Behind Blue Eyes (9 page)

“Don’t feel bad. A lot of people don’t like me,” Nuke said as he cracked a smile and winked at him.

“I’m personally going to make sure that you get thrown so far into the hole, you won’t remember what daylight is!”

“You do know that solitary confinement isn’t truly a hole? That’s just an expression. Back in the day you could throw a prisoner in a hole but us criminals got rights now,” Nuke said and grinned again.

“Fuck you, Stuart.”

“You should keep your sexual fantasies about me to yourself,” Nuke shot back.

Detective Lauer stood back up and motioned to one of the patrolmen. “Take this piece of shit downtown, and don’t worry, biker boy. I’m going to make sure the ATF, DEA and any other three-letter government agency is aware that we got us a Hells Vipers on a first-degree murder charge and attempted sexual assault.”

Waterfalls

Pipe was impressed by how well Jasmine was holding it together, but she still appeared tired and had lost some weight since the last time he saw her a week ago.

“Hey,” she said, hugging him as she let Pipe in and closed the front door behind him.

“You doing okay, Harley Quinn?” he asked with a wink.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Can I get you anything to drink? I got some stuff in the cooler.”

“No, no, I’m good,” Pipe replied with a smile.

“Have you heard any news? The lawyer, he’s dodging me. I’m getting on his nerves, I think. I left him several messages yesterday and he hasn’t called me back.” The stress of not knowing was showing on Jasmine’s face.

“No, sweetie, but I know he’s working on things. Nuke will be out before you know it.”

“So everyone keeps telling me. It’s been a while already.”

Pipe looked around the trailer. Each time he came over, more items were missing. The trailer was becoming extremely bare. He reached out and touched her hand. “Are you alright? Do you need money?” He always asked and she always said no. This time was no different but if he came here again in a few days and more things were gone, she was going to take some money from him whether she liked it or not.

“I’m good. Thanks for asking. Since I can’t get in contact with the lawyer, I have something for Mitch. I was going to go by the clubhouse later on this evening but since you’re here, can you take it to him for me, please?”

“Sure.”

Jasmine smiled and said, “Thank you.” She turned and headed toward the bedroom.

Pipe took a seat at the kitchen table. The refrigerator, stove, the flat-screen, all gone since his last visit. It hadn’t clicked in his head until now that she’d said she had some drinks in the cooler, which he noticed was placed on the kitchen counter.

He knew she didn’t have her laptop anymore, either. He frowned; this wasn’t right. Jasmine kept things to herself just like Nuke. They were two peas in a pod.

Jasmine came back into the room and plopped a duffle bag down onto the kitchen table. She let out a deep sigh before she began to speak. “I want my husband out. Like I said, the lawyer is getting sick of talking to me. I need you, Mitch or someone to talk with him for me. I have fifty-five thousand here. I need him out, Pipe! Use it how you see fit to help get that done. Get a new lawyer if need be! Pay people off. I’ll try and get more if this isn’t enough.”

“What the fuck are you doing, Jasmine?” Pipe yelled as he stood up from the table. He screamed at her so loud that she jumped and took a step away from him. “Where in the hell did you get this money from?”

“I sold some things and used the savings we had.”

“Jasmine! The murder charge, all the charges, are null and void. The state charges were dropped. It’s the feds that are looking for something else to try and nail him on now. I know it feels like forever. You have to understand. The state had him, now the feds have him. That’s two different entities. The lawyer is dealing with the feds for us. He’s done it plenty of times, and he’s good at his job. You need to be patient. Nuke can do this time standing on one leg with his eyes closed. They can’t hold him forever. It’s government bullshit.”

“I know. I Googled it,” she said and forced a laugh. “I didn’t know before that the feds could hold you without charging you. It seems unconstitutional.”

“Yeah, it is. Its things like this that people tend to ignore about the government until it has an impact on their lives.”

“Pipe, the last time I spoke to him, he said they were talking about moving him to general population. He thinks it’s some kind of ploy because no one is there to have his back. They want to try and scare him into confessing something. I know how things work. You have to get with your own kind, right?”

“Yes,” Pipe said quietly. “It helps, but…”

“You and I both know that Nuke is not going to hang with the Aryans and they sure as hell aren’t going to have his back now that he’s with me. This world we live in, it’s small, everyone knows about Nuke and I. I’m scared he’s going to be killed inside of those concrete walls. He’s a Hells Vipers with no club to back him. He’s alone in there.”

“I know it’s hard for you to handle. It’s always hard on the women when we get locked down. You’ll get accustomed to it.”

Jasmine scrunched up her brow. “You’re not listening to me. This isn’t just because I miss him. I fear for his safety!”

Pipe looked in the duffle bag. He shook his head with a deep sigh. “Nuke is important to all of us. You have to trust in the club. We’ll do what has to be done to get him released and keep him safe while he’s inside. We’re getting money together, too… but this will help out a lot.”

“I trust all of you, but we need to get him out as soon as possible or at least buy his safety. The threat of not having someone to watch his back is very real and the longer he’s in there, the odds increase that he’ll get into trouble. With Nuke’s record, if he gets convicted on some minor charge, he’ll do hard time.”

Pipe nodded in agreement. Jasmine had caught on quick to their lifestyle and how things went down. “Just be patient, Jasmine, and remember you’re not alone in this. Does Nuke know?”

“Does Nuke know what?” Jasmine asked as she sat down at the table.

“Does he know that you’re selling off practically everything you both own? That you’re living like you don’t have a dime and you have fifty-five grand in a duffle bag? Does he know you’re giving up everything for him? Does he realize what a good woman he has?” The last thing he said out of envy. He already knew the answer.

“I don’t want him to worry about what’s going on here. He’s got enough on his plate, plus I’m sure as hell not going to tell him about this,” Jasmine said as she held up her left hand to show him that her wedding ring was missing.

“Jasmine! He’s going to lose his fucking mind when he finds out about your ring. I don’t think you realize what that symbolizes for him.”

“I do know what it means to him and me both.”

Pipe shook his head. “No, sweetie, I don’t think you do. Nuke, the man who doesn’t talk much, he wouldn’t shut the fuck up about that ring when it was being made for you. Jasmine, you have to get it back! Take the money!” he said and pushed the duffle bag toward her as he shook his head. 

“Pipe stop, please! I feel bad enough.” Jasmine pushed the bag back.

“I know he loves you, but trust me, baby girl, you don’t want to let him see you without that ring on. You’re his territory. That’s his fucking mark on you, more than that property tattoo. Unlike a lot of men, I’ll be the first to admit to it, that ring means something to him. It’s his fucking collar on you. No offense, but you’re his bitch and that’s his leash! Without it, he’s going to read more into it than you trying to raise money for his release and safety. Nuke’s mind will immediately go to the dark stuff and that won’t be good for you.”

Jasmine shook her head with a sigh. “I sold the bike he got me, too. I know he’ll be upset about the ring, but I didn’t know what else to sell. That motorcycle brought the most money. That and my wedding ring.” Jasmine traced a line on the kitchen table with her finger. “I thought about selling the trailer but he needs a place to come home to when he gets out. The more money you have, the more people listen and things move faster. If it’s not enough, I’ll find a way to get more money. I know he’ll be upset but he’ll get over me selling the ring and the bike.” She looked down at her bare finger.

“Jasmine,” Pipe said as he let out another deep sigh. “JASMINE,” he raised his voice and she looked up at him. He needed her full attention. “It’s the ring, not the bike, you need to worry about. Trust me on this! I know him. I’ve known him longer than you. I know you’re his wife and it’s a different kind of relationship but you have to believe me, I FUCKING KNOW HIM. He’s going to lose his damn mind about that wedding ring. Do what you need to do to get it back.” He pushed the bag closer to her.

“I can’t,” she said and shook her head. She looked at him with despair in her eyes. “This is so hard,” she said quietly.

He could tell that she was fighting hard not to cry. He pulled her up to him and held her tight. His feeling for Jasmine always teetered between brotherly and lust. At the moment he felt like her brother. He knew that she needed to let go and cry, which she finally did.

She sobbed onto his shirt until it was soaking wet and her body began to tremble. He feared that her knees were going to go weak. He held onto her even tighter.

“You’re a good woman, Jasmine, but I need you to listen to me and listen to me good.” He half-heartedly pulled back and stared down into her anguish-ridden face. “You have to think ahead. You can’t spend every dime you have on getting him out of jail. If the feds find something to charge him with, you’re going need money for a trial.”

Jasmine sniffed but nodded her head in agreement as she gathered her composure. “We have a nurse that’s leaving the clinic. I’m going to see if they’ll let me come back full-time. I just need him out, Pipe. I’ll… do what I need to do to get more money. Hell, I even though about seeing if I could work at Club Throttle. Do you think Mitch would let me? Not that I could spin my huge ass around on a pole,” Jasmine said and forced a crying laugh. “I could waitress or something. Become a webcam girl, I don’t know.” She forced another laugh. “They do that now, right, upstairs in the rooms over the strip club?”

“Yeah, they do. No disrespect, but have you lost your fucking mind? Don’t even think about doing that. Nuke might read your thoughts or something. You two have that bizarre connection stuff going on! You know he wouldn’t let you do that!”

“It’s just a thought,” Jasmine said quietly. “I mean I get it, I’m not Club Throttle material.”

“Are you fucking kidding me, Harley Quinn?” You’d clean up if you worked there.” He looked her up and down and he had to stop himself from being inappropriate. “The Joker loves you! Just relax for a minute; chill and keep your ass covered! You got a great ass, by the way, and don’t you dare fucking tell Nuke I said that,” Pipe laughed. “I’d have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of my life! Which wouldn’t be a long life!”

Jasmine giggled as she dried her tears with her shirt sleeve.

“Everyone knows that Nuke is…special,” Pipe chuckled.

She laughed even harder as her tears began to trickle down slowly. “He’s unusual about some things, but so am I.”

“Exactly,” he said. “Do you think he’d even let you work at Club Throttle or get naked online?”

“No, but I love him so much!” Her red eyes showed signs of starting up again. “He needs protection. I don’t know what else to do. I don’t know how to help him. I’ve talked and talked with Amy. Everyone keeps on telling me to wait and let the lawyer handle things. I don’t know how to do that. My first instinct is to protect him. I…I know he’s a big, tough outlaw biker,” she said, smiling. “But to me he’s my future baby daddy,” she said, giggling to try to break her own tension.

“I know you love him, sweetheart!” Pipe said as part of him wished he had someone who cared about him as much as Jasmine did about Nuke. Hell, part of him wished it was Jasmine. A small part that was growing bigger than it should.

“We’ve never been apart for more than five days since we got together. This feels like years. I can’t sleep. I’m worried about him being killed. Too many episodes of ‘Lockup Raw’ are burned into my brain.” Jasmine tried to smile again but failed. “They’re messing with him. I’ve only gotten to see him three times. They keep cutting off the phone calls, too, I think. I hate to consider what they’re doing to him inside.”

“Yeah they do that stuff, messing with phone calls, mail, things like that,” Pipe replied. “But Nuke can take care of himself. This isn’t his first rodeo. I’m sure he’s more concerned about you.”

“Yeah, he worries a lot about me. I keep telling him I’m alright. He needs to focus on his own safety.”

“You’re doing well, you really are. You’re holding up great but you have to keep your head clear. I know it’s hard but it’ll be over soon. Then he’ll be released and he’ll be horny as hell when he’s free! You need to eat, build your strength up. Get some rest!” Pipe joked. His phone vibrated and he looked at the message. It was Ella; she wanted to meet downtown at the Greek Festival. Which really meant she wanted him to spend money on her. He glanced over at Jasmine as she wiped away the tears again. He hated to leave her here feeling so alone. “How about we head over to the clubhouse. We could watch a movie there if you like? You need to be around people. It might make you feel better.”

“No Pipe, thanks. I’ll be alright.”

“I could take you out to dinner. I promise to behave!” he said, smiling at her.

“That’s sweet, but I don’t really want to be around people right now. People are mentally exhausting for me, especially right now, but thanks for asking. You really are a nice guy. Cindy was wrong about you. She was wrong about more things than she was right about. I liked you from the moment I met you when you were bleeding all over the place,” she said, smiling at the memory. “You scared the crap out of Cindy.”

“She’s not you. Our relationships are different. I care about you.” Pipe took a step back when he spoke. This wasn’t right, the thoughts going through his mind. He cared about Jasmine and Nuke. He was just jealous and horny. He cracked a weak smile.