Page 5 of Desert Rose

He nods, shaking his head, believing whatever shit is coming from the other end of the line.

My heart sinks. My plan, backfired. My brother will retaliate on Edge not on the slut who is playing him.

I hurry to the main room and grab the cordless phone. “Did you get my package?”

“I did… but Robin. He’s blaming Edge not her.”

“I know. She’s here. Out back. Pleading with him it’s all lies. That they are old photos from before… when her and Tarak were broken up. It’s all bulls hit though. Those pics are from last weekend when Tarak was on a run to Mexico.”

“I need to fucking stop her.”

Robin sighs. “How? You can’t stop lust or fucked up love. Sometimes you need to let shit just play out.”

“When’s the next get together?”

“Winter Meet. It’s gonna be heavy; not a party… Cartels want to stiff the MC’s their cut by 30%. Then there’s the shit with the Scorpions and the Bastards, and us trying to stay neutral.”

I twirl the ends of my ink-black hair. It’s long now. The same length as hers… in fact I’ve been studying her like a fine piece of art. Dissecting all her flaws, admiring the perfect parts all the while trying to make my own counterfeit.

My breasts have also filled out…. I started eating more high calorie foods…little curves don’t hurt anyone. A few trips into town for some push up bras and mascara and I’m prime. Still young but definitely prime.

“I’ll find a way in.”

“There’s no way Tarak will allow it.”

“He will. I’ll see you soon. I’ll guilt trip the shit out of him.”

I waited in my room for Tarak to calm down. But when I ventured out into the main room. He was gone. Griff told me he went out to see her.Mandy. My teeth grated. Tomorrow was my birthday and he left. Drove hours to be with her. I slammed the door of the fridge so hard all the glass beer bottles inside shook and rattled. That women were stealing love from me. My brother’s and his. I locked myself in my room, opened a box from under my bed and spend the night letting pain rip through me as I held photos of my family in my hands. Mom, Dad, Tarak and me. In happier times. My parents were killed in a car wreck three years ago. Tarak’s a parent and a big brother. The sting that he has found love to soothe his pain eats me as I lay here all alone.

I fell asleep sometime after midnight, when I awoke my eyes were gritty with the salt of yesterday’s tears. After a long shower, I put on fresh clothes not at all excited about my sixteenth birthday.

But the smell of frying bacon, frying eggs, and percolating coffee had me wearily shuffling to the kitchen behind the bar in the main hangout room of the MC. Ever since our parents died, Tark and I couldn’t live in the house anymore. He moved me into the main house of the Club while he took over the third floor of the clubhouse as his personal space.

I pull up short at the sight of Mandy wearing one of my brother’s T-shirts. It reaches her naked thighs, and one side hangs off her shoulder. Her hair is all long and slightly messy. My eyes narrow as she turns around with a smile full of sunshine, like it’s perfectly normal for her to be standing braless in my kitchen on my birthday looking like sex.

“Hungry?”

“Not anymore,” I grumble.

She cocks a hip out, while blowing on the cup of steaming coffee she raises half-way to her lips. “I love him. We’re together and nothing can change that. I’d like for us to get along. I could be a sister to you if you’d let me.”

A large hand ruffles the top of my head. Rolling my eyes, I look over my shoulder as my brother walks past me and takes Mandy into his arms for a lengthy kiss.

“Fuck this,” I breath, storming out.

“She’s here to stay! Better get used to it. Come have some breakfast.”

I spin, eyes angry. “It’s my birthday, Tarak! Sweet sixteen and all that bullshit… I didn’t expect a big fuss but seeing her half naked is an insult!”

“Fuck,” he lowers his head, pressing fingers to his forehead. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be. She’s fucking poison. Everyone can see that but you!”

“I’m sorry. How can I make this right?”

I cross my arms and cock my head to one side. “Take me to the Res. They planned a party for me. My friends… actually remembered.”

He scrubs a hand over his face. “Shit.”

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