“I don’t think we’re going to agree, ever, are we?”
“It’s one thing we don’t agree on, darlin’, everything else is good between us. You’re my old lady, you’re my fuckin’ world and nothing will ever change that.”
When he says things like this it’s difficult to remain strong to what I want.
For the rest of the day, he stays at the house with me and we do normal things like a couple should. He fixes the creaky door while I clean the bathroom and when dinner time rolls around, we both cook together.
When life is good, it’s perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Oak
Life is fucking good. I’ve got my woman with a huge smile on her face, relaxing on the stool pulled up next to mine and spirits are at a high.
I see now that Shellie needs me home more and needs my time, she doesn’t ask for much apart from that and she deserves to have it.
“How’s the wound?” Mark asks, coming up and joining us.
“It’s healing nicely, told you it was nothin’ but a scratch.”
“Who the hell has he brought here now?” Mark frowns, looking over my shoulder.
Shell and I both turn and see Michael with Pope and a woman I’ve never seen before. She’s not a bad looker and looks like she would rather be in hell than be here.
“Is it me or does she look like she doesn’t want to be here?” Shellie points out.
“Yes, it does, I’ll be back in a minute.”
He cuts across the bar and plants himself beside his brother, whispers in his ear and backtracks into the backroom. Michael shortly follows after him and shuts the door behind him.
“Who do you think she is?” Shellie asks, turning back around.
“With Michael, she could be anyone. I just hope trouble doesn’t follow.”
“Well it is Michael so be ready for anything,” she sighs.
Even my woman knows how much a loose cannon Michael can be.
“Anyway, it’s good to see you smilin’ tonight, darlin’. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you this happy,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her against me.
“Yeah, but it’s getting late, I’m going to head home. Are you coming too?”
“You take the car and I’ll follow shortly, I want to speak to Mark before I leave, make sure everything’s all good.”
The shine in her eyes dull and I know she doesn’t believe me.
“I promise, after the day we’ve had it deserves to go out with a bang,” I smirk, “we’d have to drive back separately anyway.”
Tipping her chin up, I press my lips to hers and sweep my tongue across her top lip.
“We’ll get the good times back. I know we will.”
“I hope so. I miss them as much I miss you.”
Her words cut into me with precise incisions and I know I have to make it right with her.
“Things are gonna change for us, I swear it to you now,” I vow to her.
“I love you, John, but I’ll believe it when I see it,” she half smiles.
She slides out of my arms and off her stool. Grabbing her bag, she places a quick kiss on my cheek and goes to say something, but I stop her from talking when I pull her back against me and claim her mouth again.
She tastes like beer and hunger, sweetness and light all in one. Pulling away, she breathlessly smiles brightly.
“Don’t be long,” she warns, before leaving.
“I won’t,” I promise under my breath, but she doesn’t hear me over the music.
I watch her until she slips past the brothers by the door and I’m happy when I see them graciously move out of her path to let her through.
I’m shortly joined by Mark and he’s pissed. I signal to the prospect for two beers and when the kid brings them over, Mark drains the bottle in one sitting.
“What the hell has he done now?” I ask, knowing it has to be bad to gain a reaction like that from Mark.
He leans in and keeps his voice low.
“He’s only gone and taken out a Raging cunt tonight and that woman over there saw the whole fucking thing.”
“Are you fuckin’ jokin’?”
His eyes become hard as he stares at me and I inhale deeply trying to get my head around this new piece of information.
“Him and Pope rode out to one of the bars they all hang out at and waited in the shadows for one of them to come out, as usual I don’t think he had a plan, he just winged it and took out whoever came out first.”
“Fuckin’ hell, brother. He’s getting’ reckless again.”
Michael’s always been hot headed and quick tempered but over the last few years he has been keeping it reigned in. Mark making him his VP was the best decision for the two of them. Michael takes his patch seriously and like Mark hoped for, it does make him think things through, until now it seems.
“What’s happenin’ with the woman?”
“He said he’ll sort it with her, fuck knows what he plans to do with her but I guess we’ll find out, he’s coming over.”
We go quiet and it isn’t long before Michael’s voice fills our space.
“She’s sorted. She isn’t going to be a problem.”
He doesn’t stop and carries on until he disappears up the stairs to his room he stays in now after moving out of the main house a while ago.
“That’s all I get?”
“Looks like it, but if he said she’s sorted than she must be, I don’t think Michael would put us at risk.”
I try to soothe my brother but my words aren’t working. Signalling for more drinks, I help him in another way. Drinking to forget for a few hours. He can interrogate him in the morning when Michael has had time to sleep off taking a man’s life.
****
Something cold but soft whacks me on the head repeatedly and I spring out of bed, blurry eyed and looking for the attacker. It turns out, it’s a pillow in Shellie’s hands and she is furious.
It takes a second through the throbbing in my head and the brightness of the room to figure out what’s got her pissed at me this time.
I’m in my old room at the main house, I broke my promise and didn’t follow her home last night.
Shit.
Fuck.
“You fucking asshole,” she screams, throwing the pillow at me.
It lands at my feet and she reaches for another on the bed, “You promised me, you fucking promised you’d come home. You ruined the whole day we had and fucked everything.”
Holding my hands up in surrender, it fuels her anger and she rushes towards me and pushes against my chest. There’s nothing to her but with how fragile I’m feeling. It feels like a giant is trying to fight me.
Wrapping my arms around her, I drop down on the bed taking with her me and she starts to cry.
“Deep down, I knew you wouldn’t come home but I still had hope.”
“Please don’t cry, darlin’, I’ve been a cunt and I own it.”
I had every intention of going home, I honestly don’t have a clue what happened. I was drinking with Mark one minute, then being woke up by being hit with pillow the next minute.
“I’m not happy with you, John. I’m sick of this, I wake up each morning not knowing if you’re going to be there.”
I can’t have this conversation again, I fucked up, like I’m fucking up all the time.
“You know I love you…”
“And I know you love the club, but the question is, when will you put me before the club? I deserve to have your time.”
“I get carried away, you know I love you and I would do anything for you. I can’t live without you, darlin’, but I can’t keep doin’ this with you, it’s like we’re goin’ round in circles.”
“You can’t live without me?” she snorts, “it feels like I live without you all the time. You pay for the house, you pay the bills, you pay for furniture but you’re never there to use it.”
“I do it all for you, to make you happy.”
br /> She goes quiet and a crack starts to break my heart for her. Holding her close to me, it does nothing to mend the crack.
“I’m doin’ my best and I know it’s not enough, but please, I’m not doin’ it on purpose.”
I’m man enough to admit I’m in the wrong.
“It’s the only reason I’m still with you.”
“I won’t ever let you go, darlin’. It’s not in me to let that happen.”
It’s not a threat to her, she knows it’s a promise.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Shellie
He admits he messes up, he admits he knows he doesn’t give me enough attention and it’s a breakthrough I needed to know I’m not being over dramatic and going crazy.
I’ve been floating on air all day and I loved every minute when John took me into town to buy a new dress for Michael and Kitty’s engagement party tonight.
Applying the finishing touches to my makeup, John walks into the bedroom ready to leave.
“You look amazin’, darlin’,” he says, standing in the middle of the room staring at me.
“Thank you, you don’t look so bad yourself,” I reply, taking in his fresh, denim clad look with his leather cut.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks, reaching for his keys off the dresser.
“Yeah, are we driving or riding?”
“It’s a nice night, I thought we’d ride. Plus, you know I’ll definitely be comin’ home with ya,” he chuckles.
“Come on, before I don’t want to go at all,” I threaten him.
I don’t mean it, I’m looking forward to the party, if the club know how to do one thing, it’s celebrate the good times together.
When we arrive, the party has started and everyone is already well on the way to being drunk of their asses.
“What do you want to drink?” John asks, leading us to a table away from the bar.
He’s really making an effort and I’m loving it. I swear, you would’ve thought he only sees the bar, he has a stool there that no one else sits on in case he shows up.
He even goes to the point of pulling out a chair for me and briefly kisses me before I sit down.
“I think I’ll have a vodka and ice please.”
John disappears to the bar, leaving me at the table and I watch how everyone tries to stop him as he passes his brothers but he greets them and carries on.
I can’t stop the broad smile creeping hard on my face and I relax for the first time in a long time. Tonight is a high and I’m going to enjoy it.
“Hey Shell, it’s good to see ya,” Micky booms, making me jump.
I didn’t see him and Flo come in and they too, join our table.
“Hey, I couldn’t miss Michael’s engagement party, I had to see for myself it was true,” I laugh and it feels good.
“I know what you mean, I couldn’t believe it when Mick told me the news,” Flo says.
“Where’s Oak?”
“He’s getting the drinks.”
Micky heads off and joins him, leaving Flo and I on our own.
“So, how are things going between you and Oak? I heard you showed up here beating him with a pillow the other morning.”
“I think it helped,” I chuckle, “he’s been great, we had a proper chat after and he admitted he knows he spends too much time here.”
“I dread to think what it’s going to be like when we move to town, with the baby due soon, it’s only right they have their own space at the house, but if I don’t make the trip out here with him all the time, how much is he going to be home?”
At least I’m not the only one who cares how much time their man spends here compared to at home.
“It is hard,” I sigh, “but, Micky loves the bones of you. I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about.”
It’s true, Micky is very public with how he feels about Flo and he doesn’t care where they are or who’s around them, if he wants to kiss her, he will. If he wants to declare his love for her, he will. Anything he wants to do for her, he does.
“Oak loves you too, Shell, there’s no denying that.”
“I know he loves me. I just want him around home more to show me. I know he’s a part of the club and I understand he needs to be here, but it’s like he doesn’t try to balance us. That’s what hurts.”
“I’m sure he’ll get it soon.”
I’m sure he won’t but it’s my problem and she wouldn’t fully understand until she has to go through it for herself. Only then, will she know what it feels like.
John and Micky are back with our drinks and John pulls his chair close to mine and drapes his arm around my shoulder.
Micky might as well have Flo on his lap I don’t think they can get any closer than they are right now.
“Hold up, what’s Michael lookin’ pissed about? It’s his night,” John comments, finding it amusing.
“Ha, look at the door,” Micky laughs.
Everyone at the table looks towards the exit, Kitty looks beautiful if not a little underdressed in a skimpy black dress, making her legs look a mile long. Her red hair flames brightly and is curled to perfection and her eyes are smouldering.
He storms over to her and tries pulling her dress down a little but it has disastrous effects and shows more cleavage, when he tries to cover her breasts, more of her ass uncovers. He isn’t winning against this dress and the scene has the whole table bursting into laughter.
“How cute is he tonight?” Flo giggles.
“Cute? Michael Blake isn’t fuckin’ cute, he’s the furthest thing from cute,” John laughs, “and this is his comeuppance, Kitty will definitely keep him on his toes.”
“You’ve got that right, brother,” Micky agrees and then frowns, “she looks like shit, don’t she,” he states.
Mark helps Rayna in and over to one of the couches. She looks tired and very pale and it isn’t a shocker that when Kitty goes over to her girls, Michael is beside Rayna faster than a snake.
He really shouldn’t marry Kitty if he loves another woman more than her, but I can understand why she puts up with it, she loves him like crazy.
“I’m glad you came tonight,” John whispers in my ear.
“Me too.”
It’s a good night and John is the one who mentions leaving first. I don’t have to drag him home or have to drag his ass to his room and stay the night at the club.
Maybe our chat had the effect I’ve been desperately waiting for.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Oak
“Are you going to stay for a drink?” Micky asks, as we park our bikes after returning from our first extra run Denzel ordered us on.
“I’ll stay for one, then I better get home.”
Shellie and I have been good over the last few days and I don’t want to rock the boat between us now. We’re a day late coming home on account Pope’s tyre blew out half way back and Mark and I stayed with him, so she’ll probably be wondering where I am already. I did call her and let her know the deal but she hung up and didn’t let me finish.
I always need a drink with my brothers after a run to wind down and today isn’t going to be different. Michael didn’t connect with the guy we dropped the shipment off too and the whole time making the exchange was tense. We were waiting for Michael to kick off and when he didn’t, I was actually proud of him.
The bar isn’t particularly busy and I settle on my stool at the bar and the prospect slides a beer my way.
“I should’ve known you’d stop here first,” I hear and look over my shoulder, Shellie here in person.
“You can never just come straight home, can you?” she moans.
Why is she here? I told her I’d be home today and I would’ve been if she had given me the chance.
“John Johnson, do you plan on coming home today? I’m sick of having to drag my ass up here just to see you,” she yells, gaining the attention of every fucker in here.
“I told you I’d be home at some point today, today isn’t done y
et. Go home, Shellie and I’ll deal with you later. You’re making a scene,” I growl.
His face turns three shades red before she spits sarcastically, “Oh, I’m sorry, am I embarrassing you? If you were home more I wouldn’t have to make a scene in front of your precious club.”
She’s pushing buttons that didn’t have to be pushed and for what? Because I didn’t come straight home like a whipped man.
Sliding off my stool, I stand close to her and loom over her short height, she doesn’t flinch or back down.
“Watch what you say next, darlin’.”
“Or what?” she retorts, raising one eyebrow.
Anger is coursing through my veins and I breathe in through my nose and slowly release it out of my mouth before I can utter a word.
“Go home, I’ll meet you there soon.”
“Will you? Will you actually leave here just to come home and argue with me?” she mocks.
She can bet her fine ass I will.
“Go home,” I end up yelling down at her.
Her eyes fill with tears and when the spill over and fall down her cheek, I’m pretty certain she might not even let me back in the house.
“Screw you, Oak. How long do you think I’m going to stick around and put up with this?”
Oak? She has never called me Oak before. To her, I am John, I always have been.
She turns and leaves and when I look around, everyone quickly looks away and makes themselves look busy returning to their conversations.
A tumbler of whiskey appears in front of me and I knock it back in one. I could do with the whole bottle and I refrain from throwing the glass across the bar. I can usually stay here when Shellie’s pissed but I’m more than pissed with her and I need to be home now.
I don’t bother saying goodbye to anyone and head for my bike. Mark and Michael are bonding over some shit and I nod their way and climb on my bike. The engine roars to life and I thrash the throttle and in no time I’m riding up behind Shellie’s car. I follow her into town and onto our street.
She has the audacity to ignore me as she climbs out of her car and struts into the house, slamming the door shut before I’ve made it off my bike.