Chapter 4
"The dip in the road that sends your belly to your throat that's how it feels when you kiss me." ~Kellie Elmore
I tried to keep myself busy most of the morning, which was easy with all of Kip's belongings surrounding me. I was only doing it because anytime I wasn't focusing on what a mess my brother left behind, I would start thinking about the kiss I had shared with Juice the night before. Who was I kidding I was thinking about it even when I was going through Kip's stuff. I didn't know where we stood after I told him about Liam and then I went and kissed him like I did. I was torn. I really liked Juice even though I had only known him for a day. I knew I couldn't just leave Liam; it wasn't that easy. I knew that, but Juice didn't, he didn't know what Liam was capable of. I only knew that it would be a struggle to leave Liam, I was his property according to him. And if I left him before I had some sort of support from someone higher up than him in the pecking order, Liam would wipe out everyone and everything I cared about.
I was in the middle of cleaning out at cedar chest when there was a knock at the door. My stomach jumped, I wasn't expecting anyone. I got up and made my way through the many piles I had made throughout the day. They each had a place to go, one to the Sons, one for me, one for the disabled veterans, other donations and one that was trash. I pulled open the door to see Donna and Tara standing on the front stoop.
"Hey, welcome to my mess." I said to them as I stepped aside to let them in.
"We brought coffee and bagels." Donna offered up a bag and a large cup of coffee. They both smelled so good. I thought about it and I hadn't eaten yet that morning, I was too busy trying to keep my mind off of Juice.
"That smells wonderful!" I said as I walked into the kitchen, "Now let's see if I can find a table under all this paperwork." I picked up the piles of papers I had on the table, trying to go through my brother miscellaneous paperwork a task in itself. "Please sit down." I told them as I gathered plates, knives and napkins from their places in the cabinets.
"So I have to say I was surprised to not see Juice's bike here this morning." Tara smirked at me.
"Why is that?" I muttered, "Is it that obvious that I like him?" I felt my cheeks flush, slightly embarrassed that I had let him in so quickly. In all of my life I had never let anyone get to me the way Juice had; there was something special about that man.
"Yes." Donna smiled warmly at me, "but it's also equally as obvious that he likes you just as much. I don't think any of us have seen him take to someone like he has taken to you."
I smiled at the thought of Juice; the butterflies came in swarms when I started to think about our kisses the previous evening. "I can't." I said as I placed everything on the table. Donna and Tara, both stared at me with the same befuddled looks in their beautiful eyes. I took a deep breath, "I have a boyfriend in Belfast." I sat down to tell them my story about how I met Liam and my life as I know it Northern Ireland. "If you want to know I will tell you everything, my life is pretty much an open book to those who know me anyway and I hate lying."
"We have time." Tara said quietly as she took a drink of her coffee. I think I could have used something stronger than a black coffee right about then.
"When I was 17, I got accepted into college in Dublin. I was excited for the adventure and the mystery. Okay and the men. I met Liam two weeks after I moved to Dublin. He was so sweet then. I worked at a small pub on to help pay for my housing and for fun money. He was so persistent about getting me to go on a date with him. He would show up every night I worked or if I had picked up a shift he would be there. I enjoyed the attention I was getting for him. I liked being perused. Finally I gave in and went on a date with him…he was so different back then. He bought me flowers, showered me with compliments; he was a romantic or so I thought. At the end of our first semester of classes he told me he had to move back to Belfast because his father had died and he needed to help take over the family business. He asked me to move with him. I had only known him for 3 months, we had been dating two of those months. I didn't take him up on his offer. I stayed in Dublin for one more semester while we dated long distance. I would go up to Belfast to visit him or he would come down to Dublin to see me. It just got to be too much so I moved to Belfast and I have lived there since. I quit school, my job and just up and left my friends in Dublin…I just gave up everything I had worked so hard for, for him. For love. I was a stupid, naïve girl. Things went really well for the first few years, I made friends in Belfast…Trinity and Kerri. But over time things began to change; Liam became more controlling. At first it started out with armed escorts whenever I left the house; for my safety, of course. Okay I got that, it was dangerous in Belfast at times. Then Liam began to give me a curfew…it was little things. I thought oh he is doing this for my safety. He was really seeing how far he could push me before I pushed back. Before I realized what was happening he had control of my whole life. He took away pretty much everything that I loved. I was only allowed to see Trinity and Kerri when it was convenient for him and his men. I couldn't box anymore because my sparring partner gave me a black eye….she ended up with two and some broken ribs because of that. Sadly, my brother being killed by Cameron was the best thing that could have happened to me. I've had a chance to get away, to collect myself and realize how much I need to get away from Liam. To him I am a piece of property, not a person, not the girlfriend he once loved. Just a trophy." I finished and hoped that they wouldn't look at me with different eyes.
"We can help you get out; the club will help." Tara offered concern oozed from her very being.
"I can't ask you to put yourself in danger for me. I need to talk to Seamus. He's Liam's older brother he took over their father's 'business' before Liam did…he got out. He has been my biggest supporter to leave since Liam has been so controlling." I stated knowing that Seamus would be my only escape.
"Please let us know if you need any help. The club will help however they can, you are a sister of a member, and we do what we can for family." Donna said warmly.
"Thank you so much. You do not understand how much your support and open friendship means to me. I really appreciate it." I say as I take a large bite of my chocolate chip bagel. "I kissed Juice last night." I said abruptly.
"I knew something would happen." Donna laughed. It was almost as if our previous conversation was forgotten. "The way you looked at each other. Hell, he turned down Ima for you. Just so you know you have probably made an enemy out of her, but then again pretty much everyone has."
I didn't care if I made an adversary of Ima. She meant nothing to me, I didn't know her nor did I care to.
"So let me get this straight…you kissed him?" Tara asked.
Thinking back to the previous night it as a bit fuzzy but I could remember that moment, "He kissed me first. I stopped him and told him about Liam. Then I kissed him." I touched my lips as I felt his lips on mine again and smiled slightly. "Oi, things are going to be weird now, aren't they?"
"I'm sure they will be fine." Tara said, "How what can we help you with around here?" She looked around at the mess.
I was happy that they didn't push any further with the Liam stuff. I needed to be strong enough on my own to get away before I could even consider being in a relationship with someone else. I put Donna and Tara to work on the living room where my brother had shelves books and war memorabilia. I told them the only things I wanted them to save for me to look at are things that they think that SAMCRO would want or something that had Kip and me together in it. The day passed quickly with my helpers. I really enjoyed Tara and Donna's company. They reminded me of Kerrie and Trinity. I knew I could become good friends with them. They had good hearts.
"Oh my god look at the time. Gemma will kill us if we are late." Tara looked at the clock on the wall and stood up quickly. "Do you want to ride with me, Kylee?"
"Sure I can do that. Do mind if I freshen up a bit?" I asked looking down at my clothes, yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt was probably not what I should wear to a SAMCRO dinner.
"Yeah. No problem." Tara smiled and brushed her hands off on her pants.
"I have to go home and pick up the kids, plus Opie is probably wondering where I am." Donna hugged me and then Tara. "I will see you guys in a little bit."
I quickly changed my clothes, I changed into a pair of jeans, sneakers and light blue t-shirt. I brushed my hair out and left it down. It had gotten long, it was to the middle of my back, I hadn't realized since I tended to keep it in a messy bun or pony tail. I walked out into the living room where Tara was waiting for me.
"Kylee?" I looked at her. "Has he ever hit you?"
I knew she was talking about Liam. "No. I think he knows that I can fight better than he can." I bent the truth, he had never hit me but his goons had.
"Good. I really want to help you get out of there. I know we just met but you feel like family already. It is like you have always been here." She put her arm around me. "Let me know if there is anything you need even when you go back to Northern Ireland." I was so touched by her friendship, tears came to my eyes.
"Thank you, Tara." I would never forget her friendship.
"You're welcome. Now we should go before Mama Gemma murders us." She pulled me along with her.
