by Sarah Osborn
She loved the sound of his laugh. “You always could see inside my head.” He brought her fingers to his lips. “I guess you're right, this really ain't about you. I'm not sure how to explain it. I guess I'm feeling kinda lost here. I didn't realize, till I hit Vegas, just how much I miss being on the road. An' before you say anything, I ain't planning on going back out there, an' it ain't just cuz of you. I'm getting old, Emma, an' I don't think I could if I tried.” He chuckled. “I guess I'm having a midlife crisis.”
“You're not old, Deke.” Emma reached up and touched his cheek. “But I know you're not as fit as you were. The selfish part of me is glad that you going nomad again isn't an option, but I do feel for you.” She smiled. “You'll figure it out, and I'll always be here with you. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby girl. I'm sorry for being a miserable asshole.”
She stood and kissed the top of his head. “Why change the habits of a lifetime, big guy.”
He looked up and grinned. “Come to the clubhouse tonight. Felix and James will have Lottie and Genghis.”
“I dunno, Deke.”
“Please, Emma. We could use a night out. C'mon, give Felix a call, it'll be fun.”
She sighed. “Okay, if you really want me to.”
He stood and pulled her into his arms. “Good girl. Go an' get ready. I'll get Lottie's stuff together.”
TWENTY-FIVE
“Brother! Good to have you back.” Spike pulled Samson into a one-armed hug, then turned his attention to Emma. “Hey, Sparky. You're looking as hot as ever.” He kissed her full on the lips and winked. “S'pose it'd be too much to expect you to have dumped your ol' man for me, huh?”
Samson rolled his eyes. He'd long since given up trying to stop Spike from hitting on his ol' lady, and truthfully, he knew his brother would never step over the line. The fact was: Emma was hot – hotter than she realized – what man in his right mind wouldn't want her? “Why should she want you when she's got a real man, brother?”
Emma laughed. “I'm flattered and all, but when you two have stopped comparing dick size, maybe one of you could get me a drink. As I've been relieved of parenting duties for the night, I'll have a tequila.”
“You got it, baby girl.” Samson took her hand and led her to the bar. “You might wanna pace yourself, though. I don't wanna come outta church an' find you flat out on your ass.”
“You calling me a lightweight, big guy?”
He shrugged and kissed her. “Yup.” He nodded to Lola, who was wiping glasses with a bored expression. “Hey, Lola. Take good care of my girl while I'm in chapel, okay?”
“Sure, Samson. Hi, Emma. What'll it be?”
Emma sighed. “Well, as my old man is convinced I'll be passed out in half an hour if I hit the tequila, I guess I'll have a beer.”
~ oOo ~
“Good to have you back, Samson.” Bugs leaned back and lit a cigarette. ”You think this girl's attack has anything to do with you?”
“I dunno, boss. She said her attackers were European, an' she'd told me that Moretti was dealing with a European guy who was bringing in girls from Russia or somewhere.” Samson shrugged. “Could be a coincidence, of course.”
“You spoken to Tiny?”
“Yeah. Vince and Moretti are still pushing hard for him to wash Moretti's dirty money through his car shop.”
“Could be profitable for him and the club.” Spike leaned forward. “Maximum return for minimal risk.”
“True, except that if Moretti is skimming funds from De Luca, it could get very messy, an' Tiny's share of that business is in Beth's name. No way Tiny will drag her into this.”
“Could she not just sign her share over to him?” Wolf, had been quiet until now. “From what I hear, they could use the cash.”
Samson shook his head. “Tiny's adamant that the car shop stays legit. Vince is looking to open a used car lot next door an' get Tiny to front it. If he can do it without involving Beth, he'll agree, I think. To be honest, I don't think he's in a position to turn it down.”
Bugs frowned. “Sounds like you think it's a bad idea.”
“For what it's worth, I do. Moretti is a slimy piece of work, an' I don't trust him. I can't be sure, but it looks as though he's breaking away from De Luca, an' he ain't a man you walk away from. There will be consequences, an' that could hurt, not just Bay View, but the club as a whole.”
Bugs shrugged. “Not much we can do about it. I guess we just have to sit tight an' hope Vince knows what he's doing.” He slammed the table with the palm of his hand. “Reckon that's all. Thanks, brothers.” As they began to file out of church, he looked up. “Samson, you got a minute?”
“Sure boss. What d'ya need?”
“I've been hearing whispers that nomads have been kicking up a stink in San Diego. You know anything about this?”
“No, nothing. Kicking up a stink how?”
“Making a nuisance of themselves, an' being a pain in Serpiente's ass. No blood has been spilled, but couple of bikes have been torched, and the clubhouse windows all got shot out.”
“An' you're sure this is The Freaks' work?”
“Yup. So are the Serpiente. So far it's staying local, but this could get ugly, and I, for one, don't want to get into another bullshit war.”
“What does Fox say?”
“Denying all knowledge.”
“You want me to reach out?”
“Not sure it'll make a lot of difference, but yeah, I do.” Bugs stood and laid his hand on Samson's shoulder. “It can wait. Go an' get with your girl, 'fore Spike worms his way into her panties.”
~ oOo ~
Emma was bored. She was sure that most people believed that the clubhouse was a den of debauchery, and while the big parties could get a little wild at times, the reality was that bars full of bikers meant that most of the conversations revolved around bikes. She sighed and looked around for someone to talk to as Deke, Wolf and Bugs discussed torque, or whatever the fuck they were talking about. None of the old ladies seemed to be around, and the club girls were hanging off patches, and looked as bored as her. She slid off her stool and made her way to the jukebox. Surely there must be something other than metal to listen to.
“If you're looking for something you're gonna like, you're gonna be disappointed, baby girl.”
She spun around as Deke rested his hands on her hips. “It wouldn't kill you guys to broaden your horizons, you know.”
“Ain't gonna happen.” He grinned. “You getting bored?”
“A little.” She reached up and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. “Harleys aren't my favorite subject.”
“So you won't wanna be taking a ride with me, then.”
Emma grinned. “You got anywhere in mind?”
“Nope.”
“Perfect. Lead the way, big guy.”
TWENTY-SIX
Beth wasn't stupid. She knew the new addition to the car shop wasn't entirely legit, and Joe's insistence that she signed her share of the business over to him had confirmed her suspicions. She hadn't argued or asked questions – that wasn't how things worked – she'd just taken take the cash he'd offered to pay off the loan, and trusted that Joe had weighed the risks. He'd sworn to her that he was going to earn straight, but she'd always known that, at heart, he was an outlaw, and that, in this instance, Vince was calling the shots.
While she wasn't entirely happy with this turn of events, she couldn't deny the extra income was helpful. Sophia's medical bills were increasing all the time, and four kids didn't come cheap. They had discussed selling the house in Seattle, but she'd been reluctant. One day, she hoped to return there. She may have been a California girl, but Seattle had been the only place that had ever really felt like home. With a sigh, she climbed out of her car and walked between the gleaming cars to Joe's office.
He looked over and grinned. “Hey.”
“Hey. I can't stay – the twins are in the car. Will you be able to pick Abs and Luke up from school? Alice
's therapist called, she has a cancellation and can fit in an extra session. I'd really like her to be able to go.”
“Of course. You taking Imi with you?”
“Yeah. She can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but the alternative is leaving her with Gloria.”
“Leave her here. I got Mike working in the shop, so I'm stuck in here doing paperwork.” He chuckled. “She can help.”
“Any excuse to avoid admin, huh?”
“You got me.” He stood and took her hand. “C'mon, let's get her before I change my mind.”
Beth smiled as he carried his daughter back to the office. Imi was a real daddy's girl. Joe loved all his kids equally, but Imi was the one he spent most time with.
~ oOo ~
“We running daycare here now?” Vince marched through the office and headed straight for the safe at the back.
Tiny shrugged but said nothing as Imi, with one eye on his President, climbed onto his lap. Of all his kids, she was the most outgoing – even more so than Abi – but she was always shy and quiet around Vince. She snuggled into his chest, and he kissed the top of her head. “Something you need, boss?”
“Got a buyer coming in for the Dodge, tomorrow morning. Make sure it's you that handles the sale.” Vince dropped some documents on the desk and pocketed the cash he'd retrieved from the safe. “Will you be at the clubhouse later? I want you on the run to Seattle next week, and we need to go over the details.”
“Sure.” Beth wouldn't be happy, but Tiny knew that she wouldn't say anything. “As soon as Beth gets back, I'll head on over.”
Once they were alone again, he turned his attention to his daughter. “You gonna help Daddy cook the books, sweetheart?”
“Wanna Story.”
“Ain't got any storybooks here, Imi. You wanna draw a picture?”
“STORY!”
“Fine. I'll tell you a story.” His eyes fell on the photograph on his desk. “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. Her name was Amy...”
~ oOo ~
“How'd the therapy go?” Joe finished loading the dishwasher and looked up as Alice headed for the living room. Apart from being a little pigeon-toed and unsteady on her feet when she was tired, there was little that, to the untrained eye, set her apart from her siblings. They'd been warned that she may never walk, but here she was, just days after her third birthday, almost keeping up with her twin and refusing to go in her stroller.
“Good. She's doing really well. The therapist has given her exercises to improve her fine motor skills and suggested we ask the audiologist about hearing aids. Beth grinned. “I think she's having trouble getting Alice to pay attention.”
“Don't see hearing aids helping much. The others have perfect hearing, an' they ignore us most of the time.” Joe straightened up. “The kids are fed, an' there's the rest of last night's lasagna in the fridge if you wanna nuke that. I gotta head out. I won't be late.”
“Okay.” Beth reached up on tiptoe and kissed him. “Did you manage to get your paperwork done?”
“Nah. I have got two new pieces of artwork on the wall, though.”
“If you bring it home tomorrow, I could go over it for you.”
“Don't think that's a good idea, love. I'll get Mac to take a look. He loves all that shit.”
“You should take him on full time. He'd have the place running like clockwork.”
Joe grinned. “He'd go nuts. The little nerd has ADHD. I'd have to nail him to his seat. I am thinking of putting him on the books, though. Just for a couple of days a week.” He returned her kiss. “I ain't cut out for office work any more than I am a car salesman.”
“I'm pretty sure you're very persuasive.” Beth laughed and patted his chest.
“Apparently torturing customers ain't allowed.” Gently, he pushed her away. “I've gotta go. See ya later.” He poked his head around the living room door. “Later, kids.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Unlike the Seattle clubhouse, which was a big, sprawling commercial building, the Bay View clubhouse was an ex-farmhouse on the edge of town. Most of the interior walls had been removed downstairs, but it still couldn't comfortably accommodate more than thirty people. Church was held in the main room, usually at the bar, or if they needed somewhere more private or formal, around an old dining table in one of the old bedrooms upstairs. Tiny knew Vince wanted to find somewhere bigger, but properties in the area were hard to come by, and at least here they were undisturbed by neighbors.
Tiny pulled up a tall stool next to the bar and took a beer from the prospect. “Where's Vince?”
The prospect shrugged. “He got a call a minute ago. Took it out back.” He looked up from wiping the bar. “I'd really like in on the run next week. Can you put a word in with him for me?”
“You know it ain't just a lark, right? It should be pretty straightforward, just keeping eyes on the truck, but you still gotta keep your wits about you.”
“I know. I can do that. Please, Tiny. I ain't ever been to Seattle, an' I've been prospecting for three months now. I wanna do more than wash your bikes an' scrub floors.”
Tiny sighed. “I'll talk to Vince, but you put one step wrong, I'll beat your ass so bad...”
“I won't fuck up, I swear, man.” The kid grinned. “Thanks.”ny nodded and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. It had been different for him. Although Bay View had been where he'd earned his top rocker, for a year he'd prospected under Samson. Despite being young – younger even than Tiny – the nomad had already been a force to be reckoned with. He'd seen something in him that the Bay View patches had missed and was eager to exploit it.
When it came to interrogation, Samson was good, but his skills lay in spotting potential in others, and within a short time, the apprentice had surpassed his master. And while this meant his time as a prospect was much longer than most, Tiny had managed to avoid much of the hazing that the kid behind the bar had been subjected to. “Ain't making no promises, grunt.”
“I appreciate it, though.” He looked up as Vince approached. “I know... Disappear.”
~ oOo ~
Tiny hadn't hung around after they'd gone over the final details of the upcoming protection run. Everything he'd done recently had been for the benefit of the club and, for the first time in his life, he began to resent it. For thirty years, he'd always put the club above everything, and the price of that had been high. It had cost him his kid, and nearly destroyed his relationship with Beth. Most women would've walked away a long time ago.
For reasons he didn't really understand, his thoughts turned to Samson's ol' lady. She'd've walked. There was no way she'd have stuck around if his brother had treated her how he'd treated Beth. He was real fond of Emma; she was a fiery little thing – a lot like his Amy – who'd had more than her fair share of hardship as a result of her relationship with a Freak. She'd stayed because she loved Samson and never doubted his love for her. But Tiny knew that if he ever raised his hand to her, or dipped his dick where he shouldn't, Samson would be out on his ass so fast, his feet wouldn't touch the ground.
Beth was still up as he let himself in. She smiled and switched off the TV. “Hey. You're early.”
He shrugged. “Not much happening at the clubhouse, an' I wanted to spend some quality time with my ol' lady.” Her look of surprise was like a dagger to his heart. She should've expected – demanded – more. He bent and took her hand. “How 'bout we have an early night.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
Despite his initial reluctance, Tiny had really enjoyed the run to Seattle. The pace was leisurely, and the stop-off point en-route had been a truck stop with a small motel they'd used on several occasions and had always been made to feel welcome. It had felt good to just be out on the road, and blow the cobwebs away. As soon as the truck had been unloaded in a small warehouse at the docks, he and his brothers had headed for the clubhouse.
Tiny knew better than many that each chapter had a certain vibe, and Seattle had always been one of his favori
tes. Bugs, like Wolf before him, ran the chapter by consensus – no decision, no matter how small, was made without a vote – and the feeling of brotherhood was strong. Bay View had been like that in the early days, before Vince had taken the reins. Now, though, it felt more like a dictatorship than a democracy. And while it was clear the chapter earned bigger than it ever had before, it seemed to Tiny that it had been at the expense of the camaraderie that had drawn him to the club in the first place. Things had changed in the nearly thirty years he'd been wearing a patch. The club played smarter now, and its public face was much cleaner. But if anything, things were actually much, much dirtier.
Each chapter was autonomous. Some were practically legit – little more than ride clubs – whereas others would run drugs, girls or guns. But all were underpinned by the same rules and ethos. At the core of every chapter – big or small – what was important was freedom, brotherhood and loyalty, and nowhere was this felt more than the big, dirty old clubhouse in Seattle. He grinned as he pushed open the big double doors. “Bay View in the house. Rack 'em up, brothers.”
Bay View was the mother chapter, the first, set up, like so many clubs, by disillusioned, dispossessed vets who needed something to fight for. It wasn't the biggest, but it – and Vince – was the most powerful, and as such, visiting patches were always treated like royalty. This visit was no different. The place was packed to the rafters, and the party was already in full swing. Tiny grinned as Shiner, the prospect, jiggled with excitement. He clapped the kid on the shoulder. “Stay sober, an' keep it wrapped.”
“You got it, boss.”
Their progress to the bar was hindered by the many hugs and handshakes from the host chapter, but none of the small contingent of visiting patches minded. This was what being a Freak was all about. Finally they reached their destination, and Tiny looked around. “Samson around?”
“Yeah, he was here earlier.” The girl behind the bar batted her eyelashes at him in what Tiny guessed she thought was an alluring manner. “What can I get you?”
