Scenic Route Read online

  “Ooh, goodie. Babe, want a sandwich?” she called out.

  “Yeah!” Rider called back.

  She kissed my forehead and headed to the fridge.

  I made my way to my room and clicked the last link from Penny.

  Cinderella – Don’t Know What You Got

  Ouch. This song.

  Joe had to have tipped her off about this one. Absolutely. He and I had danced to this song once at the bar after I took him back.

  The song’s chorus about taking time to think it over and lamenting about him not knowing what he had until it was gone?

  We had a definite moment in the bar during this song. This was dirty blackmail.

  I put my head on the pillow and listened to the whole song, bawling my eyes out.

  I needed to face this and let it go. I couldn’t bury it. He fucking hurt me. In so many ways. And now he was using Penny to emotionally blackmail me.

  This wasn’t just Penny trying to play referee. This was looking like Joe talking to me through her. When the song ended, I decided I had to write back to her. I had to make this stop.

  “Penny, I’m sorry, but I can’t talk to you about what happened with your brother and me. And I’m very sorry to do this but I have to ask you to stop texting me these links or things to do with him just for right now. I love you like a sister. But, I have to ask you to stop texting me until the legal stuff is over unless it’s just about you and not about me and Joe.”

  She replied almost instantly.

  “You’re not dropping the charges!?!?!?!?”

  Shit. This hurt.

  “I can’t, honey. I’m sorry.”

  “Fuck you.”

  She wrote again.

  “Bitch. You’re deleted and blocked.”

  I threw my phone and bawled some more.

  3

  2 Weeks Later

  It was good staying at my brother’s apartment, no longer cramping Jenna and Rider’s lifestyle. Solitude. I needed it.

  I had lots of social interaction during the day with Jenna, Deb (the lady that used to own Jenna’s salon, who still worked part-time and was dating Jenna’s dad), Lulu, and clients and friends that would pop by. I had peace and quiet each morning and each night and I didn’t have to look at hot guys in their underwear after the day was over.

  One day, God willing, I’d be all about hot guys in their underwear again. That time wasn’t now.

  I’d been keeping to myself, keeping my head down, spending time away from work either with my mom, doing Pilates and yoga and meditation (though doing it alone at Phil’s instead of teaching classes or going to classes).

  I was playing copious amounts of video games, experimentally cooking all sorts of complicated meals for one, re-reading all my favorite Kristen Ashley books, except for her Chaos books, because I did NOT need to read about hot alpha bikers right now (though the books are absolutely awesome) and I was trying to allow myself space to heal.

  Phil’s place was two minutes from my parents’ house in a little bachelor apartment above a freestanding flower shop. It was only a five-minute drive to the salon and although it was a small place, I had it all to myself. This was my first time living alone and it was just what I needed right now.

  He was going to be gone for a few months and he said I was doing him a favor by staying there. He wouldn’t let me pay the rent, said all his travel expenses were covered and he’d be making ‘bank’ while he was gone, so I was going to take the opportunity to save up as much money as possible so that when he got back I could move right into my own apartment without worrying about living hand-to-mouth.

  Life at Joe’s had almost depleted my savings. New furniture we bought together. Me paying half the rent and in the past two months paying more than half of everything else because he always seemed to be short on cash.

  I spent the first three days cleaning my brother’s place and thoroughly enjoying his big screen television, his gaming system, and his stereo. There was no terrace, no neighbors, and things were super quiet. It was exactly what I needed.

  After Penny called me a bitch, I hadn’t heard anything from her.

  I had, however, seen Jan (Joe’s mom) while I was at the doctor’s office the day prior. And in another four weeks, I’d see them all at the courthouse. I was not looking forward to that, but it was probably good that I’d seen Jan the day before. At least I knew where she stood.

  I had gone in for my annual physical and she’d been coming up the stairs while I was leaving. She stopped in the stairwell in her tracks, looked at me, opened her mouth, and then winced.

  “Hi,” I said after a long and awkward silence.

  “I’m sorry to hear about what happened,” she said.

  I nodded. “I’m sorry, too. I’ll miss you guys.”

  “He’s sorry. He’s destroyed.” She put her head down. “Though, I’m sure you were too.”

  And as awful as it was to see that pain on her face, at least I knew she was in her right mind about all of it.

  “He’s getting help?” I asked.

  She nodded. “He’s doing well. With the addiction. Not so much with the guilt. Everything’s okay with you?”

  I nodded. “Physically, yeah. It is now.”

  She winced again.

  “Sorry, Jan.”

  She winced again. Jan. Not Mom. Jan. I could see that she felt the difference. I felt it, too.

  Mom would as well, if she’d seen Joe, which I was guessing she wouldn’t, unless she came to court with me.

  I was named after Dad (Philippa, though no one ever called me that), as was my brother, and Mom (Joanne) used to joke with Joe that her future son-in-law was named after her. Though, Jan had reason to be sad about losing me as a future daughter-in-law. Mom did not feel sad about Joe. She was angry.

  Jan shook her head. “I better get in there. Take care of yourself, Pippa.”

  “You, too,” I replied.

  “You wouldn’t consider dropping the charges?” she tried.

  I pulled my lips tight. Before I had to answer, she started talking fast. “Never mind. You do what you need to do. I understand. Joey’s father? He should’ve gotten help. Maybe if I’d pushed for it…” Her eyes got a faraway look. “No. Joey needs to go through this to see the consequences of his actions. Maybe it’ll help the sobriety stick. Community service, maybe, since he’s never been in trouble before.”

  My heart hurt for her. “I hope so,” I said, and I did. As much as I hated what he did to me, I hoped there was a way for him to get help without it meaning being locked away. Though, maybe being locked away was the only way to ensure that the sobriety stuck. I didn’t want to dwell.

  She tried to brighten. “I hope it sticks this time for him. He really is sorry. He can’t tell you this because of the ‘no contact’ and the protective order on top of that, but he really is sorry. Uh… his father used to hit… me. Joey once, too.”

  I winced.

  “Joey was young, just Penny’s age when his father died; I sent him to counseling after… for the grief, and because of the abuse. But… I guess it didn’t stop the cycle from continuing.”

  I didn’t know what to say to that.

  “Gotta go.” She gave her head a shake, like she was coming back out of a momentary daze.

  “Bye, Jan. Take care. Um, Penny’s upset with me, but I never wanted---”

  “It’s okay. She’ll come to understand when she gets older. None of this is your fault, Pippa.” She smiled and touched my shoulder and then moved past me.

  That went much better than I’d expected, and it was kind of helpful. Joe was moving forward. He was getting help. And his little sister might hate me, but his mom didn’t. I suspected Jan’s father wouldn’t have, either. Joe’s grampa was a great man and he despised alcohol, seeing how it ruined his daughter’s family.

  I dashed down the stairwell, out the door, and got to my car, seeing Deacon Valentine sitting there on his motorcycle beside it.

  “Oh.
Hi.” I approached him, surprised to see him.

  “You all right?” he asked. His eyes were on Joe’s car, which Jan had evidently driven to her doctor’s appointment.

  “It was his mom.”

  “Saw her go in. Saw it play out in the stairwell.” He gestured up to the window that showed the stairwell and gave Deacon a front row seat right where Jan and I had stood. “I was giving it another minute and then I was coming to see if you were getting a hassle.”

  “Thanks, Deacon. It’s okay. She’s just a sad mom, disappointed with the direction her son’s life has taken. She wasn’t horrible to me. I’m all right.”

  The Dominion Brotherhood guys did look out for not just their women, but clearly, their women’s friends, too.

  “Have you guys been watching me?” I asked, finding it awfully coincidental that Deacon happened to be here.

  He shook his head. “Not you. Watchin’ his house. Just starting yesterday. Takin’ turns, keeping our eyes peeled. Heard he was out.”

  “Out?”

  Deacon nodded. “You didn’t know?”

  I shook my head.

  Deacon flexed his jaw muscles. “Spence told Brice to keep us apprised of his status, so he called and told us he got out of rehab yesterday. He’s on house arrest until his court date. We’re keepin’ an eye with drive-bys a coupla times a day. I happened by as she was pulling out. Saw your car here next to where she parked so I stuck around.”

  My stomach bottomed out. He was out of rehab? I guess it’d been thirty days. But, why hadn’t anyone told me? I shook my head, though. “He’s not going to come after me to hurt me. He’s not like that. I don’t think you have to watch him.”

  Deacon shrugged. “Not taking the chance. They didn’t make him wear an ankle monitor, so we’re watching.”

  Joe had no criminal record. Nothing but a few parking tickets because he was a bit of a speed demon. I guess that’s why his house arrest was based on word only. I didn’t think he’d come after me to hurt me, but it was heartwarming that the Dominion Brotherhood cared.

  “Jenna and Ella have a lotta pull, getting you guys to look out for me, I guess. They’re lucky girls. I’m lucky to have them as friends.” I gave him a bright smile.

  “Spence wants us involved, though if the girls had asked, we also would’ve gotten involved.”

  My smile died on my face and my heartrate picked up pace.

  Deacon scratched his jaw, looking to be in thought.

  I waited for him to spit out whatever he was evidently weighing out. It didn’t take long.

  “Spence was affected by findin’ you like that, Pippa. After that dumb fuck hurt you? He’s been a bit fucked up since then. His patience for just about anything is hangin’ on by a thread. We’re watching him, too. Worried he’ll confront him. We know you’ve pressed charges and we wanna see justice carried out. But babe… if it’s not, then we won’t stop Spence.” He gave me a pointed look.

  I tilted my head. “You mean … if they let him off?”

  Deacon nodded. “If that happens. Or…” he paused and looked right into my eyes, “Or if the charges get dropped.”

  I blinked.

  Deacon shuffled a little on his bike. I gave my head a shake.

  “I’m not dropping the charges.”

  “Good.”

  “This is very different from what happened last time, Deacon.”

  “Okay, babe.”

  I got angry. Deacon was placating me probably because I seemed like an abused woman who would take her man back. “He got a second chance, but he won’t get a third.”

  “Good,” Deacon repeated, hardness in his eyes, and he looked like he was no longer trying to get a feel for my reactions.

  “So, you get me?” I demanded, making sure he knew exactly where I stood. “Because honestly, I’m not some pushover. I made him work for it. For six months he was clean. Doing daily meetings. Not drinking. Trying his damndest to show me he was sorry. And he only hit me once that time. I know once is one time too many, but seriously, I thought he deserved a second chance, benefit of the doubt --- he was that convincing. This time was different. This time was way different. No amount of groveling can make up for this time.”

  “Gotcha.”

  “I won’t go back to that. He kicked me in the ribs when he’d already smacked me down. I was curled into a ball on broken mirror shards and cocaine. He was in an absolute rage. I was already down, and he punched me in the mouth, marking my face with the ring he wore. A ring I bought for him. This was different, Deacon.”

  Deacon flexed his jaw and his nostrils flared and he looked fiery mad. “Point taken, babe. Good you’ve got yer head on straight. I’ll follow ya home.” He started up his bike, looking and sounding sorely pissed.

  I huffily climbed into my metallic orange Kia Soul and started it up.

  Did they really think I would go back to him? I guess it wasn’t the weirdest thing for a girl to do. Women went back to their asshole abusers every day. I had no intention of it.

  I remembered on the drive home that Ella had been told Deacon had marked some girl’s face with his ring, but that the truth came out and that girl had been the one that attacked him. No wonder he’d made that face when I said that. Joe really did make a mark on my face with his ring.

  Deacon followed me home and saw me to the door with an apology. “Sorry if you thought we thought you were spineless, Pip. Didn’t think that. Just hit Spence hard, findin’ you. And we all give a shit. The Brotherhood looks out for our own and with how much Ella and Jenna love you, you’re ours.”

  “You’re not gonna go punch Joe out now, are you, Deacon?” I asked, worried about the look on his face.

  “Believe me, it’s tempting,” he replied.

  My shoulders sank.

  “Sorry to upset ya, Pippa. I hope you’re not offended by what I said back there, but it’s actually a good sign you are.”

  “Oh, I am offended,” I told him, sticking the key into the door directly beside the florist’s entrance. “But, I get it,” I added. “You’re letting me know that even if I let him away with it, Spencer won’t. But it’s irrelevant, because I won’t be letting him away with it. It’ll be up to a judge. I’m offended with myself for thinking I could fix him. I shoulda left him months ago when I caught him drinking, when I found pills. But I didn’t. I thought he could get clean with my help. I thought love and support would be enough. I’m offended at my own stupidity. Shouldn’t have even given him that second chance.”

  He glared. “Don’t do that. This is on him, not you. And sometimes people do deserve a second chance. Believin’ in the man you loved wasn’t wrong of you; it was wrong of him to let you down again after you gave him a second chance.”

  “I know,” I told him, folding my arms across my chest, shoulders still slumped.

  “He was weak. You’re the strong one. Keep up being strong, not because of him, but for you.”

  I nodded, and my chin began trembling.

  “Good. See ya later. Come by, yeah? Ella’s worried about you. Come hang with us. Any time.”

  I nodded again, fighting to hold myself together.

  “Ella’s folks’re havin’ their monthly card night Easter weekend, then a big Easter dinner. You should come to all that.”

  “Got dinner with my folks, but I’ll try to be at the card game,” I said. “Thanks, Deacon.”

  “You got me, Spence, ‘n Ride on speed dial?”

  “Got Rider already, but I’ll add you.”

  “Good. I’ll get Ella to send you everyone’s numbers. Call us. Anything you need. Any trouble from him that we don’t catch. Any member any time will be there for you. Prospects or patched members. All right?”

  I had been anti-social, and they were worried. They were worried that I was waiting for him to get out, so I could take him back, though? Maybe my friends weren’t thinking that, just their men. I nodded, feeling a bit choked up.

  Deacon leaned over and kissed the
top of my head, sort of surprising me, and then he moved back to his bike.

  I went upstairs.

  A minute or two after I got in the door, I heard motorcycle pipes, multiple sets of them.

  From the window, I saw Deacon, Jesse (another brotherhood member, recently promoted from prospect to full member), and Spencer. All three of them were parked beside the flower shop, talking in a circle, all in Dominion Brotherhood colors. I could see a vein on Spencer’s neck bulging, like he was angry. My heart was racing. I could only see Spencer’s profile, but he looked furious.

  Deacon put his hand on Spencer’s shoulder and seemed like he was trying to calm him down. Jesse stood there smoking, but he was alert, looking around actively.

  They stood and talked for a few minutes more and then I saw Deacon spot me in the window. He gave me a tight smile. I waved and then I saw Spencer turning his head, about to look up. I moved away from the drapes and flopped onto the couch before he saw me.

  ***

  It was Saturday.

  Jenna, Andie, Lulu, and I decided to grab dinner after the salon and bakery closed. We let Jenna talk us into the Olive Garden and then I got dragged with them to Deke’s Roadhouse.

  I was hesitant about going, worried about running into Spencer, but my plan of going back to one of our places for drinks and girlie movies was outvoted.

  Ella and Deacon had plans, Rider was doing something for the MC in another town, and so it was just us girls. Rider had told Jenna that we should meet up with and keep Bronto, a Dominion brotherhood prospect, close by and that he could be our designated driver if need be. Rider was still super-protective of her, and said he would be until every last Wyld Jackal was no longer a threat. He preferred her to be in groups and had her carry a stun gun and pepper spray.

  We hadn’t planned to tie one on, just grab a drink or two, so Jenna drove us to the roadhouse and I could see that construction was coming along nicely behind the place. The new Dominion Brotherhood clubhouse was a big lodge-like building and it’d be surrounded by some other smaller buildings that would serve as storage for their businesses as well as be surrounded by gates. Jenna started talking about the plans as we parked, pointing things out.