Time didn’t stand still. Not even for Tabitha.
Seventeen came and went without any real event. There was cake and a party. Simon wasn’t able to make it due to a bad turn Lexie had taken. Daisy was by her side throughout.
School finished for another term and she passed all the necessary exams she’d needed to take.
Chaos Bleeds visited Fort Wills.
Simon came and it was like there was no elephant in the room whenever they were together. He held her, told her how beautiful she was, and when the time came for him to leave, she hated it.
The only way she’d come to deal with the pain was by going to the Quad, regularly, much to her parents’ annoyance.
A busted lip and eyebrow started to annoy them. She would sometimes let the opponent get a shot in just so she could feel the pain on the outside. Of course there were people from the Dogs who also liked to challenge her, especially the girls. In the past six months alone, she’d gotten into more fights at school than she could ever know to think about.
Another fight that had her sitting outside the principal’s office, nibbling on the edge of her nails and waiting for her parents to arrive.
The chick in question was one of Daniella’s posse. Another Dogs kid, Rebecca.
“Hey,” Daisy said, coming to sit with her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I figured I’d be here as some backup.”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“I do. I’m not having that bitch say you attacked her.”
“We all know she had it coming to her,” Miles said, climbing on top of the desk.
Anthony had also joined, but he sat beside her and patted her hand. “He takes one of us in, he deals with us all.”
Her throat felt thick as her people surrounded her.
“Gotta say, Tabs, loved how you handled this one,” Constance said.
She laughed.
“I think the head slam was the best,” Rachel said. “Didn’t it, like, hurt?”
She’d head-butted Rebecca after slamming Daniella into a wall.
“It did.” She rubbed at her head. She had a throbbing headache.
John sat down on the floor. “It was badass.”
Markus nibbled on an apple and nodded.
“You know there’s a risk I could get suspended and he could do the same to all of you,” Tabitha said. “That could mean grounded for all of you.”
“Don’t care,” Blaise said. “The bitches deserved it.”
Tabitha sighed, running her hands down her thighs.
The door opened and the principal came out. Daniella’s nose was covered in dried blood. Tear tracks were already down her face.
She was ready to go again with the bitch, but the principal merely escorted the two girls away from them.
Tabitha turned as her mother arrived. The moment Eva caught sight of her and the crew, she stopped. “Okay, am I even needed here?”
“You’re Tabitha’s mother?” the principal asked.
Tabitha stood.
“I am.”
“We need to talk. Tabitha, join us please.”
All of her friends got up.
The principal stopped in the doorway. “No. I only need Tabitha and her parents. You are all children and should be back to class.”
“Not happening,” Miles said.
“Miles, go back to class.”
“Sorry, Mom, you didn’t see what happened back there. We all did and there’s no way we’re letting that kind of shit slide.”
“Miles!” Eva snapped.
“Why didn’t those other bitches have their parents here?” Daisy asked. “You’re going to suspend Tabs for protecting herself, is that it?”
“If you don’t all leave this instant and allow me to deal with this, I will suspend you all.”
Tabitha looked at her friends and saw them all staring at each other.
“Kids, think about how annoyed your parents are going to be,” Eva said.
“You know what? Fuck this school,” Anthony said. “We’ll be back after suspension.” He picked up a chair and launched it across the room. The receptionist had to duck as it took out the computer on her desk.
“Rock-fucking-on,” Miles said.
Tabitha watched as her friends turned on the school, banging on lockers, screaming at the top of their lungs. She looked at her mom, mouthed the word sorry, stuck her middle fingers up at the principal, and followed right along with them. They busted out of school.
Daisy had already passed her driver’s license and for her seventeenth birthday, she’d gotten a car. She went with her friend, climbing in the front seat as Constance climbed in with Rachel.
“Any idea what the hell we’re doing?” Rachel asked.
“We’re being rebels. They can all go and fuck themselves. This is my girl right here.”
Daisy turned the radio up and music filled the air as they took off, heading to the only place she knew they’d be left alone, the lake.
Anthony was driving the guys. They drove through town and she spotted several of their parents.
“Oh, this is going to be so bad,” Rachel said. “Dad’s going to so give me the lecture on what it means to be doing the right thing.”
“This coming from your dad who also used to be a drug addict?” Constance asked.
“Damn, rumors are hard to kill, aren’t they?”
“Yep!” Daisy yelled and laughed.
It had been several months since her date with Anthony. Tabitha didn’t even know if they were going steady or not. There were moments she caught them together. They always looked like they were on the verge of making out or even fucking, but again, nothing.
“Come on, Tabs, how did it feel to smash that girl’s face in?” Daisy asked. “She called you a Skull whore.”
“It was pretty damn good.” She’d been so angry at this other girl getting in her face. The same girl she’d noticed at the Quad a few times but had never given her the time of day. Now, because of her, she was suspended, which also meant as soon as she got home, she’d be grounded. Like that stuck for long.
Daisy pulled into the parking space near the lake. After climbing out, Tabitha didn’t wait around. She headed to the lake, removed her clothes, not caring who saw, and dove right on in the water.
“There could be sharks in there,” Rachel said.
“So, if they even take a chunk right out of me, they know I’m going to be pissed. Also, you watch way too many shark movies.” Tabitha leaned back in the water. The guys finally arrived. “What do you say, Daisy? Are you coming in?”
Daisy shook her head but kicked off her shoes.
Tabitha couldn’t resist glancing over at Anthony. Of course, his gaze was right on her. Smiling, Daisy wriggled out of her jeans and removed her sweater but kept on her shirt that had several buttons open.
She ran to the edge and jumped right on in. In the past few months, her best friend had come out of her shell. Daisy broke the surface, gasping and pushing her hair out of her face, laughing. “Shit, this is fucking cold.”
“Come on, do you think our parents are going to let us out after today? We’re going to be confined to our rooms.”
“Speak for yourself,” Anthony said.
“Yeah, Tabs, like that’s going to stop us going to the Quad. Our parents are going to be pissed, but they can’t control us. Not anymore,” Miles said.
“You know what, that looks like fun. I’ll deal with everything later.” Constance stripped down to her underwear, silencing Miles, and like the others, she jumped right on in.
“How are you feeling?” Daisy asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? It looked to me when you were beating the crap out of that girl that you were having a few more issues than you were letting on.”
“Are you analyzing me now?” Tabitha asked, but she smiled so her friend knew she wasn’t pissed off.
“A little.” Daisy held her thumb and finger apart in front of her face.
Everyone joined them in the lake, including Anthony. She could only imagine why he needed to cool off.
“I guess she pissed me off.” The girl had reminded her of Amber. Even though Amber hadn’t been part of an MC, the two girls had that air of authority around them that they were going to get what they wanted. Daisy already knew she’d broken Amber’s nose.
“You know there’s going to be retaliation, right? They’re not going to have a choice?” Miles said.
“Like I care,” Tabitha said. “I can handle them.”
“Not if they jump you. We’re going to have to make sure Tabs is never alone,” Miles said.
“Agreed.”
“Are you all freaking kidding me right now? I mean, seriously?”
“It’s important you don’t let your guard down,” Anthony said. “You know this.”
“I’ve got your back,” Daisy said.
“I know.” She kissed her friend’s cheek. “Love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Out of the lake, now!”
Tabitha gasped as she looked toward the edge and saw pretty much all of their parents. Holy shit. Lash stood, glaring. “Out now!” He snapped each word.
Tabitha looked toward Anthony.
Lash looked at them all as they didn’t move. It was a standoff. Lash didn’t look away, he glanced at each of them in turn. For the first time for her, he actually looked freaking scary.
“One more chance!” His voice seemed to echo around the lake.
No one moved.
“Right, we figured this was how it was going to go.” Lash bent down and retrieved her phone. Tabitha frowned as he also got Anthony’s, then Daisy’s.
“No!” She screamed out the word as he put them on the ground and stomped on each of the three phones.
“I’m not joking around. Out now, all of you.” He snapped his fingers, searching for other phones.
Tiny was there with his arms folded, Nash, Killer, holy shit, even Whizz.
She scrambled out of the lake, quickly rushing to get her clothes.
“No, get in the fucking car,” Lash said, retrieving their clothes.
Whizz had Daisy’s car keys in her hand and there was already a tow truck.
“What’s going on?” Daisy asked.
“Your friends are being taken back home and I’ve got Sandy talking to them. You’re all coming back to the clubhouse right the fuck now!” He snapped his fingers.
Tabitha walked past in her underwear and climbed into her father’s car. She folded her arms, pissed off as Lash picked up the necessary clothes and had Anthony in his car.
“Are we going home?” she asked as they pulled away from the lake and headed back to town.
“You heard Lash.”
“You’re going to follow his orders?”
“Yep. Don’t even start with me.”
“You don’t want to hear my side of things?”
“I’m pretty sure I know your side of things.”
“You don’t, but like always, you’re just going to assume.” She slammed her back against the seat and stomped her foot. She was cold and this was humiliating as they had to wait at a traffic light and she sat in her father’s car, in her underwear. Lash knew how to punish them, there was no doubt about that. She was so fucking angry at him, at all of them.
Actually, anger didn’t even begin to cover what she felt. She was so pissed off.
They arrived at the clubhouse. There were some of the prospects outside, smoking and chatting with some of the club girls. The club didn’t have a lot of free pussy, but there were occasionally women who liked to hang around for whatever they could get.
After she slammed the car door closed, Lash arrived seconds later, and with her friends, they were marched into the room where the club always had church.
“Take a fucking seat. You all might as well get used to it because clearly you all don’t seem to understand what hard work means.”
“That’s out of line,” Miles said.
“Don’t start with me,” Lash said. “You think I don’t know a fucking punk-ass when I see one? I was one many years ago. You don’t fucking scare me. None of you do.”
Folding her arms, Tabitha stared down at the table. She hated this.
“So you all think it’s funny to be suspended?” Lash asked. “You think it’s good to break noses?”
His fists went to the table and he leaned on them.
“I don’t think it’s fun or good.” She glared at him. “You’re all accusing us and you don’t even know the facts.”
“Let’s see, she had it coming to her!”
“Yes, she did. She got in my face.”
“She did,” Daisy said.
“Since when did The Skulls want us to start taking shit?” Miles asked. “You think we don’t get enough crap from the Dogs as it is? They’re breathing down our neck all the fucking time. None of us can breathe because of it. We’re watching our backs and now you’re telling us to what, not fight at all? We’ll be the laughing stock of the entire school.”
Lash slammed his hand down. “Is that what it is with you kids today? You like to assume what I’m going to say before I say it? Your presence is no longer at that school for the next three weeks. That may sound like time to you, but it means you’re going to have to take your place once again. A whole load of shit can happen in three weeks. Your mom could have handled this but as usual, you all had to open your mouths and think you know what’s best for you.”
He moved away but she saw the tension in his body and had no doubt, if they were the enemy, he’d have killed them all already. “Not only are you guys suspended, but you also got your little buddies done too. You may think this is going to be fun and games for you, but you’ve all got another thing coming. Take a look around you. This is where you’re going to be learning. I’ve already got everything ready. You think lockdown was over, well, for you kids, it has only just fucking begun. You will stay here. Eat here. Sleep here. Study here. Your friends will come here and study right alongside you. You want to start badmouthing me, I’ve just given my prospects three weeks’ grace. You can clean toilets and I will make my boys take the biggest fucking shits so you guys are sick of it. That’s not the worst I can do either. You want to try me, bring it on. You think you’re such rebels, none of you saw men when I was younger. Tiny doesn’t even know the kind of shit I got up to. You will all follow my orders. Do I make myself clear?”
“Do all of our parents agree?” Tabitha asked.
“If they didn’t agree, you wouldn’t be fucking sitting here.”
“You broke my phone.”
“I know and guess what, you’re not getting a new one for the next three weeks. You’re now in The Skulls’ jail. Congratulations. I hope you all feel so damn good about yourselves.”
****
“The Skulls’ jail?” Simon asked.
He sat at the dinner table as his mom served out some more food to everyone.
“That’s what Eva said. They all just went a little crazy at the school and left. They broke some windows and computers and stuff like that.”
“Sounds like fun,” Josh said.
“Yeah, and look where that fun has gotten them,” Devil said.
Lexie chuckled. “Yes, please, kids, don’t take after The Skulls.”
“So I can’t talk to her?”
“No, honey. Eva said that Lash won’t accept it.”
“But he’s not her dad. Why is he being given the responsibility of saying what she can and cannot do?” He didn’t understand it.
“I guess because it is all The Skulls’ kids, sweetie.”
“So, aside from our BFFs at The Skulls, we have some news.” Devil touched Lexie’s hands and smiled at her.
Simon watched and he had a feeling he knew what it was. He stayed silent, waiting.
“Your mother got the news today,” Devil said. “She’s cancer-free.”
They all cheered. Simon got to his feet and rushed toward her, hugging her tightly. “Congratulations. I’m so happy.”
“We all are.”
Lexie laughed and tears streamed down her face. “Thank you. Thank you all for everything. I know you’ve been put through a great deal these past few months, but there is an end in sight.”
They finished their meal and it was a relief to know that she would be on a road to recovery. There would always be a risk she’d get it again, but they were going to test for it regularly.
He helped with the dishes and then his dad asked him to drop something off at the clubhouse that Ripper needed. It was a file. Devil would have gone himself, but he wanted to stay home to keep an eye on Lexie.
Simon was more than happy to go. He’d gotten a new bike for his seventeenth birthday and he used any excuse to ride it. He also hated using a helmet and so he rode all the way to the Chaos Bleeds clubhouse.
There wasn’t a lot of activity even though it was night. He imagined they were going to have a party to celebrate Lexie’s good news. It was what the club did, all the time, celebrated good news.
He headed indoors and found Ripper sitting at Devil’s desk.
“Thanks, man,” Ripper said, flicking open the file.
“No problem.”
“Good news about Lexie.”
“Yeah, who’s organizing the party?”
Ripper laughed. “We’ve become so predictable of late, haven’t we?”
“Pretty much.”
“Judi’s handling this one. She’s excited.”
“If you need anything, you know where I am.” He left the office, feeling good, feeling alive. He took several deep breaths, happy and content.
He stood outside the clubhouse and breathed in the fresh air. His mom was going to be okay. The past year was finally going to be behind them. So many nights he’d lain awake, waiting for the bad news to come in that she hadn’t been able to fight it.
“You heard the good news about Lexie?”
Simon recognized Curse’s voice.
“Yeah, I did,” Mia said. Simon didn’t move from where he stood. The couple hadn’t heard him there. “I’m so glad she was able to fight it. Leaving all of those kids behind.”
“I know.”
“I mean, I know the truth about Simon, but still, he’s hers.”
Simon tensed up.
“I know, she’s been more of a mother to him than her sister ever was.”
Simon’s heart raced. What the fuck? What were they talking about?
“What was her name again? The sister?”
“Kayla. She got knocked up by Devil and dumped Simon on Lexie’s lap. She ended up stripping to take care of them both. Devil, of course, took one look at Lexie, and well, the rest is history. Devil never wants Simon to know the truth.”
There was no way he could unhear this shit.
Stepping away from the wall, he rounded it to look at Curse.
“Oh, shit,” Curse said.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Simon, man, we’re talking about someone else.”
“No, you don’t get to lie. Lexie’s not my mom? I had a different mom?”
“You don’t know what you heard.”
“Oh, I know what I heard all right.” He turned on his heel and got on his bike. He heard Curse and Mia screaming at him. There was no way he was stopping.
The pictures.
He recalled his question about the pictures. How could he have been so damn stupid? Coming to the edge of the driveway, he looked at his home.
All of his life had been one big fat lie.
Devil opened the door, a phone to his ear.
Rain started to pour.
After climbing off his bike, he stormed into his home.
Lexie was a few feet away from Devil. His father put a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t fucking touch me.”
“Son, I don’t know what—”
“You were never pregnant with me. That’s why there are no pictures.”
“This is not the time or the place,” Devil said.
Tears fell down her cheeks, but Lexie didn’t say anything. “You were never supposed to find out this way.”
“I was never supposed to find out at all.” He turned to his dad. “All this time you’ve been lying to me. You fucked her sister and what, she wasn’t good enough, so you moved onto the next one?”
“Do not even demean what is between your mother and me.”
“Which one? Lexie or Kayla?”
Devil’s hand clenched into a fist. “Kayla was never your mother. The moment she could, she dumped your ass and Lexie had to pick up the pieces.”
“Do you two even care about each other or is that a lie too?”
“Be careful,” Devil said.
“Of what? You’re my dad but she’s not my fucking mother. You both lied to me. I’m not part of this family. I don’t have a place. There are no pictures, no memories, nothing.” He shook his head. “Fuck you both.”
He took off.
Devil chased after him as Lexie’s cry of his name echoed in the air.
“Son, don’t do anything stupid.”
“You lied to me. Not once did you tell me the truth. I shouldn’t have had to find out this way. You should have always trusted me. Given me a chance to understand, but you didn’t.” He pulled out of his father’s arms. “Stay the fuck away from me.”
Climbing onto his bike, he took off, knowing there was only one place he was going to go.
****
“Devil, what are we going to do?”
“You’re going to go back inside, call Lash.”
“Why?”
“We both know there is only one place that boy is going and I need to make sure Lash can handle him. He’s going to Tabitha. The only person he feels hasn’t lied to him.”
Lexie’s hand went to her mouth as she tried to contain her sob. “I can’t believe he found out this way.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll fix it,” Devil said.
“Did you see the look in his eyes, Devil? He’s angry.”
“Of course he’s angry, but don’t you feel any kind of guilt.”
“We lied to him.”
“I lied to him. I was the one who told you what to do. None of this is your fault and I won’t let you take the blame, not for any of it. This is all on me and I’ll deal with it.” He went to her, cupping her cheeks and kissing her lips. “I’ve got to go and take care of this. I’ll be back. You rest.”
“Devil, don’t do anything stupid.”
“I won’t. Call Lash.”
Devil left the house, being careful not to slam the door. After climbing onto his bike, he took off, going right to the clubhouse. No one was around. The moment Curse called him, he’d known shit was going to hit the fan. His boy, he’d asked about Lexie’s pregnancy and shit like that. Whenever they talked to Elizabeth, Josh, their kids, Lexie would say what she was craving, or how tired she was. Devil always changed the subject when it came to Simon’s memories. Lexie had nothing to give because she’d never been pregnant with him. She wouldn’t just make shit up either as she hated lying to him. Devil always said he’d deal with this.
He’d hoped to never have to as his men knew to keep their shit to themselves.
Entering the clubhouse, he saw Curse sitting with Mia.
“Devil, I’m so sorry.”
Devil slammed his fist against the bastard’s face. He didn’t care how sorry Curse was. He didn’t give a shit about anything. At that moment, he didn’t see a club brother, but a man who’d fucked up.
Mia cried out.
Ripper was there but he made no move to stop him. Curse didn’t even defend himself.
“Please, stop. We didn’t know he was there. We promise. We never wanted to hurt anyone.”
“You should have fucking looked. That shit is private. You had no fucking right to be saying anything.” Devil threw Curse across the room. “Simon’s gone. Any plans you had at celebrating, stop them.” He pointed a finger at Curse. “Right now, until this shit is right, you’re dead to me. I don’t want to see your face.”
“Devil?” Ripper asked.
“You can wear your patch but if anything happens to my son, you better start running because I will fucking end you.”