Lucy_Pearl Copyright © 2016

Chapter Eighteen

When she walked into the house, it was eerily quiet. But she knew someone-besides Wyatt, had to be in the house, because from her short time of living here, this house was never empty.

She closed and locked the front door behind her, and then looked into the livingroom a few feet in front of her. Empty, even the TV that never got a break, was off. She narrowed her eyes and peeked into the diningroom, it was empty.

"Nonna!" She yelled. There was no response. "Jacks!" Still quiet. Where the hell is Wyatt?

Her heart started to beat incredibly fast, no one was here. But she saw Wyatt walk into the house earlier. So, he had to still be here, right? Right!?

She stepped into the door way of the kitchen, her heart still beating erratically in her chest. She pushed the door open, quiet and stealthy, with extreme caution. Where was everybo-

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"

Isabelle didn't even have a chance to scream before she almost died of a heart attack. She clutched her chest and let our a scream and she watched as most of the happy faces in the crowd in the kitchen turned to looks of worry or horror.

"Oh shit, you okay?" Jacks stepped forward and grabbed her as she clutched her leather jacket to her chest. He looked down at her, worry and regret on his face.

"We didn't mean to scare you.. Fuck, I knew we should've just did the barbeque," he muttered. Isabelle shook her head and wrapped her arms around Jacks. Hugging him close to her.

"No it's okay, you all just scared the crap out of me," she laughed as she wiped away the stray tears in her eyes. She looked up to him and then to everyone else packed in the kitchen. Nonna, Leanne, Hugo, Shannah, Wylie, Gus, Riley, Flag. She wondered why he was here, it was no secret that he couldn't stand her. Everyone else that were outside in the backyard she noticed then. Where was Wyatt?

She looked up to Jacks, who now had his arms around her shoulders.

"Where's Wyatt?" She asked. He shrugged and then walked forward towards the group.

"I don't know, but today's your birthday, so we celebrate you and you only," everyone cheered and whistled. He led her to the kitchen island, everyone surrounded them.

"Isabelle, you're now seventeen years old, and I know you've only met me a few months ago but it seems like I've known you for longer. Hell after seventeen years of not knowing me, I thought you'd try to run away or something," a few people laughed and he joined, his more nervous than abused. Isabelle smirked and watched his face as he continued. "But you did show me that you are as much as your mother, and me too. You don't take any shit, and you can handle yourself. Shit, you're practically a female version of me-"

"May God help us all," someone announced from the back, everyone started to laugh again. He rose his middle finger in the air, and let it linger, before putting his hand in his pocket.

"Anyway, you're tough as nails and I'm proud to call you my daughter and I'm proud to be your father," he finished. Everyone awed and elbowed each other at the sentimental speech. Isabelle felt tears swell in her eyes and she looked up to the ceiling fan, concentrating on not crying. She sniffled and the room went silent.

"I know- uh at sometimes I could be evasive, hardheaded, sarcastic, rude, irrationally angry but I can't help it, I'm a teenager with a horrible temper that seems to only rival the person I received it from," she shot Jacks a knowing look and he narrowed his eyes and she did the same in response. "But here... I'd rather be here than any place in the world, because I am surrounded by family, by blood or not, this group of scary, badass bikers is where I truly belong." She hugged Jacks and he held her close as Nonna stepped up clearing as many people away from the island as possible.

"The second cake is no here yet," she sucked her teeth and patted the tile. "But I whipped up something for the time being!" She stepped back as Wylie and Riley brought in a big chocolate cake. It looked wonderful, with the huge red roses and the white cursive lettering that spelled out: Happy Birthday, Isabelle.

Isabelle's eyes watered again and she couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheek. She walked towards Nonna, and pulled her grandmother into a hug.

"Thank you Nonna," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion, the knot in her throat not loosening even for a while.

"You are most welcome," Nonna kissed her cheek and held her hands.

"You are almost a woman, no?" She didn't get a chance to answer. "Which means you should hav-"

"No!" Jacks said quickly, grabbing Isabelle and pulling her to the side. Nonna narrowed her eyes at her son and put her hands on her hips.

"I was only going to say that -"

"I think I know what you were going to say, and I say no," he pushed Isabelle through the crowd. Towards the back door that lead into the backyard.

"You are not in Italy anymore Ma!" He shouted before walking out the door with Isabelle. Her listened as she let out a long line of curse words in Italian. What a beautiful way to put it.

Isabelle looked at the decorated backyard as streamers and lanterns hung everywhere. There was a huge banner with her name on it and the number seventeen underneath it. People started to pour out of the house and swarm the backyard. More people apart of this club then I originally thought.

"I have another surprise for you," Jacks said. Isabelle shook her head and almost groaned aloud.

"No, not another one," she grumbled. He laughed and pulled her towards a group of people that sat on lawn chairs with a cooler of drinks in the middle. She started to stop in her tracks as she got glimpses of the people. All men, with different shades of hair, mostly blonde. Her eyes widened as realization set in.

"Wait wait, can I change at least?" Jacks turned around and looked down at her outfit, looked totally fine to him.

"You look fine, C'mon," he pulled her harder.

"No I don't, let me change at least... I'm covered in... school," she pressed. "Please," he looked to her and then to the group of people. He let out a sigh and released her.

"Alright fine, hurry up," Isabelle jogged back to the door and went through the side door that led to the stairs. She slammed and locked her bedroom door closed behind her and leaned her back against it.

"What the fuck?" She growled to herself. Why was he here? What was he doing here? But the biggest question of all, how the fuck did he find her?

She pulled a clean, baby blue T-shirt over her head and slipped on some khaki shorts and put on her Doc Martins. In case, someone wanted to get kicked in the gonads tonight. She walked towards the biggest window in her bedroom. It looked over the backyard, and Isabelle never found it as interesting until tonight. She couldn't see the whole back yard but she could see most, and the view she got, told her she wasn't mistaken. It was him.

She cursed again, pulling her hair out of the tight ponytail. She now had a migraine and a hankering to choking someone the hell out. She shook out her mane of thick hair and pushed it from her face. Maybe she could avoid him? Keep her distance the entire night and never see him again. That plan was terminated immediately, Jacks was about to introduce them to her. But she already knew one.

She went to the bathroom and washed her face, she thought about putting on mascara and stood there for a good five minutes. She didn't want anyone to think-ah, screw it. She coated her eyelashes in mascara and put on some ChapStick before grabbing her cellphone. She took the stairs quickly, and as she rounded the corner, she ran into someone.

"Whoa-Oh good, he just sent me to go check on you," she looked up and saw Leanne. Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose french braid. She wore a white tank top with a flannel over it. Her shorts were dark brown, blending perfectly with the pin striped navy blue flannel. She still wore her biker boots. Isabelle smiled. Maybe she wasn't as bad...

"Oh, well I'm here now," the cheeriness in her voice caused Leanne to sober up before masking it with a smile.

"Well good, come on," they walked through the kitchen to the backyard and Isabelle saw Jacks coming towards her, leaving the group of men they were walking towards earlier.

"Like I said, I have a surprise for you," he said taking her hand once again. "Not really a surprise now, but a surprise nonetheless," they finally reached the group of men and they all turned towards Isabelle and Jacks. Eight men sat around the big red cooler, and they were all watching her. Each of them had a different hairstyle but the blonde hair they shared showed they were all related.

"Isabelle, these are my brothers and my nephews," he checked their names off one by one. Dillon, Reagen, Adam, Erik, his older brothers, then Roger and Matt, his younger brothers. And finally, his two nephews, Bradley and James. She kept her eyes away from the man to her right. She greeted most of them, with a kind smile but refused to even look his way.

"Everyone, this is my daughter, Isabelle," immediately the one closest to here stood. He was tall, like Jacks, his eyes were the same green as Jacks, but he seemed to lack the dangerous aura that surrounded her father. His name was Dillon, he was the eldest.

"Hello Isabelle. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," he flashed a look at Jacks before looking back to Isabelle and smiling. He looked nice, laugh lines were around his mouth, and he had a youthful glow to him. He was probably a nice man at heart, Isabelle thought. Another man stood and the introductions seemed to repeat themselves, all saying it was a pleasure to meet her. They'd all look at Jacks with a smirk or a sparkle in their eyes, but Jacks didn't say anything. He refrained from kicking their asses, one by one.

"Alright, since we got through the introductions," he turned towards the two youngest men in the group, his nephews.

"Where's your father?" He spoke to the brunette, James, whom was currently looking at Isabelle. His gray eyes unnerved her, she leaned into Jacks more, seeking safety.

"I haven't a clue," he looked to Jacks, finally tearing his eyes from her. His southern accent was thick and making him slur his words. "Brad and I drove up here ourselves," he looked to Bradley, who smiled briefly and took a long drag from his beer.

"He said that he ain't coming to no 'little girls' birthday party," James choked on his soda and glared at Brad, whom just sipped his beer again.

"Asshole," Dillon murmured, all the other men agreed with him. He looked to Isabelle and began to explain. "Richie is the self-centered asshole of the family, he thinks he is the most important person in the world. Don't mind his rude Texan ass," Isabelle nodded and smiled a bit. If her uncle didn't want to meet her... then she didn't want to meet him either. She smiled at them all, except for him and then pulled away from Jacks.

"I'm going to go get a piece of cake," he nodded his head and took the empty seat next to one of the men. She walked away quickly and into the house. She smiled at the sight of the huge chocolate cake on the counter. Nonna had went all out for her birthday. She looked back to the crowded backyard; hell, Jacks went all out too. Her smile widened and she grabbed a clean knife out of the dishwasher, including a plate and fork.

She cut the cake and put her piece on the plate. Her mouth watered as she stared at the chocolate cake with undeniable hunger. She moaned in delight when she chewed the piece. It was delicious.

"Truly delicious cake huh?" She heard, she looked to the entrance of the kitchen that connected the diningroom. Wyatt stood in the doorway, his hair wet and the collar around his neck wet also. He must've just showered. She could smell the Irish Spring soap from where she stood and her hands clenched.

He wore a dark T-shirt, the tightness gripped his chest, the bottom flared where it met his tappered waist. He also wore some dark jeans and his boots. Even the simplicity of the outfit looked great on him.

She cleared her throat and licked her lips making sure no cake lingered around her mouth. His eyes followed the gesture, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah. It's really delicious... Very uhh, rich," she watched him as he walked into the kitchen and rounded the kitchen island. He stopped beside her, his face blank of emotion as he dipped his finger into the side of her piece of cake, taking a good bit of the frosting.

He stuck his finger in his mouth, closing his eyes with delight. She watched with wide eyes as he sucked on his finger. Her mouth went dry when he opened his eyes and looked down at her, the same dark irises swirling. With what exactly, she couldn't tell you even if she knew.

Author's Note:

THEY'RE GNONA GET MARriEd!!!!

Jk. :P

Short and sweet with a cliff hanger. Can ya blame me?

Can you guess what (craziness) Nonna was going to say? (It probably doesn't really happen in Italy, but yeah just try to guess.)

Enjoy pondering who He is...