Page 92 of Bleed Me

CHAPTER TWENTY

There was a ghost-like heartbeat that lived at the Stallion compound. It wasn’t spoken of, but it beat just the same. It pumped blood and soul into the spirit of what the Stallions fought for. Because I had arrived after this heartbeat pace had been set, I knew no better. I had never lived without the rhythm… therefore, was confused when this ghost started to rise from where he’d been buried.

This ghost’s name was… Legend.

It was a name I was about to learn and would never forget.

With what Justice had endured while held captive, Lynx felt it best not to tell her what he’d learned. He didn’t want her to live in constant fear. He left that constant fear for the rest of us, always looking over our shoulders, convinced this lone enemy was coming for revenge—coming for Justice.

In my dream, Jenny was standing on a railroad track, night blanketing her. No one was around, just an endless green field that I could see in the light of the approaching train, still far off in the distance. For the first time, she didn’t hold out a hand for me to grab. Now, she was pointing to the dark space behind me. Her scared little voice told me, “His tracks of Hell...”

The moving train started to drown out her angry voice. The light of the train was blinding me as I stood on the same tracks, twenty feet in front of her. “What?” My feet were stuck. I couldn’t move them, or I would’ve run to her. “Get off the tracks! A train is coming!”

She screamed, “His tracks of Hell!”

“James, open your eyes.”

I jolted awake. I was in bed, on my side, in Justice’s arms. Relishing the peace she always offered, I wrapped her up and asked, “You okay?” I was hoping I hadn’t become violent in my sleep.

“Always. With you? Always.” She rubbed her cheek to mine. “Talk to me.”

I was still shaken. “Jenny. On tracks. A train coming.”

Justice quickly pulled her head back. “You’ve never dreamt of her like that before.”

My breath trembled. “No. The train was headed right for her. I-I couldn’t get my feet to move. It felt like they were stuck in concrete on the tracks.”

When I walked in public, even just down a sidewalk—long hair, beard, and cut—most stepped aside. Little did they know, this biker who gave them pause had moments like these; clasped in his woman’s arms, receiving a tender kiss to his forehead. “James, she’s okay. She’s safe now.” I exhaled because Justice would never lie to me. “Did she say anything to you?”

My eyes shut as I tried to recall her scream. “Umm… ‘His tracks of Hell’.”

Right after Justice froze, she asked, “What?”

“What’s wrong?”

She suddenly let me go, then jumped from our bed. As if deciding whether to attack or run—mentally battling between flight or fight mode—she stood at the edge of the bed and her sanity, sneering, “What did you just fucking say to me?”

“Holy shit, babe. What is it?” I sat up, pushing covers off me so I could get to her.

The badass biker side of Justice was present. “Keep your distance.” She grabbed a pair of jeans and yanked them on. “That motherfucker.”

Naked, I stood with my hands up, trying to calm her. “Please tell me why you’re so pissed.”

She spit, “Because I treat your past with respect! How dare you not do the fucking same!”

Now that pissed me off. I had never done such a thing. I growled, “Justice, you’re not making a bit of fucking sense. I have never disrespected your past.” I slapped my chest. “Your secrets are right fucking here, goddamnit.”

“Well, someone is fucking me over!” She yanked a t-shirt over her head.

After picking up her cut, she stopped, stared at it, then did the unthinkable. She slammed it to the floor.

Ah-fucking-shit.

Tugging jeans up my thighs, I followed her as she raced to her brother’s door. She smacked her palms on it and kicked at the wood. “How could you?”

All doors were opening, including her brother’s. “What the fuck are you doing?”

No bunnies or girlfriends were in the hallway. This wasn’t their business. Only brothers. This was club members going to watch over the siblings who were about to go to war.