A/N: Thanks for the Reviews, and all the feedback so far. I really appreciate it all. Here is the next installment Hope you guys are enjoying the ride so far
Tish
"So, tell us about yourself." Ope offered first.
"I'm pretty much an open book, babe, if you're looking for an answer you simply have to ask the right question." I offered taking a sip of my beer. If we were playing twenty questions I may opt for my friend Jack to join us at the table.
"You graduate from high-school?"
"With honors, Mayberry, Managing to also complete enough college credits to have a forensic science and psychology minor. Next?" I quipped. Two of the four actually looked impressed.
"What does that mean?" Half-sack asked.
"It means that if i wanted to earn right, I'm legally able to be hired by any city in question as a crime scene investigator, eight ball."
"Eight ball?" He questioned a little disheartened.
"Like in pool honey, The eight ball is the one ball no one wants to hit or it's game over, automatic loss. Or automatic win. depending how you want to look at it. Perspective is everything honey." I assured. I couldn't find it in me to be too harsh to him or Juice. They reminded me too much of Collin and Brady.
"Oh, thanks... I think." He smiled a bit at me.
"You really had all that by the time you were eighteen?" Asked Jax.
"I moved away from my mom to live with Charlie when I was a sophomore. The town was small but it was OK. I had been advanced placement classes prior while in Arizona and managed to take courses online after I moved. Once shit began hitting the fan, I poured myself into my studies. Pulled my head out of my ass just enough to put Charlie at ease. Turns out going through hell and pouring your all into something positive works so much better than turning to ugly shit on the streets."
"Wait, I thought shit went south for you when Charlie died." Juice asked.
"Oh my life was hell long before that. His death just became a cataclysm for so much more in my life. Look, I'm sure you boys have dealt with a ton of ugly shit. Facing dark times and people everyday. I don't discredit that. Just imagine facing the shit you do now, as a pubescent young thing, then multiply that by 10. It's only gotten heavier since. I'd tell you boys more but I'm sure you all understand that some secrets aren't for sharing Especially if they aren't your own." Hopefully they would take the hint that this whole thing involved more than just myself. Telling would cross a line that I couldn't go back from.
"I can accept that. Surely though, your story isn't exactly considered in that.." Jax pressed again to know more than I could ever tell him.
"Not again, Jax. When a girl says no, she means no. I know you haven't heard that much in your life, but that's the way it goes. To understand my story, you'd have to understand theirs. I'm sorry but I won't. " Just then I heard another bike pull in, obnoxiously louder than most I had heard since arriving here. That was my cue the Paul had finally arrived. Unfortunately, he had his phone connected and his strange taste in Rap music was blaring through the speakers connected to the bike.
"Jesus christ, that man.." I got up just as the boys did and they looked at me oddly. I followed them out to the lot, noticing how everyone was eyeing up and down the new and very large man that was perched on his bike. No one had approached the giant man and it brought a bit of glee to me seeing how the people of charming gave him a wide berth. He still hadn't noticed me, as his eyes lingered on a few of the women out side that had the courage to not get caught up in the hell inside. I did my best wolf whistle, and it echoed through the large lot and surrounding buildings.
"Hot Damn, would you look what the dog dragged in." I called out from behind the crowd, parting them with my outburst only to run toward paul who snatched me up and lifted me onto his lap right there on the bike. Then nuzzling the crook of my neck. I laughed, and swatted his chest.
"Why do you smell like cheap men and top shelf hooch."
"shut up, idiot, I want to introduce you to someone. important like."
"yeah? I get to meet the family huh? Damn next thing you know you'll be pressing me for a ring harder than Rachel. Shame too, I might have said yes to you. I'm officially off the market, woman. " He pulled back and smiled at me.
"Holy crow, you did it! You actually did it."
"Sure did, before coming all this way. "
"Had to quell any issues over little ol' me huh." I assumed.
Rachel was great, but she was also Jake's older sister and Paul's imprint. The imprint was a fairly new thing for Paul. It also ended certain aspects to our relationship that Jake was all too happy about. Though any time I caught him trying to boast about it, or use it negatively, I'd have to remind the shit head that while Paul may no longer be fucking me, he is fucking his sister. It took a while for Both Jake and Rachel to grasp that while we weren't fucking, we refused to stop fucking with each other. Two very different concepts.
Our friendship had caused quite the stir. It wasn't always as peaceful as people see now. In the beginning we despised one another. Leave it to sex and common enemies and emotional patterns to bring two hot headed people together. Rachel's calmed some on the friendship front, thankfully. Yet from time to time, Paul's ass has to remind her that she has the number one spot in his heart. As close as we have become, it will never be what it used to be between Paul and I.
"Maybe a little." I nodded accepting the answer I already figured out.
I hopped up from his lap and outstretched my hand. Paul took it, standing to his full glorious height beside me and gave me a twirl before pulling me to him and leaning close. "Show time." He whispered dramatically.
"Right, follow me, Kujo." I quipped before playfully running off down the long lot toward the patio where Paul's arrival had caused quite a gathering. None more important than the Sons.
His smart ass took off after me, panting like a dog as I ran toward Tig and the fella's , Giving in and letting him catch me just as I reached the tables there and he slung me over his shoulder. I laughed as he manhandled me for the viewing pleasure of those around. Fucking show off.
"Not that I am complaining of the view, but it's usually a better sight not covered in denim." I smacked his ass only inciting a heavy laughter from Paul.
"If you're a good girl, I might just let you see that later. As for now, you might want to introduce me to the men that look like they want to hang me from my left nut and feed the right one to a grunt." Paul played along as I played dumb in response.
"Oh, yeah. Them. I can't really do much in this position."
"Yeah you're much better in another."
"Watch it Kujo."
"Oh I am. I love when it squirms , I'd have to be dead not to notice Beautiful." He swatted my ass and dropped me to my feet letting my body slide lithely down his.
This is why I asked for Paul, Not Jake. Jake would have made it personal. Paul, well he was a bit of a special case. We both used each other to try and heal and absorb what hell had happened to us both. The Abuse in his life and the lies in mine. Our dark wit and innuendo gave us a mutual humor. I couldn't exactly say half of what I said to him, to any other man. IT would be far to personal. Especially Jake and his puppy love. He knew exactly how to push buttons and push limits. To grow and strengthen ones adaptability. We played off each others energy. That was the best way to explain it. He smiled down at me, as if he knew what I was thinking. I winked up at his almost seven foot tall frame before responding to his comment. Smooth fucker.
"Careful, with the way these guys are staring you down, you might actually be dead at the end of the night." I turned to face the guys and their stance was impressive. It reminded me much of how the pack flanked each other. Only Clay was set further back where as Sam would have taken the lead. Alpha men and their macho bullshit.
"Guys, this is a close friend from Washington, Paul. Paul that surly looking troll at the end there is my Tigger. My biological father."
"Wait what? I thought Charlie... i thought you were coming here to stay with your god-father, Bella. Not on some damn mission for something like this. Does Billy know. Jake. For fucks sake, does Sam?" I figured this would happen.
I would have thought Sam at the very least would have filled in the pack on the turn of events once I was gone. It was all I asked. To wait, until I left the state before telling the guys what exactly had come about and why I was leaving for good.
I turned toward Paul as I began to feel that slight vibrant under current I knew all too well as a sign that he was close to letting his emotions bite him and possibly every one else in the ass. He was close to shifting, and that broke a little of what was left of my heart. This information hurt him, in some way or form. That was not my intent. Before I apologize, I had to gain his focus.
I walked my hands up his chest, rubbing the base of his neck trying to get him to open his eyes and look into mine. Hoping that he'd grasp the situation. that not only was he close to doing something that would have opened a spillway for questions no one could answer but that I was close to him. Closer than I should be logically to a wild animal.
"Hey, honey look at me. Look at me and only me." His eyes connected to mine, " That's it honey, breathe with me. I'm right here. Focus. Listen. Feel the warmth of my hands, the beat of my heart. I'm right here." His arms circled my tiny form as his large body curled around me.
"Sam knew Paul." I whispered in his ear, " I only asked that he didn't tell Jake. Can you imagine the gasket that Jake would have blown? It would have been a mess and I would be dodging not only Red but his Puppy love too."
"Makes sense as to why Sam wouldn't have said anything to me. I doubt the other boys know either. Considering our truth pact. Freaky mind meld bullshit." He squeezed when he calmed, adding a sense of finality to the moment passing.
"Yeah, kind of like the time Jake found out you and I shared a sack."
"Crazy for you, fun for me. I Finally got to knock the boy wonder down a few pegs."
A clearing of someones throat brought us out of our bubble. I wanted to internally curse myself for forgetting they were there in the slightest. They were getting too close because I was starting to get too comfortable around them.
"Sorry fella's."
"It's alright kiddo. but do you think I could speak to you for a moment?" Tig asked.
I glanced back to Paul, "Behave, Pauline. Or Ill feed you to the vultures." I nodded toward the string of girls lining the back wall who were all waiting to catch the eye of one of the guys.
"Now you're just being nasty. I wouldn't touch that with Jake's dick let alone my own. Looks like a walking petri-dish. Please tell me you wash your hands after being around those lot lizards."
"Don't worry, honey, I've had my cootie shot."
"Not funny Bella!" He called as I walked away.
"Exactly, now behave!"
I followed Tig into what I knew as the club church room. I almost felt honored for this experience. He shut the door behind him and I perched my happy little ass against one of the chairs that circled the hand carved table.
"What's up, Tigger?"
"What the hell is that?"
"What?" I played dumb. I wanted to know a little more clearly what and where he was going.
"That guy. Are you in some kind of trouble. I mean.. Sam, Jake. A few names were dropped out there kiddo. Along with a few other choice words that lead me to be a bit concerned for my kid."
"Cute, Tig. You want to play the doting father act now? Concerned now, after all the bullshit. You left Renee and I to fend for ourselves. For this." I raised my hands toward the room, a bit heated with how he was acting suddenly. "Redwood originals. let me guess what that stands for, Tig. Feuds, color wars, turf wars, Arms, drugs, pussy. Am I getting close? Kinda the scene around this place. Tell me Tig, what would you do If you knew a man was treating me the way that you all treat the women around here. Pot meet kettle. Every woman that you treat with callous nature or backhand, is someone's daughter, Tig. Someone loved them like Charlie did me."
I was beyond Furious, "That man out there has known me for years Tig. Him, Sam, Jake..." I stopped myself before naming any more names off. It was irrelevant for the situation.
"They were all there through the shit storm that my life has been. This fortunate Son bullshit is just an entitlement. A self entitled storm." I threw myself through the doors, and walked with a purpose out the door toward my bike. Easily snapping open the closure on the right saddle bag and I grabbed the box that contained all that was left of my mother.
Turning on my heels, I sauntered back to Tig who was standing beside Paul and the guys. His face a picture of collected fear, and anger.
"Here, happy birthday Tigger. Maybe now you can have a little heart. God fucking knows its all the heart she had. " I turned and hopped on the back of Paul's bike.
"Kujo!" I whistled.
"Easy kitten, the birds wings are clipped. No need to bat those little paws at me." I only hissed at him fixing him with a hard glare.
He rolled his eyes and came over easily fitting his large frame on his monster of a bike. I didn't look back as we pulled away. I knew at some point I'd have to return to retrieve my own bike but for now, I was too heated to care. Thankfully, Paul kept the ride home silent. He pulled up to the drive but didn't actually take it's winding way up. It was his way of telling me that I fucked up, and if I knew him as good as I thought, he was about to tell me so as well.