by Xander Hades
I drove around for a few hours, trying to figure out what I should do. I even drove past Dana’s, I couldn’t help it, but she wasn’t there. Probably best, I thought. I didn’t want to have to tell her I had been wrong about Mack following us, or that there may be a problem with the Wild Wolves. I ended up at Rocky’s in the middle of the afternoon. I was hungry and craving for a beer.
“Hey hot stuff, what can I get ya?” Tina asked cheerfully.
“A burger and beer, Tina, that would be great,” I told her. The place was empty, no surprise with the weather.
“So, what’s up, you look like someone kicked your dog,” Tina said running her fingers through her hair. I took my jacket off and hung it on the back of the bar stool.
“Something like that,” I told her and she frowned as I explained to her about my day so far. She muttered a few obscenities.
“That’s messed up, man. Sorry to hear it. Have you told Dana, yet?”
“Nope, I haven’t figured out what to say. I have just been driving around, trying to figure what to do. I ain’t got any answers, yet,” I admitted and began eating the burger and fries Tina had brought me. When I finished, I ordered another beer.
“I don’t have any answers for you, Jake,” she said when she got me my second beer and picked up the plate and empty glass. “Other than you should tell Dana. If you are right and Mack was talking to a Wild Wolf, she doesn’t need to be surprised.” She took the dishes away. She was right, of course, only I just couldn’t do it, not yet. Everything had been going so well, too. I remembered how just that morning I had been so excited about meeting her for dinner here at Rocky’s. That gave me an idea and I got out my phone. I wanted to tell her in person. So I sent her a text about the dinner at Rocky’s tonight. I set my phone down and saw Tina was on her phone and it seemed an urgent conversation. She glanced over at me and then shook her head, saying something I couldn’t hear into her phone. She started walking my way.
“I’ll let him know, darling, no, no problem ever. You guys come on over when you can,” she said into the phone. “Yup, alright dear, see you then.”
“You aren’t the only one with problems. Dana got your text while I was talking to her. She will be here for dinner, she is at the hospital,” Tina said. Hearing “hospital,” I bolted up my seat. Tina gestured me to back down.
“Easy, dude. Dana is fine. She had a visit from Tom, the stalker. Two Wolves chased him but he got away. Mitch was up in the hills when he heard and took a corner too fast trying to get back to town. He rolled his truck. He has a few broken ribs and his leg is all banged up. They are keeping him for observation.” I wanted to go out the door raging after the creeper. Except I had nowhere to look. I didn’t know this Tom guy.
“You’re sure she is alright? Mitch will be okay, too?” I asked. I didn’t know Mitch, other than what he looked like, but he was Dana’s brother and couldn’t be that bad.
“Yeah, she is and he will be. Dana was with Tina and she is coming, too. It seems that the Wolves received some information, same as you. It was only casually mentioned, and not to Mitch. Just to Dana. That is a piss-ant move to my thinking,” Tina said. I thought about it and realized what she meant. They let Dana know there is a problem, but they wouldn’t tell her brother if she did the “right thing,” I thought. Would they do that? I wondered angrily. Then I realized Billy had done something similar with me, except he wasn’t using a relative as leverage to get what he wanted. That made me wonder how Mitch would feel about that. It would piss me off if the club used me against my sister.
“It is a piss-ant move, but I think I get it. The quieter it goes away the better, to their way of thinking. I think Billy may need to know the Wolves were tipped off, as well. Mack’s day is about to get even worse. If the Dragons could have shut it down without the Wolves knowing about it, there would have been less mess and fuss,” I said and picked up my phone. I texted the information out to Billy and then set my phone down. He hadn’t answered the last one. This one took about two minutes.
“A war would not be good right now! Your dating a Wolf sister is small fry compared with a pairing up of a Dragon and a Wolf! It will add fuel to the fire, though. Deal with it! I will deal with Mack!” The Hammer almost never texted, this was like a manifesto for him. I hesitated, but I trusted Tina and she had a good head on her shoulders. I showed her the text.
“Billy is getting expressive in his old age. Look at those exclamation points. I’m impressed,” she said, making a joke. I actually chuckled.
“Billy is pissed. He is right, this could be a war. I knew we were flirting with trouble, but a war? Shit!”
She shook her head and got me some coffee. “Here, drink this. No point in getting drunk before your lady gets here and don’t blame yourself, Jake. Look at it this way. Sure, you and Dana fell in love, right over there,” she said pointing to the pool tables and I chuckled dryly. “You did not go sneaking around taking pictures. You did not creep around stalking Dana, or collude with a rival gang. Billy is right about that. Your relationship is small shit in comparison, regardless of why they did it. I think Billy is wrong in putting pressure on you by tying your situation to the war. Those jackasses would have done something stupid like this eventually. Their kind always does. Just relax and wait for Dana to get here. I think we will be closing early after they arrive. Bartender’s prerogative,” she said. I thanked her. I went over to the tables to shoot some pool and try to relax. I knew I wouldn’t be able to, not completely, until Dana got here. I was glad Rocky’s was neutral territory, though, just in case things got uglier with the clubs.
Chapter Eleven
Dana
“Good night, Mitch,” I said to my sleeping sibling and left his hospital room. He had come out of surgery several hours earlier and according to the doctor, they had found the final laceration to his lungs. His broken ribs had been more severe than first realized. He was expected to recover, only it would take much longer than previously thought. One of the female Wolves was waiting for me when I came out: Dr. Quinn.
“He is going to be alright, they say,” she said and I nodded. She was a nice lady and a great veterinarian.
“Yeah, he should be. He will have to stay in the ICU for another few days and then heavy therapy, but he will survive,” I told her and she walked with me down the hall. I thought back to three days earlier, the last time I had seen my man. Then I had thought Mitch had just broken a few bones and that was it. All my attention had been on Jake and I and what we were going to do. Now everything was different. Mitch, the creep Tom and the dumbass Mack piled up in my mind. The only peaceful thing I could conceive of was Jake and we couldn’t be together. Not right then, maybe not ever. As I walked out the hospital doors I pulled my coat on and got out a cigarette. I had started smoking again, and right then I couldn’t care.
“Is your friend coming to get you?” Quinn asked politely. I appreciated her care, but she was a Wild Wolf, essentially, and it made me uncomfortable.
“Yes, she’ll be here soon. Is there any sign of Tom and Mack?” I asked as I inhaled the smoke.
“Not yet. The clubs are getting together tonight to deal with it. About time as far as I am concerned. There is no way they can fix this without getting together on it. They are so stubborn at times,” she said and I grimaced.
“Tell me about it,” I said sarcastically. Glancing at her I could see her blush.
“Of course, Dana, I am sorry. I just meant about the two men, not… you know,” she said, referring to me and Jake. The word was well and truly out about us now. It had taken me some time to not blame myself for what happened to Mitch. That was an accident in the truest sense of the word and I knew that. Yet he had been rushing back to see me safe when he wrecked. I shook my head and took another drag. The only good thing was he didn’t know about Jake and I. The club had decided he didn’t need to. Not then, anyway.
“I wish I could go home,” I said and winced at the childlike tone of my voice. Qui
nn patted my parka-covered shoulder.
“I would, too. But until we get a bead on those assholes, it is best that you don’t. Is Jake also in hiding?”
I glanced at her and hesitated. I was beginning to feel like the clubs themselves were the enemy. I knew that wasn’t right, but it was a bad feeling that wouldn’t go away. Of course, Quinn was new to the Wolves and wasn’t as club-minded over everything.
“Yeah. He is a target now, too. After he beat up Mack again, it is certain Mack wants more hurtful revenge,” I told her. Jake was not happy about it at all. He wanted to make a target of himself to draw the guys out. His club was against it. They felt it was too obvious and wouldn’t work. I wanted the both of us to announce where we were and draw them in, but no one was listening to me about it.
“I actually had the temerity to suggest that we let the cops know. I figure if there is an APB out on them they wouldn’t even be able to go for groceries without risk. That would really put the pressure on. Of course, that idea was met with complete shock,” she said with some disgust. I chuckled briefly. I could imagine.
“What has national said about the whole thing?”
“I don’t know. I suspect that they are the reason the clubs are coming together. It looks bad for everyone to have two rogue dudes like those guys. I am holding out hope that everything will be resolved by Christmas. I hate ending a year with a bad Christmas,” she said wistfully. She really was a nice woman, I thought to myself. I hugged her impulsively.
“Me, too. I really do. For all of us!” I said. Now that I had been assured that Mitch was going to be okay, I was becoming more focused on me and Jake. Last I heard from him he was still as determined as I was to find a way to make it work. I just had no idea how. I saw Tina’s Kia coming down the plowed hospital entrance and waved her over.
“Are you going to be okay, dear? Need anything?” Quinn asked. I shook my head.
“No, thank you though. Tina’s place is safe and we have some friends keeping an eye out,” I told her. It had not gone over well that I had made my own arrangements. The club felt they should look after me, but Tina had no problem telling them that they hadn’t been able to do a great job so far, so she was taking over. They couldn’t do anything since Rocky’s was neutral territory and no one wanted to risk losing a place like that. I almost chuckled at Tina’s methods as the Kia pulled up and I saw her looking out at Quinn and I.
“I’ll be back after work tomorrow, Quinn, thank you for staying with me. I appreciate the company these past few days,” I told her and she smiled softly and hugged me.
“My pleasure, Dana, take care of yourself,” she said. I assured her I would and got into the little SUV. Tina waved and said hi to Quinn and then we were off. She turned off onto a little side road that led out of town. As usual, they were taking a different route and it was one I didn’t recognize. She had a few friends who helped her by keeping an eye on their tail and for the past few days there had been no problem. I kept the hope that would continue.
“I don’t know who these friends are of yours Tina, but thank them for me,” I said. She chuckled.
“They are glad to do it. They owe me, besides, I think that neither Tom nor Mack is going to think anyone but a club member would be helping you out. So, there is a real possibility that those two are watching the clubs, not me. That or they may have finally left town for good.” I nodded and watched the night pass by out the window as we went along. The only problem I had about that was I would never know for sure if they left, unless someone sees them many miles away and reports it back. I could go a long time paranoid and unsure, I didn’t want that. It would drive me crazy.
“I got something from Jake for you. He left it at a drop place we talked about once. It is at the cabin waiting for you. So please relax,” Tina said. “You are not doing yourself any favor by stressing too much. I also told Jake the same thing.” She wagged her finger at me. I chuckled and felt some of the tightness in my chest loosen a little. She was right.
We pulled up into her driveway and I smiled. It was a nice little three-bedroom cabin she had inherited from her parents. On the fringe of town and not well known. It was beautiful and I thought it would be great to spend some time there in the summer. A nice little stream ran through the back part of the property and she had raved about that. We got out and thankfully the driveway had been shoveled and as she came around the Kia to my side the bushes next to the house began rustling. We heard somebody cursing. I jumped back and Tina stepped in front of me, holding out a tazer! Where did she get that? The bushes rattled louder. We backed up against the car in fear, the front door was on the other side of the commotion. Running into the freezing woods didn’t seem like a good idea. Were we trapped? I felt myself tremble and then a big man stepped out of the shrubs into the light, still cursing. Tina let out a loud curse.
“Dammit, Timmy, what the hell are you doing? You scared the hell out of us!”
The big redhead had a shaggy beard, a white snowsuit and was brushing snow off of himself. He looked up mildly.
“Whadya mean? I was just checking the perimeter and got caught up in the bushes. You need to have those trimmed in the spring. They are a pain in my ass,” he said and walked away, waving at me in greeting then going down the driveway. Tina let out a breath and I felt my heart rate slow down.
“Green beret, my ass,” Tina muttered and took my hand leading me up to the front porch of the cabin. “Let’s get inside where it’s warm and I won’t be tempted to go taze his ass for that,” Tina said angrily and I couldn’t help starting to chuckle and then laugh harder as we went in. I couldn’t help it, it had been a few days since anything was funny and that incident had just hit me the right way. After a moment, Tina began laughing, too, and we stood leaning on each other in her entry way laughing about a man named Timmy in the bushes.
***
“So where is that note from Jake?” I asked when I had finished my shower. I had almost forgotten about it after the scare and hilarity of the arrival at the cabin. Tina smiled, pointing at the little area off the porch where the hot tub was.
“Go get comfortable, it is in the little box on the table. I will get dinner ready. Tomorrow, you cook,” she said and waved me off before I could protest. So I didn’t and went where she indicated. I was wearing a one piece just for this occasion and saw the box as I hung up my robe. I went over and opened it eagerly. It had a note and a small cell phone. I felt a smile widen my lips as I read the note. God, I love that man, I thought as I turned on the phone and found his number. It was a throwaway phone and his was the only one in it, so it wasn’t hard.
Hey baby, I thought we could talk this way, so that there are no call logs or texts on our regular phones. I am pretty sure mine was checked by a “brother” when I wasn’t looking. It hurts that I can’t be with you to help you through this crisis, maybe this could help. I love you and wish I could hold you and console you. I know it would console me. I should be alone by six tonight if you want to call. I am thinking of you constantly and only want this all to be over and to hold you to my heart. Jake Jackhammer.
I quickly dialed his number. It was almost seven so I was sure he would be ready. It turned out I was right.
“Dana love?” His voice was a balm to my nerves and I stepped into the hot tub and sat on the bench, enjoying the warmth and the soothing sound of his love.
“It’s me, my love. Oh, how are you?” I had to ask.
“I am fine, Dana Doll. No worries. How is Mitch?” he asked and I could hear his concern. He really was a good man. I filled him in on Mitch’s condition.
“I am glad he will be alright. I can’t believe the shit storm you have had to go through. I wish I could just wave my hand, or kick someone's ass, to make it right for you,” he said with a sigh.
“I know, love. I want it over, too. Thankfully no one is after Mitch so he is safe in the hospital and we are safe in our hiding, but dammit, I don’t want to hide anymore!” I said. His voi
ce was soothing but it also reminded me of what I was missing and my frustration rose.
“I hear ya, babe. I almost got into it with Toby and Jon. Jon is so mellow, he just keeps saying ‘patience’ as if it was some kind of talisman that will make everything better. It made me want to smack him in the mouth,” Jake said, showing his frustration, too. I chuckled.
“Yeah, Quinn was saying similar things. She thinks it will all end in time for a happy Christmas. I only wish it will, with both of us together,” I said.
“Me, too. If those two troublemakers aren’t found soon I will go looking for them myself. I still can’t believe Mack got away from Billy. I am told he is so furious about it no one will even mention Mack’s name. Probably smart of everyone. Somehow, Mack has learned to be sneaky when he never used to be. I am thinking that creeper Tom may have taught him some things,” Jake said, exasperated.
“Maybe, I don’t know Mack so I’ll take your word for it, love. I don’t even know Tom!” I said.
“I know. Most victims of stalkers don’t actually know the people following them. Mack is bad enough, but that twisted little shit really ain’t right in the head. I wish I knew how those two met. The only thing I can think of is Mack was looking for me and ran into Tom looking for you. Maybe creeps attract creeps,” he said thoughtfully. It struck me as funny. As I laughed, Jake joined me and Tina came in and set a drink near me on the edge of the tub, smiling before leaving. When we both calmed down I took a sip and it was a hot, buttered rum. Heaven.
