“She’s leverage,” Diesel stated.
“Exactly,” Sledge agreed.
“This is going to get nasty. What has Ginx had to say?” Diesel’s mind was running a hundred miles an hour.
“It’s going to get a lot more than nasty, D. We are talking about Russia. The KGB. They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. And right now, they want Rachel.” Diesel could hear the worry in Sledge’s voice. For a hardass, the man also had the biggest heart Diesel had ever seen.
“They won’t get her. I won’t allow it. They will have to kill me first,” Diesel vowed.
“That’s what scares me, Brother,” Sledge admitted. “Watch your six, always. Don’t leave the house if you can help it,” Sledge ordered.
“Got it,” Diesel agreed.
“Tomorrow, we will be over. We all need to have a sit-down. The air needs to be cleared. I have Ginx on her way in. I don’t like being kept in the dark. The Henchmen are my responsibility and I feel like I have thrown you to the wolves without protection,” Sledge said, his voice echoing his displeasure. “I want the details. I want to know what the fuck is going on!”
“What time tomorrow?” Diesel asked.
“Around noon. We’ll bring food. Get the pit ready,” Sledge replied. “Maybe some full bellies and liquored up tongues can get the conversation flowing.”
“Let’s hope. I need to know who and what I am going up against. And most importantly, why. Why are they after Rachel. What does Ginx know that now has her own daughter in danger?” Diesel’s own temper was spiking.
What kind of parent puts their child in that type of danger?
“We’ll get answers, Brother. I promise you that. Anyway, see you tomorrow,” Sledge said, ending the call.
Diesel sat there on the back deck, staring out across the yard, but seeing nothing. Still trying to process what he had learned, he never heard Rachel approach.
“You okay?” she asked.
“What?” Diesel asked, startled. “Oh. Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look like it,” Rachel said. “You look like your mind is a million miles away.”
“I guess it kind of is,” Diesel confessed.
“Listen, if you are stressing over what happened in the kitchen, then don’t. We can act like it never happened,” Rachel responded.
“Stop,” Diesel interjected before she could say another word. “We will definitely not be pretending nothing happened between us. Come here,” he said, holding out his hand to her.
Once her hand was in his, Diesel pulled Rachel down into his lap. She fit perfectly. The feel of her in his arms was soothing. He never thought he would say that about another person, but there was no other way to describe it. Rachel soothed him in a way nothing else ever had, even riding his bike.
“What’s wrong, Marcus?” Rachel asked softly.
“I like that,” he said.
“What do you like?” Rachel smiled.
“Well...” Diesel grinned.
“Stay on topic,” Rachel warned.
Taking a deep breath, Diesel told her about the conversation with Sledge. He told her everything - that he knew about her parents, why she was being hunted, and that he and Sledge would figure out a way to ensure her safety.
“I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you,” Diesel pledged.
“I know you won’t,” Rachel said, leaning against his chest.
They both stayed quiet for a long time. It seemed like hours passed by before Rachel broke the silence.
“One day, I’ll be able to tell you everything. There is so much I want to say,” Rachel whispered.
“I know.” And he did.
Diesel knew one day he would gain her trust. When that day came, she would burst open and spill everything. Until then, he would keep doing everything he could to make her understand that he was trustworthy.
“Thank you,” Rachel said, turning to place a kiss on his cheek.
“For?” Diesel asked.
“For just being you,” Rachel smiled.
“That’s the only person I can be. So I’m glad you like me,” Diesel chuckled. Pulling her back against him, he leaned back into the chair.
They stayed like that for a long time, both enjoying the stillness of the day. So much to say, but neither wanted to ruin the moment. Diesel figured there were many days ahead that could be spent talking about the shitty parts of life. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy the peace.
“Come on. I want to show up something,” he told her, pushing them both out of the chair.
“What?” Rachel asked, intrigued.
“Come on.” Diesel grabbed her hand and led her down the back steps.
Diesel and Rachel walked side by side down to the lake. The afternoon sun felt great on his skin and cast a glow across the top surface of the water.
“This lake looks huge,” Rachel mentioned. “Like it goes on forever.”
“It’s really not that big. This is Joe Pool Lake. It’s only about twelve square miles,” Diesel explained.
“It’s beautiful,” Rachel smiled.
“All the land around here is protected. It’s all part of Cedar Hill State Park. I found this property when I was out riding. It had been a rough day. My mother had called to tell me that she was planning to divorce her seventh husband.” Diesel knew he didn’t have to explain anything, but he wanted Rachel to understand how much this place meant to him.
“Seventh husband?” Rachel asked, shocked.
“Yep. My mother has a love for men. Men, plural,” Diesel emphasized.
“Wow,” Rachel shook her head.
“Yep. She and I got into an argument and I went for a ride. Somehow, I ended up here. Where the house is now, sat this small little cabin. It was a one room shack actually, but it was for sale and came with ten acres. I walked around and with every step, I fell more in love. By the time I left, I knew I had to buy it. So I did.”
“This place is amazing, Marcus. Truly gorgeous. The house, the property. Everything,” Rachel said in awe.
“Thank you. I’m glad you like it.” Knowing Rachel loved his home brought a feeling of pride to him. It also helped because he knew if she loved it, then he could possibly talk her into living here with him permanently. But they weren’t at that point yet. Probably wouldn’t be for a while.
For the remainder of the day, Diesel spent time telling her about his childhood, his shitty upbringing. His life before and after joining the army. He wanted her to learn as much as she could about him. The first part to gaining someone’s trust, is to trust them.
“So why did you leave the Army? You’re so young,” Rachel asked.
“That’s an... interesting story,” Diesel said. It was now or never. This conversation would either make or break the trust between them.
“So, explain. How interesting?” Rachel prompted.
“One night, I was at a bar. There was a woman,” he began.
“There’s always a woman,” Rachel said, rolling her eyes.
“There was a woman. She came on pretty strong. Bought me drink after drink. I don’t remember much from that night,” Diesel knew this next part would sound really bad. “We went back to her place. One thing led to another. You get the picture.”
“Y’all had sex. Yeah, I get that. But what does that have to do with you leaving the Army? Oh my goodness! You got her pregnant?” Rachel exclaimed.
“What? No!” Diesel responded, appalled.
“Then what?” Rachel asked.
“Do we really need to talk about this?” Diesel couldn’t do it. He thought he could, but couldn’t. He didn’t want Rachel seeing that part of him.
“Tell me!” Rachel demanded.
“Let’s just drop it.” Diesel wasn’t above begging. He knew the moment the rest of the story left his lips, Rachel would view him differently.
“Tell me!” Rachel commanded.
“I was balls deep in the woman and her husband walked in! There. You happy?” D
iesel scrubbed a hand down his face and looked over the lake. He couldn’t take the look of disgust that he knew would be present on Rachel’s face.
“You had sex with a married woman?” The question was followed by a round of laughter.
Diesel turned to see, not disgust, but amusement written all over Rachel’s face. A sigh escaped him and relief flooded his body.
“Not just any married woman. She was apparently my SO’s wife,” Diesel deadpanned.
“Oh snap!” Rachel said, eyes wide. “And you didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t know. If I had, I wouldn’t have touched her!” Diesel exclaimed.
“So what happened?”
“He tried to shoot me, but I was able to reach my gun first. The next day, I was called into the Sergeant Major’s office. I was told that my conduct was unbefitting of an American Soldier and that I’d be receiving my walking papers. Three weeks later, I was given a Dishonorable Discharge.” The shame of the entire situation poured into Diesel’s soul all over again. Every time he thought of that part of his life, the embarrassment and mortification killed him.
“Wow. That seems a little harsh,” Rachel stated.
“Harsh or not, I deserved it.” Diesel allowed his dick to do the thinking that night. It was the beginning of the end for him. That night, that entire experience, is what caused his love/hate relationship with women.
Chapter Twelve
Rachel
Rachel spent the evening learning more and more about Diesel. The more he talked, the more he changed her original perspective of him. She had always thought he was the club jokester. The resident pervert. But there was so much more to him than that. While he still liked to joke around, and he was definitely still a perv, he had so many other layers that most people never got to see. That thought caused a twinge in Rachel’s heart. Many people didn’t get to see the real Marcus Briggs, and that seemed like a great injustice.
Later that night, they said their good nights and headed to their own rooms. It had been a great day. Diesel seemed like someone she could trust. The more she learned, the more she knew that was true.
Rachel quickly changed clothes and climbed into bed. Her mind immediately drifted to the man down the hall. It seemed he was never far from her thoughts. Sometimes she felt like a young school girl again, crushing on the most popular guy in class. She felt the need to scribble his name on a notebook.
Climbing out of bed, Rachel dug in her bag for her sketch pad. She suddenly had a scene pop into her head that she just had to get on paper.
Sitting back on her bed, she crossed her legs and flipped to the first empty page. Her hand began to fly over the page. Line after line. Angle after angle. Hours seemed to pass before she finally set her pencil to the side and looked at the image she created. A smile spread across her face. She had drawn the scene of her and Diesel sitting at the lake as the sun set. Two silhouettes, sitting together with nothing but nature’s beauty for company.
Closing the pad, she set it on the nightstand and snuggled under the covers. Within minutes, Rachel drifted off to sleep still smiling. But that smile vanished as her peaceful sleep turned into one nightmare after another. Men hunting her, chasing her. Guns. Blood. Death. Everywhere. She tossed and turned all night, unable to find peace. It wasn’t until the first rays of the bright morning sun pierced her darkness that Rachel was finally able to pull herself from her own mind.
Feeling groggy and tired, she got out of bed and headed straight for the shower. Maybe that would take some of the aches and pains away. Or at least she hoped it would. The Henchmen would be there today and Rachel knew a lot more questions would be asked and answers would be expected.
Walking down the stairs freshly showered, Rachel could hear music coming from the back deck. Were the Henchmen already here, she wondered? She hadn’t expected them to arrive so early.
Stepping up to the door, Rachel glanced outside and couldn’t help but smile in awe. Stunned, she watched Diesel pick at an old guitar and belt out notes in a voice that would make any woman swoon. Rachel didn’t know he played guitar and definitely didn’t know that he could sing.
Pulling herself away from the view, she quickly made her way into the kitchen and fixed a steaming cup of coffee. She wanted to get outside. She wanted to sit and listen to the beauty of Diesel’s voice. After last night, it would be a perfect way to start the stressful day ahead.
Quietly, Rachel opened the door and made her way to the lounge chair next to his, but the moment she came into his view, the tone and melody stopped.
“Oh, good morning. Sorry if I woke you,” he said, looking slightly embarrassed.
“You didn’t,” Rachel assured. “I didn’t know you could sing and play the guitar.”
“I am a man of many talents,” Diesel said with a mischievous grin.
“I’m sure you are,” Rachel replied confidently, bringing the cup to her mouth to try to hide her own grin.
“You look exhausted. Didn’t sleep well?” Diesel asked.
“I am. And no, I had nightmares all night,” Rachel sighed. “It’s been a long time since that happened.”
“What are they about?” Concern laced his voice.
“Just the past,” Rachel replied vaguely. She didn’t want to get into the details of the worse days of her life. She was forced to relive them in her sleep, she didn’t want to do it again - if she didn’t have to.
“I’m a good listener. If you ever want to unburden that load,” Diesel offered.
“Thank you,” Rachel smiled. The gesture meant a lot to her. She knew if she wanted to spill her guts, without a doubt, Diesel would listen to every word.
“The club will be here around noon. Things are probably going to get crazy. I know you’ve been through a lot lately. So if it starts to be too much, don’t worry about needing to escape. Just come find me, I’ll make the excuse for you, if need be,” Diesel reassured.
“You’re so sweet,” Rachel smiled, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “That means a lot.”
Rachel stared, mesmerized, as Diesel laced his fingers between hers. The act seemed so simple yet intimate at the same time. Diesel was showing her layers she never thought existed. Complex was now on the list of words she would use to describe him.
Rachel was even more surprised when Diesel lifted her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss to her palm. When he let go of her hand, she felt the loss immediately.
The first tune played across the backyard followed closely by another. The tunes poured from the instrument, one after another. Soon, Diesel’s voice filled the air. His baritone was a soothing balm to Rachel’s soul. Reclining in the chair, she closed her eyes, no longer afraid of the darkness. Diesel’s voice was her anchor.
Rachel and Diesel spent the morning on the back deck. He played and sang just about every song she requested. Diesel’s knowledge of music was another added surprise.
“Is there anything you can’t play?” Rachel asked, astonished.
“Not really. I love music. It’s always been a big part of my life. And I listen to just about everything,” Diesel explained.
“Favorite band?” Rachel asked, perking up in her chair.
“What genre? Or of all time?” Diesel countered.
“All time,” Rachel answered.
“Santana,” Diesel said quickly.
“Really?” Again, another surprise. Today was just filled with them.
“Yep. The man could play a guitar like nobody’s business. He rocked that shit,” Diesel praised.
“True,” Rachel conceded. “Okay, country?”
“New or old?” Diesel asked.
“New.”
“I like Brantley Gilbert, Eric Church, and LoCash Cowboys. I think as of right now, those are my favorites. But it really depends. My taste in music changes with my moods. Sometimes, I just need a kickass bass beat that thumps deep in my soul. At other times, I am content with the soft melody of a classic blues song.”
Rachel
listened intently while Diesel’s face lit up with excitement as he explained his choices in music. Everything from George Jones to Artifas. Barry White to Machine Gun Kelly. She could definitely understand. He talked about music the same way she talked about art.
“Anybody home?” a voice shouted from inside the house.
“Oh shit! I didn’t realize how late it was,” Diesel said, standing from his chair. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s go meet our guests.”
Diesel reached for her hand again and together they entered the house. She liked how he said ‘our guests’. Like this was her house, too.
Don’t read more into this than there is, she chastised herself mentally.
To Diesel, it was probably just an innocent comment. But to Rachel, who never really had a place to call hers - it meant more than it probably should have.
“Hey, man!” Diesel said, reaching out with his other hand to shake Sledge’s, then Reaper’s.
“Rachel!” a high pitched voice rang out.
She was then wrapped up in a back popping hug. Amber. Rachel hugged her friend back just as tightly. She had missed the girls. So much.
“Hey Am,” Rachel whispered, throat clogged with emotions.
Amber pulled away to look into Rachel’s face. A look of concern filled her eyes. Quickly, Rachel pulled her back into her embrace.
“I’ve missed your crazy butt,” Rachel told her.
“I missed you too, girl,” Amber replied. “And so have the kids.”
“Okay, enough. Amber, move your ass. My turn to get love,” Beth interjected.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Amber retorted, rolling her eyes.
Beth pulled Rachel towards her, enveloping her. Again, Rachel was overcome with emotions. These women had been her only friends for so long. Thinking about her plan to disappear after all of this was over, Rachel couldn’t imagine not having these women in her life. They may not have spent a lot of time together, but they were still her tribe. Her people. Her girls.
“Doing okay, kid?” Sledge’s voice pulled her out of Beth’s hug. Turning towards the President, Rachel could immediately feel the dominance pouring off of him. It was easy to see why Sledge was the President. He owned any room he walked into. His mere presence demanded respect. Sledge Parks was intimidating as heck!
Sergeant at Arms: Devil's Henchmen MC, Book Three Page 7
