Page 2 of Foxx
The club members are somber, probably recalling the events that led us here. They all know that two members of their rival club, the Disciples of Sin, put Nic in the crosshairs to revenge a business deal gone bad. They all know that what happened to her is onbothclubs’ hands. And now, there is an intense sense of grief that stems from a rivalry older than I can remember. My family has always hated the Disciples with a passion. In my father’s time, they were known for shady deals,drugs and theft, and rumors used to fly that they were into human trafficking, but who knows if that’s true. In the last couple years things have settled down a bit, and they have a new president, Aiden Foxx. I’ve never met him, but Mason says he “isn’t like the old prez.”
Which I doubt very much, since they have the same last name. I look at my brother now; his blue eyes are bloodshot. Mason’s a tough man. To the outside world, his heart is made of steel. I don’t even want to know what those eyes have witnessed in this club. He never cried when our father died, but when I called him to tell him that I’d found Nicola with a needle still in her arm, lifeless, he let out a gut-wrenching sob I’ll never be able to unhear. It still wakes me up at night.
Watching him hug my aunt now, my mind drifts and the same guilt rushes through me that has every day since Nicola died. Because I live with a dark secret no one else knows. There was another man there the night she was raped, and I’ve spent the last month since Nic and I rounded that corner on Main Street making a plan.
A plan that will lead me to the truth.
“I think I’ll probably add an art class too. I’ve been really enjoying pottery. It’s calming.”
Nic’s chatting away as we round the corner en route to her favorite bookstore. It’s a clear day, and when a glint of chrome catches in the hot sun, I turn. Harley-Davidson motorcycles line up in front of the Yard, our town’s most popular lunch spot and notorious hangout for the Disciples of Sin. Just the sight of their cuts makes me want to punch something. They’ll always be responsible for what happened to my sister.
My eyes drift over the group—wondering how they live with themselves—and that metal flashes again as we walk. Itbelongs to a matte-black Harley with cherry-red detail in most places. It’s in the threading of the seats, the custom design on the tank and the sides. I let my eyes trail over the bike’s owner, my gaze hidden by dark sunglasses. He’s relaxed, straddling the massive motorcycle as he talks on the phone, and I instantly hate him for what he represents. Yet, I…can’t bring myself to look away.
Wide, heavy shoulders lead to muscled arms, and he wears a worn-in, white T-shirt under his Disciples of Sin cut. Ink stretches over every inch of his skin, and although I shouldn’twantto look at him, it’s as if I don’t have a choice.
I’m pulled in by his dark grace. He’s all Viking. All power.
I watch as he tucks a lock of dark-blond hair back behind his ear; it’s thick, slightly wavy, and just reaches the nape of his muscular, inked neck. His chiseled jaw is square and defined, covered in a darker scruff that enhances his rugged features. His presence commands respect, and I instantly know he’s ranked. Maybe even highly ranked.
I watch as he inhales slowly from a cigarette perched low between his first two fingers. A feeling of forbidden want hits me unexpectedly at the sight, and I imagine his powerful body holding me steady, gripping my hips in those big hands while he fucks into me slowly on the back of his bike.
As if he can sense someone watching him, the man’s eyes lift, steely and blue, as he searches the immediate area. Sharp nails digging into my arm break my gaze, and I quickly turn my attention to my sister. She’s visibly shaking as she pulls me into a side street.
“Nic.” I question her terrified expression, taking off my sunglasses to look her in the eye.
“That cut. I remember… He was there,” she stutters.
“Who, Nic?”
“R-red…bike…” my sister says in a shaky voice. My stomach drops. “He’s by the red bike…” She points in the direction of the man I was just shamelessly staring at.
But there are at least five men around that red bike now, and two different cuts to choose from. Disciples of Sin and Wretched Souls. It could have been any one of them.
Even the one I couldn’t pull my eyes from.
Nic slinks to the ground, rocking back and forth as she whispers to herself.
“I don’t wanna die…”
My heart breaks as I crouch down to swipe her hair off her forehead and pull her close. She’s mumbling like she did in the hospital right after that night.
“Gator is gone, Nic, he’s gone,” I offer gently, trying to soothe her. Her attacks like this are fewer and farther between now, but when they hit, they are brutal.
“No… I thought…there were two…but there were three. I remember… I cut him… He said he was gonna kill me.”
“Okay, it’s okay. You’re safe now. No one is going to kill you, I promise,” I tell her, holding her close. She isn’t making any sense, but I don’t let go just yet.
“I wanna go home now, Emilia.” She uses my full name, and I start to panic. She’s shutting down.
“Why don’t we try to get dinner? Or I could stay with you, and we could watch a movie? I can call Dr. Rochester tomorrow and set up an extra appointment so you can talk this through.”
I look at her, hoping she’s being honest about being sober. She hides it well if she isn’t. But I don’t know how much grace to give—it’s a fine line between help and enabling.
“Okay… Yeah… A movie, let’s watch a movie,” she says,clutching at my hand. I pop my sunglasses back on and tighten my low ponytail.
I know she’s still in there, my sister, my best friend. I see glimpses of her when we laugh or when she talks about the future. When she talks about “after” as if it’s some mystical place she’ll find when she gets stronger.
We make our way out the back alley, avoiding the bikers, and I make a mental note to find out everything Nic remembers about the man she was referring to when she’s calmed down. As much as I want to, I can’t push her for that information right now. All I can do is get her home, reset, and try again tomorrow.
