The Salvation Knights MC: Jinx's Mistake

I'll never understand why I ever stuck my di.k in her. Glory had wanted me since middle school. I fvcked her on and off throughout the years. We never dated. I never dated anyone. I'm part of a motorcycle club. It's hard to tie a brother down, and I definitely wasn't going to be tied down as a teenager. Glory was just a patch chaser anyway. She wanted me for the clout, my money, my brand. Never me. She just wanted a comfortable life. Honestly, I shouldn't have let Glory do whatever she wanted. I was young and dumb. I didn't care. I thought that Glory would figure out one day that she was only a quick fu.ck for me and that was it. The only time I ever got in her sh.it over a girl was when she slapped Deidra across the face when we were in the 8th grade. She did it in front of everyone and told Deidra it was for looking at her man. I knew she was talking about me. I wasn't her man though, and Deidra definitely wasn't looking at me. No, Deidra never looked at me. Definitely not with heart-eyes either. I was the one looking at her, and that always pi.ssed Glory off. Pretty sure that's why she even started taking Waylen to the diner in the first place. Just to rub it in Deidra's face. Not that Thorn ever gave a f.ck about me or who I f.cked. Not sure what Glory was even thinking. I'm pi.ssed, yeah. My son didn't come home from school again, and I had the whole club out looking for him. "I just like being with Dra," he mumbled with a sad look on his face. Dra. That damn nickname he has for her. She once told me that she hated nicknames. Of course, it was because I was calling her Thorn and Lily-pad every day, but still. I sound f.cking pathetic being jealous over my own damn son. This little man wanted a mother. "A mom?" Waylen asked, giving me a curious look. "You mean like Dra?" Waylen asked, and I choked on air at the question. Of course, every interaction I've ever had with the woman was mostly her yelling at me in some way. Even if it was just with those stupidly bright hazel eyes of hers. The woman barely ever lets me finish a damn sentence. That's partly why I call her Thorn. 'Cause she's a thorn in my damn side. And Waylen only ever sees her when she's at work. Which is all the time, but still. "I think she is," Waylen said softly, sulking now. "She's nice to me. She ruffles my hair. She feeds me, and she even used to cut up my food at the diner, Dad. And you remember how she used to yell at Mom about being nicer to me?" "Honey!" My friend called out, getting my attention. "Come, tell you something about Deidra." "What?" "Caught her man and bestie f.cking in her bed and chased them out with a shotgun like a total bada.ss." She said, laughing loudly. "When you gonna put a cut on that girl, Jinx?" I blinked, unable to even reply to that. Deidra is not my girl. I refuse to claim any woman. Especially after the sh.it Glory pulled. I could never trust anyone. But I've known Thorn pretty much my whole life, and she doesn't want me for my patch. Or at all. And fu.ck, I knew Sophie was sh.it! And that Theo guy! He should have just stayed away from her when I told him to. None of that came out of my mouth though. Nothing did. Because even though I knew that nothing would ever come of it, all I could think was... Deidra's single? --- Chapter 1: Garden Sip Deidra's P.O.V. ******************************* There have been a lot of moments in my life that have rendered me speechless. When I was 10, and walked out of the bathroom at school with my skirt tucked into my u*******r, and was called out about it in front of the entire class. When I was 13, and got slapped across the face in the cafeteria during lunch by the head cheerleader for apparently looking at her boyfriend with heart-eyes. When I was 16, and was told by the principal of my school that my parents, my only family, had died in a car accident. And right now. At age 24, watching my best friend of 20 years and my boyfriend of five years, f******g. In my apartment. In my bed. Together. Let's back up a little bit before we jump into this f******g mess. ********************* ~ Earlier that day ~ ********************* "Why are you calling me so early in the morning?" Sophie, my best friend, answered her phone. "It's after 9 a.m.," I said with a laugh. "Yeah, too early," she grumbled. "It's Thursday," I said, chuckling. "Did you go out in the middle of the week?" I heard Sophie yawn and some shuffling going on before she answered me. "Yeah, was at that new club that opened up a couple of towns over," she replied, still sounding tired. "Necto?" I asked with a frown as I put the finishing touches on the Christmas display in the front window of my shop. Santa Baby is playing softly in the background. Christmas is my favorite time of year. We might not get snow here in Dayton, Teneesee, but the Christmas spirit is very much alive. I own Garden Sip. It's my dream, my baby. I've wanted this place for as long as I can remember, and about a year ago, it became official. Garden Sip is a flower/plant shop and a café. We live in a small town in Tennessee, and there isn't much here. There is definitely not a lowkey café that offers free Wi-Fi and allows you to be surrounded by the beauty of nature. There are a couple of coffee shops and a Starbucks, but I think we bring something fun to the table, here at Garden Sip. I still sell flowers and plants too. We've even done two weddings so far. I have a few regular customers. Like Jim who comes in to buy his wife flowers every single Friday. I also have my regular coffee-goers. Alice and Steven are here daily. Steven does some kind of web designer stuff. I only know that because he thanked me for being so cool about him being here all day, using all the Wi-Fi and only buying coffee. He told me all about how he dropped out of college to pursue this dream, but his parents were very upset and wouldn't support his dreams. Alice is a writer, but I only know that because I peeped at her open laptop a time or two. She's usually very quiet and keeps to herself. On top of flowers and regular ol' coffee, we sell a few pastries, muffins, bagels, and several other coffee drinks. I wanted this place to be somewhere people could come and be able to relax. A place to breathe. A place where they weren't judged. I've always loved plants and flowers too. I would have become a botanist if I had the balls to leave home. I just love it here in Dayton. This is where I grew up. This is where my parents' graves are. This is where my friends are. And I was happy to stay and be part of the community. We've been decently busy since we opened. Enough that I'm not worried like I was in the beginning. Things have been going so smoothly. I even have a crew now. Well, if three counts as a crew. Aaron and Alexis are twins that are a few years younger than me, and are the best workers ever. Deb is an angel, a life-saver. I'd be so lost without her. She does all my financial work. She was a friend of my parents and moved back here to take care of me when they died since we had no other family. She supported this dream of mine more than anyone else. I will forever be thankful for her. "That's the one," Sophie replied, pulling me from my train of thoughts. "It was so fun. We should go sometime." "Uhm, I mean, not really my thing," I replied as I finished putting the muffins in the case. "But that's the same town Theo was in last night. He didn't come home until super late. Said his client wanted to drink a little, and he couldn't say no." "Oh... really?" She asked, sounding a bit off. "Yeah, what are the odds?" I said, forcing a laugh. "Right... weird," she mumbled. "So, uh, anyway," I said, clearing my throat. "Was wondering what you were doing later? Want to have a movie night? There's something I need to talk to you about." "Oh, I actually have a date," Sophie replied. "A date?" I asked. "With who?" "It's a secret," she said, giggling. "I thought you and I didn't have secrets," I pouted. "I'll tell you soon," she said. "I promise." "Okay, well, I guess if you're doing that, and Theo's working late again, I'll just catch up on some things here and have dinner with Deb," I said. "I'll call you later," Sophie said. "After my date." Then she hung up without her normal goodbye or telling me she loves me. It was weird, but... things between us have been weird for weeks now. For the last few months, I've suspected something was a little off between my best friend and my fiancé. At first, I thought that it was just because Sophie didn't like Theo. Theo and I met in college. The school was close enough that I could still live at home. I worked at the local diner all through college too. Theo saw me during a class we shared, but I wasn't interested in him. Or anyone. Life was a struggle, and I'm not the smartest either. I had to stay focused and study my b*tt off. On top of working too. I just didn't have the time for men. However, Theo pursued me relentlessly. He even started showing up in the diner almost every day. And every day he'd ask me out. He even said we could start out as friends. I always turned him down. It wasn't that Theo was ugly. In fact, he was very handsome in that all-american-boy kind of way. He had brown hair that was always styled perfectly, and deep blue eyes. He had a strong jaw, a dazzling smile, and a charming air around him. He was built like a football player, and actually cared about his grades. It wasn't until he suddenly stopped showing up that I'd finally said yes to one of his dates. He'd found me at school about a week or so after he stopped showing up at the diner. Told me that some of the local bikers who frequent the diner scared him off. I didn't ask for details, but I didn't need to. I know that to everyone The Salvation Knights MC members look scary. hll, if I hadn't grown up in this town I'd be afraid too. Er, well, maybe I should still be. Everyone else seems to at least be cautious. I probably would be if one of them in particular didn't literally haunt my entire f******g life. Anyway, I said yes to Theo and thus began our relationship. At the time, Sophie was away at college too. When she came back home over summer break, I introduced them. I was a bit upset with Sophie because of how rude she was. Theo was a nice man. Everyone loved him. But Sophie had always hated sharing me with anyone. She and Theo never got along. Not until recently. Not that they really get along, but... something just seems off. Sophie doesn't take jabs at him every chance she gets like she used to. Theo went from rolling his eyes at the mention of her name, to now inviting her out with us more. I'm not even sure when things changed. Just that one day, they started acting weird when I brought up the other. I keep telling myself that it's just my imagination though. I wanted to talk about it tonight, but it's probably fine. Sophie would never betray me like that. Plus, Theo and I are getting married. Next month, actually. All our details are finalized. Deb is even finishing up my dress. I'm wearing my mother's wedding dress. Everything is going to be perfect. Because Theo loves me. I need to stop thinking the worst of him and my best friend. Chapter 2: Betrayal Deidra's P.O.V. ******************************* The rest of the day went by slowly. We were busy on and off. I had a bride-to-be come in to talk about using us for her wedding. The bakery across the street came in to buy a pastry and make a huge thing in the middle of the place to try to drive my customers away. If it weren't for my little knight in shining armor, I think I might have been arrested today. June, owner of Tasty Treats, comes in at least once every two weeks. She buys something, stands in the middle of the lobby, and loudly complains about it. She's dropped cups of coffee, spilled potted plants, literally smashed muffins onto the floor... It's kind of insane behavior for a woman in her late 30s, but hey girl, crashout if that makes you feel better. However, I can also crashout. And I will. I maintain a pretty level head most of the time, but June and I have gotten into it a few times in front of customers. Deb has had to break us up. Deb even went as far as to call and speak to not only June's husband — who doesn't give a flying s***t about what his wife does, but also called her mother. Nothing has helped. Except my knight in shining armor that is. "Waylen, where the hll is your mother?" I asked the seven-year-old boy who spent his entire day in my shop. Well, after school let out that is. "Told you, she's gone," he replied without looking up from his coloring book. "It's just me and dad now." I tried not to show how happy I was that his s***t a**s mother was gone. Not sure if the b****h packed up and left or if she was finally forced out of town. I hadn't seen her in over a year, but I thought that was because she was avoiding me. You see, Erica — or Glory, whatever the hll she goes by now — have never gotten along. We went to school together our entire lives. She was the popular cheerleader, and I was the loner type. I never cared, but she did for some reason. She always bullied me, but I was never one to just take s***t either. I talked s***t back, but it never went further than that. Okay, there was one time, but it was stupid. After we graduated from high school. Erica shacked up at the Salvation Knights clubhouse on the edge of town. I'd heard she became a club bunny and that she was a patch chaser. I had no idea what either of those things were, but I sure do now. Kind of hard not to when you're surrounded by it. The f******g b****h used to bring Waylen to the diner when I worked there, drop him off in a booth, and f******g leave. Leave! Like it was a Dam daycare. The owner, Big Ricky, was going to kick the kid onto the street when he was like three-years-old. I threatened to set the diner on fire if he did that. Which resulted in me pretty much babysitting for free. Until I'd finally had enough one day. After Waylen sat in a booth for two hours, sick as s***t and running a high fever, I lost my s***t. That was about two years ago now. I took my apron off, told Big Ricky I'd be back, and drove me and Waylon to the gates of the Salvation Knights MC. I stormed in after being let through the gates with Waylen in tow and cussed out a room full of bikers. I even refused to let go of Waylen until his id.iot father swore to me that he'd take him right to the hospital. I even followed them to make sure. That day was the last time I ever saw Erica. However, Waylen still showed up at the diner every day. Much to his father's dismay. Not that the man hated me, but Waylon just never told anyone where he was going. How an entire clubhouse full of adults lost sight of one child every single day is beyond me. "Waylen, if it's just you and your dad, why aren't you at the clubhouse?" I asked. The little cutie winced. I sighed, half g******g when I realized what that meant. He might be here every day, but usually someone from the club is with him. Sometimes he shows up alone, but that usually means... "Waylen!!" I jumped a foot in the air at that shout. I whirled around, my body moving to shield the boy. It's not like I think his dad would ever hurt him. It's just a reaction. Probably because I really don't condone yelling at children. Jinx Roth stormed into my shop looking like delicious sin. Which instantly made me glare at him. It's completely unfair how unreasonably se.xy this face is and always has been. When's his awkward stage going to hit? I've only been waiting over 20 years to see it! Jinx is a couple of years older than me, but we graduated the same year. We were never friends, never hung out in the same circles, but we knew each other due to school. He's always been attractive, but the older he gets, the more ridiculous it is. The man has got to be at least 6 feet, 4 inches, and all pure muscle. He wears his cut with the club's logo with pride. It's an outline of a knight in purple, holding a sward. It's drawn in a goth-style, making it look freaking awesome. Not that I'd ever tell Jinx that. My eyes always linger on the stitched name on the right side of his cut. Jinx. The name everyone's called him since we were in middle school. His long golden blonde hair is pulled back into a manbun, but looks frazzled. Probably due to his missing kid. Those bright blue and green eyes were angry, and it only made him look better. He had stubble growing across his sharp jaw. His nose was crooked from fighting one too many times. He looked like a Dam model. Why does he have to be Waylen's dad? "Don't f******g give me that look Thorn," Jinx bit out when he saw the scowl on my face. "Stop shouting in my store before I throw you out," I stated before quietly adding. "It's Christmas time. Be jolly for once in your miserable life, Jinx." Jinx let out a harsh laugh, rolled his shoulders, and took a deep breath. "Sorry, but my f******g son didn't come home from school and the entire club's been out looking for him-" "Jesus, just stop," I cut him off, waving my hand in the air as I rolled my eyes. "Why you didn't come here first, I'll never know." "He promised me he'd stop bothering you," Jinx ground out. "He never bothered me in the first place," I said as I walked behind the counter. "It was his dipsh.it mother that annoyed me. Waylen is always welcome." Jinx sighed and rested his fists on the counter. I set a black coffee in front of him, and he thanked me before taking a drink. "I'll talk with him," Jinx promised. "Start with the dangers of walking somewhere all alone," I muttered. Thankfully, Jinx left it at that. Which was surprising. Usually he always has something to say back. Instead, he gathered his son's belongings and left my little shop. I knew that no talk would stop Waylen from coming here. He said that he likes being around me because I'm calm and I care. I don't doubt that Jinx and the rest of the club care about him. I've seen it with my own eyes. But his mom never did, and I'm sure living at a motorcycle clubhouse is never calm. I tried not to let my thoughts wander for the rest of the day. Once I closed up and sent Alexis home, I took an inventory count. I prepared everything for the next morning, looked over the day's sales, and checked on the plants before leaving. Just when I got in my car, I got a text from Deb. She let me know that she wasn't feeling that well and was going to have some soup and go to bed. I offered to go check on her, but she refused. Which was like her. So, I went home. The first thing that tipped me off that something was off were the two sets of shoes by my door that weren't mine. I recognized them both as Theo's and Sophie's. I knew that Theo was going to come over after work, but I thought he was working late. We haven't moved in together yet because Theo said neither of our places were big enough. I thought his was, but we did put a deposit down on a place and get to move in after the wedding. At first, I thought that maybe the two of them were planning some surprise for me. I guess I was sort of right. The apartment was silent. All the lights were on. My Christmas tree was in the corner, lit up with a handful of gifts under it. There was a set-up at the table on top of my decorative cloth, for two with wine glasses and candles. Cute, right? Would be if the plates didn't have scraps of food left, and the wine glasses weren't half empty. This wasn't something they were setting up for me. This was something they set up and enjoyed behind my back. And at my apartment of all places? What the f***k! I tip-toed through my apartment, taking in the line of clothes that lead to my room. My bedroom door was shut, which wasn't how I left it. Ever. For a moment, I just stood there. I knew what I'd find behind that door. I knew that something was off with them. I knew... deep down, I knew. But the betrayal still hurt deeply. A loud, fake m**n knocked a bit of sense into me. I carefully opened the door just as the headboard started banging on the wall. And there they were. My best friend and my fiancé, n@ked, entangled with each other. Theo was on top with Sophie's body wrapped around him. He was b********p in her, both their faces full of pleasure. Again, why my apartment? The first thought that crossed my mind was: Dam, I just changed those sheets too. Then it was: I wonder how many times I slept there without changing the sheets and no f******g knowledge at all that I was sleeping in my best friends "wet spot". Oh, I bet she got a kick out of us singing that Megan Thee Stallion song. I shouldn't even be surprised. Sophie was always like this. She had to be the center of attention. She always stole my things. She never let me have other friends. hll, Theo was the very first boyfriend I'd ever had. I should have seen it coming, should have known she'd do something like this. But I thought she loved me. I thought she just liked the spotlight, but that she still cared about me. I mean, she and I had been friends since preschool. We've gone through everything together. She was there for my parents' funeral. She knew that Theo had taken my virginity and that he was my first everything. Sophie has done a lot of questionable things throughout our friendship, but this... this is devastating. She was my person. The only person left in my life aside from Deb. I lost everyone else. And apparently, our life-long friendship meant nothing to her. "You like that baby?" Theo asked her as he thrvst again. "You like it when I f***k you, don't you?" "Yes! Yes Theo!" Sophie m****d loudly and dramatically. "You're so naughty, suggesting we have our date here tonight," Theo said, further shattering my world. "I love it when we sneak around." This was Sophie's idea? "Show me how naughty I really am," Sophie said with a giggle. I couldn't hear it anymore. These two should have known me better. Known that, no matter how upset I get... I am not the type to go out without a fight. Chapter 3: The Audacity !!!! **** WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATERIALS THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND DISTRESSING! SUCH AS GUNS AND VIOLENCE! READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED! **** !!!! ************************************ Deidra's P.O.V. ******************************* The two of them were going at it so vigorously that they still hadn't noticed I'd come home. I moved to my closet where I kept my shotgun. I wasn't technically allowed to have it, but Deb insisted I take it if I wanted to live alone. I told her a bat would have been fine, but now I'm glad she made me take the gun. I loaded the barrel with two shells, and then co.cked that motherfu.cker. The noise of the gun co.cking finally broke through their love-haze. Theo made a confused face and turned his head. His eyes went wide and jumped so fast from the bed that he fell on the floor. Sophie looked around confused, and screamed when she saw me. "Deidra," she breathed out. "Both of you, get the f***k out," I stated, sounding much calmer than I felt. "Deidra baby, calm down, this isn't what it looks like," Theo said as he scrambled to his feet. My eyes glanced down to see that he wasn't even wearing a cond0m. Now I have to schedule an STI test. A full panel checkup. Because my slu.tty best friend has been f******g my fiancé. For all I know, they're both sleeping with other people too. Each other, other people, and me... "Save it," I spat. "No, baby, please, I love you. I do. I really do," Theo pleaded, eyes full of guilt. "Love me enough to f***k the girl I used to consider a sister," I said sarcastically. Sophie scoffed from my bed. She was sitting up, leaning against the headboard. She made no move to cover herself up. She didn't even look guilty or ashamed. If anything, she looked annoyed. "Oh come on," she said, rolling her eyes at me. "He's just a man. You'd never let our friendship crumble over a guy. You're too sweet. You love me too much." Then she looked at Theo. "And stop lying to her. You love me." I raised a brow as I pointed the gun at her. "You really think this wouldn't matter to me?" I asked incredulously. "Theo and I are supposed to get married next month!" I shouted. "You were supposed to be my maid of honor! Christmas is next week! We had plans to... And you've been f******g him! You betrayed me in the worst way possible, and you act like it's f******g nothing?" "It is nothing, because the two of you never loved each other," Sophie snapped, finally getting up from my bed. "I knew it from the beginning. Poor Theo really thought you loved him. But I know you, Deidra. I know you were faking it." I stared at her with my mouth open for a minute. Partly because of her sheer audacity. Partly because... I think she might be right and don't want to admit it. Theo and I didn't have a lot of passion between us. I tried, really. I faked it so well that even I believed it. But I thought Theo was a good man. I thought that, at least, I was settling down with a man I could trust. A man who had a good head on his shoulders. How'd I never realize how truly weak Theo is? Sophie walked closer, and I held the gun up higher. She stopped with her hands up, looking at me like I was the irrational one here. It made me want to pull the trigger just out of spite. "Look, I love you Deidra," Sophie said. "So much. You're my sister. I didn't mean for this to happen with Theo, but..." Then she looked at him. He looked at her. And they f******g smiled. Smiled like they weren't standing n@ked in my room after betraying me in the worst possible way. "We fell in love," Theo blurted, both of them looking at me again. Sorry, did he just say love? They fell in love? Sophie fell in love? This Sophie? The same Sophie I've known my whole life? I couldn't help the snort that came out of me. "Sophie? In love? Yeah, okay," I said. "It's true," Sophie said. "We were going to tell you after Christmas." "You mean, mere days before my wedding?" I asked. "Why not just tell me right away and get your money back for all the wedding bullsh.it?" The guilt that flickered across Theo's face had my heart sinking. I really thought I loved the guy. At the very least, I cared for him and trusted him. I was going to pledge the rest of my life to him. And he chose my best friend. "The wedding is still going to happen," Sophie stated, her voice soft but stern. Still going to happen... just not with me. I think I made that clear. hll, I think they're making it pretty clear. So that must mean... "You two... are going to get married?" I choked up, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. "Yes..." Theo replied apprehensively. Every single decision I made about this wedding, Sophie was a part of. It was my dream wedding. Not too big, but I don't have family anyway. I had to reserve the venue two years in advance. It was the only reason we were waiting so long. Because I have had my heart set on the Greenhouse since I was little. And now my best friend is getting married there. To my fiancé. I'll never be able to get married there. hll, I'll probably never trust another man ever again to even be able to get married. It felt like the walls were closing in. It was too much, too overwhelming. My entire world just imploded. Love or not. I trusted both of them. And Sophie... I can't believe she'd do something like this to me. "Was this the plan all along?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at my ex-best friend. "The whole time I was planning the wedding... you were really getting me to plan yours?" "It didn't start until after you got the Greenhouse," she told me. "I never meant for it to turn out like this, Deidra. I just-" "Never meant for this?" I scoffed, cutting her off. "You apparently told Theo I didn't really love him. You inserted yourself into our relationship. YOU did ALL of this, Sophie! Knowingly! With an agenda! You seduced him into sleeping with you in the hopes that he'd break up with me, didn't you!? You just didn't expect to fall in love. Or that I would cut you out of my life." "You wouldn't," she whispered. "Oh, I would, and I am," I stated, holding the gun at them again. "Get your clothes and get out. You have two minutes. I never want to see either of you again." "You don't mean that-" "Get the f***k out!" I screamed, cutting Sophie off. "Before I f******g shoot!" Sophie rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you don't have the balls to do that," she said. Something in me snapped. Maybe it was finding them in my bed together. Maybe it was knowing that my best friend had orchestrated this entire mess. Maybe it was Theo's pansy a**s remaining silent. Maybe it was the way Sophie brushed me off, like I was the crazy one, like I had no right to feel this way after finding her with my fiancé. Whatever the reason... I pulled the trigger. The gunshot went off, echoing harshly in the room. Sophie and Theo both screamed, which was great, because it was a huge turn-off on Theo's part. They both looked at the hole in the wall. I co.cked the gun again and this time, they actually looked scared. However, I was done playing. I pulled the trigger again, this time at their feet. They both screamed again, but started to scurry off. I reloaded the gun and followed them into the hall. I may, or may not have followed them all the way to the front door, shooting off five rounds in total. I chased them out while they were still b*tt-n@ked. "You're insane!" Theo screamed as he pulled the driver's door open of his car. I shot again, shattering his back windshield. "Deidra! This is too far!" Sophie screamed. "Nah," I said as I reloaded. "Too far would be shooting him in the nuts, so you two could never have kids." Then I aimed the gun right for his precious junk. Before I could actually do it, he got in the car though. "This isn't over, Deidra!" Sophie shouted. "You will forgive me! I'll see you at the wedding!" Then she got in the car, and Theo tore out of the parking lot like a bat out of hll. I stood there for a moment, thinking how insane those two are. They called me crazy, but they expected me to just be fine with his betrayal. To accept it and be part of it. It's disgusting. Unfortunately for me, I am a little insane. Because I'd completely forgotten about the fact that I lived in an apartment complex. And I just shot off my illegal gun a f***k ton of times. The only thing that alerted me to my mistake were the red and blue lights accompanied by the wailing sirens that were heading my way. "Awh, s***t," I muttered under my breath. Deb is so not going to be happy with me. Chapter 4: Jailbird Deidra's P.O.V. ******************************* "Jesus Christ Deid, you really got yourself in it this time," Officer Melvin said as he stopped in front of the cell bars. I sighed heavily. He's literally the fifth cop to come back here and tell me that. Small towns. Gotta love 'em. Half these police officers grew up with me. The other half knew my parents. My parents might not have had any family, but they made a family here. My dad was a firefighter and Mom was a nurse. They were caretakers. Everyone loved them. And everyone felt it hard when they suddenly died. Despite my parents being pillars of the community, I was not as sociable as them. I liked plants. I liked to garden or go for nature walks. I was content with being on my own. People made an effort to talk to me when they saw me and my parents raised me to be polite, but that didn't mean I was as loved as they were. I miss them. However, Officer Dylan Melvin was someone I was a bit closer to, you could say. He and I were part of the garden club in high school. Dylan was nice, and we had conversations here and there, but I'm not sure that I would call him a friend. His parents knew mine, so I always assumed he just felt bad for me like everyone else. I understood their pity, but it was annoying. "You gonna tell anyone what happened?" he asked me. "Deb said she gave you that gun for protection when Captain Russo called her. She can't figure out why you'd be shooting off if you weren't attacked though." I leaned my head back against the nasty wall as I looked around the nasty cell. Christmas music was playing low in the background. The whole station was decked out for the holiday. Even the cells are lined with Christmas lights. It's super adorable and not at all what I pictured for a police station. Again, small towns and all. There was one other girl in here with me. She looked like a prostitute, and I felt bad thinking it because I recognized her. She's one of the Salvation Knights' club bunnies. One of the nicer ones. I asked her why she was here, and she said one of the cops arrested her because he thought she was trying to sell herself on the street. Apparently, she's waiting for someone from the club to come get her and raise hll for the farce of an arrest. We actually talked for a while. I found out her name is Honey. I thought it was fitting for her; she's sweet and has pretty brown skin. She asked me what I was doing here. I told her, but I did it quietly. It wasn't like I was embarrassed by what happened. I just... the longer I stay here means the longer I can prolong going home. Once I get there, I have to face reality. I have to burn my Dam bed, pack up everything that reminds me of those two, and tell my handful of friends that my wedding is actually being taken over by my ex-best friend. Honestly, it all wouldn't be that bad if I had my best friend. If I had someone to go through this with me. I have Deb, and she's like a second mother to me, but she's also taken care of me for the last nine years. I've always hated having to dump my problems on her. She uprooted her whole life to move here and take care of me. I don't want to lean on her for every little thing for the rest of my life. God, why'd it have to be Sophie? "Deb's worried about you, Deid," Dylan said gently. "Just tell us what happened. Cap's willing to maybe let you go if you just tell us." I sighed again, wondering if I should just give it up. I'm getting tired. I know Deb is probably freaking out. She's probably tried to call Sophie a million times. Surprised the little w****e didn't answer just to tell her how she stole my fiancé. "For what it's worth," Honey spoke up. "Pretty sure he'd let ya go once you tell him. If you ask me, it was deserved." I smiled at her. "Hey, how's Waylen doing, by the way?" I asked. "Jinx's kid?" She asked with a confused expression. "Yeah, the little cutie patootie with a dipsh.it for a father and a complete ska.nk for a mother," I replied, making Honey burst out in laughter. "Oh, you must be the one he talks about all the time," she said. "That's me," I mumbled. "Had no idea," she said. "He calls you Thorn, so I didn't realize." I scrunched my face up at her. Waylen doesn't call me that stupid name, his dad does. Maybe she's all confused or something. Maybe Jinx goes back to the clubhouse and complains about me. Good. I hope he does. I hope I consume all his thoughts every day that he sees me and goes and cries to his little club brothers about it. Little freaking baby. Honestly, I have no idea why I'm so mean to Jinx. Something about him just... makes me irritated as hll. Every time I see his stupid, f******g smug, se.xy face, I just want to punch him. He's annoying and the hotter he gets, the more annoyed I get. Who even told him he could start getting tatted? God, the man is infuriating, and it's always been like that between us. It's a shame he had such an adorable son. A son who looks exactly like him. At least the kid doesn't look like his mother. Not that she's ugly or anything. "What's that mean?" Dylan asked, looking from Honey to me and back again. I sighed for the millionth time. "I went home and found Theo in my bed with another woman," I told him. Dylan's eyes widened. "Theo? Your fiancé?" he asked, shaking his head. "Yup," I replied, popping the p. "But... that doesn't make sense," he said. "He loves you. Everyone can see it." "Well, I guess we're all f******g dumb then," I stated, making Honey snort. "Okay, so who was the woman, and what happened?" he asked. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It was Sophie," I mumbled. Dylan's eyes went even wider. His l**s parted, but no words came out. I stared at him as he stared at me. I wasn't sure if he expected me to tell him it was a joke or something, but that wasn't going to happen. This was real. And it was really happening to me. "But... that..." Dylan trailed off. "Sophie... I could see her doing this to you." He can? "But Theo?" he continued. "I just ran into him at the store last week. He was telling me about the wedding and how excited he was..." "Oh, I'm sure," I replied. "Because there's still going to be a wedding." "Oh s***t," Honey breathed out, knowing exactly where I was headed. Dylan, bless his heart, was not as quick to catch on. "You're still going to marry him after he fu.cked your best friend?" he asked incredulously. I narrowed my eyes at him and crossed my arms. "Yes Dylan," I said, my voice hard and sarcastic. "I found him in my bed with my best friend, chased the two of them out of the entire apartment complex by shooting at them, and I'm still going to marry him." "You don't mean..." he trailed off, again, looking at me like he was waiting for me to say it was all a joke. "She told me they fell in love," I told him. "Then said that I'd get over it because I cared about her too much to let a man come between us." I scoffed as tears filled my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "She fu.cked me over in the worst possible way, right before my favorite holiday and treated me like I was overreacting, or like she did me some f******g favor." Then I looked Dylan in the eyes. "So I chased them out with that shotgun. They're f******g lucky I didn't shoot either of them. I could have. I should have shot Theo in the nuts and taken out just one of Sophie's fake buubs." Honey cackled at that. "Girl, I like you, you're fun," she said, laughing. Dylan blew out a breath and shook his head. "I'll go tell Captain Russo, but he'll probably want to speak to you and have you write a statement," he told me. "Hey, tell him to take his time," I replied. "I'll try to make it quick, Deid—" "No seriously," I cut him off. "The longer this takes, the longer I can put off reality, so please, take your time." Dylan gave me a nod of understanding before leaving to go speak to his boss. Captain Russo has been on the force since my parents were alive. He and my dad were friends. His wife and my mom were friends. Everyone was their friend though. "Can't believe that b****h had the balls to steal your whole wedding," Honey commented after a moment. I let out a hollow laugh. "Sophie's always been... charismatic," I replied, staring at the wall. "She had to be the center of attention all the time. I never minded it since I liked to fade into the background. She stole toys, spotlight, friends, projects, clothes, and all kinds of s***t from me over the years. I always let it go because I thought she needed it more than me. I never thought she'd betray me like this though. But the more I think about it, the more I should have seen it coming. I already suspected it, but I kept telling myself that she wouldn't do that to me. That no matter how s***t Sophie's been in the past, she'd never hurt me like that. But she did. And she made it a million times worse by stealing my wedding. But she was right. I don't think I loved Theo. Maybe she really does love him. Maybe it was my fault for being so... unemotional. Maybe it was better it turned out this way." God, listen to me totally unloading on this poor woman. "Still, that don't make it hurt less," Honey said gently. "She was supposed to be your friend. This was plain conniving betrayal. You deserve better than both of 'em." I gave her a small smile. "You're right, it doesn't make it hurt less, and I do deserve better," I agreed. "A huge part of me still can't understand how she could do this to me. She purposely set out for it. And the worst part, she stole the venue I'd been dreaming about getting married at my whole life. As sh.itty as it sounds, I think that hurts the most. It was the same place my parents got married. I had to reserve it two years in advance. And now she's going to ruin it. Even if I ever met someone else, I'd never be able to get married there and not think about it, ya know?" "Want to go find her and beat her up when we get out of here?" Honey asked, making me laugh softly. "I might hold you to that," I replied. "Just you wait, sweetheart," she said. "Karma will get those two." "Thanks Honey," I mumbled. I hope she's right, and I hope I get to see it. Chapter 5: Deb & Deid Deidra's P.O.V. ******************************* By the time I was released, it was nearly the next day. Captain Russo wasn't too happy that I made him wait so long. It didn't help that the president of the Salvation Knights showed up in the middle of it all to get Honey either. The man was pi.ssed. I'd seen War around town, served him at the diner and Garden Sip. He's a beast of a man and f******g scary-looking. He's a few years older than me, but he's always looked so intimidating. Not that I've ever gone out of my way to befriend any of the MC guys. Or anyone at all, for that matter. Apparently War and Captain Russo have a bit of history or something. The captain was actually apologizing to the MC president when I walked into his office. I was shocked and didn't even try to hide it. War looked at me for a moment, probably wondering why I was there, and then left without a word. Captain Russo made me tell him all the details about what happened. Then I had to write a statement. After that, he let me go. It was made clear that I was only being given a slap on the wrist because of his relationship he had with my parents. Not sure if the captain expected some sort of gratitude for that, but all he got was a "thanks" as I walked out. They could have treated me just like everyone else. I would have deserved it. I'm not going to be overly thankful because someone decided I should get special treatment. Deb was waiting for me just outside the police station. She looked worried and frazzled. I felt bad for keeping her waiting for so long. Especially since she already wasn't feeling good. I'm not only pathetic, but also selfish, apparently. "Thank god, Deidra," she said as she pulled me into her arms. "You had me so worried. What happened?" I sighed and pushed out of her arms. "Give me the keys," I said. "I'll drive us home and tell you all about it. " **************** "I never liked Sophie," Deb grumbled as I pulled into the driveway of my childhood home. It was hard to live here without my parents. Of course, I had to get over that if I wanted to keep the house. Deb and I managed to push through all the misery and find warmth in the house though. It took a while for it to feel like home again, but we eventually got there. Right now, the two-story house is decorated with colorful Christmas lights. There's a huge blow-up polar bear on one side of the yard, and a huge blow-up snow globe on the other side. We put out a few of the light-up deer that move too. My parents used to do way more decorating for Christmas than just this. They really always went all out. Mom would tell me stories about her Christmases as a kid. She lost her family in a fire when she was away during her first year of college. Lost her parents, siblings, all her childhood memories, everything. Dad never had good stories to tell about the holidays. He always said that his good memories didn't start until he met Mom. Then he would tell me about their very first Christmas together and how it was a disaster. He was in foster care all his life, so I could see why he probably didn't have anything good to say. "I know," I replied to Deb before getting out of the car. "I'm going to walk home. I'll see you later." "Excuse me young lady? You will do no such thing," Deb stated, making me gulp. "It's only two miles-" "I don't care," she cut me off. "You can stay here for now. I'll take you home after you've gotten some sleep." "Deb, I have to open the shop soon, and-" "I will handle everything, you just-" "No, I can't let you do th-" "Yes you can! I'm there to help-" "It's my baby!" "I don't care!" "But you're sick!" "It's just a little cold! I'm fine!" "Ugh!" I screamed in frustration, knowing I wasn't going to win. "Taking one day off isn't going to kill you, Deidra," Deb said as we walked to the front porch. "You deserve one after the night you had." I know she's right, but... the more work I do, the better I'll be. I need something to throw my energy into. But Deb has a point. I had a long night and I have a long day ahead of me. I'm sure I'm in for a lot of long days ahead. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of this, and while you're sick too," I said as I closed and locked the front door. "Nonsense, it's just a cold," she brushed me off before inspecting me with her eyes. "Are you sure you're alright, honey?" She asked. "You seem... angry, understandably so. But you haven't cried or anything. I know that you thought you and Theo loved each other. I know that despite what a cr.ap person Sophie is, you loved her dearly. Honey, talk to me." I blew out a breath as I plopped on the couch. I leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling. After a moment, Deb sat next to me. She didn't push me. She knew I'd start talking when I was ready. I just wasn't sure what to say, because I wasn't sure about anything to begin with. I was still processing the fact that I caught my best friend and fiancé in my bed together. They ruined my future, my Christmas, my perfect wedding venue. "I don't know what to do now," I admitted. "Sophie literally planned the entire thing. She knew what she was doing. The fact that they were planning a date in my apartment behind my back because they thought it was extra spicy makes me sick. Part of me thinks that I would have understood if it was something that just happened, but this... this was deliberate. I was a joke to them. So much so that they expected me to not only be okay with their relationship, but support them too. It makes me wonder what a doormat I've been all this time. All the times I just let Sophie have her way because I didn't really care. She mistook that for me being a pushover. And Theo... well, he's just a weak man. I thought he loved me though. I thought what we had was special, at least. That it meant something. And they were... they were my future. The one I'd been picturing in my head and planning for. And within seconds, like I didn't matter at all, it all came crumbling down, and now... Now, I don't know what to do." "You don't have to make any decisions right away," Deb said, grabbing my hand and squeezing. "Let him handle all the canceling of the wedding and-" "Oh god, how'd I forget to tell you that part?" I grumbled, interrupting her. "What part? Did he already cancel the wedding? That jack.@ss!" She ranted. I shook my head and scoffed. "No, the wedding's still happening," I muttered. When Deb didn't reply, I looked up at her. All she did was blink at me. "Are you absolutely f******g kidding me?" She blurted, making me snort. Deb rarely ever curses and when she does, I always find it hilarious. She has this deadpan way of saying things. It's hilarious to me. "I don't know what to do, Deb," I said. "I mean, I even booked up this Christmas trip. A weekend in Colorado. I was going to surprise him with it. A little mini vacation before our wedding. A cabin in the woods. He'd never had a white Christmas before, and we used to go there with my parents... I feel like such a fool." "You shouldn't," she replied, tucking a strand of my curly hair behind my ear. "I think you should go. In fact, I think you should extend it. Leave Monday, stay until the New Year." "What?" I asked with wide eyes. "That's... like, like two full weeks. Are you insane??" "Deidra, you've worked nonstop since you were old enough to have a job," Deb said gently. "You've never taken a day off. I can manage the shop for that long. It's the holidays anyway. The shop will be closed most of the time. You and I never really do much other than dinner and exchanging gifts. We can do that when you get back. I think you deserve a little getaway. Somewhere that you won't have to be constantly reminded of your family and now this betrayal." "I don't know Deb," I mumbled. "I'd have to call and see if they can even do that for me." "Call first thing when you wake up," she told me. "I don't know about this," I said unsure. "Deidra, you've never done anything for yourself," she replied. "Please, do this for me. Do this in spite of those two. Go off, have the vacation of your life, f***t with every hot guy you see, take a breather, and when you come back... rub in their faces how much you don't care." "That's easier said than done Deb," I mumbled. "They'll think I ran away." "Let them," she replied with a shrug. "Deidra, this is your life, but it's never felt like you've been living it. Not to me anyway. You never got in trouble, never wanted to go out with your friends, never had a boyfriend. You've always stuck to yourself and worked your b*tt off. It's time for you to have some fun. Go experience life outside this town and your parents' shadows." "They'd probably want me to go too, huh?" I muttered. Deb beamed at me. "They most certainly would," she said. "And who knows? Maybe you'll get a Christmas miracle." "Okay, let's not push our luck," I replied. "Just go for it, Deid," she said gently. "Take a risk for once. Know that I have your back." I blew out a long breath. "Okay, fine, I'll do it," I declared, making Deb squeal. Maybe this is exactly what I need. A break from the town I love. Just a little breather. And maybe Deb is right. Maybe there will be some sort of Christmas miracle. ... What happens next? Open the app and find out. 👉 (You'll be redirected to the book upon opening.) brgbook.com A wonderland for all kinds of book lovers; Embrace a whole new world of gripping stories.