Tasting Candy

by Candy Quinn

  The big fella punched at Asher, jabbin’ him right in the gut twice. Though Asher didn’t budge, he kept his place and then retaliated with a quick headbutt. It was enough to send the brute reelin’, blood gushin’ from his nose. Though unlike the first guy, he held onto his weapon and towed Asher back with him.

  I’d never seen anything like it, and I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to run over there and help, but they were almost as big and strong lookin’ as Asher, and I admit, I was scared.

  Real scared.

  The fight was still on, because he punched into Asher’s gut again, this time makin’ more of an impression. Asher nearly crumpled over, but instead he launched his knee up as they grappled, and planted it into the fella’s stomach.

  The two of ‘em sank to the gravel of the parking lot, and the guy went to grab at Asher’s face, but he beat the fella down with some more hard blows of his concrete fist until he was hunched over the thug’s bleedin’, battered body.

  “Stop!” I screamed, running over to Asher, trying to get that sickening crunch of bone and flesh meeting with such force and impact out of my head. I flung my arms around Asher’s shoulders, trying to pull him up, “We gotta go!”

  His fist was bloody, but Asher got up and together we ran to my truck. We climbed on in and started it up, drivin’ off. It wasn’t until we were back on the road that he spoke another word.

  “Shit!” he swore, slamming his fist on the wheel angrily. “Fuck! How’d they know to search around here?!”

  He was angry, confused, and confusion only made a man angrier I found.

  But I didn’t have any answers. I barely even had any questions, and I leaned back in the passenger seat, my heart beating so fast as a freight train.

  He wasn’t safe here. Not anymore. Not from whatever he’d done.

  What could he have done that was so bad as to have those men lookin’ for him?

  Drugs?

  Worse?

  I shuddered, and suddenly felt so cold, as if it weren’t a beautiful summer’s eve.

  We drove on back to the farm in silence, though after we got there Asher stayed motionless. The truck was shut off, but he stared, his mind off in another world. Whatever he’d done was serious, and the consequences were followin’ him. It obviously weighed heavily.

  “I’m sorry for staying. I thought the odds of them tracing me here were so slim…” he lamented.

  “Asher,” I whispered, my voice so quiet. “What’d you do?”

  He delayed a moment before tensing up and sitting straight.

  “Nothing you should be punished for, that’s for sure, Shelby. I should get out of here tonight, even if I’ve got to hitch my way,” he said, opening the door and climbing out on his way to the house.

  “Don’t be silly, Asher!” I said as I opened my own door, dropping down to the ground and slamming the door shut behind me as I stalked after him.

  “If you really gotta go, I’ll drive you somewhere, but not ‘less you tell me what you did!”

  “I already told you,” he said as we got to the door, though Asher froze as he looked back, and I peered along with him. It was light comin’ from the direction of Marcus’ family farm, a truck by the look of it.

  “It’s probably just family comin’ over,” I said, as the truck began to turn down the drive to my place, just as I predicted.

  “Maybe something’s wrong,” Asher said, releasing the door and staring with a worried expression.

  “Everythin’ about this seems wrong, Asher,” I said and there was panic in my voice. I’d never felt so frightened, not in all my days. “Just tell me what we need to do.”

  We got our answer just a moment later though, when the truck pulled up to a halt and out came Marcus, hands up as if we had him under arrest.

  “Don’t fuckin’ hit me,” he said defensively, his jaw a little bruised I could see. Asher merely clenched and unclenched his fists, standin’ his ground.

  “He’s not gonna hit you, dummy! He only hit you because he thought you were a burglar sneakin’ around in the middle of the night, trashin’ his bike. You’re lucky I don’t hit you!”

  Marcus bristled at my remark, but he seemed to bite his tongue.

  “I came to warn you,” he said all ominously. “I was in town earlier today, and there was some gang out on the prowl. Lookin’ for someone.” His gaze turned accusatory and trained on Asher.

  “We know, they broke up the dance,” I said with a sneer. Too little too late, Marcus.

  Though I wasn’t a hard hearted person, and even though I was still madder than anythin’ at him, I didn’t want things to be bad between us, and I forced my expression to soften. “Thanks, though. Asher can’t leave, though, since someone broke his bike.”

  “Yeah well, he best find a way to get gone anyhow,” Marcus said, lowering his hand as he stood there at the truck. “‘Cause they’re lookin’ for him, and they know he’s here. They’re gonna cause trouble for folk until they get him, and you especially, Shelby.”

  Anger turned my face crimson again ‘cause I had my own suspicions of how they figured out that Asher was in town.

  But I’d have to deal with that later, ‘cause for now, there was somethin’ more pressin’.

  “How many are there?” I asked.

  “Was three of ‘em in town that spoke to me. And I never told ‘em nothin’,” he said defiantly, sticking out his chin. “I just heard ‘em askin’ around at the gas station, so I asked if they was lookin’ for a big tattooed guy, described him,” he said, jutting his chin towards Asher. “They figured out the rest on their own.”

  “Sounds like you told’em somethin’. That you’d seen him. That you know him. How long you think it’s gonna take’em to figure out he’s here with me, huh Marcus? How long you think it’ll take? And how am I gonna tell’em he’s gone? They’re just gonna trust me, tip their hat and be on their way? Guys like that,” I said with all the fury that’d been building up since Marcus invaded my property, “They’re not gonna trust a thing I say ‘til they search the house and the farm, inside and out. What’s that gonna do to ma?”

  Marcus put up his hands again and backed into his truck.

  “I never told ‘em nothin’ else! Don’t believe me if you don’t wanna, but I just came ta warn ya. There’s gonna be a heap of trouble comin’ your way Shelby, if you don’t smarten up. You’re gettin’ dragged into some damn gang war and you don’t even know it!”

  I was getting really scared, and Marcus wasn’t helping.

  What had Asher done that was so bad that he’d have people like this after him? What wasn’t he telling me? It had to be something major or they’d have let it go, and all I could think of was that he stole a bunch of drugs, but I hadn’t seen anythin’ like that on him. Or a whole lotta cash.

  And he didn’t seem the type to be really on anythin’, I never saw him take a puff of nothin’.

  Tears burned my eyes. What had he done?

  Marcus drove off, leavin’ the two of us standin’ there together. Asher was still quiet for a time, but finally he took a step closer to me.

  “Come on, you should get inside,” he said, reaching out to touch my shoulder.

  I pulled away though, turning to face him, not ashamed at the tears that were threatening to spill at any moment.

  “What’s goin’ on, Asher?” I said with a whimper to my voice.

  “Nothing to trouble you,” he said grimly, lookin’ off into the night. “But I can’t leave. Not yet. Like you said, they’ll terrorize you and your ma, at best.”

  He left the worst unsaid.

  “I gotta stay and make sure they never trouble you again,” he stated darkly, his fists clenched. “Then I’ll be gone and you’ll be finally be safe.”

  “But what about what I want?” I said. I didn’t have the power to control the pained sound in my voice, not any more. I was trembling as I stared up at him, petrified of what he meant. That he’d be gone.

  Petrified
of what he’d done to get into this in the first place.

  He turned to look at me, but dark gaze attempting to be stoic but I could detect the faint glimmer of regret.

  “It’s not about what either of us wants now, Shelby. It’s only about what has to be done. Go on inside, get some sleep. I’ve gotta get ready. They could be here at any moment. There’s more than three of them, despite what Marcus said. And we can’t afford to let them get the drop on us.”

  “How can I sleep? We should get ma to safety, get her to stay the night at Marcus’. I know she’ll be confused, but if those gangsters come in here...”

  Asher took a moment to consider it then nodded.

  “You’re right. You both should go over there, while I keep watch here.”

  With that he stormed on past me into the house and up the stairs to his room.

  I glared at his back for a moment, the rebellious streak in me flarin’ up. There was no way I was stayin’ away and leavin’ him alone, but I put it aside, ‘cause I didn’t wanna fight.

  I instead went upstairs, gatherin’ ma’s things.

  By the time I was takin’ ma out to the truck, I saw him headin’ out to the tractor shed. Dressed in his leather and jeans again, he looked like a thug who belonged with those men after him. Handsomer than they were by far, sure, but like one of ‘em.

  It put a painful contention in my belly.

  What’ve you gotten yourself into, Shelby? I thought to myself before quickly pushing it aside. I didn’t have time to question myself. The man I was so attracted to. He had secrets, dark ones. Dangerous men after him.

  But I still couldn’t do anything but hope that what I saw in him was who he was.

  I pulled out of the driveway, my eyes alert, terrified I’d see one of those bikers headed towards our place.

  It didn’t take me long to drive ma over to Marcus’ place, what took the longest was explainin’ the situation enough so that I could leave her there and get goin’ again. I didn’t want to leave Asher on my own farm alone for what was to come, though I had no idea what I’d have to offer to the situation.

  By the time I managed to get back in the truck to drive home, it was late. Marcus came up to me, one last time to try and stop me.

  “Don’t go back there, Shelby. This is nuts! Don’t you see?” he pleaded.

  “I see a man in trouble, Marcus, and I ain’t about to leave him to those brutes. I know you don’t think much of him, but he ain’t been nothin’ but a gentleman, and deserves better than what you did.”

  Marcus clung to my door, tryin’ to keep me a moment longer.

  “Just ‘cause a fella can put on a smile for a few days don’t make him a gentleman. You don’t know what a savage like him had to do to get tangled up with these sorts. But I can guarantee it weren’t pretty!”

  “It weren’t pretty what type of petty thing you did to his bike neither, Marcus,” I said with more of a glare than I intended. “But you did it, and I know you’re not all bad.”

  Marcus looked a lil’ stunned, and his grasp loosened, which I took as my sign to pull out and drive on back over to the farm. I came in time to find Asher barrin’ off one of the entrances to the farm house by parkin’ a tractor in front of it.

  “What are you doing back here? It’s not safe,” he protested, climbin’ down from the towerin’ tractor.

  “I’m not gonna let you take’em all on by your lonesome. We should just take off. Tonight. Just drive ‘til we’re free of them,” I said, though I knew he’d never go for that idea. He’d already been trying to run, and he knew I couldn’t leave ma the way she was.

  “You know that’s not really an option,” he said to me so seriously, standin’ before me. “They’re gonna come, no matter what we do. So I either finish ‘em or get killed. Those are the only two options if you’re to get out of this with your life back in your hands, Shelby. I won’t leave you worse off than I found you.”

  I couldn’t believe it could have gotten so bad. So serious.

  My life a couple weeks ago consisted of working on the farm and carin’ for my ma, and now...

  Now I was faced with the possibility of someone — or many someones — being killed? I leapt from the truck, towards Asher, my eyes burning with tears as I flung my arms around him.

  “I can’t lose you,” I protested. He was the brightness in my life, the little bit of happiness that I clung to, despite whatever darkness lingered over his past.

  He was hesitant at first, I could feel it. The decent fella that he was didn’t want to encourage me to fall for him when he was ready to leave. But in the end his big strong arms went about me, held me to him.

  “You’re gonna lose me, there’s nothin’ to be done about it,” he said, disappointment ripe in his voice. “It’s too soon for us. Remind yourself of that, because once this here is done I gotta go again. For your good.”

  It felt like a fist hitting me in the stomach and I felt just as ready to double over. The only thing holding me up was him, that strong body wrapped around me just when I felt my weakest.

  “There’s gotta be another way,” I pleaded.

  “I wish I knew,” he said, his large hand reached up, to brush those long hard fingers along my cheek. He brushed my hair back as he stared down at me, but the moment only lasted that: a moment.

  “If you’re gonna stay,” he said, breaking our hold on one another, “you need to get to safety. I can’t handle these guys if they can just grab you and threaten you. It’ll all be over then anyhow. Do you know how to shoot a gun? As a last resort now. I don’t want you to do it unless they come for you in the house and leave you no choice.”

  Pa had taught me when I was younger and I still went hunting once in a while, but this was somethin’ wholly different that he was talkin’ about and my stomach was clenched in knots.

  “Yea,” I murmured as I pulled back, trying to find my own strength and waiverin’. “Yea, I can scare’em off if they get close.”

  “Good,” he said firmly, reaching in behind himself and his leather jacket. He pulled out a black pistol then and held it out to me. “Take this. Get inside upstairs. I’ve blocked off all but the one door, so you know what way they’ll come if they do. Don’t shoot if you don’t have to. You don’t want that on your conscious,” he explained to me so cautiously, his voice low and tempered.

  I nodded to him, and I struggled for words. My lips parted, but not a one came out. I didn’t know what to say or do, but I just stared up at him.

  “Get up there. There’s no telling when they might come,” he said to me, concern clear as day on his face. I felt like somethin’ more was due, that he yearned to say somethin’ to me. But he didn’t, not then. And he went back to his work.

  I turned and went inside, but I was none too pleased about it. Mornin’ felt like an eternity away.

  Waitin’ is the hardest part.

  I’ve heard that somewhere before, but never knew it so intimately as I did then. Pacin’ in my own home, keepin’ a watch out the windows into the dark of night. I couldn’t see three feet in front of me, but for some reason I insisted on watchin’ out all the same.

  I was a fool to do it that way. If only I’d just have gotten some rest, then maybe I would’ve been awake enough come the approach of dawn to warn Asher.

  If only.

  But as it was, I dozed off at the window. My eyes slow to open as I looked below and watched that big hunk of a man walk from the farm back to the house, patrollin’ my property to keep it and me safe. Though somethin’ seemed to have him headin’ to the barn in a hurry.

  It was the noise of motorcycle engines that woke me up, but my brain was slow to realize that. Slower still to see the shadowy figure comin’ up behind Asher in the dark shadows of approaching dawn.

  I screamed in shock! But it was too late, the fella jumped on Asher from behind, and with nary a bit of warnin’, the man had him down to the ground, arm about his neck as the bikers approached with their engines r
oarin’.

  The big brute was hammerin’ punches into Asher’s side, and I pushed myself up and reached around for the gun. Not that I trusted myself to make a shot in the dark at the guy atop Asher from that distance, or any. It was just my first instinct before my brain kicked into full motion.

  The gravelly dust in the air along the roadway was getting closer and I rushed on down to do what I could to help Asher, to get the man off of him. By the time I got there the two of ‘em was rollin’ around in the dirt. The brute that attacked Asher was big, but not so big as him. But with his arm locked about Asher’s throat, there wasn’t a lot to be done about him.

  I rushed up, kicked the man in the spine, and made him cry out before I shoved my gun in his face.

  “Let him go!” I screamed in a panic. Things were falling apart too fast! I had to get Asher up on his feet before the bikers arrived at least.

  Thankfully, the hairy brute let go of Asher in a jiffy with a gun in his face.

  “You fuckin’ bitch!” he screamed at me, but Asher belted him in the face when the word was still fresh on his lips.

  “Don’t talk to a fuckin’ lady that way, you animal!” Asher said, breathing heavy as he pulled a rope from his belt and began to tie the man up.

  “Are you okay?!” I asked in a panic.

  “Get back in the house, Shelby,” Asher warned me, and it was dire. The bikes were now roaring down the long drive from the road, right up towards my front door. “Thanks for your help, but you can’t be here anymore!”

  I stepped back at his insistence, but it was a war within me. I didn’t wanna just abandon him! But as the bikes pulled up, I realized I was too late.

  I headed into the porch in order to make my way into the house proper when a shot rang out, shatterin’ the glass of the porch area all around me. I dropped to my hands and knees, a scream stuck in my throat.

  Asher dove behind the truck, which he’d set up as a barrier, with sacks stacked up beneath to hide his presence below.

  The shootout didn’t last long, as the big thugs got off their bikes and advanced in.