He wanted to get out of this life and settle down. He dreamed of a family of his own and maybe to get a job somewhere or start his own shop. There were things he was good at, working with wood and fixing plumbing…real plumbing not just fucking. There should be some call for someone like that in a nice little neighborhood. His thoughts had taken several turns toward a calm family life with Emma at his side. Whether he believed in happily ever after or just knew that this was a chance he didn’t want to pass up, he wanted to make it to the other side of this experience.
His phone rang and he answered it. After he’d said hello he thought he may have wanted to look at the caller ID. That was the problem with being as bored as he was… it made him impulsive and that was how this all started in the first place. Being bored led him to his rival motorcycle club’s Night of Riley that was a first annual celebration for one of their beloved club members who had died. Everything had been great and he’d not been detected because Riley had liked to wear masks… mostly the one’s from scary movies so no one saw his face. Emma had sashayed around him all night until he called her bluff. That was one call he was glad he made… win, lose or draw.
“Did you even look to see who was calling?” Fat J said, and Rafe chuckled because now it seemed like the man read minds as well as he did everything else.
“I thought about it after I answered, but I was sitting here thinking about how bored I was so I figured it would be you and your telepathic powers.” Rafe was trying to make a joke since he could tell his friend wasn’t happy about the way he picked up without checking. It was a bone head move and he’d not do that again.
“I wish I had any kind of powers when it came to you then I could figure out why you did such crazy things.” Fat J sounded like he was amazed and Rafe couldn’t blame him. In the two weeks that he’d been hiding, the hostility that had always been between the two groups had gone from understated to in your face aggression. His friend hadn’t wanted to tell him about it but he’d pried it out of him. Rafe had wanted to go back and face what he left for his Mountain Tribesman brothers but Fat J thought that would only make it worse.
“Sometimes I do too. I’ve had a lot of time to think the last few weeks and this self confinement I’m in has got to end sometime soon. I’m not going to be sitting here forever. The longer I sit here the longer I think it’s crazy that I’m sitting here. Tell me again why I’m not facing those fuckers and hiding here like some wimp.” It wasn’t that he cared much what most people thought of him, but his bikers were like his family and them thinking he just ran out on them didn’t sit well.
“The reason you’re there is to let everyone cool down.” Fat J was using his calm voice on him now and damned if it wasn’t working. The only problem was, the effects went away as soon as he wasn’t on the phone or around the man.
“Oh, yeah? How’s that working out?” Rafe knew that it was failing miserably when the man who always had something to say was at a loss for words and they only thing they were hearing were the minutes of this call adding up.
After a few long seconds Fat J let out a big sigh. “It’s not working how I expected it to. They want your head. From what I’ve heard they are looking high and low for you as well as trying to make sure that you are the one who’s guilty but your girl Emma isn’t talking. That’s really pissing them off but she doesn’t seem to be any worse for the wear.”
“You’ve seen her?” Now this was something Rafe wanted to hear about. The woman had invaded his mind and his heart before he left town, but within the last few weeks she had set up camp and taken over. He could barely remember all the other women he’d been with before her, because none of them made him willing to leave all he had behind and start again.
“Yes.” The answer was short and blunt so it felt like his friend was leaving something out. He’d probably never know what it was, but that wasn’t going to stop him from asking a few more clarifying questions.
“With your own eyes? No one just told you she was doing all right?” Rafe knew he sounded crazy but she was the main reason he’d left. Fat J told him that they would make it harder for her if he was around and he didn’t want anything bad to happen to either of them.
“You know I wouldn’t have taken hearsay for something as important as this.” Fat didn’t like his word questioned, Rafe knew that, but he also knew that the man didn’t give all his facts away, and Rafe needed more than the man was giving. He could soften him up a little bit but spending all this time alone was making and keeping him grumpy.
“I guess you wouldn’t, but I had to be sure. What I do know is that you are a planner and a schemer and I’m saying that in the best way possible, so I need you to put your mind together and figure out how to get Emma and me out of this mess.” Rafe knew this man well and he could think almost anyone out of anything given the right tools and information. He was like his own MacGuyver.
“Separately?” Fat J asked the question but Rafe knew the man was smart enough to figure out the answer. It was his party so he’d play along and dance to the big man’s tune.
“No. Not separately. I want us to get out of this together. I’ve thought about it a lot while I’ve been stuck away from everything I know. There need to be some changes in my life. Emma and I both need a new start somewhere else.” Rafe couldn’t sit still while talking about this so he got up to pace the living area of this modestly sized cabin.
“Hmmmm. That’s going to be a tough one with a lot of pieces to put together. What’s it worth to you?” Fat J was tapping his nails on what ever hard surface there was and usually that just annoyed the shit out of Rafe but the sound, coupled with his question almost brought him to the point of fury. There was usually a method to his madness but Rafe was in no mood to play.
“Whatever you want. There is no limit.” Rafe wasn’t going to play around with 'do you want this for that' kind of talk. He wanted Fat J to put his cards on the table and tell him what he wanted. Rafe would make sure he got it. Rafe’s ass was out and if Fat J needed or wanted something for such a big endeavor, so be it.
Again there was silence on the line and Rafe didn’t know what was going on. The Fat J he knew wouldn’t have asked for anything but maybe times were changing. It was a testament to how much he’d grown as a person over the years because the old him would have said ‘fuck off’ and blazed through whatever he had to for what he wanted. Thinking about another person…Emma, made him cool down and try to think this out.
“You’ve given it already, my friend.” Fat J chuckled like there was some joke that had just had its punch line told.
“You’re talking in riddles and I’m kind of antsy. So I’m going to be blunt. What the hell are you talking about?” Rafe said as he stood there confused by his friend’s behavior. Fat J wasn’t the type to be anything but straight forward, that’s why they were so good together. Was his time away changing everyone or was this some test? Rafe didn’t have the time or inclination to sit around on this man’s suggestion when he appeared to be dicking him around.
“Rafael ‘The Lucky One’ Neal, the man who is on top of the world. Has the whole area in the palm of his hand and you want to give it up and get out of the club life for a woman? I never thought I’d see the day.” There was something in his friends voice but he couldn’t tell what it was. If he could see Fat J he might be able to get a grip on what he was hearing.
“I take it you don’t approve?” Rafe said feeling like he could hear the other man’s head shaking and finger wagging. Another trait he wouldn’t have laid on Fat’s door but apparently another side of him was emerging, and it wasn’t one he particularly liked.
“It’s not for me to approve or disapprove. My thought was to find out if you were serious and you sound as serious as a man can be. I will be thinking of someway to help you but it’s going to have to be a hell of a plan.”
“If anyone can do it it’s you, Fat. I thank you for keeping an eye on everything and Emma. The last time we talked you said th
at trouble was brewing but has anything actually happened yet?” More silence greeted his questions. “Fat I don’t understand why you can’t just give me a fucking answer.”
“You are very testy Rafe, and I know it seems like I’m giving you answers that need more meat to them but things here are fragile and hard to explain. There have been fights and like I said the violence is escalating. They are looking for you high and low and they don’t believe The Mountain Tribesmen don’t know where you are.”
Rafe was feeling a bit better about Fat J and his answers. The man seemed to be acting a little more normally. Since it appeared the man was willing to talk about what was going on he decided to push a little further.
“What are my brothers saying?” Rafe wanted to know the truth even if it would sting a bit. He’d done this for everyone but he could see how it would look like he was leaving his mess for the rest of the guys to deal with. He flopped back down on the couch and waited to hear the verdict.
“They think you’re out here somewhere but the vote is split on if you’re coming back or if you’re going to just keep running.”
“I can see why they’d think that.” It felt like the air had been taken out of his tires and he was just riding the wheel. He’d never want to be seen as a person who ran away from a fight or challenge but here he was stuck someplace that didn’t even have a name to it and his brothers were fighting his fight without him.
“Let me get to thinking about how to get you and your girl out of this and I’ll get back to you.”
“All right, brother. I’ll talk to you later, but don’t make it too long. I’m dying of boredom and we both know that’s a really bad place for me to be.”
“I know, Rafe. I’m glad you’re away from the trouble but I know that you have the uncanny ability to find trouble anywhere you go. Stay safe and stay put.” Fat J rarely sounded playful but right now he sounded downright serious.
“Got it.”
The phone disconnected and Rafe sat there wondering what Emma was going through right now. He had been instructed by Fat J. not to call her as of yet because he wasn’t sure about her living situation and the fact that she was protecting him by not saying who she was with and who killed Mark, but it was so difficult. He just wanted to know she was safe. The Headless Reapers were known to be pretty tough on people they felt weren’t as loyal as they should be. Hell, so were the Tribesmen but he could take care of himself. If there was going to be hell to pay for what he’d done he’d take it.
His phone buzzed and he was more careful this time. He’d just talked to Fat J. so he knew it wouldn’t be him. The man wasn’t crazy about texting either come to think of it.
Emma: Please come help me.
The one sentence knocked the breath out of him. Was it a set up? Did someone have her phone and wanted to lure him out there? He picked up his phone and made a call to Fat J but the phone went straight to voicemail. What the hell? He was willing to stay out of sight to keep her safe but he was unwilling to hide up here in this remote cabin if she needed his help. Torn. This wasn’t like him. He was a kick ass, take names type guy and he was tired of sitting here like a mamby pamby ass.
It took less than and hour to pack up his shit and get on the road. The wind in his face and the sound of his bike in his ears… mmmm …it sounded and felt like heaven. He’d not ridden around this area because he knew if he sat on his bike and turned her on he’d be riding back into town and damn the consequences. The thrum of the bike between his legs made him feel powerful. It always had and it probably always would. He’d wanted the end of the sitting and waiting and it looked like it was already here. His gut was saying something was wrong, but it was also telling him Emma was in trouble.
Would everyone be happy to see him? Probably not, but if someone were threatening his Emma it was time to return. He hoped he could talk to Fat J before he’d got into town, if not he’d have to think outside the box and do what needed to be done. How he he just been talking to Fat J and then when he called him back there was no answer? He wondered what was going on with Emma and he felt good knowing he would find out soon. He hoped everyone was ready, because the Lucky One was going back to town.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
“Tell me where he is?” Joe Burgundy, the president of The Headless Reapers asked Emma nicely.
She looked around the room at all the faces of people she’d grown to care for and noticed that these same faces had grown to dislike her. This room, that she now associated with interrogation, was the president’s office and it was amazing how many huge men could fit in there. They all stood behind her but she could see a few of them with her peripheral vision. The words weren’t actually threatening but the situation seemed very hostile and she didn’t know if it were for the unknown assailant or for her. At this moment, she was feeling no love from any of these people so she was going to assume it was for her.
“Who are you talking about?” Emma knew she sounded innocent because after evaluating her surroundings she almost forgot what they were talking about. Almost, except they brought her in here to talk about the same thing. Over and over. This was getting to be part of her routine because this situation seemed to happen every few days. They’d ask questions, she’d not have answers, everyone would be frustrated and repeat.
“Emma, don’t act dumb. There was a text message on his phone from you. You told him you wanted to talk to him in the parking lot and he was gunned down.” Those were the facts and added up it even sounded like a set up to Emma’s ears, but the truth was she hadn't planned for him to be killed.
She’d heard all of this from him before, but from what she’d been able to gather he’d been killed with his own gun that he was still holding at the time of death. Rafe had explained what happened was self defense when Mark had pulled out a gun on Rafe and they fought over it. It was a nice spin Joe was putting on it, to make it seem like she’d set him up, especially because it was partially true. She had wanted Mark to leave her alone and she’d wanted Rafe to talk to him. In truth it had been a set up of sorts but Mark brought out the heavy artillery… she hadn’t thought that would happen.
“I wanted to talk to Mark outside because of some things that had happened after the meeting. I didn’t want an audience and asked him to meet me, but I just ended up leaving.” It was funny how you could weave a little truth into something and make it sound all true. The men at her back were starting to grumble and aggression in the room was heating up.
“Who did you leave the club with the night before? That’s the question we all want answered. Isn’t that right, boys?” Joe gestured to the men who stood all around her and she wondered what would happen if she told them what she wanted to know… what they thought had happened anyway, but there was no way in hell she would do that. She was going to deny this until her dying day. If that day came sooner rather than later the world wouldn’t hear her truth from her lips.
“It was just some guy. No one important. He was in our club so someone should have known him,” she said putting the ball back in their court. It was unheard of that Rafael Neal, VP of the rival motorcycle club Mountain Tribesmen, could walk up into a party with a mask on and be accepted into the fold. The clubs guard had been down but she shouldn’t be blamed for what someone at the door letting people in had allowed to happen.
“There are those here who think you let Rafael Neal in and then partied with him under our noses.” Joe said and the grumbling behind her got louder.
“How would I have done that? I’m not responsible for who comes in. As a matter of fact I wasn’t even able to get out of the club house that day. I was cleaning and setting up for the party. I’d been surrounded by people all day.” Emma knew her voice was raising because she could see this was going to turn into a lynch mob if all the grumbling kept up the way it was going and she didn’t stand up for herself. She did some things the club would consider wrong and she could understand their anger about her not sharing, but she didn’t bring him
in here.
“We don’t know how you did it. That’s why we are asking. We have your cell phone and have looked into some of the numbers you were texting and calling. Who’s Miss Marlene?” Joe was watching her face for any inclination that she was guilty of any thing.
The question threw her for more than one reason. “She was my foster mother before I joined up with the Reapers.” That they’d gone through her phone was a scary thing but she had put Rafe’s phone number under Miss Marlene so if he called or texted it wouldn’t look suspicious. Thank goodness he never texted anything sexual because that would have been hard to explain.
The Don's Baby: A Bad Boy Romance Page 39
