AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sukie’s mom sits on the sofa beside her. “You wouldn’t have injured yourself if it weren’t for me.”
Sukie lays her hand on her mom’s knee. “It’s not your fault horrible people threw a brick through our window.”
“What?” My face heats, and anger twists in my gut. “Who?”
“We suspect it was Wayne Jones. He and some of his family have been terrorizing us for a few months now,” Sukie’s mom says.
“Mom,” Sukie whispers.
“It has to stop, sweetheart,” her mom retorts.
The longer I stand here, the more my rage grows. Before long, it will need an outlet, and I plan to release it on the son of a bitch responsible for the fear and unease I’m witnessing right now in both Sukie and her mom. My jaw is clenched so tightly that it feels as if it might break.
Sukie looks at me, her eyes reflecting the tribulations the vile people in this town have put them through. I kneel, bringing myself to eye level with the woman who holds me captive.
“I’ll take care of everything. Wayne and the damage to your house.”
“It’s not your cross to carry, Harlem.”
“I’m making it my burden.”
A single tear rolls down her cheek, and I wipe it away with my thumb. I fight the urge to lean down and claim her mouth. The last thing I need is to get involved with anyone. I can’t risk it.
I can’t stay here any longer, not with temptation so close. I have to get out before I do something I would regret.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I stand, turn, and walk away.
Once outside, I walk around the house, inspecting the damaged window. That’s when I notice the wordmurdererpainted red across the side of the home, somewhat hidden beneath a thin coat of paint. Intense and overwhelming rage consumes me, and my muscles tense and coil. Every nerve in my body is on edge. The anger inside is a monster, clawing and scratching to be set free.
As I ride away on my motorcycle, I can’t help but think about Sukie and how she looked at me with vulnerability. I know I can’t have her, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting her. I’m used to getting what I want. But with her, I can’t. I have to keep my distance, for her safety and mine.
A short drive later, I’m rolling up and parking my bike outside a small bar that the Jones brothers own. It’s a dive hole for many unsavory folks in town. As I walk inside the dimly lit bar, the pungent stench of stale beer, cigarette smoke, and body odor assaults my senses. My boots stick to the floor where spilled drinks never got mopped up, and the walls are yellowed from tobacco. Laughter and slurred speech mixes with music coming from an old jukebox. A bartender with a permanent scowl eyes me, then walks to the far end of the bar. I watch him lean over and talk to the man I’m looking for: Wayne Jones.
He locks eyes with me. “What the fuck do you want, biker?”
“You, you dickless piece of shit.”
Wayne stands and steps around the bar. I size the bastard up. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in muscle.
His lip curls. “You’re not welcome here.” He sizes me up as well.
“You weren’t welcome either when you threw a brick through Sukie’s window.”
Wayne chuckles. “Ah, hell. Do you have a sweet spot for the Pierce girl?” He rubs his chin, smirking. “She does look like a woman who is good on her knees.” Wayne then grabs his crotch. “Maybe next time I’ll see for myself.”
My anger boils over into unbridled rage. I reach for a half-empty whiskey bottle sitting on the bar and break it against the side of his head. He stumbles to the side, using a table nearby to brace himself. Wayne recovers quickly, and swings at me, and his right hook cracks my jaw. I shake off the blow and land one of my own on the other side of his head; then I fist his hair and repeatedly drive his face into my knee. I lift him off the floor, slam his body into a table, and relentlessly land blows to his face.
I pause long enough to give him a warning. “You fuck around and mess with Sukie or her mom again, and I will cut off your dick and shove it down your fuckin’ throat. Then I’ll kill you, motherfucker.” I wait for my message to sink in before delivering a final blow, rendering the bastard unconscious.
I step back, exit the bar, and walk over to my bike. I swing my leg over the seat and settle into the saddle. I take a deep breath, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins, and rev the engine.
No matter how much it goes against everything I feel, I intend to keep Sukie at arm’s length. That doesn’t mean I won’t do all I can to protect her.
6
SUKIE
The sound of a drill wakes me from sleep. I blink several times, thinking it’s a dream, then roll over to go back to sleep. My body starts to melt back into slumber when the drill sounds again. This time, I know I’m not dreaming. I shoot up in bed. The sun is barely peeking through the curtains. I cut my eyes to the bedside table and snatch up my phone. It is barely seven in the morning, and I still have about half an hour before I have to be up.
