Sugar and Skulls (Rebel Skulls MC #1)

by L.M. Terry

“Tell Jimmy to get his ass out here. I’ll kill him and then we can move on from there.” The man cracks the knuckles of one of his hands in the palm of the other. “Kill Jimmy? Wow, what did he do to you?” I ask, laughing lightly. His eyes narrow and he looks over my head at Dan. I glance over to Raffe and wink at him. My dad catches it. He glares at Raffe, making him shift nervously on his bike. I laugh again, then I notice tattoo man, I’ve dropped the scary... like really, I left him with his mouth hanging open and bare butt naked. I pretend to shoot him with my finger. “I knew you’d eventually catch up,” I tease. He glares at me like I just called his mom a whore or something. Perfect.

I know they have all the real power. Sort of. My attitude, my actions, my perception is all I have. It’s all I’ve ever had. If you don’t like the way the situation looks then change the way you look at it.

She is my Eve, the girl who is going to lead me down a damming path. Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve been on that path most of my life. However, she is a hairpin turn. I can’t see what’s up ahead and I’m coming in at nine-o. I need to put my foot on the brake real quick.

“Did she tell you,” he swallows convulsively, “what happened? Who hurt her?” “If she had, we would be knees deep in blood and entrails.” I motion between the three of us.

I’m a patient man but I’m also persistent. Jesse will show me her demons. How do I know this? Well, I’ll tell you. I’m an exorcist. Ask Raffe. He’ll fill you in. I cracked him clean open and sucked the poison straight out of him. I can do in a week what would take a therapist years to do. Is it painful you ask? Yes. Very. No one gets through life without pain.

That’s the difference between me and a therapist. They don’t give a shit if takes you ten years to get all the shit out of your system. Every appointment puts dollars in their pocket.

I grab his face, pulling him closer. He moans into my mouth as I do. The sound vibrates to the deepest parts of me, awakening the woman who’s been sheltering herself in the darkest parts of herself. That woman wants to come out and see if the sun still chases the moon.

“You mean I might never ride again?” My eyes drop to the white blanket covering his body. “No, you dumb ass. I’m telling you what the fucking doctors told me. Now, listen to what I’m telling you.” Dirk chucks me under my chin, insisting I look at him too. When I do, he returns his mood ring eyes back to Raffe. “You will walk again. You will fucking ride again. Don’t listen to these pricks. It will happen because I’m going to make it happen.” Raffe blows out a long breath. “Dirk, I don’t know if anyone has ever told you but you’re not a fucking god.” Dirk stands up. “I’m as close as you’re ever going to get to one.”

“Do you really think I’m a guy who gets chased off?” I shake my head no, giggling. “I’m the chaser, you’d be wise not to forget that.”