Charlie: Northern Grizzlies (Book 4)

by M. Merin

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and/or being used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations are entirely coincidental.

  Charlie: Northern Grizzlies MC (Book 4)

  Copyright 2018 Maura O’Brien

  Cover Art by Madelene Martin www.madbookdesigns.com

  All rights reserved.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be reproduced without the written permission of the author. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase, or it was not purchased for your use only then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Published in the United States of America.

  Charlie

  Northern Grizzlies MC

  (Book 4)

  M. MERIN

  I would just like to take a moment to thank a fellow writer, Stella Andrews. Before I even self-published my first book, she graciously replied to my email and questions.

  Additionally, I’ve had some wonderful exchanges and reviews from some of my readers. I cannot tell you how much that has meant to me.

  To name a few:

  Betty B., Olivia H., Laureen, Violet W., Dragonwolf D.

  Lesley S., Heather H., Kathleen K., Becky H., Debi,

  Beth DiL., Melissa F., Donna, Laura M., Rhonda P.

  P.S. I have an amazing husband, who doesn’t know my pen name but has been so supportive and encouraging during this process. XO

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  May 2018

  Connal

  “Royce!” I yell, seeing the sprawl of papers all over my desk.

  “Yeah,” He ducks his head in. “Ahh, sorry about that. Um, Janine needed to use the washroom.”

  “Tell me you did not fuck that skank on my desk, asshole!” She’s a damn townie who isn’t even welcome at the MC’s parties anymore.

  “No! Betsy said she thought Janine was trying to get one of us to knock her up, so I just let her blow me when I finished her car.” Royce looks pleased with himself for thinking up that solution.

  “Let me be abso-fucking-lutely clear on this. You keep your dick secured in your pants in this…in my garage, and especially in my Goddamn office!” I am fuming. That’s all we need is for that woman to tell people she has to blow the mechanic. Shit.

  “Alright! Chill, I won’t do it again.” He shrugs and turns to go.

  “Go get the bleach and clean any and all surfaces she touched or breathed on, then find that fucking stack of applications. I need someone hired, yesterday!” I yell out to his back.

  “Oh! I forgot,” Royce says, turning back to me. “Some old dude, Mike or Mack? He called earlier. Said he knew someone who had applied and he wanted to talk to you about it.”

  I growl in frustration. Mack was in the MC way before my time. He lost a leg in an accident and now teaches an advanced certification auto and motorcycle mechanic course for a small school in Boise. Fuck, he wouldn’t just recommend anyone and at this point, we’re so behind I’ll hire anyone he tells me to.

  Looking up his number, I’m reaching out to him minutes later.

  “Hey, Mack! I heard you called; tell me you have someone for me!”

  “Yeah, I called yesterday. Fucking took your sweet time,” He grumbles.

  “I just got the message!” Royce is such an asshole, I think again. I’m knocking papers aside in the mess, looking for the applications to see who Mack has for me. “Look, I’m desperate here. Who you got for me?”

  “Charlie Scott. Young kid, best I’ve seen come through here in a long while.”

  “Charlie’s ok with the move? I don’t pay Boise rates,” I confirm.

  “Yeah – Charlie knew I was from that way and just told me there hadn’t been any word from you, so I called to make sure you were still hiring and give you my two cents. The ASE exam is today, I don’t think passing that will be a problem. Not for Charlie.”

  “Got it!” I yell, excited to finally find the Charles Scott application. “OK. Yeah, looks like what? Twenty years old? High marks all around, and been working at a local garage part-time for three years? I can start him with a month probation period, as soon as he can get here.”

  “Um, well, actually,” I hold the phone away to stare at it, trying to figure out what the fuck his hemming and hawing is all about. “Yeah, nevermind. I’ll call Charlie with the good news, I’d guess a day or two to pack and get there? Can you send details, including a temp place to stay, to whatever email is in the application?”

  “No lease or anything to worry about on that end?” I am juiced at having someone here in a couple days, but that seems quick to me.

  “No, Charlie’s been living outback, above my garage; doubt there’s much to pack up. Uh, Charlie was in the foster system a while. Mainly raised by a grandfather, he was a mechanic and a drinking buddy of mine. He died about seven years ago.”

  “Don’t care about that shit, just him getting here that fast would really help me out. Will start him out with tires and basic oil and filter changes until I get caught up with the bigger projects, then I’ll work on some bigger tickets alongside him.” I say, looking up as Royce ducks his head in; letting me know I have a delivery of parts to go check in.

  “Glad this works, Connal. I appreciate it and am relieved to have Charlie with someone I trust.” He clicks off before I can remind him I’m hiring a mechanic not adopting a pet.

  Jake

  “Hey, Tall, Dark and Quiet, how you been?” Betsy wraps an arm around me in a half hug, before taking the seat next to me at the bar.

  I nod at her, leaning away to get out of range of her perfume; that stuff always makes me sneeze. I turn back to the story Roy and Vice are telling. Vice is the shortest Brother here, not a lot taller than Betsy actually; but no Napoleon complex there. Roy’s his uncle and would have knocked that shit out of him years ago if that’d been the case.

  Vice has had me working on the build-out for a new spa that’s going up down the road from Rusty’s Bar. Nice having the steady work this time of year. I never gave much thought to what I’d do after the Army, but while in, Connal became the only real friend I ever had and he told me to look him up when I got out. Now I’m working on Vice’s construction crew and doing runs for the MC.

  Cash in my pocket, Brother’s by my side, meals, and a room; plus girls when we want them. Not a bad life. Just been getting restless. Again.

  P
robie comes around with fresh drinks for all of us. This kid doesn’t have a road name yet, but with the last name Madda; guessing it’ll be Madman or something like that.

  Gunner strides into the clubhouse. Back from the latest run, he’ll be in and out though. Stopping to report in before getting home to Riley. Lucky motherfucker.

  Didn’t think much of it when Jasper announced he was taking Emma as his Ol’ Lady. They were married then having kids before anyone could blink. Flint was next with Bree, minus the kids.

  We started drifting a bit with Jas and Flint so eager to be with their Ol’ Ladies. Gunner shocked the shit out of all of us when he hooked up with Riley. Her family is majorly connected and although her Grandmother has a soft spot for Gunner, her parents are working to get the whole MC arrested and disbanded.

  It was Riley though, who really brought us back together in a different, stronger way. Flint is older, but Jasper, Connal, Gunner, and Vice patched in about the same time; when I made my way here a few years later, I just hung out with that group, cause of Connal.

  No one was pleased about Gunner’s match until he started bringing her around. You can’t not like Riley. She knows that I don’t talk much and she can sit calmly near me without fidgeting or babbling. That’s pretty fucking rare, especially for a teenager. Then she started having our group over for Monday night dinners, and man, can she cook. I’ve eaten at a lot of high-end joints, but nothing like what she does. So now, as long as we’re in town, Monday nights the nine of us are around their table.

  As great as that’s been, it’s hard sometimes. It’s been making me want a serious relationship more and more. I know Connal feels the same, just feels like slim pickings around here most days.

  “Jake, Vice, get back here.” Gunner calls from the hall leading back to Jas’ office.

  He turns back, not waiting for us. We follow and close the office door, Flint and Jas are already seated and I can tell from their faces something went down on Gunner’s run.

  “The State Police were waiting for us.” Gunner starts. “They moved too soon and picked up the diversion; The Russian let me know in time for me to get off the road with the package.”

  I tilt my head to the side as Vice starts swearing and Gunner continues.

  “I made the drop and took the long way back. Lawyer just let Jas know that that Russian’ll be released this afternoon. He’s gonna head to the cabin for a few days, bore the shit out of any tail he might have.”

  “So where does that leave Jake, Royce, and Probie for their run next weekend?” Vice asks the question forming in my head.

  “Lot of unknowns right now,” Jasper says. “I may move the timeline up a little. Jake, you three need to figure out alternate routes or consider riding in a couple cages set with traps. I don’t want any chatter about this over any line or in front of anyone who doesn’t have a patch, is that understood?”

  After agreeing, Vice, Gunner, and I hit the bar.

  “The Russian was clean right, Gunner?” Vice starts in. “Nothing recreational on him?”

  “Didn’t pack his fucking bag, Vice.” Gunner growls back. He throws back the whiskey that Probie brings him and motions for another. “Fuck.”

  “Hey, Betsy!” Vice calls. She looks up, pleased as always when he calls for her.

  “Yeah, Baby?” She crosses to us quickly, sidling up to Vice.

  “You know where the cabin is, right?” He asks, oblivious to the smile she gives him as she nods. “Good. Grab some petty cash, hit the grocery store for a few days’ worth of food and go keep Russian company? All right, Sweetie?”

  She quickly tries to hide the hurt that flashes across her face, knowing he’s sending her off to be with someone else. I see her spending more time with Russian nowadays than she does with Vice, so it’s not like she’s getting a shit assignment. Fuck, it could have been Frank.

  Betsy nods, grabs a few bottles from behind the bar and heads back towards her room.

  “Damn Vice! That was fucking cold!” Once she’s out of sight, Roy leans over to slap his nephew upside the head.

  “What?” Vice turns towards us with a confused look on his face. “Not gonna leave our Brother yanking his own dick for a week?!”

  “You know that Girlie’s carried a torch for you for years,” Roy responds, getting in his face. “Don’t gotta return feelings you don’t have, but don’t be a dick about shit like that. I could have handled it quiet like, without getting her hopes up that you were gonna take her away.”

  “Shit, Betsy knows I enjoy her; she knows I enjoy lots of girls,” Vice smirks back.

  “Show respect, Vice,” I surprise myself by talking, the other three are staring at me with their mouths open.

  “Yeah, Jake. I getcha.” Vice finally says, before heading out.

  I’m surprised a moment later when it’s just Gunner and me left at the bar, thinking it’s odd he hasn’t headed home already.

  “You doing alright, Jake?” He asks. I tilt my head and nod, trying to figure out where this is going.

  “Riley was worried about you after the dinner the other night. I don’t know. I promised her I’d check in with you.” He looks as embarrassed as I feel right now.

  “Might take a ride after this next run. Clear my head a bit,” I say. His hand clamps down on my shoulder, as he finishes up his drink.

  “Let me know if I can do anything,” He grins at me, before tightening his grip. “Don’t you make my Sweetheart worry.”

  I just nod again, my throat feeling oddly tight.

  Chapter 2

  Charlie

  Sitting on the bus to Rowansville, I can’t help but smile as I scroll through the emails from Connal. Mack didn’t tell me much about him, but I’m picturing someone close to his age; fifties maybe? Connal got a discounted rate for me at a small motel within a couple miles of the Garage. I’m sure it’ll be a dive but I insisted I wanted to be close to the shop. I didn’t want to tell him I don’t have a car, but I had to pay for school and I couldn’t afford both. According to the Maps App, there’s a diner and gas station with a mini-mart nearby; that should take care of food.

  By the time the bus has rolled into town, I’ve read all the Yelp reviews for the garage, motel, and diner. My leg is bouncing from excitement as I wait to get off the bus. A few blocks past the stop, I come up to the motel that meets my very low expectations.

  Oh, well, it’s temporary. And, honestly, not the worst looking place I’ve ever lived.

  “What do you want?” The man in the motel office asks when I open the door. Alrighty.

  “Um, reservation for Scott?” I mumble.

  “How long you staying?” Is his next question.

  “I don’t know yet, I’m just starting a job here…”

  “You gonna whore for those bikers?”

  “WHAT?! NO!” I feel like I’ve walked into an alternate universe.

  “Better not think about bringing tricks back here. I’ll toss you out, even if it pisses them Grizzlies off. Hear me?”

  When I head out to find my room, I’m much paler than when I walked in. My hand with the room key is shaking as I walk down the line, finding number eight. Quickly locking the door behind me, I slide a chair under the doorknob. Turning I get a look at myself and halfway understand the manager’s question.

  I’m not wearing one of my usual tight sports bra / oversized shirt combinations today. With a regular bra and t-shirt on, my camper’s backpack pulling my shoulders back, the only noticeable thing about me is my boobs. I am height and weight proportionate everywhere but my chest. Freshman year of high school they started growing and within months I was a D. Yep, four inches over five feet and I have stripper boobs. Grandpa would have had a heart attack; if he hadn’t had the big one a year before that.

  By the time I got to a C, I starting binding them and wearing baggie tops. Living in a revolving door of foster homes, I never wanted any of the men to notice me. I’d heard enough horrible tales from other girls in the gr
oup home.

  After checking the bed for bugs, I am soon climbing in. Eager to get to work tomorrow.

  *

  “Excuse me?” I call in through the bay door.

  A man, probably ten or so years older than me, rolls halfway out from under a Range Rover. His face is obscured by oil but his long body looks very well defined from this angle.

  “Just leave the keys in it and go fill out the form on the clipboard in the office. Won’t get to look at your car for an hour or two.” He calls out, annoyed at the interruption.

  “Um, I’m looking for Connal?” I call back.

  “Yeah, I’m busy, Honey. Leaving your car or not?” He growls from under the SUV.

  “Not.” I bristle at being called Honey. “I’m Charlie. Charlie Scott? You hired me?”

  There’s a clatter as he drops his multipliers and rolls the full way out from under the SUV this time. Standing up, and grabbing a towel; he’s squinting at me, still not speaking. I unroll my overalls from the top of my tool bag and shrug at him.

  I open my mouth to talk and he holds up a finger to silence me, pulling a phone out and dialing.

  “Mack.” He growls. “What the fuck is this? I’m seriously backed up and you’re fucking pranking me?”

  “What the hell?!” I yell out.

  Turning his back to me and storming towards the reception area, he yells. “A goddamn girl is here!” I’m standing there furious and unable to decide whether or not to follow him over the next few moments.

  “Are you a stripper? That’d be fucking awesome if Mack sent a stripper,” I spin, seeing another guy has come up behind me. He’s stockier than the first guy and not nearly as tall, with shaggy brown hair and eyes. Reaching out, he moves to grab my braid; I’ve had it with the men in this town so I kick him in the shin. Hard. With my steel-toed work boot.

  “FUCK!” He roars, clutching his leg and falling to the ground. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

  “Goddamn it!” Connal yells from behind me. I turn to see him pocketing his phone as he walks towards us.

  “I’m not a stripper or a whore, I’m a goddamn MECHANIC!” I yell up at him, it’s when we’re standing toe to toe that I notice he’s nearly a foot taller than I am. And totally hot.