Chapter 14

Storm carefully leaned over the rock ledge and watched the activity below. He had wanted a few minutes alone to smoke a joint. Cutter had followed and demanded they leave that night. After a stretch of complaining about the healthy food and attitudes, they shared another joint. Hell. The Parkers grew wicked pot.

“That land isn’t part of the commune,” Storm said, nodding to the small valley below with a cabin sitting in the center.

“This is why we need to leave. We’re so bored that we’re spying on their neighbor,” Cutter said in a disinterested tone. He rested his shoulders against a boulder and stared at the clouds overhead as he took a puff off the doobie.

“No. We’re not leaving now. I promised Mary Jane one night here.” Storm squinted, watching a woman pick up a large bag from an SUV. The man slammed the back closed and turned around, checking out the area. “He’s looking this way.” Storm waved his men back.

They hunkered down behind the rocks.

What the hell? Why were they hiding? They weren’t doing anything wrong. Cutter handed him the joint. That was, not anything to bother the commune’s neighbors.

There was something about the man that looked familiar. The way he held his shoulders and walked. When Storm chanced another peek over the ledge, he spotted the woman on the porch. She held a baby while a toddler tugged at the leg of her pants. The man took the steps two at a time and picked up the young child, pretending to drop him. The child screeched in delight. Then the couple disappeared inside.

“What time did you say we’re leaving in the morning, boss?” Cutter slapped at his arm and grimaced. “Too many bugs here to suit me.”

Storm shook his head. He’d never met two bigger babies in his life than Cutter and Wolf. They had complained about everything. The men did love their modern conveniences.

“After daybreak. It’s only fair to let Mary Jane have some time with her parents. They were plenty upset when they learned about Jimmy.”

He’d also heard her parents ask her to stay longer. Not until she said no had the tightness in his chest let up. He looked forward to getting her back to the clubhouse and his room—alone—without worrying about her parents walking in or hearing.

He had to admit the whole day had been unbelievable. Their way of life suited him in ways he’d never imagined. He’d soaked in the physical labor and the feeling of accomplishment after a job was done. Yet the highlight had been when he and Mary Jane enjoyed some outdoor sex. For a woman who’d been a virgin up until a few days ago, she’d shown an unusual comfort in having sex anywhere.

In the short time he’d spent there with her, he’d come to understand why she was such a free spirit. She was different from any woman he’d ever known. She rolled with the punches, found everything about life to be interesting, and laughed at some situations that would have him hitting someone. Being around her made him a better person.

“There you are.” Mary Jane emerged from the trees near the trail, Wolf shadowing her every step. He’d been ordered to keep an eye on her. “Dad had seen you come this way.” She smiled at Cutter, but her smile widened when her gaze landed on him. Damn. He liked how she lit up when she saw him. That woman made him happy.

When was the last time he had been happy when it didn’t involve Mary Jane? Even the day he was released from prison he hadn’t felt that way. All he’d wanted was to get on a motorcycle and ride.

Gripping his arm, she looked down into the small valley.

“So this is the neighbor Mom told me about. Nice cabin they built.”

Storm pulled her away from the ledge and wrapped his arms around her. “Be careful. The rocks are loose.”

Any excuse to hold her. Strange how quickly she’d gotten him past his phobia. Touching her and having her touch him didn’t bother him as much. He still had a problem if she surprised him, though. His body would still tense up for an attack.

“I guess we’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.” Her eyes sparkled.

He was glad to see that. He worried she would want to stay longer, despite telling her parents once already she’d be leaving, then he’d have to tell her no. Seeing her happy made him happy. Fuck! There went that word again. Happy. Time to find another word. Or he needed to buy a clown outfit and have the word spray painted across his chest. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her temple.

The Skull had already called and said they would be heading back tomorrow, and Storm better be in line and ready to roll.

“Mom asked me to bring you and your Brothers back to the gathering house. The meal is about ready.”

“Hot damn, I’m hungry.” Wolf lifted his shirt and rubbed his flat stomach as he headed toward the trail.

“When is that gut of yours full?” Cutter jabbed Wolf’s shoulder and loped past him.

“Gut? I’ll have you know I’ve invested a lot of money and time in developing this.” Wolf picked up speed and hit the trail headfirst, pushing Cutter out of the way.

“We better go before those two assholes eat all the food.” Storm draped an arm over her shoulders.

“If they don’t kill each other first.” Her arm wrapped around his waist and squeezed.

He had to admit he could get used to this happy business.

“Won’t take but a few minutes.” Mary Jane fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Storm enjoyed the little ways she teased him. No one had dared to do that in a long time, not since his sister disappeared out of his life.

He nodded. His heart swelled with her bright smile. Damn! He really should say no to her more. The last thing he needed was a rep for being pussy-whipped. But fuck, he loved seeing her smile.

So that morning before heading back to Maggie Valley, they were riding down a barely there lane on their bikes with Wolf and Cutter following behind. As decided beforehand, the two Brothers would stay in the tree line while Storm and Mary Jane rode on up to the cabin. No need to scare the citizens. Mary Jane’s mom had gathered a basket full of vegetables for them to give to their new neighbors and had asked so nicely, Storm found he had no willpower to say no to the older woman. If he wasn’t careful, he would lose his badass card.

Besides, he decided that curiosity habit of Mary Jane’s was catching. He wanted to know why the couple appeared familiar. A closer look would help.

When they rolled up to the porch, the man stepped out of the cabin. The shadows of the overhang hid the man’s face, but his stance, one hand on the back of a rocking chair and the other supposedly relaxed by his side, warned that he held something by his leg. A gun maybe?

Mary Jane hopped off, but Storm stretched his arm out in front of her, not wanting her to move forward.

“Wait a minute.” Storm’s gaze remained on the man.

The creak of the opening screen door drew Storm’s attention for a split second, but he worried what the man would do. He was the greater threat. So his eyes didn’t move.

A woman’s voice asked, “Storm?”

What the hell?

Holding a little boy’s hand, the woman moved toward the steps, but the man on the porch grabbed at her arm. She whispered something Storm couldn’t make out. Then she turned back to Storm, coming closer and out of the shadows.

“How did you know we lived here?” Tears streamed down his sister’s face. “Never mind. I don’t care. I’m so happy to see you.”

There was that fucking word again. A word he may start to hate. It made his skin itch. Whenever that illusion took over, things would go wrong. He suspected he was about to find out how fucked up it was.

The man came into the light. Thorn Savalas. Wolf’s brother and a former Mayhem Brother. He was also a dirty, lying bastard of an undercover cop. The man was the lowdown asshole who’d turned state’s evidence against the former Skull and many others, including him. Several of the Brothers would pay good money for his location. To shoot a hole through the ass-wipe’s heart would be too kind.

“Come inside for a minute. Sit down and I’ll explain,” Cassidy, Storm’s sister, waved them in. A worried look wrinkled her brow.

His gut warned him to crank his bike and get the hell out of Dodge, but when Mary Jane walked around his outstretched arm, he decided it was best to follow. He tried to convince himself it was to protect her. It had nothing to do with wanting to hear what his backstabbing sister had to say. People had disappointed him all his life. Why not the one person he’d counted on all his life to tell him the truth?

“Sure.” Storm took pleasure in the frown that crossed his sister’s face when he dismounted his bike and stood straight. He wanted her to see his Brothers of Mayhem cut. To emphasize his pride in wearing it he tugged at the ends.

Inside the spacious cabin, Storm looked around as he stood in the middle of the living room. An open floor plan allowed him to see the kitchen, dining room, and living room in a broad sweeping glance. He stepped over a few toys scattered across the floor to reach pictures hung across one wall. Each framed photo showed a fucking happy family. A mom, dad, and their two kids grinning back. It was a surreal feeling. How did she even know how to be like that? How to be and look like a normal all-American family? It certainly wasn’t by the example their parents had given them.

“My God, Storm. I’ve missed you so much.” Cassie reached out to hug him and he swerved out of her reach. Just the thought of her touching him made his skin crawl.

“Hi, I’m Mary Jane Parker. How do you know Storm?”

He felt bad for not giving Mary Jane a heads up, but he was out of his element. He should be fucking ecstatic for his sister and her new life away from the violence of their old life. But why the fuck hadn’t she taken him away to live like this when he was a kid? And why did she run off with the bastard that sent him into a living hell?

“He’s my brother,” his sister said.

“Oh, you’re Cassidy. He’s spoken of you.” Mary Jane, being the pleasant woman she was, reached out and hugged his sister.

He wanted to tell Mary Jane not to be nice to her, to step away, but the words refused to pass his lips.

“I hope what he told you was nice,” Cassidy teased.

Storm couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Why did you hide from me? Why did you leave with this asshole and not tell me?” His words came out raspy with hurt. Damn. He wasn’t that little boy any longer who needed his big sister’s help.

“You were in prison. I couldn’t do anything for you. Or did you forget about the two times I visited you and you wouldn’t even talk to me?”

“Who the fuck put me there?” He glared at Thorn.

“Back off!” Thorn stepped in front of Cassidy. “You need to take a second and look at yourself. It was your decision to work with an OMG.”

“Hey, guys, lower your voice. You’re scaring Brian and you might wake up the baby.” Cassidy said, her voice soft as she pleaded.

Thorn knew referring to the Brothers of Mayhem with law enforcement’s favorite term, Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, would piss Storm off.

“OMG? You understood what it means to be a Mayhem Brother. We are more than a fucking gang! I should’ve known you were a cop from the first day!” Hatred radiated out of Storm with each word. Every time things were going good in his life, this man showed up to fuck it up.

“You were supposed to serve only a few months.” Thorn got in Storm’s face. “It was your own fault you had more time tacked on.”

Storm laughed. He sounded crazy and out of control, but he couldn’t help it. “My fault?” Each word cut deep. “You don’t know what the fuck you are talking about.”

“Who are you going to blame? How about growing up and taking ownership?” Thorn stepped up, their noses almost touching.

“I can tell you, I didn’t go in and ask to be gang-raped, but the bastards who did it paid. They’re all dead or carry scars to remind them not to touch anyone like that again.” His chest rose and fell. Squeezing his fists, he wanted to punch the ass-wipe in the mouth. He refused to let Cassidy know that their father had set it up. Chances were the bastard in front of him wouldn’t believe it.

“Damn.” Thorn didn’t say any more.

Storm couldn’t stand the pity showing in the man’s eyes. Before anyone could stop him, he slammed his fist into the motherfucker’s face. He expected him to land on the floor, but the man stumbled and then shook his head. Seconds later, he jumped Storm. They rolled on the floor, knocking over furniture with the women screaming at them. Between being pounded on by Thorn, and Storm landing a few punches of his own, Storm heard the children crying. Thorn must have heard it at the same time. They stopped fighting.

“You stupid self-centered asses,” Cassidy was saying under her breath as she rocked the toddler and Mary Jane rocked a baby.

Storm untangled himself from Thorn’s hold and stood. What the hell was he thinking? He looked at Mary Jane. She knew his secret. His shame.

No matter how much he had fought against the men who raped him, he’d wondered if he could have done something different. Now she knew about the rape, but she had no idea that it had been his father who set it up. She didn’t know what kind of family he had come from. Her family was as wholesome as wheat bread. How could she stand being around him?

The room began to close in on him. The panic he’d felt pulling him under was returning. The prison psychologist had helped get him through the panic attacks, but at that moment, he couldn’t make himself breathe correctly. All the talking and crying was driving him over the edge.

He needed air. He needed the outdoors. He needed to get away from everyone.

Without looking around, he ran out the door to his bike. He heard Mary Jane shout his name, but he quickly cranked his bike and drove full throttle down the road and past Cutter and Wolf without slowing. He heard a motorcycle follow. In his mirror he glimpsed Cutter. Fine. Wolf would take care of Mary Jane.

He wasn’t sure where he was going, but he knew it was as far as he could get from his sister and her lover. And Mary Jane’s pity.

Frozen in shock by Storm’s words, Mary Jane watched through the open doorway as he sped away on his bike. His leaving her behind was the least of her worries. She would be okay. It was what he planned to do that worried her. She wished he had let her wrap her arms around him.

Oh, my God. How had he lived with the horror he went through? He’d been only eighteen when he entered Holman. Then it hit her. Loosey Lynda’s crude innuendos were based on truth. The bitch needed her ass kicked. She’d never felt that way about anyone, never wanted to harm someone except in self-defense.

The baby in her arms sniffled and wiggled. Mary Jane held her tighter. The sweet little one smiled and closed her eyes.

“Bad man go away?” the baby’s big brother asked in between hiccups, his tiny fingers clutching at his mother’s blouse. His cute round face, with eyes like his daddy’s, was wet with tears. It broke Mary Jane’s heart to think he would be afraid of his uncle.

“Shh, sweetie. He’s not a bad man. He and Daddy had a misunderstanding.” Cassidy began rocking her son and whispering to him as she kneeled on the floor.

“Everything’s okay, buddy.” Thorn leaned over the child. “We’ll talk more about it when you get older. Okay?”

The boy nodded and held out his hands. Thorn picked up his son and squeezed him tight to his chest. On noticing Mary Jane’s stare, he said, “Give me a few minutes to settle everyone down, and I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”

She dipped her head. “I’m so sorry that happened. He’s a good man.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Cassidy lifted her baby from Mary Jane’s arms and smiled sadly.

“I know. He’s always felt too much, if that’s possible. To go through that…” She shook her head. “I’m not sure how he handled it. No wonder he acted like he hated me during the times I visited.”

“He doesn’t hate you. He always spoke sweetly about you. I could tell he loves you very much.”

“Thank you for saying that.” She turned away and carried the baby toward a short hallway that seemed to lead to the bedrooms.

A couple loud knocks at the front door caused Mary Jane to jump and the little boy to whimper.

“Mary Jane?” Wolf stood on the other side of the screen door.

Thorn stepped closer, his eyes filled with concern.

The Brothers of Mayhem’s VP stiffened. A mixture of sorrow and anger flashed across his face.

“Wolf,” Thorn said.

“Well, don’t you turn up in some of the most fucking strange places, brother,” Wolf sneered.

“Watch your language. Innocent ears.” He lowered his gaze to his son.

“Yeah. I see that, Thorndyke. I guess you never told him about his uncle Wolfgang, huh?”

The heartbreaking exchange brought tears back to Mary Jane’s eyes. She wasn’t sure if she could take any more.

“Wolf, can you take me back to the motel? I need to pick up the rest of my stuff there. Then I’ll rent a car to go back home,” she said.

“I don’t know. Storm—”

“Storm isn’t coming back,” she said simply. Her heart tightened until it hurt. “I’m sure I’ll talk to him at the motel.”

Wolf turned to face his brother. “Nice place. Nice life.” He glanced around. “Goodbye.” He then turned and walked out, saying over his shoulder to Mary Jane, “I’ll wait for you out here.”

Seeing Thorn staring after the angry man, Mary Jane nodded toward the door.

“Aren’t you going after him? I don’t have to leave just now. I’ll help Cassidy clean up.” She could tell the man wanted to chase after his brother.

“No. Go on. We’ll take care of things here. He’s not ready to hear what I have to say.” Thorn righted a chair and picked up a lamp from the floor.

She turned to Cassidy and hugged her.

“Thank you for trying to reach him,” she said to the upset woman. “No matter what happened, he does love you and I’m sorry it turned out the way it did.”

“He’s my little brother. I hurt for him so much. He never deserved to be treated that way. From the way he acted in prison, I thought it had to do with the Mayhem Brothers. I had come to terms with his lifestyle. He wanted to live that way and he knew the dangers involved.” Tears streamed down Cassidy’s face.

Mary Jane hugged her again.

“I’ll see what I can do to make sure he stays in touch.” She stepped away and opened the screen door. It wasn’t a promise, but she would ask. It was the least she could do.

“I would like that. Thank goodness Storm has you. He needs someone who can understand him.” Cassidy followed her out to the porch. “Take good care of him.”

Mary Jane waved and settled on the back of Wolf’s bike. Something in Cassidy’s eyes told her that the woman knew it would be hopeless.

Thorn came out on the porch and placed an arm around Cassidy.

With another wave back, Mary Jane turned and looked ahead. How could she help a man who was so damaged? She guessed the answer was one step at a time.