AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” I wheeze out. When did that happen? What is he talking about?
“Think back, dollface. You’ve been mine since the day I set eyes on you. I’ve claimed you.” And then he adds, “And Noah too.” I’m too stunned to speak. I know my mouth is gaping, and I can’t seem to do a thing about it, but he can. A gentle finger comes under my chin, putting slight pressure on it to guide my mouth shut. “This isn’t how I wanted this conversation to go. I’ve caught you off guard, and you need to think on it,” he says, his eyes warm and endearing.
I nod.
“I’m sorry, baby. I can’t give you a lot of time. I saw your father last night, and he’s not going to go away.” I gasp, but he ignores it. “I also saw your reaction. Shit is not right. I don’t know how much Noah knows about his dad. I’m guessing not much, but I can’t protect him unless I hear what you have to say.” He’s already close, but he steps even closer, toe to toe and nose to nose. “That man scares you. I felt it from where I was standing. He doesn’t get to do that to you. As much as you think you may have this under control, you don’t. Which means you may not ask for help, but you’re getting it anyway. Tonight, Noah’s going to be busy at the compound. I’ll make it so. I’m coming here, bringing dinner, and you’re going to tell me what the hell is going on. Are you with me?”
I want to be with him, so much. But Mom trusted in a man and got a life full of misery. I’ve seen it happen time and time again. That’s not what I want for myself. I want to live and breathe free. Mom was trapped, and with me and Noah to think about, she didn’t live life. She barely existed.
Yet, for whatever reason, my mouth goes against everything my brain is thinking and says, “I’m with you.” Then he slides his nose against mine. I feel his breath against my skin. I shut my eyes and inhale his manly scent. When his palm cups my cheek, I let my eyes drift open.
If I could stop the world and freeze time, this would be the moment I choose. He grazes his lips lightly over mine. “You stay put today, dollface. Until we know what we’re dealing with, I want you safe.”
“Okay,” I manage to mumble before I lose his touch, and he saunters out the same way he came.
* * *
Wildcard
That didn’t go as expected,but I’ve given her something to think about, and tonight, we’ll delve deeper into her situation. In the meantime, I’m meeting my brothers at the compound. As a club, we decided to take Noah on, and because of that, Charlotte came along for the ride. Although, she’s made her own imprint on the club. The Lady Pride adore her, especially Willow. They’ve become quite close.
Then there’s Vi, Orion’s wife. She a firecracker! Vi comes across as strong, but she’s truly a sweetheart. She and my Charli both love fashion, Vi in the form of jewelry and accent pieces, her words not mine, while Charli loves to create fashionable clothes.
I don’t think any of us had a clue as to the extent of her talent until she created a one-of-a-kind wedding dress for Willow. I’m the first to say that I know nothing about fashion, but Willow looked amazing. Since that day, Vi has been working with Charlotte on creating some dress designs and selling them on her website. Ava and Sofia have approached Charlotte as well.
According to Guard, I haven’t kept it a secret that I was interested in Charlotte, but today, I’m making it official. I’m also going to ask for their help in getting to the bottom of who her father is and what he’s really doing in town.
Before I meet with my brothers, there’s someone else I want to talk with. I hop on my bike and head over to the high school. If I time it right, Noah will just be arriving. Not that I want or need his permission to see his sister, but I know what they’ve been through and how protective he is of her.
The first time we met Noah, he was in trouble and part of a rival gang. When he was caught trying to burn down the garage, he thought his life was over, and normally, he would be right. It was Roscoe who saw Noah for what he really was, a young kid pressured into doing something he wanted no part of. Noah actually told us to kill him and end his sister’s suffering. He thought if he were gone, she’d move on. But Guard knew that Noah was worth the effort.
What he did takes guts. The more time I spend with Noah, the more I know he’s a good kid and is going to grow into a great man. He’s too young to prospect yet, although I was only six months older when Guard let me into the Pride. If he chooses the brotherhood, then we’ll all be there to support him.
I’ll never forget the first time I met Guard. It was a cold and rainy day, perfect weather for how I was feeling. I hadn’t eaten in three days. I could hardly move, I was so banged up from the beating I took on the streets from some bigger guys, just wanting to pick on the little guy. I came to the cemetery to die near my one and only friend.
Not that I deserved to be with her. I hadn’t been able to save her. I tried, but it’d been too late. The thought of the day she died still makes me shudder. The intensity of emotions washes over me again, and I force myself to keep my eyes on the road.
Guard saw something in me that I thought was long forgotten and lost. I couldn’t even get up from the muddy puddle I was going to make my final resting place. He had to carry me out. He asked me one question: “Are you ready to start living?”
Christ! Up until that moment, my answer would have been “No. Let me go.” Yet, for whatever reason, the dam burst open, and I wept. I cried so hard and so much, I thought I was going to vomit, but I whispered a “Yes.” He asked me nothing else and took me to the club.
I didn’t meet anyone else for three days, and in those days, I was showered and clean, and Guard brought me food. Soup at first, because I was so malnourished, I wouldn’t be able to handle anything else. Slowly, he introduced me to his brothers, who are now my brothers too. They accepted me and asked no questions.
It’s not to say they weren’t curious, but they gave me my space. I became a prospect and worked my ass off to prove myself. I even took a knife to the gut for Steady’s woman, Camille. That was a rocky start to a friendship with my man Priest, who’s now one of my best friends.
Shit! I’ve come a long way. We all have. All led by Guard. And let’s not forget Ghost. He’s another man I owe. He and Guard are the only ones who know what happened that night with Teresa, a sweet girl who had her innocence stripped away so violently that even now, it turns my stomach.
The school is buzzing with activity. Kids, buses, and teachers are everywhere. But you can’t miss Noah. He sits under a big oak tree, nose in a book, doing as he promised his sister and Guard, studying hard. He hears the rumble of pipes and looks up to see me. He even smiles like his sister.
As I get closer, he stands and comes to meet me halfway.
“Hey, Wildcard, what’s up, man?” He takes my hand and comes in for a manly hug and a slap on the back.
“Checking up on you, kid. Good to see that you’re hitting the books,” I joke.
Noah lifts the book. “Can’t put it down. The study of historical figures and their effect on today’s current situation.” He rolls his eyes. He hates it, but he’s doing the work.
“No joke, kid. History repeats itself, and we don’t want a repeat of war. There’s merit in there, and it’s unfortunate that people close their eyes to it. I get not wanting to dredge up the past, but be prepared, because evil rears its ugly head often.”
