing I ever did was good enough.
“But Mimi and Myles? Oh yeah, the perfect children. Great at lying to your faces, deceiving you, stealing, being drama queens, cruel, spiteful, and petty on top of all that. Why the hell would I want to stay? Because I’m nobody to you.”
“That’s a lie!” Mom exclaimed, wringing her hands together.
“Is it? When I was nine, you took the bike Aunt Sophie bought me and gave it to Mimi. Why? Because Mrs Potts told you Mimi had beheaded all her roses. Despite Mrs Potts stating it was Mimi, you somehow decided it was me and that I was to be punished. Mimi had blonde hair, unlike my dark hair, but that didn’t factor into your logic.
At six, Mimi pushed Alison Tate into the lake, again perfectly identified by Alison’s mom.
But again, inexplicably, I changed hair colour and lost my doll collection. ” I paused and looked at Dad.
“I had college planned, courses picked, and a scholarship won. Yet you stopped me attending because of what? Oh yeah, I wasn’t clever enough to attend.
Out of the three of us, I got the best grades.
But according to you, Mimi and Myles were much cleverer than I.
Instead of getting a higher education, you forced me to get a job.
“Well, guess what? I’m going to college after all.
My boss thinks I’ve got talent and wants to witness me excel.
The egg’s on your face. Don’t stand there bullshitting about how you love and want me, because that’s pure bullshit.
I wish you luck with those two spoiled, lazy, lying, stealing brats you raised.
They will never give a shit unless it suits their manipulative ways. See ya,” I stated calmly.
If I showed emotion, that would be used against me.
“If you leave here, don’t ever come back,” Dad threatened.
“Oh, I won’t, not even if I’m homeless. I’d rather be a hooker than live with you again,” I declared and walked past them.