“Yes. How can I help you?”
Zach didn’t die from his wound, did he? No, that would be ridiculous, they wouldn’t come and tell me.
“We want to talk to you about this afternoon. I’m Cas and this Slade, Zach’s father. May we come in?”
For some reason, I don’t think his politeness is real. They’re coming in whether I allow it or not. Zach must get his looks from his mom because he doesn’t look anything like his dad. Although, his dad is a looker for his age. Good looks must run in their family.
I open the door wider and they both walk inside. They can say what they have come to say and leave. I have heard all the stories around town about shots and fights with them out in the middle of nowhere, but no one can say about the guys at the club going for people in town. They’re pretty good at keeping to themselves usually.
Cas walks straight through to the kitchen and throws down an envelope on the table. He doesn’t notice the blood patch, or he does and ignores it.
“Zach told us what went down today and what you did for him,” he says and then just stops.
“Okay?”
What am I meant to say?
Oh, now I get it. They’re here to make sure I don’t say anything about what I saw.
“We came to see how you’re doing and offer our condolences for your mom.”
“Thanks, and I’m fine. I told Zach as much too. I won’t say anything to anyone, if that’s why you’re really here.”
Cas laughs and then it quickly turns into a coughing fit. Slade, the other biker, looks on with a frown and looks like he wants to help but he doesn’t know how.
Cas pulls out a chair and helps himself to a seat. What is it with me today, I’ve had two Lost Souls sitting at my table who look like they could die.
“Can I get a glass of water, please?” he asks.
I get him a bottle of water from the fridge and he accepts it with a smile.
“Inside the envelope is a thank you from the club for helping our brothers.”
I’m not sure what to say, I have a pretty good idea what’s inside, but I keep my mouth shut.
Finishing his water, he leaves the bottle on the table and stands. He joins his brother and he looks me straight in the eye.
“Needless to say, you didn’t see anything, and you didn’t hear anything.”
I nod and release a long breath when they walk out without another word said or waiting for me to show them out.
Once the front door is closed, I snatch the envelope up and rip it open to find a thick wad of cash inside, just as I guessed. Five thousand dollars.
I count it again and I was right the first time, inside is five thousand dollars.
It’s hush money. How fucking dare they assume they can treat me like that. I stash it in my bag so it’s out of my sight. I clean the table, I clean the floor, I clean the entire kitchen and by the time I’m done, the place has never been so clean and the money is still pissing me off. I can hear my mom yelling at me to take it back. I don’t hang around debating it. I grab the trash bag of bloodied rags and head out to the car.
Dumping the bag in the trash, I wonder when the trash cart is due. Sliding behind the wheel of mom’s car, I bring the engine to life and back out onto the street.
The Lost Souls don’t know me, they don’t believe I won’t say anything but to pay me off is a little insulting, and who even does that? Bribing people with cash? This is Willows Peak, not a movie.
It isn’t long before their clubhouse comes into view, this time the gates are closed.
“I’m here to see Cas,” I tell the guy on the gate when he doesn’t look like he’s about to open them for me.
“He’s busy.”
For fuck sake, could he be any ruder?
“Can you at least pass him a message from me?” I snap.
If he’s going to be rude, I will be too.
“Sure,” he sighs, rolling his eyes like I’m a complete nuisance to his evening.
I hand over the envelope and he even has the nerve to growl having to get off his chair and walk five feet over to the car.
He snatches it out of my hand and returns to his chair.
“Tell him, Nina doesn’t want his money, I won’t say anything.”
“Got it.”
I drive away without much confidence in the guy and drive home. I need to seriously figure out what I’m going to do with my life now.
I have no plans to return to Salt Bay, I mean, I’ll have to get in contact with the landlord and end my tenancy, but it’s not like I have anything to go back for. Not even Joey is a factor anymore. Nothing is keeping me in Willows Peak now my mom is gone, and I don’t want to be here alone if Vincent returns one day.
Fatigue washes over me and I blast the radio to keep my eyes open. I make it home and fall on the couch.
For tonight, I’m going to do nothing, think about nothing, and plan nothing. I’m certainly not going to think about the dark-haired guy who rides a motorcycle and gets shot in the arm, a very muscled, tattooed arm. I’m certainly not going to think about the way his skin burned against mine, or how his scent attracted me to him like a bear to honey. Nope, I’m not thinking about anything.
Zachery
My eyes open and I’m in darkness. The pills Myles gave me were strong, they knocked my ass out and as I look at the time, just after ten pm, I’ve been out for eight hours. I swing my legs out of bed and inspect my wound. Parts ache to fuck and other parts are numb.
Nina Rollins did well cleaning me up and putting me back together. Now I’m awake and alone, I wonder how she learned to deal with gunshot wounds without freaking out.
My stomach growls and my mouth is dry. Slipping into my boots, it takes a beat to tie my laces with one bad arm.
I swear, if those Crow pricks weren’t already dead, I’d kill them myself. Snatching a clean tee from the drawer, I carefully dress and pick up my phone and see a number of missed calls from my mom. Dad would’ve filled her in by now and no doubt she’s freaking out.
She isn’t here banging down my door, so he must’ve gotten through to her I was fine, and I’d still be here in the morning for her to yell at. I can’t wait for that.
I’ve already had Cas chewing my ass off, I don’t need it from her too. Would she even mean it anyway? Who knows what’s the truth with her.
I make my way down to the bar, and it’s unusually quiet. It’s not that late, yet it’s nearly empty.
My sister catches my eye as she paces with Rayna cuddled in her arms, and she looks tired and worn down.
I look between her and the bar, and as much as I want to sink half a bottle of tequila, I owe my sister to be a brother for once and check on her. Rayna begins whimpering in her arms again and India frowns.
“What’s wrong with her?” I ask, lowering my voice not wanting to set the baby off again.
“She’s being grumpy and won’t settle. Leo was up with her last night, it’s my turn tonight.”
She yawns, and I swallow the silence when she doesn’t ask for my help. I was a bastard to her not to long ago and made it clear not to come to me if she needed help because she had got herself pregnant with Leo Jackson’s kid.
I haven’t told her, but I regret the words I used against her now. She’s my sister, we don’t have the same biological father, but we do have the same mom and now she’s older, she looks at me like she maybe understands why I lost myself after finding out about Billy.
“Give her to me, I’ll watch her tonight while you get some sleep. Come find us in the morning.”
She stops pacing and her mouth falls open. I could smile, I don’t but I could, and she closes her trap.
“Are you serious? Don’t joke about it if you’re not. Sleep is more valuable than money right now, and you don’t mess around with it.”
“Hand her over before I change my mind,” I grunt, and she moves towards me.
She transfers her over to me, and now she’s not so little, I don’t have
to use my wounded arm.
“Will you be okay with her? I heard what happened to you today.”
“And you didn’t run to my side to see if I was okay?”
“Dad told me you were fine,” she half grins and rolls her eyes. “Her bottles are in the kitchen, her pram is in Cas’ office if you need to push her around, she likes that sometimes to get to sleep, and if you need me, come and wake me up. Please don’t need me though.”
She leans up on her toes and presses her lips to Rayna’s head.
“Be good for your Uncle Zach, mommy will see you in the morning.”
In the blink of an eye, she’s not standing in front of us and is climbing the stairs and disappearing out of sight.
Peering down at my niece, her big, round brown eyes are looking up at me. Her daddy’s eyes. It used to bother me Leo had disrespected us with my sister, but when I look at Rayna, I can’t wish her away now, and Leo seems to be treating them both well.
I won’t hold back though if he’s a dick to her. I’ll take pleasure in seeing him bleed.
“What shall we do tonight, baby girl?” I ask her, heaving her higher on my side as I look around the bar.
She isn’t tired one little bit and thanks to my eight-hour nap, nor am I.
“I mean, we could have a drink, but I hate milk and you’re too young for a beer. Your momma will kill me if I smoke around you and I’ve already been shot today, I don’t need your dad chasing me with his gun. So, I guess it’s going to be a long night.”
She doesn’t care, in fact, she continues to stare up at me and slap her chubby palm against my leather cut.
“Let’s get some air,” I mutter, heading for Cas’ office.
It isn’t locked, and I find her pram easily and have her covered with the pink blanket that was lying at the bottom of the pram and I’m pushing her outside.
It’s nice and warm tonight and I head around the back of the clubhouse and out of sight of the main road. If we have any unwanted surprise visitors, we’ll be out of sight of any surprise attacks from the Black Crows.
Using one hand to push the pram, I sink my wounded arm in my pocket to rest it. The ache is pulsing, and I could do with a smoke to fade it out.
I lock the pram wheels near a bench and move to the other side so I can have a few hits where it won’t reach her and then I clock Tal walking around the corner.
Since he nearly ruined his chances of patching in when he took Harper to town, he’s been relegated to outside duties and he hates it.
He’s carrying an envelope and stops when he gets close.
“Babysitting?” he asks, sliding the package under his arm so he can light his own cigarette.
“My sister needs sleep.” Is all I say. I nod at the package. “What’s that?”
“Oh, some woman from town, Nina something, dropped it off a while ago for Cas. I haven’t seen him to give it to him yet.”
Holding out my hand, I forget about the smoke I needed a few moments ago. “Pass it here, I’ll pass it to him.”
The mention of Nina’s name has me coming alive. It’s obvious it’s cash when I have it in my hands and feel the rectangular wad inside.
Why would she be bringing an envelope stuffed with cash to Cas? Sliding my tin back into my pocket, I stand and stow the cash in my back pocket. I dismiss Tal without even remembering he’s there, and push Rayna around to India’s car. Thank fuck there is a baby seat in the back and I settle her in quickly. I close her door and throw open the driver’s door, ready to hot wire her car and head into town when it hits me, I need a shit load of stuff for the baby, I’ve seen the bag India lugs around in case she needs changing or feeding. And secondly, I can’t leave on my own.
“You remember the time you nearly got my cousin killed?” I yell out, catching Tal walking towards the gate.
He stops mid-step and freezes, keeping his back to me.
“Go into the kitchen, fill the baby bag with a couple of bottles and bring them out to me.”
He spins on his heel and does as I order. I hated prospecting and as soon as I got my patch, I never let anyone tell me what to do, unless it came from Cas. Even then, it still gets to me.
A few minutes later, he jogs out holding the bright pink bag and puts it on the back seat.
“I need you and two prospects to follow me into town.”
“Does Leo know you’re taking his kid?”
“Why are you questioning me, prospect? She’s my fucking niece and I’m looking after her tonight, so if I go out, she comes with me, got it?”
He nods and puts two fingers to his mouth. He lets out a short, sharp whistle and it gets the attention of two other prospects. They jog over, and he mutters something to them and they in turn, head to the van they use.
I don’t hang around, and the gates open as I pull up to them. Rayna gurgles away in her seat, wide awake and not interested in sleeping yet.
I wonder how much Cas gave her and I wonder why she drove all the way out here to give it back?
The lights are still on when I drive onto her street so she must be up still, and Rayna is finally sleeping in her seat. This could work out nicely. Climbing out of the car, I almost want to buy my sister a proper car, but that’s on Leo now. I don’t know how he manages to get in and out of that tin pot without complaining.
It takes too long to figure out how to unclip Rayna’s chair without waking her up, but when I do, I have her out and I’m closing the door and walking up Nina’s porch steps.
I knock on the door and wait.
And wait.
And wait some more.
I knock again, and a timid voice comes through the door.
“Who is it?”
Good girl, she isn’t one of those people that just open the door late at night when it could be anyone lurking around on the other side.
“It’s Zachery McCarthy.”
I cringe at mentioning my surname, feeling a fraud. Slade is a McCarthy, by blood I’m not. I should have Billy’s name, and I don’t. It’s a real fucking mindfuck.
The door opens, and she looks confused. Her eyes fall to Rayna and back up to mine.
“Shouldn’t she be at home, it’s late.”
“She wouldn’t sleep so we brought you your money back.”
I dig the envelope out of my pocket and hold it out for her to take. She doesn’t move and physically finds it disgusting.
“You had a wasted trip, it’s not my money. It belongs to Cas, that’s why I returned it.”
My arm burns holding it out for too long and I drop it to my side, the envelope too.
“If Cas gave you this, then it’s yours. He won’t take it back.”
“I don’t care what he does with it, as long as it’s not here.”
“Why did he give it to you?”
“It’s hush money that he called a thank you, for helping you.”
I frown and stuff the cash back in my pocket.
“I helped you like I would’ve helped anyone, I don’t need your club to treat me like I could rat or something.”
I cock an eyebrow and smile.
“You don’t think he paid you off for helping me?”
I leave the dead Crow’s unspoken about, but she knows what I’m getting at. She stares at me and frowns.
“Who am I going to tell? Anyone in town wouldn’t care what the Lost Souls get up to as long as it’s not on their doorstep, and the cops haven’t done a thing about your club in the history of the club. So, I ask, why does Cas need to pay me to keep quiet?”
This woman is phenomenal. She’s being genuine, I’m certain of it.
Rayna whimpers in her seat and we both look down on her. India didn’t say when she was last fed, she could be hungry.
“I need to feed her,” I murmur, more to myself than to Nina.
I’m not surprised when she opens the door wider, and says, “You better come in then.”
“Take her for a moment,” I tell her, and don’t give her a choice.
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She takes the car seat from me and I run back to the car. The prospects sit across the street in the van and settle in when I pull out the baby bag.
I’m back on the porch and taking Rayna from her as I walk inside, this time taking in more of my surroundings.
The place is nice and homely, but I can feel the loneliness inside these walls. She points me to the living room and I place Rayna’s seat in front of the couch. Nina takes the armchair by the fire and I can’t believe she’s cold enough for a real fire.
Unclipping Rayna and holding her on my lap, I fight through the burning aches as I free her bottle from the bag. The room quietens as I slip the teat into her mouth, and Nina is watching us both closely.
“How old is she?” she asks.
“Two or three months,” I answer truthfully.
Or is she four or five months old? Shit. I honestly don’t know. Since her birth, life has been a spiral of nonstop crazy.
“You don’t sound so sure,” she chuckles. “Shouldn’t a daddy know how old his daughter is?”
Assume much?
“She isn’t mine,” I snort.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought, never mind.”
“She’s my niece, my sister and Rayna’s dad haven’t had much sleep in the last couple of days, so I said I would watch her tonight.”
She softens and loses the attitude.
“That was nice of you.”
“I’m a nice guy,” I flirt with her.
Her face stones over, but I see her trying to hide her amusement. She looks away and I let my smile shine. It almost hurts my cheeks. I can’t remember the last time I smiled this stupidly.
It disappears when she turns back to me and I see the sadness behind her eyes.
“I want to thank you again for helping me, especially when it was your mom’s funeral. You should have kept driving,” I say before she says anything.
I can’t imagine doing anything the day I have to bury my mom, besides drinking too much.
“You were a good distraction, and then Cas and your dad came, and they distracted me too. It wasn’t until I was alone I remembered what today was.”
She holds herself and I regret everything on her behalf.
His Ride or Die : Sons of Lost Souls MC Book Three Page 5
