CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN Mad Bell

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Mad Bell

I was stewing on my couch, itching to make a move.

Two days ago, the club's lawyer, Ms. Ravenbark, had told me she'd get me in contact with someone who could help me handle the divorce since it wasn't her specialty. However, after hearing the sordid tale of Rhonda and me, including how Rhonda forced me into a marriage when I was too drunk to know what was going on, she'd made a suggestion that had stuck with me. At first, I didn't want to play it that way. I didn't want to do this dirty. I'd loved Rhonda at one time. She'd been my world and what I had hoped would be my future. I saw a lot of things with her. Like making our own holiday traditions because both our families were shit. And losing track of how many birthdays we'd celebrated because we'd been together so long. Makin' a better life than the one life had handed us.

But that life was gone.

It might have taken me a day of complete solitude to let it sink in. It didn't seem to matter that I hadn't seen Rhonda in over six years or that I thought I'd put her behind me since then. Didn't matter that I was ready to open my heart up to someone else. It didn't even matter that Rhonda was very obviously not the same woman I'd fallen in love with. I hadn't given myself the proper time to let go of the relationship— of Rhonda— and, in a sense, grieve over the loss.

It was time. I was itching to get my life back on track. I was armed with a plan and I wasn't going to back down. I was ready to let my past go and move on.

As ready as I said I was, I couldn't help the rage that came over me the moment I walked into my house about twenty minutes ago. I'd avoided coming here, choosing to stay at the compound until I was one hundred percent ready to deal with this shit. At first, I thought the place was empty, but then I remembered her car still sitting in my driveway, and I knew she had finally tainted the one place I hoped she wouldn't dare to touch.

My damn bedroom.

Sure enough, she was in there, curled up in the middle of my bed, sleeping like a baby.

I'd said nothing, simply shut the door, and as calmly as I could, went into the living room and sat on the damn couch. It had taken some deep breaths to get myself under control.

I was good now. My eyes fixated on a spot on the wall as I reminded myself that soon none of this would matter.

Maisy.

I thought of Maisy, and my world felt right again. I thought of her smile, which could be both seductive and evil at the same time. I thought about the glint that lights up those deep sapphire pools for eyes right before she did something to get under my skin. I thought about how perfectly she felt in my arms, even if I ached because she wasn't in them now.

"Joe?" Rhonda's timid voice poked a hole in my happy bubble. "You're here?"

"Yeah, Rhonda, I'm here," I said, crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned back into the couch. I kept my tone even because I knew my words came out with enough bite to get my point across. "This is my damn house, so why wouldn't I be here? Did you think you'd suddenly come back into my life and push me out of my own damn home? The one I worked for. The one I saved up for. The one I bought after diggin' myself out of the hole you put me in?"

She whimpered and seemed to curl in on herself. Her arms went across her body protectively. It was a move I'd seen her do too many times in my life. She knew how to play the game. I didn't want to call it fake, but I was starting to see it that way since it was her go-to move whenever she felt like she wasn't gonna be gettin' her way.

I didn't want to hurt her. That wasn't my goal here. It was to make her understand that I wanted nothing to do with her. I wanted to clear the board before she had a chance to finish setting up her game.

"Why'd ya really come here?" I asked.

"I… it was time I started being your wife."

"Bullshit," I spat out. "Six years of nothin' then you just waltz right in and think the last six years didn't happen? That you didn't trick me into marrying you? I'm not buyin' it. So what is it? You in some kinda trouble? Runnin' from something? You need money? What is the reason that made you stoop so fuckin' low that you had to come and disrupt my life with your shit?"

She huffed. In my mind, I saw her arms crossed over her chest while she gave a stomp of her foot. Seemed she'd outgrown that, at least. Her face pinched tight, which made her look like she'd licked a lemon. That face only reminded me of all the bad times we shared. Damn if it didn't sting too.

It was then that I realized just how baggage worked.

Because, for just a split second, I wondered if Maisy and I would have more bad times than good. I wondered if we were doomed even before we started. I wondered if there were things she did that I'd see years later and realize that was the sign that I should run.

"I want a divorce," I said when it became clear she wasn't ready to talk. "I want you out of my life. Tell me what I need to give to you to have that happen. This is your last chance. Speak now or—"

"Or what? What could you possibly do to me that hasn't already been done? What could you take from me when I don't have anything, thanks to you? You left me—"

I was going to let her get it out until those last three words hit my ears. She stopped talking as I rose to my feet. I didn't take a step closer to her, but I did stare her down.

"I didn't leave," I reminded her as calmly as I could. Inside the rage was shaking me, but I didn't dare open that cage door. "You left me. But I'm not gonna go into that. It's my past, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm done wonderin' what happened to you. To us. It's been over a long time, long before you even took off. So I just need you to get on the same page." I took in a deep breath as I let her have a moment for those words to sink in. "I never wanted anything bad to happen to you, and I still don't. You know damn well that if you keep goin' down this path, it's not gonna end up good for you."

"I didn't want to do this," she said. She hung her head, leaving me to wonder what the fuck she was talking about. "He made me. He said you'd give me money just to leave. He said to take everything I could get. He wants me to clean you out."

"Who?" I nearly barked the word. She shook her head, her lips clamped shut. "Who the hell are you talking about? Better tell me now, Rhonda, so help me…"

"Your brother!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Her face was red with anger and splotchy from embarrassment.

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest and I stumbled back a step, nearly dropping to my ass on the couch.

"What does my brother have to do with this?" The words came out slow and focused. There were so many other questions I had. How long had he known where she was? How were they involved? Why did he send her? Why now?

What the fuck was going on?!

"He knocked Cheryl Dunbar up," Rhonda said, venom in her tone as she practically spat the woman's name. I knew of her, but that was all. She'd been a couple of years behind me in school. "And I told him he better pay her to get rid of it if he wants me to stay."

My head was swimming.

She was with my brother? And he'd gotten some other woman pregnant?

Nope! I wasn't getting sucked into that drama.

"Well, when he told her to get rid of it, there was an issue and he ended up in jail. Now, since he had three warrants out for his arrest, he's stuck in there because I ain't got the money to get him out."

"How long?" I nearly growled out. "How long have you been with my brother?"

Her gaze dropped, and it all clicked into place.

"Six years," she muttered.

I thought I came here to put my past behind me, but this changed everything. It changed the past. Made the last six years of not knowing sting a little more.

The deep breath I inhaled wasn't cleansing enough.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was just the distraction I needed since I felt like I was about to fly off the handle.

I could read between the things she was saying. Those bruises on her… the very ones she'd told the cops I gave to her, came from my brother. The thought filled me with rage. Now Rhonda was caught up with him, and the two of them were living out the same cycle my parents had been living most of their lives.

I felt sick.

I didn't recognize the number on my phone, and part of me wanted to ignore it. But there was a little nagging feeling in the back of my head that told me to answer.

"Hello?" I answered, sounding downright confused. What else was going to happen? It wasn't smart to entertain such thoughts, it would only leave me open for more bad shit to come on.

"Uh, hey. Mad Bell? This is River." His voice was timid, and he sounded as unsure about making this call as I was taking it.

"Lake's kid?" I shot back.

My brows pinched together as I wondered why the hell he was calling me. The kid was a legacy, and I imagined he was ready to be part of the club now that his pops stepped down from his position at the table. I didn't know a lot about him other than the fact he was good with computers and sometimes worked at the PI place his mom owned.

"Yeah," he said with a small sigh. "Prez said I needed to call you right away about what I found. He's dealing with something or he would have called you himself."

"Alright," I said. Half of me wanted to know if Prez was okay and if he needed backup. The other half was dying to hear what it was that River had to tell me. "Go on."

"LT had me look into your marriage certificate. It's fake or forged. I've looked and looked. I even searched the county where it was filed and notarized. There's nothing."

My pounding heart beat in my ears. I was almost afraid to believe what he was saying.

"You're sure?" I asked, mostly out of pure shock. I needed him to say it again.

"Very sure. I even tried spelling your names all different ways in case there was a mistake, but there's nothing."

What kind of game was Rhonda playing? Or was this my brother's idea?

"Appreciate ya, man," I said, then quickly ended the call. I owed him big, and I'd pay it back later. Right now, I needed to take the trash out and move on with my life.

"What?" Rhonda asked, eyes sharp like she knew something was up.

I was done. So fuckin' done.

Without a word, I reached behind the couch and pulled out the duffel bag I'd brought with me. I came prepared today, but I wasn't going to show her my cards until I had to. Now I knew what she wanted and I knew she had no fuckin' leverage to get it. For a second I thought about taunting her with it, but then I figured this was going to be the closing to this chapter of my life. I'd give her this and carry no guilt about sending her on her way. I dumped the bag at her feet and crossed my arms over my chest.

"What's this?" she asked, eyes glued to the bag.

"Ten thousand dollars." Her head snapped up and she blinked at me for about thirty seconds before she realized she could get her hands on that money. She bent and snatched up the bag like lightning. "It's enough for you to start over somewhere. You can leave all the bullshit behind." My eyes pleaded with her to hear me and take the way out that would give her a better life. "It's over. I know we're not married. I know it's another game for you. And I'm done."

"Joe…" She tried, but it was written all over her face. There wasn't a shred of her that came here because she missed me or she wanted to make things right. She was holding a good chunk of money and that was the only thing she cared about. We both knew it wouldn't get her too far. She'd have to work to make a life, but it was a good start that not many people got. As much as I wanted her to take the opportunity to start over, my gut was telling me she wouldn't. I fuckin' hated it, but I'd done all that I could do.

"I never want to see you again, Rhonda. I mean it," I said firmly.

Her eyes were wet as she nodded. As weird as it was, I was glad I got a glimpse of the woman I fell in love with before she hightailed it out of my house with the clothes on her back and money in a duffel. Not even a minute later, I heard the prospect's bike start up and I knew he'd make sure she left town. That was the reason I brought him with me, after all.

I sighed and flopped down on the couch.

It was over. I could move forward with my life.

Only now I felt like I had to do something big. Maisy deserved that much. Maybe she'd want a little time, too. It didn't look good me running to her not even five minutes after I sent my past packin'.

I stood and looked around the room.

There was something I had to do first. And unless I wanted to burn down my house, it was going to take a lot of time and possibly hands. It looked like I was buying beers and pizza for those who felt like helping a brother out. This was my house, and I was about to scrub Rhonda out of it until there wasn't even a trace of her left behind.