Page 16

Gianna

“F uck me,” I hear Isaac mutter when I saunter out the bedroom wearing the little red dress I had purchased for the blind date Jelissa tried to set me up on. “Definitely love you in red. That’s it, party’s over you gotta stay home with me so I can fuck you in that dress.”

“You can fuck her all you want after I get her wild and drunk,” Jelissa cuts in. “Right now, she’s all mine. You’ve been hogging her all to yourself for weeks. It’s my turn.”

“Whatever,” he mutters, and I move in to give him a kiss on the cheek, but Isaac turns his head and pulls me in for a slopping wet kiss that has my toes curling.

“Don’t ruin her makeup. I worked hard on it. ”

“Jelissa.”

“What?”

“Leave him alone,” I murmur against his lips.

“Ugh. You guys are gross.”

“They’re in heat. It’ll wear off eventually,” Chaser says, coming back in from getting the car seat out the back of Jelissa’s car.

Isaac flips him the bird and gives me one more kiss. “Have fun tonight.”

“She will.” Jelissa grabs my hand and tugs me toward the door.

“Don’t worry. Got a few prospects who are gonna look after them.”

“I heard that,” Jelissa calls out. “We don’t need a babysitter.”

“Yes, you do. If I didn’t have to work, I’d be there myself,” Isaac grumbles at us as we leave .

“Finally. Shew. Girl’s night. Woohoo,” my sister-in-law chants as I slide into the front passenger seat. “We gotta pick up Tina and Camreigh. Patience, Darlene, and Baby are meeting us there.”

“Baby?”

“Yeah. Grim’s daughter and married to Striker the VP of the club. Her dad is a crazy old bastard who founded the MC you’ll bump into the old coot at some point.”

Jelissa drives a little way and turns down another road that leads to a few double wide homes. She stops at the first one and blows the horn. A few minutes later two women come out and get in the back.

“Cam and Tina meet Gianna. My bestie and Chaser’s sister.”

“Nice to put a face to the name. We’ve heard a lot about you. Mostly that you brought Stud to heel. Which I can tell why. You’re gorgeous, girl. You sure you’re related to Chaser?” The blonde one questions.

“Hey,” Jelissa complains.

“You know I’m kidding. But seriously though you must have a magic snatch. I’ve heard tales of Stud being infamously single and we all knew it’d take someone special to win his heart. I’m Camreigh by the way. Cam for short.”

“It’s great to meet you. Both of you.”

We get to the club after I learned about Camriegh and her pack of hellions. Seems her man Sawyer likes to keep her knocked up so her getting a night out while not pregnant is super rare.

Jelissa’s other friend Baby couldn’t make it, but Darlene and Patience already have a table and a pitcher of margaritas waiting on us.

I’ve spoken to Darlene on the phone but haven’t met her in person, but it’s as though I know her already and take up the seat next to her.

She has an on again off again relationship with Dutch.

I fall into conversation with girls easy enough. I can tell Cam and Tina are super close like Jelissa and me. Darlene and Patience are more to themselves but still talkative and friendly. I like them and hope we can do this once a month.

I’ve not ever had a real big group of friends. Even in high school I only had Jelissa.

About an hour into dancing and our second pitcher of drinks everything goes to shit. Jelissa is pushing her chair back to go to the bathroom when Maxi approaches her.

“I didn’t think they’d let a fat ass like you in to scare off all the men.” Jelissa put on weight from her pregnancy. I think her curves are beautiful, but she’s sensitive about the topic and Maxi picked the wrong night to tango with her .

The next thing I know the chair goes flying back and her hand wraps around Maxi’s throat as she’s rearing a fist back to punch her in the face.

“Oh shit.” Patience moves out of the way when they fall onto the table and our pitcher of drinks spills out.

I jump out of my chair unsure of what to do.

Jelissa is laying it on her and the other girls are keeping people from intervening until two prospects I recognize from seeing around the clubhouse shove their way to us.

One grabs Jelissa, and Darlene starts hitting him with her purse as the other gets hold of Maxi.

The club security is rushing forward, and a hand snakes around my waist. At first, I wonder if Isaac is here, but I’m pulled further into the crowd away from my friends.

Then I hear his voice and I freeze. My blood runs cold at the lethal tone he takes with me.

“You’re coming with me,” Jesse grits in my ear as he presses his handgun in my back .

“You don’t wanna do this.”

“Shut up or I start shooting holes in all your friends, bitch.” I look out into the club at Jelissa and the other Old Ladies who came out with us tonight. They have husbands and children. They accepted me into their fold without question. I can’t let Jesse hurt them.

“Okay. Just promise me you won’t hurt anyone.”

“Let’s go.” He jerks on my arm and starts tugging me further down the hall toward the back exit.

Once we are out the door and cool air washes over my skin, I let out a breath of relief that is short lived because Jesse is forcing me into the back of a van. The second I’m inside he jerks my hands behind my back. I’m so stunned that I don’t even fight him at first.

He’s going to do me exactly how he did Donna and the other girl if I don’t do something quick. I pull my legs to my knees to kick but miss when I release and that earns me a punch to the face that sends my head knocking back against the metal interior paneling.

“Stupid, bitch. You ruined my life,” he screams at me as spit flies from his mouth and lands on my cheek that’s now stinging with pain from his fist. “Gonna pay for ruining my life.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Shut up.” He shoves a dirty rag in my mouth and climbs into the driver’s seat. The van takes off quickly, and I bounce all around the back. My shoulder slams against the back of his seat, but he ignores me as I whimper, while trying not to panic.

“Do you know what happened to me in prison? The second day I was there I was made someone’s bitch.

There were four of them. They took their turns holding me down and taking what they wanted.

I’d never been there in the first place if it wasn’t for you wanting better than we had.

You always thought you were so much better than the rest of us, but you’re trailer trash like me, and that’s all you’ll ever be remembered as when I’m through with you. ”

Panic and anxiety bubbles in my throat. My lungs burn, and I struggle to breathe. Tears stream down my face, and I wonder where he is taking me. He doesn’t drive far. The van comes to a stop, and he curses to himself under his breath as he comes around the van to open the side door.

“Don’t try anything stupid.” Jesse waves the gun at my face. I peer around him and hope blooms in my chest. He brought me to the trailer park. The guy is either seriously stupid or thinks no one is still looking for him. Which brings up the question: how did he get away?