Page 56 of Wheelie's Challenge
“Sofia! Open up.” He tried the doorknob but it was locked. “Are you in there?” Wheelie went over to the living room window and tried it, but it didn’t budge.
“Can I help you?”
Wheelie spun around and saw a redheaded man in his mid-twenties standing on the lawn next door. “I’m just looking for my friend.”
“Tigger?” The man looked behind him then took a few steps toward Wheelie. “Are you in the same club with him?” He glanced at Wheelie’s bike against the curb.
“Yeah. Do you know where they are?”
The man extended his hand. “I’m Jim. I live here.” He pointed at the house behind him. “There was a lot of yelling and screaming. Some of the neighbors and I debated about calling the police, but… well… we’re sort of afraid of retaliation from Tigger. He can be pretty intimidating.”
“Where are they now?”
“The screaming was the worst I’ve heard in a long time. I had my cell phone in my hand when an SUV drove up and two men rushed into the house. They stayed in there a long time. Tigger sped off on his Harley then the other two men left. One was carrying Sofia.”
“How was she?”
“From what I could see, he beat her up pretty bad. I don’t understand how he could do that to her.”
Wheelie lifted his chin at the man then ran over to his bike and jumped on. There was a storm in him as black and vicious as a raging tornado. Red bolts of anger poked at him as he raced down the desert road toward the clubhouse.
After Wheelie parked, he went into the main room looking for Tigger, but he didn’t see him. The room was practically empty, so he headed out to the yard. Outside, music blared and the barbecue was fired up. Members, club girls, and hoodrats milled around, booze flowed, and the smell of weed filled the air.
Rags came up to him with Animal right behind. “Cool down, brother,” Rags said.
“Fuck that. Where’s the asshole?” Wheelie scanned the area.
“Leave it alone. Banger and Hawk called for an emergency church tomorrow. We’ll deal with it then,” Animal said, gripping Wheelie’s shoulder.
Wheelie spotted Skeet and Cruiser and he knew the wife-beater wasn’t far away. As Rags and Animal tried to talk some sense into him, Wheelie followed Skeet with his eyes and saw him sink down to the ground. Next to him, Tigger sat with Charlotte on his lap and his tongue halfway down her throat.
“The bastard’s feeling up Charlotte after he beat the shit outta Sofia? No fuckin’ way.” Jerking away from Animal, Wheelie rushed over and picked up a surprised Charlotte, setting her down on the ground, and before Tigger could react, Wheelie had him up on his feet slamming Tigger against the chain link fence.
“You fuckin’ asshole!Fight me, not a goddamn woman! You’re nothing but a weak pussy.”
As Tigger staggered under the unexpected attack, he clutched Wheelie, and the two men crashed to the ground. Tigger ended up underneath Wheelie, and he tried to push him off, but Wheelie was having none of it. Years of pent-up rage at the way Tigger treated his old lady spewed out of him, and he pummeled Tigger’s face with his fists. Blow after blow… blood gushing. Then with a grip like a steel glove, Wheelie’s hand was at Tigger’s throat. Tigger fought with strikes from his fists and bent knees. He twisted his legs around Wheelie’s, but as he struggled to push Wheelie off, he grappled wildly for his throat.
Wheelie’s grip only tightened. The more Tigger fought, the harder Wheelie squeezed.
Choking.
Sputtering.
Gasping.
Wheelie kept squeezing.
“You’re gonna fuckin’ kill him, asshole!” Skeet yelled.
Wheelie saw Skeet rush over and caught the upward flash of a knife blade. He let go of Tigger’s throat and rolled away just as Skeet came up to him. Wheelie leapt to his feet and grabbed Skeet’s wrist and pivoted, yanking hard. The knife fell to the ground and Wheelie pulled Skeet toward him, using his hip as leverage to flip Skeet onto his back. Hitting the ground, Skeet lay there immobile as he struggled to catch his breath.
By now, a huge circle had formed around Wheelie, Tigger, and Skeet. Recovered from Wheelie’s assault on him, Tigger stood up and rushed Wheelie, the knife gripped in one hand.
“You fuckin’ traitor. You’re the one who’s been fuckin’ my old lady!”
Wheelie spun around and tried to grab the knife, but Tigger jerked it back, swung and slashed Wheelie’s upper arm.Fuck!Tigger went in for another swing and Wheelie bent down low then leapt up, kicking him square in the balls. From his peripheral vision, Wheelie saw Skeet charging toward him.
Animal grabbed Skeet from behind and threw him on the ground then proceeded to kick the shit out of him as Skeet writhed in pain on the grass. He looked at Wheelie. “You got to get stitched up, dude.”
