Page 39 of Justice

The room has gone silent, waiting to see how I'll react. I can feel Christopher's anger radiating from across the room, but I stand my ground. My hands are shaking, my heart pounding in my chest.

I take a deep breath, feeling the anger rise within me like a tidal wave. My hands clench into fists at my sides, and I can feel my baby girl kicking inside me, as if she's urging me on.

I lock eyes with Joanne, my voice low and deadly calm as I begin to speak.

"You know what, Joanne? You're right about one thing. I'm not the same girl I was in high school. That girl would have stood here and taken your abuse, too afraid to stand up for herself. But I'm not her anymore." I take a step closer, my voice rising. "You want to talk about pathetic? Let's talk about how you and your little mean girl squad showed up uninvited to my party just to try and tear me down. Let's talk about how you're so fucking insecure that you need to belittle others to feel good about yourself.That'spathetic, Joanne."

All eyes are on us as I continue, my voice dripping with disdain.

"You call me a biker slut? At least I'm not the one who fucked her way through the entire football team and still couldn't manage to keep a man. At least I'm not the one who peaked in high school and has nothing to show for it but a shitty attitude and a face full of cheap Botox."

Joanne's face turns red with rage and embarrassment, but I'm not done yet.

"You want to judge my life choices? Go ahead. But let me tell you something. I'm proud of who I am and the life I've built. I have a man who loves me, a baby on the way, and a family that supports me. What do you have, Joanne? A string of failed relationships and a drinking problem you can't hide behind your fancy makeup."

I gesture around the room, my voice rising to a shout.

"Look around, you stupid bitch. You see criminals and thugs? I see loyalty. I see family. I see people who would do anything for each other. What would your so-called friends do for you, huh? Other than talk shit behind your back and sleep with your boyfriends?"

Joanne tries to interrupt, but I cut her off. "No, you don't get to speak anymore. You've said your piece, and now you're going to listen. You think I'm trapped? I'm free. Free to be myself, free to love who I want, free to live the life I choose. You're the one who's trapped, Joanne. Trapped in the past, trapped by your own bitterness and jealousy."

I take another step closer, my voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "So here's what's going to happen. You and your little friends are going to turn around and walk out that door. And if I ever see you near me or my family again, I'll show you exactly how much of a biker bitch I can be. Trust me, you don't want to find out.”

I never noticed when Christopher came up behind me, and right beside him is my dad.

Christopher steps forward, his presence commanding and intimidating. His eyes, usually warm when they look at me, are now cold and hard as steel as he fixes his gaze on Joanne and her friends. The air in the room seems to thicken, tension crackling like electricity.

"Remember the promise I made at the high school a couple months ago?" Christopher's voice is low, dangerous, a predator's growl. "Big mistake."

The color drains from Joanne's face as recognition dawns in her eyes. She takes an involuntary step back, nearly tripping over her own feet.

Christopher continues, his words measured and deliberate. "I told you then that if you ever came near Elle again, you'd regret it. I guess you thought I was bluffing, huh?"

He takes another step forward, towering over Joanne. The sleeve of his leather cut rides up, revealing the intricate tattoos that wind their way up his muscular arm. The sight seems to make Joanne shrink even further.

"Let me make this crystal clear," Christopher says, his voice barely above a whisper but carrying throughout the now silent room. "This is your last warning. You come near my woman, my child, or anyone in this family again, and I'll make sure you disappear so thoroughly that even your own mother won't remember you existed."

The threat hangs in the air, heavy and palpable. Joanne's friends shift nervously, their earlier bravado completely evaporated.

Christopher's eyes sweep over the group, pinning each of them in place with his icy stare. "And that goes for all of you. You think you know who we are? You don't know shit. But trust me, you don't want to find out."

He leans in close to Joanne, his voice dropping even lower. "Now, you're going to turn around and walk out that door. You're going to forget this address, forget this day, forget Elle's name. Because if I ever see your faces again, if I even catch a whisper that you've been talking about her, I'll show you exactly what kind of man I am. And trust me, sweetheart, you won't like it."

The threat in his words is unmistakable, the promise of violence barely contained beneath the surface. Joanne and her friends stumble backward, their faces pale with fear. They turn and practically run for the door, nearly tripping over each other in their haste to escape.

As the door slams behind them, Christopher turns to me, his expression softening immediately. He wraps his arms around me, one hand coming to rest protectively on my swollen belly. "You okay, baby?" he murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“I’m fine, and I am.” It's hard to believe that I was ever actually friends with those sorts of people, but I’m not going to let them ruin my day.

Christopher runs his hand down my arm, kissing the side of my head sweetly.

“I’m going to make sure they leave,” he tells me, before I’m called away to some of the ole ladies to talk about babies.

Christopher

Ilook over to Mason and Reid, wanting them to follow me out of the clubhouse after those bitches that dared to speak to my woman like that.

Tiffany jogs to catch up with us, she is so pissed. Behind her trying to catch up is Tiana, Meadow, and Leah.

---