Mica (Rebel Wayfarers MC) (51 page)

Gary set up the play, drawing off two of the Tridents defenders, and then dropping the puck across the rink to Jason. Carter and Daniel pushed hard down ice after Jason, who passed it over to Carter. They swept hard and fast onto the ice in front of the crease, battering the puck between them, and then back out to Jason waiting on the corner of the net, who tapped it in.
Goal
. Daniel smiled and slapped Jason and Carter on their helmets as they headed to the bench to bump fists with the team.

Holding onto that one point lead was questionable right down to the blowing of the horn, signaling the end of not just the game, but the series and the season. The Mallets had won the President’s Cup on home ice in a powerful way, and the shouting and cheering of the crowd and team was deafening. Gary slugged Daniel’s shoulder and then turned him around. He saw Mica was on the players’ bench, jumping up and down, yelling happily.

Daniel skated over to her, gathering her into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He skated backwards slowly, pulling her close for a kiss. Pushing forward, he skated them around the rink as they grinned at each other. She had her hand up stroking his cheek and pulled his head down for another kiss.

He set off around the rink again, looking at all the fans, who were crowding up against the glass, holding up signs and foam fingers. There were camera flashes going off all around the arena, and he stopped a couple of times to stand so fans could get a picture of him. “Mica, beautiful, wave at them; they’ll love it,” he said into her ear, skating them around the goal net.

With a wide grin, she did as he told her, and the fans shouted louder as they skated around the rink again, pounding on the Plexiglas. “Now, kiss me,” he said, nuzzling her neck. “Beautiful woman, kiss me.” Putting a hand on either side of his face, she pulled him close as he skated slowly to a stop near the middle of the rink, and then kissed him deeply. More flashes went off, and he suspected the kiss would be uploaded to every social media website within minutes.

Jason skated over to them, crowing and laughing. “Get a room, Captain!” Then coming up close, he ruffled Mica’s hair. “Fucking lucky charm, now you gotta come to all our games next year.”

Daniel’s arms tightened around her as he nuzzled her neck again. “It’s official; Jason said so.”

She laughed. “Take me back to firm ground, please. I think Steve is waving this way.”

He nodded. “Gotta get his interview. Always the working man.”

Daniel kept checking Mica as he gave several interviews to the crowding reporters. Then he watched her while he signed dozens of autographs on memorabilia fans brought over to a meet-and-greet area. She looked like she was enjoying the furor on his behalf and he grinned; she was being patient with him.

He was about ready to get out of the uniform, when the photographer called them back onto the ice for a winner’s portrait. Skating out and arranging the team at center ice took a bit of time, and when he looked back for her, she wasn’t waiting on the bench any longer.

Scanning the surroundings for her, he smiled again when he saw her sitting up on the concourse entrance to the arena. She was talking to his family. He liked that picture in his head. They were all looking down at the ice, and he waved, letting her know he’d seen where she had gotten off to.

The guys were shouting again, but everyone was beginning to wind down, and they finally started moving towards the locker room. Daniel blew her a kiss and she caught it, carrying it close to her heart as she laughed.

Standing in the locker room, Daniel quickly stripped off his skates and climbed on top of a bench, whistling loudly for attention. “Okay, guys, listen up. Gimme a minute. Hey! Shut the fuck up.” He whistled again. “I want you to know that I’m fucking proud of each and every one of you today. This was a good game, a hard game, but it was well played. You all powered through fatigue and injury to ensure the right team came out on top in the end. This was a capping moment on what has been an awesome fucking season. These are our last moments as this year’s Mallets; next year brings a new team in some ways.

“So, tell your friends and teammates how much you’ve enjoyed carrying their shit all year. And would someone talk to the fucking goalie about putting on some weight? Because he’s a fucking twig at one-eighty. Stay in the gym over the off-season. Stay out of fights and jail, don’t drink too much, and keep a sheath on it, you fuckers. Call me if you need me…but seriously, don’t fucking need me. Show up for tryouts and we’ll start again in a couple months, yeah? Thank you all, every one of you.”

He jumped back down to cheers and applause, and was pulled into a headlock by Jason, who quickly started shoving cereal into his face and mouth. “Fucking lucky charm. WOOOO! Fucking Champions! President’s fucking Cup! Goddamn lucky charm!” He grabbed Jason and threw him to the ground. Holding him down and sitting on him, he handed the cardboard box to his teammate and ordered, “Gary, come feed the fucker.”

57 -
            
Brothers

Mica was glad she didn’t have to wait for Daniel to come out of the locker room by herself. His brothers J.J. and Dickie were happy to sit and wait with her, as was his mother.

She’d grown to like Darlene a lot before things had turned bad, and she’d missed talking to her over the past months. Their easy friendship seemed somewhat awkward now, and Mica was nervous in her company, unable to guess what Daniel’s family knew about everything.

Dickie and J.J. were helpfully carrying the conversation right now, mostly talking about her riding the motorcycle into the party a few nights ago.

“So, what was that stuff Duck was talking to Danny about at the party? It was the most bizarre conversation I’ve heard in a long time.” Dickie looked at her.

“I don’t know a Duck, I don’t think,” she replied with a frown. “What does he look like?”

“Dunno—dark hair, fuc—freakin’ big biker dude. Sorry, Mom,” he said, ducking his head. “J.J., what was that name he gave? You were closer; did you hear it? I just saw it freaked Danny out a little.”

J.J. nodded. “Yeah, his name is Reuben, but his Rebel club name is Duck.” Looking absently down towards the rink, he rolled his chair back and forth a little, twisting in place just to stay in motion. “Said Danny knew his brother, Ray.”

Mica froze in place as a wave of fear washed over her, her eyes cutting from one brother to the other. She felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest, and her breathing was quick and shallow. It felt like she was on an amusement park ride, the part where you’re poised at the top of a peak, just about to plunge down into darkness, filled with terror.

She knew Ray had a brother named Reuben. She knew it, had known…but somehow, over the years, she’d forgotten. It sounded like Reuben was in Chicago, and she wondered if he had come there for her. She remembered him a little from the rodeo circuit, in the days before she met Ray. He had seemed nice, but he hadn’t stayed for long, so she hadn’t gotten to know him very well. He was big, she remembered, big, muscular, and tall. Racking her brain, she remembered he roped and did steer wrestling, where the weight and reach were needed, unlike Ray, who had been strong, but short and slight—the perfect build for a bull rider.

Since Daniel and his brothers met Reuben at the party, maybe it was possible Mason knew who he was too. Whatever happened, he was a Rebel and one of Mason’s.
But
, she sucked in a breath as she realized in a panic,
oh, God, he knows where I live
.

Controlling her responses with an iron fist, she tried to carefully confirm what she thought they were saying. Mica asked, “This ‘Duck’ said he was Ray’s brother? Did he say anything else?”

“I dunno for sure; it was a weird conversation. I thought Danny was gonna jump and run at one point, but Duck was like the Danny-whisperer, and was all ‘Peace, brotha,’” Dickie mimicked and laughed.

She felt like she was holding herself together with pure willpower, and was amazed the Rupert brothers hadn’t noticed yet. Sitting there, Mica felt that buzz of awareness around the edges that sometimes comes from having someone’s eyes on you.

She looked around and saw Mason walking towards the group, eyes focused on her. Daniel, striding at his side, was dressed in a tailored jacket over his favorite t-shirt, with jeans and boots. Mason was dressed casually, except for his biker vest. She was startled to see him in his vest, because she’d learned long ago he only wore his cut when he was doing club business. Scanning the area, she recognized at least four other Rebels hanging out.

She and Daniel had plans to head up to his hometown after the game. They were going to stay with his mom for a few days. Since he didn’t have a house there, he normally bunked at the trucking company headquarters when he was in town, or stayed with his family. The appearance of Mason and a handful of Rebels made her feel like their plans might be changing.

Mica mentally reminded herself these two men walking towards her were prepared to do nearly anything to keep her safe. She was okay. She was safe, and so was everyone else…as long as everyone played by the right set of rules, namely theirs.

Standing, she lifted her face for a quick kiss as Daniel slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her tightly into his side. Smiling, she waited patiently as his brothers congratulated him again and his mother pulled his face down for a kiss on the cheek.

Mason stood at her other side, careful not to touch her, but looking searchingly at her face. “Babe,” he started, shaking his head, “what’s wrong?”

At his question, Daniel’s gaze swung to her, and he considered her expression much as Mason had. His arm tightened around her, and she swallowed hard. Mason spoke again, “I can feel you vibrating from here, Mica. Something’s up. What is it?”

Turning her head to look Mason in the face, she wanted to see his reaction when she asked him, “I take it you know that Duck is Reuben Nelms?” Even looking at him as closely as she was, she still nearly missed the nanosecond of a flinch he gave at the name, but she could never have missed the way Daniel’s arm tightened around her at the same time.

“Mason, you wanna talk about something,
babe
?” she hissed at him. Pushing hard and carelessly against Daniel’s arm, she freed herself to stalk a step closer to Mason. “You wanna tell me about Reuben? You wanna tell me how long you really knew about Ray? Was it when you heard the story from my lips, or was it months ago…maybe years ago? Have you been walking around with that in your head for a long time? With my history? Is that why you inserted yourself in my life? Is that why you are my friend?”

Picking her hands up, she placed them palm first against Mason’s chest. “Was that the only reason,
babe
? Huh? How about the entourage you brought to a hockey game tonight? You wanna tell me about the Rebel brothers up here on the concourse, and why you are wearing your cut?”

She pushed against his chest hard, shoving him back a step, her voice rising in volume. “You wanna freakin’ tell me what Reuben Nelms was doing in our backyard at a freakin’ Rebel barbeque? You wanna tell me who invited him onto our property? To interact with people I love?” She swept her hand out to indicate Daniel and his family.

Mason stood there, absorbing her fear and anger stoically. He wasn’t giving her any kind of emotional reaction, nothing to springboard off of and keep her emotions running high, so that took some of her anger away, as he probably knew it would. He was such a control freak he wouldn’t even let her have a hissy fit.

She growled at him, “I can’t even stay mad at you, dangit, but that doesn’t mean you get a free pass here. You got something you want to talk about? With me? About me? To me? Because I found lots that I want to chat with you about.” She paused a second, waiting. Scowling, she punched his shoulder. “Get a clue. This is where you say something,
Mason.”

Daniel’s arms snaked around her, one low by her hips, and one higher across her chest. She rounded on him, pushing to get away. “Get off. Get your hands off me. You are no better, Daniel. You met him. You knew he was there. Why would you not tell me about Reuben?” Looking between the two men, she yelled, “You both knew Ray. You knew the history. So
why
?”

Mason frowned at her, dragging her attention back to him. “Be pissed at me, babe. This was my call, not Daniel’s. Let’s give your man his night and we can talk tomorrow. I’m staying with J.J. tonight, and me and him will be over at Darlene’s for breakfast, if that’s okay.” The last part was aimed at Daniel’s mother, who nodded at Mason. “Okay, we got that decided, now let’s go celebrate.”

Mica opened her mouth and Mason just looked at her. She closed and opened her mouth a couple times, thinking she probably looked like a goldfish out of water. She was also thinking Mason was right; she was stealing Daniel’s night. She didn’t want to be the girlfriend that always came with drama. They could go stay at his mom’s, have a few beers, and go to bed. Tomorrow would be soon enough to continue the hissy fit.

Turning back to Daniel and tamping down her anger and fear, she closed her eyes and swallowed, finally nodding her head briskly. “Okay, let’s go. Who’s riding with who?”

58 -
            
Duck’s show

Sitting in Darlene’s kitchen in the thin light of early morning, looking out the back window and drinking coffee alone, Mica still wasn’t sure she wanted to hear Mason’s responses to her questions from the night before.