Biker Taken (The Lost Souls MC Series Book 6) (14 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Shellie 

He admits he messes up, he admits he knows he doesn’t give me enough attention and it’s a breakthrough I needed to know I’m not being over dramatic and going crazy.  

I’ve been floating on air all day and I loved every minute when John took me into town to buy a new dress for Michael and Kitty’s engagement party tonight.   

Applying the finishing touches to my makeup, John walks into the bedroom ready to leave.  

“You look amazin’, darlin’,” he says, standing in the middle of the room staring at me.  

“Thank you, you don’t look so bad yourself,” I reply, taking in his fresh, denim clad look with his leather cut.  

“Are you ready to go?” he asks, reaching for his keys off the dresser.  

“Yeah, are we driving or riding?”  

“It’s a nice night, I thought we’d ride. Plus, you know I’ll definitely be comin’ home with ya,” he chuckles.  

“Come on, before I don’t want to go at all,” I threaten him.  

I don’t mean it, I’m looking forward to the party, if the club know how to do one thing, it’s celebrate the good times together.  

When we arrive, the party has started and everyone is already well on the way to being drunk of their asses.  

“What do you want to drink?” John asks, leading us to a table away from the bar.  

He’s really making an effort and I’m loving it. I swear, you would’ve thought he only sees the bar, he has a stool there that no one else sits on in case he shows up.  

He even goes to the point of pulling out a chair for me and briefly kisses me before I sit down.  

“I think I’ll have a vodka and ice please.” 

John disappears to the bar, leaving me at the table and I watch how everyone tries to stop him as he passes his brothers but he greets them and carries on.  

I can’t stop the broad smile creeping hard on my face and I relax for the first time in a long time. Tonight is a high and I’m going to enjoy it.  

“Hey Shell, it’s good to see ya,” Micky booms, making me jump.  

I didn’t see him and Flo come in and they too, join our table.  

“Hey, I couldn’t miss Michael’s engagement party, I had to see for myself it was true,” I laugh and it feels good.  

“I know what you mean, I couldn’t believe it when Mick told me the news,” Flo says. 

“Where’s Oak?”  

“He’s getting the drinks.” 

Micky heads off and joins him, leaving Flo and I on our own.  

“So, how are things going between you and Oak? I heard you showed up here beating him with a pillow the other morning.” 

“I think it helped,” I chuckle, “he’s been great, we had a proper chat after and he admitted he knows he spends too much time here.” 

“I dread to think what it’s going to be like when we move to town, with the baby due soon, it’s only right they have their own space at the house, but if I don’t make the trip out here with him all the time, how much is he going to be home?”  

At least I’m not the only one who cares how much time their man spends here compared to at home.  

“It is hard,” I sigh, “but, Micky loves the bones of you. I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about.” 

It’s true, Micky is very public with how he feels about Flo and he doesn’t care where they are or who’s around them, if he wants to kiss her, he will. If he wants to declare his love for her, he will. Anything he wants to do for her, he does. 

“Oak loves you too, Shell, there’s no denying that.” 

“I know he loves me. I just want him around home more to show me. I know he’s a part of the club and I understand he needs to be here, but it’s like he doesn’t try to balance us. That’s what hurts.” 

“I’m sure he’ll get it soon.” 

I’m sure he won’t but it’s my problem and she wouldn’t fully understand until she has to go through it for herself. Only then, will she know what it feels like.  

John and Micky are back with our drinks and John pulls his chair close to mine and drapes his arm around my shoulder.  

Micky might as well have Flo on his lap I don’t think they can get any closer than they are right now.  

“Hold up, what’s Michael lookin’ pissed about? It’s his night,” John comments, finding it amusing.  

“Ha, look at the door,” Micky laughs.  

Everyone at the table looks towards the exit, Kitty looks beautiful if not a little underdressed in a skimpy black dress, making her legs look a mile long. Her red hair flames brightly and is curled to perfection and her eyes are smouldering.  

He storms over to her and tries pulling her dress down a little but it has disastrous effects and shows more cleavage, when he tries to cover her breasts, more of her ass uncovers. He isn’t winning against this dress and the scene has the whole table bursting into laughter.  

“How cute is he tonight?” Flo giggles.  

“Cute? Michael Blake isn’t fuckin’ cute, he’s the furthest thing from cute,” John laughs, “and this is his comeuppance, Kitty will definitely keep him on his toes.” 

“You’ve got that right, brother,” Micky agrees and then frowns, “she looks like shit, don’t she,” he states.  

Mark helps Rayna in and over to one of the couches. She looks tired and very pale and it isn’t a shocker that when Kitty goes over to her girls, Michael is beside Rayna faster than a snake.  

He really shouldn’t marry Kitty if he loves another woman more than her, but I can understand why she puts up with it, she loves him like crazy. 

“I’m glad you came tonight,” John whispers in my ear.  

“Me too.” 

It’s a good night and John is the one who mentions leaving first. I don’t have to drag him home or have to drag his ass to his room and stay the night at the club.  

Maybe our chat had the effect I’ve been desperately waiting for. 

Chapter Twenty-Five
 

Oak 

“Are you going to stay for a drink?” Micky asks, as we park our bikes after returning from our first extra run Denzel ordered us on.  

“I’ll stay for one, then I better get home.” 

Shellie and I have been good over the last few days and I don’t want to rock the boat between us now. We’re a day late coming home on account Pope’s tyre blew out half way back and Mark and I stayed with him, so she’ll probably be wondering where I am already. I did call her and let her know the deal but she hung up and didn’t let me finish.  

I always need a drink with my brothers after a run to wind down and today isn’t going to be different. Michael didn’t connect with the guy we dropped the shipment off too and the whole time making the exchange was tense. We were waiting for Michael to kick off and when he didn’t, I was actually proud of him. 

The bar isn’t particularly busy and I settle on my stool at the bar and the prospect slides a beer my way.  

“I should’ve known you’d stop here first,” I hear and look over my shoulder, Shellie here in person.  

“You can never just come straight home, can you?” she moans.  

Why is she here? I told her I’d be home today and I would’ve been if she had given me the chance.  

“John Johnson, do you plan on coming home today? I’m sick of having to drag my ass up here just to see you,” she yells, gaining the attention of every fucker in here.  

“I told you I’d be home at some point today, today isn’t done yet. Go home, Shellie and I’ll deal with you later. You’re making a scene,” I growl.  

His face turns three shades red before she spits sarcastically, “Oh, I’m sorry, am I embarrassing you? If you were home more I wouldn’t have to make a scene in front of your precious club.” 

She’s pushing buttons that didn’t have to be pushed and for what? Because I didn’t come straight home like a whipped man.  

Sliding off my stool, I stand close to her and loom over her short height, she doesn’t flinch or back down.  

“Watch what you say next, darlin’.” 

“Or what?” she retorts, raising one eyebrow.  

Anger is coursing through my veins and I breathe in through my nose and slowly release it out of my mouth before I can utter a word.  

“Go home, I’ll meet you there soon.” 

“Will you? Will you actually leave here just to come home and argue with me?” she mocks.  

She can bet her fine ass I will.  

“Go home,” I end up yelling down at her.  

Her eyes fill with tears and when the spill over and fall down her cheek, I’m pretty certain she might not even let me back in the house.  

“Screw you, Oak. How long do you think I’m going to stick around and put up with this?”  

Oak? She has never called me Oak before. To her, I am John, I always have been.  

She turns and leaves and when I look around, everyone quickly looks away and makes themselves look busy returning to their conversations.  

A tumbler of whiskey appears in front of me and I knock it back in one. I could do with the whole bottle and I refrain from throwing the glass across the bar. I can usually stay here when Shellie’s pissed but I’m more than pissed with her and I need to be home now.  

I don’t bother saying goodbye to anyone and head for my bike. Mark and Michael are bonding over some shit and I nod their way and climb on my bike. The engine roars to life and I thrash the throttle and in no time I’m riding up behind Shellie’s car. I follow her into town and onto our street. 

She has the audacity to ignore me as she climbs out of her car and struts into the house, slamming the door shut before I’ve made it off my bike.  

Slugging my ass up to the porch, the door isn’t locked and I throw it open. Banging and clanging comes from the kitchen and that’s where I head.  

“What the fuck was that?” 

“I’m fed up of waiting on you to come home all the time.” 

“I told you I would be back today, but you had to rock up at the club and show me up.” 

I’m not apologising this time, she’s crossed a line today and I’m not holding it in.  

“I showed you up? You show me up all the time,” she screams. 

“Why are you still here then?” I shout back.  

Her eyes start to go crazy and she grabs the mug that is closest to her, I duck in time as it hurtles over my head and smashes against the wall. 

“Stop fuckin’ throwin’ shit.” 

“Why? Are you the one who cleans it up? I don’t fucking think so,” she argues. 

“I’m the one who fuckin’ pays for it all to be replaced, but I’m tellin’ you now, throw one more thing at me, I ain’t gonna replace it.” 

I won’t either, I’m getting sick of having to pay for new dishes all the time.  

“Really?” she mutters, sarcastically and takes her time reaching for another mug.  

Holding my hand up, I struggle to keep my voice low when I say, “Throw it and I’m leavin’, I won’t come back, Shell.” 

An evil laugh bursts from her and she keeps a hold on the mug.  

“Why don’t you just admit you don’t want to come home at all. It will make our lives a lot easier…” 

“Of course I want to come home, but not when all I get is your crazy ass screeching at me again and again. Believe it or not, I was only havin’ one drink and I was coming back, now this is the shit I get, I can’t win with you, can I?” I yell. 

Moving further into the kitchen, I open the refrigerator and grab a beer. I need to take the edge of the day.  

Slumping onto a chair at the table, I take a long pull from the bottle and watch Shellie as she turns her attention to cleaning the broken mug.  

“Leave it, I’ll do it later. We need to talk and get this sorted once and for all.” 

Reluctantly she does as I say, and using my boot, I kick the chair out for her to sit.  

“We’ve been in a good place lately, which makes today uncalled for. You’ve told me your worries for me and you know I don’t do shit purpose, so today, we either put this crap behind us or one of us has to go, cause neither of us can carry on living like this.” 

A stray tear falls down her cheek and she rapidly swipes it away with her sleeve.  

“You’d kick me out with nowhere to go because I want you to spend more time at home with me?”  

Her voice is tender and the anger is gone.  

“You know I wouldn’t do that to you. I just said one of us in the heat of the moment. I’d stay at the club and you’d have this place, we’d work something out.” 

“You’d have your perfect life that way, wouldn’t you? Me here without you and you at the club without having me show up and embarrass you.” 

Inhaling deeply, I roll my neck and try my damnedest to rise above the petty arguing that only leads us in circles.  

“It’s not what I want at all but I will leave, Shell. You put all the blame on me for not being here, but I can’t be here twenty-four seven, and I think that’s what you expect from me so shit like today is bound to continue and I can’t do it.” 

“I don’t expect you here all the time, you’d drive me crazy if you were. It feels like you put the club first and it hurts.” 

“It doesn’t matter what I say, does it? You’re always going to have a comeback against me. This is what I’m talking about, you never let shit go and it goes on for too long. One minute we’re fine and then as soon as I do something you don’t like, boom, a fuckin’ argument. Fuck, today you didn’t even give me the chance to fuck up before you were shoutin’ your mouth off.” 

She hangs her head in her hands and her hair falls and covers my view of her. Leaning forward, I tuck it all back behind her ear and force her chin up so I can get a look of her.  

“I love every crazy bone in your body and I love my club, I’ll never choose between you and I’ll never put one against the other. Sometimes the club will need me and sometimes you will need me, and I’ll always be there for you. You’re my woman, Shell and you always will be, but you know this and you know when it comes to the important shit, I’m here with you. Stop pickin’ fights with me.” 

“I don’t want to fight with you, John…” 

“Then don’t,” I cut her off, “Be happy, be the woman I met and who wanted to live life like I did. I miss her, I really fuckin’ do, darlin’.” 

A small smile plays at the corner of her mouth and her hand finds mine over the table.  

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shown up at the club like that...” 

Someone pounding at the front door snaps her away from her apology and she releases my hand.  

“I’ll get it.” 

I sit back and drain the rest of my beer when I hear Mark ask to talk to me. He walks in behind Shellie and takes in the mess around us.  

“I’ll leave you to it,” she says, slipping back out the room.  

Mark takes the chair Shellie was just sat in and sits himself down. After hearing the bedroom door close upstairs, he pulls out his smokes and lights one up.  

“I won’t keep you long, looks like I interrupted something,” he begins.  

“It’s nothin’, and it’s sorted now. What’s up?”  

Well, I hope it is anyway. 

“You saw the way Michael reacted to Blow, what do you think about him missing the next run?” 

I wasn’t expecting to hear this. Mark never excludes Michael from anything, he accounts for an outburst or he can always diffuse a situation Michael leads out of control.  

“I don’t think it would hurt, the guy looked as hot headed as Michael is, the two together could lose business for all. However, Michael won’t put up with being excluded for long. Do you have a plan of what to say to him?”  

Sighing, he says, “Ray’s going to cut my balls off when she finds we’ve got another run before the baby’s due but if Michael were to stay behind, she might not be so bad and if there’s anyone Michael would stay for it, it’s my wife.” 

I nod, agreeing with him. Mark’s known from the day Michael first laid eyes on Rayna, that he liked her and over time it turned into love. Him and Rayna are the real deal and he has infinite trust in her and doesn’t worry about anyone coming between them, not even his blood brother.  

“When are you gonna tell him?”  

“Not until I have to,” he huffs. 

“For a smooth run with no kick offs, Michael stayin’ behind would be a good bet, but it isn’t gonna be a permanent solution.” 

“I hear you, anyway, I best get back. Keep what we spoke about between us, yeah?” he asks stupidly, rising to his feet.  

“Of course I will, I’ll see you out.” 

Walking him to the door, I wonder what it would be like to run a club and have to constantly reign in a reckless brother. Mark handles it well but I know my friend, he takes every one and every problem to heart and doesn’t stop until everything is running smoothly. It’s bound to take its toll and with Rayna struggling through this pregnancy, my friend has it coming from all directions.  

“I’m gonna stick around here, I’ll see you at the club tomorrow.” 

He turns around on the porch and looks worried for me.  

“Is everything good with you two?” he asks.  

It takes a lot for one of us to ask each other’s business so when we do, it’s normally over something we feel is serious.  

“It will be,” I assure him.  

“Good, okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

We’ll be fine, shit will work out, I know it will.