Renegade Reject (26 page)

I shrug.  “It’s not the first time. I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

His eyes narrow as he runs a finger over my aching cheek.  “Fuck yeah, it will be.  That bitch will never touch you again.”

He leads me to the couch and pulls me into his arms, rocking back and forth as he starts to talk.

“I heard what your mom said.  Don’t listen to the cunt.  She’s gonna pay for this and a hell of a lot more.”

“No, she’s not.  She never does.” I shake my head. 

“She’ll pay for this shit.  What she did to Preach is something that the club won’t forgive.  She tried to turn brother against brother.  Hitting you, babe, that’s just the final nail in her coffin.”

“What if she’s right about Preach?  What if he doesn’t step up for our baby?”

He shakes his head.  “He fucked up.  I know he did, but my brother cares about you.  He’ll do what’s right.  He’s been living in a world of hurt, thinking he hit you.  Once the truth comes out, he’ll get his shit together.”

I lean into him, placing my head in the crook of his neck.  I hope he’s right, but I don’t know.  “Why couldn’t I have fallen in love with someone else, someone other than Preach?  Anyone else would have been the better option.”

“I don’t know, Daisy.  I don’t think we get to choose who we love.”

“I sometimes wonder if I’m just looking for the Preach I fell in love with, but I think that man’s gone.”

He squeezes me tight.  “He’s there.  You just got to give him time to find himself again.”

We’re quiet for a few minutes before Timber motions for me to stand up.  “Go pack you a bag.  We’ll get the rest of your stuff later.  You ain’t spending another night in this shithole.”

PREACH

I’m lying around in my room, sober as fuck and thankfully alone.  I look around, and the past few years come crashing back.  The place is a fuckin’ mess.  Used condoms and dirty clothes, half of which aren’t mine, cover the floor.  More than a few empty bottles are scattered about, reminding me of all the time I devoted to staying fucked up. This is what I’ve become.  This is what one fucked up blowjob got me. What a fuckin’ idiot I am. 

I’m thinking about how different my life would be, if I had never met Leah, when my door crashes open. Timber walks in, kicking shit out of his way.  He stands a few feet from my bed, glaring at me and angry as fuck. “Did you know that bitch, Lula, has been hitting Daisy?”

“What?” I ask, feeling the blood drain from my face. 

“That cunt beat the shit out of her earlier.”

“No,” I whisper out, too shocked to really speak. 

“Yeah, man.  That bitch beat your woman, and you didn’t even know.  You’re too fuckin’ absorbed in your own shit to even consider what Daisy is going through.  You know she wanted to keep the two of you apart, but you never considered what would happen when Lula found out she was pregnant.  You only care about your fuckin’ self!”

“She hit her?” I ask him, climbing from the bed.

“Yeah, you fuckwit.  Maker left his wallet on the bar.  Figured I would drop it off on my way to The Kitty Kat.  When I got there, Lula was giving Daisy hell.”

“What happened?”

He shrugs, his body tight with tension.  “I don’t really know.  I was hanging back, trying not to be seen.  I heard Lula saying some shit about you not stepping up, and Daisy becoming a club whore to take care of the baby.  Then some shit was said that I need to talk to Kidd about.  A few minutes later, Lula stormed out of the garage, and Daisy was crying.”

Timber runs his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated as fuck. “When I got in there, Daisy was curled up on the floor crying.  Her face was already starting to bruise, and when I got her off the floor, she was limping a little.  Even though I didn’t see it, I’m guessing that the cunt not only punched her, but kicked her a few times as well.  Bitch was lucky I just wanted to get Daisy out of there, or I would’ve put a bullet in her fuckin’ head.”

I shake my head, anger coursing through me.  “Nah, brother.  That bitch is mine.”

He’s too pissed to even hear my words. “I don’t know what the fuck Maker was thinking, marrying that bitch.  He could’ve had Brenda, but no, he had to fuck shit up and cheat on her with that whore.  Brenda was a good woman.  I’m glad she left his cheating ass, but losing her killed Maker.  He’s so fuckin’ drunk all the damn time, he probably doesn’t even realize what’s going on under his own damn roof.”

As soon as the words leave his mouth, he stares at me.  “Shit, man.  You’re just like Maker.  You lost your woman and fell the fuck apart.  If you don’t make things right with her, you’re gonna be him in a few years.”

Fuck!  He’s right. The mess my life is right now proves it.  I got to talk to her.  “Where’s Daisy at now?”

“I took her over to Chipper’s.  She’s taking Jenna’s old bedroom for a few days,” he says then turns to walk toward the door.  Just as he steps out, he looks over his shoulder.  “Just so you know, it was a lie.  I heard the bitch telling Daisy that she told Wayne you hit her, just to keep you guys apart.  You stumbled into her, and she fell.  That shit’s bad enough, but at least you didn’t hit her.”

As soon as his words hit me, I drop my head and do something I haven’t done in years. I pray. 
Thank you, God.  Thank you.

Chapter Twenty

DAISY

I open the door and see Preach standing on Chipper’s front porch.  Shit!  Mom’s admission changed some things, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to forgive him yet.  Right now, I just need a little time.  “Chipper’s not here.”

He steps past me, walking into the living room.  “I know that.  He was sitting in the clubhouse when I left.”

My eyes follow him as I shut the door.  “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you,” he says, folding his arms across his chest.  “We need to talk.”

I’m gonna kill Timber next time I see him.  He’s the only one that could’ve told Preach I was here.  Even Chipper doesn’t know I’ve invaded his home yet.  If Timber told him where I was, he probably told him everything else that happened too. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”

His arms drop down to his sides as he starts to stride toward me.  “You may not have anything to say, but I sure in the hell do.”

I start to move backwards, until I feel the wall at my back.  “No, not right now.  I can’t take any more heartache right now.  When we talk, that’s all I ever get.”

“I fuckin’ love you.  I’ve loved you since I first saw you.  I’ll love you until I take my last breath,” he says, gently placing his hand on my bruised face. 

His words are like a punch to the gut, causing pain to radiate through my whole body.  “You don’t love me.  You may think you do, but you don’t hurt the person you love the way you’ve hurt me.”

“Shit, baby.  I’m so sorry,” he says, regret flashing through his eyes.  “If I could take it all back, I would.”

“But, you can’t.  Some things can never be taken back.”

He leans his forehead against mine, wrapping his arms around me.  “I know.  Believe me, I know.”

I should push him away, but I can’t.  It feels so good to be in his arms again.  He walks us into the living room.  Sitting down on the couch, he pulls me on top of him.  “That shit your mom said I did, it brought up some stuff from my past.  It fucked me up in the head.”

I crawl off his lap and sit on the opposite end of the couch, too angry to be that close to him.  “What happened?  What are you talking about?”

Something flashes through his eyes, and I’m pretty damn sure it’s guilt.  “I have a sister.  Her name is Tabby.”

“You’ve never mentioned her before.”

“I can’t talk about her. It hurts too fuckin’ bad,” he says, shaking his head.  “I will, but I’m gonna need some time.  I gotta get my shit straight first.  As soon as I do, I’m gonna tell you everything.”

I’m still trying figure out what any of this has to do with his sister when he leans over and places a soft kiss on my bruised cheek.  “That bitch is gonna pay for that too.”

I have to force myself to pull away, knowing if I don’t make him leave now, I never will.  “You need to go.  When the time comes for you to tell me what’s going on, I’ll listen.  Until then, I need you to leave me alone.”

He stares at me for a long moment before nodding his head and standing up.  “I’ll leave, but if you need me, all you got to do is call.  I promise I’ll answer from now on.”

Right before stepping outside, he looks back at me.  “It might take me awhile to get things fixed.  While I’m working on it, just remember that I love you.”

PREACH

Walking away from her again is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I know I gotta give her time, and I need some myself.  I want to go back in there and give her the answers she needs, to tell her anything to have her back by my side, but it’s not the right time yet.  I have to sober the fuck up for good first.  Then I can face the rest of my demons.

I take one last look at the house before turning on my bike.

Twenty minutes later, I walk back into the clubhouse.  I received a text on my way back calling church, so I walk straight to the Pres’ office.  Most of my brothers are already there, so I slide into my chair beside Timber and wait for Kidd to start. It doesn’t take long.

“I’ve got something to tell you that some already know, but a few of you don’t.” He looks around the room, eyes narrowing on Holt and Wayne.  “No one leaves this fuckin’ room until I’m done, and no fuckin’ weapons better be drawn.”

Oh, shit!  I know what’s coming next. 

“Daisy’s pregnant,” he states, matter-of-factly. 

Wayne and Holt bolt up out of their seats, looking ready to run out to find her.  Reese places a hand on both of their shoulders, tilting his chin to their seats.  “Sit your asses down until the Pres tells you that you can leave.”

They do as they’re told, but neither man is happy.  Wayne leans forward, eyes blazing at me.  “You better not have touched my granddaughter.”

Kidd looks toward me.  I slowly let out the breath I’ve been holding and say, “I did, and I plan to do a hell of a lot more of it in the future.”

This time, it takes both Reese and Rum to hold the men in their seats.  Wayne shakes off Rum’s hold and narrows his eyes at me.  “What the fuck, Preach?  We told you what would happen if you got near her.”

I’m about to respond when Kidd interrupts me.  “Yeah, I heard about that little conversation.  We’re gonna have a talk about that later.  Just for your information, I’m pissed as fuck that you went behind my back like you did.”

“The bastard hit her.  Our girl deserves better than that!” Holt shouts.

I want to defend myself, but I can’t.  “You’re right.  She does deserve better than that.  You’re also wrong, though. I didn’t hit her.”

“Don’t try to lie, motherfucker.  Lula saw you!” Wayne shouts.

Timber leans forward, placing his hands flat against the table.  “About an hour ago, I listened to Lula telling Daisy that she lied to you.  I’m sorry, brother, but your daughter played you.”

I can see shock pass over Wayne’s face.  It’s quickly replaced with anger.  “Fuck!”

Holt shakes his head.  “That doesn’t change a thing.  He’s not good enough for Daisy.”

“No I’m not, but I’m still gonna claim her.  I screwed up, but I promise that shit won’t happen again.”

Holt leans forward, placing his hands on the table.  “No, you won’t, because you’re getting nowhere near my Daisy girl.”

I’m just about to come out of my seat when Kidd shouts.  “Shut the fuck up!”

He looks around the room, making sure everyone knows who is in charge.  “Preach fucked up, and he’ll pay for that, but that’s not why we’re here today.  We need to talk about Lula.”

Wayne leans back, running a shaking hand through his long gray hair.  “What the fuck did my daughter do this time?”

“Like Timber said, she played you.”

He nods.  “I know, but that’s family business.  It doesn’t have anything to do with the club.”

“The fuck it doesn’t!” Holt shouts.  “The cunt didn’t just play you and me.  She tried to play the whole club.  Don’t you realize that if we would’ve brought this to Kidd, Preach could have lost his cut for something he didn’t even do?”

Wayne shakes his head.  “Shit, shit, shit...  She played brother against brother, broke the golden fuckin’ rule.  We tried to raise her right, but somehow Mary and I fucked up with that girl.  We tried, but I swear she was born with something evil inside her. ”

“Not your fault.  Some people just are who they are, no matter how you raise them.  On that note, Timber here just came from dropping Daisy off at Chipper’s place.  Bitch beat the shit out of her,” Kidd says, letting them know just how far his daughter had sunk.

Wayne stands up and walks across the room, sending his fist against the wall.  “I’ve protected her for years, but I’m done.  She’s no longer under my protection.  She’s not my daughter anymore.”

The room goes silent, taking in the meaning of Wayne’s words.  As Maker’s old lady, Lula should be protected, but their relationship is shaky at best.  It wouldn’t take much to get him to cut her loose. 

“I vote we bury that bitch.  I’m sure Maker wouldn’t mind either.  Fuckin’ hates her,” Timber says, voicing my thoughts.

Kidd smiles.  “Or we let Ice go a few rounds with her.  Either way, I’m good.”

“Can’t kill an Old Lady, man.  You know that, but we can have fun with her until Maker sobers up enough to cut her loose, and then we can end her,” Reese says.

Kidd loses his smile and nods.  Looking at Reese, he says, “No, man.  We can’t kill her, but we can cut her loose.  As far as I’m concerned, no matter what Maker says, she’s an outcast.”

“No,” Holt says, walking back toward the table.  “Wayne and I’ll tell her.”

“We’ll tell her, but that’s it.  If I know my daughter, she won’t let it drop.  She’ll be madder than fuck, and there’s no telling what she’ll do,” Wayne says, vibrating with anger. “If she fucks up again, do what you gotta do.  Just do me a favor and leave Holt and me out of the loop.  Mary may hate the way Lula turned out, but losing her daughter is gonna kill her.  We don’t want no part in causing her that pain.”