Page 2 of Redeeming Rabbit

The voice in my head was harsh but honest. But something within me wanted to see Elenore again, and it refused to give up without a fight. “What the hell do you think I’ll do?” Yes, I was a fuckup, but I was also a grown-ass adult, solely responsible for my behavior and any resulting consequences. Had anyone else left their keys in the apartment of a sexy, single woman, Tap wouldn’t give them an ounce of grief. Yet here he was, trying to drown me in it.

He stopped and stared up at the sky, likely praying for patience. “That woman in there…”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Elenore. She has a name. Show a little fuckin’ respect, man.”

He snorted and met my gaze. Then, finally realizing I was serious, he gaped at me for a solid beat. I couldn’t blame him. My modus operandi was to nickname women based on their best assets. Shari, our lead club girl, had purchased herself a big-ass rack, so I called her Tits. Lacey, who could give the best damn blowjobs around, was Lips. I called Kim Ass once, but she got all up in her feelings about it and sicced Havoc on me. He threatened to cut my balls off and shove them up my ass if I did it again.

I liked to push people, but the club’s sergeant at arms was one scary son-of-a-bitch. At nearly six-and-a-half feet tall and about three-hundred pounds of muscle, Havoc was the club babysitter, the big man my brothers tagged in when I lost my shit, and they needed someone to wrestle me back under control. But I wasn’t out of hand—at least, not yet—and since I wasn’t currently suicidal, I steered clear of him.

Regardless, Elenore was too classy for any of my bullshit objectification. Besides, she didn’t have one asset that outshined the rest. Every inch of her body was mouth-watering perfection, and she was brilliant and funny to boot. The determined gleam in her eyes when Tap had shown her how to use the Taser… that shit had almost done me in. I’d likely be jacking off to the image of Elenore wielding a Taser for the rest of my life.

You’re a worthless pile of shit, and she’s a fucking goddess.

“She’s out of my league, anyway,” I lamented as the voice in my head ramped up.

Worthless. Worthless. Worthless. Run away, little rabbit. Run and hide like you always do.

My mind was a broken record player without an off switch. Sometimes, I danced to the songs it played. Sometimes, they made me want to shove a pistol into my ear hole. Right now, the voice—my voice—mocked me, reminding me who I was and what I’d done. Why I’d never be good enough for anyone. Especially not someone like Elenore. She’d sneaked peeks at me when Tap wasn’t looking, but I was sure her attention had more to do with curiosity than interest. Anyone with eyes could see that I was nothing like the others. If Elenore were to leave the club a review, it would probably say something like, ‘Great guys, except the tatted-up creep who kept staring at me.’ There was no guarantee she’d even let me back into her place to get my keys.

“You think I’m stupid?” I asked. When the bastard didn’t respond, my self-loathing turned to anger and frustration. “I know I ain’t shit. She’s a sophisticated woman who’ll never give my unrefined ass the time of day. Believe me, I get that. I hear it.” I banged a knuckle against my forehead to emphasize the point. “Loud and clear. Every fucking day, all day long.”

Tap’s mouth snapped closed, and uncertainty clouded his eyes. My club brothers were used to me acting the fool, but no one knew how to react when I got real. This glimpse of me—of bona fide and certifiable Rabbit—was too much for anyone to handle. Hell, my own mother had sent me packing. It was only a matter of time before the club realized I was busted beyond repair and did the same. But I’d sleep under that bridge when I came to it.

For now, I needed to reel myself in. Throwing my hands up in the air, I cracked a disparaging smile and reminded him, “But hey, look on the bright side. At least I’m only a danger to myself.”

Tap let out an exasperated breath and tugged his phone from his pocket. “Maybe I should call Havoc.”

I threw my hands in the air. “What the fuck for? Because I’m a dumbass who forgot my keys? What do you think I’m gonna do to her, man? Bust down her door, bend her over her kitchen table, and fuck her brains out?”

I was trying to reassure him, but the bastard only looked more concerned.

Fuck that. I was done playing nice with him. “You know what, Tap? Snitches get—”

“Stitches,” He finished, cutting me off as he glared right back. “You threatening me, Rabbit?”

“Not at all.” I loosened my invisible leash, chuckling like the maniacal nutjob they all believed me to be. I’d worked hard to build that image, and I’d maintain it. The less people expected from me, the less I’d disappoint them. “And I won’t give you stitches, brother. Only fools leave evidence, and I ain’t no fool.”

The club was the only thing I had to live for—well, the club and my little sister—and I couldn’t get kicked out. I’d find other ways to fuck him up. Methods that wouldn’t lead back to me. I could periodically break into his house and rearrange his shit, a surefire way to drive his anal-retentive ass up the wall. On second thought, the paranoid motherfucker probably had alarms and cameras everywhere. Maybe instead, I could smear the underside of his engine in roadkill. Every time his bike heated up, it would stink to high heaven. It would likely kill him to dirty his hands and search for the source.

“Oh, yeah?” Tap asked. “Then what will you do?”

Like I’d share my plans with him. Pretty sure Link would consider that premeditated, and I liked to keep my options open. Spur-of-the-moment attacks accrued far less severe punishments than those I planned and fixated on. For now, I’d just fuck with him a little.

“Did you see how your mom was checkin’ me out last time you brought her to the club? Maybe I’ll give her some dick and become your new daddy.”

That wiped the condescending smirk off his face. “Stay the fuck away from my mama.”

I doubled down. “Aww, what’s wrong, son? Don’t think Mama deserves to get her world rocked?” I threw in a couple of hip thrusts and grunts for good measure.

“Swear to God, they will never find your body.”

I grinned, damn proud of my ability to bring the psycho bastard out in anyone, even a nerdy stiff like Tap. Some might call it a character flaw. Hell, considering the tempers of some of my brothers, it was a hobby that might one day get me killed. Regardless of the danger, needling these guys was too damn entertaining to quit. “You don’t want me sniffin’ around your mom, stay the fuck out of my business.”

“Link told you to focus on the job, not the women.”

“He should have told you to mind your own damn business.” I’d never done anything to a woman she hadn’t wanted me to do. If anyone so much as suspected me of being a sexual predator, my ass would be kicked to the curb faster than I could dispute the claim. Havoc had almost killed a guy he’d caught raping a woman, and I was under no illusion he’d go any easier on me. Plenty of bikers out there took what they wanted from women, but our club didn’t stand for that shit. That was one reason I was proud to wear the patch.

Fuck Tap for questioning my commitment to our values. He fuckin’ knew better and needed to stop treating me like I was some scumbag rapist before I snapped. The truth was, I had no plans to make a play for Elenore. I just wanted to see her again. Hell, if I knew why.

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