Sinner’s Redemption by Rebecca Joyce
Chapter Thirteen
Tessa
“Tessa? There’s someone here to see you.”
Rolling over, I looked at my best friend and nodded.
I really didn’t want to see anyone. It had been two weeks since I saw Montana, and after numerous attempts to reach out to him with no success, I vowed never again. I couldn’t live with his ever-changing rules. I had a son that needed me. He depended on me and as much as I loved Montana, I couldn’t depend on him. He lived in a world that I couldn’t be a part of. While fun and exciting, it wasn’t a world I wanted to raise York in and that didn’t include the other problem I had with him.
The man wore two faces.
One where the world knew him as the son and future CEO of Stone Industries. The man who was worth millions, who attended fancy balls and dinner parties. The man who hobnobbed with the social elite and could buy anything, or anyone, he wanted without a second thought.
Then there was the real man. The man I knew first. The man I fell in love with. The man behind the fake façade he showed the world. The man who, if the world ever realized who he truly was, would condemn and prosecute him. The killer. The man with blood on his hands. The President of the Soulless Sinners.
Sliding out of bed, I donned my robe before walking into the living room to find Virginia Stone sitting in the living room, holding York. Taking a seat across from her, I said, “I haven’t seen him. I don’t know where he is if you’re looking for him.”
“He’s away on club business. I’m here for my grandbaby. He’s such a happy baby,” she muttered, as York tugged and pulled on the pearls hanging around her neck. “I thought I knew love, but I never really did. There is something about having a child with the man you love. A perfect mix. The best of you both. But holding my first grandchild, knowing that a little bit of my immortality is before me, is awe-inspiring. I never thanked you for him. He is perfect Tessa. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I know my son messed up. I make no excuses. He’s like his father in that regard. If there is anything I can do, please just ask. As much as my son can be a pain in the ass, I do love him. He isn’t easy to love, my dear, but dear God, he is worthy.”
“Loving Montana isn’t the problem, Virginia.”
“It’s the rules.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She sighed, leaning back, sitting York in her lap. “I felt the same when George steamrolled into my life. I never thought when I graduated from law school and got my first job with at the District Attorney’s Office that I would become embroiled in so many lies and deceptions. It’s a fine line to walk, but worth it. I guess it just depends on what you really want.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, my dear, you can walk away from my son, co-parent York, and live your life. You can date, work any job, and just be who you want, but doing that you will miss out on so much. You will live a half-life always missing, wondering what if? However, if you chose my son, yes, there will be rules, but your world will be so much more. You will never be alone again, Tessa. You will have a family who will become anything you need, protect you and York from any threats, and stand beside you when you are weak. Being with my son won’t be easy, but the rewards you will receive will outweigh the loneliness you will feel. I see how you look at Montana. You love him dearly, and he loves you.”
“Sometimes love isn’t enough.”
“Love is always enough. It’s what comes with it that’s hard to handle.”
Sighing, I leaned forward, resting my arms on my knees. “I just don’t know, Virginia. He said we were getting married as if it was nothing. Almost an afterthought. I’m sorry, but that’s not how I envisioned my proposal. I know Montana isn’t one for hearts and flowers, but damn, I would have thought he would at least asked.”
Virginia laughed. “Do you know how George proposed? He showed up at my work one day and said, ‘Well, I’m here. Let’s do this shit’.That was it. I thought the man had lost his mind. I didn’t know what he was talking about until he showed me two gold bands.”
I chuckled. “Bet that went down well for him.”
She laughed softly. “As you can see, it did. It doesn’t matter how a marriage starts, Tessa. That’s just semantics. It’s the journey, the amazing adventure that makes the marriage worthwhile and, trust me, darling, it’s a journey you want to take.”
“I don’t know if I can handle everything. The club I got. That’s what I know. That was the man I fell in love with. It’s his other life.”
Virginia nodded. “I understand. This town is cutthroat, and they won’t think twice before chewing you up and spitting you out if you don’t conform. Sometimes, I think those socialites are worse than the club brothers, but for me, club life was a harder pill to swallow. Especially with my job. Montana’s had his whole life to get used to wearing two faces and sometimes his mask falls. He isn’t perfect Tessa. None of us are. We all have skeletons in the closet.”
“I don’t. I’m just the daughter of a single mom, raised in a trailer park in West Virginia. I graduated from NYU with honors in medicine to become a general surgeon. I worked my way through college by waitressing at the Gentlemen’s club where I met Montana and had a three-year relationship that culminated in our son.”
“And what about your father?”
“Never knew him. Mom never told me who he was.”
Virginia smirked. “A skeleton.”
I shook my head.
“I meant no disrespect, dear. It’s just that if there is anything anyone can use to discredit you, they will find it. Trust me. Even though you’ve never met your father, have no idea who he is, there is someone out there who does and when you least expect it, that information will come forward and cause problems. It’s just the way of life in this city.”
“I don’t want that, Virginia. I just want to work in my given profession and raise my son.”
“And where does my son fit into that tidy world?”
Sighing, I replied, “I don’t know. God, he’s so infuriating. I don’t know which way is up with him. One minute he is keeping me from my son, the next he is kissing me senselessly. He’s maddening.”
Virginia snickered. “That’s a Stone for you. All my sons are like that. They take after their father in that regard. Look, Tessa, I didn’t come here to grill you. I wanted to see my grandson and check on how you were doing.”
“I love him, Virginia. He consumes me until I don’t recognize myself. When I left, I didn’t know how I was ever going to get over him. I’m not sure I ever did. I was living, but not.”
“Sounds to me, you’ve already made your decision, Tessa. All you have to do is admit it to yourself and brace for impact because your life will never be the same again.”
“I don’t want to lose myself.”
“You won’t darling. I won’t let you.”
“You promise?”
Virginia smiled warmly and nodded.
“The main rule you need to remember is to always have Montana’s back. No matter what,” George Stone said, sitting next to Virginia as she fed York, while I was standing on a dais, getting fitted for a whole new wardrobe. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just wear what I had in my closet. I had nice clothes. So, what if they were from Walmart or Target? At least they were comfortable.
“He is going to be your partner in life, Tessa,” Virginia cooed, looking at my son, who was smiling up at her from behind his bottle. “There are going to be times when his back is against the wall and he needs to know that you have his back, no matter what.”
“Also,” Happy piped in. “Montana can be stubborn when he puts his mind to something. You can try to persuade him, but never call him out in front of anyone. He needs to maintain a forceful presence and can’t do that if he’s worried about pissing you off.”
Along with George and Virginia, the Retirement Rejects tagged along. The three men were a hoot and a half. Happy, who was still currently the chaplain of the club, I knew from my time with Montana. Popeye used to be George’s V.P. and Snoopy was one of the club’s former enforcers. He was still George’s bodyguard.
“Fuck, Happy,” Snoopy moaned. “Why don’t ya just tell the girl to roll over and play dead?”
“I’m just trying to help, fuck nut.”
“No, what she needs to do is stand up for herself,” Popeye commented. “These kids nowadays are all about having their voices heard. Just the other day, I saw on that Tick-Tack app, a young boy said he identified as a worm. A worm! He doused himself in Vaseline and started wiggling around on the floor. Funniest shit I ever seen.”
“It’s TikTok,you moron,” Happy groaned.
“Whatever. It was funny shit.”
“You think that’s funny? Did you see the one where the cowboy from Texas married his horse? Fucker went to consummate the marriage and the fucking horse kick him in the balls. Fucker has balls bigger than a basketball now!” Snoopy roared with laughter.
“We’re getting off track, boys,” Virginia chided, halting their fun, smiling up at me. Hiding my grin, she winked at me. For the rest of the day, I listened as the Retirement Rejects instructed me on all things Montana, from club business to social settings. By the time they dropped me off at the apartment, my mind was reeling.
I thought I knew the man named Montana Stone, but I was wrong. He was just more. More complex than I ever imagined. Needing some time to process everything I learned, Virginia and George offered to take York for the night, giving me a much-needed break.
Dropping my bag as I walked into the apartment, I stopped in my tracks when I saw two men wearing leather cuts lounging on the sofa. Upon seeing me, they rose to their feet as one of them said in a thick southern accent, “You Montana’s bitch?”
“I’m no one’s bitch,” I sneered. “Who the fuck are you and how did you get in here? Where is Tia?”
The two bikers walked over, and one took a hold of my upper arm, gripping me firmly. “You are coming with us, bitch.”
Yanking my arm away, I stepped back. “The fuck I am. I’m not going anywhere with you. Who the hell are you?”
“Our Prez wants a word with you.”
“Not happening,” I said, before striking fast. Shooting my hand out, I throat punched the closest fucker before I kneed the other hard in the balls. Turning fast, I ran out of the apartment. Avoiding the elevators, I headed straight for the stairwell and descended as fast as my legs would take me. By the time I made it into the lobby, I didn’t think before running for the front doors and out onto the city street.
I didn’t think. I just ran, weaving in and out of pedestrians, looking at me as if I lost my damn mind. Maybe I had, but those men weren’t visiting me for tea. I didn’t know who they were, but I knew they were bad news. I repeated everything several times, trying to remember everything about them, from the color of their hair to what shoes they had on.
Turning the corner, I spotted a police vehicle parked. Running over to it, I waved my hands wildly, trying to get their attention. “Help me!” I shouted repeatedly, until I reached the vehicle, damn near slamming myself into it. The cops got out, the one on the passenger side with his hand on the butt of his weapon.
“You have to help me. Two men broke into my apartment. They attacked me!”
“Sure honey,” the one nearest me chuckled. “And what did these men look like?” Looking at his badge, I noticed his badge number and his name. Officer Milton.
“Please Office Milton, you have to believe me. They were bikers. One was tall, bald and had a scar running down the side of his face. The other was shorter and had a beard. Both of them were wearing cuts. I didn’t see the patch on their backs, but I saw where it said Birmingham Chapter.”
“Lady, this is the upper west side, not Alabama. The only motorcycle club around here is the Soulless Sinners, and they wouldn’t bother with a woman like you.”
“I don’t know, Milton. She’s fucking hot. Bet she likes it rough, too.”
Ignoring the partner, I stepped up to Milton and begged, “Please. I’m not lying.”
Milton tilted his head and frowned. “Have you been drinking today?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. David, get the breathalyzer.”
“You don’t have probable cause!” I said, backing up. They weren’t listening to me. They thought I was nuts. I needed to get to the clubhouse. Montana would believe me.
“A crazy woman yelling and screaming, making all kinds of accusations. Disturbing the peace,” the officer Milton said, taking the breathalyzer machine from his partner. “Now be a good girl and blow into this.”
“She can blow me too,” I heard the other one say, and without thinking, I slapped him across the face. The next thing I knew, officer Milton threw me against the hood of the police car as his partner slapped cuffs on my wrist.
“Now, I have probable cause, bitch.” The Officer David growled in my ear as he tightened my cuffs, causing me to cry out, right before he groped my ass. I bucked against him, throwing my head back, slamming it into his face. He grunted, then cursed before he grabbed me by my hair and slammed my head down hard against the hood of the car, causing my nose to bleed. “You have the fucking right to remain silent…”
Only I didn’t.
Looking back, I shouldn’t have slapped Officer Foul Mouth but, in my defense, he shouldn’t have groped my ass in full view of the public after seeking help, even if I was acting like a crazy person.
Someone broke into my apartment.
How was I supposed to act?
After hauling me down to the precinct, finger printing, taking more pictures than necessary, they threw me into a holding cell without my one phone call. This was not how I wanted to spend my weekend. To make matters worse, I didn’t have my cell phone or know who to call.
Making myself comfortable, I leaned my head against the concrete wall and sighed when I felt someone slide up next to me. “I know you. You were Montana’s piece. Tess, right?”
Opening my eye, I quickly side-eyed her before closing my eyes again, vaguely remembering her. “Yes.”
“My name is Megan. I was with Storm for a bit before he cut me loose. What are you doing here? I heard you left, went home or something.”
“Yeah. Went home. Now I’m back.”
“Does Montana know? He went ape shit after you left. Looked for you for weeks.”
“Megan, I don’t mean to be rude, but I have a spitting headache. Can we catch up later?”
“Sure thing, Tess. You rest. I’ll watch your back.”
My back was killing me when I finally woke to see the morning sun as I heard a female officer shout my name. Jumping to my feet, I reached for the wall, catching myself before I fell back down. Fuck, my head was splitting. Taking a few breaths, I tried to swallow the bile, wanting to come up.
Shit. I think the asshole gave me a concussion.
“Tessa Jackson!”
“I’m here,” I moaned, pushing off the walk and walking over to the cell bars.
“You’re free to go. Someone posted bail.”
“Who? I didn’t call anyone.”
“Do you want to stay?” the female officer countered rudely.
“No ma’am.”
Following the officer, I signed papers before they handed me my court notice and what personal items I had on me, which wasn’t but my keys to the apartment. When the officer told me I was free to go, I walked out the front doors of the precinct to find Megan waiting.
“There she is!” the pretty girl squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. “I told you she was pretty, Robbie! I got you out, Tess!”
“Shut up, Megan,” the man next to her said, causing Megan to shrink back in fear. Looking me up and down, I instantly did not like this man. He wasn’t what I would call good company. The man was tall but thin. Decent hair but needed a shave. His clothes, while clean, were outdated but when he smiled, then licked his lips, the bile I was keeping at bay came up in unspectacular fashion. Right on his t-shirt.
“Jesus’ fuck!” Robbie shouted, jumping back.
“I’m sorry. I have a concussion.”
“Fuck,” he growled, trying to wipe my vomit off him.
“Thank you for posting bail. If you give me your address, I can send you the money.”
“That’s not how this works, bitch. I own you and until you repay me, plus fifty percent, you ain’t going anywhere?”
“Excuse me. I don’t understand. Are you a bail bondsman?”
Megan snickered. “Robbie isn’t a bondsman. He’s my pimp.”
“I see. Well, thank you again for posting my bail, but I must decline.” Stepping away, I got a few feet before Robbie grabbed me by my arm.
“You ain’t going anywhere. I said you’re mine. I paid for you.”
“Robbie, is it?” I replied, yanking my arm away from him. I had a splitting headache. I haven’t brushed my teeth or showered since yesterday. I slept on a hard bench, and I was starving. I was in no fucking mood to deal with this asshole. I wanted to go home and see my son. “I don’t belong to anyone, especially someone like you. Now, I’ve offered to pay you back. Either take it or not, but I am not going anywhere with you.”
“God, you educated bitches are all alike. Don’t worry. I broke Megan. I will break you, too.”
Before I could say or do anything, two men came up behind me, one jamming a needle into my neck. That’s when my world turned sideways, and everything went black.