“Didn’t want to interrupt the cop powwow. Nice to know nothing’s changed while I was away.” I hugged Crusher back and we shook hands. Then the room erupted as the rest of my brothers made it to me.
“What the fuck, Speed. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming back?” Stroker said and gave me a man hug.
“Wanted to surprise you guys, Prez.”
“Well that you did, son,” the Prez said and stepped away making room for the others to get in back slaps and handshakes.
As I looked around at the familiar faces of my family, there was several missing, “Where’s Devil, Coast, Flirt, and Jag?”
“They’re in town. When they get home, we’ll go down to the strip club and have some fun. Give you a chance to rest and get your stuff settled at your place while we wait on them. You been by the place?” Crusher asked and all I could do was shake my head in reply. It would be the first time back in the cabin after Cutter’s death and in one instance I was happy to be back but in another, I knew it would feel different without him around.
“Jesus, another one. Now the reunion is over, do you think we can get this taken care of before I grow old?” Hell, looked like we’d all forgot about the sheriff and deputy in the room.
“Ah, sweet cheeks, you feeling neglected?” Crusher turned and spoke to the deputy and from the fire shooting out of her eyes, I expected him to burn to ashes in front of me.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak again the sheriff cut her off, “Carly, let’s go. Time to let these gentlemen be with their friend.” Sheriff Lance started for the door, the deputy following and none too happy by the expression on her face.
“Glad to have you home, Speed. Let’s see how long you can be back without getting a ticket,” the sheriff laughed and patted me on the back as he walked out the door.
“Never going to live that shit down, am I?” I really wasn’t asking a question, ‘cause they hadn’t let me forget back then, so why the hell should now be any different. But one could hope.
Most of the men in the room chuckled and then disbursed to do their thing. I was back and each would catch up with me sooner or later.
“You done this time, Speed?” Stroker asked.
“Yeah, had enough. It was time to come home,” I said, which was the truth for the most part. I’d re-upped before I came back for my dad’s funeral, knowing I wouldn’t be able to stay around the club with him gone. The Marines kept me busy enough not to think about him every day but his death still bothered me. Questions plagued my mind at night when it was dark and quiet and I had time to think on things other than trying to stay alive myself.
Cutter was an excellent rider, yet he skidded off the road in a curve, flipped the guardrail, hit a formation of rocks, but the bike didn’t explode, he’d just been throw into those same rocks, and even with a helmet on, his neck had been broken on impacted. The weather had been clear, nothing in the road that he could have hit to send him spiraling out of control. Not even skid marks from his tires or another vehicle’s. So the report read the rider had just lost control. Even with everything I had experienced in my life, some things were just not that clean-cut and dry. And with time spent in the desert, I learned to trust my gut—it kept me alive more than once. Now that I was back, I’d have the time to work it out, if I didn’t, I know I would never be able to lay Cutter to rest. My dad deserved no less.
“Fuckin’ great. It will be nice to have all you boys home, finally. It’s been too long,” Stroker said and patted my back.
“Yeah, you say that now. I give it a week with us all here and we will spend more time in your office than we did when we were teenagers.” Crusher was right on that account, the six of us spent a fair share of our youth in that office with our dads yelling at us about respect, loyalty to the club, to our brothers, and most importantly, to ourselves. They taught us the codes to live by, not only as part of an MC but as part of everyday life because each bled into the other. We were taught fear was a great motivator and easy to obtain, but respect and trust were earned and when you received all of them, the loyalty you would gain from the members would rival no other.
“Yeah, well you are grown ass men now so I’m hopin’ not to see you in those chairs other than for business,” Stroker said while looking between Crusher and me.
“Don’t look at me, Prez, I just got back. Been on the road for damn days. I need a shower, food, and sleep and not necessarily in that order. After that, well, you never know what kind of trouble one can get into. From what I saw when I walked in, trouble seems to have gotten here a few minutes before me for once,” I laughed and raised my brow at Crusher.
“Man, don’t start on that. That bitch and me have danced around each other since her ass came into town.”
“Yeah, wouldn’t have anything to do with her shooting you down all that time either, now would it, son?” Stroker turned to walk off and stopped to face us once more. “Good to have you back, Speed. Get settled in, get rested and enjoy the next few days. I expect to see in Church this week. Don’t be late, you know I can’t tolerate slackers.” He chuckled, turned and started to walk away yelling over his shoulder, “Crusher, stay away from the deputy ‘til she cools down and bring Speed up to par on things before Church.” Stroker turned down the hall and disappeared out of sight.
“Are you under the deputy’s skin, man, or what?”
“Or what is a good question. Come on, I’ll walk with you to your place. Fill you in. You got stuff on your bike?” Crusher turned toward the door.
“A little, shipping the rest. Didn’t want to load bike down on trip so only brought enough to get by. If I need more, I’ll go into town and pick some things up,” I answered as I followed him out.
We grabbed the bags off my bike and headed around to the back of the clubhouse. A path to the side led to six cabins spread apart the original six members lived in. Now it would just be me in the one I’d grown up in with Cutter.
“You staying back here with your dad, Crusher?”
“Yeah, but not with Dad. I have the place to myself now. After your dad died, man, it hit the dads a lot harder than they let on or would admit to. They had a road cut out between these places,” he gestured to the cabins we were about to reach, “and the ones on the other side. It runs back behind all the places and they each built them a place back there.”
“Damn.”
“Feel ya. Didn’t have a clue they’d taken it so hard until I got back first. Finished my last stint three years after we were back for your dad’s funeral. Did what you did and just showed up one day, going to surprise the old man,” he chuckled, “I got the surprise—the place was empty. I opened the door and just stood there. Didn’t take long until I heard bikes with the dads on them. Prospect at the gate had called them and said a member from another club was headed up. Told them he didn’t recognize me either so they rode over. Of course didn’t know it was me ‘cause I hadn’t called. They’d pulled up fully armed. Christ, thank God the fuckers didn’t shoot when I walked out the door.”
“No shit. They didn’t recognize your bike?”
“Nah, sold the old one and picked up another right before I headed back. So after they see me, instead of welcoming his son back, our Prez yells ‘Dumbass, you should have called. You make it through the desert and get shot in your own damn home.’ Then I got welcomed.”
“Nice to know they haven’t changed in that aspect,” I said as we reached my place.
“Nope, not at all. If anything, Cutter’s death made them take a good look at their lives. Not that I think they would change anything about how they’ve lived, it’s almost like they feel they should’ve lived more ‘cause you could be gone at any moment.”
“Lived more? Seriously, they have lived by their own rules our whole lives. Before that, it had only been their time in service.” I wasn’t understanding why our dads would feel that way.
“Not sure why, Speed. I just noticed the difference in them when I came back. That’s al
l.”
“So they live out behind the cabins here?”
“Yeah, have their own little compound within the compound.” We walked into the living room and set the bags down by the doorway.
I walked to the front windows and cracked them open, the place felt a little stuffy. “Pretty clean for being gone a few years,” I said as I looked around.
“The ol’ ladies clean the places every week, including yours. They probably know you’re back already but we need to make sure of that,” Crusher laughed, “even though they are used to club life, seeing guys getting their dicks sucked, pussy getting eat out, or club ass getting fucked over the pool table. Nothing prepared Shakes the day she walked in on Devil and Flirt.”
Shakes was Dare’s ol’ lady, he was one of the older men in the club and Shakes had babysat each of us at one time or another as we’d grown up. She could be considered a surrogate mother to us all. It was another thing the six of us had in common. Born in the same year, months in between, and not one of our mothers had stuck around either, leaving our dads to raise us.
“Oh shit, I guess she walked in on them fucking, but how did she handle it?” Shakes had no problem putting us in our place growing up. If we acted out she would bust our asses. But she would love on us too. Not that any of us would admit to it but what little softness we have in us—was because of her. Her old man, Dare, was one of the older members in the club and they were one of the few families that lived in the other spare cabins that sat on club property. They hadn’t had any kids of their own and I didn’t know why, ‘cause they would have been great parents. Hell, they’d pretty much raised us.
“Man, I was on the porch with Coast at my place. Just so happen Dad and Cruz were walking up about the time we hear Shakes yell “what the fuck.” Dad and Cruz are running by then and Coast and I are off the porch sprinting behind them. We hit Flirt’s steps as she was stepping out and, brother, her eyes were huge. Well we’re thinking fuck what had she found but from the bitching going on inside we at least knew she hadn’t found a body. Anyway, Coast and I walk through the door with Cruz behind us while Dad is stuck on the porch, trying to get Shakes settled down. The sight before us was…well, Lindy on a swing that was attached to the rafters across Flirt’s ceiling and on her back in it. Devil was standing at her head and Flirt was between her legs.
“Lindy is yelling to get her down ‘cause she is no longer in the mood, Devil’s smiling at us, and Flirt is yelling at Lindy to hold still while he gets her the fuck down, all the while there is a humming noise, which ends up belonging to the vibrator that is still on, moving across the floor.
“Coast, Cruz, and I step back out because yeah, we are busting a nut laughing at everything going on because Shakes is yelling at my dad that that is why there are fucking locks on the door. Our boy Flirt, seems to have moved into a new field of study by Shakes recount on what happened, which by the way, at this time Preacher and Flyboy walk up in the middle of her explanation. Seems she walked in and Devil was holding Lindy’s head in place by her hair and fucking her mouth while Lindy’s legs were straight up, her heels at Flirt’s shoulders as he’s rotating a vibrator in her pussy and pounding his meat up Lindy’s ass. And on his in strokes, he pulled on the chain that was attached to the nipple clamps he had on Lindy.” When Crusher finished, both of us were adjusting our crotches and laughing, because between the floor crawling vibrator, and the scene playing before Shakes’s eyes, what she was more than likely yelling at was seeing Flirt and Devil bare-assed with their dicks on display.
After we settled ourselves down, I yawned and sat down on the couch. “I don’t remember a Lindy the last time I was home.”
“She’s been around awhile. Waitresses at the diner during the day and dances at the strip club a couple nights a week. Bitch has a tight little body, pussy isn’t worn the fuck out, and Lindy is up for anything too. Maybe she will be working tonight and we can sample her goods. Horny thing too, we might just get her to do us in the back. Club members are the only ones the girls go that extra mile for in the private rooms. Regular patrons only get the dance.” Crusher moved toward the door to leave.
“Sounds good to me. I could do with some pussy.” Considering I hadn’t been laid in a couple weeks, I could use the release before my balls turned blue. Crusher opened the door and stepped out on the porch.
“I’ll come by when I get back from my run in town for Prez. The others should be back and then we can ride. Grab some grub at the diner, then hit the club.”
“Works for me,” I said as I stood and walked toward the door. The travel was kicking in and my body was tired. Crusher must be running on club business or he would have called Stroker dad instead of Prez.
“Later, Speed,” Crusher said and closed the door.
I took one more look around the place, bent for my bags, and headed for my bedroom. Life at home without my dad begins.
Chapter Three
Sami
“Come in!” I yelled to whoever knocked on my door. Never going to get the damn receipts tallied if people didn’t quit interrupting me. I set the stack aside as the door opened and Tank’s body filled the space.
“Hey, Sami, hate to interrupt you but Perry just finished cooking up the fried chicken for the day. He wanted to know if you’d like some before the Black Hawks start ordering it and there’s nothing left. He knows how you like it and usually take some home.”
My men, that’s how I thought of the male employees here at Soft Tails, they looked out for me and the girls who worked here. I was worried when I took over the management on how the males would respond to a woman being in charge. Then again, considering Black Hawk owned the club, that too could be a great motivator to do your job. Looking back as the big man waited for my answer, I smiled, thinking of the one small girl who walked in and wrapped a group of hardened men around her finger.
“That would be great, Tank. Can you tell Perry to box up a few pieces and I will grab it when I’m ready to leave?”
“Sure thing, boss,” Tank said and turned on his heel to leave.
“And, Tank?” I placed a serious look back on my face, at least I hoped it was serious, before he turned back to face me.
“Yeah?”
“Tell Perry no candy in that box either.” I watched the big guy’s dark brown eyes twinkle because he knew they were busted.
“Ah, Sami, you’re no fun. Our girl likes the surprises.” Nothing funnier than when a big man tried to pout.
“Umm…our girl…is not going to have teeth left in her mouth if you men don’t stop. And if I can’t get you to stop, will you at least pick up some sugar-free stuff? Last time she like, never went to sleep.”
“You got it, boss.” Tank hurried out after his reply to stop me from scolding because he knew that I knew they wouldn’t stop with the sweets. Why I bothered, I don’t know.
Before the door closed behind Tank, three of the girls walked in. There are days I’m surprised I ever got anything done.
“Hey, boss lady,” Candie’s always called me that since the first day I started. I met her when I first came to this town. She’d been nice to me and we had hung out some. When I’d gotten my business degree and landed this job, she’d been thrilled. Seemed the last manager had expected freebies on the side from the girls and if that wasn’t enough, the fool thought he could slip a little extra from the till. Ummm…bold move when an MC owned the business you stole from. It hadn’t worked out too well for the man, at least that was what the rumor mill put out.
“Hey, girl, you are early. And I know it can’t be that you are trying to impress the boss because I don’t swing that way.”
“Christ, Sami, if you did you might have more propositions than you already get with the men that come through this place.” I couldn’t help but laugh. I may manage a strip club but the employees here were some of the best people I have met.
“Oh, stop. You make it sound like I have men lined up around the corner.”
“
Only ‘cause you don’t pay attention or you shoot them down when they hit on you,” Babs said as she snapped her gum. Only time she’s not with a mouth full was when she danced. She’d been trying to quit smoking and that couldn’t be easy in a place full of men every day, half of them puffing away.
“I’m just glad you don’t strip, hun. Shit, us others wouldn’t make a damn dime.” Syn was a petite redhead with green eyes. Her chest alone grabbed men’s attention. Toss in her curvy body, flawless skin, and she could make any other woman question her own looks.
I looked down at my breasts and then back up to Syn, “Wouldn’t make any money with these babies.”
“First off, you have a great set of tits, Sami. And no, I don’t go around daydreaming about you like half the yahoos out there.” Syn made the gesture over her shoulder indicating the men out in the bar, as if we didn’t know who she was talking about. “Besides, you could own a set of these babies for the right price,” Syn said as she pushed her breasts together, making Babs, Candie, and I laugh.
“Geez, Syn, you always make me laugh.”
“Nothing but the truth, hun.”
“Alright, what time is it anyway?” I needed to finish my work so I could head home.
“One,” Candie answered as she looked down at her watch.
“Crap, I need to get this stuff finished so I can get home. Mrs. Mayson has a doctor’s appointment and I told her I would come and get Spider so she could go. It’s my split day and I will be back tonight after I get her ready for bed.”
“We’ll let you get back to work. We gotta go get ready anyway.” Candie started toward the door with the other two following behind. When they reached the door the three yelled, “Later” as the door closed behind them.
I worked on the receipts, counted the money from night before, and placed it in the safe for deposit. Black Hawk would send someone down each day to take it to the bank. It was supposed be the manager’s duty but when they hired me, they said they would swing by and do it. My safety being the reason. They didn’t want me tagged for carrying around that type of cash. I have to admit, I was thankful. Might be a small town we lived in but why take a chance.
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