Property of Woods, page 10
Did she just say what I think she did? “Baby?” I can’t be hearing her correctly. I can’t be pregnant. Or I should say I don’t want to be pregnant.
“You didn’t know?” She shoots me a sympathetic smile.
I must look like horror movie creature. I’d hate to see my reflection in a mirror.
I shake my head. I’m pregnant by Thad. My husband who wishes I was dead. There’s no way it could be Woods’ baby.
This changes everything.
I think I’m going to be sick.
“We’ll treat you for dehydration, clean up those cuts and get some stitches for that finger. You’re lucky that couple found you. Some people get lost out there and are never found.”
I give her a weak smile of my own. How sad am I? I got beat up and dumped in the forest by a crazy woman because I fucked her husband, and now I find out I’m pregnant by my wife beating husband.
Life really loves to kick me when I’m down.
To remind me of my place in this world.
The nurse leaves me alone for a few minutes but quickly returns to do my IV and ask more questions.
I told them I went hiking and ended up lost. Ratting out Faye would only draw more attention to me, and the last thing I need is anyone knowing I’m here.
“The sheriff is here. He’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Yeah. Sure.” The last thing I want to do is answer more questions.
A dark-haired man dressed in full uniform stands at the door of the room I’m in of the emergency room of this urgent care clinic. Devil’s Creek is so small they don’t have a proper hospital.
I can tell right away they he’s related to Low and Woods. He’s got those same dark eyes and that facial expression that says I’d burn the world down.
“Hello, Jessika. I’m Sherriff Woods, but everyone calls me Fletcher. Do you remember what the name of the trail was that you set out on?”
“Everything is so fuzzy. I’m not sure.”
“Were you hiking alone?”
“I was with my friend Gabbie.”
“What’s her last name?”
“I’m not sure.” They say if you’re going to lie, to stick as close to the truth as possible.
“Was she with you when you got lost?”
“No. We had a misunderstanding, and I told her to leave.”
“You told your ride to leave you out in the woods?”
“I know it was irresponsible. I figured she’d wait in her car and give me a minute to cool off, but then I got lost and now I’m here.”
“She’s not reported you missing.”
“Maybe she’s still waiting for me, or maybe she grew tired of waiting and figured I’d call her or someone else to pick me up.”
“Fair enough. Do you have her number?”
“I don’t.”
“How do you know this friend?”
“I don’t know her well. I’m friends with your sister. Willow. You can call her and I’m sure she can get Gabbie’s number for you.”
“My sister. Huh. You live in California. Long way to be from home with people you don’t know the phone number of.” He pulls out his cell phone and I hope it’s to call Willow.
Fletcher hangs around until Willow shows up and shoos him away, but I have an inkling this won’t be the last time I see him or that he has questions for me.
“Shit, babes. What happened to you? You look like you got into a fight with a tree and the tree won.”
“Something like that.”
If the tree is a pissed of wife named Faye.
Chapter Fourteen
“That was Low. She’s at the hospital with Jessika. Gabbie doesn’t leave until I hear it from Jessika’s mouth that she took off and Gabbie was covering for her. I’ll keep you posted,” I tell Gray and Bugs.
When I get to the clinic, Low tells me that Fletcher was there questioning Jessika, but she doesn’t think she was telling the truth because he wants to speak to Gabbie.
“She said that she was on a hike with Gabbie, but they had an argument, and she told Gabbie to leave.”
“That sounds like some bullshit. Where is she?”
“In observation room four. Do you want me to hang around?”
“Yeah. Go grab you guys some drinks or some shit in case Fletcher comes back. We need to be on the same page. We don’t need Jessika’s name showing up on any data bases right now.”
“Want me to ask Kasey to lose her paperwork before it’s filed for billing?”
“Yeah. Tell her I’ll triple her usual rate if she scrubs the visit entirely.”
“Good deal.”
“Is Fletcher still hanging around?”
“No. He left about ten minutes ago.”
“Go get them drinks.”
Fletcher has a job to do, but so do I. My brother might turn a blind eye to petty shit, but he takes his oath and his badge seriously. Something that has us on opposite sides more often than not.
“Tell me what happened.”
“I’m not sure you’ll like what I have to say.”
“Don’t play games with me, butterfly. Tell me who the fuck hurt you.”
“Faye.”
I clench my fists. “Faye did this shit to you?”
“She got Gabbie to lead me to this ramshackle cabin out in the woods. Said she was meeting her weed dealer. When we got there, she shoved me through the door and Faye put a black hood over my head. The two of them beat me and left me tied up in the woods. Though Faye was kind enough to leave a knife for me to free myself. This sweet old couple who was camping found me and brought me here.”
“I’ll handle Gabbie and Faye.”
“What are you planning on doing?”
“Let me worry about that, yeah?”
She nods and doesn’t give me an attitude about it.
“There’s something else.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know how else to tell you other than to come out and say it. I’m pregnant with Thad’s baby.”
My heart squeezes tight. A knot twists in my gut and I want to punch something or someone. “How long have you known?”
“I just found out. I know this changes things.”
“Changes every fuckin’ thing.”
I stare at my boots then meet Jessika’s tear stricken baby blues. Eyes so fuckin’ deep and blue, I could drown in the depths of the grief filling them. She’s having another man’s baby, but I’m claiming her. Both of them. Jessika’s mine. That makes this baby mine too.
Before I can tell her as much, Low returns and tells me that Kasey will keep Jess’s visit off the record.
When I get ahold of Faye, I’m going to choke the bitch. I call Gray to give Jessika a lift back to the clubhouse while I go hunt down my ol’ lady.
“I’ll see you back at the clubhouse. Gray will drive you back soon as you’re given the all clear. We’ll discuss the rest later.”
“Okay.” The word comes out weak and defeated.
“Hey. Don’t worry. I’m going to take care of you.” I kiss her forehead and leave her with my sister.
Knowing Faye, she’ll be at the house pretending like nothing has happened. She’ll bat her lashes and call Jessika a liar.
Bitch is crazy and I’m tired of her shit.
Tired of her and her childish bullshit.
When I get to the house, I don’t see her car, but that doesn’t mean she’s not been here.
Maybe my fuckwad of a brother has seen her.
Soon as I walk through the front door, I hear Dirty fucking another whore. The guest room door is open, but my bedroom door is shut. If he’s fucking in my bed again, I may string him up next to Faye.
I throw the door open. It bounces off the wall, and what I walk in on shouldn’t surprise me. My wife is fucking my brother.
The asshole grins at me as Faye grinds down on him. “Didn’t think you’d mind since you said you were done with her.”
“Both of you get your shit and get the fuck out of my house.”
Faye rolls her eyes at me and pumps up and down, riding Dirty’s dick. “I’m gonna come,” she coos.
I grab her by the back of her hair, yanking her head back, and her up off the bed. “Do you got a hearing problem, bitch?”
“Don’t act like you’re any better, Woods. You’ve been fucking that little whore behind my back.” She kicks her legs out and I drop her on her ass.
“You mean the pregnant woman you lured to the middle of nowhere, beat the fuck out of, and left for dead?”
“She’s pregnant?” she screeches as my brother says, “What the fuck, Faye?”
“Needless to say, we’re done. I’ll have the papers drawn up on Monday.”
“And where I am I supposed to go?”
“Maybe Dirty will let you shack up with him wherever his ass lands.”
“Bros before hoes,” he tells her with a shrug, then holds his fist up to me, expecting me to bump it.
I shake my head. He’s fucking ridiculous, but he’s still my brother.
“Fuck both of you.”
“Pretty sure you already did,” Dirty tells her and she pops him in the mouth as he laughs.
“Get her out of here.”
“Big Daddy is going to hear about this,” she threatens.
“You bet your ass he will. Jessika is a friend of his ol’ lady. How do you think he’s going to react when I tell him how you treated her?”
“I’m his niece. Who do you think he’s going to side with?” she sneers as she gets dressed.
“Let’s call him and find out.”
“I hate you.”
“Feeling is mutual, but I’m serious, Faye. You need to pack your shit and go back home. You’re no longer welcome in Devil’s Creek. And you even think of pulling some shit behind my back again. I’ll dig your grave myself.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“Would make this divorce go a lot smoother.”
“Pay me my share and I’m gone.”
“Your share of what?”
She laughs, bitterly. “Everything you own.”
“Bitch.” I grab her by the throat. “You’ll see a dollar out of me the day you sprout wings and fuckin’ fly.” I walk her toward the front door as she sputters.
“I need my keys,” she squeaks.
“Your car is club property. Maybe if you ask your fuck buddy, he’ll give you a lift to the nearest bus station and buy you a one-way ticket to hell.”
“I didn’t mean no harm, Woods. I was just messing around. Is her baby okay? It’s not yours, is it?”
“Don’t act like you give a shit. You wanted to hurt me and used her to do it.”
“I’m sorry, okay. Dirty, tell him the truth. That we’re together. That I’ve been coming to visit you in prison. You said when you got out, you were going to be Prez and we’d be together.”
Dirty zips his pants. “Only told you that shit to show Woods that you’re a fuckin’ slut.” He lights up a cigarette, and she goes after him, arms outstretched, clawing her nails at his throat.
Dirty probably made her a lot of promises. Stupid cunt fell for his bullshit lies. It’s what he does. Lies and fucks people over.
I laugh to myself. I’ve got the perfect punishment for both of them.
They deserve each other.
That’s why he’s going to marry the bitch as soon as I’m free of her.
I grab Faye around the waist. “Calm down,” I grit in her ear. “Tell you what. House is yours for the weekend. Pack your shit up and come Monday, I’ll grab one of the trucks and move you to one of the apartments in town.”
“Why are you being nice? What’s the catch?”
“I may not like you very much right now, but you’re still my wife. And soon you’ll be my sister-in-law.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Dirty made you a promise. That’s what you said. He’s not going to be Prez. I’m not dead and even then, he’s not worthy of my patch.”
“Come on, bro. I was fucking around. She’s a lying whore.”
“You’ve always been jealous of me and wanted everything I’ve had. You can have Faye. Hell, the two of you want this house. You can have it. But you can’t have this.” I jab my finger at my president’s patch. “I ought to strip you of your fucking colors and hand the two of you over to the cartel.”
“We’re brothers. We share.”
“Should save myself the fuckin’ trouble and put a bullet between your eyes. You never learn, so Faye’s your problem now. Your punishment. She’s your property.”
“Come on, man.”
“It’s that or you’re out.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Try me.”
“You can’t just gift me to your brother,” Faye shouts.
“You said it yourself that the two of you are together. Was probably plotting to kill me when he got out.”
“It was just talk.”
“Yeah. Was just talk when you had your dick in her just now. Was probably fucking her behind my back before you went in.”
The guilt is written all over both their faces.
“Jesus. You two are a fucked up match made in Hell. Either of you think of pulling some dumb shit and I swear to you I’ll put you down like the fucking rabid dogs that you are.”
Chapter Fifteen
Every bone and nerve in my body hurts. Even my fingernails ache.
“I’ll follow behind you,” Gray tells Low as I’m getting into the passenger side of the truck she drives. I try not to watch them as he escorts her to the driver’s side with a hand pressed to the small of her back.
She can deny it all she wants, but there’s something between them. More than friends. There’s a spark that crackles in the air around them when they are together. When they round the other side of the truck, they are just outside of my view for a moment. Long enough for them to share a secret kiss.
When she climbs in, she grins like a loon.
She asks me, “Ready?”
“Yup,” I pop the P.
“It’s getting late, but if you’re hungry, we can swing by Remy Lou’s drive-in for some chicken strip baskets.”
I almost tell her I’m not hungry, but then I remember that I’m eating for two. “That would be great. Thanks.”
“No problem. They have the best peach lemonade and frozen Coke. You have to get the frozen Coke.”
The drive-in reminds me of something out of a retro movie or classic tv show. The servers all roll up to your window on roller skates. The neon signs shaped like ice cream, hot dogs, and fries give it that special touch.
Working here looks like it would be fun if I wasn’t pregnant.
I still haven’t processed the news.
A baby is the last thing I need. Especially one fathered by Thad.
Will our child be mean like him?
Will Thad try to take this baby from me?
Will he kill me anyway when he catches up to me, or will he allow me to give birth first?
Low orders for us, and Gray parks off to the side. I catch her smiling at him through her side mirror a few times while we’re waiting. Watching the two of them eye fuck each other is a welcomed distraction from my own problems and the aches and pains racking my body and nervous system.
“How long have you and Gray been a couple?”
Her cheeks redden, giving her away before she opens her mouth. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’re not fooling anyone. Especially not me. I see the way you two look at each other. How you trade smiles and touches when you think no one is watching.”
“I’ll tell you about Gray when you are honest with me about your relationship with my brother.”
“Things with him are complicated. I doubt there will be an us to discuss. Not after tonight. There’s too much standing between us.”
“If it’s Faye you’re worried about, you shouldn’t be. He doesn’t love her. He’s tried, but I think he married for club politics. He’s not said as much, but we were all surprised when he told us. Everyone hates her.”
“I’m pregnant. By my husband. Even if Faye wasn’t in the picture, he’s not going to want me. Why should he? I’m more trouble than he needs. I come with a lot of baggage.”
“Those few days on the road... I’d never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. It was like watching love at first sight happen.”
Before I can tell her she’s wrong or crazy, our food and drinks arrive, and we go back to the clubhouse. When we get there, she offers to stick around, but I can tell Gray wants to get her alone and it’s cute watching them dance around each other.
I take my food and my frozen Coke to my room and find Woods waiting for me.
“Hey,” I whisper, losing what little of an appetite I’d built on the way here. “What are you doing here?”
“Last I checked, this is my club and my room. And you’re here, butterfly.”
“Didn’t you hear what I told you at the clinic?”
“Yup. What about it?”
“I just thought...”
“Thought what?” He puts my food on the dresser and takes my hands in his.
“That where I am is the last place you’d want to be.”
“Why would you think that?”
“I’m pregnant with another man’s baby.”
“That doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
“You hardly know me. We started all wrong. We’re both married to other people. When Thad finds out about this baby, who knows what he will do?”
“Who is going to tell him?”
“He deserves to know.”
“Does he?”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “This is all too much. Too fast.”
“I ended shit with Faye. And yeah, part of that was because of how I feel about you, but that course was already set. One of us just needed to pull the plug.”
I nod. “I need time to process my life choices. It’s not only me I need to worry about. I’m going to have a baby and every choice I make from here on out will affect them. I need to think long and hard about what comes next, and I don’t know that I can think clearly when I’m with you.”
