“Twelve thirty-eight.” She shifts to her left leg, making her hip pop out, her arms crossed as her eyes size me up. I wonder if she has a key to my place? I bet she does, in fact, why wouldn’t she be able to get into anywhere she wants, she’s the queen of the MC. My mother can go anywhere she wants. If my dad doesn’t let her, one of the brothers will in fear that if they told her no, they’d be in deep shit.
“How’s work?” She smirks but it’s a farce, her devious eyes set upon me like I’m a gold digging ho.
“It’s great, thanks.” I smile back, trying to kill ugly with sweetness. Snatching the beer from the counter, I head outside, that hot air sucking my skin dry. Tearing the box open, I pull a beer can out, open it and start drinking it on my journey back home.
Yeah, that bitch isn’t done, she’s coming after me again. I know a scorned mother when I see one and she is pissed about me being here. It has to be because of what my brother did to her Thane. That would make me bitter if I was a mom.
I can handle her though, I’m not going anywhere so she better just suck it up.
Going upstairs to my place, I kick the door shut behind me and plop down on the couch. Placing the beer on the coffee table, I pull out my phone and text Piper.
Miss you.
If she were here, she’d come up with some scheme to fuck with Smurf. I should find where she lives and put blue hair dye in her shampoo or something.
After a few seconds go by and Piper doesn’t reply, I lay my head back on the couch cushion and sigh. She is probably busy with the baby. Baby. Gosh, that word sounds so crazy coming out of my mouth. I can’t believe she had a damn kid.
Guilt pulls at my heart. I should be there helping her. Like a club sister needs to be.
Crumpling the beer can to the floor, I grab another.
Then another.
My eyes sweeping to my phone every twenty minutes in hopes someone back home will reply. I’m bored and miss everyone.
Who knew freedom would be so lonely.
My foot propped on the coffee table, I sing “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish from my Spotify list. painting my toenails with black nail polish. The empty box of beer and cans stacked on the floor making a tower. I’m not drunk but I’m not sober either. Thane was supposed to give me the details on the next project he wants me to work on, but he never texted or showed up. Maybe I’m fired. I snicker at the thought. First job and I’m fired within days. That’s gotta be a record or something.
Thunder cracks outside, making the walls rumble and me startle causing me to smear polish onto the skin of my big toe. Looks like the storm is back. God, is that all it does down south? Wind slaps against the windows, howling to come in and I stand to check it out. Trees swish back and forth, leaves skidding across the street and into the gutters. It’s worse than this morning’s storm, that’s for sure.
The lights flicker like something out of a horror movie and I step away from the window, looking at the light in the kitchen.
I don’t have a flashlight or candles if the lights go out. It’ll be pitch black in here, I’m not scared of the dark but for some reason the thought of being in here by myself in the dark has me panicking. Something I don’t normally feel hits the pit of my stomach. Fear. I don’t want to be alone in the dark, not with unknown enemies lurking nearby.
A noise outside catches my attention it doesn’t sound like the storm, it sounds like a person. Back to the window, I pull the blinds apart farther and find Thane and a couple of the guys just outside his motorcycle shop. Thane has Bugs up against the wall yelling in his face, the others standing in a circle watching. All seeming unfazed by the storm brewing above us. I wonder what’s going on. Thane suddenly nails Bugs right in the face with his fist and my mouth forms into the shape of an O. Holy shit!
Thane steps back, yelling some more and pointing at Bugs who is hunched over holding his face. Thane swipes his wet hair out of his face and heads toward a line of motorcycles. He pushes himself out of the parking spot using his feet, just enough to clear the other bikes, and speeds off into the night. Bugs stands up and slowly walks out into the street, watching Thane ride away. Slowly his head turns and lifts and our eyes meet. The other bikers follow him out into the road and now all of them stare up at me.