by Vera Quinn
“This is my daughter but she’s none of your concern. The two prospects are waiting on you and I will be home later and so will Ty.” My dad says letting me know to not stick around. The younger man speaks up before I am out of my dad’s grasp, “I’m Devil and we will be getting to know each other better real soon.” He gives me that once over and stops back at my eyes and when I turn better to look at him I think I see a glimpse of remorse in them and this has me completely mesmerized. What would this man have to be sorry for?
“Callie, go ahead and go. I’ll see you later on or in the morning.” My dad says encouraging me to leave. I know this is my cue to leave and now.
Devil She turns and walks away with her little miss attitude. She is so young and beautiful. She’ll learn better than to throw that shit around at me. I bet she has guys waiting and hoping she will drop her boyfriend. They can wait because before I leave here she will be mine. She shakes her tight ass just the right way to catch every man’s eye. Her rack is decent but could be larger, they’re real so that makes them better. Our intel man was definitely right when he said she has attitude. I like sass though. She definitely respects Chief though, that means she knows the workings of the club and this will make her a better wife. Something about the way she carries herself tells me she can be a handful, but she’ll learn and I will keep a watchful eye on my prize. Chief is very protective of his daughter and I can understand that, but he is going to bend to my demands. He has no other way out. I just have to bide my time and not forget why I am here.
“Why didn’t you want me talking to her Chief? She’s going to have to know sooner or later. I won’t be here much longer and we need to settle this. I think when she finds out you have known for some time now she may be a bit pissed. She seems to have a bit of attitude, but she turns eighteen tomorrow. I said I would wait until then.” I look Chief straight in the eye so he can see how damn serious I am about this and how I don’t appreciate having to wait.
“Because Devil, this is the way it is damn well going to be. Callie is my daughter and the choice will be hers. I said after tonight and you need to fucking get that in your damn mind. Stay the hell away from her until I say so. We will talk tomorrow and set up a time to approach her together. Are we clear with that, Steel?” Chief pointedly looks at my dad, slighting me in the process.
“We are clear on that, but let me make something perfectly clear, Chief, you are dealing with my son on this, not me. So don’t try slighting him by addressing me. You will deal with him! He’s the one that is going to marry your daughter and while we’re having this little get everything out talk, I think you are fucking up not coming clean with her about it all. This shit is going to bite you in the ass and I don’t want the blow back coming back on my club. You may sugar coat shit for Callie, but that’s not the way we operate.” Dad lets him have it full blast coming to the end of trying to be nice. I stare Chief down and let him know we are serious, “Chief, we can do this the easy way, with your help, or I will go around you and approach her myself. You know she will want this and I am the only way it is happening, so deal.” I can tell by the twitch of his eyes and the set of his jaw that this is not going to go over smoothly.
“Devil, I know how you want it, but if you don’t check your ass I am going to put you out and your ass will not get close to my girl, I will lock her down so tight it will be impossible. Are you clear on that?” Chief’s voice keeps raising and I can see the hate he has for me and the hostility rising. His men around us are ignoring their drinks now and the club noise has lowered so Chief’s voice is being heard by everyone close to us. Dad puts his hand on Chief’s shoulder in a friendly manner and Chief shirks it away and growls, “Callie isn’t here now and I don’t have to be nice, so keep your damned hand off me,” he steps back and takes a defensive stance, “now you two finish your drinks and get out until tomorrow.” He turns towards his VP and motions towards his office and they turn and start to walk away but hesitate.
“I don’t like this any more than you do but we have to see this through for all our sakes. I am not used to waiting around. I take what I want, but I am trying to show you some respect because of the past relationship you have with my dad, but you are not making it easy. This will be settled tomorrow with or without you. Callie will be told tomorrow, no us meeting, we will tell her.” I tell him in a firm voice to let him know exactly how serious I am. He gives me a long look and continues his walk to his office. I watch as Chief his VP, Driller and SAA, ZMan, walk into his office and slam the door and then all eyes are back on us.
“Son you better watch that temper with Chief, he’s not known for his patience. His protective streak with that girl is infamous and with everything she’s been through in her life, I can understand that. We need his cooperation and you are pissing him off with that fucking attitude so check it. This can be done an easier way and I don’t want a fucking war when all the dust settles around this shit. Let’s get out of here.” I can tell dad’s patience with this situation has run out but so has mine.
I finish off my beer and walk out into the hot Texas night but my luck may have just turned for the better.
Devil As we step out into the heat of the hot Texas night, I see Callie and her friends are still in the parking lot. Apparently she doesn’t listen to her dad as well as he thought and the prospects seem to be having problems with her and her two friends, who have decided to talk on their phones instead of leaving. I approach them cautiously and try not to draw any unneeded attention to me. I feel my dad’s presence behind me but he is keeping his distance and watching for any trouble that might come our way for not following Chief’s instructions. I might as well take the chance.
“Baby Girl” I call out the nickname I know only family is allowed to use for Callie as I approach the group. Callie attention is solely on me and I see the most beautiful blue eyes. They are the deepest blue I have ever seen, and I can see the true beauty she is all through those eyes. I almost feel sorry for the things I am going to do to her.
“Who the hell are you? No one calls me that anymore except my dad. Mr. Devil you are not a man I want to speak to so go away.” She spouts off and trying to cover the shock she is feeling in just hearing me call her an all too familiar name that I shouldn’t have used.
“Well the name is just Devil, as you damn well know, and you know Stee l and Chief have been friends for twenty plus years. Why the fucking attitude with me? I haven’t even had a conversation with you yet. Look, I don’t have very long before those two idiots over there get off their phones and I have to go so let’s make this easy. I have information you and your family want. You are going to help me out and I am going to help you out. We will talk tomorrow with your dad and everything will be made clear. Just think about what you want most in this world tonight. Life is short babe, and this will be the only chance for what I’m offering. By the end of this weekend you will be mine and you may as well wrap your mind around that.” I figure I am pushing my time limit here so I just come out and give her the facts.
“Well first off, Mr. Devil, I don’t know who you or this Steel man are. Second, my dad made it very clear he doesn’t want me talking to you and I don’t question my dad. And lastly, I have a boyfriend and I am not interested in you or your games so we are done here.” She huffs out like a petulant child.
“Well, little girl, you will change your tune tomorrow.” And I decide it is time to get out of here. “And the next time you call me Mr.,” I look her straight in the eye and let her know I am very serious about I am going to say, “I will show exactly what I do to spoiled little girls.” And then I turn and walk away and leave her gawking at me.
“Let’s get out of here before the prospects call Chief,” I say to my dad when I get back over to him. “Yep, wise choice son. Our intel m an just texted and has something for us on the girl.” We both pick up our stride and mount our bikes and ride out of the parking lot for the ride back to town.
Callie
&n
bsp; What the hell was he talking about? Mysterious much? Hopefully dad will make it a lot clearer tomorrow. There’s something about his eyes, as if he knows something I’m missing. I’m still getting that feeling he is very dangerous. I would never cheat on Mason. We have been waiting for me to come of age for too long, and that man knows everything about me and my troubled past and still loves me. He doesn’t try to change me and he accepts the broken pieces of me. Man I miss his face. It’s been over a year since I’ve seen him but we’ve skyped, not the same, when his location allowed it and I write him nearly every day. He loves that. I send him his care packages at least twice a month or more if he or his buddies need anything. I hope he gets leave soon. My birthday would have been perfect. I just want him safe. I thought when he wasn’t interested in the club life I would have it made, no dangerous stuff. I was sadly mistaken. He’ll be here soon I keep telling myself and pray he stays safe.
“Hey you, prospect, can we go now? I know I said we wasn’t in that big of a hurry but we have movies to watch. Oh, we also need to make a couple of stops on the way, if it is ok. We need food and some drinks. I don’t mean to be pushy, we just need to get going.” I give my sweetest smile and hope these two newest prospects haven’t gotten the down low on our tricky ways yet. He gives me a long approving look and leans in, “Sure babe. You aren’t going to get into any trouble tonight are you? I’ve heard some stories about how difficult you can be at times but you just don’t seem that way at all, sugar.” He gives me a smile that he thinks is going to affect me but he just doesn’t know what is in store for him tonight. Of course I play right along.
“We’re not going to give you any trouble at all, just pizza and movies. Would you mind if we stop at the pizza place? You can call dad to make sure, we may get hungry again later. Yeah, you better make sure. I wouldn’t want to get you in any trouble.” I give him a flirty look and look him up and down. Yep, I see it in his eyes, he falls for the Ms. Sweetness act. He actually thinks I might be interested. I should feel guilty. No, nothing this is too easy.
“Well darling, that is not necessary, we can stop. Are you ready to roll? One of us will be up ahead and one behind. Where are you stopping?” he seems eager to please me now.
“Pizza Shack is fine, if it is ok with you, I mean.” Dad has to get smarter prospects. This would never fly with Ty or Woody. This guy will never make it. I look to make sure everything is a go. Sarah is on her phone and Fe looks amused at this little conversation.
“Ok let’s go, careful driving babe.” The prospect steps back from the SUV and whistles for the other prospect to get off the phone and they get on their bikes and one leads out while the other follows behind us.
“What the hell was that sweet stuff coming out of your mouth?” Fe ask while laughing his ass off. “And that you can call and check, that was priceless, and the flirty eyes. You should be an actress. Your dad is getting stupider prospects these days. He swallowed that right up and wanted more. Mason boy better watch out. Could he lay it on any thicker, babe, sugar, darling? I was getting a sugar high listening to it.” Fe keeps laughing almost rolling.
“What did I miss? Who was getting a sugar high?” Sarah asked getting off her phone. “It was Hanna on the phone and we are set. We just have to get away from the babysitters.” She says, sounding a little bored with it all. Hanna is our other partner in crime, but she couldn’t be with us tonight because of her mom. She caught Dad banging one of the club girls and she takes it out on us. Sarah, Hanna, Fe and I have been friends since we were in grade school and last year Shelia, her mom, and my dad, thought it was a good idea to hook up. I told them better, but no they wouldn’t listen to me! When it went south our friendship had to pay for it. No worries, we have it set up. We just had to wait until the adults, and I use that term loosely, are otherwise occupied to do what we want.
“When are we meeting up? Does she get to come to the race?” I hope she will make it. All my friends have always been with me. “Sorry Callie, it will be later, after. Shelia has decided to take an interest in Hanna tonight for some reason.” She exhales. Hanna and Sarah have never been as close as the rest of us. They tend to go after the same guys but Sheila seems to like Sarah so she still lets them talk on the phone. I’ll miss Hanna and wish she could be there but she needs to deal with her mom so we can have the rest of the weekend parent free. My three best friends have come to be my good luck charms and they keep me grounded most of the time. After this weekend we will all be going in different directions. Sarah is going off to college this weekend to get settled and find a job and then next week Fe will be leaving for New York to start classes soon. Hanna and I will be left here. I will be here until I leave for U.T. So we are going to have a blast this weekend. I look in the mirror and our prospect is still behind us and I keep going over the plan to make sure I have covered everything so we don’t get caught. The purse at the race will be more towards my savings. I know I don’t really need it, but a girl can never be too sure. I have a large nest egg accumulated. I have been saving since I was twelve and I’m not one to spend a lot of money. I have been working and putting back plus all my race money, it is safe to say my education is paid for. Now just smooth sailing from here on out. This weekend won’t be perfect without Mason here, but it will be close to it with just my best friends and myself hanging out for the last for a while. We just need to relax and enjoy it.
Chapter 8
Devil Pulling into the little dinner right outside of town, I see the cage our man has been driving in front of the dumpster over to the side, back by some trees. At least it’s a little secluded. We need to get this meet over with and get the hell out of here. Our man does not need to be seen with us. He’s been able to get us some good intel because people don’t know who he is. My dad motions for me to go around on the other side of the parking lot so we can walk over and our bikes won’t be next to his cage. I pull up and park and get off my bike and I’m watching our guy who has gotten out. He motions towards the back door. Dad and I approach together keeping our eyes on the road to make sure no one followed us. We enter the back of the little greasy spoon and he shuts the door behind us. We keep next to the wall and make our way down a long dark hall and into a back room. We step into the room and the smell of it hits my nose and makes my stomach growl from hunger. The smell of homemade bread and something else that smells delicious hits me. I remember we had forgotten to eat tonight with everything going on. We were too busy watching Callie to eat at their clubhouse.
“Damn Tito, this place smells great. Who owns it?” my stomach is hoping we get to eat before we leave.
“My aunt owns this place. Want me to go grab something? Won’t take a minute. I was going to eat before I left anyway.” He asked halfway out the door already. “Sure kid, grab us some food. We haven’t eaten tonight either.” My dad tells Tito and moves on in to the room and to a chair at the head of the table. “Grab some drinks too.” My mind keeps wandering back to the conversation Callie and I had. She says she has a boyfriend and I wonder just how serious that is. All I need is a jealous boyfriend to deal with. Not that he would be a problem, just a nuisance. If I remember right her boyfriend is in the military and overseas. That’s where he needs to be. I don’t like unexpected issues and complications. If everything goes as planned, we will be married before he even knows anything is up. Tito walks back in with a small older woman on his heels and both have their hands full of plates of food that smell absolutely delicious. I didn’t know I was so hungry. I walk back over to the table and sit beside my dad and we thank Tito’s aunt and she leaves us to eat and do our business. We dig into the food and my dad looks at Tito and gives him an appreciative smile. “Your aunt can cook. Can she keep her mouth shut?” he asks with a solemn look on his face.
“She’ll keep her mouth shut. She’s my family,” Tito grins and looks at us both, “and I pay her to. If not she’d never make enough money.” His grin is gone and replaced with a stoic look.
“G
ood, we’ll be sure to pay her well for tonight.” My dad gives Tito a slap to the back and then takes his wallet out and throws some bills on the table. “Alright, what do have for us?” I ask betwee n bites of food that I continue to shovel into my mouth. I want to get this done so we can get away from here as soon as possible.
“I’ve been hanging with one of your girl’s friends and she sang for me. Her name is Sarah and supposedly one of her best friends. I told her we had to be on the down low considering she is only eighteen. Your girl had a shit childhood like you knew. Got a few deets on it if you want them.” He put his fork down and reaches into the side pocket of his cargo pants and pulls some picture out. “This is her boyfriend, Mason Brumley, he’s in the Marines and overseas right now.” I take the pictures and look at the man that calls Callie his. I’m not impressed. Normal military haircut. Looks pretty cut with a few tattoos. Nothing special.
“How long has he been gone? How long they been together?” I ask, not that it makes a difference more just curiosity. “Been gone a little over a year this time. He was supposed to be here for her graduation but all leaves were cancelled. Been together since she was just under fifteen. She’s never dated anyone else and Sarah says she is in love with him. Hell that’s longer than any of my relationships have lasted. Thing is, he is older than her and Sarah seems to think he’s not fucked around on her. He’s going to be hitting twentyone right after Callie’s birthday. No way that prick hasn’t fucked someone in nearly four years, but I’ll be damned if I can find anyone who says different.” Tito picks his fork up but sets it back down and looks at my dad, “Everyone loves that girl. The only people in that town that have anything bad to say about her are jealous bitches that want to be her. From what they say she is a little badass, too. I’ve seen her throw a punch or two, taking up for her friends, and she isn’t shabby and can hold her own. She is very loyal and protective of people she cares about. She’s racing at the strip later tonight and then all her friends and her are going to a bar or party. If they don’t get caught by daddy dearest.” He says with almost admiration in his eyes.
