Chapter Twenty-Seven
That fucking bitch was getting out of hand.
Sure, Claudia tried toning it down; ‘it’s just an email’, but it wasn’t just an email.
It was a whole buttload of fucking emails, on top of about forty text messages and voice messages on the phone she’d tried using to track my woman.
Grease had the phone and all tracking was disabled, but he was monitoring the extent of the behaviour, cataloguing it for us.
Apparently that’d help with a stalking case against her. Her own fucking twin sister.
I was in the living room with Micro and Harley, and the others had headed off. Claudia was in the kitchen, making herself some lunch, and we had Grease on speaker. The one upside of her not being able to hear was us being able to speak freely right now.
“She’s fucking obsessed, Pres. I’d recommend her sister takes action to take out an order against her. Jay says there are a few ways she can go with this, and they all mean at least we can get the bitch arrested if she escalates.”
That’s what I hate about this fucking country’s justice system. Where’s the protection before something fucking escalates, right?
“So we just have to wait until the bitch assaults her or something?”
Micro rested a hand on my shoulder, while ignoring my words to continue the conversation.
“What about turning the tables on her? It’d be better to know where she is at all times, so we can double the protection detail.”
Harley lifted a hand before Grease could reply.
“Can we just take a breather here? Are we literally making assumptions that this lady is going to physically assault her own sister? This isn’t some stranger obsessed with a person. She’s her family. Would she take it that far?”
Grease laughed, but it was a sharp, brittle sound.
“Do you want me to give you the stats on stalkers, and the different personality types that lead to the delusions that make them think there’s a connection when there isn’t?
Want to consider how much more inflated that gets when they’re blood related?
Even worse, they’re twins. This isn’t just some peeping tom we’re talking about.
This is the person who knows her best, who’s known her since before birth.
The person who may be connected to her in ways we’ll never understand.
Are they the kind of twins who feel each other’s emotions?
Feel when the other is near? Are they the kind of twins who’ve always felt competition with each other?
Right now, all we know is this sister of hers is obsessed to the point that she’s been tracking her, verbally abusing her, and…
I hate to say it, but I won’t be surprised if she’s done things like doping her at nights to keep her where she wants her. ”
“Fucking hell!” I blurted out, wanting to wrap Claudia in fucking bubble wrap or something, because if this sister of hers was this insane and infatuated with her own sister, she could strike at any time, in any way.
“This is the weirdest situation we’ve had to deal with so far, but it’s fixable,” Micro said firmly, squeezing my shoulder gently.
“First things first, she needs to be locked out of any form of communication, secondly, we need a watch on the house, and at least one of the club with Claudia if she’s out and about.
Stag, you need to talk with her about these protection orders, and any other legal options.
The one thing we know about people who get obsessed and stalk people is that they can and do escalate, and we don’t want her doing something that can’t be undone. ”
Fuck me. This is getting terrifying.
“Why don’t I take her out of town or something. Stay away while we resolve this.”
Micro eyed me sadly. “How long for, brother? This isn’t going to go away in a few days. Even the legal means could take months to force any form of change. I’d suggest the sister gets therapy, but we’re not in a position to make that happen.”
Grease suddenly interrupted. “That’s it! Forced psychiatric hold. What if we can get her into some facility to try and help her?”
Jesus. Suddenly it seemed like we were talking about actions that couldn’t be undone, and I was starting to freak out myself.
“Stop!”
Silence fell, and it struck me that it’s what she heard all the damn time. My poor fucking woman, maybe protected from my stupid mouth, but missing so much else. My eyes burned and felt scratchy, and I rubbed at them aggressively.
“Jesus.”
“Grease, focus on the tech stuff for now, and we’ll get back with you.” Micro ended the call, and guided me onto the sofa, while Harley nodded, and left the room, heading toward where Claudia was still merrily doing whatever the hell she was doing.
“Breathe, Stag. Nothing happens without her consent, and yours.”
“It’s just so much so fucking fast,” I breathed out, feeling like a pathetic piece of shit for getting overwhelmed about stuff that wasn’t even mine to make decisions about.
“I get that, brother. It’s a shit ton to deal with, and she’s been going through it alone, but now she has you. You’re giving her strength to keep living her life. Doesn’t mean it won’t hit you too. Talk to me.”
Talk. Yeah, the one thing I do really fucking well.
“I’ll just fuck everything up.”
Micro chuckled, glancing over my shoulder and nodding to someone. Harley leaned past me and set a glass of water on the table, and disappeared again.
“Look, you’ve gone from being a happy, single guy to being in a relationship, and dealing with all this obsessive shit that’s threatening her, and that’s a lot.
We can all see it’s taking a toll on you, but we’re your family, yeah?
You need help, you tell us. Doesn’t matter what the fuck it is. It’s all good.”
Why were his words threatening to break what was left of my fucking sanity?
“What if I’m not enough,” I practically whispered, watching him frown and lean a little closer.
“Enough for what? For her? She’s got stars in her eyes when she looks at you, brother. She’s falling hard, and I can tell you are too. Just keep doing whatever you’re doing, because it’s already enough for her, yeah?”
Enough. Yeah, like the fact that I hadn’t even had sex with her yet. The one thing I thought I was waiting too long for, and suddenly it stopped mattering when she needed my help.
“I’m kinda all the way out of my comfort zone, Pres. I can do numbers. Apparently I can do being a prick. This is… how the hell do I not mess this up? She deserves the best of me.”
He grinned widely at me, which was a dickish move since we were being so serious.
“So give her the best of you. Only you can make that happen.” Fuck.
Claudia returned then, carrying a large plate with sandwiches stacked on it. I tried to take it from her and she shot me a sassy glare that’d break a lesser man. Okay. Honesty time. I barely survived it.
“I tried that already. Apparently she’s not made of glass, and she’ll carry a fucking plate herself. Her words,” Harley said with a grin as he handed out cups of tea.
“Isn’t this all civilised,” Micro said, smiling at Claudia as she looked at him, “thanks, love. You didn’t need to go to any trouble for us.”
She waved at the plate. “I stuffed my face while you were all doing your thing. This is the least I could do. Is there anything I need to know?” She looked from one face to the other, but mine is the one she lingered on. See? Turns out I had to give her my best right the fuck now.
Claudia
Stag practically wilted at my question, but set down the sandwich he’d almost taken a bite out of.
“Yeah, there’s stuff to know. Grease is working on shutting Marissa out of your shit, and we’re gonna make sure you’re not alone when you go out, just until we know she’s not going to do something crazy.”
Huh. So weird to talk about my own twin sister like this.
I’d never understand how this is what became of us.
Two clones, so similar in so many ways, except for this.
Or were we that different at all? Was this behaviour lurking in me too?
Would I turn obsessive over Stag? In all honesty, I think I would.
I was already starting to think of him as my man, something we probably needed to talk about later.
Would I have turned obsessive over Marissa if things were reversed?
The really scary part was realising I had no idea.
“Is there more?” I finally asked, because Stag had stopped speaking and shoved most of a sandwich in his mouth, like he was trying to silence himself.
I turned to Micro instead, and he dragged a hand over his face.
“Not really my place to say.”
“You’re the President, right? I’m guessing you’ve made some declarations since this is affecting your club. Aren’t you the man in charge?”
Harley laughed and slapped him on the back before he grabbed another sandwich and sat back with it.
“Fine,” Micro said, glaring at Harley before turning that glare on Stag, who was innocently shoving more food in his mouth to avoid speaking.
“Please.”
He nodded. “Okay, Grease has suggested that there may be the need to get your sister referred for some kind of uh… mandatory mental health evaluation.”
He offered me a weak smile, like he was waiting for me to attack or something. I guess that means he also suspects I could be as unhinged as her.
“I see. That’s probably a valid suggestion. I’d really like to talk to her first though. I think I owe her that.” Stag’s sandwich gag worked on him this time, because I could see he wanted to argue, but he was chewing frantically to try and free his mouth.
“Before he’s able to speak. What if I meet with her at the club, Grimm’s I mean, and you guys can be there to back me up? Maybe have a talk in the VIP area, if Grimm can make it available for half an hour? I’d be safe there, and it’s familiar ground for both of us.”
“Idon’t like this,” Stag said to me for the fiftieth time.
We were sitting in Grimm’s VIP area, while several of his biker brothers lined the back wall, and Grimm himself was sitting by the door.
I had never felt so safe or protected, but the fact that this was all in defence of me from my own sister was terrifying.
“Here she comes,” I saw Grimm say as he stood up to open the door.
My sister looked like her usual self to the outsiders, to those who didn’t know her, but to me?
She looked haggard. She looked exhausted.
Her makeup wasn’t quite perfect. Her hair was lank and not as glossy.
Her outfit in black and white, to fit the goth persona that didn’t quite fit just this once, was hastily thrown together.
The second she sat down in the plush chair opposite mine, her hands started flying, her signed words flowing rapidly. Stag slammed his hand down on the table separating us, and we both jumped and looked at him.
“Out loud. No hiding behind fucking sign language.”
Marissa must have challenged him, because he spoke again almost immediately.
“You want to say hateful shit to her, you’re gonna say it out loud so we can all hear it. Only a coward hides their inner bitch. You upset her, though, and we’re gonna have a real problem.”
When I turned back to Marissa, she looked a little dejected.
“I wasn’t going to say hateful things. I miss you, sis. I want you home with me, where you belong. We can have fun again. Didn’t we have fun?”
Her eyes darted in Stag’s direction, but landed back on me as I replied.
“We used to have fun, but you’ve changed, Mar. You’re so intent on what I’m doing that you’re forgetting to live for yourself.”
She nodded. “I know. I got a bit caught up in keeping you safe, but I’ll change, I promise. I just love you so much. I want the best for you.”
She cast her eyes around at all the other bikers in the room, chewing her lip nervously.
“They won’t do anything. They’re just here to support me.”
She nodded again, her eyes a little glassy as she focused on me again.
“I’m glad. I mean, it’s good that you found so many good people to look after you. It’s not like you need me now anyway. I’m… I guess I gave you everything I had, and that wasn’t enough for you.”
Oh god. I saw Stag move, and I hurriedly rested a hand on his knee. This was my fight, not his. Not really.
“They’re supporting me by being here. They’re not doing things for me that I can’t do myself. I’m perfectly capable. I only can’t hear, Marissa, no other part of me doesn’t work.”
She picked at the skin on her thumb, her eyes moving around the room, like she was assessing them, or maybe for once she was measuring her words.
“And none of them know how to sign? You say they care for you or support you, but not one of them has bothered to learn how to communicate with you properly. Don’t you see that?
You’re fitting into their world. Fitting into how they do things.
They’re not stepping out of their comfort zones, you’re stepping out of yours. ”
“Henley knows how!” I snapped, and she smiled grimly, like I’d just walked into a trap.
“But not the man who’s acting like he’s your saviour? He won’t make the effort for you, but you’re throwing everything away for him!”
Stag moved again and I practically leaned over him to keep him still.
I still wanted to say my piece, but I realised I was running out of time.
Grimm was now standing right behind her, looking ready to grab her and throw her out, the vampire persona and red contacts making it look like he was ready to bite her instead.
His bouncer, Josh, was right beside him, and the other bikers were closing in.
Moving closer. Getting in position to end this.
“Stop. Everyone just stop for a moment. She’s said her piece, she got to spout that crap at me, and now it’s my turn.”
Marissa practically sneered at me.
“See? You have no power here. You’re just another fucktoy for a bunch of assholes who think women are just for sex. You’re no more valuable than a fucking whore. You’re just holes to them, Claud-”
Grimm and his bouncer grabbed her before I could reply, forcibly removing her from the VIP room, while I fell back against Stag, shock and horror clouding my mind, as my heart throbbed in my chest. It wasn’t anger, or adrenaline, or fight or flight.
It was heartbreak. It was my heart, so connected to hers, being gutted by the knife of her words.
“Oh god,” I whispered, turning to press my face against Stag’s chest. This was one of the weirdest things about being completely deaf, knowing there was sound going on all around me, and none of it was for me to know.
They’d be talking, they’d be angry, could even be shouting, but for me there was just silence.
Silence after the words she just spat at me felt like another blow to my soul.
If I cried, I wouldn’t hear it. I wouldn’t even hear my own sorrow and despair.