by Lane Hart
“Get back as quickly as you can,” I tell him, unable to choke down the nervous lilt in my voice. “I was certain I would be fine here alone, but now…”
“Hey, don’t worry.” Maddox winks at me. “Get inside and lock the door. I’ll be so quick, you won’t even have time to miss me.”
I close and lock my door as Maddox begins laboriously hauling the two men down the stairs. Despite his reassurance, as the shock of what just happened begins to fade away, I start trembling violently. Another flash of lightning from outside paired with an immediate boom of thunder rattles my windows, sending me scurrying back to my bedroom. I dive under the covers and curl into a ball, praying for Maddox to return safely, but also thankful he can’t see me as my childhood terror finally overwhelms me.
…
Maddox
“Quit whining,” I grunt, as I toss the second looter down in the back of their cargo van. He’s the one with the broken jaw, and he hasn’t stopped moaning since he regained consciousness halfway down the stairs.
Once I drop him by his partner, I take a look around the back of their van. There are all sorts of electronics strewn haphazardly around. It looks like they were primarily trying to steal game consoles and televisions, but there are a couple of computers and guitar cases piled in here too. I find a wad of bungee cords tucked into a panel on the rear door, and after only a few moments, I have both of my new friends safely restrained.
The one whose head I almost put through the wall is still unconscious, but the first fellow with the broken jaw is wide awake and staring at me in bug-eyed horror. He’s still trying to say something, but I knocked his lower jaw out of socket and he’s completely unintelligible. “Shut up,” I reiterate sternly as I slam the cargo van’s rear doors.
Once I’m in the driver’s seat, I crank up the van, then look back to make sure my passengers aren’t trying to escape. I took both their wallets, so I know the one who is awake and grunting at me is named Dwayne. “We’re going for a ride, boys. Dwayne, if you try anything, I swear to god, I’ll drive this van straight into the ocean, you understand?”
He grunts something that sounds like agreement, so I drop the van into gear and then carefully drive it back out of the entryway of the apartment complex and right into the teeth of the hurricane.
“How the hell did you two even get here in this mess?” I ask conversationally, not expecting any reply. “Even with the wipers on full, I can’t see a damn thing. How desperate or stupid do you have to be to go out and risk your ass in something like this?”
“Hell, I should probably ask myself that question, out here driving you two dumb sons-of-bitches around,” I add, realizing that if I get the van up past twenty miles per hour, I’m completely blinded by the rain. “I should just throw you two into a ditch and let the storm take care of you,” I grumble before falling silent and focusing on driving.
For the next twenty minutes, the only sounds I hear are the furious swiping of the windshield wipers and intermittent sobbing from the back of the van. I’m thoroughly miserable, but there is one upside to the entire situation—at least I know exactly where I’m going. I breathe a heavy sigh of relief as I finally spot a well-lit brick gatehouse on the road in front of me, just outside the local National Guard barracks.
As I pull up to the gate arm, a soldier in a poncho appears in the doorway of the guardhouse. I roll down the van window and flinch at the deluge of rain that washes over me. The soldier stands motionless for a moment, studying me, then yells, “State your business!”
“I caught two looters who broke into the apartment building where I was staying!” I yell back to him.
“You caught looters? Are they in the van?” the soldier calls back, still not leaving the shelter of the doorway.
“Yes!” I yell back as I wipe at my face. “They broke into a bunch of apartments and were loading this van up with things they stole. When they broke into the apartment I was in, I smacked them around and tied them up. They need medical attention, and to be locked up until the police can take over.”
“Stay there,” the soldier orders before disappearing back into the guardhouse. I roll up the window and look into the back of the van, trying to see if one of my “passengers” might have had the foresight to steal a towel. I don’t see anything I can use to dry my hair, but I do spot the two looters, both now sitting up with their backs pressed against the rear doors, as far from me as they could scoot. The one with the broken jaw is crying and moaning, while the other simply stares at me in slack-jawed disbelief. Well, it’s either disbelief or brain damage. I don’t really care which.
When the soldier appears in the door of the gatehouse again a few minutes later, I roll the window back down. The van rocks as an even more powerful wave of wind and water sweep over me. I can see the soldier’s lips moving, but his words are lost in the howling maelstrom.
“What did you say?” I roar at him.
“The MP’s are on the way,” he yells back at me. “They’ll take over until the local authorities return.” The next gust of wind staggers the soldier so badly that he disappears back into the guardhouse, his poncho almost torn from his body. I quickly roll up the window and turn back around to the looters.
“Hear that, boys? You’re going to be guests of the local military police until the civilian cops get back. You two don’t look like you served, so this should be an eye-opening experience for both of you.” Broken-jaw sobs a little harder, while the other simply keeps staring at me blankly. Yup, that’s definitely a concussion, at the least.
When the headlights of a large and imposing truck cut through the blinding rain and pull up on the other side of the gate arm, I turn the van off and step outside, my cut flapping around me until I wrangle it down and zip it over my bare chest. Four men pile out of the truck, all of them also wearing military ponchos.
One of them motions for me to follow him into the guardhouse, and I gladly comply. Once we’re all crowded into the small brick building, the four men lower their hoods to reveal their helmets and faces. Looking over the four soldiers, I’m not sure if they really need head protection. They’re so big, their skulls look bulletproof.
“Are we to understand that this civilian has apprehended some looters in the storm?” the man, who I presume is the lead MP, asks.
I’m not sure if he’s talking to me, but I reply anyway. “Um, yeah…sir. Yes, sir, I mean,” I add, as he turns his beady-eyed glare on me.
“Get a report!” the MP barks to one of his subordinates. The guardhouse soldiers scramble and produce a clipboard, along with some sort of official-looking paperwork, which they quickly fill out as I recount my story.
“That’s the gist of what happened,” I conclude a few minutes later. “I tied them up and loaded them into the van, along with all the things they stole, and brought them over here for you boys to take care of until they can be, uh…dealt with formally, I guess.”
“And you can confirm this is your name and phone number?” the guardhouse soldier asks as he hands me the slightly soggy paperwork he had filled out.
“Yup, that’s me, Maddox Holmes. That’s my number,” I confirm.
“All right, thank you for assistance in this matter,” the lead MP says with a slightly softer tone. “I see by your patches, you’re one of those Savage Kings’ boys. I’ve heard of a few men who served that ride with you all. I’m glad you were around to help.”
“Thank you,” I reply, almost bashfully. Something about this man reminds me of War, and words of praise from him make me almost as uncomfortable. “So, ah, the keys and the dudes are in the van. I guess I’ll leave you boys to it.” I turn around to the doorway, only then realizing I might have a slight problem getting back to Audrey’s.
The MP’s are all chuckling as I turn back around. I can feel the flush in my face as I ask, “One of you boys mind maybe giving me a ride home? Bit of a walk on a day like this.”
“Corporal, take the Humvee and get this man home. Then
come straight back. Privates, you two climb into that van and secure the prisoners. I’ll drive.”
“Sir, yes, sir!” the corporal barks, before turning and immediately walking out the door. I give the remaining troops a nod as I follow him outside to the Humvee idling nearby, then stand awkwardly in the driving rain, trying to figure out how to get into the damned thing. It’s jacked up high, and every time I try to look up to find a door handle, I’m completely blinded by the rain.
Thankfully, the corporal climbs around inside and cracks the door for me after a moment, then moves back to the driver’s seat as I scramble inside.
“Thanks, man,” I gasp as I finally slam the door shut. The gate arm raises almost immediately, and the Humvee lurches into motion.
“It’s no trouble,” the corporal replies once we clear the base. “I’m glad to have something to do, honestly. We were busy the first couple of days, making preparations around the city, but now we’re pretty much confined to quarters while we wait this thing out.”
“Ever had anybody bring in looters before?” I ask.
“Not like this, no.” He laughs. “We’ve had to round some up before, sure, after they’ve been smacked around by a homeowner or something, but no one’s ever tied them up and brought them to us.”
“Well, you know how it is staying at an apartment. Didn’t really have the storage space to keep them for a few days. Hey, just out of curiosity, since you’re an MP, do you think I could be in any kind of legal trouble for roughing those guys up?”
“I didn’t see them, but we’ll get them evaluated on base and take care of them. Honestly, even if you had killed them, I doubt there would be any charges, since they came into your girlfriend’s home. This is a castle doctrine state.”
“Eh, she’s not my ‘girlfriend,’ really…” I hedge, not sure how to really describe Audrey.
“Well, you were an invited guest, protecting her. They certainly weren’t,” the MP states. “You’re navigator, so give me some directions while I concentrate on this road. If you want to talk, we can do it once we’re there.”
I laugh at his bluntness, then spend the rest of the ride giving him directions. Getting back takes almost twice as long in the Humvee. I have no idea if the MP is just that careful, or if the damned thing is just that slow.
Once we pull back up to the shattered glass front of the apartment building, the MP whistles in admiration. “Damn, they really did a number on this place.”
“Yeah, this building had a first-floor lobby where all the mailboxes were set up on the walls. They plowed right through this place. I’m sure the other residents are going to be thrilled when they see this mess.”
“It’s flooding in there,” the MP observes. “Are you guys going to be safe here?”
“Yeah, we’re up on the higher floors,” I reassure him. “Thanks again for the ride. Be safe on the way back, you hear?”
“Here, take this.” The MP hands me a flashlight. “Take care,” he tells me with a nod and a grin before I muscle open the heavy door of the truck and climb down. I run back inside as the lights from the Humvee wash over me briefly. He turns the truck around, then I stand in the darkness of the lobby, dripping and shivering as water surges around my boots.
I click on the flashlight he gave me and shine the beam around the first floor of the complex. Several doors on either side have been kicked open, and on a whim, I wander over to one of the open apartments near the stairwell. Shining the flashlight inside, I can see that its layout is similar to Audrey’s. I step inside to scan the kitchen, breaking into a huge grin as I see what’s sitting on the countertop.
Once I’m loaded up with my ill-gotten gains, I climb the stairs and use my boot to knock on Audrey’s door. “Audrey, it’s me, Maddox! Honey, I’m home!” I call.
I step back from the door once I hear the chains rattling, then break into a huge grin as Audrey throws open the door and rushes me. “Whoa, easy there, cowgirl, I come bearing gifts!” I laugh when she rushes me with her arms out, her hug threatening to cause me to drop everything I’m holding.
“God, I was so worried!” Audrey gushes. “I should have tried to come with you, but with the storm, and everything…what do you have?” she trails off, stepping back and shaking her now damp arms as she stares at me.
“I took a peek inside some of the apartments downstairs to, uh, ‘assess the damage’ from the looters. It turns out, that on top of stealing the folks in one-twenty-two F’s television, those dastardly villains also swiped this entire chocolate cake and these two bottles of wine! At least, that will be the official version. Only you and I will know the terrible truth…”
Audrey’s laughter interrupts me as she takes the cake pan from me, and I follow her back into the apartment with the two bottles of wine. While Audrey takes the cake to the kitchen and digs out a knife, I securely lock the door with the deadbolt and chain.
“I don’t have any wineglasses,” she says, digging through her cupboards. While her back is turned, I take off my cut, hanging it from the back of a barstool, then peel off my soggy boots and pants. “Oh!” She gasps in surprise as she turns back to see me standing in her kitchen, naked. “And you have no pants. Ok, then, it’s going to be that kind of party!”
“We don’t need wineglasses where we’re going,” I growl as I swipe a finger through the chocolate frosting, then rub it on her neck. I bend down to lick it up, sending a shiver through her body. She steps back from me to peel her tank top over her head, but when she tosses it down, instead of hitting the floor, it drapes over my erection, bobbing at her like a friendly ghost in the shadowy kitchen.
She bursts into laughter as she bends down to scramble out of her pajama pants, and I reach over to grab the bottle of wine. “Shall we take this to the bedroom?” she asks coyly as she straightens and puts her hands on her hips, flaunting her nudity at me.
“Bring the cake,” I reply, turning to walk down the hall, her tank top leading the way, like a flag of conquest waving us on new sexual adventures.
Chapter Five
Audrey
Days later, Maddox and I are cuddling in bed with me tucked under his arm when I say, “So, tell me more about the MC.”
I can feel his entire body tense up before he responds.
“I’ve told you all there is to know about it.”
“Your father that you never got to meet was the one who started it?” I ask.
“Ah, yeah,” Maddox replies. “And that’s another thing that you can’t tell your brother.”
“Why not?” I push myself up on my elbow so that I can see his face better, even if it is pretty dark in here.
“Because he doesn’t know that I’m Deacon’s son,” he explains. “Only one of the Savage Kings knows and that’s because it was his job to dig into my background. The rest…well, I didn’t want them to treat me differently, or think I was out to try and stake my claim to his legacy or whatever. I just wanted to learn about the man he was, and then I wanted to be a part of the club he left behind.”
“I think I can understand that,” I tell him. “Guess everyone has their own secrets that they keep for one reason or another. What I don’t understand is why War never told me about the Savage Kings.”
“He was probably just trying to protect you.”
“Maybe,” I reply.
“And you never saw his cut?”
“Nope,” I answer. “I know he has a motorcycle that he keeps covered in the garage but that’s it. War’s always been super protective and yeah, a little secretive now that I think about it, but I let him have his space because he took on raising me after our parents died.”
“So, are you going to ask him about the MC now that you know?” Maddox inquires while stroking his hand up and down my spine. “’Cause, I mean, he didn’t tell me not to mention the club or whatever, so you won’t be screwing me over if you do.”
“Yeah, I think I will the next time I see him face-to-face, you know? If I ask him on the ph
one, it’ll be easier for him to blow me off.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” he agrees. “Just remember not to bring up us doing this or not making it to Raleigh.”
“I won’t,” I tell him.
“Oh, and the part about who my father is. Probably don’t want to terrorize him with tales of looters and fighting either.”
“Right,” I agree.
“I’ve never told anyone about Deacon.” Maddox sighs. “Reece, our club’s IT guy, found the documents, but we didn’t discuss it, other than for me to beg him to keep his mouth shut. I never got a chance to know my father but being around the Savage Kings makes me feel closer to him. That probably sounds crazy…”
“No, I get it,” I tell him. “That’s one of the reasons I was so eager to leave our home in Texas after we lost our parents. War wanted to move here for a job opportunity a guy from the Army offered him. And I wanted to escape the house we grew up in because it felt like the ghosts of my mom and dad were still there, but not in a good way.”
“You lost two people who were a huge part of your life, so being there without them must have been hard,” Maddox says. “I’m chasing a ghost while you were running from them.”
“Exactly,” I tell him.
“I want to tell the guys at the club, and I will, just as soon as I patch in,” he says. “Then, maybe they can tell me more stories about the man I never got to meet.”
“That will be nice,” I agree.
“Chase and Torin, the vice president and president, are my cousins. That is, if they believe me and don’t think I’m making up some shit, trying to cause problems.”
