Ride Hard (Condemned Angels MC Series #2) (14 page)

JEREMY

Shit around the clubhouse has been fucking weird without Charlie here. Rumors of my Dad making me VP have been flying around here. I’d be honored for the spot, to honor Charlie. Today we had a couple chapters in from surrounding areas. Charlie’s burial was today. Nicole was down the hall getting ready; I looked at myself in the mirror as I buttoned up a black shirt. Looking at my tattooed knuckles that read “Condemned” when I placed my fists together. Becoming a member of this club was all I wanted as a kid. Watching my Dad be President of the Condemned Angels did things to a kid. I would ride around on my battery operated Yamaha Raptor, until I could go to the Little Rider, which resembled a Spyder.

My Ma, God rest her soul, even made me a mini cut. Riding around with my Mohawk, rolled up bandana around my lower face, I was a badass little fucker. I could only hope that my son would want this as bad as I did, and still do. If I do become VP of this club, shit will change. Things have never been that violent with the club. With the Devils threatening my club and family, shit will change. I refuse to lose another Brother. The first motherfucker on my list is Jax Gallo.

I heard a small knock at my door, Nicole. Christ, she looked beautiful. She wore a skintight black dress, with a deep v in the front and back, ruched sides that hugged her curves and ended mid-thigh. She wore some black wedged heels. Her long hair was loosely curled, my favorite. She was naturally beautiful and didn’t need any of that extra war paint to make her look good. Walking up to me, she avoided eye contact and fixed the collar on my shirt. Her sweet perfume wafted over me. Nicole’s focus drifted up to my mouth, then her blue eyes pierced mine. I caressed her bare shoulders. She knew I had a shit load going on inside my head, but something about her seemed off.

I pulled Nicole closer to me. I slid my hands to the nape of her neck, and I kissed her mouth. Nipping her full bottom lip, a small sigh left her mouth. I needed her today, whether she knew it or not.

“Let’s go, before I tie you to the bed.” Making me smile, she placed her hands over mine.

We went to the service on the outskirts of town. The line of hogs and choppers was almost a mile long. We all followed the hearse, taking one last ride with our fallen brother. As touching as that shit was, it was hard as fuck saying goodbye to my Godfather. Charlie was there for every birthday party, graduation, and holiday. We were his family and he was ours.

Arriving at the cemetery, we huddled around Charlie’s plot. I watched my Dad, as he was getting ready to start his speech, he immediately broke down.  Charlie had helped my father through the toughest time in in his life, losing Ma. Getting him through that shit, helping take care of Roxy and I, helping with the club. Everything that Charlie has done will never be forgotten. I owed so much to Charlie, now I wont be able to thank him. Dad pulled himself together to give his thanks and farewells to his Brother.

Feeling a small hand slide into my palm, I looked to my left to see Roxy. Her red-rimmed eyes looked up at mine. Pulling her to my side, we said goodbye to Charlie together. Her hand caressed her small baby bump, I felt her squeeze my hand.

“Jer?” Tugging on the bottom of my shirt to get my attention, the same exact way she did when she was a kid.

“Yea, Rox?”

“We’re going to name him Charlie.” An ache pinged inside my chest. I pulled Roxy into a hug, kissing her temple. I’d do anything for my sister. The one weakness I have; the women in my life.

“Promise me, you’ll kill them.” Roxy’s request was low enough for only me to hear. Fuck me. Having a request from my sister to kill them, and another request from my girl, to let them be. What the fuck?

“I promise, Rox. They’ll fucking pay for this shit.” I smoothed her long hair. I peeked over her head to see Chase and Nicole standing together. My brother was consoling Nicole- his arm around her shoulder. I could tell she was trying to hold it in. Christ, she’s only human, and a chick at that. She’s going to be fucking pissed when she finds out my decision.

Before lowering Charlie’s casket into the ground, Dad placed a Condemned Angels cut on top. We all walked up individually to lay roses over him. At the end of the ceremony, we all rode out. In one big group of about seventy bikes, we rode out to the clubhouse.

Nicole

I took a seat on the back picnic table, kicking off my wedged heels and placing them next to me on top of the table. Flashes of today still weighed heavily on my mind. Letting my feet dangle off the edge, all I could think of was that it could have been Jeremy in that casket. Stilling my feet, I felt my stomach knot up, and my shoulders shake. Trying to hold it together, I held onto my stomach, letting my sobs loose.

“Babe?” I looked up and saw Jeremy’s figure outlined by the sunlight. He tossed his cigarette butt on the ground. His voice startled me, and I quickly wiped away the escaping tears. Avoiding eye contact, I licked my dry lips.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough.” He stood in front of me in his change of clothes. Black riding boots, dark blue jeans, a black thermal pushed up onto his forearms, exposing his intricately patterned tattoos. His cut hung open over his broad chest. The scruff on his square jaw had darkened; the bags under his beautiful gray eyes were prominent. He looked worn down. Jeremy blew out the cloud of smoke he held in his lungs above my head.

“You know I hate that shit.” I leaned back on my hands.

Pushing the hem of my skirt up onto my upper thighs, Jeremy forced my knees apart, making his way between them. Kneading my thigh muscles, his legs were flush with the edge of the table.

“And you know I hate when you keep shit from me.” My swinging legs paused momentarily, “Don’t even think that I haven’t noticed over the past few days that you’ve been distant with me.” He pushed my hair over my shoulder.

“Fuck Jeremy, why wouldn’t I be? Jesus, that could be have been you!” I yelled up at him. Pushing at his chest.

Grabbing my wrists, he pinned them to my sides. “Calm the fuck down, would you?”

“You could have died!” Stupid tears rolled down my face. Jeremy cupped my face, rubbing my wet cheeks with his thumbs.

“But I didn’t.” He gripped the back of my head, forcing his mouth onto mine. He tasted like cigarettes and whiskey. Too stubborn to let him take control of this conversation, I fisted the lapels of his cut, trying to push him away while ripping my mouth from his. Every move I made, Jeremy anticipated. Even blocking my right hand from smacking his face. “I didn’t die, Nicole.” he said, while looking deep into my eyes and I couldn’t look away from him. I couldn’t ignore that electrical current that I felt when he touched me. His touch made my skin burn, in the most delicious way. Spreading my legs wider, I heeled the back of his legs with my bare feet, pulling him into me.

“Then show me you didn’t,” I dared him.

Gripping my hips, Jeremy pulled me up off the picnic table. My legs tightened around his waist. He supported my weight by palming my ass as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Gripping his hair between my fingers, he pulled his mouth from mine, sucking the air through his teeth.

“Jeremy, I need you. Right fucking now, and down the road too. Promise me you won’t go looking for revenge?” He said nothing. Frantically I searched his eyes, no emotion. “Fucking promise me, Jeremy!” I slid down his body, and he didn’t fight me.

“I can’t promise you that.” His jaw tightened and he looked over my head.

“Then you’re obviously not the man I thought you were. You don’t give a shit about me. It’ll always be you and your MC. Risking your life! You’re going to risk losing me? Risk the chance of us ever being anything? Are you that fucking selfish?” I pushed away from him, grabbing my shoes and clutch.

As I tried to walk past him, Jeremy grabbed my upper arm.

“It’s not like that, and you fucking know it. You mean something to me, Nic.”

“Yeah, fucking right.” I walked away from him, towards my car.

I knew then and there what I had to do. I had to get to the Devils before Jeremy did.

JEREMY

Chase backed out of my driveway, dropping me off so I didn’t ride home was a good idea of his, not letting me ride home on my own. I stumbled to the back door. I was about to use my key when I realized Nicole’s car was in the driveway. I figured she came home after our little confrontation earlier. I didn’t think she’d be home after that, more like staying the night at Chase and Roxy’s house. I went to open the door handle, locked. That’s unlike her. She never locks this damn door, no matter how many times I bitch at her.

Jingling my keys in my left hand, I found the house key and walked into a dark kitchen. The house was quiet, Nic was probably sleeping. The dim hallway light led my way to the staircase. Slowly climbing the stairs- more like up one down two, railing, wall, repeat. I saw her bedroom door cracked, with light spilling out. Swallowing my pride, I went to confront her. Knocking lightly on her door, there wasn’t an answer; maybe she fell asleep with the light on. Splaying my fingers on the door, I pushed it open to see her in bed with the covers around her like a damn cocoon.

Feeling guilty about earlier, I rubbed the back of my neck and sat on the edge of her bed.

“Nic, baby.” I gently shook her with a hand on her hip.

Stirring, she moved the covers down.

“Hey, sexy.” Nina sat up, removing the covers from herself. I shot off the bed, reaching for my gun holster.

“Don’t even think about it.” Freezing my hands as I felt the cold metal against my temple. Looking out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone I didn’t expect to see holding a gun to my head- Nicole.

What the fuck? Taking a deep breath, and clenching my cheeks, I looked over her shoulder to see Jax propped against the wall. He had his arm in a sling, and a shit-eating grin.

My eyes looked down at Nicole. Her eyes were unreadable. I spotted her packed bags in the corner of the room. Nina got out of Nicole’s bed, adjusting her tight Harley Davidson halter-top.

“Should have killed you when I had the fucking chance,” I spat out at Jax, ignoring Nicole.

“Well, we have our little sister to thank for that, right, little Nikki?” My eyes flashed to her, Nicole’s eyelids shut hard, then opened back up to me.

“What the fuck are they talking about, Nic?” I yelled at her, she barely flinched.

“You just couldn’t fucking listen to me, could you? I couldn’t let you do it! You couldn’t fucking promise me shit, so I took matters into my own hands. Before the ambush at the club, I found out that Nina is my sister and Jax…” Her small voice trailed off.

“Your brother? You were protecting them? I bet you knew all along. You fucking bitch!” I spat at Nicole. Looking between her and Nina, I was starting to see the slight resemblance. Fuck, how could I have missed it?

“Shut up!”Jax’s voice boomed over ours, causing all eyes in the room to go to him. 

“Now, Jeremy, you should be fucking thanking her. She’s taking the debt with the Condemned Angels onto her own shoulders. She loves you too much to let anything bad happen to you.” Now shit was fucking making sense.

“No, she fucking isn’t going anywhere with you, crazy ass motherfucker!” I yelled at them. Nina suddenly grabbed Nicole by her long hair, she yelped out, while reaching back and grabbing onto Nina’s hand. 

“Get the fuck off me!” Nicole yelled over her shoulder. I stepped towards her, and Nina raised a gun at me, and Jax walked up behind Nicole- wrapping his arm around her waist under her breasts. My fists clenched at my sides.

“Fuck off, she’s ours now. She always has been…seeing as her real Dad is a part of Devil’s MC. She’s never been apart of you or your club. Now, we’re taking her home.” Jax kept eye contact while shoving his nose into Nicole’s hair, and breathing deep. Motherfucker!

“You won’t even make it out of town,” I threatened him.

“We’ll see. I’m sure they’ll stand down once they realize we have her. You can fill them in.”

“Nicole, tie him up.” Jax pushed her forward, causing her to stumble.

Sitting by the headboard, Nicole grabbed the rope out of Nina’s hands.

Binding my wrists together, she avoided eye contact with me.

“You’re fucking stupid. I could have gotten you out of that shit,” I said through a clenched jaw.

“Yeah, gotten me out, and you in? I won’t fucking lose you, I’ve lost too much. You already know that. You won’t have to choose between the MC and me, ever again.” She tugged on the knotted rope. 

“Jesus, Nic, you could have talked to me before taking drastic fucking measures. I’m fucking coming for you.” Nicole’s head shot up.

“No, you won’t. Part of my agreement is to sever all ties with the Condemned Angels. Forget me. Forget whatever we had. It’s over. This is the way it’s going to be, Jeremy.” Jax grabbed Nicole’s arm with his good hand and pulled her away. I strained against my restraints.

“Fucking touch her, I swear to God, I’ll fucking kill you with my bare hands,” I threatened him.

“Pussy,” Jax laughed before he hit me over the head with the butt of his gun. Losing consciousness, everything went dark.