by E. C. Land
Lex squeezes me to his chest, “You better call me,” he states, releasing his grasp on me. “I gotta get going. We’re playing the next several nights at Outlaw Racks. Since Derick’s at the beach with K-9, why don’t you come?”
“I would love to.” I smile not at the mention of Dylan’s road name, but the fact my brother had invited me to listen to him play. Until recently, I haven’t been able to do much fun. Not with going to school, working part-time, and raising my son. I’ve worked my ass off to get to where I am now, and I deserve a night out listening to my brother’s band playing at Kenny’s bar. “I’ll be there around nine-ish.”
“Sounds good. I’ll tell the boys to hold you a seat,” Lex declares, making his way toward the door. “See you in a bit,” he calls out over his shoulder.
“You got it,” I say, not moving from where I stand in the middle of my living room. I watch as my big brother leaves, closing the door behind him.
I slowly let out a heavy breath when the door clicks closed. I didn’t think once everything was finished, I’d feel a sense of emptiness. The silence of the house is loud, and I need to find a way to occupy my time until I head out to Outlaw Racks later this evening.
My brother’s words circle in my head about him asking me about the neighborhood I’ve moved into. I know exactly what neighborhood I’ve moved to. But I couldn’t afford to move to another area.
This might be High 7’s territory, but it’s only a small part where the Devil’s Riot MC has the rest. As long as I keep my head down, none of them will mess with me.
Or at least I hope they won’t.
Chapter Three
K-9
Walking into the clubhouse, I’m in a foul mood, but try to tamper the anger down. Yesterday I had dropped my nephew off at daycare for Anabelle so she could pick him up from there instead of me bringing him home like normal. Something’s up with her, and I do not like her keeping shit from me.
For now, I have to push it to the back of my mind. We’re having church to prepare for a run coming up, and I need to get in there to find out what’s going on. A few years ago, I was given the secretary patch and wear it with pride. This club is my family. I would do anything for my brothers, just as I know they would do the same for me.
Stepping into the room we hold church in, I take my seat by Burner at the table. Red takes the one next to me. When Twister took the Prez patch and started this charter for Stoney, he designed this room to be just what it is—the room we hold church. On the walls holds images from over the past several years of our brothers. Our club’s logo is designed in the middle of the wall, so when you enter the room, it’s the first thing you see. On the far wall to one side, there’s a TV hooked up that connects straight to Gadget’s computer for when he needs to show us all something without having to pass a bunch of shit around the table.
The door closes when Twister comes into the room. Stalking to his seat, he takes his place at the head of the table, throwing himself into his chair. “Never in my fuckin’ life did I think I would have a child who would be as much of a pain in the ass as my own sister was growing up,” Twister grumbles, letting out a heavy breath.
“Which one?” Badger asks, chuckling.
“You know you can’t say that shit when those three kids are not only Kenny’s niece and nephews, but Izzy’s children,” my VP snorts.
“True, but my fuckin’ daughter is just like raising Kenny all over again,” Prez grunts.
“Try raising Kenny’s daughter. She’s just like her momma,” Horse suggests.
“I’m good. Mercy left for school this morning declaring she wanted a truck when she got older so she can go mudding and stick it to all the boys who say girls can’t drive trucks. Lark didn’t help when he told her that she shouldn’t be doing anything. Not even hunting since that’s his thing,” Twister grunts.
Laughter fills the room. Lark is one of Twister’s two boys, and even as young as he is, he’s smart as hell, along with being a smartass. Twister’s other son, Callum, is the same way, but he’s only five, so he’s still got a few more years before the true smartass in him shows up.
With Twister’s ol’ lady Izzy and his sister, Kenny, who’s married to Horse, my VP, he’s fucked when it comes to having smart ass, sarcastic kids around him. The same goes for Horse. Then again, JC has a lot of promise to him. He’s extremely protective and observant of those around him. We can all see when he gets older, he’ll be a member of this club.
Hell, I think all the sons of my brothers will be a part of the second generation to this club to come in the years ahead of us.
“Alright, let’s cut to it. We got other shit to talk about than fuckin’ gossiping like a bunch of pussies,” Twister says, slamming the gavel on the table.
The rest of the meet goes on without a problem. I already knew I was on rotation for this run coming up to get the shipment from the docks. My brothers always make sure I’m not on rotation on the weekends I get my nephew. This shipment is supposed to be a large gun one coming in from Russia filled with quite a few goodies. One of them being a new toy for Gadget to test out, making his favorite explosives.
We end church with a time of when the others going on the run with me will meet up later tonight. This gives me a chance to call and speak to Anabelle and get a blowjob from one of the club whores before we all head out. Maybe, then again, the only time I’ve been able to fuck anyone is with the image of Anabelle in my head. Or getting shit-faced enough to do it. My cock aches more often than not when it comes to that woman.
Twister bangs the gavel down on the table, dismissing everyone from church. I get out of my chair, walk out of church, and make my way to my room.
Inside, I pull my phone out of my pocket, dial Anabelle’s number, and lift the phone to my ear. She needs to know I don’t like this whole me dropping Derick off at a daycare when I could’ve taken him home. If she’s working, I know Mackenzie or one of the other ol’ ladies would have watched him until she got home from her shift at the hospital.
I would say I’m proud of Anabelle for going to school, finishing at the top of her class, and becoming a nurse. She now works in the ER at the local hospital rather than with Connors and Jordan at the clinic. Anabelle doesn’t know I’m proud of her and never will. Just like she won’t know, I was at her graduation the night she finished her schooling. I remember my little brother telling me how much Anabelle wanted to be a nurse, to help those who needed it most. D had told me she didn’t want to be a doctor, but a nurse.
Anabelle’s phone goes to voicemail.
Pulling the phone from my ear, I bring up our string of text messages. I should have known she wouldn’t answer my call. Anabelle’s working, and normally unless I have Little D with me, she doesn’t talk to me, period. Only texts me.
Me: Call me when you get off. We need to talk. I don’t like this dropping my nephew off at daycare when I could drop him off at home.
I shove the phone in my pocket and lay on my bed, close my eyes. I’m unable to stop the images of her from filling my head. No matter how much the sight of her there pisses me off. She’s the reason for my brother’s death, and I’m not going to let that anger go. No way in hell will I give her a chance to let her own guilt go either. Still, it doesn’t stop the images from entering my head of her with her mouth on me. My cock buried deep inside her tight little pussy or her back entrance. I remember it puckering for me when I stuck my thumb into her.
Fuck.
I can’t be thinking about this shit. Not now, when I’ve got enough to worry about with this run we’re heading out to deal with tonight.
Making the trip to the docks, Thorn had took us one of the many backways to get there. Never do we take the same way each time as a precautionary tactic. Thorn, Hades, Wolf, Red, and I pull into the docks.
My gut starts to tighten, telling me something’s not right. None of Grigory’s men are anywhere around. The last time something like this had happened, Rage ended up being shot.
; Swinging my leg over, I scan the area and climb off my bike.
“Keep eyes open, somethings not right,” Hades growls gruffly.
“Yeah, brother, I’m getting the same vibe,” I utter, taking my helmet off.
The five of us cautiously make our way toward the pier number we were to go to.
The closer we get, the more my gut tightens. Pulling out my gun from the holster under my cut, I take the safety off and cock the trigger back. The pier comes into view, and all hell breaks loose. A group of men we know all too well, are quickly trying to load a van that isn’t ours.
The High 7’s.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
My military training kicks in, and I, with the rest of my brothers, start shooting. There’s no fuckin’ way in hell we’re about to let those motherfuckers get away with our guns or the rest of the shipment.
After what feels like hours, but really is only minutes, the gunfire is gone. Men who don’t know fuck about shooting lay scattered across the ground dead or severely injured.
“Fuckin’ A. We need to call in cleanup for this shit,” Thorn grunts kicking one of the fallen men who were barely alive.
Breathing heavily, I replace my gun in its holster.
“Let’s get this shit and get out of here,” Hades snarls.
“Agreed,” I growl, livid this shit happened in the first place, because there’s only one way these fuckers knew to be here tonight. Someone had ratted.
Shifting my shoulders, trying to relax the muscles, I take note of the sharp pain in my upper arm. Glancing down, I curse. “One of those fuckers tagged me.”
“Shit, you good brother?” Red asks, coming up to examine my arm.
“I’m good. Pissed they got me, but at least it’s just a fuckin’ graze.” I shrug, pushing the pain to the back of my mind. We’ve got shit to do and not a lot of time to get it done. Thorn will make the call to get cleanup out here while the rest of us load everything in the van Red had drove out here.
Once this is done and I get cleaned up, I’m going to definitely be getting one of the club whores to suck me off. I need the release, or I’ll never be able to get any rest.
Chapter Four
Anabelle
Picking up my little man from daycare, I smile at him as he comes running my way.
“Mommy,” Derick squeals, holding his arms in the air.
I squat down to his level and hold my arms out for him to slam his little body into my chest. “Hey baby, I missed you. Did you have fun with them?” I ask, hugging him.
“Yes, Nico and me played in the water and got to ride in big trucks on the beach,” he informs me excitedly.
“That’s awesome,” I giggle. I love how much he gets excited over the little things. “You ready to go to our new home?” I ask, standing back up and taking his hand.
“New home?” he asks curiously.
Now I feel like a bad mom. I haven’t told him we were moving out of his Uncle Lex’s house and into one of our own yet. I didn’t want to take the chance of him saying something to K-9 about moving. If K-9 were to find out beforehand, I’m sure he would have his own input about it all, and then he would be telling me what the hell to do. I don’t want to deal with him just yet. He’d texted me a bit ago, all but demanding I talk to him.
Not going to happen. At least not yet, that is. I would like to get my son straight first.
“Yeah, baby, we have a house all to ourselves,” I say, guiding us out of the building and to my car. A car I didn’t even get to buy for myself. Nope K-9 had bought it, telling me that if I’m going to drive his nephew around, I would be doing it safely in an SUV rather than the car I used to have.
The man hates me, and he has no problem showing me how much every chance he gets. K-9 constantly makes it known he doesn’t agree with my decisions. In fact, the only one he doesn’t fight me on is about the schedule I try to keep Derick on. Probably because Derick’s grandparents intervened once. K-9’s dad, Danny, got in his face about it, this being after Danny and his wife, K-9’s mom, Lia, sat down with me to talk. Our conversation consisted of a lot of emotions regarding the whole situation. They’d lost their son, and I hid my pregnancy from them. I never intended to keep Derick from them, but I was scared, because at the time, I was only eighteen.
Danny and Lia are a big fixture in my son’s life alongside K-9; however, K-9 is an even bigger one than they are. Meaning I see the man constantly, if not every other day.
“Are you okay with that?” I ask my son when we get to my SUV.
“Do I still have my toys?” Of course, he’d worry about his toys. He’s three and loves to play. Especially his mini guitar, Chaz and Hunter, were teaching him to play on.
Yep, even at his young age, he’s learning to play on his guitar, because you don’t live in a house filled with musicians and not pick up an instrument. Even if my son didn’t want to learn what my brother and his friends teach him, Derick would still grow up to want to learn. I’m sure of it. Derick’s father had played the guitar and taught me. We’d sit for hours upon hours playing. He wrote his own music and taught me to play those songs.
Those songs are now on a disc just for my son to listen to. Lex, Chaz, Hunter, and Tanner all did that for Derick. They gave him a piece of his dad, and they didn’t even know him.
“Yeah, sweetheart, all of your toys are at the house and waiting for you.” I help him into his car seat and strap him in. I make sure he’s secure and close the door, round the front of it and climb in behind the steering wheel.
Starting the ignition, I check my mirrors and back out of the parking spot of the daycare. Music fills the car for Derick to listen to—his favorite station, Disney. He loves to hear the different songs while in the car. I don’t mind it so much since they’re pretty awesome anyways. I mean, no one can beat Sebastian from The Little Mermaid singing about kissing the girl.
While music plays and my son sits in the back seat singing, my mind wanders back through the events of the day. I’ve been in my new house for a few days now, and no one has bothered me. I honestly don’t think I’ve even seen any of my neighbors yet. Sure, I know the type of neighborhood I’d moved to isn’t the best, and it’s in gang territory, but still. The house I chose for the two of us is nice, clean, and well looked after. The best part is I don’t have to worry about the grass, because the owner of the property has their own maintenance man for handling that a long with other things.
I drive down the main roads leading home while my mind brings me to thoughts of K-9’s text message. We need to talk. What do we need to talk about? Derick is my son, and I have a say. I may have let K-9 walk all over me for the past several years, but it’s time I get my life back. I need to let the guilt go, finally. I can’t let the guilt I feel for Derick’s death take over my life anymore. I need to be happy for my son. He deserves to learn that happiness can come even in tragedy.
K-9 will just have to get over the fact I’m not going to allow him to walk all over me anymore. I won’t put up with him talking down to me.
Pulling onto my street, I make my way to my driveway, not missing the men sitting around on the porch at the house next to my own. I park, turn the engine off, pull my keys from the ignition, pocket them in my scrub top and get out. Ignoring the men’s eyes on me, I round the car where I help Derick out of his car seat and out of the back seat.
“You ready to see your new room?” I ask, taking his hand and heading into the house.
“Yeah,” Derick responds enthusiastically and rushes us up onto the porch, where I pull my keys out of my pocket to unlock the door. Once the door is open, I release his hand, and he takes off running, exploring the little house. He yells from what I’m assuming is his room as I step through the threshold, closing the door behind me. I make sure to flick the lock as I do so.
“Mommy, I love my big bed,” Derick yells.
I knew he would. I had picked him out a full-size bed with dinosaur bedding to go on top. He might play music, but
he’s just like any other three-year-old and loves all things boy. I’d made sure to deck his room out at my brothers the same way I did this one with his toys and what he likes. But this is his space here at our home, just the two of us, and he deserves to have his space filled with everything he wants. Which he got.
Grinning, I put my stuff down and decide to go join my son before ordering dinner. Tonight we’ll celebrate a new beginning, just him and me. Tomorrow, I’ll deal with whatever else comes my way. Meaning I’ll deal with K-9.
Chapter Five
Lex
Sitting at the bar, I stare into my drink. Lately, everything seems to be changing around me more than I can handle some days. My sister moving out is one of those changes. I don’t like that she’s decided she needed to move, let alone to the neighborhood she moved to. I should blame K-9 for this, but I can’t. I know the truth. It only took me about a day to figure it out after I found out my nephew’s father, Derick, was his brother.
K-9 may think he’s hiding the fact he wants my sister, but I’m not a fool. Neither is anyone else around us. Yeah, he’s always the jokester around us, but that doesn’t mean we don’t see it. I think the only person who’s blind to his anger is Anabelle. She puts up with his anger and hateful words.
I don’t like this, but then again, it’s not me who lost a man like Derick. I didn’t know the guy, and I have my own guilt to bear for that, because I kept my sister at arm’s length when I should have held her close. Now she’s just turned twenty-one, finished nursing school, and started working at the hospital in the ER. I’m gonna miss having her and my nephew right down the hall.
Blinking, I lift my beer off the bar top and bring it to my lips. Most of us had decided to stick around tonight to be on the alert if anything were to go down with this run. It’s strange to think I’ve known these men for years. Hung out with them on more than one occasion, and three years ago, they’d made Chaz, Hunter, Tanner, and me members of the Devil’s Riot MC. I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of anything else. That is besides being a part of my band.
