Wild Child (17 page)

Thrash yawned. "Women are always trouble. That’s why Nailz and me don't want old ladies. Now Jersey, he wants to be in love and wants to settle down. We know better, huh, Nailz?"

Nailz was still watching Jo as she left in a cloud of dust.

Thrash had to poke him. "Nailz, what the fuck?"

Nail growled, "Motherfucking little bitch! That should be
me
taking her on
my
bike. Jersey better not keep her long and she ain't cleaning no one's bike but mine."

V wasn't amused. "Did you all come down here to talk or look at Jo? I got a call today that Flop will be coming back sooner than expected. Rabid is tired of him. So we are going to have to meet here and keep Jersey out of Flop's way. Fucker isn't gonna like what Elena did to Pam, either. I think Pam fed Rabid information or somebody else is. Trouble is brewing. I’m gonna try to keep Kima and Jo away from the clubhouse as much as I can. We don't need anymore bullshit than we've got already."

Thrash nodded. "Might be a good idea to have Jersey down here by you, V. See if Hunter can give him some odd jobs."

"Oh fuck no!" Nailz yelled. "Over my dead body. I don't want him anywhere near Jo."

Nailz stomped up to the choppers, leaving Thrash and V sitting together.

"Great!" V muttered. "Said from the man who claims he doesn't have any interest in her." He shook his head, staring after Nailz. They watched as Nailz fired up his bike and took off like a bat out of hell.

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Jersey was giving Jo the ride of her life. She clung to his waist and was loving every second of it. They went into Beach View and Jo didn't care if her parents saw them. This was wonderful. She felt so free and it seemed so right. Now she understood what Kima and Elena were talking about. But she really wished she was on Nailz's bike. Jersey was nice, and good looking, but he just wasn't Nailz.

On their way back, another bike passed them and she was sure it was the man in question. Jersey took it slow on the dirt road to the Lodge and Jo decided it was an experience that she could easily get used to. She was already hungry for her next ride. Maybe Nailz would finally ask her.

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Jo was happily washing bikes. She had washed Jersey's and was now on Thrash's when Nailz pulled into the Lodge. He looked mad, as usual.

"Jo, what the fuck are you doing? You don’t wash anyone's bike but my mine," he yelled at her.

Jo, who had been happy to be wet in the hot sun, turned to face Nailz. With a huge grin on her face she aimed the hose at him and blasted him in the face.

"Fuck you, Nailz. I believe I’m still ahead of you. Paybacks a bitch!"

Jo dropped the hose and took off running toward Elena and the Lodge.  Nailz stood there, soaking wet while everyone doubled over in laughter. Jersey walked up to him and slung his arm around his shoulder.

"Dumbass! Jo is really into you. Go catch her before you lose the best thing in your life."

Nailz shrugged him off, walked over to the hose, and started to wash his bike. His mind was churning on ways to get Jo back.

She would be on his bike, in his bed, and she was wrong. Payback is a motherfucker.

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I was feeling depressed when Elena and I walked out of my lawyer's office. My dad couldn't touch the farm, at least, but there was no good news. Apparently I couldn't evict the tenants because they had just signed another year lease. My lawyer said he had been under the impression I would be away at school and would want the added income. I was betting that had been my mother's intention.

Elena had taken me because V wasn’t around much. He was working, running around doing club business, and basically falling asleep as soon as he came home. I was bored and not as happy as I wanted to be.

Elena wanted a talk with me after we left so we drove down to the bar that Elena danced at from time to time. We went in and Elena nodded at the bouncer who was at the door. We found ourselves a small cozy table and ordered a couple drinks from the waitress. I asked Elena why she kept her farm.

"Well, honey, I keep my farm, mainly because it's mine and I bought it, myself. I love horses, but, more importantly, it's a safety net for me. Thorn will get the Lodge someday. Hunter has never asked me to marry him and it really hurts at times. I think you should keep your house - if you ever need a place, it’s there for you. We love having you at the cabin and you're paid up until next summer. You're family, Kima. You will always have a place at the Lodge or my farm."

"I’m bored Elena. I don't want to go to the farm and ride. When I'm around horses I think of Sugar. Some day I plan to have a few horses but it still hurts too much. I like helping at the Lodge, but I want to dance, and V won't hear of it," I confided.

"Kima, if you want to dance, then do it. I doubt V will notice, just dance locally. Hell, I can get you work here at The Drop Inn. Thorn is coming home you know," Elena was tapping her fingers on the edge of the table.

"Thorn is coming back?" I was excited. "It’s been forever since I've seen him. I thought he went to the Bound for Hell club down in Delaware?"

Elena sipped on her drink. "Well, there was no reason for him to join the Unlawful MC. He went to Delaware to prospect but he’s patched in now. His mother lives down there and he has to break that relationship off. Seems she is back to playing her games and Thorn wants nothing to do with her finally. So, he is moving back home. He'll be in V's chapter and work at the Lodge. Hunter needs the help and Thorn needs to learn the business. You know I always hoped it would be the two of you ending up together."

I laughed. "Thorn and me? We grew up more like brother and sister, Elena. That’s how he sees me - as a bratty little sister. I hope he stays far away from my brother, though."

"Yeah I know, and Kima, one more thing... don't talk to Thorn about club business, honey. Thorn will be fine with Jack. If you really want to dance I can call and ask Jimbo, the manager here. He’ll be more than happy to hire you and it’s a good place to start. I think lunchtime and early afternoons would be best for you. Beginning slowly is easier. But don't let V know I did this for you. You're going to have to get some costumes  too. Did you know Jack leaves money for you at the Lodge each week? Says your dad sends it. Hunter told me to put the money away for you and not tell V."

I was a bit shocked. "My dad would make sure I had money. Guilt money, more like it. It's all he knows. I guess we better get shopping and talk to Jimbo, huh? My family is going to be in shock and V will probably be pissed off, but truly I don't give a fuck! Why wouldn't Hunter want V to know?"

"Because Kima, Hunter loves you as much as I do and I’m not sure he fully trusts
any
biker with you. V should support you dancing if that is what you want to do. Hunter doesn't like V telling you what to do. He's always let me do pretty much what I want but then Hunter is very different than the Bound for Hell MC members. Hunter will do what is best for his family first and you are family, as is Jo. So let’s get you hooked up with Jimbo and go shopping."

Elena made the phone call to Jimbo and put in a recommendation for me. He agreed to give me a shot, but on a trial basis. It was set up for me to dance a few lunchtimes and afternoons the next week.

Afterward we went to have costumes made for my new dancing career. We decided I'd start with six so I could change a few times per shift. I didn't want customers getting tired of what I was wearing.. I'd be back for more and damn they weren't cheap! I felt much happier than I’d been feeling in weeks.

V would just have to suck it up. That is, if he even noticed, because he was hardly ever around anymore. That damn club was always taking up too much of his time. I wanted him to be with me more and it wasn't happening. Damn that club!

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CHAPTER 17
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In my first week of dancing at The Drop Inn, Elena had arranged to work the same shifts as me to make sure everything went well. I was a natural at dancing and the men loved me. By my third week of dancing there, Jimbo was more than pleased to give me three steady days a week.

The Drop Inn was fairly close to Sea Woods but far enough from Beach View that I felt comfortable. It was a great place for lunches and there were rich guys with too much time and money on their hands stopping in to check out the dancers. I was more than happy to take it off their hands and was raking in the tips. Plus I was being paid to dance  too. I loved to dance whenever I heard music.

V had no idea I was dancing and I have to admit, I didn't tell him. I kept my costumes in a suitcase under the bed.

When I tried to bring up the subject he was either too tired to talk or shot me a really dirty look. He was spending more and more time away on club business. Some nights he would even crash at Thrash's apartment. He was acting more distant and moody and I knew if I talked to him about dancing it would cause a huge fight.

That damn club was wearing him down and driving me crazy. It was causing a strain on our relationship and I really hoped things would get better. I don't think V was aware of my feelings, I tried to hide them.

I missed the Veiko who used to laugh with me, the man I fell in love with.

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Finally V took a few days off and we had everybody at our cabin for a long weekend. Life now was wild. We rode all over to bars and just to ride. Jo joined us. Riding with Nailz, Jersey or one of the single club members. Nailz would piss and moan when he found that out. But Jo would ride with whoever had an empty seat that weekend.

We cooked out on the grill at night, partying until dawn. Jo and I taught the guys how to crab. It was funny as hell to watch Jo push Nailz in the water or threaten him with sand down his crack. Once she even put a baby crab down his pants. Nailz looked like he wanted to kill her but she was able to get a laugh out of him in the end. I swear those men were brought up in the city!

As for horses, I didn't want to ride. Elena had decided to keep Cool Chrome and offered him to me, but it was too soon. She could use him in her breeding program and I would take him later when he was gelded. My heart still ached for Sugar, I hated to think about him.

I begged V to teach me to ride a motorcycle, but he felt as many bikers did - bitches only belonged on the back of the bike. Yet he had no problem telling me to me to start his bike, go figure.

Life was pretty good and we were having fun. Jo was learning about wild herbs and got Nailz into the woods. They were looking for some plants Elena told her about. All Nailz got was poison ivy though and he swore it was Jo's fault. He had to take a piss and accidentally fell on his ass right into a patch of it. It went all over his penis and ass and for awhile he was in pure agony.

Jo snickered the whole time.

Thankfully Elena had some stuff brewed up to help, but it smelled foul and we all had to stay down wind of poor Nailz. I knew I'd never get Veiko in the woods now.

I tried to tell Nailz we all had it at some point, but every time I tried, he just stomped away. At least he didn't get ticks on his balls - my brother once had that happen to him when he was in the woods and it wasn't pleasant.

Jo didn't help by offering Nailz new treatments each day and I was sure he was going to wring her neck. We all went down to the cedar creek where he sat in the cool brown water all day and demanded Jo get him beer. At least he liked something.

I love cedar water because it makes your hair soft and is good for your skin. Elena believed it had healing properties as well. Who knows? We just had a great time there. At least Jo was really nice to Nailz.

Those were the fun days, I grabbed them when I could. We took plenty of pictures  too. When that long weekend was over we could laugh about it years later.

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