“Yesterday, I left Molly at the Dixon farm, and I went to check on my contacts in the Raiders MC about the Jackals activities in their area. When I got there I was surprised to find out from one of their prospects that they were preparing for a turf war. I talked to Ransom, their club president; he said that the Jackal’s are recruiting heavily in their territory.” Bone looked around the table before continuing.
“The last time they recruited, every prospect trying to make it into their club was after us. That was three years ago, if you’ll remember we had bombings, two young girls involved with the club were raped and left for dead near the falls, and they burned half the Dixon farm down. They branded those girls like cows, with a branding iron before they brutalized them. None of us want any of that to happen again.” Tiny watched Bone run a hand though his hair in agitation, seeing the other man’s worry in every movement, Tiny sat back in his chair dismay filling him. Typically Bone wasn’t worried about anything, he was always ready for whatever life threw their way, that was why he was their club President.
“That’s just fucking great!” Tank exploded, slamming his hands down on the table. His brown eyes burned with rage. Tiny grimaced, knowing that Tank’s two older brothers had been killed in one of the three bombings that year. Tiny wanted to tell Tank shit like that wasn’t gonna happen again, but he couldn’t know that for sure. Losing someone was never easy, but losing them the way Tank had was so much worse.
“Fuck!” Slim exclaimed.
“Damn it!” Dog and Pretty Boy said at the same time.
“Why are we only hearing this now, Bone? Ransom is usually the first to call us to let us know what’s up.” Duck calmly inquired from behind Bone. Tiny turned staring at Duck who sat with his feet propped in another chair near the wall.
“That’s what I wanted to know when I got there and they were all worked up. I asked but Ransom was tight lipped at first. He finally called this morning before we left the farm telling me he’d been warned not to call me. The Jackal’s threatened his two kids and his old lady.” Bone gritted through his teeth, clenching his hands on the table.
“What’s the word closer to home?” Tiny asked.
“That’s part of what we need to discuss. You’re the one with the best contacts.” Tiny knew that statement had been a hint that he needed to go on a fact finding mission.
He wanted to deny having the right contacts, but he knew that Bone was right. He’d always been good at reading people and he’d used that to his advantage. It allowed him to know who to talk to find out what he and the club needed to know. Except, he didn’t want to be sent on a fact finding mission, not if it would take him away from Racheal, she needed him here.
Bone’s pained look let him know that he knew what he was asking of him, which pissed Tiny off a bit. He knew that this was too damned important for him to refuse the job even if Racheal needed him. He wanted to slam his own fist down on the table at the thought of leaving her. He didn’t though. He’d never been an impulsive man.
“We need to vote and come up with a plan on what we need to do. I for one do not want a repeat of the last Jackal recruiting session. We need to lock our shit down. Show these fuckers that we’re not to be messed with, but in order to do that we need information.” Bone grunted.
“We go out and get the information we need then.” Tiny grumbled grimly, even though his heart ached a bit that he couldn’t stay here with Racheal.
“All in favor of doing a bit of digging before church next week?” Tank looked around the room where nineteen men nodded.
“Tiny, can you head out tomorrow to check with your contacts?” Bone questioned with a dark look. Tiny just nodded.
“Good, Tank and I will take a ride over to Longville to check the house there is in order. Dog, you can head over to Bandit territory, they tolerate you the best.” Bone waited until Dog curtly nodded before he continued. “Duck, see what you can dig up on the Jackal’s. The rest of you check to see if anyone knows anything with any contacts you may have. My wedding is in two weeks I want to have a plan in place before the wedding.” Bone looked at the men surrounding the table, his eyes gleaming with anger. Every man knew his anger was at the Jackal’s. Having to deal with this so close to his upcoming wedding, was making him cranky.
Tiny sat quietly for the rest of the meeting. He wanted to stay here with Racheal especially after what had happened today in the hallway. This was the first time he’d been able to get close enough to actually hold her.
She hadn’t flinched away from him in the hallway today which was progress. She’d been a skittish rabbit every time he’d touched her before this afternoon. He knew she wasn’t ready for more yet, but if it didn’t happen soon he was going to go mad from the pain in his blue balls. And yeah he could have fucked a sweetbutt to relieve the pressure, but he wanted Racheal. He wasn’t a fan of fucking one woman when you wanted another. Tiny rose to leave when the meeting was finished, but was stopped by a look from Bone. As the other men filed out he waited, sitting in his chair until everyone had filed out. Tank was still standing near the door he shut it when everyone else had left moving toward the table again.
Bone leaned forward his elbows resting on the table, his face a mask of grim determination. His hair fell forward hiding the scar along the lower left side of his jaw.
“I know that leaving now is the last thing you want to do. But I need you to find out what the hell is going on with those damned Jackal’s. I’ll keep an eye on your girl. Slim and Trick will too.”
Tiny shifted in his seat not knowing how to answer Bone. He’d said he‘d go hadn’t he. He wanted to answer Bone without yelling, pausing before he continued so that he didn’t roar belligerently at the man for sending him out to gather information, it wasn’t Bone’s fault that the Jackal’s were assholes. Typically these types of issues took four to five days for him to get the skinny on it and that was a lot longer than he wanted it to take this time.
“I know that what you’re asking isn’t easy.” Tiny paused thinking of what to say as he looked Bone in the eyes. They were hazel and filled with Bone’s remorse at having to send Tiny away from Racheal. That the man knew it was killing him to leave Racheal helped Tiny say what needed to be said. Even as it felt like a betrayal of the woman he realized was fast becoming more important to him than anything else.
“She won’t ask for help...But she needs it. She needs someone near at night that’s when it’s the worst for her. I’ll tell her it’s because I want someone there with her. You can’t let her know it because we know she’s scared. And it needs to be a woman, Bone.” Tiny eyes burned with possessive fury at the thought of another man with Racheal. “Not one of the other fucks who think of her as a pair of tits and a pussy! If another man touches her I will kill them!” Tiny finally finished with a hard look leaning forward onto the table getting in Bone’s face to emphasize his point.
“I know that, Tiny. You’ve already talked to me and Tank about it. I don’t understand why you haven’t laid it out in church yet.” Bone replied his face a mask of confusion.
“She’s not ready for what the club would expect of her if I laid it on the table. I’ll know when it’s time. Until then, I was planning to keep an eye on her.” Leaning back in his chair he watched Bone nod.
“Yeah, I get that. The only other reason I wanted to talk to you alone was there are some rumors about the Cut Throats MC over in Bandit territory. These Rumors are making me nervous. They’re saying that they might be thinking of joining the Jackal’s. We both know that would not be good. They’re just as bad if not worse than the Jackal’s.” Bone leaned back in his own chair with a gruff sigh.
Tiny rubbed his jaw then looked at Tank who sat a few chairs down, his feet propped on the table. “How much digging do we need, Bone?” Tiny growled.
“We need to be sure, with Bone and Molly’s wedding in a few weeks, we need a plan. The information needs to be solid. We don’t want any surprises.” Tank answered his feet
falling to the floor, rising, he began pacing.
Tiny knew the rumors they’d been hearing about the Jackal’s and the lack of activity they’d shown was making them all edgy. Not that the Jackal’s hadn’t taken a hard hit from the Red Devil in the last year between the kidnapping of Bone’s old lady, the Dixon farm raid they’d foiled, and the Juice factory, a designer drug the Jackal’s sold, they’d taken out more than fifty of the Jackal’s in the last year alone.
Tiny could see why they would need to replenish their ranks, but them mixing with the Cut Throats was bad news. Those men where nothing but monsters pretending they were human. They’d been known to take out whole towns just for fun. Raping, killing, and murder where among their favorite hobbies. He’d always been glad that they preferred the mountain ranges which were Blue Bandit territory, and that they were a relatively small group.
“I’ll leave first thing in the morning. I should be back by the bonfire next weekend.” Tiny said, watching Tank pace. “You make sure my girl’s okay. Aunt Mae may be a good fit, she likes her she says Mae reminds her of her mother.”
“Done.” Bone grunted and Tiny rose to his feet moving to exit the room. “Tiny…”
He turned back looking at Bone sure the man could see the internal war he was already fighting with himself, now that he knew he needed to leave Racheal.
“I know that it’s hard, believe me. If I had to leave Molly for longer than a night right now I’d be insane till I got back to her. Just wanted you to know that I understand, but don’t rush it to get back.”
Tiny gritted his teeth hearing his jaw pop. His rage causing his fists to clench at his sides, he glared at Bone.
“Have I ever rushed a job, Bone?” He finally demanded.
“No, but I don’t want this to be your first, either! It’s too damned important.” Bone stood his own hands clenched into fists that lay on the table, as he leaned forward.
“Fucker, you’re forgetting that she’s here with you, while I’m off jacking some asshole for information. I’ll make sure it’s solid just to be sure she’s safe if for no other reason.” Without another word Tiny turned slamming out the door before Bone could reply.
Asshole, he thought as he stormed up the stairs to the room he’d been using in the clubhouse. Not that he’d stayed there much. He usually ended up on his couch since Racheal couldn’t sleep at night unless he was there with her. That was part of the reason he didn’t want to leave her. She wouldn’t sleep unless someone could watch her back. That rat mother fucker had done something to her at night, he was sure of it. It was the only thing that made any sense. That thought made him even madder as he stomped around the room.
He started packing up what little bit of his shit was here with angry jerky motions. A knock on the door had him turning still pissed off, and if that was Bone he was gonna feed him his teeth. He jerked open the door to see Tessa, a sweetbutt he’d boned a few times, at the door in a tight top with her tits about to fall out. Her blonde curly hair hung to her shoulders, and her red lipstick covered her plump lips. The cutoffs she wore were tiny, and they showed her nicely rounded legs, which were tanned a nice honey brown.
He didn’t have the patience for this, he thought, as he stared at her leaning on his door frame in what he was sure would have been considered, by any other man, as seductive. He just felt annoyed. Damn it, the bitch didn’t know how to take a polite hint, and he was not in the mood for being gentle with her today.
“Hi, Tiny.” Her voice breathy and her eyes running up and down him with desire. “It’s been a while since you’ve come to see me.”
“Yep, we already had this conversation, Tessa.” Tiny turned walking back to the bed zipping his bag and grabbing it off the bed. He turned back to find she’d moved into the room standing right behind him. Her hands landed on his shoulders and her red lips pouted.
“But, Tiny,” She whined with what she thought was a sexy shake of her tits at him. “I don’t think you meant it. She’s not giving you any…”
“No!” Tiny snarled, taking her hands off his shoulders where they clung, her red nails digging into the skin beneath his cut. “Not happening.”
“Tiny…I…” Tessa pouted, her hands clutched in one of his, he moved her bodily out of his way.
“Tessa, it’s done. It won’t ever happen again with you and me. Get over it!” He said curtly, throwing her hands back at her. He stormed out the door moving down the stairs hearing her scream after him.
“You’ll come back begging and I won’t want you then. I’ll have moved on! I will be fucking some other man and you’ll want me back. But I won’t come!” Tessa stood at the top of the stairs wild eyed, her breasts heaving in anger with her hands resting her hips.
Tiny didn’t even bother looking back at her. He really didn’t care. He’d been telling her for months that he wasn’t interested anymore. It wasn’t like they were exclusive, hell he’d found her fucking Tank not even a week ago at the last bonfire. It hadn’t bothered him a bit because he didn’t give a shit about the woman. If it had been Racheal though, Tiny’s hand clenched on the bag he carried. Yeah, best not to think of Racheal with another man.
This ridiculous argument was what he got for using the same sweetbutt to satisfy his needs for over a year before Racheal had arrived in Devils Falls. He should have just screwed several different sweetbutt’s like the other men in the club did, but Tiny had trust issues. It was easier with the same woman rather than getting used to a new one every time. Tank was by the bar shaking his head at Tiny as he stormed by.
“Warned you about that one, bro.” He muttered falling into step beside Tiny as he exited the club carrying his bag.
“You fucking her so often caused her to get idea’s that you might wanna patch her someday. It happens all the time. The crazy ones always think we’ll keep them, even if they were free pussy for years. I mean, fuck! Why would a man want a woman he’d have to watch every second to make sure she isn’t hooking up with someone else while he’s away?” Tank was still following him as he walked to his Hog.
“I don’t wanna talk right now, Tank.” Tiny stowed his bag, then climbed on his bike to head over to Racheal’s. He’d stay with her tonight and head out in the morning.
“Yeah, I get that. Stay tight. We want you back in one piece. Tessa will get it when you patch your girl. Or maybe your girl will put her in her place.” The last was said with a snicker as Tiny nodded, then cranked his bike to head to his and Racheal’s cabin.
Chapter 3
Hearing a motorcycle pull up outside the cabin Racheal peaked out the window, seeing Tiny getting off his large Harley. He pulled a bag from the back of his bike turning, he headed towards the cabin. That bag was kinda presumptuous of him, she thought as she moved away from the window heading into the kitchen. Entering she crossed to the stove, she took the casserole she’d made out of the oven dishing it onto two plates.
Did that man think just because she’d hugged him today that she was going to allow him to move in here without question? She so didn’t think so. It may be his cabin, but she was paying him to let her stay here. Smiling, Racheal set the two plates on the table remembering his reaction to her insistence that she pay him.
He’d gruffly refused only to find that she and Molly had put the money into his locker at the shop. After that it became an ongoing war. She put it in his locker, he put it on the dresser, she left it in his shoe, and he put it in her underwear drawer, it became a game they played with each other, one that surprised her at the most unexpected times. It was fun trying to find new places to hide the money where he’d be flabbergasted by it.
Racheal thought again about that bag Tiny was carrying. He was assuming a lot if he thought that she would just allow it. He usually read her better than that. Had she been the pre Eugene Racheal, she would have locked the man out. Even if it was his house, she was renting the damned thing and he could just suck it up, damn it. Racheal heard the front door open as she pulled the lemona
de from the fridge, setting it on the table, she went back and grabbed Tiny a beer. She sat down waiting on him, still lost in her own thoughts. She knew that Pearl would tell her to get her head outta her ass and handle that man. If her mother was here she would be hearing her famous ‘No man who ate for free has ever paid for the cow’ speech. That made her almost laugh, damn she missed that woman. Tiny entered the kitchen his bag landing on the floor near the entrance of the kitchen as he made his way to the table.
“Smells delicious, darlin’.” Tiny said as he sat down beside her at the table.
“Why do you have a bag, Tiny?” She demanded trying not to sound like a shrew.
“Relax babe, it’s not what you’re thinking.” Tiny said in a low growl watching her intently.
“It seems a little presumptuous of you. Don’t you think? Just because I’ve gotten use-” Tiny interrupted her with an exasperated sigh.
“It’s not very presumptuous, when I’ve slept on that couch every night since you got here, babe.” Tiny looked at her, his green eyes shooting daggers at her.
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t be here anymore!” She exclaimed.
“Ha, that’s fine! I gotta go on a run anyway!” Tiny bellowed, causing a rushing sound to fill her ears, and her heart began to pound with fear. Tiny was leaving. Oh god, Tiny was leaving her. She couldn’t breathe. How was she going to survive without Tiny?
“Fuck, darlin’.” Tiny exclaimed, jerking her chair away from the table, he pushed her head between her legs. She was light headed and slightly dizzy and the only thought in her head was Tiny’s leaving. It seemed to echo and bounce around like a ball that just kept going.
“Just breathe, babe.” Tiny’s hand rubbed up and down her back, and he was making soothing sounds to help her calm down. She was finally able to breathe after a few moments.
Tears burned her eyes and she wanted to cry at her own foolishness. Why did this keep happening? Why couldn’t she just get over the fear that suffocated her at every turn? When she was finally able to calm, she looked at him unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
Claiming Racheal Page 2
