Chapter 11
Three Days Later
I could barely keep my eyes open as I poured myself a cup of coffee.
It was instant espresso, and I needed it to work.
The last three days, I spent my nights and early mornings watching Jelai’s home.
It didn’t matter if I’d called things off romantically.
She was still my responsibility, and I would do whatever it took to make sure she was safe.
Pops patted my back as he shuffled into the kitchen.
“Coffee?” I offered, chuckling as he grumbled yes under his breath. After I poured him a cup, I sat at the round kitchen table with him.
We sipped in silence, both hoping the brown liquid would somehow give us the energy we needed to make it through the day, or the morning, at least. It seemed to be working for him because he asked, “How long you think you can keep going like this, Son?”
“As long as I need to.”
“You’ve been at the shop in the afternoon and the clubhouse in the evening, then her house at night and in the morning. Not her house, but on your bike outside her house. You keep this up and you’re going to crash.”
My head shook as I stared into my mug. “I’ll let the manager handle the shop and stop going to the clubhouse before I stop looking out for her, Pops. It’s not a choice of what matters most to me.”
With a sigh, he ran his hand down his beard and slouched down in his seat. “Okay.” Pops lifted his hands in surrender as his head bobbed. “It’s clear you love her. So tell me what’s going on. Why’d you end things? I want to be glad you did, but not if it has you walking around like a zombie.”
“I figured ending things was for the best. I don’t fear The Outlaws, but I don’t want to risk her safety. If I could keep her with me at all times, I wouldn’t have ended things, but she has a life outside of me, and I don’t want to keep her from that because I don’t know what they’re going to do.”
“So is the separation temporary until we can get this situation under control, or permanent?” he asked, and I hadn’t considered that.
“I want to selfishly say it’s temporary, but I can’t control us like that. We’ve already wasted ten years, now I called it off again. She probably won’t even want me after this.”
His head tilted and mouth twisted as he considered what I’d said. “I’m not quite sure I agree with that. You do control the distance of the relationship, though the woman usually controls the pace. My question is, how did you call things off?”
“Abruptly,” I admitted. “We didn’t really discuss it. In fact, she didn’t say anything at all. She just . . . nodded and agreed.”
“Damn. Okay. Well. Yeah. That’s . . . not good.”
Him trying to hold back his laugh made me chuckle and shake my head. “What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t ask her if she wanted to call things off. I had to make the decision myself.”
“Why?” The question was clearly rhetorical, because he continued before I could answer. “Because you knew her words would make you change your mind, or because you were afraid she would actually choose you?”
I considered his question, but before I could decide which it was, my phone vibrated on the table. It was Jelai. Snatching it up, I answered quickly.
“Wassup, bae? You good?”
“Hi. Yes. Can we talk?” Jelai chuckled nervously. “Not about us. Um . . . I need some help, and you might be the only one that can help me get the answers I need.”
“Yeah, sure. Do you work today?”
“Yes. I get off at six.”
“Go to the main library, and I’ll pick you up from there. I’ll find somewhere we can talk without having to worry about being seen.”
She sighed in relief. “Okay. Thanks, Wicked.”
“You’re—damn.” I couldn’t help but laugh from how quickly she disconnected the call. She might have needed my help, but she for damn sure didn’t want to talk to me beyond that.
I figured it was safe enough to ride my bike since I was going to take Jelai to Sunny Cliffs.
It was considered Rose Valley Hills County, since the twenty mile stretch of the ocean opened roads that led to several small neighborhoods that had detached themselves from The Hills.
The view of the ocean on the ride was probably the most beautiful part of the city, and I couldn’t wait for Jelai to see it.
Plus, I knew no one from The Outlaws club would be there, because it was the wealthiest part of the city and heavily protected by police presence.
Pulling in next to her car, I hopped off my bike long enough to open her door for her and give her my helmet.
She barely looked in my eyes as she muttered a quiet thanks before putting it on.
As fucked up as shit was, I kept telling myself this was for the best and that I’d made the right decision.
Once she was settled behind me, I took off.
The longer I drove, the more relaxed she got behind me. Eventually, the barely there grip tightened, and she rested against my back. By the time we arrived at the cliffs, she was holding me like she did the first time she rode my bike. A quiet giggle escaped her as she hopped down.
“What’s funny?” I asked.
“I was just thinking about that King of the Hill episode when Hank and Peggy were riding the motorcycle and Hank didn’t want to ride behind Peggy because he said it was the bitch seat.”
I smiled, more because I was happy to see her smile than me being amused over her corny ass.
She laughed like it was the funniest memory she had, and I couldn’t help but freeze the sight of her beautiful smiling face into my memory.
Jelai released a shaky breath as she looked toward the ocean beyond the cliffs.
“This is the most stunning view I’ve ever seen. Truly makes me marvel at God’s creations. His masterpieces.”
“I feel the same way,” I shared, staring at her.
When she met my eyes, she gave me a smaller, shy smile. “Thanks for meeting with me.”
“Of course. Regardless of what’s going on with us personally, I’ll always come when you call.”
Twiddling her thumbs, she looked away briefly. “Someone in TWR knows who killed my father. Or they were at least there when it happened,” she blurted.
I took her hand and led her toward the small cave that had a large rock we could sit on. “Start from the beginning, Jelai.”
I listened as she told me everything Chris had shared with her.
By the time she was done, my mind was reeling.
Learning that one of our members was there the night her father was shot made a lot of things make sense.
If The Outlaws believed we were working with the police, that explained why they wanted a war.
While we weren’t an outlaw MC, we abided by the code of loyalty and no snitching just as they did.
Talking to and working with the police wasn’t a good look—period.
“He said you all did a memorial ride for my daddy?” she confirmed, looking out into the ocean.
“Yeah. Dylan didn’t want to be associated with us because of the MCs reputations back then, but he fucked with me, and they in turn fucked with him. They rode from the cemetery to the penitentiary so I could see before riding by the beach and back to the clubhouse.”
Her eyes watered, but she blinked back her tears as she patted my hand.
“Thanks for honoring him. You could’ve easily forgotten about him after the way he talked about you and your father. Your club.”
I shrugged. “He had his reasons for feeling how he did. I respected him coming to me as a man after what happened to you. And I believe I told you this before, but he looked out for me while I was locked down.” I looked over at her.
“I wouldn’t say we were friends, but there was a mutual respect and understanding between us. ”
“Then can I count on you to help me figure out who killed him? If you could find out who the informant was, maybe they could tell me who killed him. Or, at least, give me what information they had on The Outlaws that made them a target that day. I figured, not only would this give my dad justice, but it’ll also end the war. ”
“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll look into it, bae.
If the informant is still around, that’s not some information they’re just going to offer us.
I could maybe look into who had recently gotten out around that time or who was arrested and didn’t have to do any time.
Chris might be able to find out more than I can though. ”
“I thought about that, but he wouldn’t help. He wants me to have nothing to do with this.”
“Understandably so.”
“Maybe, but quite frankly, I’m tired of people making decisions for me. Whether it’s to protect me or not.”
Her clipped tone made it clear her anger was rising as she stood. I did the same, standing behind her as she took a few steps toward the ocean.
“Go ahead,” I urged. “Let me have it.” She turned to face me. “I upset you. Maybe hurt you. But it was what I thought was best.”
Jelai shook her head as she headed toward my bike. “Let’s just go.”
“Nah.” Gripping her waist, I pulled her back toward me. “We ain’t about to do this. If you got something that you’re holding close to your chest, let that shit out, bae.”
Scoffing, Jelai removed herself from my grip and crossed her arms. “Please, don’t act like you care.”
“Of course I care,” I replied, unsure how she could think otherwise.
“If you cared, you wouldn’t have taken away my choice!” she yelled softly. “You don’t care about how I feel or what I want. If you did, you wouldn’t have made a choice that affected me without even talking to and considering me.”
I wanted to get defensive and tell her me caring about her was the reason I’d done what I’d done, but she wouldn’t care about that right now. All she cared about was her feelings, her pain, and regardless of how bad that made me feel, she was entitled to that.
“You’re right,” I agreed. “In my attempt to protect you and do what was best for you, I took away your choice. For that, I apologize.”
Jelai appeared surprised by my apology, but I watched it physically soften her toward me. Her crossed arms lowered, and she took a small step in my direction as her facial expression relaxed.
“Okay,” she whispered, avoiding my eyes.
“Would you have chosen me? Us?”
Jelai chuckled quietly with a soft shake of her head. “Doesn’t seem to matter now.”
“Matters to me.”
Sniffling, she squeezed the back of her neck before looking into my eyes. “I should probably go now.”
“Aight, bae.” We walked back over to the bike, but before getting on I asked, “Can I have my goodbye hug now?”
Her smirk was small as she wrapped her arms around me.
I held her close. Kissing her temple turned into placing a kiss on her forehead, then her nose, then her lips.
I pulled away quickly, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.
Jelai cradled my head and neck softly, holding me delicately, like I was something—someone—she treasured.
Pulling me back down, she reconnected our lips for a long, tender kiss.
With a hard dick, this was about to be a long ride.