by L. Wilder
"I could have Big look into him," Cotton offered.
"I appreciate the offer, brother, but we still have some time.” The club often faced new opportunities, like a new supplier or new buyer, but each were laced with their own challenges—like not having Riggs when we needed him. Gus took a drag off his cigarette, then told Cotton, “Me and the boys will plan a visit to his place as soon as the trial is over. We’ll get a feel for him, and if he’s legit, we’ll make something happen.”
“I’ll be interested to see how things play out.”
“You and me both.” Gus dropped his cigarette butt in his empty beer bottle then stood up and said, “It’s been a long one, boys. I’m gonna call it a night.”
“I’m right behind ya.” Cotton quickly finished off his beer and tossed it in the trash. “I’ll see you two first thing in the morning.”
“Sounds good. Have a good one,” I told them as they walked out of the bar. I sat there for a few more minutes, sipping on my beer and listening to some sappy love song playing on the jukebox. It wasn’t long before I’d had enough of the depressing lyrics and decided it was time to put an end to this horrendous day. As I’d headed towards my room, I’d hoped that the following days would be better, but they weren’t.
As the trial date drew closer, we were all feeling more and more on edge, and the fact that Riggs wasn’t improving didn’t help matters. Thankfully, by the time the weekend arrived, Riggs started to come around. His fever had broken, and he was finally able to keep food down and had begun to gain back some of his strength. Reece was beaming when she heard his voice for the first time since the shooting. While she was relieved that he was finally doing better, she couldn’t hide her disappointment when Mack informed them both that Riggs wouldn’t be able to make it to the trial. He simply wouldn’t be well enough to travel that far so soon. Riggs hated the thought of Reece walking into the courtroom and facing Navarro without him, but he found comfort in knowing that we would be there by her side. When it finally came time for us to leave Washington, Big and Two Bit helped us load everything into our SUVs. As he closed the back latch, Two Bit asked, “You sure you don’t want us to follow you back?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary, but I appreciate the offer.”
Cotton came over and patted me on the back. “It was good having you boys up for a visit.”
“Thanks for letting us crash for a few days. You really came through for us.”
I’d barely gotten the words out of my mouth when Reece walked up beside me. Tate was propped on her hip as she told Cotton, “Thank you for everything, Cotton. Your hospitality has meant so much to me, especially under the given circumstances.”
“That’s what family is for.” He smiled and added, “Next time you come, bring Riggs and Gus along. Hell, bring the whole crew. We’d enjoy having you.”
“We’ll do that,” Reece replied with a smile.
She gave him a quick hug, then walked over to the truck and put Tate into his car-seat. Once he was buckled in, she got in next to him and waved goodbye before closing the door behind her. I looked over to Cotton and the others and said, “I guess we better get on the road. We have a long-ass drive ahead.”
“Be careful, brother, and let us know how it all goes.”
Rounding towards the driver’s side door, I nodded. “Will do.”
I hopped in the truck, and as soon as I’d checked to see that everyone was set to go, I pulled out of the gate and onto the main road.
After two long days of driving we made it back home, and just as Gus had promised Riggs, we got Reece to the trial safe and sound. She was able to testify without any complications—except for Navarro’s douchebag lawyer. He did everything he could to undermine her testimony and turn the jury against her, but the jury didn’t buy into his manipulations and found Navarro guilty of two counts of first-degree murder.
Even though Navarro would remain behind bars, the brothers and I knew it was only a matter of time before another round of trouble would come knocking at our door again. There was always some gang, some up-and-coming MC, or some big shot with an overactive ego looking to take us down. It’s just the way things were. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon. None of us did.
4
Riley
It had been weeks since I’d discovered that my father was selling illegal weapons at the farm, and even though I pushed it to the back of my mind, I was still struggling with the notion. I knew my father well enough to know that his decision to do something so extreme hadn’t come easy. My heart ached when I thought about how desperate he must’ve felt knowing that Mom was dying, and all of his attempts to save her were in vain. He had to have felt utterly hopeless, especially when he learned that we might lose the farm along with his wife. I understood he had his reasons for doing what he did. Sadly, that didn’t change the fact that what he was doing was wrong—utterly, grossly wrong, and his actions had me second guessing everything. I wanted to believe that we were still the same family that we’d always been, and that the farm was still the same place I’d always known and loved, but I just couldn’t do it, especially when everything felt so different. I no longer found joy in watching the sunrise across the pasture or riding Anna Belle, my favorite mare. I couldn’t even go out to the barn without thinking about the guns that were stored in the shed next door. They haunted me, making me wish I never knew they existed. I tried to push it all to the back of my mind, to force myself to forget, but every time I saw my father on his cell or whispering something to my brother, I kept wondering if he was talking about those damn weapons. It was driving me crazy. I needed some time to clear my head, and I knew just the place to do it.
Whenever things were at their worst, I knew I could count on Grady to make me feel better. Not only was he my first cousin, he was my best friend. Our fathers were brothers and had lived in the same small town since they were born. Hunter and I grew up with Grady and his two brothers, Levi and Jasper, and from an early age, we were inseparable. Our friendship had always come easy. We’d always seemed to understand one another, and even after all these years, he was the person I trusted with my secrets. There wasn’t anything we didn’t share with one another—until now. I couldn’t tell Grady about my father and the illegal guns he was selling. That was one secret I could never share, not with anyone, but I could have a few drinks and a couple of good laughs with my best friend.
It was just after ten when I walked through the front doors of The Smoking Gun. It was one of the hotspots on Beale Street, so I wasn’t surprised to see that it was already packed. As usual, the music was blaring, and the dance floor was covered with hoochie mommas, each of them dancing around in their revealing low-cut tops and shimmery miniskirts. I felt a little out of place in my blue jeans and boots, but there was no way in hell I was going to wear something seductive when I was just going to be hanging out with Grady. Hoping to find a relatively quiet place to sit, I started inching my way through the sea of people and headed towards the bar. It took some time, but I eventually made my way over to the counter. Unfortunately, there were no empty seats and it was far from quiet. I could literally feel the music vibrating through my chest as I searched for a place to sit, or at the very least, get out of the way. I was about to give up hope when Grady slipped up beside me and smiled, “Hey, stranger.”
“Grady!” I reached up and wrapped my arms around him as I shouted, “Man, am I glad to see you!”
“It’s good to see you, too, squirt.” I stepped back and gave him a good look. He was at least a foot taller than me with a broad, muscular build that would’ve made him look threatening if he wasn’t such a pretty boy. On that particular night, he was wearing a pair of dark-gray slacks with a white button-up dress shirt and a black leather jacket, making him look casual but professional. His blue eyes sparkled as he spoke loudly, “I’ve got us a place over in the corner.”
I nodded and followed him over to the small table. Once we were seated,
I leaned towards him and said, “Looks like you’ve got yourself another busy night.”
“Yeah. Things have been going really good lately.” I still couldn’t believe that my Grady, the goofy prankster who threw a round of firecrackers into the principal’s bathroom, had become one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the area when he opened The Smoking Gun. While there were plenty of people who had their doubts that he’d pull it off, including our family, I always knew he could do it. There wasn’t anything Grady Nichols couldn’t do if he put his mind to it, and he loved proving people wrong, especially when it came to his two older brothers, Levi and Jasper. A proud smile crossed his face as he told me, “So good—that I’ve been approached by some bigwigs up in Nashville to open a place down on the strip.”
“Really? That’s incredible, Grady! You must be so excited!”
“Yes and no. It would take a lot of work, and I’m not sure I’m up for it. At least, not now.” He motioned his hand, beckoning one of the waitresses over. “You want something to drink?”
“Absolutely.”
As soon as the waitress approached the table, she asked, “What can I get ya?”
“I’ll have a Long Island Iced Tea,” I answered.
“You got it.” A seductive look crossed her face as she turned her attention to Grady. “And what can I get you, Mr. Nichols.”
“I’ll have a Scotch on the rocks.”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks, doll,” he told her with a flirty wink.
Once she was gone, I shook my head as I snickered, “You are too much.”
“What?” Feigning innocence, he added, “I was being nice.”
“Yeah, right,” I scoffed. “You and I both know better than that.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “So, what about you? How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. Just trying to finish up my classes.”
“You know I don’t give two flying fucks about your classes, Lee. I was asking about you,” he scolded.
“I said I was fine.”
“I’m not buying that for one second. You sounded like you were about to lose it the other night when you called,” he fussed. “I know something’s up, so why don’t you just save us both some time and tell me what’s going on.”
I’d never been able to hide anything from him. He’d always been able to read me better than anyone. He liked to think he had a sixth sense when it came to me, but that wasn’t it: I was a terrible liar and I had a bad habit of revealing my true feelings with my facial expressions. Regardless, I had to come up with something to tell him, so I said, “I’ve just been feeling a little down in the dumps lately. It’s probably just this stupid weather. It’s been rainy and cold for weeks. I don’t know if I can take another day without a little sunshine.”
“Um-hmm. I see. It’s just the weather.” The waitress brought our drinks over and placed them on the table. He picked up his Scotch as he asked, “It has nothing to do with the fact that you haven’t gotten laid in over a year?”
“No, but thanks for reminding me.”
He studied me for a moment, and when he determined that I wasn’t being completely forthright, he said, “So, you aren’t going to tell me?”
“I’m just having a hard time understanding why good people have to do bad things.”
“I guess that depends on what bad things you’re talking about.”
I shrugged. “Just bad things in general.”
“You aren’t giving me much to go on here, but I’ll say this … Just because someone does something bad doesn’t make someone a bad person. Sometimes, it’s just a simple fuckup, and other times, there’s just no way around it. So, maybe it’s just a matter of you accepting that things aren’t always so black and white. Sometimes, there’s a gray area that needs to be taken into account, but I can’t really say for sure unless you tell me what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I can’t. Not this. Besides, I get what you’re saying, and you’re right. Things aren’t always black and white, and I’d be doing myself a favor if I just learned to let things go. Starting now.” I smiled as I said, “How about we have ourselves a drink or two and forget about everything else … at least until tomorrow? Can we do that?”
“Yeah. We can do that, but Lee … you know I’m here for you. No matter what.”
“Yes, Grady, I know, and I really appreciate it.” As I picked up my drink and took a quick sip, I noticed a couple of women were gawking at Grady from across the bar. It was clear from their wanton expressions that they were interested in him, and from the “come hither” look he was sporting, he was equally interested in them. I didn’t try and hide my annoyance as I huffed, “Can you turn that off … just for a little while?”
“Turn what off?”
“I don’t even know what it is,” I grumbled. “It’s whatever you do that makes women throw themselves at you.”
Clearly amused, he chuckled. “I’m not so sure that I can just turn it off, but I’ll do my best.”
“Much appreciated.” I reached for my Long Island and took a long sip. “These are really good. I think I might need another.”
“You got it.” He called the waitress back over and ordered us another round of drinks. “I hired a new bartender.”
“Oh, really?” I glanced over at the bar and became immediately intrigued when I spotted a smoking hot guy standing behind the counter. To say he was tall, dark, and handsome wouldn’t do him justice. He looked like a model with his jet-black hair and crystal-blue eyes. “Are you talking about him?”
“Yep. That’s Earl. He’s pretty cool. Works his ass off on busy nights.”
“Wait—” I started laughing. “Did you say his name is Earl?”
“Yeah,” he sighed, “but don’t let the name fool ya. He’s a really great guy. I’m sure he would show you a good time.”
“I’m sure he’s perfectly wonderful, but I don’t need him to show me a good time. That’s what I have you for.”
“I’m not talking about that kind of good time, Lee,” he fussed.
“I know, but Earl? I don’t think I could say his name with a straight face.”
I shook my head, and just as I was about to continue, I noticed several bikers sitting across from us. I was about to turn my attention back to Grady when, for reasons I may never understand, one of them caught my eye. He was beyond hot in his tightly fitted white t-shirt and black leather vest. His muscular arms were covered in tattoos, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there were more scrolled across his broad chest. He had a thick, unruly beard, and his long, shaggy blond hair was brushed away from his face, revealing the most beautiful eyes. Every inch of him was wickedly sexy, and I longed to reach out and touch him. Unfortunately, that was never going to happen. There was no way in hell I’d ever have the courage to speak to a man like him, much less get close enough to touch him. He was too far out of my reach, but that didn’t stop my heart from racing at the thought of spending a night wrapped in his arms. I was in the midst of imagining his mouth on mine when Grady’s voice brought me back to reality. “Okay, I get it. You aren’t interested.”
Shaking off my overactive hormones, I let out a deep breath and said, “No, I’m not interested in Earl. Besides, it’s been ages since we’ve had a chance to catch up. If it’s okay with you, I’d rather just finish my drink and relax here with you.”
With a look of pity, he mumbled, “You know it’s fine with me. I was just trying to help out.”
“I don’t need any help getting a guy, Grady. I can find one on my own.” My eyes drifted over to the biker across the room, and a warmth washed over me when I found him staring in my direction. The second our eyes met, I panicked and quickly turned my attention back to Grady. “I’m … uh … just taking some time to find the right guy.”
“Taking some time?” he argued. “It’s been over a year since you broke it off with Lance. You’re twenty-four years old, and all you do is work out at the farm and study for you
r classes. One of these days you’re going to have to get back out there and start seeing people again. You don’t have to jump into anything serious. You just need to learn to cut loose and have a good time.”
At the mention of having a good time, I found myself looking across the room, gazing once again at the hot biker. Maybe it was the slight buzz from the alcohol, but he looked even hotter than he had two seconds earlier. As I sat there gawking at him, I considered what Grady had said. “So, you’re saying that I should be more like you?”
He cocked his eyebrow as he replied, “I would say yes, but your tone tells me I should say no.”
“I just don’t think you’re the one who should be giving me advice on guys and relationships. I mean, let’s be honest here … When was the last time you were actually interested in spending more than one night with a girl?”
“I’m busy. I don’t have time for a relationship right now, besides, how did this conversation get to be about me? It was you who came here looking for an escape from whatever the hell is going on with you.” He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled. “I’m good. I’ve got nothing to complain about.”
“And so am I … at least for the most part.” Hoping to change the subject, I asked, “What about Levi and Jasper? How are they doing these days?”
“You know Jasper. He’s not one for keeping in touch, but the last I heard, my big brother was still locked away in his cabin in the woods, hiding from life as we know it.” He took a tug off his drink and sighed. “As for Levi, he’s been busting his ass to get his new garage up and running. He’s always had a gift for fixing engines, so it won’t take him long to make a name for himself.”
I giggled as I said, “I have no doubt … he’s a Nichols after all.”
