Thicker Than Blood

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Waking up the next morning, I sat up in bed and check the phone to see what time it was and notice a message from Juice. I smile as I open the text.

J: Good morning beautiful. See you at work.

I text him back.

R: Good morning, Juice. See you soon.

I press send, getting up to get showered and ready for the day. I get dressed in my normal jeans and top with my heeled boots, applying a little makeup and walk downstairs to get my coffee before heading out. Apparently Aunt Bev and Zoey aren't back yet so I don't have to deal with them this morning.

Pulling onto the TM lot, I get out of my car and start walking over to the office to clock in. I look towards the garage bays and see Juice smiling at me. I smile back and walk into the office where Gemma looks at me with a mischievous smirk. "So, what has you all smiling this morning?" She asks. "Well, I thought about what you said about me and Juice. Since Aunt Bev and Zoey were gone for the night, I invited Juice over and we talked about some things." I tell her. She raises an eyebrow, "What kind of things?" She asked. "Things I could use your help with?" I question. "What do you need?" She asks, taking her glasses off and placing them on the desk in front of her. "Well, I decided you were right and so was Juice. I need to get out of Aunt Bev's house if I have any chance of actually being with Juice and being happy. I was wondering if I could get some extra hours. Maybe work a few nights bartending in the clubhouse? The only way that I can get out of there is to save up the money but to do that I need to get the extra hours and start hiding my money." I explain my plan. "You are not working in the clubhouse. The clubhouse is not a job for an Old Lady." She tells me. "Gem, I'm not an Old Lady. I need the money." I plead. "You won't have to worry about working extra hours. Give me a week and we will have a place for you to move to. Your birthday is coming up so this will be a birthday present from me." She tells me. "Gemma, I can't let you do that. That is too much." I tell her. She just smiles and tells me, "Sweetheart, I have no daughters. You are the closest I have to one. Let me do this. You make that boy happy and you aren't even official yet." She tells me with an 'end of argument' look on her face. All I could do was stand up and hug her. She has been better to me than my own family.

***One week later***

This past week has been wonderful. I have been avoiding Bev and Zoey all week as much as I could. Juice and I have still been texting and eating lunch together every day. He walks me to my car after every shift and kisses me goodbye with the promise to text me later and he always does. But I still have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is going to happen.

It's Saturday afternoon and I was sitting on the front porch with a book when Aunt Bev walked out onto the porch, glaring at me. "You really think I wouldn't find out?" She asked in a venom laced voice. "Find out what?" I asked her. "That you have been talking to that white trash biker whore, Gemma about moving out?" I stand from the chair I was in, placing the book on the seat as I notice my phone in her hand. "You went through my phone?" I asked snatching it from her hand. "Yes, I did. You are not moving out. I told you, you are helping pay for Zoey's wedding." She all but yells. "I am not helping with her wedding. That is your responsibility not mine." I tell her, stepping forward with a confidence I never had before. Bev steps closer and grabs me by the throat, "You live under my roof. You do as I say. You understand me you little whore?" She seethes through clenched teeth.

Neither of us hearing the motorcycle pull up, Juice is immediately in between us pulling Bev off of me. "Are you okay?" He asked looking more at Bev than me but I knew he was asking me. "Yeah, Juice. I'm okay." Clearly not okay but I was not going to tell him that. I might have seemed confident and calm on the outside but on the inside I was shaking and wanting to cry. "What are you doing here, Juice." I asked him as he pulls me behind him as if to shield me from Bev. "Lockdown. You need to pack some things and come with me." He tells me. Before I could move, Bev yells "She isn't going anywhere with you! She belongs here! You need to get off my property!" Juice slightly turns back to me, "Pack everything you can. Anything you need and can't take I will get for you. Go. Now." Looking at Bev once I stepped inside the front door, he tells her with more anger than I have ever heard come from him. "You ever put your hands on her again, I will kill you myself." She tells him, "Get off of my property!" I walk back out the door with a suitcase in each hand and my purse and duffle bag on my shoulder to hear him say, "Don't come near my Old Lady again. From here out, she no longer exists to you." He backs away and I see the shock on her face.

"Come on, Sweetheart. We have to go." As he takes my bags from me and puts them in my car for me to follow him to TM for lockdown. Pulling onto the lot, Juice gets off his bike and walks over to me tilting my chin to see that I was starting to bruise from Bev's grip on my throat. "Come on. We will put your things in my dorm." He tells me grabbing the bags from my car. "Juice, thank you for that. Look, I can sleep on one of the couches or something. You don't have to give up your room." I tell him. He stops in front of me, placing one bag down and cups my face with his hand, "First, I am not giving up my room. I am sharing it with you. Second, I meant what I said. You are my Old Lady now, you will stay with me, okay?" He kisses me softly, grabs the bag off of the ground and leads me into the clubhouse and into the dorm room I will be sharing with my Old Man.