You Belong to Me (12 page)

“You didn’t tonight.”

“He called you a nigger bitch. I had to beat his ass because for one, he disrespected you. Plus, for anyone watching that might feel the way he did. They saw that beat-down. I had to make an example out of him.”

She walked over to him. “Nuke, don’t mess up your life over me. It will only make you hate me later on. I couldn’t bear that.”

He pulled her to him, his still bleeding hands soiling her shirt. “I’ll fucking kill for you if I have to.”

“Nuke…”

“You have no idea what I’m capable of. I’m in love with you, Jasmine.”

“I’m in love with you, too, Nuke. I’m just scared about the future.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re not psychic; you don’t know what will or won’t happen.” He felt his anger subsiding as he gave her a kiss on top of the head. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Show me how much you love me.”

She looked up into his eyes. “What do you want me to do?”

“Please take the glass out of my hands.”

Jasmine and Cindy

Jasmine and Cindy laughed as they ate away at the dark chocolate covered in sea salt, the tasty treats that Jasmine brought over as a peace treaty. It had been over a month since their argument, and now the two of them were having a moment of civil conversation.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called,” Cindy said, taking another chocolate from the box.

“We both needed time,” Jasmine affirmed.

“I guess since you got on an 822 supporter shirt, you and Nuke are still going strong.”

Jasmine smiled. “Yeah, we still are. I’ve met Pipe and Toby.”

“Really?” Cindy didn’t hide her shock. “You went to the clubhouse?”

“Oh no, they came by Nuke’s trailer one night. Pipe was hurt. I patched him. I like that guy. He’s kind of funny.”

“Who? Pipe? He always scared me. What did Toby say about the two of you?”

“Nothing that I know of. Nuke did get into it with a prospect about us.”

“What happened?”

“I guess some prospect said some shit about him being with me. Nuke fucked him up.” Jasmine smiled. “Broke the guy’s jaw, nose and several ribs. He beat him unconscious from what he told me. It took damn near most of the club members there that night to pull him off of him.”

“Damn!”

“I saw him right after the fight. He came to my house. I had to pick glass out of his knuckles.”

“Why was there glass in his knuckles?”

“They dragged him to the bathroom. He was fighting everyone off all the way. Then he took a swing at Pipe. Pipe ducked down, and Nuke’s fist hit the mirror.”

“Holy shit! Are they pulling his patch?” Cindy’s eyes opened wide with anticipation.

Jasmine shook her head as she bit into the chocolate.

“Are you sure?” Cindy hated herself for feeling slightly disappointed. She had wanted to tell Jasmine, “I told you so.”

“Yeah, I mean, he’s still a member so far.”

“Maybe they’re waiting for Mitch to recover,” Cindy replied.

Jasmine looked over at Cindy. “You want them to kick him out?”

“No, I’m just saying that since Mitch is in the hospital, maybe they have to wait. Vote on it or something.”

“Yeah, maybe. The prospect isn’t a full patch member.”

“Well, he did take a swing at Pipe.”

“I guess we have to wait and see. So what’s new with you?”

“Nothing much, just working a lot.”

“Are you and Kevin officially over again?”

“Yes, it’s over and done with.” Cindy’s phone buzzed.

Jasmine nodded. “Sorry to hear that,” she said and stood up from the table. “Can I use your bathroom?”

The look that crossed Cindy’s face caused Jasmine to pause. “Everything okay?” she asked as Cindy replied to the text she’d just received.

Cindy looked up at her. “Um, yeah, yeah, everything is fine. I think you should leave though. I…I have a friend coming by.”

“Oh, okay, let me just go down to the bathroom real quick!”

Jasmine jetted off down the hallway before Cindy could protest.

***

Jasmine froze in place when she came back to Cindy’s kitchen. Cindy was sitting at the table looking up at a huge biker who stared down at her. The patches, the cut, the look of guilt on Cindy’s face. Even though Jasmine couldn’t see the back of his leather, her gut told her that he was a member of the Grave Walker motorcycle club.

Keep calm and get the hell out of here
. She forced a smile as she walked over and grabbed her purse from the table. “Cindy, I take it that this is your friend. I wouldn’t have come over if I knew you were expecting company. We can hang some other time.” Jasmine forced her feet to move as fear gripped her body. She had to walk by the solidly built man, who had brownish red hair and a death stare.

“Nice shirt,” he said with a gruff voice.

Jasmine’s heart sank. She’d completely forgotten that she had on the 822 supporter shirt. “This old thing? I don’t even remember where I got it.” She forced a smile as she stuck her hand into her bag. “Damn keys, where are they?” she mumbled as she looked into her bag, pressing the video record button on her phone as she grabbed her keys. She needed audio in case she made it out of here to give to Nuke. And in case she didn’t make it out of here, maybe her phone would somehow make it into the correct hands.

“Cindy, I’ll talk with you later.” She hooked her purse across her body and headed the twenty feet to freedom.

“Do me a solid,” he called out to her, “call your race-mixing boyfriend so I can blow his fucking brains out.”

Her heart sank with fear as she grabbed the front doorknob. It was too late. The Grave Walker grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face into the wall. Stunned, she fell to the floor, her eyes rolling around in her head.

Cindy started to scream, and Jasmine’s attacker yelled for her to shut up.

He let Jasmine struggle to her feet before he backhanded her, and she fell into the end table, knocking over the lamp.

He’s going to kill me.
That reality was prevalent in Jasmine’s mind. “Help me!” she called out to Cindy as he kicked her in the ribs.

Cindy did nothing but turn her back away from the horror. “I can’t. I’m so sorry, Jasmine. I can’t!” Cindy cried.

Her attacker laughed as he took his eyes from Jasmine and glared at Cindy. “That bitch can’t even help herself.”

Jasmine grabbed the fallen lamp and swung it with all the strength she had in her, landing it firmly on his head. The lamp shattered, stunning him as she staggered to her feet. She kicked him in the groin, hit him with the other lamp, and then grabbed the keys that had fallen near the door and ran out.

She didn’t look back because she knew that he was hot on her heels or he soon would be. She pushed the unlock button, jumped inside and relocked the doors. Her hands shook as she placed the key in the ignition.

He was out the door and at her car in half the time that it had taken her. She grabbed her phone, pressing the video button, and aimed it at Cindy standing in her front door as she watched the massacre about to happen. Jasmine then turned the camera toward the driver-side window as he approached. He punched the window, cracking it, and she caught it all on video as she sped off, throwing the phone into the passenger seat.

Looking into her rearview mirror, she saw the Grave Walker climb onto his bike in hot pursuit. She flew through a red light, barely missing a car. Again she reached for her phone. She pressed the button to call Nuke, and put it on speaker phone, then she placed it back on the passenger seat. She gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands.

“Babe, what’s up?” Nuke answered.

“HELP ME!” she screamed. “HE’S GOING TO KILL ME!

“Jasmine, calm down and tell me what’s going on!” He was yelling, but she could hear the dread in his voice.

“A Grave Walker came to Cindy’s house while I was there. He’s following me. He hurt me, baby! I don’t know what to do. PLEASE HELP ME!”

“Where are you?”

“In my car!”

“WHERE THE FUCK
ARE YOU?”

“Near Cloud Street!”

“Listen to me, Jasmine! Go where there’s people, and don’t hang up this phone, you understand? I’ll come to you. Head to a restaurant, a store, somewhere that there’s a lot of people! There’s a fast food place over on Gabriel Street, go there. I’m on my way! Don’t hang up! I’m keeping my phone on.”

“I’m scared”

“I know you are. I’ll be there soon. I SWEAR!”

She debated heading down several side streets, but she didn’t think that would be wise. Stay in public places, she told herself. The ten-minute drive felt like ten hours. Every time she looked up into her rearview mirror, she could see him, even when he followed from several cars behind.

Her plan was not to get caught getting out of her vehicle. She gave herself less than two minutes to park the car and rush inside the fast food restaurant. She hated that it wasn’t bustling with people, but it was way past lunch time and too early for dinner. Still, some people inside were better than none. She only hoped that he wasn’t so set on killing her that he’d take out everyone in the restaurant, too.

She drove into the nearest open parking spot by the entrance. She grabbed her phone and purse, removed the keys and bolted inside. Everyone turned to look at her as she rushed through the door. She must look a battered mess. She proceeded to the counter as she noticed the Grave Walker pulling into the parking lot. Tears fell from her eyes as she ordered a drink and sat down. They couldn’t throw her out now, she hoped.

The girl behind the counter walked over to the table where she was sitting.

“Honey, are you okay? Do you need us to call the police or something?” The girl handed her some of napkins.

Jasmine shook her head as she dabbed her bleeding head with the napkins. She pressed some of the napkins to her head, trying to stop the blood. The girl stood there for several more seconds, then walked away.

The Grave Walker walked in and sat down at Jasmine’s booth. Jasmine reached into her purse and clicked the video record button again. She took the phone out and placed it on her lap out of his view.

“Get up or I’ll drag your ass out of here,” he said, the words filled with so much hate that spit sprayed from his mouth.

Jasmine glanced out of the window, Nuke was nowhere in sight. She looked back at her attacker and then she turned her head and looked back to the counter. The crew that was working had their eyes glued to her table. That was when she noticed that the few customers inside were also looking her way. “I’m not leaving, and you’re not a stupid man. They have security cameras, and I have a room full of eyewitnesses that will see you removing me by force in broad daylight. Your face will end up plastered all over the evening news. I’m not going anywhere with you!”

His smile was slow and malicious. “Do you think Cindy didn’t tell me where you live? Where you work? She gave up all of the Hells Vipers. Trust me bitch when I tell you, she gave you up, too.” He reached over and grabbed her drink.

His words were replaying in her mind. Cindy was the snitch that Nuke had mentioned. Part of her didn’t want to believe what he was saying, but she had obvious proof now that it was true: her own beating by the hands of this man while Cindy stood there and did nothing. The fact that he was even in her house was enough evidence.

Before Jasmine could reply, she heard the roar of motorcycles. They both turned and looked out the window. Nuke must have broken the speed of light to get to her, and he wasn’t alone. At least ten other Hells Vipers were in a unified pack roaring into the parking lot. It gave Jasmine a chance to smile maliciously. “My race-mixing old man is here. You’re fucked!” she taunted him.

The smug look on the Grave Walker’s face vanished as he stood up. For a brief moment she thought he was going to hurt her, but instead he bolted out of a side door near the drive-through. Jasmine got up and ran out the front door just as Nuke was getting off his bike. Two of the Hells Vipers who were still on their bikes went after the Grave Walker, who had left his own motorcycle and fled on foot.

Jasmine raced to Nuke, threw her arms around his neck and burst into tears.

“I got you, baby!” Nuke held onto her tight.

“Is she alright?” Pipe asked as he walked over to them. He touched Jasmine on the shoulder.

Jasmine raised her head and nodded. “I’m okay,” she managed to say between sobs.

“No, she’s not!” Nuke looked at the swelling bruises on her face and blood dripping from her scalp.

“I have to show you something,” she said, stopping the recording on her phone and handing it to Nuke. “It’s Cindy. She’s the snitch.”

“What?” Kevin was now standing in the circle of other Hells Vipers who were surrounding them.

Nuke played the video. The beginning was dark, but the audio was crystal clear. They could hear the assault and Jasmine running for her life to the car and taking the camera out of her purse to get a shot of Cindy, her house and the face of the Grave Walker as he smashed her car window.

“Fuck!” Kevin groaned as he shook his head.

“I told you that bitch wasn’t right!” Nuke said with anger filling his voice.

“I don’t know what to do now,” Jasmine said, wrapping her arms around Nuke’s waist. “I can’t go home. I don’t feel safe. He said Cindy told him where I live and work.”

“You’re coming with us,” Pipe said before Nuke could reply.

Kevin turned to one of the other Hells Vipers members. “Ride around, see if you can find out where those guys went. They may need back up. We’re heading back to the clubhouse.”

Then Nuke told Jasmine, “You’re riding with me.”

“My car?”

“We’ll take care of it. One of the prospects can come back for it,” Pipe said.