Jaded: (Beautiful Biker MC Romance Series), page 20
Gigi huffed. “Something bad happened.”
The woman’s eyes rolled with annoyance. “Come in for a minute, I guess, but just you. I don’t know who this is.”
“Jesse,” I said and held out my hand.
She stared at it for a second, then shook it limply. “Who are you?”
“Aunt Francie, please can we go inside?” She was clasping her head in frustration, “Let us in for five minutes. This is important.”
The woman huffed and flicked her cigarette ash onto the porch mat and then backed up, waving us in. “Make it quick. I got a medical appointment this afternoon.”
“Appointment?” Gigi asked with surprise.
“Yeah. Let me guess. Kailey, right? What’d she do now? She in jail? She OD?”
“She…” Gigi started and got choked up.
“Maybe we should sit down,” I suggested, gesturing toward the couch. The place was decorated in newer furniture. Cheap tchotchkes everywhere. Cigarette smoke and cheap, cloying perfume hung in the air.
“This your boyfriend?” she asked, eying me with scrutiny.
“Yeah,” I replied at the same time as Gigi said, “Bodyguard.”
Gigi’s eyes darted to me with alarm before bouncing back to her aunt, cheeks tingeing red.
“Bodyguard? What for?”
“Long story,” Gigi replied. “To do with the Kailey thing.”
The woman looked me over for a minute before muttering,
“What is it? Boyfriend or bodyguard?”
“Both,” I replied.
Gigi glanced at me and then quickly looked away, stiffening.
“Finally caught yerself a biker, huh?” She rolled her eyes and butted her cigarette out in a blue ashtray on the coffee table as she sat. “Been fishin’ for one long enough.” She gave me an exaggerated look of annoyance as she sized me up some more.
And though it pissed me off, I said nothing. I often used an expression to speak for me but given that this woman was about to be dealt a blow about Kailey, I beat back the urge.
She pulled out a new cigarette from a gold cigarette box covered in rhinestones and lit it, then took a glug from a glass of red liquid filled with ice cubes.
“Kailey got herself into some trouble with some outlaw bikers,” Gigi started to lay things out. “And…”
“And what else is new? You about to tell me the sky is blue next?” The woman’s eyebrows went up as she crossed her legs.
“And she…” Gigi sat down. I kept my feet beside her.
The woman waited.
“She…”
Gigi’s shoulders started shaking and her fingers went over her face.
“Spit it out, girl. She dead?” the woman clipped, no finesse whatsoever.
Irritation crawled up my gut and I wanted to tell the old bitch off. She was hard. Mean. And ignorant as fuck. Her niece was clearly hurting, bawling her eyes out over loss. This woman was acting like we were gonna make her miss some TV bingo she already bought tickets for.
“She’s dead, isn’t she?” Francie pushed.
I squeezed the back of Gigi’s neck reassuringly.
“Yeah,” she muttered from behind her hands. Then she looked at her aunt. “She was murdered. She was probably r-raped, too.”
“Fuck.” She rolled her eyes and took a long haul off her cigarette. “Course she was. Bikers ain’t gonna just whack her without takin’ what they want first. Though knowin’ her, maybe she just gave it up before they did her in.”
My jaw muscles flexed at the filthy fuckin’ generalization about bikers.
The woman’s eyes changed for a beat, and I figured she was about to thaw. Show her niece some support. Maybe even shed a tear. The hardness returned just as quickly.
“Jesus,” she muttered and took another sip of her drink.
I sat down on the arm of the couch and put my arm around Gigi, kissing her head.
Francie grimaced as she set the drink down hard. “Told that girl a hundred times the company she was keepin’ was gonna get her killed. That or her mouth. Or her light fingers. Knew she’d either bite it by overdosin’ or would wind up pissin’ off the wrong person.”
Gianna spoke up, “Actually, she was used as a pawn. A weapon against the outlaw MC’s enemies. I just left the police station and-”
“God knows I’ve put up with more shit from her than anybody I’m related to for your sake, but this don’t surprise me. Not at all, Gianna.”
“So, I’ve got to make funeral arrangements, and…”
“I can’t help,” she announced. “Don’t got the money for that. Wouldn’t even have enough if it were you that got yourself killed, never mind someone I paid too much mind to for somebody not even related to me.”
Fuck sakes. This bitch was a piece of work.
“I’m gonna find a way to take care of that,” Gianna said, “I just wanted to tell you in person. I’ll keep you posted on things.”
I’ve been around rough people. I’ve been around assholes and bitches. But this woman? I was fuming sitting at this bullshit.
“I got enough goin’ on.” Francie straightened up, then looked at her phone which was propped on the arm of the couch. “I gotta get goin to my medical appointment.”
“Everything all right?” Gigi asked.
“Started chemo. Today’s my second session.” She said, puffing on the cigarette.
My arm tightened around Gigi as I felt her body react to the news.
Fuck. Another hit.
“I gotta focus on my recovery,” Francie stated. “I can’t be worried about any of this, Gianna.”
“Oh my God,” Gigi exclaimed and moved over to her aunt, putting her arms around her. “What kind of cancer? How bad?”
“Don’t matter, does it? I’m gonna fight it. I’ll win. You know me. Tougher than anything life throws at me. I gotta go. You guys go on, get goin’.” She patted Gianna’s back and pulled out of the embrace, taking another puff from her cigarette, and looking to me, asked, “Got booster cables in your truck?”
I jerked my chin up. “Yeah.”
“Gimme a boost, will ya? My battery died. Think my battery’s goin’. My friend was supposed to come by to boost it but I ain’t seen him yet and since you’re here…”
“All right,” I said.
Gigi wiped her eyes. “So, when I know about the funeral arrangements…”
Francie waved her hand. “Did ya not hear me, girl? I said I got too much goin’ on. I can’t even think about this shit.”
Gigi reached for her handbag from the floor in front of her feet. “I’m not asking for money, Aunt Francie. But maybe you could just come to whatever sort of celebration of life-”
“Celebration of life? Gimme a fuckin’ break. Nothing to celebrate when it comes to that girl. Celebrate what? How she lied and stole shit her whole life? How she died ugly like that? What’s there to celebrate? You shoulda scraped her off a long time ago. Told ya that girl had a trouble magnet in her skinny ass. You wouldn’t listen. At least she didn’t get you killed along with her. Anyway, she left a buncha shit in the closet in my guest room. That’s gotta be thrown out now, I guess.”
“Don’t throw it out. I’ll go through it, I’ll… soon. I’ll do it soon.”
“Whatever.” The woman waved a hand.
Gigi rushed for the door, saying nothing.
She got into my truck and sat down, pulled her sunglasses on and the visor down while I grabbed booster cables from my tool kit in the back. The hood popped on the minivan as I approached.
The woman waved at me before pulling out, not even looking at her niece as she pulled away.
“What a bitch,” I muttered when we pulled out, the two brothers following on their bikes.
“I know,” she said, not looking at me, arms folded across her chest. “Tellin’ me at least I didn’t get killed along with Kai might’ve been the nicest thing she’s ever said to me.”
I muttered, “Jesus.”
I waited to see if she’d say anything more. Rant. Cry. Something. She just stared out the window.
9
Pulling into a parking spot at the Sioux Falls compound, I recognized Skip’s motorcycle out front beside Edge’s.
I flexed my jaw muscles as we walked past, me holding her hand, her saying nothing. I doubted she even clocked his bike, so far in her own head that we hadn’t spoken the whole way back from her aunt’s.
I was ticked on her behalf. No, we couldn’t choose our relatives, and I never really had relatives to worry about, since Ma’s folks turned her out as a teen and she never looked back. My father’s parents drifted and cared more about their bullshit than what we’d been put through. I had an uncle, but he lived in the Colorado mountains and didn’t bother much with anyone, so I had no relationship with him.
But that aunt of Gigi’s was noxious. And blood or not, if someone in my life treated me like shit, they’d be out. Simple as that.
That hag didn’t deserve the kindness or the concern her niece treated her with. Then again, if Gigi treated her toxic stepsister like family it stood to reason she’d be good to her blood relatives.
Delia met us in the lobby with a key. “How’d it go?” she asked Gigi as she passed me the key.
“As expected,” she said softly.
Delia took her into an embrace. “It’s gonna be okay. I’m here, anytime you need. Okay, sugar?”
Gigi sniffled. “Thanks.”
We got into the room, and I realized the snafu.
“Can’t do this room. Need to talk to Delia,” I said, tugging her hand so we could leave.
“Huh?”
“No window,” I advised.
She didn’t question me as we went back the way we came and hunted for Delia, who we found quickly, thankfully, since she was almost to the door, ready to leave.
“Can’t do that room, Delia. If you don’t have a room with a window, we’ll hit a motel,” I stated.
She shot me an apologetic look as she palmed her forehead. “Not a worry, sweetie. I’m pretty sure I can swap you out. ” She took the key, and we followed her back into the office where she swapped it with another, adding, “Yes. Thought so. I’m headin’ out so if you need anything else, you phone me, okay? You got my number?”
“I do,” I advised, kissing her on the cheek. “Much appreciated. Thanks.”
“I won’t forget again, Jesse. My bad,” she whispered in my ear. “You told me last time and I gapped out. I’m sorry about that, honey.”
“No sweat. You got enough to worry about. Owe me nothin’.”
“You’re family so you’re wrong about that, sugar,” she said, patting my face, “but thank you for not bein’ an entitled little shit like some of your brothers.”
I smiled.
“God, that smile.” She aimed her gaze at Gigi. “He doesn’t gift us with it often from what I’ve seen but man, when he does…” She let that hang a second, then whistled low.
This got her a chuckle from me.
Gigi gave her a watery smile that didn’t touch her eyes. I took that as a cue to get a move on, so I could get her settled.
After dropping the backpack on the bed, I turned to see her staring at the window, holding her purple box. I took it, set it down, and took her face into my hands.
“Get claustrophobic,” I admitted, “because of two years sleepin’ in the joint, no window. Sometimes wake up forgettin’ I got out, but as soon as I see outside I know. I need to see sky when I open my eyes in the morning.”
She stiffened and looked at our feet.
“You all right, baby? I know you’re not, but you wanna talk about it?”
She shook her head. “That makes sense.”
I waited, eyes on her.
“About the window,” she clarified. “I get it. And at least we have our own bathroom now. Rooms with windows and bathrooms are unicorns in this place.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.
She bit her lip a second, then distractedly muttered, “Gonna take a shower and need a nap. So if you got stuff to do… I’ll be… okay here.”
“You need space,” I said.
She nodded, lip quivering.
“Okay, you got it.” I kissed her forehead. “You want some food? I’ll bring you something back.”
She chewed on her lip some more, not making eye contact.
“If you-” I started.
“I know my way around this joint,” she waved dismissively, “There’s always somethin’ kickin’ around in the kitchens. Don’t sweat it.”
She reached for her purple box and her handbag, then turned and went into the bathroom with them, shutting the door.
Hearing her fumble until it locked, I stared at the door for a long moment, pondering that action before I pulled out my phone and sent Deke a text with an update. I hung around for a solid ten, fifteen minutes and the water still ran, so I made my way down the labyrinth of hallways until finding the lounge where Mick, Lou, and Axel were having a beer, prospect Rash behind the bar.
“What’ll you have, Jesse?” Rash asked.
“A beer’ll do. We got any prospects who can run out for food for me and my girl?” Testing that out, I found it rolled off the tongue pretty easily.
“Happy to do it for ya, brother,” Rash offered, grabbed his phone and pocketed it, pulling out his keys.
I sent him for pizzas, telling him to find her a gluten-free one with the works along with a regular pizza for me with the works as well. I remembered seeing all sorts of butterscotch candy wrappers in the gold foil in her car so told him to hit a corner store to get some of those, too.
***
I quietly slipped into the room in case she was asleep. She wasn’t. She was staring at me with wide eyes, curled up on her side on the double bed, dressed in a black hoodie pulled up over her head and black tights.
“Hey,” I greeted softly. “Brought you some food.” I put the pizza boxes and the bag of candy on the dresser.
“Pizza?” She looked disappointed.
“Gluten-free,” I amended.
“Oh. Thanks.”
“And candy.”
She frowned.
“Figured you liked those. Lotsa wrappers in your junker.”
She whispered, “You remembered what candy I like?” And then she shook her head like she was trying to shake something off.
I sat on the edge of the bed and tugged her hood back and off before I pushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear.
She shivered at the contact and said nothing.
“You ready to eat?” I asked. “You haven’t had anything today.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but a knock made her clamp it shut.
I answered the door, opening it no more than a few inches when I saw who it was. Skip stood there.
“Yo,” I greeted.
“Yo brother,” he replied, face hard, unhappy to see me. “Here to talk to Gia,” he said. And by his expression, he was nonverbally daring me to refuse him access to her a second time.
I looked over my shoulder.
She shook her head, eyes pleading with me while chewing on the end of her braid.
“She’s not feelin’ good. Not a good time.”
“Wanted to give her my condolences. Heard about Kailey.”
“I’ll pass that along,” I declared.
“I might stay the night, dependin’. Send her to see me, yeah? Room 402.” He turned to go.
“I won’t be sending her to your room, brah.”
He slowly turned around to face me, folding his arms over his chest. “’Scuse me? This again?”
I spun the doorknob lock to unlock it, then stepped into the hall, shutting the door.
“Yeah, this again. Because second of all… she’s grieving. She isn’t bein’ sent anywhere.”
“Second of all?”
“Yeah, second. ‘Cuz first of all, she’s not ‘all but yours’ like you tried on the other day. Far from it.”
He’d already straightened. Now he was lookin’ pissed. “None of your business who I’m fucking and not fucking. Or who I’m thinkin’ of fucking. What’s this really about, Garcia? She say somethin’?”
“It is my business if I’m the one fucking the one you’re tryin’ to fuck, and she’s made it clear she’s not interested,” I stated plainly.
His lip curled as he scoffed. “She say somethin’ about me?”
I said nothing.
“Ah. Makes sense now,” he said, “She’s made no such thing clear, but I get it, man. I get it. You’re sampling the goods while you’re on babysitting duty. Whatever. I’ll have her back when you’re done with her.”
I resisted the urge to slam my fist into his teeth – only because we’re in the same club and there’s protocol for that.
“Might not be done with her for a long time, Skippy,” I said and winked as I saw his jaw go tight. I went back in.
Despite the fact that it was a bit soon for a declaration, it’d solve this problem. It’d show her I’ve got her back. It’d take Skip out of the equation. And we’d see where it went. Yeah, it was early, but it might be time.
She was cross-legged on the edge of the bed, looking at me with an expression that let me know she heard every word.
“You gonna eat?” I asked.
She swallowed, then hesitantly nodded.
I sat on the edge of the bed beside her, then leaned forward to open both pizza boxes on the dresser. “That’s mine, this is yours. Dig in.”
“You’re pissed off,” she whispered.
“Yeah. I’ll deal.”
“He’s relentless,” she muttered.
“I’ve got your back. Let’s eat.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip, then shook her head. “I think I should phone my father. Maybe I should do that before I eat and get it done. Hopefully he doesn’t ruin my appetite.”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and handed it to her. “Forgot drinks. What do you want?”
“Anything. Water. Gatorade. Juice or Coke. Whatever.”
“Be back.” I kissed her nose, setting her phone on the bed in case she needed to grab his contact info. “Ignore the door if he knocks again.”
I saw Skip on my way into the kitchen, leaned against a doorway with Axel and how the conversation stopped along with the vibe left me sure he was bitching about me.
