Starla’s eyes went wide. Her jaw dropped. “Oh…”
“So, whatever you think about me and him and the MC, leave it. Get it out of your head. Because it doesn’t exist. Okay? That’s not my business. They saved your ass once because of this place. And you’re going to bother me about it?”
“Sorry,” Starla said. “I was just curious. I haven’t heard anything from them. And my situation isn’t exactly over yet.”
“Right. Your situation. Not my situation.”
“You don’t have to be a…”
Starla froze.
Josie grinned. “What? Be a what? A bitch? Remember what happened last time you called me that?”
“I didn’t say that,” Starla said.
“Why don’t you get out of here before I punch you in the face again,” Josie said.
Starla showed her hands in defeat and backed away.
She disappeared and when Josie turned, Parker was standing there. A towel over his shoulder. Leaning against the bar.
“What was that?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“I heard what happened with her.”
“Good. Because if you don’t get back to work, I’ll punch you in the mouth too.”
Parker’s eyes went wide.
Josie turned and walked away.
She had no idea what had gotten into her lately, but she liked it.
What she didn’t like though, was how things seemed to be lingering with Starla, the MC, drugs, and the swirl of crap that made up her life.
And the best part… Steph was going to bring a baby into this mess.
Josie covered her mouth as she watched the figure of the baby appear on the screen. It was amazing. A giant head and a tiny body. She could see the outline of the button nose. The arms. The hands. Fingers. Little legs. Little toes.
That alone brought tears to her eyes.
“Are you ready to find out?” the ultrasound tech asked.
“Yeah,” Steph said.
Josie reached with her right hand and took Steph’s hand.
“Okay… you are having… a girl.”
Josie gasped and looked down at Steph. Steph burst into tears. She pinched the bridge of her nose as her cheeks turned red.
“A girl,” Josie whispered. “A little girl.”
“Yup,” the ultrasound tech said. “I’ll take some more pictures so you have something to take home. But this right here…” The ultrasound tech moved the cursor on the screen. It made no sense to Josie, whatever they were looking at. “Those are the lady bits, as I call them.”
“A girl,” Steph said. She blinked fast. “That’s what I wanted.”
“We want a healthy baby,” Josie said. “But a girl. That’s amazing.”
Josie touched the corners of her eyes and watched the ultrasound tech finish the rest of the ultrasound. This wasn’t just for the gender reveal, but an important appointment to measure the baby and check for any possible issues.
An hour later, they were done.
The baby was perfect.
In perfect health.
A perfect size.
Everything was perfect.
A little girl.
Josie began to fantasize about holding the little baby. Cradling her, walking her through the kitchen and into the living room, back into the kitchen. But she had to stop herself. This wasn’t her baby. This was Steph’s baby. This was Steph’s life. And maybe Reese was right about Steph being on her own too.
There was a lot to figure out still. But they had time.
One thing that caught Josie’s attention was how quiet Steph was on the ride back home.
“Are you nervous?” Josie asked. “Or did you really hope for a boy?”
“No. It’s not that. I really did want a girl. I’m excited about that.”
“Okay. So, what’s got you down?”
Steph began to play with her hands. “It’s just… I’ve been thinking.”
“Thinking. Okay. That’s sometimes a dangerous thing.”
“Yeah, well, so is this.”
Josie raised an eyebrow. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m not sure.”
“What does that mean?”
Steph reached for Josie’s hand. “I have to tell you something.”
“Okay.”
There was a pause. Josie didn’t like the pause.
“Tell me,” she whispered to Steph. “I won’t get mad. I promise.”
Steph nodded. “I know who the father is."
Chapter Thirteen
It was a full table.
Richie brought a round of beers and refused to make eye contact with Hawk. He walked with a little limp, probably from whatever needed to be done to take care of the shot glass situation.
Levi stood and whistled to call order for the meeting.
“First, I wanted to say happy birthday to Luca.”
“Here, here!” Hawk yelled.
Everyone at the table started to pound on the table, cheering.
Levi whistled again. “Easy now, assholes. Luca is two hundred and fifty-three years old.”
“Fuck you,” Luca growled.
“He’s like a fucking tortoise at the zoo,” Brett said.
“With a dick like a horse though,” Luca said.
“Okay, okay,” Levi said. “Before we get into the zoo maps and shit here, leave all the dick talk for later. Luca is getting a free ride at the strip club. In more ways than one. All we can do is pray the old man makes it through. Hopefully his heart doesn’t give out.”
Everyone laughed.
“That’s the way to go out,” Luca said. He lifted his beer bottle. “I hope I drown in beer and pussy as I take my last breath.”
“Amen,” Ellis said.
“Amen,” Jason added.
The rest of the guys chanted Amen all before Levi got order once again.
“Being serious, Luca, you are the blood of this MC. You were there from day one when this thing was just a couple of guys and a motorcycle. You shaped the original vision for this club. You voted more than any of us here, moving the club forward through good times and bad. You survived wars, prison, rats, everything. And you’re still there, at the end of the table. Happy birthday, brother.”
Everyone began to clank bottles together, wishing Luca a happy birthday.
Reese let it go on for a minute before finally clearing his throat and speaking up. “Now, if I know Luca, he’d want us to get right to work here.”
“No,” Luca said. “I want beer and pussy right now.”
They guys cheered and laughed.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Reese yelled. “Be happy you got half for now, old man. Let’s talk business. It’s been a while since the drug situation. No word from Starla. No word from the supplier. Nothing.”
“It’ll come down,” Zac said. “Whoever gave up that much won’t go without demanding the cash.”
“Or blood,” Hawk said.
“DRM is my guess,” Ellis said. “They’re cash strapped and always pushing at us. Drop that kind of load in town and it makes the MC look bad. And if someone manages to get the cash for it, they’re set.”
“How do they front that cost?” Reese asked.
“Debt,” Hawk said.
“Which means they’re sweating,” Levi said.
“If it’s them,” Reese said.
“Worth a shot to ask, no?” Jason asked with a grin.
“You ask with fists and bullets, brother,” Reese said.
“Like there’s any other way?” Brett asked. “Plus, they still owe us an answer as to why they have their fucking prospects trying to tail us.”
Levi glanced at Reese and raised an eyebrow. “Good point.”
“Yeah,” Reese said. “Do we want to risk a war right now?”
“Death Road Magnetic,” Zac said. “They are the biggest pieces of shit on the road. They aren’t even worthy of the cops busting them because they’re worth shit.”
“DRM,
” Hawk said. “Don’t ever say their full fucking name.”
“Point is this,” Reese said. “If they are that stupid, why would they be moving drugs like that?”
“Let’s go and find out,” Hawk said. He cracked his knuckles and looked at Levi. “Prez?”
“I say we vote,” Levi said. “That’s why we’re here. VP?”
“Vote,” Reese said.
“What do you think, VP?” Hawk asked.
“I don’t want to stir up shit that’s already stirred.”
“So that’s a nay,” Levi said.
“I’m with VP,” Zac said.
“Me too,” Ellis said.
“That’s three nays,” Levi said. “Birthday boy?”
“DRM… they’re always a problem. We go there, and we remind them who we are. Poke around and make them sweat.”
“Is that a yes?” Levi asked.
Luca lifted his hand.
“Yay,” Jason said.
“Yay,” Brett added without hesitation.
“Yay,” Hawk said, looking right at Reese.
“That’s three nays and four yays,” Levi said. He slammed the gavel to the table. “Looks like we’re going for a ride, boys. Except Luca. He gets the day off.”
“No way,” Luca said.
Jason stood up and walked to the door and opened it. “Come on, old man. Let’s go for a walk.”
They all filed out of the meeting room to show Luca his birthday present. A gift that was made up of whiskey bottles stacked in the shape of a cake. And two topless women standing next to it, side by side, their hands flirting with each other.
“Yeah, I’ll stay here,” Luca said.
“Where’s the birthday boy?” one of the girls asked.
“Me,” Hawk called out. “I’m right here. Your dream and nightmare rolled into one.”
“Easy, brother,” Reese said. “This is for Luca.”
“Yeah, old man won’t keep it up for both anyway. I’ll get what he doesn’t.”
“Always taking the leftovers,” Ellis said.
“Still tastes good to me,” Hawk said.
“Let’s get out of here,” Levi said.
He led the way and Reese was last to leave. As he walked to his ride, his phone started to ring.
It was Josie calling.
He’d given her his number and promised that anytime that number changed, he’d let her know.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Reese said. “Everything okay?”
“Well, yes and no.”
“Okay.”
“First, it’s a girl.”
“What?”
“Steph is having a girl.”
“Oh, damn,” Reese said. “Wow. Hopefully she’s not like Steph.”
“I think we have some time to worry about that, Reese,” Josie said.
Reese watched the guys - his brothers - all climb on their motorcycles.
“There’s something else I need to tell you,” Josie said.
“Sweetheart, I want to hear everything, but we’re about to go on a run.”
“A run,” Josie said. “You mean…”
“Yeah,” Reese said.
Josie knew what a run meant.
“I’ve got to go,” Reese said.
“I know. Just, uh, be careful.”
“Always am.”
“Call me when you can, Reese.”
“You going to miss me?” he asked as he walked to his ride.
The motorcycles around him started to rumble like thunder.
“Yeah,” Josie said. “I’m going to miss you with all my heart. I won’t be able to sleep tonight without you.”
“You’re funny, sweetheart. Talk to you later.”
Reese ended the call.
Ellis looked at him. “Everything okay?”
“Perfect,” Reese shouted as he stepped over his motorcycle. “Let’s fucking ride, brother.”
Ellis nodded.
They left the lot, the growling engines a warning to everyone in town.
Reese planned on getting back home in one piece. Going to see Josie. Taste her body. Remind himself that he was alive.
But the problem with going on a run… you never knew when someone wasn’t going to come back alive.
Just outside of Watersald, approaching Huma, the roads were wider with more turns. Designed for tractor-trailers to drive easily, hauling loads from the south, passing through several small towns to either keep going north until they were out of California, or they’d pick up the interstate east to go into Nevada and beyond.
That’s where DRM made their voices heard. They controlled a big part of those roads, meaning trucks - drivers and companies - knew that they needed to play the game to pass through safely. DRM wasn’t against picking and choosing a truck at random to simply attack and blow up, just as a warning to everyone else. They really didn’t have a town to live in, which meant there was no restriction of authority or possible war within it. They were outlaws in the sense of wearing leather cuts with matching patches, telling anything that resembled the law or a rule to go fuck itself, and they did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. In some ways, DRM and Back Down Devil should have been friends. Brothers together working to create a greater sense of freedom.
Reese knew that things weren’t always like they were with the rival MC. He’d heard stories from Luca about a time when both MC’s were civil and even worked together when times were tough. In fact, there was a story Reese heard that involved DRM being part of Back Down Devil. The origins of the rival MC came from a set within Back Down Devil.
Of course, history meant nothing when you were riding right into the belly of the beast. Reese felt the wind rip against his face, riding with brothers all around. There were no handshakes and hugs and have a beer with me kind of welcomes with DRM. In fact, Reese fully expected bullets to fly before words did. Meaning some of the prospects would be watching the road and the second they saw Back Down Devil, they’d call back to the others to come and stop them.
Reese darted to the left, crossing the yellow line. He throttled his ride and sped up to move around Brett and Jason. He caught up to Levi and moved to the right and fell in line next to him.
Levi looked at Reese and they both nodded at each other.
Levi lifted his right hand in a fist, which was a signal to Brett and Jason to get their weapons ready. They were packed better than the rest of the guys. Everyone was equipped for a shootout, but Brett and Jason were the heavy hitters. Top that with Hawk and his insane attitude, and things were going to get interesting.
They made it around the last wide bend, the one where DRM would usually stop them. The guys dubbed it the war curve because of how many shootouts there had been there. A lot of blood spilled. A lot of lives lost. The road looked clean because the world had a funny way of cleaning itself up from everything bad. Even if the memory stood strong.
As Reese moved around the curve, he let his mind slip for a second and thought about Laszlo. He couldn’t remember how many times he and Lasz had ridden this curve. Their hearts racing, going right toward the enemy, doing what needed to be done for the MC.
Just beyond the curve, was a large flatland that went right up to the horizon. That was where the DRM clubhouse was situated. But don’t worry, they weren’t getting that far. About a quarter of a mile up the road, there was a blockade.
Three motorcycles pointing right to left. Three motorcycles pointing left to right. Two motorcycles in the middle.
Levi slowed a little; so did everyone else.
“They’re waiting for us, Prez,” Reese shouted to Levi.
“Yeah, they are,” Levi shouted. “Ready?”
“Always.”
Levi throttled his motor two times.
Everyone else did the same.
A cry of freedom… a cry of war…
Reese stepped off his ride and reached for a smoke. He lit one up and gave a wave to Brett and Jason to hang back. Hawk stayed close to Levi though, his ri
ght-hand man offering protection. Reese walked alone. One of the perks and curses of being VP.
“Now, now, now, now, what is this?” Sledge, the DRM President asked. He folded his thick arms that were smothered in faded tattoos.
“Just a friendly visit,” Levi said. “Passing through.”
“Looks like you ain’t passing through anymore,” Lyle said. He was the DRM’s VP. He was skinny, tall, most of his ink coming from stints in prison. His eyes were dark and beady, his finger twitching to pull a trigger - any trigger - and watch someone die.
“I can see that,” Reese said. “Surprised it took you this long to make your little formation here.”
“You’d look good in a parade with this,” Hawk said. “You could weave in and out of each other and throw candy at little kids.”
“Fuck you, asshole,” another voice growled.
Here came Berz. He was the right hand to Sledge.
He was also the first to draw a weapon, reaching back and pointing a gun right at Hawk.
Hawk being Hawk, he walked forward, right to the weapon. He even had the balls to touched Berz’s wrist and lift his aim, putting the gun right between his eyes.
“Do it, pussy,” Hawk said.
“We didn’t come here for that,” Levi said.
“But you came here,” Sledge said. “You know the risks.”
“Risks,” Reese said. “That’s a good word to use right now.”
The showdown between Hawk and Berz continued.
Lyle had his eyes set right on Reese.
Reese took a deep drag of his smoke and dropped it. He stepped on it and moved forward. “See, we have a problem.”
“Yeah, I agree,” Sledge said. “There are little leather boys in my space. And I’m trying really fucking hard to have my guys stay cool. But when I turn around then the bullets start flying…”
“Don’t threaten us,” Levi said. “We’re doing a routine check.”
Sledge laughed. “Still trying to suck my dick, huh?”
“Nah, brother,” Levi said. “You’re the one who gets on his knees, not me. Right?”
Sledge stepped toward Levi, lip curled. “What the fuck do you want here?”
“Told you,” Reese said. “Routine check. Guns. Drugs. Whores.”
“We’re doing just fine here,” Berz said. “So, take your dogs and go home.”
The Devil's Curve: a Back Down Devil MC romance novel Page 12
