The Winter of Regrets (23 page)

“I can live with that. Whiskey, I’m not happy with Thrash either. I’ll get on Joy’s ass. Trust me. Elena, you didn’t really mean you’d sell Moon Glow out from under us, did you?”

Elena looked at him like he was crazy. “As of now, we have no deal on him. I own most of him. Remind her of that, too. He doesn’t leave my barn. Tell Joy that I mean it, she went too far. I’ll sell this place and she can’t buy me out. I don’t need a meddling bitch in my life.”

Jersey figured it was time to go. With a nod to Elena, he made up his mind to talk with Joy and left without another word.

Once the door shut, Whiskey pulled Elena protectively into his arms. His lips claimed hers and she pushed her tongue against his. Kissing Whiskey was something Elena was getting addicted to. His good clean smell of leather turned her on so much.

Finally, Whiskey broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “You having any regrets, Elena? I know that this won’t be easy for you with your friends in other clubs. This is why I want to take it slow, for both of us. I need to be a better man for you … and for myself.”

“No regrets,” she said with a smile. “I don’t like many in Bound for Hell. Joy doesn’t know you and … and how dare she tell me what I can do with my life! You’ve been honest with me. I know who and what you are. Maybe not all of you, but there are parts I don’t ever want to know.” She stared right back at him and let him lead her to the couch.

“Kima was the chick Rabid was with when he disappeared, wasn’t she?” Whiskey toyed with her hair and Elena knew he wanted the truth as much as she would tell him.

Elena sighed. “Yes, but how do you know about that?”

Whiskey kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s my business to find out what the other clubs are doing. We’ve dealt with Rabid. Kima’s Jack’s sister?”

“Yes. It was so horrible, what happened to her. I was there when Kima and Rabid came. I’ll never know how Kima lasted so long with that monster, but it ended that day.” She didn’t know why she was confiding in Whiskey, but the weight seemed to lift as she spoke those words. “That’s why I hate Bound for Hell so much.”

“I need to know if there are any bodies buried here, darlin’. I don’t want to go down for a crime I didn’t commit.”

“Not that I know of,” she admitted. “It didn’t happen here; it was at Hunter’s and there’s no body. None of Bound for Hell could find a way to save her. Hunter called him and, as part of joining Bound for Hell, he offered the Lodge to get Rabid down here.” She wrapped her arms around Whiskey. “I helped Kima, you know. I gave her a gun so she could end that motherfucker herself. Kima has never been the same, either. She pretends everything’s fine, but I know her too well.”

“Elena, listen to me. If ever there comes a day that the cops ask you about Rabid, you tell them Hunter was the last one to see him. Hunter is dead, you know nothing. You need to tell Kima that, too.”

From the sound of Whiskey’s dead-serious tone, Elena pushed herself away to look into his face. She was scared now.

“Do … Do you know something I don’t?”

Whiskey knew the police were investigating Rabid’s disappearance. He didn’t answer right away, playing with her hair. “We have a dirty state cop on our payroll,” he admitted, choosing his words wisely. “They’re looking into his disappearance. His mother is pushing it or they wouldn’t bother. Don’t call Kima, please. Just go over or have her come here and tell her that when he left, you two were in the kitchen or some shit.”

Elena began to shake, fearing the nightmare wasn’t over yet. She didn’t really want to ask him her next question. “Do they know about Kima?”

Whiskey was blunt. “I think they do. His mother is talking a lot. If you remember what I said and you both stick to the story that Hunter saw him last, there’s nothing they can do to either of you. Don’t ever tell anyone else what you told me. I’m glad you trusted me because I never would have mentioned that sick fucker to you.” 

“You knew him?” She couldn’t help but ask.

“You don’t need to know anything about that, except he was no friend to my club. We knew what he did to women.” He pulled Elena onto his lap. “Now let’s forget about that bastard and let me tell you about my plans.” He began to kiss her quivering lips again. She got lost in the kiss and melted into him, her worries forgotten in an instant.

J
ersey stormed into the house, yelling out for Joy. She came out of the bedroom armed with her worst glare.

“I hope you set Elena straight about that man, Jersey.”

“
That man
showed up,” he said back, grinding his teeth, “and now Elena’s ready to sell Moon Glow, since you stuck your damn nose in her business. I warned you, Joy. You don’t listen.” He glared right back at her. “You got a thing for Thrash? I don’t understand why you’re so involved with his love life.”

Joy picked up the nearest thing she could find—an ashtray—and heaved it in his direction. The thing shattered against the wall by his head; he ducked to avoid it, his eyes flashing with anger. “I am looking out for us!” she cried out. “Why would we want Satan’s Attitude living here??”

Jersey lost his temper. “You want those horses?” he asked coldly. “You think I could afford a farm this big? Elena has been
good
to us, Joy. We returned the favor by burying a body here. Remember Stinky? Maybe you treat your friends like shit, but I don’t.” He walked into the bedroom and left her to stew on that.

She huffed furiously, but couldn’t help thinking about the horses she loved so dearly.
Losing them is out of the question
, she told herself. She didn’t know what to do. She loved Elena and she wanted to see her happy, but Thrash was who Elena belonged with. No thought could comfort her.

Jersey came out of the bedroom and grabbed his leather. “I’m outta here until you figure out how to mind your own business,” he said. He didn’t kiss her and his voice was cold as ice.

Joy’s heart began to sink as she watched him leave in his truck. Never before had Jersey walked out on her. She was fucked if both Jersey and Elena turned their backs on her. She and Elena had never had a fight before, either. Tears dripped down her face. It was true that she was barely dancing and had high hopes on some of the horses. She knew Elena had gotten something from Hunter, although she never said what. She figured Elena owed her from when she was pregnant, and she had worked so hard, but maybe Elena was hurting for money. Elena kept her word; she would sell the track horses.

If Joy was honest with herself, it was true that she wasn’t pulling her fair share and was going to lose a friend she considered a sister. She picked up the phone and tried to call Elena, but there was no answer. It had been awhile since she had danced at Dirty Deeds. She could beg Darko to let her dance tonight, or maybe if she showed up, that would get the crowd yelling for her to dance. Convinced, she took a shower and got herself ready to go to Dirty Deeds. She hoped with all her heart Jersey would come home tonight. There was so much she would regret if she didn’t make things better with Jersey and Elena. She drove to dirty Deeds, and within the hour, she had patrons wanting to see her dance, just as she expected.

After the club closed and she came home, she found the house empty. Her heart crumbled and she cried herself to sleep, hugging his pillow and feeling broken.

N
ailz grumbled the whole way to the doctor’s office. Veiko had forced Thrash and him to go. Jersey kindly offered to drive with him, and Veiko had went up ahead to get Thrash.

The doctor checked his heart and his blood pressure. He explained that Nailz had to stop smoking, and to watch his blood pressure. Nailz thought it all was a waste of time, but planned to stop smoking anyway. As they were leaving, Veiko pulled in with Thrash. Nailz let Jersey walk over to tell Veiko the news. Nailz had no wish to speak to Thrash.

Jersey slowly peered into the truck and was taken aback by Thrash’s condition. “What the hell happened to him? The Fiends stomp him?”

Veiko rolled his eyes. “He’s been on a binge, drinking. I was lucky I could get him into the shower. He says a shadow beat him up. I’m wondering if insanity runs in the family, like my mother. How’s Nailz?”

Jersey couldn’t stop looking at Thrash’s busted-up face. “He has to watch his blood pressure. He’s giving up smoking or some shit. A shadow did all of that? You think it was the Fiends, V?”

“Nah. I just think the poor fucker pissed somebody off when he was drunk. Maybe the Fiends, who knows, but we’d have heard if it was them. I gotta get his sorry ass inside. I heard Joy was dancing last night at Deeds. Tramp said she brought the house down, made more money than any other dancer.” Veiko shrugged. “Later, bro.” Veiko pulled away and rode off, leaving Jersey with a shocked expression.

Nailz was smoking the last cigarette in his pack. As Jersey opened the door of the car, he tossed the crumpled-up cigarette pack at him. “Why does Thrash need to see the doctor?”

Jersey looked puzzled. “V said Thrash’s been on a binge, said some crazy shit about a shadow beating him up. I think it was the Fiends. He’s really fucked up.”

Nailz didn’t say much as Jersey drove him to work in the heavy duty equipment yard. He was enjoying Thrash’s pain too much to talk.
A shadow named Nailz,
he thought to himself. “You wanna hang out?”

“I gotta go home and see how Joy is,” he said with a sigh. “I had a fight with her, got a motel room last night.”

Jersey wasn’t his usual happy self. Nailz wondered if everyone had problems and why this winter seemed to be causing such havoc. “Later Jerz. Thanks, bro.”

J
ersey had to pull over at the beginning of the lane to let Elena pass because she was pulling a horse trailer. He thought about the road he needed to get working on and hoped Nailz would help him widen the trail. He was happy Joy had danced and hoped she had straightened things out with Elena.

When he came inside, he found Joy lying in bed. Hearing him move around and trying to be quiet brought a tiny smile to her lips. She decided to get up to talk to him. She wasn’t sure if he was staying home for good, but she’d try to make sure he wouldn’t leave her again.
The smell of coffee is a good sign,
she thought as she dressed.

Jersey turned as the bedroom door opened and he saw his Joyful. She was still sleepy-eyed and hadn’t yet fixed her hair. He loved seeing her without all her makeup. This was the real Joy, the woman he loved with all of his heart. He made a mug of coffee and handed it to her. Neither spoke, an awkward silence resting between them.

“I saw Elena leaving,” Jersey finally said, breaking the quiet. “She was pulling a horse trailer. I was thinking we need to widen the beginning of the lane when I put our driveway in.”

“Did she have horses in the trailer?” Joy asked, putting her coffee mug down in a hurry and rushing to pull on her boots and a jacket.

“I didn’t bother to look, to be honest. Where are you going?”

“Moon Glow,” she answered, her voice distressed. “I bet she took him to be sold. I don’t have anything that says I own a part of him so she could sell him. She’s really angry with me, Jerz. I’m going to see if he’s gone.”

She ran down to the barn. Soon after, Jersey came following behind.
Elena very well may have sold that damn horse
, he thought. Joy should have minded her own business. She brought this on herself.

He saw Pete passing by and asked him what horses Elena had loaded up. Pete’s answer confirmed the fear: “Moon Glow and Cool Chrome.” Jersey’s heart started to hammer as he saw Joy come out of the barn with tears flowing down her face.

“She did it,” cried Joy, defeated. “She took Moon, Jerz! I had money for her, too! I told you, Whiskey was no damn good. Ever since she met him, Elena has been changing.” She threw herself into his arms, sobbing.

Jersey looked around and saw two of Whiskey’s boys listening to her. “Joy, shut the hell up,” he whispered into her ear, his eyes on those boys. “Wait until we get in the house before you get us kicked off the farm.” With that, he picked her up and carried her home as she cried her eyes out.

E
lena pulled into the driveway at Kima’s stable and tooted the horn. Tears walked over to the truck.

“Morning, Elena. You hauling horses today?”

“I need to talk to Kima,” she answered. “Go run inside and tell her to come out. I’ve got a present for her. I’ll head back and unload it.”

She pulled her truck to the area next to the stable. She looked at her old place and was happy Kima was keeping it up and had started boarding horses again. She got out of the truck and opened the trailer doors. She was about to get Cool Chrome, but Kima came flying down to the stable, Tears carrying a bundled up Josie and trailing behind her.

“Elena, Tears said you have a present for me?” Kima loved presents and she looked at the trailer curiously.

“Oh, I promised you this present a while ago. I’m giving you Cool Chrome. I need to downsize; too many horses to feed.” Elena watched the grin form on Kima’s face. “So, it’s a good surprise, then?”

“Of course it is!” Kima explained, beside herself. “I don’t know if V will think so, but I don’t care! Can I get in and get him out?” Kima was already at the side door of the trailer.

Elena didn’t answer as they unloaded the horse and Kima let him out to pasture. 

“Kima, I need a favor,” she said, drawing up to her side. “I really hate to ask you, but I need a place to leave Moon for a bit. I’m not sure for how long, but I’ll pay you boarding fees. I’m hiding him from Joy.” Elena knew Kima would want to know the reason. “Since I’ve been seeing Whiskey, Joy is in my business. I know Thrash is your brother-in-law, but I don’t want him.”

Kima sighed. “Thrash is on the rebound from China,” she told her with a sad shake of her head. “I’m so tired of everyone going on about Hunter and saying that he wanted you with him. Veiko and I think you should choose who you want.” Kima frowned, uncomfortable with the plan. “I don’t think you want to leave Moon here. Joy or Jersey might stop in and Veiko could mention he’s here. You could take him to the Lodge, maybe? Fencing is still up. Thorn wouldn’t care. Tears, you’d help Elena, wouldn’t you?”