Love That Defies Us Read online

  LOVE THAT DEFIES US

  Copyright © 2015 M.N. Forgy

  Edited by Hot Tree Editing

  Cover by Louisa DiMaggio, LM Book Creations

  Formatted by Max Effect

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fictions. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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  The bottom of my boot lodges between Mr. Bowen’s chin and collarbone perfectly. I slightly apply pressure against his throat, making him squirm in fear. His head is buzzed, holding just enough hair to give that scruffy look, his scalp creasing with wrinkles as he struggles beneath me. His brown eyes which are way too big for his long face squint with worry, and his hairy hands grab at my boot, which is currently choking him.

  “You got our money, Mr. Bowen?” Bobby sneers, squatting next to the guy’s head.

  “I-” he begins, but can’t get the words out from my boot pressed so tightly against his throat. I lightly ease up on his throat. Not that I want to; I feed off other people’s fear. That feeling of having the control to end someone’s life as you see fit is an addictive high only the worst people in this world can relate to. I thirst for another’s blood; it helps me feel like I’m in control of my own life. Well, it used to help me feel in control, anyway. Before I went and fell in love with a woman named Dani. She threw my craving for blood out the window. As long as I have her, I feel like I can breathe, that I can make it to tomorrow. This right here, the guy squirming beneath my boot, is nothing but a typical house call for the MC. Fucker owes us money, and he needs to pay.

  “I have some of it,” he responds, his voice high-pitched and strained.

  I sigh and loll my head back against my shoulders. I would much rather be at home with Dani, who is pregnant and ready to deliver my daughter soon. Things between Dani and I have gotten a little rocky lately; I don’t feel as connected to her as I used to be. Between our son Zane and the pregnancy, my responsibility as the vice president at the MC has kept me away. Like tonight.

  “Some? What the fuck are we supposed to do with some?” Bobby questions, standing up.

  “I’m trying, but you didn’t give me enough time,” Mr. Bowen complains, his eyes flicking between Bobby and me.

  “We gave you two weeks,” I argue, running my hand along my neck in irritation. Mr. Bowen bought guns from us; he was supposed to give us cash after he received the shipment but ran instead.

  “You know what I do with scum who take our merchandise and don’t pay?” I ask, my tone intimidating. “The fact that you thought you could turn one over on The Devil’s Dust is insulting,” I continue, shaking my head.

  “Please, just give me some more time!”

  I hear a barking sound from behind me, taking my attention off Mr. Bowen. In his red truck is a puppy licking the window vigorously, panting against the glass, and fogging the window. Zane would love that dog; he is obsessed with animals lately. Zane is mine and Dani’s first child and is two years old. He’s a handful but has taught me more in the last two years than I could have ever imagined.

  “That your dog?” I point to the truck window.

  “Mr. Bones?” Mr. Bowen shrieks, his tone giving a sense of concern which answers my question.

  “What kind of name is that for a dog?” Bobby insults with a snort.

  “He’s mine now,” I inform, narrowing my eyebrows.

  “What? No!” Mr. Bowen yells, trying to get out from under my boot. I apply pressure, making him choke as he swallows.

  “You have me out here dealing with your ass when I should be at home with my family. You want more time for something you should have paid in full two weeks ago? Me taking your dog, not shooting you in the head, and giving you more time is more than generous,” I explain, gritting my teeth as I press my heel into his neck.

  “Too generous,” Bobby adds, crossing his arms across his chest.

  Mr. Bowen shakes his head, refusing my offer.

  “Ok, fine. I’ll just shoot you in the head and not take the dog,” I bargain, reaching in my holster for my gun. The guy shrieks, his hands releasing my boot and putting them up in surrender. I tilt my head to the side, as if I hadn’t heard him.

  “What was that?” I taunt, letting my boot up just barely.

  “Ok,” he gargles.

  I take my foot off his neck and cross my arms.

  “You get us our money. You have one week. Next time I won’t be generous, Mr. Bowen,” I warn, my tone surly.

  He stands up, brushing off his cheap suit and rubbing his neck where my dirty boot-print stains his skin.

  “Fine, just go,” he croaks. I smirk, walk over to the truck, and open the cab door. Getting a better look at the puppy, he looks to be a Rottweiler. I turn and look at the guy dumbfounded.

  “You named a Rottweiler Mr. Bones?” I ask, trying not to laugh. The guy rolls his eyes and turns his head.

  “How you going to get him home?” Bobby questions, rubbing the dog’s ears.

  “He can ride on my bike with me. He’ll be fine,” I reply, lifting the dog from the seat.

  ***

  Dani

  I sit down on the leather couch, prop my feet up on the coffee table, and grab the remote. Zane just fell asleep and I’m exhausted and missing Shadow. When they call it the terrible twos, they are not lying. Zane is into everything and is running nonstop. I haven’t seen Shadow since yesterday; ever since my father made him the vice president of his club, Shadow’s responsibilities have doubled. I understand, though. The Devil’s Dust is just as much a piece of me; it’s my family. I love the MC. I feel a kick in my belly, grabbing my attention. Delilah cannot come fast enough. I’m thirty-seven weeks pregnant with mine and Shadow’s little girl. My feet hurt and are swollen like water balloons, and they feel like they are ready to explode at any moment. I have to pee every five minutes, and I feel like a beached whale. Any day now is what I keep telling myself. I know it will all be worth it in the end. We are naming her Delilah after a member of the club who was dear to Shadow and me. Her club name was Babs, but her real name was Delilah. She passed away a couple years back.

  Just as I start to get really comfy, I hear the keys in the front door. My heart beats a little faster knowing it’s Shadow. Even after being together for two years, I still get excited when he comes home. He grounds me, makes me feel rational and coherent in a world of fucked-up emotions which swirl in my head.

  Shadow walks through the door, his hair disheveled and blue eyes smiling back at me. His strong jawline creases into a sexy-as-sin grin. He’s wearing his black sleeved shirt under his leather cut and tight blue jeans, but what catches my eye is what’s in his arms.

  “What the hell is that?” I ask, pointing to the fur ball in his hands. I pry myself from my warm spot on the couch and try to stand up.

  “A pony,” Bobby remarks, walking in behind Shadow, his cheeks pink and blonde hair tousled everywhere. Even when it’s chilly outside they ride their
bikes, giving them that sexy bed-head look. Shadow and Bobby have been inseparable way before the club, and they’re some of the hottest guys I have ever seen. Luckily for me, I’m engaged to one of them. Shadow and I are to get married this summer, after I’ve had Delilah and lost some of this baby weight.

  “We found it,” Shadow explains vaguely. I curl my lip and raise my eyebrow. Found it? I highly doubt Shadow found this puppy; I have seen the things he does for the club.

  “Seriously?” I confront. How stupid does he think I am?

  Shadow smirks and pulls me in by the hips. “Nothing gets past you, Firefly.” I grin up at him; I always smile when he calls me by my nickname. I’m the fire to his dark and tormented world, he says. He squints his eyes and runs his hand over my enlarged belly. Even though I feel very unattractive, Shadow can’t seem to get enough of me.

  “How are my girls today?” Shadow questions, his voice rough but caring.

  “We’re good,” I mutter, loving the feel of Shadow’s hands on me. It’s been too long since we’ve had sex.

  Shadow winks at me, making my hormones skyrocket and causing my nipples to ache worse than they already do. He hands the puppy tucked under his arm to me. The dog is so soft and fuzzy, and he’s all black except for his brown ears, paws, and a spot right on his nose.

  “Is he ours? You can’t bring him in front of Zane if he has to go back,” I say, rubbing right between the dog’s ears, causing him to close his eyes and relax in my arms instantly. I have always wanted a dog. I brought one home when I was little, but my mom had none of it. I won’t be like that with my own child. I want Zane to have a puppy; it will teach him how to be gentle and caring, which I could use before we have Delilah.

  “What are we going to name him?” I question, giving the sleepy puppy a kiss on the head.

  “What do you want to name him, babe?” Shadow asks, looking down at the dog.

  “We could name him Mr. Bones,” Bobby suggests, laughing. I look at him dumbfounded and Shadow scowls at him. Mr. Bones seems silly for such a masculine dog.

  “Hmmm. What about Rex?” Looking at the size of the pup’s paws, he is going to get big.

  “I like that,” Bobby replies, grabbing a beer from the fridge. Bobby used to live here but moved out when we had Zane. I didn’t ask him to; he offered. He is still over here all the time, and he’s a great uncle to Zane. Now that I’m about to have Delilah, though, Shadow and I are looking at moving into a new place. Actually, I am looking into moving in a new place; Shadow just dismisses anything the realtor shows us. He loves his apartment and nothing has beaten it so far.

  I look at the puppy which is now fast asleep in my arms. Shadow knew Zane has been wanting a puppy; it’s one of the few words our little boy can say. I remember when we got pregnant with him how scared Shadow was, afraid he would be no good for Zane. What a crock of shit.

  “So is this my Valentine’s Day gift, a stolen dog?” I laugh jokingly. Shadow’s face goes still, and he looks at Bobby.

  I laugh; he totally forgot about Valentine’s Day. “This is great, Shadow. You don’t have to get me anything; this is plenty. Zane is going to go crazy in the morning,” I offer, sitting on the couch with the puppy.

  Shadow gives a half-laugh and runs his hands through his hair.

  “Another murder has happened right here in Culver City,” a news anchor announces from the television, catching our attention.

  “It seems to be just like the other three murders which have occurred this month, all killed the same way. Stabbed brutally. The police have no leads, and there are no suspects at this time. The papers are calling it the Valentine’s Day Massacre and are encouraging everyone to keep indoors until the suspect is apprehended.”

  “Fuck,” Bobby mutters, taking a sip from his beer.

  I sit at the bar in the clubhouse, sipping on some coffee. Last night Dani threw me a curveball, talking about Valentine’s Day. Fucking Valentine’s Day; I always screw this holiday up. I am just a shit romantic. Who fucking came up with this stupid holiday? Last year I got her flowers and a card—that’s what I thought you did on Valentine’s Day—and Dani didn’t complain. But when Bobby found out, he slapped me in the back of the head and told me she didn’t like it. That no girl likes flowers and cards for Valentine’s Day. Fuck if I know. I just know I want to do something for her this year, make it up to her for how much of a shit fiancé I’ve been.

  “You look stressed,” Bull observes, sitting on the stool next to me, his black hair combed back and bright green eyes looking at me intently. Looks like he brought himself away from the booze today. Ever since a member named Babs died a couple years ago, a beloved member of the club, Bull has been a loose cannon, not holding up to his responsibility as the president of the club. But Bobby and I have been there to keep things in check. We will until Bull figures his shit out. When we lost Babs, everyone felt the sting. It shook the club pretty bad, with Bull suffering the worst. He and Babs had a secret affair which only came to light after she had died. It led Bull to drinking, and he would be gone for days. He was just not himself. Bobby told me he brought some girl in here in her panties and bra trying to detox her; apparently she was related to Babs. I didn’t ask any more questions; I didn’t want to know any more.

  “Valentine’s Day,” I explain.

  “Shit,” Bull mumbles.

  “Yeah,” I confirm, nodding.

  Running his hands over his face, he questions, “What do you have planned?”

  “She told me I don’t have to worry about it, but I feel like I shouldn’t listen to that. I haven’t been the best husband- to-be lately,” I reply, sighing.

  Bull laughs. “You better do something, or you will be in the dog house for sure, son.”

  “Fuck me,” I whisper. This ‘reading between the lines’ bullshit is a puzzle I will never crack.

  “Take her out somewhere fancy, get her some nice jewelry, take her to a movie, do something, but don’t not do anything.” I nod, getting his drift. I haven’t gotten Dani an engagement ring yet; I could do that.

  “Tom gets his patch today,” Bull adds. Tom Cat has been our prospect for a while now and has been excellent; he deserves to be patched in.

  “Yep,” I chime in. We haven’t patched in a prospect in a few years.

  “The victim from last night’s murder has been identified as Stan Neller, who owns a biker repair shop in town,” the news sounds from the TV on the wall, catching Bull’s attention.

  “Oh, shit,” Bull mutters. Stan is the only guy in town we bring our bikes to when shit goes wrong. I narrow my eyes at Neller’s shop blocked off in yellow caution tape displayed on the TV screen. I haven’t seen Neller in quite a while; Tom has been doing an awesome job at fixing our shit lately. I can’t believe Neller was stabbed to death. He was old and grumpy, sure, but one of the most genuine people I knew.

  ***

  Sitting on the couch amongst the other guys in the club, we wait for Tom to show up. Just as I am about to pull my phone from my pocket to see how Dani is feeling today, he walks in. His brown hair is down and reaching his shoulders from growing it out, and his friendly brown eyes scan the room.

  “Tom! Chapel! Now!” Bull roars, making Tom jerk from the sudden outburst, his eyes taking a look of concern. I get up from my seat and follow the boys inside the chapel, finding my seat next to Bull.

  “Tom, I have got something to say to you,” Bull grits, his face serious and eyes demeaning, staring right at Tom. Tom nervously squirms in his seat, nervous. I stand up and casually walk over to the cabinet in the corner, pulling out the patch.

  “Yeah?” Tom questions, his tone trying to sound brave but cracking with uncertainty.

  I slap the patch down on the table right in front of him, making him wince.

  “Welcome to the club,” Bull laughs, leaning back in his chair, his face lifted with excitement.

  Tom’s body sags with relief. He rises from his seat quickly, making the chair scrape again
st the wooden floor. He reaches out and grabs me, hugging me.

  “It’s an honor to call you my brother,” Tom mutters, his long hair brushing against my face.

  “All right, all right. Enough of the pussy shit,” Hawk squawks, his face wrinkled from age. He scratches his peppered hair, taking a tone of gray, while grumbling under his breath. He is such an ass and the oldest one at the table, for that matter. “You ready for the night of your life, Tom?” Bull adds, lighting a cigarette. Tom nods, a smile spreading across his face.

  “Ladies!” Bull roars. The chapel doors are thrown open and in comes a crew of half-naked women, climbing all over Tom like he’s fresh meat.

  I shake my head, laughing. The look of lust and shock on Tom’s face is priceless.

  “I’m going home; you enjoy yourself, Tom Cat,” I say, slapping him on the shoulder. He’ll get more pussy, booze, and drugs than he’ll know what to do with tonight. I remember the night I got my patch very well; I had a hangover for a week and was puking my guts up for days. My mind flashes back to Dani when she was really sick.

  When she had Zane, it was scary as hell. She was sick, really sick. She got high blood pressure and was put on bed rest in the hospital for a month before they had to take Zane early. I had never been so scared in my life. With Dani being so close in delivering my little girl, I am a nervous wreck. I really need to try and be home as much as I can, keeping an eye on her, but it’s damn near impossible anymore.

  ***

  Dani

  I wake up to little fingers pulling at my eyelids.

  “Mom!”

  I groan and try and roll over, not ready to wake up.

  “Mom!”

  “Yeah, buddy?” I question, still half-asleep.

  “Hey, bud, you awake already?” I hear Shadow whisper, coming into the bedroom. Zane jumps across my head, little pitter-patters sounding on the carpet. I roll over, moaning from the sleep weighing down my eyes.

  “How was church?” I ask, my voice cracking. I wake up nearly every morning to Shadow missing, but I know he has things to do at the club. He always comes back home when Zane and I are waking up when he can, but that hasn’t happened here lately.