by Xander Hades
“I'm so sorry,” Elijah said. “Your dad was a good man. I heard through the grapevine that his killers got what they deserved.”
I nodded. The President of the MC came to my house and gave my mom a handful of torn off emblems. His funeral procession had hundreds of bikes. And once again, my picture was on the news.
A single tear fell from my face. That tear was followed by many more until I was sobbing. His arms cradled and me and I felt…relief.
“That's one of the reasons I came all the way out here to South Dakota. To start fresh, not have anybody look at me with those eyes.”
My eyes met Elijah’s.
“I hate pity.”
Elijah nodded and wrapped me in his arms.
“This is a place to start anew,” he said.
I guess it is. I leaned backwards and for the next hour knew nothing but Elijah.
In the morning over coffee and scrambled eggs, (because I found out Elijah loves scrambled eggs and that man can eat), he told me a little bit about the poker run that was coming up.
“Poker run? What’s that?” I asked. I tossed some egg Gareth’s way. He gobbled it down. I got up and made him a plate of eggs, too, while Elijah explained.
“Well, each member of the different clubs pays a fee. You go to five bars. You get dealt a card and you go on to the next bar. At the final bar, you see your hand and the one with the best hand wins a pot with the rest going to charity. This year, we’re sponsoring and decided that we would be donating to the children’s home south of Rapid.”
I sat down and pushed my eggs around.
“What’s up?”
“I thought MCs just, you know?” I shrugged.
Elijah put down his fork and reached over and put my hand in his
“I know you’ve been through a lot. I don’t know what you've heard about other MCs or what your dad was into, but we don't work that way here. Yeah, there’s some illegal shit we do. But we’re about family. Come with me and I’ll show you.”
I asked, “When's the next poker run?”
Elijah smiled at me. “Day after tomorrow. You game?”
I smiled back.
Chapter 8
Elijah
To say I was happier than a pig in shit when I pulled up with Quinn for the poker run would be an understatement. Feeling her behind me on my ride, her tight ass pressed up against my back, there was nothing like it. As I pulled into the club, everyone was hanging by the bikes, the ol’ ladies, properties, men. The men were eyeing her up and smiling at me with that look in their eyes, knowing what I had been up to the last couple of days and it wasn’t ranching.
The women, especially the properties, some who I had spent time with, well some of them weren't smiling.
I walked into the club looking for Bryce. I saw Danny.
“Danny, have you seen Bryce?” I asked.
“He's around back.” Danny gave me a backwards thumb in that direction.
I found Bryce out back chopping wood for the fire. His nose was bandaged and he sported matching black eyes.
Bryce just glared at me.
“Come on, Bryce.”
“What do you mean, ‘come on,’ Bryce?” He made it sound sing song coming out of his mouth. “You come back like you’ve won a championship or something. I got this whole damn thing, everyone, together without any help from you while you are off chasing a piece of ass.”
He must've seen the look in my eyes because he got that defensive stance, but in his favor, he looked away.
“I don't know what's going on right now,” I said, “But you're my brother…”
I never even got to finish my sentence as Bryce dropped the ax and walked away.
“Jesus Christ,” I said.
I walked around to the front and saw Quinn, and walked towards her, with the guys all giving me the shoulder and all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her. She was off by herself. A newbie. I walked over and grabbed some beer on the way as it was flowing freely.
Before we started off on the poker run I introduced Quinn Hopson to everyone. Gareth followed her like a, well, a puppy. I’d have to put him in my room when we left.
The women nodded, politely currently. The men smiled at me and joked. Quinn, God bless her, turned crimson.
Once on the road, the roar was thunderous. One of my favorite things is getting on my bike to feel that all that power under me and feeling Quinn behind me. I felt invincible. I don't know what it is about her, but it's nice to know that she's mine. All mine.
At the first stop, Quinn picked up her card. Queen of hearts. Not surprising, as she’s got mine.
I stopped for a second. She does too. I look at her and feel a warmth that has nothing to do with the kickass sex or her body. She makes me feel. Really feel, like I want to do good by her.
I hear the laughter from the other women ragging on her and giving her a hard time. Smiling, she comes over, takes a swig of my beer, and wraps her arms around me. I open my legs and draw her in close on the bar stool.
“This is the poker run?”
“Sure is.”
“I like.”
“I’m glad.” She giggles and reached around me to take another drink.
“Are you drunk?”
“I’m a light weight,” she said.
“Okay, slow down, we have four more bars.”
“Hmmm,” she said as she kissed me. I pulled that tight ass in close.
As she grabbed the beer again, I took it out of her hand.
She laughed good naturedly.
“Tell me about these guys.”
I nod over at Lance, long grey hippie hair, in a ponytail. Next to a smaller, plump brown woman.
“That guy there he's our president and one of the founding members. He owns a couple small businesses here in town. Nothing too major. Retail stuff. That Mexican woman is his wife. Man, you need to hear her cuss him out behind closed doors in Spanish. He has two beautiful daughters and wasn't too happy to know that one of them is an ol’ lady to our treasurer, but he got over it.”
I nodded over to a gorgeous Hispanic woman next to a slightly overweight Hispanic man.
“That’s them there.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“That she is.”
“Did you and she…?” She left the question out into the air.
“When we were kids, but her dad threatened me and let’s just say that was that.”
“Alright, so,” and Quinn spun around and placed her tight ass right up against me, “tell me a little bit about your family.
“Well, my mom was, let’s just say that she was everybody's ol’ lady. With my dad long enough to get knocked up and then he took off. Club takes care of their own so I sort of belonged to the club. So then she hooked up with former president, who’s Bryce’s dad. She passed a few years back. Cody Bearshield wasn’t such a nice guy and Bryce has the scars – both in and out. When we were eighteen and nineteen, we both joined the Navy and did our time there. Saw enough water. We couldn’t wait to get back to dry land.”
He thought for a second. “Bryce was a pretty awesome sailor. He applied for Seals but…” Elijah shrugged, “anger issues.”
“Imagine that,” she said.
She looked thoughtful.
“I don't have any brothers or sisters. No family left,” she said.
I kissed the top of her head.
“You do now.”
At our next stop, Quinn started playing pool. Man, she had a nice eye. She was killing it. Raking in money from the men and the women were cheering her on.
“How you get so good at pool?”
“It’s how I got through college.”
I was surprised.
“Seriously?”
“My dad left some money for me and then I scraped up the rest while I went to school and took of mom. One of those things I was good at.”
When we finally finished our poker run, Quinn laid down her cards. Royal flush. That’s my girl.
She left with the pot.
We made our way back to the MC and hung out by the campfire, her tight against me. As the night grew long and the embers grew cold, I grabbed Quinn's hand and took her to my room. My little vet had me wrapped around her fingers all night long and in all different ways.
In the middle of the night, I heard someone moving around in the Church. Since I had to use the bathroom, I went over and noticed Bryce sitting there. He saw me coming and he stood up, his stance was low down and weaving, drunk, and he was mean.
“You’re giving up our friendship for some slit like that?”
My hand had never moved faster. Bryce was on the floor staring up at me.
“What the hell was that about, man. Come on now. She’s not family.”
“She’s family to me, Bryce. You better get that through your thick skull.”
“Seriously, she's family now? What am I?”
I walked over to where Bryce was sitting on the ground, grabbed him by his arms, and pulled him up.
“You’re my family, too. I’m not having this. I don't know what it is going through your mind, lately. And she’s not just anyone. She’s Zack Hopson’s daughter. She's not just some passing thing.”
“So she’s your property now?”
“Ol’ lady. Not property. Never property.”
The edge to my voice made it clear that I was done.
The next morning, Quinn and I came out to the kitchen for breakfast. Bryce came over. I tensed, waiting for any shit he might pull. I feel Quinn go still next to me.
“Zack Hopson’s daughter?”
The whole club got suddenly quiet.
Quinn looked at me. Saw in my eyes I would never keep anything from Bryce.
She walked straight up to him. I was on pins and needles. I didn’t see any weapons but since I didn’t know what was happening with Bryce, I didn’t like her that close.
“Yes, I am.”
He looks at me. For a second, I was ready to spring. Then he smiled, like the man I knew he could be.
“Looks like I have a new sister. Welcome to the family.”
Quinn smiled at him.
“I guess you do.”
Bryce leans forward as to give her a kiss. Quinn takes a step back.
“I’m messing with you.” He laughs a real laugh. First one in a long time. He bends over and kisses her on the cheek
Not such a bad start to the day.
Chapter 9
Quinn
On Monday, I headed back to my animal hospital. It was a really wonderful weekend, the sex was great, the new friendships I was making were helping me feel wanted, but I needed to work and get some money coming in. My practice was less than a month old and my bills were beginning to pile up. Spending time away this weekend instead of marketing like I was used to doing with my other practice hit me in the pocketbook.
Elijah had to head back to the ranch now that his vacation was over and Mike needed to find some lost cows. In Minneapolis, I never would have heard from someone saying, “Come help me find some cows,” but I guess here it is a totally different life.
One that was growing on me.
I went to my apartment, put the overalls in the dryer (after smelling them to make sure they didn’t smell musty) and headed downstairs in my lab coat. I unlocked the hospital and walked in to see my voicemail blinking. I spent a good morning and part of the afternoon seeing clients – many of whom were part of the MC. Several dogs and cats, along with a rabbit, ferret, and two pygmy goats. Don’t ask.
I went to bed both exhausted and happy. Elijah wouldn’t be coming by as I knew he would be working until he found all the strays so he’d be out on the range for a bit.
Bright and early in the morning, my first call was from Mike. He wanted me to come over to the ranch and take a look at the inseminated cows as it had been about ten days. I got my overalls on and headed down to my truck.
As I drove over to Cougar Creek, my mind jumped all over the place. One second, I was elated; the next excited; followed by scared. It’s been a long time since I felt this way about anyone.
Maybe ever. Even Steve. Ten years of my life I wasted. If I had known that this was what it felt to be cared for and cherished, I would have left him years ago. That would have made my mom happy.
It scared the hell out of me. I don't want end up like my mom grieving year after year for someone is long dead. He took the best of her with him when he died. I didn’t want to be grieving Elijah like that.
I shook my head. I didn't need to think about anything happening to Elijah. Nothing is going happen to Elijah. I turned the radio on to something poppy and happy.
As I pull into Mike's ranch, I saw my man come over to me on a horse. That’s right. My man. I liked the way it sounded in my mind. And if he looked just as good on a horse as he did on his bike… Nah, he looked awesome on a bike.
He reined in.
“I got to head out about hundred acres I have to cover. Missed a couple yesterday. Want to make sure a cougar didn’t get to them.” He had a rifle in the holster by the saddle.
He leaned out of the saddle and kissed me. The electric charge shook me to my boots.
The morning flew by quickly with the number of cows; luckily pregnant cows. Not exactly ecstatic about the pregnancy as they crapped on my boots, but about 75% of them were inseminated. Not too bad.
As I was finishing up on the last cow, I feel the vibrator go off on my cell phone in my pocket. I didn’t know the number, but it was local so I answered it.
“Doc Hopson,” I answered.
“Hi, Doc. This is Ranger Wallace over at the Black Hills Ranger Station.”
“What I can I help you with, Ranger Wallace.”
“Frank, please. Ranger Wallace makes me feel like I have Smokey the Bear looking over at me.”
I laughed and waited for him to tell me what he needed.
“My wildlife crew is all over in Spokane for a conference. I got a baby elk over here that was caught in a trap. I don’t think its leg’s broken, but I would really like to see what you can do. Mike over at Cougar Creek says you’re decent.”
“Does he now?”
“That’s high praise coming from Mike.”
I noticed the man in question walking over to me through the barn.
Frank continued, “You’re about the closest thing we have to a wildlife specialist for about a hundred miles.”
“Frank, I’m not a wildlife specialist but I’m just finishing up here at Cougar Creek. I’ll get over there as soon as I get done. Can you text me the address or the GPS?”
“Sure thing. Look forward to seeing you, Doc.”
Mike had caught the tail end of the conversation.
“So are you a cow specialist or an elk specialist or a dog specialist or a…” he joked.
I held my hand up.
“I do appreciate the referral. Frank Wallace said you told him I was decent.”
“You are. Three-quarters of my cows are expecting. That’s good news for next year. Frank’s a fishing buddy. Good guy. He called me about an elk earlier. Is that what he wanted?”
“Turns out I'm the only one nearby that knows anything about large animals.”
Mike laughed and scuffed his hat against his leg.
“You just be careful out there.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, it's high fire danger right now and they have a fire not far away in the French Creek area. It’s miles away from where you are going so I don’t think you have anything to worry about but if the wind shifts,” he shrugged, “who knows.”
Elijah rode over, covered in trail dust. His dark hair had come unbound and floated on the wind.
“Looks like someone wants to talk to you, missy.” He turned and shuffled on off the way he came. “Eric Robinson was right. You’re a good girl. Glad I hired you.”
Mike shuffled away and his little stooped self disappeared into the barn.
“So what’s new?” asked
Elijah as he got off his horse.
Chapter 10
Elijah
“No. The answer is no,” I said, rather emphatically.
“I can’t believe you think that you are going up into the Hills while it is currently under a fire warning. I mean, Christ’s sake, Quinn, the fire in French Creek is just ten miles away. It hasn’t rained in over a month and if the wind shifts, it’s nothing but tinder all the way to the station,” I tried to explain.
Quinn was pacing back and forth in the hospital. Unusual for her, but what I didn’t expect was for her to turn around and lay into me.
“I’m the only vet qualified to care for the elk.”
She threw medical supplies and splints into a doctor’s bag.
She turned to me and poked me in my chest.
“It’s my job. That’s what I’m doing and I don’t have to tell you when I’m coming or going. I wanted you to know. Not argue with you about it.”
She added another poke.
“Can't believe that we are doing this and having an argument about my work. I don't get all upset when you're out riding your bike or when you're hunting cougar. I mean, for heaven’s sake, cougar. With sharp teeth and claws. You’re on an open range with wild animals and for some reason, you don’t think I’m capable of getting into my truck, going to the ranger station, securing an elk calf, and bringing it home. It’s a well protected ranger station!”
