Speed

by Carson Mackenzie

  “Syn?”

  “Not me, girl. Only party I went to was when we took you out there. Like I said, don’t really have time for all that. I ended up calling a cab and leaving after you were hauled off and Candie took off with someone else.” We’d never talked about that night, I’d just assumed they’d partied at the clubhouse on the weekends. Now I was pissed that I seemed to be a shitty friend on top of everything else.

  “Still doesn’t answer why you didn’t say anything?”

  “Figured you’d tell if you wanted us to know.” I turned from Candie to Syn.

  “Same with me, Sami. Sorry.” I needed to go in my office, sit at my desk until time to go home.

  “Almost time to open, I’ll be in my office.” I hightailed it the fuck out of there.

  “You got it, boss,” was the last thing they both yelled as I closed the dressing room door behind me. It was going to be a long day and evening since I was already to go home now.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Speed

  It never failed to amaze me every time I rode up to the clubhouse. The log cabin was huge and had served as a lodge back before the dads had bought it for the club, the place was spacious and they’d renovated the inside for their needs. It had the twelve individual cabins then too, which each of the originals had taken one and lived in it. Those too had been renovated to suit the men. They were still referred to as cabins though they were as big as some people’s homes. The one I’d shared with my dad had four bedrooms, one set up as an office, a kitchen, living room, and three bathrooms. I’d asked one time why we had such a big house and Cutter had told me because after living in the barracks and small apartments during his military career, he’d told himself that if he ever owned a home it would be open and spacious. Considering the other ones that sat around ours, they too were large.

  One of the stories Roscoe loved to tell was about how the dads bought the place off him and gave him a home and a reason to live after he’d lost his wife the year before they’d come to town. That let him become a member when they saw the Harley in the shed while checking out the property and he’d told them it was his. He and his wife had run the lodge and after she died he’d lost interest and didn’t want to do it alone. He now lived in one of the other six cabins across the way next door to Shakes and Dare.

  After I went home and took a shower when I got back from Sami’s, I walked to the clubhouse, going in the back door and I saw Daisy standing over the stove cooking.

  “Hey, sugar, lookin’ good.” She swung around and squealed. First time I’d seen her since I got back.

  “Speed, good to have you home. Sorry I missed you when you got in. I’d left that morning to go over to my sister’s, she’s been down ill.” Daisy hugged me and went back to cooking, no doubt fixing something for any of the men who were hanging around.

  “How’s your sister doing, Daisy?” Her sister lived a couple hours away from the club and had made it known that she hadn’t cared for her sister’s lifestyle choice.

  “Better, same bitchy ass. I do her a favor and still have to listen to that same crap I did thirty years ago. My consolation was, she’s younger but has more wrinkles than one of those Shar Pei dogs.” I would give Daisy that, she’d taken care of herself over the years.

  “Seen the others come through here?”

  “If you’re talking the younger bunch, no. Stroker and the others are in his office and a few members are roving around here somewhere.” She circled her hand in the air to include the whole place.

  “Thanks, darlin’. Catch you later.” I didn’t wait for a reply as I headed through the clubhouse. When I reached the office, I knocked.

  “Open,” was yelled and I walked in to find the officers sitting around.

  “Need something, Speed?” Stroker raised his head from the papers in front of him to look at me while the others saluted their hello.

  “Just checking in to see if you need for anything.”

  “Nope, pretty quiet today. Umm…heard you didn’t come home last night. Takin’ you handled a little personal business,” Romeo smirked.

  “Bet he took care of than one piece of business, considering he walked in here all lose hipped,” Flyboy laughed and the others joined in.

  “Looks like I’m going to be the most mature one in this group now.” All that had done was make them laugh louder.

  “Don’t dodge, boy. We going to have a little one running around here soon or what?” Preacher stopped laughing and his eyebrow cocked at me.

  “Better yet, is an ol’ lady going to be moving in your place?” Cruz hit his thigh and they all laughed again. Fuckers thought they were so damn funny. They’d spent their entire lives avoiding getting tied down.

  “Let’s just say, I’m not running.” The door opened and my friends walked in. “I’m done sticking my dick in any hole just ‘cause they’re available.”

  “Brother, are you sick? You haven’t been back a week yet. Taking over the Enforcer job, going to be a lot a women wanting to congratulate you with a wet wild ride.” Flirt had always been a dog.

  “Leaves more for you guys.” I’d stepped in just to tell them of a few changes that would be coming, not to discuss feelings and shit.

  “Damn straight it does. We’ll take it too, but, man, are you sure?” Jag was always serious.

  “I’m sure. Surer than I’ve been in a long while.”

  “Then, man, we’ll be happy for you.” Coast walked up to me and slapped my back. I noticed Crusher hadn’t spoken so I turned toward him.

  “Don’t got nothing to say?”

  “I do,” Devil spoke up, “One pussy for the rest of your life. You sure a bullet didn’t graze your head when your group got hit?”

  “No, but what I do know, I got a daughter who’s life I want to be a part of.”

  “Okay, understand that but, Speed, you don’t have to take the mother on to do that,” Stroker spoke and Crusher still hadn’t said a word.

  “What’s your problem, man?” I asked him. He looked at each man in the room until his eyes landed back on me.

  “Does the little girl know you’re her dad?”

  “Not yet, she will here soon, Crusher, you know me?”

  “Good.” His arm went out and he motioned to others, “Unlike this bunch, I understand what you’re feeling. When should we expect them to be moving here, ‘cause I know you well when you set your mind to something.” He had me smiling then as I remembered the dazed look on Sami’s face that morning when I’d said it to her.

  “A week.”

  “Son, not that I don’t believe you will get what you want but you know her dad may not agree with you, regardless of what she does.” I’d thought of that already and I’d take whatever he dished out, then he’d better get the fuck over it.

  “I’ll face that shit when it comes.” I rubbed my neck when smiles spread on the dads’ faces. “And it will be coming soon.”

  “Never was slow on the draw, boy. We were here because I received a call from Wild Bill. He was clearing it with us to come visit Sami, his granddaughter, and Carly. And hey you get a twofer, her brother, Reed, is coming too. He’s an Enforcer for the Haven.” Stroker smiled and his lips twitched. The others didn’t refrain from letting out their laughter.

  “Fucking great.” Nothing like meeting the whole family.

  “Now get out and go get that business you boys are starting ready to go.” We took the hint and cleared out.

  Once we reached the garage behind my place and started working on what we needed to get up and running, I was able to put Sami and the situation out of my mind.

  “When the parts due in for your dad’s bike?” Jag asked as he finished writing up the order for the parts we needed to have on hand to start building the first custom bike. Rich lawyer from Arizona with more money than what he needed.

  “Day after tomorrow, Chuck’s going to drive them out and drop them off for me. My stuff that I had shipped from the military will be here
too. I’ll buy the beer and pizza if you guys can stop over to help me sort the shit out, maybe work on getting a routine down starting with Dad’s bike.”

  “Works for me.” Flirt finished, straightening the shelves with the different cans of paint, cleaners, and solvents needed.

  “Me too,” Devil said, followed by the same from Coast and Jag. Crusher was outside wiping off the dust from some of the equipment.

  “l’ll go check with Crush, see if he’s in.” I stepped outside to check and found Crusher just standing there, rag in hand, staring off. “You okay, man?” He turned at my voice.

  “Yeah, just about done, then we can move the stuff back in.” He bent back down and continued with his job.

  “What was you doing, brother? You been a little quiet today.” For him he had. Crusher was usually very vocal. He continued wiping down the equipment, his brows furrowed so I knew he was thinking.

  “You’re really going to do this?”

  “Yep.” I knew he was done.

  “She pushes the bad away of what we’ve seen? Brings peace?” He was talking about Sami.

  “Yeah, she does.”

  “I thought so.” He looked up at me then, “Happy for you, brother. Hope to have it one day for myself.”

  “Got someone in mind?”

  “We’ll see. Maybe.”

  “Need to talk about it?”

  “No.” He went back to working and I went back in the garage to tell the others we were on. Crusher would talk when ready.

  By the time we finished it was late. Shakes, Dare, and their niece stopped by, Shakes was in her element, but at least me and the guys hadn’t had to stop and cook anything, Dare had put the lasagna Shakes had made on the kitchen counter before they came into the garage. The woman could cook and every one of us was grateful for the meal.

  After we ate, the others went home and I sat in my living room and tried to watch some TV. Instead, I was restless so a ride on my bike would do the trick, the night air felt good blowing on my face. I found myself driving past Soft Tails and looking for Sami’s car, it was gone, which then led me to where I sat now. Down the street from her house, far enough away she couldn’t see me from any of her windows, but close enough I could see the lights on through the blinds so I knew she was still up. Ally should be in bed since it was late. What would she do if I came to her door again? I wouldn’t though, I’d give her tonight to absorb everything, then tomorrow I talked the others into going to the club. If she thought I would stay out of her way until the week was up, she wasn’t as smart as I thought. I could be a prick, but at the end of the day, I’d be her prick, starting in one week. I smiled inwardly and started my bike. One more stop and then I’d be tired enough to sleep. At least I hoped so.

  “Out for a ride and thought I’d stop by. Not looking forward to going to the house alone but I’ll survive for the next few days. Parts are due in for your bike, the guys are going to help me restore it. We got all the things in place to start Sons of Black Hawk Custom Bikes, even the first order.

  “I got to spent the morning with my daughter today. You’d love her, Dad, she’s sweet with a little meanness built in. And Sami, well, I know you and the others never wanted to take ol’ ladies, maybe because you never found the right one, I don’t know. All I know is when Sami touches me, every bad thing I’ve seen or done goes away and it’s just her. My mind rests when she’s lying next to me and when I look into her eyes, I see the good this world has to offer. I’m going to build a life with her and my daughter.

  “I best get back, I won’t sleep as peaceful tonight but maybe if I think of Sami and Ally in the house soon, I’ll get a couple hours. Love ya, Dad, and miss ya.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Speed

  We finished eating at the diner and were heading back to my house to sort the parts that were dropped off this morning to begin work on my dad’s bike when I saw Ally walking hand in hand with the deputy. I pulled over with my brothers behind me and I turned off the bike as they did the same with theirs.

  “Aunt Carly, it’s Speed! Hi, Speed!” I chuckled and so did the guys at her pulling the deputy with one hand and wave at us with her free hand.

  “Hey, darlin’. What you up to?” I watched her look over the bikes before she answered. Girl knew what was important already and she didn’t know it.

  “Aunt Carly picked me up from school today and took me to the park. We’re going to the bakery now so I can get a cupcake. They’re my favorite.” When she finished, I looked at the others and they had smirks on their faces. The girl could talk.

  “That so. Where’s your momma at?” The deputy stood there quietly, which didn’t go unnoticed, but I did catch her eye going from me to Crusher who was pulled up right beside me.

  “Momma is cleaning ‘cause papa is coming this weekend and she won’t have any time to do it before he gets here. At least that’s what she says. When you gonna have a sleepover with Momma again so we cans make pancakes again for breakfast.” The deputy barely contained her laughter but she did have to turn away, the guys not so much as their loud laughter had people walking down the street turn and look at them.

  “Soon, darlin’, soon.” It didn’t slow her down but when she turned her attention to the guys, I got to laugh.

  “Who are you? Are you Speed’s friends? You can comes with him and have a sleepover at my house too. I likes bikes. I want ones, but Momma said I had to gets older. Aunt Carly has a bike. I likes your bikes. When I gets older can I ride them? Benji said I can’t have a bike ‘cause only boys can. Aunt Carly said Benji was a little bastard, which is a bad word. You don’t say bad words do you? I punched Benji in the nose ‘cause he said I couldn’t go to the school the day the daddies got to come, ‘cause I don’t have one.” I thought she was done but she was only catching her breath and as she stepped closer while she talked, I lifted her and sat her in front of me on my bike. She looked back at me and smiled but never missed a beat. Her Aunt Carly was chuckling and I was sure it had to do with the looks on my brothers faces, the one that read “What the fuck.”

  “This is a pretty bike. I want one just like it. Why does your handle thingies stick up further than everyone elses?” That was geared toward Flirt but she didn’t need him to answer. “Will you teach me to ride? Then when I get big I can ride with you all. Do yous have daddies? Speed’s daddy gone, which is code for dead ‘cause I heard my momma say that people shouldn’t tell kids someone died. Why don’t they want to tell us? I watched an ant die when the boy at the park held a glass over it. Did you ever hold a glass over an ant and watch it die?” When she stopped to take a breath this time, Carly cut in.

  “Shortcake, I think you made their ears bleed enough. Let’s go see Bailey at the bakery.” I set Ally back on the ground and she took Carly’s hand. “Gentlemen, I use that term loosely due to little ears, have a good one.”

  “Bye, darlin’. Tell your momma I will see her later.”

  “‘K, Speed.”

  “Deputy,” Crusher spoke for the first time but then again no one got a chance to talk when Ally started.

  “Mr. Davis. Come on, shortstop.” Ally giggled and they turned and started to walk away.

  “You got a smart mouth, I like that. You always a hardass?” I looked at him, he was really going to provoke the deputy. The “that’s a bad word” from Ally had us laughing at Crusher but it didn’t faze him or the deputy.

  “No, only to assholes who think women should fall at their feet because they deem it.” Ally smiled up at the deputy and once again we heard “that’s a bad word.” I figured one day at the clubhouse around the members and we’d hear that a good thousand times.

  “Know what I like more than seeing you walking forward, Deputy?” She stopped at the door of the bakery and looked back at him.

  “What?”

  “Walking away, Deputy.” I couldn’t believe I heard my brother use that lame ass line and the “Jesus” that echoed from the others made me smile.


  She laughed, shook her head, and Ally waved at us, then they walked in the bakery. I looked at Crusher, “Seriously, walking away, what the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I was going to say watching her ass as she walked away but I didn’t want to get ‘that’s a bad word’ told to me.”

  “She’s beautiful, Speed.”

  “Thanks, Jag.”

  “I agree, brother, but damn she can talk. Her first time at the clubhouse, I am videoing that shit. She’s going to have every damn one of those men wrapped as soon as she starts talking.”

  “That’s all true, Flirt.”

  “Man, she’s got a bite to her too. She punched a kid, gotta love that.”

  “Yeah, Devil, she does. Makes for quite the package.”

  “I want to know who that Benji kid belongs to.”

  “Me too, Coast.” I smiled, the Enforcer showing in him too.

  “Going to build that bike, Speed?” Crusher grinned and I grinned back and we all burst out laughing.

  “Well, let’s head back. Get some work done and I will buy the first round tonight at Soft Tails.” With that, we started our bikes and headed out.

  Sami

  “Momma, I saw Speed and his friends!” I heard as no sooner than the door opened. I walked out the kitchen to greet my daughter and Carly who wore a huge ass smile.

  “Did you? Where did you run into him, baby?

  “Ats the bakery. He said he’d see ya soon. Did yous clean for papa and Uncle Reed?”

  “Yes. Why don’t you go upstairs and play a little before you have to go to Mrs. Mayson’s house and I have to go to work.” Ally ran up the stairs and I looked at the now smirking Carly.

  “You seem in a good mood today?”

  “Sure am, but I would think you would be in a better mood since you’re the one who got to have a sleepover the other night.”