A Rebel Love (Black Rebel Riders' MC Book 7) (6 page)

Chapter 5

Miami, Florida

Karly (Baby)

“Nash, did you already take Sara’s bag to the car?”

He grabs my hand, kissing my knuckles. “Everything’s packed and ready to go.”

Today is Sara’s first day of daycare and my first day back to work fulltime since she was born. She was born premature to our surrogate at twenty-nine weeks. It was touch and go for a long time. It was so hard not knowing if I would ever get to bring our daughter home, but she’s a lot like her dad, she’s a fighter and a survivor.

She’s nearly three now and Cole’s nearing ten, well eleven. When we entered the program, they made Cole a year older than he really is. Time sure has flown. Some days I am afraid to blink. Afraid I will miss something important in my children’s lives.

Nash says I coddle them too much, but I can’t help it. I want to give them everything I didn’t have growing up—a home with
both
their parents providing a constant, positive presence in their lives. Neither of us really had that. Not that Foxie did such a poor job with us, but Slim was an asshole, my mother was dead, and my father was always on the road—searching for my sister. He found her, eventually, and brought her home. Well, what used to be home, Drag Creek. Now home is Miami and my sister is dead.

I try not to think of her the way I last saw her, strung up dead in a tree. She was brutally murdered by a rival MC.  I try to think of her smile and her love for me. I wish I had been a better sister. I wasted so much time treating her like shit, she wasn’t the problem,
I was
. I wish lots of things, but I can only move forward with my husband, and our children.

I love that Nash is home for dinner every night and we are able to tuck our kids in together before climbing into our bed. I know it sounds too good to be true and it kind of is. We have grown up a lot and built a great life for our family, here in Florida. We moved to Miami four months ago, when Nash received a promotion at work.  We had to get clearance for the move since we are in the witness protection program, but everything has worked out. Life here is good. We’re even better. I’m more in love with Nash than I ever thought was possible.

He is sure to let me know every day that he thanks the stars for our second chance. We never go to bed angry, if we fight at all. Instead of storming off or saying something we will regret, we talk through our issues and kiss after we agree to disagree. The tips we were given in our therapy sessions we attended have stuck with us.

My husband keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop. At times, he still has a hard time at relaxing and enjoying the day to day. He worries too much about our former life, but then again, so do I.

I subscribe to the Drag Creek newspaper through a fake email account, paying with a prepaid credit card to keep tabs on our family back home. Not that there is ever much mention of them.  The only thing I have seen is advertisements for the scrapyard business my father and Rebel operate. There was an article a few years back, when they celebrated their grand opening, but not much was listed about them personally. It used to be ran by whom I consider my grandpa, Skull. He passed away two years ago. I hated not being able to attend his funeral service. I almost booked a plane ticket so I could visit his grave but I stopped myself.

Nash would flip if he knew I am taking such a risk, but I can’t bear not knowing if something were to happen to my father. I may not be able to reach out to him, but at least I have the peace of mind that he isn’t making headlines with his mugshot.

I close my eyes trying to remember the way he looked, or the way he smelled when he would hug me and I can’t picture his face, it kills me. I remember his red tattoos that mark the lives he’s taken, but that’s all I can remember. I just want to see him, but I know I can’t just go searching for him online, that would be too suspicious.

Cole clears his breakfast plate and places it in the sink before grabbing his backpack. I can’t get over the fact that he is a fifth grader. My babies are growing up on me. I wonder what my father would think of them, or Foxie? I could just see her spoiling them both rotten, just like she did me and her boys.

I wonder what she’d say if she could see me now; my hair is dark auburn and I don’t dress quite as sexy as I used to. I don’t feel the need to draw attention to my body. My husband gives me plenty. I like to look good for him but in a different way. I want him to feel proud of me. I want our children to be proud to call me their mom. 

I’m a member of the PTA and I volunteer at the women’s shelter when I can. They are always in need of something.  The kids go with me if Nash can’t watch them. Nash doesn’t volunteer with me. Plenty of the women there have been raped and traumatized by men, and aren’t very comfortable with
any
man.

But now that I am going to be working there as the new social director, there may be times when Nash has to stop by.  I am really excited about this job and Sara will be going to daycare at the shelter with the kids who stay there while their moms are looking for work or attending counseling, among other things.

I have become fond of one woman in particular. Her name is Elaine and she is an ex-old lady to a notorious gang leader.  She got out of the life for her newborn daughter. A rival gang nearly ran her and the little girl, Stacia, down in the middle of a turf war. Her man could find them at any time, if he hasn’t already. Samil Shemal is said to be responsible for more than twenty deaths in the last year alone, but the cops never have enough evidence to make any charges stick. Some of his lower tier club members are serving time while he goes free…while Elaine lives in constant fear.

I can relate to her on a level that the counselors have failed to reach. Elaine
can’t
and
doesn’t
know anything of my former life, but she can see the same fear lurking behind my eyes. I may carry that same fear but it no longer controls me. At least that is the lie I tell myself. Anything can happen at any given moment.
Tomorrow is never promised
. My sister is proof of that
.

Nash (Striker)

The company I work for promoted me to heading their custom garage, which isn’t an issue, but some of the requirements of the job
could
be a problem.  I have news to share with my wife and I am not sure how she’ll take it. Next month we are debuting the bike I have been building during Bike Week in Daytona. Bike Week means a biker rally, potentially playing host to bikers that could easily recognize me if they looked hard enough. A lot of my tattoos have been lasered off, but my face hasn’t changed much. I keep a beard and keep my hair shaved short. I’ve gotten used to the contacts but on occasion I wear my glasses, mostly at home.

My boss wants me in attendance for the unveiling.  I
could
say ‘no,’ but it wouldn’t be a wise career choice. Why would the guy who designed and built their prize piece decline showing it off? He
wouldn’t
.

I kiss my girls and wish my wife luck on her first day. I can tell her my big news later. I don’t want her to worry on her first day. She has worked so hard for this. I am so proud of her. Karly is the reason I am the man I am today.

I work hard and provide for my family. They mean everything to me.

Some days the old me creeps in and revenge burns through my veins.

Some nights, I lie awake and I become Striker again, and in my head I travel back to Drag Creek to repay my brother the favor. I destroy
his
world. But then I look over at my wife as she sleeps next to me, and I know I can never go down that road, unless I want to ruin what we have now.

When those nights interrupt my life, I wake my wife and have her fuck the bad away. But sometimes, even having her in my arms isn’t enough to make the nightmares end. I close my eyes and I can see Rumor’s lifeless body and her guts hanging all out behind Rebel and Baby. He has the gun aimed at my woman’s head ready to steal her life away.  The gun fires and instead of it being me who is shot, I see Trouble lying on the ground with a hole in his chest, telling me I am going to be a father as he bleeds out.

Trouble was my wife’s best friend. He stepped up when I didn’t. They would be married now if he hadn’t taken a bullet that was meant for me.

Sometimes I think things would’ve been better had I died that night instead.  

Baby wouldn’t have had to give up everything to be with me.

She wouldn’t have had to become Karly. But then we wouldn’t have Sara and I can’t imagine a world without her in it. I can’t imagine a life for me without my wife and our children.

Cole takes his role as big brother seriously. He is so protective of his sister. There is nothing greater than watching the two of them together…other than watching my wife with them. She was born to be a mother. Karly doesn’t see herself the way I do, but she is a nurturer underneath her tough exterior.

Karly (Baby)

When I get to work, I am in for the shock of a lifetime—Liberty is talking with the daycare director. There is no doubt in my mind that it’s her. Her dark hair is styled the same. Her big butt hasn’t lost it’s shape. And I’d know that Appalachian accent anywhere.

I haven’t seen her since the shit that went down with Diamond, that skank-ho Pocahontas wannabe bitch years ago. My initial instinct is to turn right back around and call out sick. If she sees me, this could ruin everything, but if I turn my back on someone who stepped up for me and mine, what kind of person would that make
me
? She is obviously here for help. I look at the bruises marking her arms, they are healing, but she has been put through a beating. Shades of yellow, purple, black, and blue tint her face.

There is a little boy, a few years younger than Cole, wrapped around her legs with a cast on his arm.  The little guy is the spitting image of Marc ‘
Tread
’ Adams,
damn
. He even shares his charming dimples, and shaggy light brown hair. A girl never forgets the dimples of a man like Tread.

I put Sara’s bag in her locker and approach Liberty once her and the child are alone. She is crouched down trying to coax him into letting go of her leg. I don’t know if she knows about my
supposed death
. I’m taking a
huge
risk. I hope Nash can forgive me, but I have to do this. She’s my
friend
…well she was, and she is in a
rough
way, or else she wouldn’t be here.

“Liberty?” I touch her shoulder gently, not wanting to startle her or send her into shock.

She looks up and when her hazel eyes meet mine she bursts into tears. 

“Oh God,
Baby
? It can’t be.” She shakes her head.

I hold my finger to my lips.

It takes her a moment but she calms down, hiccupping a few more lost sobs.

“We can go to my office and I will explain. But first, who is this little guy?” I reach her a tissue. She’s a blubbering mess.

“This is my son, Kyler.”

“Hi Kyler, my name’s Karly and I am a friend of your momma’s. This is my daughter, Sara.” I point to my baby girl and he slowly comes around Liberty’s leg to meet her. “Do you think you can help Sara with a puzzle?”

His bottom lip is trembling but he nods and takes her hand, instant best friends. I show them to the puzzle boxes and get them seated at a table with a juice box each.

Once they are settled I lead Liberty to my office. I pray she is better at keeping my secrets than she was at keeping Diamond’s.

Chapter 6

Liberty

“You don’t know how happy I am to see your face, but help me understand something…I thought—well I thought you were
dead
?” I whisper the word, dead.

“I am, technically speaking. Whatever I tell you in this room can
never
go any further.”

I can’t believe it’s really Baby. I heard she was dead. Well, rather I read it online, but she’s really here. Her hair is different but there is no mistaking her face or her voice. And definitely
not
those honey whiskey eyes.

“I promise. You can count on me. And I hope in return you can do something for me.” If anyone can help me, Baby can. She
owes
me.

“I’ll do what I can,” she promises and relief floods me.

“I guess I’ll start from the beginning.” Baby goes into full detail, not leaving anything out about her
new
life in the witness protection program. My heart
hurts
for my friend and all that she has been through. It makes me happy to know that she’s
still
with Striker, maybe true love
can
defy the odds and
survive
anything. Her story gives me hope of a
better
tomorrow. They made it, maybe Tread and me can make it too.

She continues to talk, filling me in on the murder of her sister, Rumor and the birth of her daughter, Sara as she sets up her office. Today is her first official day. I take the family portrait from her desk. Cole looks so much like his dad, but with his momma’s red hair. He wears glasses like his dad too. Sara is adorable too, chubby cheeks sprinkled with freckles, strawberry blonde hair like her Aunt Sarah had. I look at Baby, she looks real nice, all professional and polished. Not that she didn’t look good already, but she has a maturity to her that she didn’t have before.

An hour has passed by the time she covers her story. I hadn’t known about Rumor, it’s just too hard to comprehend and it makes me wonder if I am making the right choice in wanting to go back. Baby left for a reason. Will she think I’m an idiot? Am I trading one death sentence for another?

I don’t have answers. I only have the desire to correct the mistake I made when I walked away from Tread.

I need him.

Kyler
needs him.

  Now it is
my
turn to share and ask
her
for a favor. I saved her life when I revealed Diamond’s scheme to Striker about her fake pregnancy. I am in desperate need of a way out of Florida, away from my abusive husband.

I want to go home.

I want to go to Tread.

Maybe if I had stayed in Drag Creek, things would have turned out differently for both Baby and me, but I can’t dwell on
what ifs
. I can only try to move forward.

“After things with Diamond ended so abruptly, I found out I was pregnant with Tread’s child and I panicked. I was so scared that I’d share her fate. We were friends before she got all crazy. I never told Tread. I told him the truth that I was scared, but I didn’t tell him it was because I was
afraid
that I’d be bringing a child into a
dangerous
world. One that could kill us both. He didn’t beg me to stay so I figured it was for the best.” I take a moment to collect my thoughts. I feel as if I am rambling. “My family was shit. I had distant cousins who had a club in West Virginia. I never
dreamed
they would cross paths with the Black Rebels. I never
dreamed
they’d be responsible for your having to leave. I’m so
sorry
about Rumor.”

“Yeah, she didn’t deserve what she got.” Baby looks away, tears threatening to spill.

I start talking about my problems to take her mind from the painful subject.

“Anyway, I knew I didn’t want that life and I wanted to make a new life for me and my baby. I ended up in Wilmington, North Carolina. That’s where I met John.  He didn’t care that I was pregnant with another man’s child. He said he’d love Kyler as his own and I believed him. Things were perfect. He’s a military doctor or he was, but he has since been discharged from service. That’s when we moved here to be closer to his family, after we married. John was sweet the first few years and understood I wanted us to enjoy being a couple, before trying for a child of our own. But when a child didn’t happen for us he changed. He morphed into a man I didn’t recognize. He began to lash out, mentally abusing me and it only escalated from there, until a few weeks ago when he threw Kyler down the stairs.”

I pause taking a drink of the coffee Baby has poured for me.

“Oh honey, I am so glad you left him, but what can I do for you?”

“I need to leave Florida, but I don’t have any money. I don’t even have a car. I’ve got nothing but Kyler.”

“Well you’ve got me now. We’ll figure this out together.”

Baby crosses the room and envelopes me in a hug I hadn’t realized I need. It’s been so long since I’ve had a friend. John didn’t want me talking to anyone. Said confiding in anyone but him was just inviting others to add to our problems. Now I realize he just didn’t want anyone encouraging me to divorce his
sorry
ass.

I leave Baby to go check on Kyler and let her get some actual work accomplished. How odd that she would be working in the one place I end up at reaching out for help. Life sure has a funny way of working out sometimes. Coincidence or fate, either way I am thankful.