Page 18

Gianna

J esse has me inside his grandma’s trailer and shoved down on the couch. I’ve not been inside this trailer since he went away ten years ago. Nothing has changed. As if I’ve gone back in time and stepped into a capsule or a vault that’s been frozen in place.

The same green glass candy dish still sits on the same coffee stained doily.

I can’t help but wonder if it’s still the same strawberry candy inside.

I never asked Jesse when she passed away.

Not that I suppose it matters. There’s a funky smell, making me want to gag but I’m afraid of sucking the nasty rag between my lips further into my mouth.

Jesse’s pacing back and forth across the floor muttering to himself .

His gaze meets mine. “I’ll take the gag out if you promise not to scream.”

I bob my head in agreement.

“You know I thought if life didn’t turn out that great for you that I could move on with mine and forget the past. I tried to let bygones be bygones.

But then your father told me about your cushy job at the bank and your rich banker boyfriend, and I thought ain’t life a bitch, just like you.

I did my homework and found out you were back in town.

Of course the precious fuckin’ Gianna wouldn’t tell her own father she was back home.

Stuck up cunt is what you are. Paid Noah a visit.

He told me how you were still a virgin and wouldn’t give it up to him, but you fucked Stud, didn’t you?

Gave it up to him the first night. Guess all I needed was a motorcycle to make you spread those legs, huh? ”

“Jesse, please. I don’t know what you think I did, but I swear to you I only wanted the best for you.”

“Fucking went to prison for you and never even got a fucking thank you for it. I was fucked up the ass for years while you were out living it up and buying your fancy clothes and brand-new car.”

“I worked for everything I ever got. I never asked you to do a damn thing for me.”

Fire blazes in his eyes, and he stomps toward me in possession of a knife I didn’t notice he had till now.

Pressing the blade to my throat he glares at me.

I did everything for you. The minute I saw you up close I thought I could make it work.

We’d pick up where we left off, but you shut me down.

Snubbed your nose at me. Thought you were better than me because you had gotten out of Drag Creek for five minutes.

Now look at you. A biker’s whore living in another trailer. ”

He makes no sense. He’s talking out of his head. One minute he wanted to leave me alone, the next he wanted me back. He’s making my head spin. The knife glides down my throat but he doesn’t press it into my skin.

“Don’t be scared, Gia. I’m not gonna kill you. I want you to experience what I did those first days in prison. Scared and cut off from the people you love. I’m gonna bend you over in the shower and make you beg me to stop.”

I observe movement outside the big window that overlooks the front porch. I go rigid and hope Jesse didn’t notice me staring.

“Are you listening, Gianna. I’m gonna fuck your brains out like they did me. I wanna hear you beg. Get up.” He grabs me up under the armpit of my sore shoulder and I wince. “That’s more like it. ”

The front door opens and my father charges at Jesse.

“Run Gia. Run,” he shouts, and I’m torn between escaping and staying to help him fight off Jesse, but I know the smart thing is to go for help.

I make a split decision to run as my father and Jesse go down on the coffee table wrestling for the knife.

I lost my shoes in the back of the van and the moment my feet hit the gravel outside rocks jab the soles of my feet.

I don’t know which way to turn. I run hoping to find someone home but want to get far enough away from Jesse before I try to knock on any doors.

I make it three doors down when I hear a gunshot pop off.

The dogs start howling and porch lights flash on.

“Get back here, Gia. I’m not through with you.” My heart sinks, I know Jesse shot my dad, and if I don’t hide, he’ll shoot me next. I dart behind one of the trailers and crouch behind the trash cans. “Come out. Come out wherever you are. You can run but you can’t hide.”

A hand clamps over my mouth, and I start to bite when I smell the familiar scent of Isaac’s cologne. “Shh, baby. It’s me I got you,” his furry lips grate against the shell of my ear.

I let out a hiccupping sob into the palm of his hand as he works at freeing my wrists that are bound behind my back. Relief floods me and I twist into his hold and cry. “I think he killed my dad.” I cry harder.

I hear shouts and police sirens, but I can’t focus on anything but the fact that I’m in my man’s arms and the reality my father may not be alive.

Police cruisers fly past us coming to a screeching halt in front of Jesse’s trailer.

Dust from the gravel settles, and I witness Jesse being detained by my brother and two other members of his club while the police circle them with their weapons drawn.

Chaser shoves Jesse forward, and he falls to his knees.

They must’ve kicked the shit out of him quickly. Blood is seeping from his abdomen.

Isaac escorts me to my brother and goes to the trailer to check on my dad while Jesse is arrested. Chaser wraps his arms around me in a bear hug. “Glad you’re okay, brat.”

“Me too, but Dad.” I choke back a sob.

“Easy now. I’m sure he’s okay. I told him to hang back when he called it in.”

I shake my head. “He saved me. Jesse was threatening me, saying what he wanted to do to me, and Dad busted in. He told me to run so I did.” I bury my face into his chest. He rubs soothing circles along my back, but it does nothing to ease the anger and pain I’m feeling.

I glance back as one of the cop’s shoves Jesse into the back of his cruiser.

The other approaches us as Isaac exits Jesse’s trailer with a somber expression on his face.

“Gonna need you to come down to the station to give your statement.”

I nod and look back to my man. His gaze drops to his shoes and back to me. He shakes his head once, and I would collapse if my brother wasn’t holding me. “Best call the coroner. Two bodies inside.”

My head jerks. “Two?”

“Old lady in the back bedroom. I’m guessing she’s been there a long while and explains the smell.”

Some of the neighbors have come closer to investigate what’s going on. I hear them murmuring but have no clue what they are saying.

Chaser shuffles me to Isaac. He tells the officer he’ll bring me by the station. It’s the last thing I want to do but I know the sooner I do the sooner this will all be over.

**

One Week Later

“Babe. It wasn’t your fault. Your father knew what he was doing, and he did it to save you because deep down he did love you even if he had a bad way of showing it.”

I sniffle and press the tissue under my eyes then to my nose.

“I know.” I know what he says is true, but my father wouldn’t have been fighting with Jesse if it weren’t for me.

Jesse blamed me for everything bad that had gone wrong in his life, and while I know he was wrong I can’t help but shoulder some of that guilt.

I don’t want to think this way, but I do.

I have an appointment with a grief counselor later this week, but today I have to bury my father .

Jesse didn’t last one night in his holding cell.

They found him hanging by his bed sheet in his cell the next morning at the jail.

I’m not sure if Chaser, Isaac, or their club had anything to do with that or not, but I’m glad he’s gone so he can’t hurt anyone else.

I never liked Donna but even she didn’t deserve what he did to her. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Isaac gives me a sympathetic smile. He’s all sexy in a pair of black dress pants and a matching black button-down shirt. I smile when I take in his riding boots. My badass biker.

“You ready to go?”

I let out a breath and nod. We had my father cremated and Chaser and I are holding a small vigil for him at the lake where we are spreading his ashes.

He used to love to drink his beer and fish all day long when we were kids.

Some of my favorite memories are with him and Chaser at his favorite fishing hole.

I’d scream and squirm as my brother would chase me with a worm.

Dad would laugh and crack open another beer.

My mom was still around back then and even she’d go with us.

That was back before she cheated on him with his best friend and skipped town.

Back before he started to drink from sunup till sundown.

We were a happy family. I wish things could’ve gone differently, but I’m thankful my Dad saved me.

He gave his life for mine, and I hope that I continue to make him proud.

When Chaser and Jelissa went to lock up the trailer they found a box with my name on it.

I thought my dad didn’t go to my pageants.

He’d say he was there, but I never saw him, and eventually I gave up searching for him in the crowds, but he was there.

He recorded every single pageant with commentary.

I only made it part way through the first tape before I broke down.

I’m not ready to view them yet, but one day I will be strong enough.

I can only hope that he knew despite all the bad between us I did love him.