Never Have an Outlaw's Baby: Deadly Pistols MC Romance (Outlaw Love) (11 page)

“Shit on a shingle! You're a hometown girl?” He slowly turned to Joker, glaring the entire time. “Jesus, boy. What else you been hiding from me? I might be cooped up in this damned place, but I ain't pushing goddamned daisies yet.”

I laughed. Genuinely.

The old man had a lot of the Taylor twins in him. He had fire. Plenty of Alex, too, judging by the sharp hazel eyes that hadn't worn down a bit with age.

Joker and I shared a look.

Don't upset your grandpa. Follow my lead. Listen to me,
I told him with my eyes.

“Haven't been hiding nothing, Grandpa,” he growled reluctantly. “She's just an old friend. Didn't know she was in town 'til now.”

“No? I tried to come by the clubhouse the other day. Didn't your brothers deliver the message?” I came closer, reaching down gently to stroke the big dog's muzzle while Joker dodged the question. “My, he's so big. What's his name?”

“Bingo!” Grandpa Taylor yelled. “Named him myself. Seeing this boy's the most excitement I got to look forward to all week, outside the weekly games.”

“Yeah, Grandpa. You picked a good one,” Joker said. His icy voice matched his eyes each time he looked at me. “So, why'd you come by? Could've waited for me at the clubhouse.”

“And keep an old friend waiting? I don't think so, Joker. I'm only in town for a little while. Gotta make the most out of every moment.”

The dog softened with both our hands on him. He tilted his massive head, opening his mouth to lick my hand. Through all the anger and anxiety eating me, I smiled.

Grandpa looked up, pointing at me with his thumb. “I like her. You still live in Seddon? What's the old place like these days?”

“Oh, same old, same old,” I said, making light of how hard we'd been hit by the bad economy.

For the next minute or two, I truly enjoyed making small talk with the old man, forgetting about the dagger I'd have to drive into Joker's back before long. My ex-lover sat there in silence, stroking his dog, his eyes boiling like angry seas whenever our eyes locked.

I held his gaze. Showing any weakness was going to be fatal.

“You two were hanging around for all these years, and you never said anything?” Grandpa growled, turning to his grandson. “I can't believe you!”

“She was before Piece,” he said darkly.

The old man's anger melted. The air around us seemed to curdle, turning thick and toxic. I looked around desperately for a distraction.

“Hey, there's some soda and coffee. Can I bring you boys something?”

“Black coffee,” Grandpa Taylor said quietly.

“Joker?” Gingerly, I reached out, trying not to feel horrible that I'd caused him to lay down his dead brother's name.

I couldn't think about that night. Jesus, I couldn't forget why I was really here, what was on the line, all out of some sick, misplaced sympathy for a man who had
none
for me.

“Water,” he growled, subtly shrugging me off by leaning down to fix his dog's collar.

I nodded and stepped over to the long table, keeping my ears perked up for their voices.

“You don't gotta be so damned surly all the time, Jackson. She's come a long way to see you. Let's not dig into the past again. Ain't bringing him back,” I heard the old man say.

“You think I don't know that?” Joker's voice was low, like thunder.

Bingo let out a tiny whine as I turned around with a tray full of drinks. Just in time to see Joker grab his grandfather's hand, pure death shining in his eyes.

“Jackson...”

“Don't fuckin' call me that here, old man. I'm Joker 'til the job's done. Promised Freddy I'd kill the sick fucks who did him in, and I'm going to, real goddamned soon. I'm keeping my promises, just like you wanted.”

Grandpa Taylor tore his hand away from him, shaking a little when I put the tray on the table. “It's all here, boys. Enjoy.”

I sipped my orange soda quietly, trying to make small talk about the dog, and failing the whole time. Grandpa guzzling his coffee down, without waiting for it to cool, told me the visit was nearing its end.

“Okay,” he said, putting down his empty cup. “Think it's time I got some rest before the real bingo starts up tonight. Pleasure meeting you, Summer. Joker, wheel me back, and take the lady out for a real drink. Life's too damned short to spend it not having any fun.”

So much truth from the tough old man. Too bad I was in no position to take it to heart.

“Meet me out by the bench,” I said to Joker. “I'll be waiting.”

He nodded, wrapping the dog's leash around his hand while he pushed the old man. I watched the three of them head down the hall, finishing my soda before I collected the cups.

Then I sat down at the bench and waited. I thought about what I'd say, bounced around a dozen openers. None of them left me feeling better.

I had to let it happen. I couldn't let him walk away this time, or I'd be letting down Alex, and myself.

Time to make it or break it.

* * *

“
T
ell
me why the fuck you're really here,” Joker growled, standing over my shoulder. “Couldn't have made it fuckin' clearer after yesterday, mucking up your shit.”

Bingo stood at his side, his mouth open, breathing loudly. Blissfully unaware.

I stood up, looked him dead in the eye, clenching my purse. “I came all the way from Georgia to talk, Joker. I'm not leaving until we do. Go ahead and push me down on the sidewalk if you have to. I'll get back up and I'll be at your doorstep again tomorrow.”

He snorted. “Fucking-A, you've really lost it, Summertime...”

That name again. Goddamn,
that name.

It took everything I had not to break eye contact, my heart doing a full, painful loop in my chest, blurring past and present.

“I lost my best friend,” I said, stepping toward him. “Look, I know my odds. They're crap. But I'll die if I don't try to get him back.”

“You really want him back, babe? That's what you came all the fuckin' way from Seddon for? Why didn't you say so sooner?” He stepped closer, his voice softening.

My heart leaped into my throat. We hadn't shared this closeness, this intensity, for three lonely summers. The way he looked at me took me back to those hot nights when we'd made Alex, the son he didn't know he had.

The bitter lump in my throat tightened. There couldn't be something there, shining in his eyes...right? And if there was, then why the fuck was I letting the Deadhands use me to get to him and his club?

“I just...I mean...I want...” I stuttered, completely lost for words, not knowing what I wanted anymore.

“You don't know what the hell you want.” Joker put one hand against my cheek, tipped it up, thumbing the corner of my lips. “Don't fuckin' talk, baby girl. Pucker up. Let's see if there's anything left in this fuckin' chasm I used to call a heart.”

His finger brushed aside. His mouth came down on mine, hot and rampant.

Moaning, I melted into his tongue, twining mine with his for the first time in an eternity.

This kiss devoured worlds. I forgot all about the brutal threats, the pain, the loss.

For the next minute, there was nothing except Jackson and me.

Two lips.

Two tongues.

Two hearts.

One pulse, the one and only synchronized rhythm pounding in his flesh. It didn't stop until Bingo brushed up against our legs, and then I looked down, smiling.

This kiss was beautiful. And it was also very dangerous bullshit.

“There. How was that?” he whispered softly, running his hand down my cheek, stopping at the end to clutch my chin.

“Just like old times,” I said weakly, staring at him, one hand on his neck to hold me up. The other hung at my side, being gingerly licked by the giant wolfhound. “What about you?”

“Nothing,” he said. The spark in his eyes snuffed out, obliterating the magic.

“What?”

“There's nothing here, Summertime. Absolutely fuckin' nothing. I tried.” He tugged on Bingo's leash and stepped away, pulling his cut flush against his chest. “For the last goddamned time, get your ass home. You're wasting your time here chasing a crush that's never coming back. You show your face around my grandpa's place or the clubhouse again, I'll make sure a couple prospects give you a ride back to Georgia.”

I stood there like a dumb statue about to fall, watching the whole time as he walked to his truck without looking back. He put the dog in the passenger seat, got in, and took off, driving right past me without even turning his head.

“Bastard!” I whispered, balling up my fists, fighting the hot tears.

A chubby middle aged couple came close, staring intently, one more humiliation I didn't need. I'd been a complete fool for the second time since I'd shown up here.

And yet again, I'd failed to make any progress getting closer to whatever Hatch wanted. I'd put my life and my son's one step closer to a horrific end.

“Jackson Taylor...go to hell,” I whispered, taking long, angry strides toward my car.

I promised myself I wouldn't feel guilty about putting him there anymore, if it kept us safe. Now, if only I could figure out how the hell to do it.

* * *

“
B
rrrrrrrr
!” Alex sat in the corner at our hotel room later that evening, playing with a couple toy planes I'd brought along on the trip.

I smiled feebly at him, trying to enjoy the little things. At least he was happy.

If only that meant something. With the sword hanging over our heads, even my son's little laugh and
vroom-vroom
noises couldn't cheer me up.

My phone buzzed a second later. I picked it up and sighed, wondering how badly he'd torment me tonight, stepping into the bathroom so Alex wouldn't have to see the horror on my face.

“How'd it go today, bitch? You suck him off yet, or what?”

“No. I'll try again tomorrow.”

“Try? Try?! Try, try, fuckin' try?” Each word hit my eardrum, more explosive than the last. I held the phone away from my ear.

“Jesus fuckin' Christ, woman. You're even dumber than I thought. Sure wish that sonofabitch picked a smarter cunt to fuck all those years ago. Some bitch with a bigger fire under her ass over the fact that, fuck, her own fuckin' son is gonna die in front of her!”

“Please, Hatch. You don't understand. It isn't as easy as you –“

“Shut up. From where I'm sitting, you're the stupid fuckin' slut who ain't hearing me. Let's try this again...”

No, no, no,
I mouthed, shaking my head.
You've tortured me enough. This isn't making it any easier, you bastard.

“You fuck me over, you waste my club's money, then you and your kid are dead. Dead! Fuckin' offal. Carcasses we'll drag out into the woods and feed to the bugs.”

No more. I flung the phone away from my face and cut him off, ending the call, slamming it down on the counter next to the sink.

He must've called back at least five times while I sat at the edge of the tub, hands over my face, trying to think of some way out of this maze from hell.

This was hopeless. There wasn't truly a chance at ever satisfying this demon out for blood.

Come tomorrow – hell, maybe later tonight – I'd take my chances on the open road. I'd flee until we were several states over, turn ourselves into the police there, and hope that taking down the Deadhands was a big enough deal to get us into the best witness protection a confession could buy.

On the sixth angry, vibrating ring, I picked up. I had to stall him, see how he'd react to the realization that he'd already lost me as a pawn.

“Listen to me, you fuckin' bitch –“

“No, you listen!” I snarled into the phone, pressing it against my ear so hard it burned. “I want to know something from you. Why are you such a fucking monster? These stupid gang fights are really so important that you're using an innocent woman and her baby? Is that what you always wanted?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then he began to laugh.

Jesus.

His long, drawling chuckle was just as evil as the rest of him. But it gave me a tiny sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't so pissed I'd have a nice head start before his men came.