HARDCORE: Storm MC(199)
“You’re not pissed at me?”
“For leaving Gigi with me? No, not for that.” I looked at the clock on the wall. “You only have a few minutes. Talk to me.”
Her chin wobbled. For a second, I felt sorry for her. She was still the girl I used to love. I saw her in there. I wondered if she was clean. Her eyes looked clear enough.
“I have to get away from him.”
We were finally getting somewhere. “Who?”
“The Scarecrow.” I heard sighs from my crew. They were just waiting for her to say it.
“What did you do? Why do you need to get away from him?”
“I tried really hard, Lance. You have to know I tried real, real hard. I did everything I could to stay clean for Gigi. I wanted to be a good mom.” She started shaking, crying. I didn’t have the patience for it. I didn’t have the time for it, either, and neither did she.
“Why do I feel like you’re stalling, Rae? Are you really in a hurry to get on that bus, or what?”
“Yes! I have to get away from him! He’s gonna kill me!”
“For what, damn it? Why did you do?”
“I owe him so much money.”
“How much.”
“Ten thousand dollars.” Tears streamed down her face, mixed with snot. She ran a hand under her nose, and I felt sick.
“You tried to stay clean, huh? You don’t shoot ten thousand bucks into your arm on the first relapse, babe.”
“I know, I know. I’m so ashamed. You don’t know what it’s like. I was working it off in other ways…”
“Oh God, I don’t wanna hear about this.” She turned my stomach.
“Just with him. Only with him. He made it sound like that would make us even. Only it didn’t. He changed his mind all of a sudden. The last time I went to see him, the night before I left Gigi with you. He told me it wasn’t enough. I owed him all this money. I didn’t understand why, what he meant. So I packed Gigi’s stuff and took her to you. I borrowed the neighbor’s car and honked the horn so you would come out.”
“Yeah, I know you did.”
“I’ve been hiding from him all week. But he found me. I’ve gotta go!” She made a move like she wanted to bolt again, but we stopped her. She cried out, a weak, broken cry. “Please, he probably already knows I’m here. You’ve gotta let me go. You’ve gotta get back to the clubhouse.”
Her words stopped me. I glanced at Flash, who looked as surprised as I did.
“What do you mean, I’ve gotta get back? Why?”
“Because…” She started crying again, harder than before. I lost all patience. I took her by the arms and shook her until her head rocked back and forth. She was like a rag doll.
“Lance, chill.” I didn’t care what Flash or anybody said, or whether anybody else saw me shaking her. I wanted to kill her.
“Why do I have to get back? What did you do? What happened when he found you? Why did he let you go?” I shook her again. “Why did he let you go after he found you? Why did he let you live? What did you do, damn it?”
“I had to tell him something to settle the debt. I had to give him something!” She sobbed.
“What did you give him? What?” My voice rose over the bus engines.
“I’m sorry.” She broke free from my hands and fell onto the floor. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was so scared.” She rocked back and forth.
I looked at Jax, who looked just as stunned as I felt. “Call the clubhouse.” I knelt down, shaking her again. I needed her to look at me.
“What did you do? What did you give him? I don’t understand. Help me, damn it. Help me, Rae. Tell me what I need to know.” Nothing I said got through to her.
“Lance!” I looked up. Jax was as white as a sheet, phone in his hand.
Chapter Twenty
Jamie
After a half hour of waiting once the kitchen was clean, I knew I was about to lose my mind. I needed to be away from there for a little while, if only to clear my head. I couldn’t pace back and forth all night in Lance’s office like a deranged person.
Erica stuck her head in through the open door. “Are you okay?”
My head snapped up. “No. I need to get out of here for a minute.”
Erica looked like she was about to protest. I held up a hand to stop her.
“Lance doesn’t need to know. I just have to go back to my house, check on things, get some more clothes together. Stuff like that. When I packed, I thought I was only packing through Sunday night. Now, who knows?”