by Jackson Kane
I recognized some of these people from around town. They weren’t fighting because they knew us, some even worked for my family’s businesses. Joey had been the one to call and ask me to check on Lucas. They knew my family.
I stopped throwing punches, focusing instead on dodging and blocking. I called out the name and position of as many people I could recognize. Nothing slows a man down in a brawl faster than losing his anonymity.
For the people I couldn’t remember the names to, or didn’t know in the first place, I just called out the name of where they worked and that seemed to be enough. Eventually the fighting died down.
“Jonathan Banks,” I said finally, catching the fist that was meant for my face. The man looked shocked that I knew his name, caught his fist and didn’t immediately counter with a punch of my own. “How’s your daughter doing in college—was it Jennifer? Jessica?”
I heard the girl’s name only once in passing, while I was touring one of the King manufacturing plants with my father. My father made it a point to go to every place he owned and meet as many people as possible. The People’s King they all called him.
When I asked him why bother? Why not just focus all your energy on expanding instead he told me, “The real secret to success is to take care of your employees. If you treat them fair and help them prosper, they’ll work their asses off for you. A strong foundation in a skyscraper is far more important than the highest story.”
“Justine…” The buzzed man looked confused. I let his hand go and he stumbled back a step. Once he got his bearings he said, “Uh good, she’s doing good. Just started her sophomore year.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” I told Jonathan Banks, then turned to loudly address the rest room. “We’re Richard and Lucas King, if you don’t know us then you know our father—William King. Some of you have met him; most of you have worked in one of his companies at some point.”
“The fuck is all this?” Jason grumbled, getting back up from the floor. I didn’t see what happened to him, but both he and my brother were bleeding from the fighting. Jason was holding a knife.
How long had he had he been using that?
Worried, I glanced at Lucas—who was still unarmed—to see if he was alright. Lucas had some cuts on his arms and good slice running down his chest, but otherwise seemed OK.
One thing was for sure, this was getting too serious. I had to stop it before someone was killed.
“This whole thing is just a misunderstanding,” I said, rubbing my battered cufflinks. “Caldwell Hope is our home too, our community as well! We’re your neighbors, our father helped build this town. Is this how you would repay him, by killing his sons? This is crazy. My brother and I came here to talk, not to start trouble.”
“Bullshit!” a scarred, bearded man called out. “You fuck with one of us you fuck with all of us.”
“Damn right,” Jason agreed. “You think you can come in here and steal my wife? Community?” Jason laughed spitefully. “You’re not one of us. Go back to your glass mansions, rich boys.”
“I’m not your wife,” Molly said defiantly. Everyone quieted to let her talk. She walked up to her ex husband and punched him square in the face. “You disgust me.”
Jason growled and went to hit her back, not realizing the knife was still in his hand. My heart leapt into my throat as I watched Lucas step between them, shielding Molly. He was ready to take the full brunt of the stab.
Oh no… I reached for Lucas, but was too far away. I’d just lost my father, I couldn’t lose my brother too.
At the last second a beefy hand caught Jason’s wrist, crushed it and turned it out painfully enough that Jason dropped the knife. It clattered uselessly, then was kicked away.
“That’s not how we do things here, Cannonball,” said the gruff voice of a strong-fat man with long gray hair and a neatly kept mustache and goatee. The name patch on his vest read, Hooksy. President.
“I never worked for the man, but I knew Will King,” the MC president began. When he spoke everyone listened. “Caldwell Hope didn’t want a chapter of the Black Chains to set up shop, even out here on the outskirts. They thought we’d be dangerous; bad for the community. Bring in drugs and all that.
“I fought for months to incorporate, but got black balled at every turn. That was until I got a call from some billionaire wanting a meeting.” The president let Jason go, then shoved him away. “This ballsy, motherfucker drove down to this very bar, back before we took it over, and talked with me for five hours. He wanted to get a sense of what we’re all about.
“‘The winds were changing in Caldwell Hope,’ Will told me. ‘With all the out-of-towners coming in we’re going to need some help keeping order until we get more cops.’ In the end we made a deal, he’d go to bat for us as long as we made this town a better, safer place.
“We both kept our end of the bargain. Without Will King, our chapter of the Black Chains wouldn’t exist. As far as I’m concerned, the King family is as welcome here as our own.”
“Pres, this piece of shit is trying to steal away my ol’ lady.” Jason thrust a finger at Lucas.
“I’m not your ol’ lady, Jason. Not anymore. I came here to talk but you were more interested in playing pool and starting a fucking riot to listen to anything I had to say.” Molly turned to appeal to Hooksy. “I’ve served him with divorce papers, but he won’t sign them.”
“This true? You get served?” Hooksy glared at his Sgt-At-Arms, but Jason just looked away. The pres’ hard features softened as he spoke to Molly. “Don’t you worry about a thing; we’ll get him to sign.”
“As for the rest of you!” Hooksy addressed the room one last time. “In honor of the passing of Black Chains honorary member–Will King, for the rest of the night all your cheap shitty beer will be free.”
The crowd roared in celebration and the debris was mostly cleared. Jason brushed past a few of the drunker bikers, knocking one to the ground, then left muttering how he’d been betrayed by his own brothers.
The very same people that were just throwing fists and bottles at me came up to shake my hand, and offer their condolences or wax nostalgic about their experiences with my father. Maybe it was because I wasn’t all that familiar with the ins and outs of bar fights, but the whole thing was a surreal experience
Lucas wasn’t put off at all by any of it. He shook a few hands, but his determination was still clearly apparent. He was here for Molly and Molly only, through the bad times and the good.
He swept her up in a big hug and kissed her like it was the last day on earth.
It made me smile to see two people overcome all obstacles to be together. A stark, powerful melancholy washed over me as well as I thought about Gloria. Words couldn’t describe how much I missed her at that moment. I wanted nothing more than to stare into those storm cloud eyes and run my fingers through her fine black hair…
Watching Lucas swing Molly around as if they were the only two people in the room would’ve made it easy for me to be jealous of Lucas, after all, he got the girl and I didn’t. I was beyond that petty emotion now though. I could honestly be happy for the two of them; they deserved both happiness and each other.
If anything it doubled my resolve to make things right with Gloria. Love to me was a landmark picture on a postcard of a place I’d never been to. I knew it existed but I had yet to experience it in person yet.
That was until Gloria.
Whatever her and I had together it was too important to let it go without putting up a fight. I didn’t know how I’d win her back yet, but I knew I would.
“Sorry to hear about the old man dying,” Hooksy handed me a beer then extended a hand. “He was a bold, crafty sonofabitch. He will be missed.
“Thanks.” I shook the man’s rough, concrete slab for a hand.
It truly was amazing all the lives my father touched. It was funny, I felt more comfortable talking about my dad with this motorcycle club president than I did with some of my extended family. H
ooksy had a genuine salt-of-the-earth quality about him that made me understand how these people could easily follow him as their leader.
I bet, despite their stations in life, he and my dad had a lot in common.
“I appreciate the save back there, Hooksy,” Lucas said, with his arm around Molly. They were both all smiles, and had a teenagers-in-love glow about them. “But if you were so buddy-buddy with our dad, then what the fuck took you so long, man? Your guys nearly took us apart back there.”
There was a long, deliberate pause while Hooksy glared at my brother. For a moment I thought the old biker was going to take Lucas’s head off, until he snorted and chuckled.
“I was in the can,” the president said, not losing any of his gruffness. “Next time call ahead first. Even your dad knew how to use a phone.”
I gave Lucas a knowing look.
“Shut up, Richard,” Lucas shook his head, smiling. He gave Hooksy a lazy salute to show his respect and appreciation, then cocked his head toward the door. “Molly and I are heading out, we’ve got some catching up to do.”
“Don’t catch up too fast,” The old biker smirked through his thick mustache, then shook Lucas's hand. Molly blushed several shades at the veiled innuendo and kissed Hooksy on the cheek.
“Did you know my father well?” I asked the old biker after the happy couple walked out the door.
“I did.” He nodded thoughtfully, patting me on the shoulder. “He had the worst goddamn jokes I’d ever heard.”
Chapter 25
Lucas
Molly’s apartment was a modest two bedroom squashed between two other floors in her three story building. It was a nice area and almost walking distance from the school she worked at.
“Well being that you’re too damn stubborn for a hospital, let me at least patch you up,” Molly grabbed a first aid kit from her bathroom.
“How many bikers have you had to treat?” I marveled over the backpack sized medical bag she had. “It’s not that bad.”
Each cut and bruise hurt like a bastard, but fortunately they were all pretty superficial, even the one down my chest. I was lucky that Cannonball was half in the bag when we got there, because if there’s an unarmed person in a knife fight it doesn’t matter how good he is, that guy usually loses.
Molly laughed dropping the bag on the long thin counter that separated the kitchen from her living room. “The fire department was updating the school medical supplies and had a few extra trauma kits, so they gave me one.”
Molly clipped her hair back, washed her hands, then slid on a pair of disposable latex gloves. She let them slap against her wrists ominously.
“You’re not going to ask me to bend over and cough, are you?” I teased, feigning fright.
“What kind of weird stuff did you get into while you were away?” Molly raised an eye, warily.
“Don’t judge, it’s been a long, lonely decade.” I sat down at her small, expandable dining room.
“Whatever you say, Elmo,” She smiled, then patted the air upwardly. “Strip.”
“Yes, nurse.” Instead of pulling it over my head it was easier to tear it the rest of the way and let it fall off my back. Bloody and naked to the waist, I waited for her soft warm hands to take care of me.
Molly dragged over the only other wooden chair from her small dining room set and sat next to me. She carefully laid out everything she had, then got started cleaning me up with stinging antiseptic. Soon enough everything was bandaged up. I only whined a little, not because the pain was overwhelming, but just to give her some playful grief. It was my way of showing her I was going to be alright. I didn’t want her to worry about me too much.
“All set, you big baby.” Molly peeled back her gloves and threw away the extra gauze and packaging. “I’ll grab you some water.”
“I don’t need water.” I grabbed her arm and pulled her onto my lap. “I need you.”
“Luke…” she said, worrying about my wounds.
“I’m serious.” There was no more silly playfulness in my voice, just awe and sincerity. “It’s not every day you get a second chance at your one and only. You know I’ve always hated my stage name, but it’s not until this very moment that I’ve ever felt so lucky.”
Molly smiled deeply, her glasses slid down her button nose ever so slightly. I took them off and put them on the table. Her prescription wasn’t too bad, she once described it as going from standard to high definition.
“I love you Molly Baker.” I kissed her. “I love you today.” I kissed her again. “I love you tomorrow.” And again. “I love you the day after that.” And again. “I love you till the stars burn out and the sun falls from the sky. I love you to the end of our lives and to anything beyond that.”
“I will never, ever, let you go again.”
“Oh Luke…” The worry fled from her tone, it was replaced by honey, nostalgia and hope.
And love.
I kissed her again, this time it wasn’t short nips, I drank in her lips like they were made of liquid heaven. Heat climbed up my scalp as she ran her fingers through my hair.
There was nothing else to say after that.
I picked her up and carried her onto her immaculately made bed and gently laid her down. We tumbled into each other, careful around my bandages when we remembered. She rolled on top of me and tore off her layered sleeveless blouse and cream colored bra.
Her olive skin was flawless and perfect and just like how I’d remembered it. I grabbed her and pulled her close, needed to feel her skin on mine. I needed to breathe in her scent. It was all so important, so immediate.
I might have died somehow right then and there if I didn’t get what I needed.
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Molly protested, but quickly gave in. Her eyes shared my same urgency.
“As long as I have you,” I whispered into her ear, my lips playing gently against her lobes, “Nothing can ever hurt me again.”
Her body rippled against the vibrations of my words. I followed the shiver down her back with my fingernails. She turned her head to mine and bit then sucked on my bottom lip.
“Don’t worry,” she said in between kisses down my chin and neck. “I’ll protect you.”
In a weird way she already did. If she hadn’t helped in the bar, who knows what would’ve happened?
Molly had risked everything, and thrown away the last ten years of her life. When it came down to the most important decision, she chose me.
In return I showed her I was willing to die for her.
As she kissed down my neck I got up to follow her, but she placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down. “Uh uh. You stay right there. Doctor’s orders.”
Her hard nipple grazed across one of my bandages, but I was able to suppressed the sharp pain so she didn’t notice. Fuck pain. The last thing I wanted was for her to stop. I could deal with pain, what I couldn’t deal with was any part of her leaving my body.
When her tongue reached my collar bone I became aware of how hard my cock was. She hadn’t even got to my belt yet, and I was already making the leather strap groan at being stretched.
I let my head lull back and enjoyed the sensation of her licking over every one of my bulging muscles. When she hit my lower abs I reached up and cupped her tits. I trapped her nipples between my fingers; rolling and squeezing them.
Her tits slid over the rough denim of my jeans, making my cock throb and yearn for her.
Molly roughly unfastened my belt and popped the buttons on my pants that took the place of a zipper. I sat up, straining against the pain from my wounds only to have her push me back to the bed.
“Down, stubborn boy.”
I pulled my bottom lip out from my teeth and raised my arms in submission. You get to have your way for now, little girl. “Go ahead, have your fun, but I’m coming to take what’s mine soon.”
Molly smiled, reaching into my pants and grabbing my thick cock. She squeezed and a hot wave of pleasure tore up my core
making me moan. “Is that so?”
“Because from what I see…” She tore my cock out of my pants and breathed in sharply as if still shocked at how big I was. Her dark eyes narrowed seductively as she gripped tighter and began to work her hand up and down my shaft. The motion turned my moan into a grunt. “I’ve got you by the balls, big man.”
“Fucking hell…” I propped myself up on my elbows to get a better look at her. My cock was right next to her face, making it look so small in comparison. “I love you. You know that?”
“I think I can wrap my head around the notion.” Molly winked, kissing the tip of my cockhead, before taking as much of me as she could into her mouth.
Her slick pillowed lips and rough grip worked my rod over and over. She could only get about halfway down my shaft, but more than made up for it with the gymnastics her tongue was performing.
She was getting me close, and could already taste my precome in her mouth. I loved getting my dick sucked, but I didn’t want to come like that with her. Not yet. I pulled my cock out and sat up.
“Hey,” Molly protested, looking disappointed, then pouted. “I wasn’t done.”
“Too bad. Time’s up. It’s my turn.” I was ravenous. I couldn’t stand the fact that she still had clothes on and in a painful whirlwind of motion I had her dress pants and underwear thrown across the room.
“Luke, your arm.”
A blossom of red darkened the bandage. I didn’t care. It didn’t look like it was going to bleed through and there would always be time for more bandages later.
“I’ve got a spare just in case.” With my good arm, I reached behind her and threw her down on the bed. Molly laughed at how easily my strong arms were able to move her.
I spread her legs and dragged the head of my cock over her glossy, hungry pussy.
Then, against every fiber in my body, I stopped.
“What is it? Are you alright?” Molly looked concerned.
“I’m not with you for any other reason than to be with you. I need you to know that. Fuck my inheritance. Fuck everything else.”
