by Fox, Regina
Once they were out on the front step, Jennifer began to laugh hysterically. She laughed so hard she was incapacitated. It wasn’t part of the plan, but she was overcome nonetheless. And she knew he couldn’t lift her.
“What’s so fucking funny?” he asked. “It won’t be so funny when you never see your children again.”
“I don’t know,” she barely managed, doubled over with belly laughing. “But I can’t stop.”
He took off his belt and started hitting her with it. It had to be complete and total fear that made her laugh hysterically. Her last clear thought was that she had lost her mind. Somewhere in the background she heard the unmistakable purr of a Harley.
Brill Wayland dropped her. He ran to his car and drove off down the drive. As she lay in a pool of pain, she heard his wheels tearing away. Trenton pulled up to the front step of the porch and dashed off his bike.
She could tell he struggled not to panic, but there was tension in his voice. He examined her gingerly.
“Was that him?” he asked softly. “Do you know his license plate?”
“Yeah, it was him,” she said in a daze. “And yeah, I have his vehicle information.”
He called the police. Specifically the sheriff. His voice was wracked with emotion and rage. As soon as he was off of the phone he tended to her.
“I think as soon as the police are here, I am taking you off to the emergency clinic,” he said.
“I’m fine. He just hit me with –” She began to say but then was embarrassed. “I am fine. I want to go find my children.”
The police arrived in short order. The sheriff was an enormous man, but not much bigger than Trenton. Sheriff Billy Weston. He was a striking man. Massive build, like he could have played pro ball. Handsome Native American features. Bronzy red coloring. An imposing figure. He had been the man who arrested her husband a few weeks back.
She did not like the look on his face when he came upon her. She must look terrible. It was bad, what Brill Wayland had done to her, but she was certain he had only struck her on her back and torso. They were looking at her face and making one of their own.
She decided to check herself out in the mirror. She had a bloody nose and a busted lip from which blood trickled too.
“Oh my gosh,” she remarked.
“Yes,” said Trenton.
“I want to get a picture before you clean it up.” The sheriff broke out his phone and snapped some pictures. “Do we have an official camera?” he said to his crew.
Since they did not, Trenton also took pictures.
“So tell us what happened? Hey, I have a question,” the sheriff asked. “You swapped a lot of stuff over in your name when he went to jail the first time. Was the house taken out of his name? What I am getting at is, I want to know if we can get him on a trespassing charge. Or a B&E charge.”
“I don’t know exactly. I need someone to look at the papers. I know that I signed a bunch of stuff and some of the properties were attached with the company. So some of it is in my name but I just don’t know,” said Jennifer.
“I can look at that,” said Trenton. “I’ll look over everything and give you an answer later.”
And then he wrapped a dishcloth around a baggie he filled with ice and cleaned her up. Jennifer began to fall apart. He drew her to his body and enveloped her with his enormous, safe arms.
The police looked around, with Jennifer guiding them to see if anything telling was missing. She checked all the keys they had: to vehicles, to the office and to vacation homes. They determined their keys to the home in Devils Lake, where he had said he was the night before, were missing.
“I wonder if he’s smart enough to take those just to throw us off?” asked Billy. “I guess we have to check it out anyway.”
“We have club members out there looking for the kids. We think they’re with a nanny,” said Trenton.
“Club? You mean Ghosts?” asked Billy. “So long as they remember no one has deputized them.”
“I hear you, sheriff,” said Trenton.
The sheriff and his crew dispatched. There was now an APB on Brill Wayland, Jennifer’s husband. Ex-husband. She decided whether or not they were married, he was her ex-husband from now on.
Trenton scooped her up in his powerful arms. Leaning against his chest was like leaning against one of the rock walls at Badlands. He placed her on her bed, which had been torn apart by Brill – for they had made it up after they had used it, and drew a hot bath for her.
He gently removed her clothing. He looked her body over thoroughly.
“Baby, I am not going to get angry. I will be cool. Tell me how he made these?”
He traced his fingers along the lines of the welts that Brill Wayland put on her. Jennifer wanted to avoid the question all together. She didn’t want to admit what happened. But she had a feeling he was going to press until she did.
“Trenton, he hit me with a belt,” she said. “I don’t like talking about it. I just want to forget about it.”
The air in the room tensed up. He was furious, but unlike Brill Wayland, he controlled himself. He set her in the tub, filled with water of the perfect temperature and scented oily suds. The water in the pool at the park had felt great on her skin but there was nothing like a hot bath.
Every so often, as he dragged his hands gently over her body to bathe her, they would lace fingers. They would connect by holding hands.
“Breathe,” he said. “We’ll get him and those kids will be safe. Billy was awesome to us before when Brill was being a dick, and he’ll be awesome now. Women and kids. That’s the golden rule.”
He ran the water again and gently washed her hair. Washing your own hair did not feel anywhere near as good as when someone else did it. And it felt amazing to have him massaging her scalp with his powerful fingertips. He sent shivers that electrified her whole body. Her nipples were wet and pebbled in the soapy water.
Finally, he let out the water and drew her up in a great big towel that she had. Their movements were slow and quiet. Jennifer knew he understood how stressed she was. He was so thoughtful and so tender in his approach.
He made the bed before he set her in it.
“So, here is the plan,” he said. “We are going to take your car and drive over to Devils Lake. Let’s pack an overnight bag for you and if there’s anything you think you would like to bring for the kids.”
She snuggled into him. “You are so wonderful,” she said. “This would have happened anyway. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here.”
She broke with emotion. He kissed the top of her head.
“What?” he asked gently. He stroked her hair.
“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. But I feel super guilty for having a great time while my kids –” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Hey,” he said. “You did not cause this. You deserve to have fun. This just happened. Like you said. This would have happened anyway. This is all him. He’s punishing you because he was put in jail because he resisted arrest after he started something with us.”
“But if I didn’t need a break or give them to my folks or if I had been with them –”
“Yeah, and if you had been there with them, you might have been hurt worse and then where would they be. This way, you’re alive and well and you have an entire band of men in the Ghosts of the Prairie ready to go to the mat for you.”
“Yeah,” she said, the light bulb coming on. “Yeah.”
“Yeah,” said Trenton. He snuggled her tighter.
***
The drive from New City to Devils Lake was a long one. Already, by the time they were halfway there, Jennifer felt like she had been all over the state. She was glad they were in her Cadillac. She could not have taken a ride for this distance after yesterday. She was such a newbie.
It was so hot to see Trenton drive. His long hair flicking in the wind. His enormous frame in the driver’s seat. To see his incredible muscles flex as he
took the wheel.
But it was amazingly touching to look out the window and see swarms of Ghosts of the Prairie on the road around them. Sometimes they would be nowhere. And sometimes they would be surrounded.
She dozed.
She woke when she felt the car pulling over. They were not there yet.
“What’s going on?” she asked, looking around.
“Lunch/dinner break,” Trenton announced.
The bikers and Trenton filled the parking lot of a bar called Thirstie’s. She knew this bar to be in the town of Devils Lake so they were near to her lake home. The men were like knights in black and leathers dismounting their iron horses. They quietly entered the bar. There were a few bikes already in the lot. She saw the guys eyeing the bikes as they passed.
Jennifer couldn’t tell one bike from the next but she definitely had the feeling that there was perhaps a rival club present at the bar. She walked in, hand in hand with Trenton.
“Do those bikes belong to Riggers?” asked Jennifer.
“They do,” he answered. “Those guys worked for Brill and you’ve fired them, so it makes no sense that they would even be here unless he asked them to be. He must feel vulnerable,” said Trenton.
“Small men usually do,” remarked Danny.
Most of the crowd was at the bar so they were able to get tables. But as soon as they entered the bar, Jennifer felt the tension.
As soon as someone began to order, a Rigger seated at the bar shouted, “Ah, we don’t serve little girls here. You all will have to run along.”
Trenton and Danny smiled. It wasn’t a good sign that someone was picking a fight with them, but Jennifer could not help but be taken with how handsome the guys were. Their smiles so bright against their sun colored skin.
“Why, I think he means us,” said Danny.
He always seemed to have a smile on his face anyway. He was a good spirited man, thought Jennifer. She glanced at his build. He and Trenton had amazing musculature. His muscles were hardly contained in his T-shirt. She could see his every definition. His biceps exploded from the short sleeves. His hair fell in shaggy array around his handsome face. He always seemed good-natured, even if the situation was about to turn rowdy.
Which it felt like it was about to do.
They disregarded the remark and continued with their order. But it started up again.
“Hey,” called the biker. “You take their order at your own risk.”
The Ghosts of the Prairie all rose to their feet. A couple of women with them, Jennifer included, huddled in their seats.
“Don’t you threaten this woman who is only doing her job,” said Danny.
“Well, this woman is my woman and I am telling her not to serve you,” said the biker.
The woman looked terrified. She also looked like she wanted to go ahead and serve. She didn’t look like she wanted to do whatever the other biker was telling her to do.
One of the Ghosts of the Prairie stood up. “Don’t worry about him,” he said. “Do what you need to do. We’ll take care of you.”
“Thank you Foley,” said Danny. “Dude, you either sit down and drink your drink and leave us alone, or be taught a lesson. Choice is yours.”
Jennifer eyeballed the biker, Foley, and thought he was pretty cute. And that he was super sweet to come to the waitress’s rescue. It was obvious from the looks of the waitress that she thought so too.
They all placed their orders. But right in the middle of the peace, part of a hamburger sailed through the air and hit the back of one of the Ghosts. They all looked the way of the Riggers clustered together.
“We already told you to mind your manners,” said Danny. “Now we are going to teach them to you. It’s on.”
The other women in the group, including the waitress, scattered. She felt the very firm hands of Trenton Gillis on her hips, speed walking her away from the brawl through the kitchen, out the back door of the bar. Jennifer’s heart raced like crazy because she heard thuds of fists hitting bodies and glass breaking.
“Trenton?” she asked.
“It’ll be okay baby. Stay put,” he said before disappearing.
But she didn’t stay put. Jennifer walked around the building trying to find a signal. She thought it was time she took a moment to check in with the company. She knew the place didn’t just run itself and she had been out of pocket.
Her phone finally registered a few bars. She was able to call the woman who had been Brill’s assistant. Even outside, it was a little difficult hearing. She huddled in over the phone making her repeat everything.
The racket from the sparring inside the bar was ridiculous. It was a wonder sirens couldn’t be heard screaming down the road. She spied inside the window, and sure enough, they were going at it. She shrank back when the first man was ejected through the front door. It was a Rigger thrown out by a Ghost.
“I am so sorry,” she said to the assistant. She stepped back around the building. “I’ll send you an email.”
She thought she was safe being on the side of the building where there were no windows. She was away from the flow of fighting. But she was wrong. She felt a pair of very strong hands on her. She knew it wasn’t good.
She turned, hoping to see Trenton, but she knew that was not possible. She nearly threw up when she turned to see a biker. A Rigger, glaring down at her. It was the man who had been ejected from the fight.
His face was ominous. He was bleeding from the lip. And his face was filled with rage.
“Holy shit,” she cursed.
“Brill Wayland wants to see you,” he said.
He wrenched his arms around her and proceeded to carry her. Or attempt to. She kicked and protested every step until he put her down. He raised his hand to her but she held her hand up to halt him.
“Wait,” she said.
“You fight me on this, one way or the other, I will make good. I will take you to him. And I will collect my bounty,” he said.
Jennifer thought fast. She put a flirtatious hand on the biker’s doughy chest. She clicked her tongue against her teeth.
“Why didn’t you say?” she said in a friendly tone. “First of all, how did you know where to find me?”
“I spotted you in the bar, but I’ve been trailing you all since New City. I’ve been given your plates and told to watch you,” he answered.
“Now why would you work for Brill Wayland? You know he doesn’t have a penny. I am the one who holds the purse strings.” she asked.
She made the biker think. That bought her some time. There was no way to signal Trenton or any of the guys that she was in trouble.
She continued, “I am afraid if he’s told you anything, he’s bullshitted you. We got a bar full of people in there who have been done the same way. Now what can I do for you?”
“He promised me five hundred if I brought you to him,” he said.
“Buddy, I’ll pay you five thousand if you tell me where my children are. And I’ll make you my personal bodyguard. Salary and your own corporate card,” she said.
“How do I know you’re not bullshitting me?” he asked.
“Did you just lose your job?” she asked. She had just laid off a bunch of men that Brill had hired.
“Yes,” he said.
“Well, I am the broad who did that.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out a heavy black credit card. She handed it to him.
“That has no limit. If my ex-husband can do that, I guess I stand corrected,” she said.
He hesitated. He didn’t quite trust her.
“Take it,” she said casually. “I have another one. This will prove to you I am good on my word. Give me your hand.”
The biker was entranced. He did as he was told. She wrote a PIN on his hand.
“There,” she said. “Go get yourself as much cash as you want. Tell me where my kids are.”
The biker tucked the card in his vest pocket. “How do I know you won’t call the cops?”
; “For the card?” she asked. “I gave you the card and the PIN. Looks like I don’t have a leg to stand on. I will back you up. Want me to send you a text? I will do that. I just want my children.”
“Sure,” he said sarcastically, “whatever you say. Give me your phone number. I’ll text you the location.”
Jennifer was distracted. Trenton, Danny, and Foley had created a human wall just beyond the biker, who looked at the reflection in the bar window and saw them.
“Sure,” the biker repeated, but in a humble tone. “They’re in a house in Devils Lake. He’s got some young woman taking care of them. She doesn’t have much patience for them, but that’s where they are.”
Jennifer looked to Trenton for strength.
“Is the fighting over?” she asked, very glad to see him.
“Were you here trying to shake this woman down?” Trenton demanded.
“No, I was sent here to pick her up. I’ve been tailing you all since New City. She offered me a better deal. And I wasn’t going to be straight with her until you all showed up,” he said.
The biker returned Jennifer’s credit card to her. He eyeballed the crowd of Ghosts who were encircling him.
“Where’s your bike?” demanded Danny. His tone was harder than usual.
“Oh man, not my bike,” he muttered.
“Now I want you to switch out with one of my guys. They’re going in as you. You better not be telling a lie about any of this because it will be your last,” said Danny.
“I’ll go,” said Foley.
“Good man,” said Danny. “You two swap out T-shirts and vests,” said Danny, who then braced the biker with his powerful hand. “You don’t put on his vest. He puts on yours. You are not wearing my club’s vest.”
Right out in front of the bar, the men exchanged shirts. Foley took his bike.
“Where’s your bike?” asked the biker.
“You aren’t taking his bike,” smiled Danny.
“What am I supposed to do?” demanded the biker.
“You’re a Rigger, right? You got other Riggers in there, right? See what they can do for you. I don’t know about your crew but we stick together. We back each other’s play,” said Danny.
