Page 10 of Rebel

“Everything is fine, as far as I know. Got to run, a friend might be in trouble.”

Panther’s look gets intense.

“What did Zoey do now? I’ll go with you because, as you know, I’m one of the few who can calm my woman down.”

Shaking my head, which makes it hurt more, I peek around Avalanche to look at Panther’s face.

“No, Panther, believe it or not, this time it’s not Shadow. It’s a friend of mine’s teenage son. He called me asking for some help, so that’s what I’m going to do. Thanks though for the offer.”

Avalanche is watching me carefully with something similar to surprise on his face.

“Which friend, Rebel, has a teenage son? Do I know them?”

“No, don’t think so or maybe you might have met him when Mickie was born. It’s Atlas, or as everyone calls him, Dr. Atlas. His son, Konstantin, is in trouble. Sorry, Avalanche, but he sounded scared on the phone. I have to go now.”

As I go to walk around him, his hand holds on to my arm and he starts walking with me. I literally put my brakes on and since Avalanche keeps going, I lock my leg muscles, which finally gets his attention.

“Come on, Rebel, you said the boy is in trouble, we need to go. Why are you stopping?”

I’m suddenly so furious with this man and for some reason figure this is the best time to let it out, loudly.

“Seriously, Avalanche? Since when did you become part of Konstantin’s issue? You don’t even know the ‘boy,’ who is actually a teenager. And you might not think it’s strange for you to show up to help someone who doesn’t even know you but damn, dude, did you not hear me tell you that his dad is Atlas? Or did you just jump over that comment. For fuck’s sake, are you truly this blind and dumb? Don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out that I’ve been crushing on your big ass forever. But since I’m ‘little sister’ to you, that means you can’t just jump into every situation and be my hero. You don’t want to be with me so quit playing the game ’cause you are not only confusing me, but more importantly, pissing me off.”

It’s quiet for so long, I look up to see his face and, oh my God, the look on his handsome face breaks my heart. It looks like I kicked him in the nuts while pulling his hair out with tweezers. His eyes are huge, like he just figured out a puzzle, and that’s when it dawns on my dumbass that Avalanche had no idea about my feelings. And I just threw everything at him like a raging bitch on her period. I feel so bad, I don’t even realize or comprehend I’m so upset that my eyes are leaking, until he pulls me into his hard body. I know he’s trying to comfort me but instead he’s killing me. Something he doesn’t know about me, because I’m not a good sharer, is I don’t have a lot of self-confidence. All I hear in my head is all the nastiness of my past as a child, no matter what I look like or where I am in my adult life. I’ve been in therapy throughout my life and it’s funny, but each therapist tried to hammer into me that what I see in a mirror is not the true view of what I actually am. I’ve done such an injustice to one of the best men I’ve ever had the pleasure toknow. It hits me that I don’t really want Avalanche as a partner for life. I was so intrigued with him and his story. He’s kind of like me, which means he’s not a sharer. We have spent some time together and both have let out a few personal things about our pasts. Not to mention his whole package caught my eyes. Now as I lean against his body, I can feel he’s all muscle. Before I can even start to try to apologize, I hear her bellow first. Then all hell breaks loose, as it does when she’s around.

“What in the ever-lovin’ fuck have you done now, Big Bird?”

I feel Avalanche tense but she’s on a roll now.

“Get your big bear paws off of Rebel, now. What? Now she has someone else interested in her, you decide it’s time to make your move? Too late, motherfucker. Don’t, Panther, I’ve tried with him but he’s dumber than dumb.”

That does it. I can feel my temper raging inside me, so I release Avalanche and turn on our club enforcer and my sister, while blasting her to hell and back, which is my way. Let everything out that can cut someone’s heart out before I even take a second to analyze the situation and think before I talk.

“Who the hell do you think you are? Don’t you dare ever call Avalanche dumb, you freak from hell. He’s been nothing but kind and caring to everyone and you are the biggest arctic bitch to him whenever you get a chance, and I’m sick of it. Like just now, without even knowing the situation, you just assume that he’s in the wrong. Well, surprise, Shadow, it wasn’t him, it was my dumbass mouth. He didn’t have a clue I was crushing on him. The words I spewed his way opened his eyes to where I was at. That and the look on his face broke my heart, and what you walked up on was Avalanche giving me comfort, even though I was in the wrong. So, take your frozen-ass heart out of here and for once in your miserable life, mind your own fucking business. I’m done with you. Avalanche, we need to have a conversation but I gotta go, brother of my heart. Thank you for the best hugI’ve ever had. You and me, I promise to fix this, but again got to go.”

I turn and go to walk past Shadow, but she is in the way and isn’t moving. I pick up speed and when I get close, I pull my hand up and hold it with the other so when I’m just about to run into her, I shift my weight and actually use my shoulder to not only lift her up but move her entire body out of my way and into Panther. I can hear her gasp, but all I do is flip her off as I’m walking down the corridor. When I hit the main room, I’m shocked to see about half of my club sisters waiting. Tink, Glory, Squirt, and Raven are on one side; while Taz, Vixen, Dottie, Dani, Heartbreaker, and Wildcat are on the other. When Taz sees me, she rushes toward me with little Mickie strapped to her chest. I know if she touches me, I’ll lose it so I put a hand up.

“Raquel, please don’t. I know you mean well, but something is up with Konstantin and I need to get to the high school. I’m going to need you though, can I come to the house later? Think I just fucked up one of the best people I have in my life.”

I watch as her eyes move behind me at whoever is walking out. By the sounds of their heavy footsteps, I know it’s Avalanche, Panther, and probably her bringing up the rear. I can’t take Shadow right now, so I blow a kiss toward both Taz and Mickie. Then without a word to anyone else, I move toward the door. When I go to open it, someone grabs it, which shocks me so I turn and see red hair. Heartbreaker, with the most serious look on her face, stares me in the eyes and says two words.

“Let’s go.”

For some reason knowing she’s coming with gives me comfort, which is strange ’cause my go-to is always Taz, but I say nothing and run to my cage. Not a word is said as I drive to the high school which, thank God, isn’t that far. We both jump out and run to the doors, pulling them open. As we enter, I realizewe both have our kuttes on and that’s a huge no-no with the principal, Catherine Knolls. She’s been a total bitch and pain in the ass since before time, if what I’ve heard is true. Since I didn’t grow up in Montana, it’s all hearsay. We head straight to the office area. The receptionist, Natalie, who we know very well—as she’s one of our survivors—gets up, walks around her desk, and comes toward us. She hugs Heartbreaker first then me. Since she moved into town from the club’s ranch, we’ve not seen a lot of her. Seeing her doing so well, I’m proud of the work we do, as it shows it does help those we try to and manage somehow to save.

“Hey, didn’t know you were coming in. Is there a problem or is the Devil’s Handmaidens club looking to get in on our upcoming potluck dinner and auction? It’s for a good cause, one of the kids here needs a kidney transplant.”

Her hands cover her mouth immediately and her eyes go huge.

“Please don’t tell Principal Knolls I divulged that information. She hates me because of my history with the club and is looking for any reason to get rid of me.”

That’s pissing me off because Natalie has worked so hard and come so far. As I go to tell her that, the door swings open and out walks the bitch who happens to be the principal. Principal Knolls looks around, sees the two of us with Natalie, and puts the ugliest smirk I’ve ever seen on a person’s face. Then the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up when her eyes shift to Natalie.

“Natalie, why wasn’t I informed that these two are here, and why are you away from your desk? What have I told you about that? When you are working, you stay at your desk and do whatever you’re told. In this school you are an employee, not one of those biker chicks. Don’t make me have to write you up.”

Natalie goes to run, yeah run, to her desk. I’m holding myself back but Heartbreaker, not so much. She grabs Natalie’s armand pulls her to a stop. Then she lives up to the red hair theory as she makes her way to Principal Knolls. Then she gets up on her tippy-toes and gets in her face.

“What is your problem, lady? That woman has been to hell and back. You should know how lucky you are to have her working here at the high school. Instead, you’re a bully and a hater. Just a reminder for you not to bite the hand that’s feeding you. Who’s been helping the school out with all the expansions, repairs, and building that fieldhouse you cried to Tink about? Yeah, the biker chick club. So, get off your high and mighty horse and come back down to earth. Oh, almost forgot, we aren’t biker chicks, though nothing wrong with that. We are grown women who decided to take on the degenerates of this world so we could try to protect women and children from their sick asses. If you’d attend any of our monthly seminars detailing what we do, you’d know that. We are also a club of businesswomen as we own quite a few of the businesses in town. Finally, our president, Tink, helps the ranchers and farmers out when life is too hard and their businesses fail to keep them afloat. So just a suggestion, Principal Knolls, don’t judge a book by its cover. Now, Rebel and I are here for Konstantin Giannopoulos. What’s going on and why did he need to put a call out for help?”

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