Chapter Twenty-Two
Bonnie...
The prospect walked me to the door and made sure I was in safely and the door was locked behind me before leaving again.
I know it is late but I thought Sarah, one of the girls from the club, would still be awake. The house is in darkness which is strange as she wasn’t meant to be staying the night.
“Sarah?”
When I call her name the kitchen lights flicks on. Slipping out of my heels, I throw my purse on the hall table and head towards the only light on in the house.
What I find is not what I thought I would ever see again.
Sarah is tied to one of the kitchen chairs and has a gag stuffed in her mouth. And to my absolute horror, Joe is standing beside her cradling Jason Junior.
“I’ve been waitin’ for you,” he says, with an edge of manic to his voice.
“Give me my son.”
“Can’t do that. Don’t look so scared, I’ve been gettin’ to know my nephew.”
I want to scream Jason isn’t anything to do with him. The way he’s acting is the most out of control I’ve ever seen him. He is bouncing on his feet. His eyes darting all around, he keeps sniffing and wiping his nose. I’m scared he is going to drop my baby. I soon figure out I have to play this right otherwise none of us will be leaving this house alive.
“What are you doin’ here? If Sparky comes home and finds you here he will kill you.”
“You don’t care what happens to me,” he spits out, “I need you to come home Bon. You’re my sister and all I have left,” he adds, his attitude instantly changing.
“You never treated me like a sister. You abused me Joe. Why would I want to go back to that? Anyway, you have the club, you don’t need me,” I say.
He rolls his neck and sighs loudly all the while holding my son. I quickly look at Sarah, she looks more frightened than I feel.
“The club is dead,” he snaps.
“What?”
“You fuckin’ heard, the club is dead and it’s your fuckin’ fault you stupid fuckin’ bitch,” he rants, getting louder as he speaks.
The way he switches between wanting me home and blaming me terrifies the life out of me. He doesn’t want me, he wants control over someone.
All his life he has been looked at with respect because he was my father’s son.
“How is it my fault?” I quickly ask.
Hopefully I can keep him talking, I regret telling Sparky to stay now.
The way he laughs sends shivers through my soul.
“Because you shamed me, you shamed Tommy. You shacked up with our enemy and let them touch you.” His eyes flick down to my hand, “And you get engaged to one of them. Your disrespect to us would have been forgiven if you just came back last time I was here. But no, you continued to throw it in my fuckin’ face, everyone said I should’ve dragged you home, then Tommy turns up mutilated and burnt to a fuckin’ crisp and I still did nothin’. They started leavin’ after that. They said I didn’t have what it takes to run things properly.”
“If I had come back, Tommy would’ve killed me. You know he would have.”
“I would’ve looked out for you Bonnie.”
I can’t help it, I burst with laughter.
“You never looked out for me. When our dad would slap me for no reason, when he let Tommy rape me when I was sixteen, when he let Tommy beat me whenever he wanted, where were you then? Where was my brother when dad was around? I’ll tell you where you were. You were trying to be the big man, using me to impress him but you never did, did you?” I scream.
I take deep breaths trying to calm down, I have to remember he has my son in his arms.
“I’m sorry, I wanted to help you, I really did. You weren’t the only one dad beat on, you know what he was like. I wouldn’t have been able to help you,” he whined.
“You never even tried Joe.”
It blows me away to think from his perspective. He did take some awful beatings from our father growing up but he always got back up and carried on as if nothing happened.
He looks sadder standing here now than he does angry. I change tactics and step closer towards him and my son.
“I have a life here now Joe. Look in your arms, your nephew’s home is here with his family,” I say, as if I am talking to a child. “You can have all this yourself, you don’t need a club to be in control. Take a look around, nothing of my past haunts me here. You can find somewhere where nothing can haunt you.”
I don’t know if his silence is because he is taking in what I’m saying or because he is planning his next move.
When Jason begins whimpering, I hold my hands out to take him back. Joe frowns and after a few moments, he passes him over.
I have my baby back. I hold Jason close and edge around the table closer to Sarah. Joe watches me and makes no move to stop me.
“You’re wrong,” he says.
I stop where I am, his voice is cold and looming.
“You said I could have this,” he says, spinning his hand around the kitchen. “I ain’t interested in playin’ house with some bitch who fucks me for my money and a roof over her head. I want my club back and to do that, you need to come back with me, tonight. Everyone will know I’m the fuckin’ boss, they’ll see you where you belong. I’ll even let you bring the kid with ya. He can grow up how I did. How fucked up would that be? A Lost Souls fuckin’ offspring growin’ up to rule the very club they detest. Do ya think they’ll take him out Bonnie?” he laughs.
“We’re not going anywhere,” I force out.
“That’s too bad, I’m gonna have to kill ya. I got to show them Bonnie. I got to show them all.”
All of a sudden he pulls a gun from his back pocket and aims it at me, then lowering it to aim at Jason. The kitchen begins spinning, I can’t feel anything apart from the blood rushing around my body and my heart beating frantically. Sarah’s gagged screams are muffled to me. I panic, I don’t know what to do.
“Don’t do this Joe, please!”
“If you want to save yourself and that kid, then you come with me,” he shouts. “It will be different this time. I swear to you I won’t let anyone near you. I’ll be the big brother you always wanted,” he smiles.
It is creepy the way he talks so softly, yet holding the gun at us still.
“That’s what I’ve always wanted Joe, someone to look after me. If you promise you will, then I’ll come with you. We’ll have to be quick. Sparky will be back soon and he won’t let me leave.”
I lie, it’s all I have left. I’ll have to play along and hope it all works out in the end.
“I knew you’d see sense. Now hurry up, we gotta go. I’ll get rid of her then we’re gone,” he says, moving the gun in Sarah’s direction.
Her screams intensify and she tries to move the chair back around her restraints.
“No Joe! I’ll sort her out. Me and Jason need a bag packed, you go do that for me and then we will leave,” I say.
When he leaves the room, I run and put Jason in his crib in the corner of the kitchen wrapping him in an extra blanket. I heave the crib off the cradle and open the back door. It breaks my heart to do this but if all goes to plan he won’t be out here for long. If not, it’s the best I can do to save him. I put the crib on the ground, shadowed in darkness and close him out, locking the door.
I know I don’t have long. I can still hear Joe’s boots moving about upstairs so I run to the phone and dial nine-one-one, the line is dead. Fuck. I take one of the cooking knives from the block on the counter and run to Sarah. I rip her gag out and hold my hand over her mouth to stop the scream she is building up.
“Don’t scream,” I warn her, “When I untie you, you run out the back door, you take my son and you run, don’t stop. Get help. Okay.”
She nods, her face swollen from crying, snot running out of her nose.
I am halfway through untying her hands when Joe comes back in and sees her feet are free. He looks around for Jason and swit
ches back to ‘angry’ Joe.
“You bitch, where is he?” he yells.
“Somewhere safe from you. Did you really think I would go anywhere with you. Look at you, you’re pathetic!” I scream, standing in front of Sarah so she is out of sight. I hold the knife behind my back. I have no clue how to use it but it gives me a certain feeling of protection holding it.
“No wonder you were an irritation to dad, I see why now you selfish bitch. I think you actually like being hurt. If that’s how you want this to end, who am I to not to give it to ya.”
As he comes towards me, everything slows down. I see he isn’t holding his gun. His cut is open, only a tee and no leather to get through. Instinct to survive is on my side. Two feet away from me, he raises his arm and closes his hand into a fist. I see the opening and I take it. With every muscle and all my strength I bring the knife out and thrust it forward straight into his stomach.
He doesn’t feel it at first. He looks down at his stomach and looks back to me. I let go of the handle and jump back. Sarah has managed to scrape the chair back to the wall.
Nothing happens at first, everything stands still, silent.
“You can’t take me out bitch.”
He pats his pockets searching for something, I realise he is looking for his gun but it is on top of the holdall he brought down.
One look at each other and we both move for it. Joe knocks the holdall off the counter top and the gun slides in my direction. I quickly thank whoever is on my side and pull it up to stop him coming towards me.
“You won’t shoot me little sister,” he mocks me.
“I stabbed you,” I stutter, as it sinks in what I’ve done and what I might have to do.
“It’s only a scratch,” he laughs, pulling his tee up so I can see.
I’m nearly sick when I see it isn’t. Blood is pumping out and down his jeans.
“Maybe not a scratch then,” he continues, laughing.
Jason’s cries grow louder and Joe stops laughing to listen. He looks at the back door and smirks.
“Stay where you are,” I warn him when he takes a step. “I mean it Joe, you are not going near him.”
“The only way you are gonna stop me is to pull the trigger,” he says, as he steps towards the back door.
So I do. I shoot him in the middle of his stomach, not far from his stab wound.
He wasn’t bluffing, my maternal instincts kicked in and I saved my son. I shot my brother to save my son.
Joe falls to the floor and gasps for breath. He’s down, he’s not getting back up. My legs give out as relief courses its way through me. I slide down the cupboard and try to catch my breath.
“Bonnie…Bonnie!”
I look to the other side of the room and Sarah is shouting at me. I can’t make out what she is saying. I keep a tight hold on the gun and crawl over to her. She has one tie left round her wrist. Methodically I untie it. Once she is free she shakes me. It’s no good, I don’t know what to do.
Somewhere in the distance I hear sirens getting closer. I see Sarah scrambling for the back door and I can see blood on the floor and on my dress. It’s not mine but for some reason I find this funny. For once it’s not my blood I repeat to myself. I stabbed him and shot him. I killed my brother.
Time stood still from then on. Sarah came back in holding my son with shaking hands. The police came rushing in guns everywhere. All I could think of was…I killed my brother.
Sparky...
Trying to leave is beginning to piss me off. Each time I say goodbye, I’m pulled back to have one more drink for the road. I threatened to take the next person out who tries to stop me leaving when I accepted my last drink from Pope.
“You should be lappin’ this up brother, your woman gave you permission to stay out,” Oak laughed.
“I don’t need no fuckin’ permission,” I reply, even though I do feel better for having it.
I’m fucking whipped.
“Sparky!” I turn around to one of the prospects calling me from the door.
I jerk my chin up, asking him what he wants.
“Two cops at the gate wantin’ ya. They say they gotta talk to ya,” he says.
I look for Cas, he’s already on his way over.
“Let them in,” Cas tells the prospect, who then leaves again.
“You done anythin’ lately?” he asks.
“Nothin’.”
“Don’t think this has anything to do with Tommy?”
“Not unless the prospects fucked up with my clothes,” I say.
“Not a chance. Pope oversaw everything.”
“Then I ain’t got a fuckin’ clue.”
I stand straight when two cops walk through the door. They take in everyone and spot me.
“What can I do for ya boys?” I ask.
“Jason,” Officer Jake Drew asks.
“Yes.”
“We need you to come with us,” Officer O’Neil says.
“What the fuck? I ain’t goin’ nowhere until you tell me what’s goin’ on.”
“There’s been a disturbance at your home…”
“Give it to him straight, Jake,” Cas growls.
“If I tell you here, I don’t need you kicking off, okay,” Jake says. I nod and he continues, “Your girlfriend, Bonnie Hamilton is at the hospital. From what we can understand from your babysitter, Bonnie’s brother held her hostage and when she came home early, he got angry because she wouldn’t leave with him…”
“Fuck!” I scream, “I should have gone with her, tell me she’s okay. She ain’t dead is she?” I beg for answers.
“Let me finish. Bonnie is fine, so is your son. Seems you have a firecracker there. She managed to convince him she would go. While he was packing her a bag, she hid your son outside so he was safe and tried to help your sitter. She stabbed him once when he went for her. After a scuffle, he went for your son and she shot him. Joe Carson died as we arrived.”
My mouth was suddenly as dry as a bone. I wasn’t there for her again, I wasn’t there for my son and now she has blood on her hands, her brother’s blood.
“Where’s my son?” I ask.
“We knew you wouldn’t appreciate child services taking him until we tracked you down, so your next door neighbour, Frances Coldwell is looking after him. The sitter was taken to hospital with minor injuries.”
“If you want to see your girlfriend, we can take you,” he offers.
“That’s okay Jake, we’ll take him,” Cas replies.
“I’ll go and pick up JJ and bring him straight back here,” Barbie tells me, already leaving to get her bag.
“Pope, can you take her please? I don’t want her on her own until we know for sure what happened,” Cas orders.
Pope nods and waits for Barbie. She’s back in seconds and gets in my face.
“Don’t worry about JJ, he’ll be safe with us. Go and see Bonnie, she’ll want you with her.”
“Thanks. Call me as soon as you have him in your arms. I want to hear it from you that he’s okay,” I tell her.
“I promise.”
The trip to the hospital is silent. Cas is driving and gives me sideway glances every now and then. Slade and Oak are in the back. Occasionally they would pat my shoulder, reassuring me Bonnie is fine.
“She isn’t hurt brother, remember that.”
“I wasn’t there,” I murmur.
“You weren’t to know.”
I ignore them. I know they mean well but at the moment I’ve got nothing.
Walking into the hospital after driving in the darkness burns my eyes. I give Bonnie’s name to the receptionist and I am led to a small room halfway across the hospital.
I see her through a small window, curled up on the bed staring off into nothing.
“She hasn’t moved or said a word since she came in. The doctor checked her over on arrival, she has no injuries but she is in shock,” said the nurse who was standing outside her room before I went in.
She must have s
ensed it was me because her eyes moved once and when her eyes confirmed it was me who came in, she scrambled off the bed and flew into my arms.
Her body was shaking in my arms. I held her tight and felt her lose control.
“I killed him,” she sobbed, “I killed Joe. He was trying to get me to go back…I didn’t want to…I stabbed him to stop him…he wouldn’t stop…I shot him…to…stop him getting…our baby,” she continued.
“Shh,” I soothed. “Jason is fine. Alannah has him back at the clubhouse,” I tell her, hoping this will calm her down.
“His blood is everywhere…I had to do it…he wouldn’t stop.”
Her breath was rapidly increasing, fingers digging into me in a death grip. Her eyes empty yet full of pain. She had the same look when she first showed up in my life.
I pull her into my chest shielding her from everything and let her cry.
“It’s goin’ to be okay, you’re goin’ to be okay,” I promise her, when she begins to settle down.
“They’re all gone now,” she whispers lightly. “Joe thinks it was you who killed Tommy. Is it true? Because I’ve been thinking, you disappeared when he was supposedly killed and he was killed just after I told you what he did to me.”
“Would it make a difference to us if I did?” I ask.
She looks up at me through red eyes, “Not one bit.”
“Then yes I did. All you need to know is he suffered every bit you did before he died.”
She stares at me and then smiles.
“Thank you.”
I’m pulled back a year in time to the couch in my room at the clubhouse when she asks who killed her father. I asked her why she wanted to know. Is it for revenge? No she said, I want to thank them.
A part of me sometimes thinks she would look at me differently if she knew I killed Tommy. She would see what I am capable of.
But I see the strength she learned to build up return and her eyes burn with fire again. I watched my woman find who she wants to be. She had fought for her life, and won She was the only one who has captured my mind, body and soul.
Her tormentors are all dead and she knows she is free.