Chapter Nineteen

Ryan Taylor took a drag on his cigarette, staring at Harley Banks. Her face was swollen and bruised. She sat on the sofa in the living room all alone, as still as a block of ice, gazing off into space. He’d been watching her for five minutes, had even lit a cigarette. She hadn’t moved, giving no indication she was aware of his presence. He could’ve sneak attacked her and she wouldn’t have known what hit her.

For some reason, he still found her so pretty.

The thought sank in and he flushed, glancing around.

She was pretty. Within reason. She wasn’t one of them. She was one of them. Her color was different. Her hair texture was different. She was beneath him for so many different reasons.

Except when he looked at her, he saw nothing but her. While she’d never seen anyone except CJ.

“I’m not a freak show,” she hissed. “Say something or leave.”

She hadn’t been at school again today. For obvious reasons. She was still healing from her fight with her half breed mama, Bailey, and that uppity bitch, Roxanne.

“I live here, Harley. I can be wherever I please and I don’t have to say a fucking thing to you.”

Her delicate nostrils flared and she glared at him. Licked her lips. Swiped at the tears Ryan just noticed were rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes were glistening and they shone like polished citrine.

Ashes fluttered from the tip of his cigarette. Scowling, Ryan scrubbed a hand over his face and glanced over his shoulder. No sign of Mom. He’d need to sweep before she saw his mess. She absolutely hated ashes on her floor or anywhere other than ash trays.

Spying one on an end table, Ryan walked to it and sat the cigarette in it. He was closer to Harley now and the scent of jasmine wafting from her made him dizzy.

He sat next to her, closer than he should have. She stiffened and prepared to stand.

Ryan grabbed her wrist. “Wait.” Releasing her, he slid to the other end. “Don’t go.”

“What do you want? You don’t like me, so don’t pretend that you do.”

He smirked at her. “At the moment, it doesn’t seem as if nobody likes you. Especially CJ.”

Her lips trembled and misery slid into her eyes. All his goodwill toward her fled, replaced by burning anger and jealousy. Jo’s surgery happened three days ago, and the arrogant motherfucker still hadn’t come to school.

Even the Terrible Triplets, Rebel, and the psycho priest boy were back. Not CJ. As always, he did as he pleased.

“How long will you be here?”

Swiping at fresh tears, she sidled a glare at him. “Does it matter?”

“Yeah, Harley. You’re sleeping on the fucking sofa.” He pointed to the TV, hooked to the gaming console. “I can’t play with you here.”

“My life is falling apart and you’re worried about a stupid game? CJ hates me. He won’t even text me back,” she finished on a sob.

“Boohoo, bitch. Your shitty life is your fault,” he snapped, more anger pouring through him. “You’re spoiled and a fucking idiot.”

She gasped.

“Your warpath impressed no one, especially CJ.” Ryan couldn’t even blame his cousin, either. His stand against Harley was almost impressive. “He spent his fucking life protecting you and you didn’t think enough of him to believe him. Well, congratulations, stupid. You got just what the fuck you deserved. Not him.”

Almost before he got the words out, she flew at him, landing one good blow to his jaw before he knocked her aside and flipped her onto her back. Stretching over her, he pinned her arms above her head, ignoring her kicks. Even ignoring her spitting in his face.

Being this close to Harley aroused him. He’d never imagined their bodies pressing together in such a manner. At the feel of his erection, she stilled and stared at him, panting, her chest rising and falling.

Her lips parted, and he bowed his head, intending to steal a taste, until the vision of his great-grandfather and Willard Byrd rose in his head, extinguishing his desire and reminding him neither would approve. Logan Donovan had been killed before Ryan’s first birthday, so he’d never known him.

All the knowledge of what a great man he’d been came from Willard. Bash talked about him, but he’d pulled back from extolling his virtues. Ryan got the sense that the man really didn’t like Logan. And, yet, he was a dichotomy, strangely insistent on Harley, Bailey, and Roxanne, and females like them, as being less than. Less than other girls. Sometimes, less than human, all the while cherishing Cleaner. His cousin.

“I’m letting you go, Harley, but I swear if you ever raise your hand to me again, I’ll knock you the fuck out.”

“You’ll never come close to being like CJ,” she spat, knowing where to hit him to make it hurt. “You’re a fucking abuser.”

“Says the cunt who hit her own mother and grandmother. What the fuck are you?”

“A girl!” she cried. “Boys aren’t supposed to retaliate. When I hit CJ, he didn’t hit me back. Neither did Grant.”

“Because they are fucking incels,” he said flatly. “If they can’t control a bitch, especially your type, then don’t deserve to have a cock.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re a disgusting racist, misogynistic motherfucker.”

He laughed bitterly. “Call me what you want. Your opinion of me doesn’t fucking matter.” He shouldered away the spit on his cheek. “I’m sure you spout bullshit about men and women being equals. Well, Harley, you lay hands on me? As my equal, I have every right to lay you out. You don’t get to fucking hit indiscriminately and not expect retaliation. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

She wiggled against him. “Let go of me, asshole!”

“Do you promise you won’t hit me?”

“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

She was so fucking frustrating. “I swear to you if you hit me, I will hit you back.”

“Unless you knock me out, prepare for a fight.”

“Which never fucking works out for you. Would you like to review your track record? Rebel might mouth off, but that bitch can fucking fight.”

And it had nothing to do with protection from the club. No, she was a fucking brawler. She’d tried to kill Johnnie. If she curbed her fucking temper and used her skills with cold logic, she would be lethal.

“I’m beginning to think you like laying on me,” Harley said coolly.

He knuckled her lips, wanting to kiss her so fucking bad, but unable to overcome their differences.

Bros before hoes.

Sighing, he released her. She scrambled away from him, her braids falling all around her. He studied her hair, curious.

“Can I touch it?”

Plopping next to him and folding her arms, she lifted a brow. “What?” she asked suspiciously.

“A braid. Your hair.”

Surprise widened her eyes. “Oh. Ummm…why?”

“I want to see how it feels.”

“Like hair, jackass.”

He flushed. “Right.”

For a moment, anger darkened her face and she clenched her jaw. Then, she relented. “Mommie’s hair is silky. Like yours.”

“It would be,” he said, shrugging. “She’s a half-breed.”

Snatching one of the pillows between them, she lobbed it at his head. “Fuck you. You’re a horrible fucking asshole.” She jumped to her feet, clearly intending to flee.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Ryan moved fast and blocked her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…it’s what she is.”

“She’s biracial, fuckhead. Not that it matters.”

“To me, it does. It matters to my friends. My great-grandfather.”

“Who’s rotting in hell, where he belongs,” she spat.

“Don’t fucking disparage him. He was a great man!”

“He was a miserable motherfucker.”

“What do you know about him? No one wants to discuss him or anyone else associated with his time.”

“Right back at you, Ryan. If no one discusses him, you know as much as I do.”

“Willard has great respect for him.”

“Of all the miserable motherfuckers, you associate with the king.”

Her burn shocked a laugh from him. Not that she even cracked a smile.

“What happened to you, Harley? Why’d you go from being sweet and kind, logical, to so cold and unreasonable?”

“It’s all CJ’s fault.”

He laughed in her face. “He’s not responsible.”

“You hate him and yet you’re defending him? No one cares about my pain or the abuse I’ve suffered. I’m the victim.”

“In your own fucking head. Mainly, you’re the architect of your own fucking misery.”

“I am not!”

“Believe me or not. I don’t give a fuck. The people who coddle you aren’t in this house. If you think you’re a victim now, just wait until we’re finished with you.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Nope. Just telling you the truth. My mom will be home soon. She’s going to expect you to help out in the kitchen. She’s also going to assign you chores. Even Val has them.”

“You call your dad by his first name?”

“I call him by his road name, idiot.”

Harley flipped him off. “You’ve been conversing with me perfectly well. Understanding everything I’ve said, so join the idiot club.”

He gave her a half-smile, regretting she hadn’t allowed him to touch her hair. With Molly, he would’ve ignored her objections. He didn’t trust Harley. Even with his dire warning. He hadn’t lied when he said he’d hit her back. However, he had the feeling he’d have a fight on his hands until he got the upper hand.

“I’m trying to help you,” he told her.

“Why?”

Because he liked her. As he talked to her, he found no differences between them, except surfaces ones. She had eyes as beautiful as Molly’s, a face as beautiful as Molly’s. Yet, Harley was essential to bring about CJ’s downfall. Until recently, he would’ve given up his own life to protect Harley.

Molly was gone and Harley was CJ’s enemy. Who else could Ryan use to weaken that motherfucker? Rebel was out of the question. If she didn’t annihilate Ryan and Willard, then Uncle Christopher definitely would.

He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t believed his uncle would just shoot the fuck out of someone for fucking him over. His uncle had killed Cole because of Aunt Meggie. He’d killed Eric and Billy as much because of Rebel and Mattie as it was because they were club members who disobeyed him, their president.

There was always one of the Triplets, namely the smallest, Axel. Except the other two would riddle Ryan and Willard with arrows. And Rule? He didn’t even want to consider that psycho. The motherfucker gave Ryan chills.

“Why do you want to help me, Ryan?”

“Watching CJ make an ass out of himself over you is one of my greatest pleasures. You do know that CJ had no choice but to partner with Molly, right? Billson assigned them.”

“He should’ve asked for a guy.”

“Add unrealistic to your list of behavior issues.”

“Did you like Molly and CJ together?”

He’d fucking hated it. She’d really liked and admired CJ. It was why he’d told Tom where she was and went back and forth between justification and regret after he’d taken her.

“Didn’t think so,” Harley grumbled.

“I didn’t like it,” he conceded. “CJ is a lot of things, but he isn’t a fucking liar. If he’d fucked Molly, he would’ve told the truth. So would Molly.”

“She sent photos!”

Actually, Willard had, and they’d convinced Molly it was to make Harley jealous to help CJ’s relationship.

Walking around her, he returned to the sofa and sat. Her laptop sat on the table next to him. He grabbed it and flipped it open. He needed a passcode to get in.

“Unlock your computer,” he told her.

Whirling to face him, she stomped to him and snatched it from his lap. “Don’t touch my things.”

“I just want to log you into our Wi-Fi, Harls. Isn’t that why you set it aside?”

After balancing the laptop in one hand and entering her passcode, she returned it to his lap.

As easy as taking candy from a baby.

Smiling, he opened the app, checking to make sure her firewall was turned off, before adding her to their Wi-Fi. A quick glance in her direction revealed her pacing back and forth. He had no good reason for her to keep her laptop open, so he did the next best thing.

“I’m willing to let you sleep in my room.” He put the laptop in sleep mode then set it back on the table. He’d set up a camera, so Willard could finally begin his stupid spying. “So you’d be more comfortable.”

She halted in front of him. Though she wore no shoes, her fitted T-shirt and blue jeans hugged her body. In a matter of months, she’d gone from no figure to an hourglass.

“What do you want in exchange?”

“I want to unbraid one of your braids.”

“Do you have a hair fetish?”

He laughed, surprisingly amused. “I want to see how your hair feels.”

She thought for a moment. Narrowed her eyes. Flinched. “Oh my god!” she cried. “Who’ll do my hair? Mommie always does my hair! She was supposed to take them down this weekend and re-braid them next week.”

The alarm beeped as the front door opened. His brother’s footsteps clopped down the hallway. A minute later, Devon walked in, book bag hanging on one shoulder. He nodded to Ryan, his usual acknowledgment, then looked at Harley.

“I have homework for you. Two of the teachers uploaded work to your account. Mom’s running late. She wants you and me to get a head start on dinner.”

Harley frowned. “I never cook on school nights.”

“At your house,” Devon said with a shrug. “Here, we do things differently.”

“But—”

“No, buts. Aunt Ophelia doesn’t have room to take you in and Aunt Meggie won’t because of CJ. I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy on Uncle Johnnie, but I guess if you don’t want to do what Mom asks, him and Aunt Kendall are your last resort.”

She rubbed a brow above one of her swollen eyes. “I’m in pain.”

“That you brought on yourself,” Devon told her. “No one feels sorry for you, so get over yourself.”

“Did you tell CJ like I asked you to?”

“He wasn’t at school, Harley,” Devon said irritably. “Now, I’m tired and I need to change before we start the food. I have my own homework to do.” He scowled at her. “I can’t even play on the Xbox when I’m done because you’re here.”

Turning, he stomped away.

Harley burst into tears. “I want to go home,” she wailed.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s happening any time soon,” Ryan told her.

Sobbing, she ran from the room. A moment later, he heard the back door slam. She could fucking run, but she sure the fuck couldn’t hide.

Two hours later, Ryan walked into the club, surprised to see Potter standing behind the bar. Ryan hadn’t seen him since he’d been so hysterical in front of the meatshack.

A day that haunted Ryan’s dreams, too. Narci sat at the bar, nursing a beer, one of the new club girls, Tauriel, hanging on him. She was bare at the top and her swollen nipples caught Ryan’s attention.

Like Nyx, Tauriel wasn’t even twenty yet. They hadn’t accepted new property in several years. Although he hadn’t been as involved in the real club activities back then, he eventually met the girls at some of the functions. They’d never been so young before.

Why were they this time?

Was it because of CJ? Was Uncle Christopher biding his time until CJ turned eighteen, so he could fast track that asshole becoming a full patch member? Then he’d step aside and rig the election, so CJ could take control.

Swallowing his annoyance, Ryan walked to Narci. “Go, Tauriel. I need to talk to Narci.”

Tauriel poked her bottom lip out. “He was just about to buy me a drink.”

“He still will,” Ryan promised, not caring one way or the other.

“You know you’re not a fucking member, Ryan,” Narci said with irritation once he slapped Tauriel’s ass and sent her on her way. “You can’t come in here, ordering the bitches around until you are.”

“Whatever.” He dug in his back pocket and laid Harley’s door key on the counter. “I need a copy of that key.”

Narci drank some of his beer and frowned at Ryan. “That’s a regular fucking key. Go to a hardware shop.”

“I don’t have fucking wheels, asshole. And I can’t have the key missing for too long. This is an emergency.”

“Fuck, fine. A hundred bucks.”

“For a fucking key?”

Narci glared at Ryan.

“This is fucking highway robbery,” he grumbled, digging in his jacket for his wallet. He was handing over half his fucking earnings for the month.

He didn’t have a mother who gave him thousands every month just because.

After pocketing the cash, Narci got to his feet, grabbed his beer, and then the key. “Wait here.”

“I have to see Johnnie,” Ryan said, following behind Narci.

As Narci turned on the second hallway, Ryan started toward the third.

“Johnnie’s been moved.” Narci’s voice floated down the hallway. “His room’s across from mine.”

Meggie at work again. Just when Ryan felt a modicum of respect for her, the bitch showed her true fucking colors. Maybe she still got a wet pussy for Johnnie. Why else would she continually save him?

Once he knocked on the door and Johnnie bade him enter, Ryan walked into the room. It was bigger than the other one he’d had on this hallway. It even had a private bathroom. The posters of naked girls pulled a smile from him.

He nodded to them. “Nice.”

“What do you want, Ryan?”

He sounded angry and hoarse and was completely fucked up. His entire face was swollen. He wore no shirt, revealing a new bandage over the gunshot wound. Before their visit to Bash in Utah, Johnnie had removed all traces of the injury. He hadn’t wanted to show any weakness.

“I need your help.”

Johnnie scowled, which he really shouldn’t do, considering the state of his face. He looked grotesque.

“In exchange for what?” he said sarcastically. “My wife deserting me? Discovering my daughter’s a slut? Or almost being eaten alive by ants because Megan’s fucking brats poured sugar on me?”

“What do you mean? You weren’t moved here because Meggie insisted?”

Johnnie threw him a putrid look. “Axel, Ryder, and Ransom decided to avenge her. Never mind the fact that she wasn’t my target. They glued my fucking hands, lips, and eyelids and brought a bucket of mice to eat me alive.”

Oh.

Oh goddamn.

Goddamn, goddamn, goddamn.

That was…

Yeah…

Fuck!

“Wh-where was Rule?”

“Where do you think?” Johnnie snarled.

“Praying nearby,” Ryan guessed faintly.

“Congratulations. You understand the mind of psychopaths.”

Ryan’s gaze flew to Johnnie’s.

“Get out. I’m not interested in helping you with Bash.”

“It’s not about Bash.” He swallowed. “It’s about Molly.”

Since his encounter with Harley, Ryan hadn’t been able to get Molly off his mind. He wanted her back. He didn’t want to like Harley or feel sorry for her.

Whenever Mom cooked, Ryan was anywhere but in the kitchen. She’d insisted he learn how to cook, but he hated it. This evening? He’d volunteered, just wanting to spend time with Harley Banks.

Harley. Banks.

He couldn’t wrap his fucking head around that. Whatever weird science was happening, he wanted it stopped. CJ could go back to being an incel lapping behind Harley and her kind, and Ryan could keep Molly safe. He’d even take her on a proper shopping spree. Anything, as long as he got her back and his world righted itself again.

He looked at his uncle. “I miss her.”

“How the fuck am I supposed to accomplish that?”

“Tell Tom to leave her outside the gate.”

Relaxing against the pillows, Johnnie closed his eyes. “Christopher will kill him. Tom’s running scared.”

“Outlaw’s really searching for Molly?”

“What do you think, you little asshole? Her disappearance upset the fuck out of CJ. If CJ’s upset, Megan’s upset. Christopher is fucking furious.”

“We can pick her up.”

“You should’ve thought of missing her before.”

“You told me where she was. Remember. I didn’t know what Tom did with her until you texted me while you were away with Aunt Kendall.”

“Don’t mention that bitch to me.”

“Uh, dude? What did you expect Aunt Kendall to do? Mattie is her daughter. She was protecting her. My mom would fuck anyone up, including Val, if they threatened me. She might fuck me up afterwards, but I came out of her. Same with all the chicks.”

Johnnie scrubbed a hand over his face. “She humiliated me.”

“No, I think that would be Rebel. Bitch gave you a beatdown.”

“I’m going to get my hands on her.”

“If you don’t like them attached to your fucking body, go for it.”

“Very fucking funny.”

“That bitch did everything to you but a pile driver. If you look at her wrong, she will take that as a threat and strike first. That’s the female version of Uncle Christopher.”

Uncle Johnnie turned to throw his legs over the side of the bed. It was a study of patience as he groaned and grunted. He finally achieved his goal five minutes later. When he started to lean toward the table and reach for the prescription bottle, Ryan rushed forward.

Years had been taken off his life just watching the motherfucker get to the edge of the bed. He swiped the bottle and opened it, then poured two tablets into his uncle’s palm.

“How do you piss?”

“There’s a urinal under the pillow next to me.”

Swiping the whisky bottle and handing it to Johnnie, Ryan frowned. “That’s gross.”

“It’s my reality,” he said bitterly, tossing back the pills then gulping whisky to swallow them.

“Get one of the club girls to help you.”

“Nyx already offered. Kendall wouldn’t ever forgive me,” he grouched.

“I thought you didn’t care what she thought.”

“I said don’t mention her to me. I never said I didn’t care if she thinks I’m cheating.”

“Imagine that?” Ryan said with biting sarcasm. “Not wanting to upset your wife and have her think you’re fucking a club slut.”

Johnnie winced. It still did nothing to help his beaten and battered face. “I didn’t mean to hurt Megan the way I did.”

“Yeah, you did.”

Groaning, Johnnie laid on his back, scooted up, then swung his legs onto the bed. Another five minutes.

“I didn’t think…fuck, I didn’t think she’d turn so fucking cold.”

“You undermined her marriage. The one thing she could always count on was Uncle Christopher.”

“She still can. I…when I recorded him, the pain and devastation in his eyes was all for Megan. It didn’t have to do with Torie or Jo or anyone except her.”

“Maybe you should tell her. Cuz, dude, she is the center of everything. If she’s unhappy, the world is subjected to Rebel, the Triplets, and Rule. Somehow, she keeps them under control. Maybe it’s Uncle Christopher who does. But as long as she’s fucked in the head, he’sfucked in the head, and her children are unleashed. Do you really want that?”

Glancing away, Johnnie clenched his jaw.

“How’d you let them do all that to you, anyway?”

“I was knocked out from pain pills and sedatives while they were fucking over me, but awakened when Christopher and CJ dumped me on the bed.”

Ryan raised his brows. “CJ?”

“Rory told me CJ figured his brothers were about to do me something and came to stop them. The sugar Axel poured drew the fucking ants.”

“Good ole CJ.”

Johnnie’s gaze flew to Ryan.

“If it had been you, me, or any of the other Caldwell siblings, do you honestly think we would’ve saved anyone in a similar situation?”

“No.”

“I hate CJ, but you’re the only one who knows where Molly is right now. If you’d died, you would’ve taken that knowledge to your grave.”

“Is that the only fucking reason you’re happy I survived?”

“Should there be another one?”

“I’m your uncle. I’m an officer of the club you want to join.”

“I never said I wanted to join the Dwellers. Val said I wanted to. I might want to become a Scorpion.”

Not a Gnome, though. Willard’s old man was a member, and he wanted nothing to do with that motherfucker.

“Get the fuck out of my face with that, Ryan. If that’s how you feel, I have nothing more to say to you.”

“And you fucking wonder why I don’t have any loyalty to you.”

“You don’t have loyalty to anyone.”

“I’m loyal to my mom,” he snapped. “Why should I bother with anyone else when all of you are up CJ’s or Outlaw’s dickholes?”

“That isn’t true!”

“As for you, you’re a fucking turncoat. You don’t care about the Dwellers as long as you block Outlaw. It has nothing to do with your wife and kids.”

“Get the fuck out and don’t come back ever again. If you join the Scorpions, I’ll fucking shoot you as a traitor.”

“Shocking. You shot three Dwellers on Bash’s orders, so you’re acquainted with traitors.”

He stormed toward the door but paused and turned, unimpressed by his uncle’s anger. Ryan still didn’t feel any particular loyalty to his family. They’d turn on him in a heartbeat, especially if CJ was involved. Yet, Uncle Christopher shooting Billy and Eric, and everything that followed over the course of that day, affected him.

“Mattie’s a fucking spoiled cunt but she’s the product of her environment. Of you. She’s suffered, trying to be perfect just so you’d love her. Sounds like Aunt Kendall to me. If you want to blame anybody for Mattie turning to weed and alcohol and sex, blame your motherfucking self, asshole.”

He left, and slammed the door behind him, hoping the dickhead got the message and sorry he hadn’t convinced him to get Molly back.