Jack (5 page)

7

Viki sipped her water and sat in the kitchen of the club. 

Jack paced like a madman.  Nothing anyone had said had calmed him.  It had made him worse.  He seemed to be losing his mind and it was making the other men antsy.  She was somehow to blame and they all seemed to look at her with accusations in their too serious eyes.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”  She said in a voice that she knew sounded weak.   They were all just staring at her as if she would reveal some big mystery, but she really couldn’t tell them anything.

“I want you to tell me why the fuck Fish was looking at you like he owned you?”  Jack said in a low voice.  His body was almost vibrating with rage as he stared down at her.

“I think you need to start before that even.  How about we start with the money?  Spec was pissed. Viki didn’t know him well, he was neither kind nor mean to her.  He just acted like she was invisible, while seeing everything.

“What does it matter?  That’s what happens here right?  No one is allowed to say no around here.  I was just supposed to do what everyone wanted.  I just need the job.  I don’t know anything about the money.  I never took anything, how could I, but that wouldn’t matter right?  I’d be killed just on suspicion of stealing from the club.”

No one said anything.

Viki clamped her eyes shut.  “That’s what I was told.”  She opened her eyes and looked into Spec’s blue ones.  “I need this job.  I know I’m not the mouse anymore, but I need to keep my job with Mrs. for a little while until I can get enough saved to move on.  I have to stay alive for that to happen.  I was going to explain everything to her before I left so no one would hunt me down.”

He studied her for a long moment.  “What are you not saying?”

“That’s personal.”

“Not anymore Darlin’.”  Law said as he leaned forward.

“Fish made me do whatever he said or he would tell you all that I’d taken that money.  I told Naughty and she helped me pay it back.  I gave her everything I had saved and she put it back in the account so no one could say it was missing.”

“But you didn’t even take it.”  Law said with a tilt to his head.

Viki shook hers.  “But would you believe some worthless slut over a brother?  He made it look like I’d taken it and used it.  I didn’t know what else to do.”

“How much?”  Choo-Choo asked from his spot against the sink.

“A thousand dollars.  I only had six hundred.  Naughty had the rest.  I’m trying to pay that back too.  I don’t want any trouble.  I just want to be able to eat and pay my bills.”

Viki couldn’t even look these men in the eye anymore.  Apparently Candy had called everyone because the kitchen was full of big pissed off men and they were all staring at her.  Why were they so mad at her anyway?

She lifted her eyes to the president of the club and the man that would decide her fate.  Preach had been standing in the doorway, just leaning against the frame.  He was listening and watching, but hadn’t made any comment.  Viki knew he was a reasonable man and that he could be kind from the way he had laughed and played with his grandchildren.

“He said he will kill someone very close to me if I tell you anything.  I am taking a huge risk in telling you anything.”  Tears leaked down her face.  “Please don’t kill me.”

He nodded slowly and turned to Jack.  “Beat the hell out of that little son of a bitch and get the fuck out of here.”  He waited for the room to clear before he walked to Viki and knelt beside her.  “These women come here to fuck brothers.  They want to be old ladies because they see this life as some kind of excitement, but they are here because they want to be.  The strippers are here because it is their choice.  They know the score.  It isn’t a fancy life or even one most can feel real pride in at that stage, but it is a step in the right direction as far as they see it.  You aren’t part of that.”  He took a deep breath.  “What the fuck are you even doing here?  Mrs. said you weren’t a mouse anymore, just helping out with some shit she needs.  Keeping kids and running errands and shit.  She got you out of this because she knows it’s not for you and here you are driving Jack to threaten to kill a man.”

“I just need the job.”  Viki hated how small she sounded.  “Please, I need to get home.  I just want to go home now.  I’ll get my things together and get out of town as soon as I can.”

Preach nodded.  “Go and don’t come back here.”  He held up his hand when she started to protest.  “You don’t belong here.  You can help Mrs. if she wants you to, but you can’t be in the clubhouse.  That shit is over.  You don’t have to leave town until you are ready to either.  Nothing will happen.”

“I can’t say no…  He will…”  She stuttered.  “If he knows I told anything…”

“Fish won’t do shit about it.  I’ll make sure of that.”

Viki ran from the room.  How had things gotten so bad?  She pulled out her fake ID.  It wasn’t a great forgery, but it had been enough to work with the club and the motel, but if anyone looked close they wouldn’t hold up.

She stopped beside her car as she heard grunts and shouts from the building behind the clubhouse.  Fish was getting his ass kicked and she wished she could go in there and help, but what then?  They wouldn’t kill him and he wasn’t the type to just let things go.  It was time to get the hell away from here and maybe she had time if the brothers beat him bad enough.

She pulled out her wallet and counted the few bills she had.  Thirty-five dollars wouldn’t go very far.  Her rent had been paid for the month, but it was time to go.  Bobby would be upset.  He had just settled into his school and he loved Mary, maybe she would come along with them too.

She let out a long sigh.  “What am I going to do?”

She had suffered too much to give up now.

She drove home and collapsed in a heap on the couch.  She was so tired, not only from cleaning and servicing Fish and his friends, but from the emotions that had washed through her in the last few hours.  Jack had claimed her and he had vowed to protect her, but he had also almost killed Fish and had choked her.

How could she trust a man who resorted to that kind of violence at the drop of a hat?  How could she trust Bobby with him?

Her thoughts tugged at her until she drifted off to sleep.

8

Jack stood in the dim interior of the shed.  The place smelled like mildew and male sweat.  The club used this old building to store things, but mostly they used it to fight and sometimes torture information out of enemies.  There were old rusted things hanging on the walls.  Everything from old lawnmower parts to gardening tools, but the middle of the shack was kept clean.  It wasn’t very big, but the front wall opened like doors so a truck or a van could be pulled in if needed.  Today the doors were thrown open and most of the club’s members stood around watching the bloody sport with anticipation. 

Jack hadn’t felt a thing for the first two minutes or so.  His rage had eclipsed all feeling and all thought, but now he was starting to feel the sting in his fists each time they met Fish’s flesh.

He didn’t know what had come over his.  He felt like he was losing his damned mind.  Viki was in some deep shit and somehow he had missed it.  He took out his rage on the little pissant that had caused her so much pain.  Fish lay in a heap on the floor at his feet now and Gator spat curses at him as well as several other brothers.  Fish would be lucky to survive the week.  He had pissed off too many people and if what Viki had said was true, he had also stole money from the club.  There was no forgiving that.

Jack looked to Gator.  He had no idea why his brother was so pissed off about the whole situation, but welcomed his anger.  Gator delivered a kick to Fish’s ribs that sent the prospect toppling over to the dirt.

Others were sparring, less out of anger and more just to take the edge off the aggression they all felt building inside themselves.  It was good for men like them to fight, they were more animal than those normal men who sat behind desks and wore uniforms.  They all had darkness inside of them that had to be calmed and often with blood.

Two prospects drug Fish out of the shed and left him lying in the dirt.

“What should we do with him?  Mike asked as he handed Jack and Preach a beer.

“I need the facts before we make any decisions.  Make sure the little mouse had nothing to do with it and find out what she’s hiding.  Find out what he’s been holding over her head and somebody get me Naughty.  I want to know how a stripper had such an easy time accessing our accounts and why the fuck she didn’t say anything about this shit.”

“She asked me for the money, part of the money, but she wouldn’t tell me what it was for.  I thought she was using again, but she got pissed when I asked her.”  Gator put in as he handed Jack a bandana to wrap around his bleeding hand.

“Fuck is everybody hiding shit now?”  Preach spat.

“Just loaned her the money Preach.  Had no clue what it was for.”  Gator’s Cajun accent thickened when he was pissed and right now he needed a translator.

“I want this shit handled and if that little fucker was stealing from us I want it taken back in blood.  There’s still a thousand dollars missing.  I want someone watching that little mouse.  Fish goes near her and I want to know about it.  I told her she was safe and I want that taken care of.”

The brothers nodded and started to leave before Preach spoke again.

“I don’t get involved with your personal shit unless it fucks up club business, but Jack you need to figure out your shit.”

Jack felt his jaw go hard.  He hated being the center of attention like that.  He nodded and walked out.  His hands hurt like hell and the pain was helping him clear his mind a little.  He knew he didn’t really want to claim Viki, but he had said the words in the kitchen and he needed to talk to her about it.  Until she was safe, she was his.  He didn’t care if he had to kidnap her, he would make sure she was safe until Fish was dealt with and then he would let her go.

He frowned at the way that thought made his heart pound, but he knew it was for the best.  He could never make her happy and she deserved to be happy.

9

Viki woke to the ringing of her phone.  She answered it without looking at the number.

“Hey there sweetheart.  Need you to get your ass over here.  Lily is sick and screaming her head off and I need to take her to the doctor.  Angel is working at the shop and I need someone to keep Noah and Cat for a little while.”

“Mrs.?  What time…  No, it doesn’t matter.  Preach told me not to come back around anymore and some shit happened, I think I need to leave town.”

Mrs. let out a laugh that lightened Viki’s heart.  “No, he’s right about that, but I had already decided that anyway, but you had your little side business so I didn’t say anything.  As for leaving town, I hope not, but will helping me out for a couple of hours really set you back that much?”

That comment made Viki want to throw up.  Mrs. thought she was a prostitute, well Viki guessed she was.  That thought sent her to the toilet to empty her stomach. 

“Damn, are you sick?”

“I don’t think so.  Just all sort of hit me I guess.  Rough morning.”

“So I heard.  I’ve got a clubhouse full of bruised and bloodied boys to deal with along with a sick baby.  Now I could really use your help, as a friend.  I’m a real good friend to have and I’d owe you one big whopping favor.”

Lily’s screaming got worse and Viki felt sorry for the little thing.  She was such a sweet baby.

“Look sweetie, I had already told you to stay away from the club.  There is nothing there for you honey.  You come up to my house and help me watch the kids for the day.  It will be good for you.”

“Mrs…”

“Oh I know about the boy.  You load him up too honey.  It’s past time we stopped pretending I don’t know everything, because I do.”

Viki dried her face.  Could she truly believe this?  A favor from Mrs. would be worth an elephant’s weight in gold.

“What’s the catch?”

Mrs. laughed.  “Oh sweetheart, there is always a catch, but sometimes it’s not so bad being caught.  Just come on up here.”

Viki didn’t want to be caught and she hoped like hell that Jack had forgotten his little claim on her.  She couldn’t be tied to a man like that.  He would be just like Jerry and she wouldn’t allow Bobby to be put in that situation ever again.

Viki loaded Bobby into her old beat-up Toyota.  He seemed nervous, but he couldn’t know what they were walking into.  Viki had once thought that she could earn some sort of protection from the club for her and Bobby, but she soon learned that those men were more dangerous than Jerry had ever been.

“What if they don’t like me?”  Bobby whispered as Viki settled him into his seat.

“What’s not to like about you?”  Viki smiled and kissed his nose.

“My legs don’t work anymore.  What if they think I’m weird?”

Viki knew that some kids were mean, but she hadn’t heard Bobby talk about it.  Had she missed it?

Shame crashed over her like a tidal wave.  She hadn’t really been paying attention lately.

“Has someone been mean to you Bobby?”  She asked.

“No, but these kids must be tough right?  So maybe they will be.”

Viki sighed.  “Oh baby.  These kids are just kids.  They are really sweet kids too, you’ll like them.”

He took a deep breath and nodded.

Viki drove to the compound and followed the long dirt road that led to the President’s house.  She must be insane to come back after being told not to.  They could kill her for it and no one would even care.

She slowed.

This was a mistake.  What would happen to Bobby if these men killed her?

She looked into the mirror at his sweet face.  How could she take such a risk with him?

“No. No.  No.  No.”

Someone pulled up behind her and her heart froze in her chest.  Lambhead climbed off his bike and walked to her window.

“Everything ok Viki?”

She only nodded.

“He nice looking kid back there.  I didn’t know you had a kid.”  His smile was open and for the first time he didn’t look like a monster.

“That’s Bobby.  He’s my nephew.”

“Hey Bobby.  I’m Lambhead.”  He lowered his head so Bobby could get a good look at the white curls on top of his head.  Bobby laughed and Lamb let out a bleat that even had Viki fighting a giggle.

“That’s not a nice name.”  Bobby said quietly.  “Doesn’t that hurt your feelings?”

Lamb shook his head.  “Nah, I can’t really deny it and it’s all in fun.”

Bobby looked like he was thinking about that real hard, but he didn’t say anymore.

“So, everything ok?  I’m headed up to Preach’s place to take some stuff to Mrs.”

“Yeah, I think I’m ok.  Just being silly, maybe.”

Lambhead nodded, but he looked like he knew more than he was saying.

He followed her up the long dirt road and parked beside her in the yard.  Viki turned off the car and popped the trunk to pull Bobby’s wheelchair out.  Lambhead was beside her before she could get it on the ground and helped her get Bobby settled.  He didn’t even bat an eye when he settled Bobby’s little legs on the seat.

Bobby’s eyes were huge as he watched Lamb maneuver him as if he were normal.

“My little brother had a chair like this when we were kids.  He could do some cool tricks too.  I was never as good at it though.”  Lamb said as he lifted Bobby’s chair up the three steps to the porch.
Viki felt her heart squeeze in her chest.

“Really?”  Bobby said with more excitement than Viki had heard in his voice in months.

“Yup.  I might show you a few things if your mom doesn’t mind.”  Lamb said with a grin.

“My mom is dead.  I live with aunt Viki now.  She takes care of me.”  Bobby said in a small voice.

Lamb’s head shot up and his eyes met Viki’s.  She saw remorse there and something she couldn’t identify.  Respect?

“Well, your aunt Viki is doing a good job.  She works real hard and you seem to be pretty strong.  And now you’ve got me as a friend… you can’t get much luckier than that.”  Lamb winked at Bobby causing him to laugh again.  Then his eyes met Viki’s.  “You both do.”  He nodded and wheeled Bobby inside the house.

Viki was overwhelmed.  She didn’t know how to deal with this new turn of events.  Lambhead had been one of her most hated tormenters for so long, but now he seemed like a totally different person.  These men were too confusing to handle.