Rock's Redemption(Insurgents MC Romance Book 8)(32)

"I understand." He rose from the chair and moved behind her. "And now  that you cleared your conscience, I'll clear mine. I can't have any  loose ends. You understand." Then he placed his cold hands around her  skinny neck and squeezed.

Her hands flew up to her neck as she tried to pry his away, but she knew  she was no match to his strength so she let them fall to her lap. She  noticed the soil beneath her fingernails from constantly digging in her  garden for her mojo bags and healing spells, and she was ashamed that  her children would see it on her corpse. She would've cleaned them had  she known.

As he choked the life out of her, her gaze drifted to the wedding  portrait, a surge of joy filling her as she realized she'd see her  François again. Then the pictures of her children and their families  danced in front of her, and a heavy sadness weighed on her. She'd hoped  to be around for a few years longer.

Dark spots shrouded her gaze.

The clawing panic of not being able to breathe began to dissipate until it was all gone.





Chapter Fifteen





They parked in front of a nice two-story brick house in a neighborhood  where everyone had well-maintained lawns and shrubbery. Before he turned  off the ignition, Isa and two children ran down the concrete walkway  toward him. He grinned and his eyes sparkled when he saw his niece and  nephew.

"Rock, you're really here," Isa said as she threw her arms around him  and kissed him on the cheeks. "I kept telling Charlie I wouldn't believe  it until I saw you in the flesh. Let me look at you." She pulled back  and gave him a quick assessment, then threw her arms around him again.

"Mom, let us in," a young boy said as he tried to squeeze between Isa and the Harley.

"Hang on." Rock chuckled. "I gotta get off the bike." He swung his leg  over the leather seat, then wrapped his arms around Isa and her children  in a big bear hug. From the corner of his eye he saw Clotille standing  off to the side, watching the family reunion    . She'd done a great job  traveling the long distance from Colorado to Louisiana on the back of  his bike, and, to his surprise, he'd fucking loved her warm arms  clinging around his waist. The way her tits pressed against his back was  a major bonus. He normally liked riding solo but every once in a while,  if a chick was an especially good lay, he'd reward her by taking her  for a spin on his Harley. In his experience, chicks were suckers for  that kind of thing. But having Clotille hold on to him was something  entirely different. It was like they fit together, their bodies molding  as one.                       
       
           



       

Don't start these pussy-assed observations. It would have felt good if  any chick's tits were against you for that long. Remember, she's lying  to you and keeping too many damned secrets. Not fuckin' interested in  figuring it all out.

"Is that Clotille?" Isa whispered in his ear.

"Yeah." He turned to her. "Clotille, get over here and say hi to Isa.  These two hoodlums are her kids." He picked up a giggling child in each  arm. "Maybe we need to go shopping to get you some presents."

His niece's and nephew's eyes lit up. "Did you bring us anything from  Colorado? Are the mountains really as big as they are in movies?"

"Michael! That's not polite." Isa's brows knitted.

"It's perfectly okay to figure out what kind of loot you're going to  get. Yeah, I got you something, and yeah, the mountains are big as  hell." He laughed and set the two kids down next to Clotille, who had  sidled up beside him. "Isa, you remember Clotille."

Isa nodded as her eyes scanned the other woman. "Yes. It's been a long time. How've you been?"

Clotille smiled. "I've been okay. It has been a long time. Look at you-a house, family, husband. It must be nice."

Watching her children rifle through the saddlebags on the Harley, she  shoved her hair out of her face. "It can be, and sometimes not so much,  but I don't know what I'd do without these two petits." She ruffled  Michael's and Aline's hair. "Vite alors! Let your Uncle Rock come into  the house."

Rock pulled out a multi-colored stone with an acrylic dome over it and a  tarantula sitting on it, immortalized forever. He handed it to Michael.  "You can find these creeping around in southern Colorado. The rocks are  found in the Rocky Mountains where I live. See all those gold streaks?"

Michael's eyes opened wide as he took the gift in his small hands and  tapped on the dome. "Cool. Uncle Rock gave me a spider. Look, Mom. Is  that real gold?"

Rock nodded. "Real gold flecks." He handed Aline a doll with long blonde  hair in ringlets dressed in prairie clothes with several other outfits.

Aline's hazel eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Uncle Rock." She shyly took the doll he handed her and hugged it tightly.

"Let's go in the house. Charlie's still at work, but he wants to take us all to dinner when he gets home."

Clotille's eyes darted to Rock. "Yeah, well, we're kinda bushed. It's a damn long ride, you know?" he told Isa.

"I didn't even think about that. I'll call Charlie and tell him we'll go out tomorrow. We can have pizza tonight."

"Pizza! Yay!" The two kids jumped in the air and then dashed up the walk to the house.

Rock laughed and slipped his arm around Isa, pulling her to him. "I've  missed you. Your kids are pretty fuckin' cute. It's good to be back."

She looped her arm around his waist and they went inside as Clotille followed behind.

When Isa and Rock were alone at last-Clotille had lain down for a nap  and the children were playing-he sat at the kitchen table, guzzling a  bottle of beer. "You mind if I smoke in here?"

"I don't want you smoking pot around the kids." She brought over a pitcher of lemonade and placed it on the table.

"The kids aren't around."

"I know, but the smell and all." She poured the lemonade in her glass. "Charlie wouldn't like it."

He slipped the joint back in his pocket. "That's cool. I can smoke later in the open."

A worried frown crossed her forehead. "Be careful. It's not legal here. I  mean, if you really want to, we could go out on the patio."

He stood up. "Let's go." He ambled out back and lit up his joint, the  mellow effect taking hold as he smoked. "Clotille doesn't want her  family to know she's back in town. She really doesn't want anyone to  know right now, so don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Okay, but why?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. She's got some shit going on with Armand and  her mom. She wants to lay low for a while before she tells anyone."

Isa smoothed her hair off her face. "I never would've recognized her.  But then I didn't really know her. She never came to the house when we  were growing up. You always went to her. I just remember seeing her when  I started high school and she was a senior. We never even talked. Are  you two back together?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I'm just helping her out, that's all. She got  herself in a bad situation in Colorado, so I'm just trying to make  things smooth for her. She feels awkward being here ‘cause she feels  like she's imposing since you two didn't really know each other."                       
       
           



       

"Tell her I love having her here. And it would be great if you two got  back together, especially since it seems like you both have been  miserable without each other all these years."

He sniggered. "I don't remember being all that miserable."

"I'm talking about a real relationship, not sex. You know there's a  difference. Henri is close to marrying. He and Suzette have been going  out for over a year. Her family owns Petries, the department stores."

"I'm sure Henri loves her money."

She tapped his arm. "Oh, you. He's very much in love with her." She  lowered her voice. "And her money." She covered her mouth with her hand  and laughed.

"I'm done smoking. Let's go inside. It's too damn humid. I forgot how awful it can be."

After they settled on the kitchen chairs, she poured them both some  lemonade. He took a deep breath and finally asked, "How's Pa doing?"

Her fingers touched her parted lips as she looked at him with wide eyes.  "Not so good. He's in the prison infirmary. He was getting better, but  he fell ill again. I'm real worried he's not going to make it." He  jutted his chin out, his jaw clenched. "I was planning to see him. Do  you want to go with me?"

"I'm not sure."

She licked her lips. "Think about it and let me know."

He shoved his chair back. "I'm going to check on Clotille."