We drive through the streets, only the sounds of our pipes roaring breaking the quiet of the night around us. Charity’s arms are wrapped around me tightly, and she’s leaning her head on my right shoulder. She’s tempting as sin, and with an urge to touch her again, I reach my right hand around and tuck it under her thigh and pull her in closer, so she’s flush against my back.
Bear and Hazel are in front of us, with Quill ahead, leading us to his home. It’s not far, just around the corner from the clubhouse, and it’s a beautiful place. Nerves hit the pit of my stomach as thoughts of Jasmine come to mind. I just hope we can move past what happened, and something tells me Charity is just the right person to help me do it.
Following the others up to the driveway of Quill and Jasmine’s place, I check my watch and see it’s past midnight. The kids must be asleep; I was so looking forward to seeing Jack and Rose.
As soon as we park our bikes, the front door opens and Jasmine steps out into the darkness of the night, wearing only a nightie and thin gown. My eyes can’t help but follow the length of her exposed legs, and I swallow hard when her eyes catch mine. Fuck, man, you’re an asshole.
I slide off my bike then help Charity off next. When she’s steady on her feet and her helmet is stowed, we walk up toward the entrance to the house with her ahead of me. Hazel and Bear meet us at the patio soon after, and Quill already has Jasmine in his arms, kissing her long and hard. I look over at Charity, who has a big smile on her face as she also watches them. Yup, they’re the perfect couple. I can only wish I’ll have that someday.
Quill finally lets Jasmine go, then slaps her on her ass and turns to us. “Get in here” is all he says, pointing his chin at the open front door.
We take another step up onto the patio, and when I reach Jasmine, all the air in my lungs seems to vanish. I groan inwardly. She still has a hold on me.
“Hey, Trigger, I’m so glad you’re back,” she says, leaning in and pulling me into an embrace. I hug her back and lift my eyes to Quill, who’s standing in the hallway inside, taking off his cut and hanging it on a hook on the wall.
I break our embrace first then turn to face Charity, feeling awkward as hell. Here is the woman that had my heart, about to meet the woman that may just take it. “Jasmine, this is Charity. Charity, this is Jasmine, Quill’s wife.”
Charity smiles at her warmly and moves in and takes Jasmine’s hands in hers. “I want to thank you so much for helping me, it means a lot that you’ve welcomed a stranger into your home.”
Jasmine’s smile is warm and genuine. “Oh, honey,” She leans in, giving Charity a hug too. Even though Charity is a relative stranger to her, she still makes her feel welcome, and that’s the sort of person Jasmine is, caring, loving… beautiful—stop it!
Words are shared between them in quiet whispers, and Jasmine brings me to the present when she says, “Isn’t that right, Trigger?”
I blink for a moment, trying to work out what I’d missed. “Ah, sorry…? What’d you say?”
“I just explained to Charity how we all have a past, and how this club will protect her with their lives.”
I look between Charity and Jasmine. “That’s right, we do all have a past, and the Blood Brothers will have your back. This I can promise you.”
“Thank you,” she whispers, looking between me and Jasmine, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.
Jasmine’s eyes light up when she looks behind me. “You must be Trigger’s sister, Hazel?”
I look over my shoulder, only just realizing I’d forgotten all about Hazel and Bear behind us. I was completely out of it, oblivious to anything else since I saw Jasmine at the front door.
“Shit, sorry. Hazel, this is Jasmine.”
Hazel moves to my side and nudges me. “Hi, Jasmine, I’ve heard so much about you.”
Jasmine smiles that beautiful smile of hers and looks at me before she focuses once again on Hazel. “I hope it’s all good?” she says, winking at me.
Hazel grins in return. “Yes, it was. I’m so glad to finally meet you, and thank you for having us.”
“Please”—Jasmine swipes her hand in front of her—“I love the company. Welcome, Hazel. I’m so glad to meet you.”
She brings Hazel in for a hug as well, then pulls back when Quill shouts from the hallway, “Yeah, yeah, welcome, welcome. You guys gonna come the fuck in, or do we need to set up beds for you outside?”
Jasmine turns to face Quill and whispers, “Cut it out, we’re coming. And do you have to yell? The kids are asleep.”
Quill’s turns and looks toward the upstairs of their house. “Shit. Sorry, babe, I forgot.”
“Yeah, you seem to forget a lot these days, old man,” she teases.
“I don’t forget how your pu—”
“Quill!” Jasmine interrupts him. I was sure he was going to say the word pussy, and when everyone else starts to laugh I realize they caught on as well.
Jasmine turns to face us, her face now a soft shade of pink. “Sorry, guys, come in. Come in.” She moves aside and opens the door wider for us. We walk along the hallway as a group, and Jasmine leads us into their spacious kitchen. It’s beautiful, all stainless-steel appliances, with marble benchtops. She walks around the island bench. “Can I get anyone anything? Tea? Hot chocolate, perhaps?”
“No, thank you,” Charity says, and Hazel repeats the same. Jasmine looks at me and Bear, her eyes questioning.
“No thanks, darlin’,” Bear says, and I shake my head.
Jasmine moves away from the cupboard where I know cups and mugs are kept. “Sorry, where are my manners. You’re all probably so tired from your ride. I’ll show the girls to their rooms.”
I move back as Jasmine sidles past me. Hazel and Charity follow, but as Charity passes me she stops. “Thanks for the ride,” she says, looking up at me. “I guess I’ll see you later?”
“You will,” I reply with a quick nod. Jasmine looks over her shoulder at me and Charity and gives me a knowing smile. Is it that obvious?
Charity continues on then, following Jasmine, and Hazel stops in front of me next, reaching out and giving me a hug and a kiss on my cheek. “Thanks, Kane, for everything.” She moves back and adds, “I love you so much.”
I push her long brown hair over her shoulder. “I love you too, sis. I’ll come past tomorrow to check up on you two.” I look over at Charity, who’s now leaning against the wall, with Jasmine standing next to her, both their eyes on us. I smile. “You guys sleep well. Thanks again, Jasmine, for your hospitality.” I walk to where they are and hug her again briefly, and lastly I walk back to the hallway where Quill is waiting and shake his hand.
“You boys going back to the club?” Quill asks as Bear joins me, standing at my side and shaking Quill’s hand as well.
“Yeah, too tired for anything else,” I reply, running a hand over my face.
“Even Honey?” Quill has a smirk on his lips.
I sigh and run my hand over the back of my neck this time, rubbing at the sudden tension there. “Don’t even go there, man. I just hope she’s not around when I get back to the club.”
“You’ve got your hands full with that one, brother,” Quill says. “She’s been asking about you the last couple of days, wanting to know if you’ll be back soon. I guess she’s one happy woman now that you are.”
My eyes travel back to Charity as she walks up the stairs to the second level with Hazel and Jasmine. She turns just before she disappears from my sight, her hand on the bannister, and mouths “Good night.”
I nod, then look back at Pez, hoping he didn’t see the exchange. I’m not in the mood to go there with him.
Quill clears his throat. “You tappin’ that yet?”
I look at the floor and shake my head, then look back up to him. “Nah, man, she’s got too much on her plate right now.”
“But you want to?”
I glance up the stairs once more, even though she’s no longer visible, wondering if she’ll think about me tonight while she’s in bed and alone. Because God knows I’ll be thinking of her. “Of course he wants to,” Bear pipes in. “The man has gone all crazy and shit over her.”
I glare at him, giving him a warning to shut the fuck up.
Quill just laughs. “Is that right? Don’t blame you, she’s a pretty girl.”
“Pretty don’t do her justice,” I correct Quill. “She’s beautiful.”
“Tut, tut, tut. You had better get in that before another brother does,” Quill warns, and I snap my head toward him.
“Ain’t no brother touching her,” I growl out, hands clenched at my sides.
“See, Prez? Like I said, crazy over her,” Bear teases.
“Shut the fuck up, man,” I spit.
Quill places a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze, and the tension leaves my body immediately. “Bear, leave him alone. He’s got his own shit to deal with.”
Quill walks us to the door then, and we step outside. I’m about to walk over to my bike to leave when he says, “Hold up.” I turn, and Quill adds, “Bear, go wait for us at the bikes. I need to have a word with Trigg, here.”
“Sure thing, Prez.”
Nerves hit me at the idea of Quill wanting to talk to me alone. Did he sense something between me and Jasmine? Fuck!
“What’s up, Prez?” I ask, taking a cigarette out from a pocket of my cut and lighting it. I take a drag and enjoy the calmness it brings.
Blowing the smoke to the side, I lean up against the house and take another drag, with one foot bent and against the wall.
Quill frowns, his face now all business. “What do you know about this Reynolds guy? Just need to know what we’re dealin’ with.”
I blow out another plume of smoke and run my thumb over my bottom lip, feeling more at ease. “Besides the fact that he’s tough as hell, and throws a mean punch, I don’t know much about him or his life. He has his own entourage who follow him around—wherever he is, his boys are too.”
“Anything else?”
“I know he’s a fuckin’ asshole for beatin’ on Charity, and for not wanting his own child. I mean, who the fuck does that?”
“A man that doesn’t deserve to be a father, that’s who,” Quill admits with a growl.
I nod in agreement. “Damn straight…. Something tells me he’s into some other shit,” I say out of the blue.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t know, just a gut instinct. When Hazel told me what happened… sounded like he had a mean streak. Hazel said it was out of character, that she’s never seen him like that.”
“You thinkin’ drugs.”
I shrug and take another drag. “I knew Blake in the day, when I used to fight. He was into some heavy shit back then, but I thought he would have given that up to be a professional fighter and all.”
“Yeah, well, there are ways around hiding that shit from people.”
I look over at Quill at that. “There are blood tests we… they have to take regularly. Surely it would come up in that?”
“He’s rich, Trigg,” Quill says, shaking his head. “Probably pays them off.”
I throw my cigarette on the ground and step on it. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“So, you got a plan?” Quill asks, eyeing me suspiciously.
I sigh, putting my hands in the front pockets of my jeans. “I wish I knew, Prez. All I know is, if he comes down here and tries to take her”— I point to the front door of Quill’s home—“I’m gonna do everything in my power to stop that from happening. If he hurts her? Then, Prez, man, I’m tellin’ you now, I will take him down.”
Quill rubs at his jaw, and the sound of his stubble beneath his nails reaches my ears in the otherwise silent surroundings. He looks at me then and folds his arms. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid, Trigg. We’re family and we have your back—your sister’s and Charity’s as well— so don’t think you need to do anything all on your own.”
I shoot Quill a grateful smile, and then sober again at the thought of what we may be up against soon. “I hear you, Prez. But if he hurts her, or my sister, I will shoot the fucker. Don’t care what the consequences are.”
He stares at me for what feels like ages, then nods and taps my shoulder. “Go to sleep, you’ve had a long day.”
“Yeah, I do need some shut-eye. Thanks again for everything, man.”
“Don’t mention it,” Quill responds. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see ya.” I turn and walk to my bike, where Bear is waiting.