I give him a look. “Peachy Prez. Thanks for all your help. When is she going up to Nancy?”
He’s still smiling. “A couple of days. Dakota is taking her to the reservation tomorrow with Jason. I think Jeremy is down the next day with Christian and Jacob. Dakota will let you know tomorrow.”
“Great. What do I do with her until Dakota takes her tomorrow?”
He smiles. “I think that will work itself out.”
What the fuck does that mean? I just nod. “Jason get your fuckin’ bike off my grass and meet us inside.” He turns a crying Judy my way. Great. I walk her toward the house and see Jax sitting on the porch.
“I’ll see you later. It looks like your hands are full right now.” He’s smiling too. Fuckin’ men.
I shake my head no. “Twice now you’ve said I’m your business. You don’t get to annoy the fuck out of me when it’s convenient and take off when it’s hard. I’ve got no fuckin’ clue what to do here. You can help me figure it out.” He looks surprised then looks over my shoulder. I hear Prez laugh and peg him a finger behind my back. Fuckin’ men.
I get Judy in, putting her at the table with some water then get a shot for me and Jax. Jason walks in and sits by her turning her chair toward him. They just look at each other. I drink the shot and look at Jax. “Well?”
“Call your mom.”
Good idea. I knew I was forgetting something. I pull my phone and walk out to the back deck to explain this shit without bothering whatever they’re doing in there. When I’m done Nancy’s crying and Tiny gets on the phone and I have to explain it all over again. He says he’ll call me back; his Tiny Dancer is too upset right now. Great. I turn to go back in and Jax is standing at the door watching me. “He’ll call me back.” He nods and waits for me to walk past him. “I’m calling for pizza. J you want sausage and mushroom?”
He nods without taking his eyes off Judy. This is just fuckin’ weird. “What do you want Jax?”
He’s watching them. “Whatever.”
I call the guard shack telling them to order mine, Jason’s, and Jax’s regular pizza, then realize I didn’t ask Judy. When I ask her she keeps her eyes on Jason but says his. Okay then. I tell them just the three.
I leave my phone on the counter and grab some water for us. It rings when I sit and Jax says it’s Tiny and he’s got it. I want to hear what he has to say, but I’m tired and hungry and not up for fighting with Jax over the phone so I let him get it. I did make him stay; he might as well make himself useful. He walks out the back and I’m rethinking the useful thing. It was great when he was right here, but now that I can’t hear what’s being said I want the phone. I stand up thinking I’m a hot mess all right and sit right back down. Jax can be useful.
When he comes in he says they’ll be here later. “Thanks.” Great. I guess this is the handled Prez was talking about. I call Eliza and tell her I’m going to be late tomorrow. We’re scheduled at the Center for twelve per Prez. She’s excited and I hang up on her laughing ass.
Our pizza gets here and I’m relieved to have something to do. It dawns on me that I didn’t get to talk to Lily about the mess my life is.
***
Jax
She’s nervous. I don’t know if it’s me or the freaky kid shit. This is fuckin’ weird. Looking at them I know right away they’re brother and sister. Them looking at each other without talking makes me wonder if they’re reading each other. The girl looks at me and smiles. Fuck.
The pizza gets here and I open the cabinet to get plates. “How do you know where everything is?”
“It’s the same in everyone’s house but Alex’s. He moved them so he could put all the dog’s plates and bowls in one.”
She laughs making me smile. That husky laugh is unmistakably hers. I don’t hear it enough. “He’s cute with Prince. He treats him like a Brother.”
I nod. “The dog’s a good Brother for him to have. The kids don’t fuck with him at the garage and he takes him everywhere. VP did a good job training him for Alex.”
She gets a serious look on her face. “Kids were fuckin’ with him?”
Always the protector. “Not the way you’re thinking. They talk down to him before they see how smart he is. A couple didn’t like him correcting the way they were doing shit, but Prince seems to keep that in line. The dog gets the bad vibes I guess.”
She nods. “I’m glad you’re there when he is. On the computer he was easier to keep track of, but now he’s every-fuckin’-where and starting his own programs.”
He is. The kid is fuckin’ cute. I need to stop thinking of him as a kid. “He is. I’m glad they got him a cut. He deserves it.”
While we eat, we talk about the kids and Club. It’s the last thing I want to talk about, but the kids are right here and I’m not saying shit about the wedding in front of them.
The girl yawns and Jason is all over it. “She in my old room?”
“Yeah. I need to put shit on her back. Come on Judy, you can sit and stare at him after I get you settled.” She makes me laugh.
Judy stands up and Jason follows. “What do you mean? What shit on her back?”
Sheila gives him a look. “Let me get this done and I’ll tell you what happened.”
“No, what shit?” He’s pissed.
“Fuckin’ kids. She’s got some scrapes and bruises that I need to take care of before she falls asleep. Sit the fuck down and wait until I get her settled.”
Judy looks scared. Sheila looks at me. “Jason sit. Sheila will tell you in a minute.”
She takes the girl down the hall talking the whole way about brothers being pains in the ass. I keep myself from laughing and look at him. He’s worried and still looks a little lost. “It’s not every day a sister drops on you.”
He shakes his head. “She’s hurt and I didn’t even know it. Her stepfather hurt her too. I wasn’t there for her. What the fuck kind of brother am I if I didn’t even know she was around?”
I’ve been here the whole time and didn’t hear about a stepfather. They were reading. “How could you know? You obviously were separated young.”
He looks down. “Yeah.” He looks at me. “You think Sheila would get pissed if I brought her to my house?”
He doesn’t want to leave her. He’s a good kid. “Putting her in with three teenage boys may not be a good idea. She needs to be taken care of until she understands about doing that for herself.”
He gives me a look. “You think I wouldn’t take care of her?”
“No Jason, I know you’d take care of her. She didn’t grow up like you did and she was hurt by a man. That may play different than what you would think. Why don’t you stay here? Sheila isn’t going to say no to you. She knows you better than anyone and knows you’ll want to protect Judy.”
“What do you do when a man hurts a girl? She’s not afraid of me so I can help, right?”
A good fuckin’ brother. “Yeah you can. Showing her good from men will help. Letting her know she’s important is good too. Your mom and dad would know better than me. Lily got me information when Sheila got raped. I can bring it to you tomorrow.”
He nods. “Can you get it tonight? Jeremy helped us with Sheila. We just knew to love her. I won’t be able to sleep without knowing what to do tomorrow.”
I stand and mess his hair up. “I’ll be right back.”
I’m just getting back and opening the door as Tiny rides down the street following Nancy. Fuckin’ ‘rents must have flown down here. I walk in leaving the door open. Handing the pages to him, I let him know they’re here. He walks down the hall leaving me to the ‘rents.
Sheila comes out, hugs Nancy, and points her down the hall. She hugs Tiny and he doesn’t let her go. “We’ll get through this, Little Shooter.” She nods against his stomach and I smile then wipe it off my face before he whips a tampon. He’s always called her Little Shooter. It fits.
Since our conversation isn’t happening tonight I throw her chin. “I’ll see you tomorro
w.” I get a funny look but she nods.
Chapter Two
Two days
Sheila
We’re behind Jessie and Taylor riding to the house Judy told Dakota about. Prez had to let the Connecticut Chapter know we were showing and they want to help. Eliza is excited. I didn’t say, but I am too. Runaways aren’t easy, but Lily is working on a way to keep them safe by pairing them with Brother and military mentors. We have a few that came through the program and are willing to help. This can be good. Jason being here worries me. He said he wants to help, but something is bothering him and he was too focused on being here today. No one has said anything, so I let it go.
Brantley tells us Connecticut is coming up behind us as we turn down the road to the house. Their bikes are loud, drawing kids out as we pull up.
Taylor walks to a kid while we stay behind. The kid looks our way and nods. More kids come out surprising me with their numbers. If there are that many showing, how many are hidden?
Taylor throws us chin and we walk toward him pulling our backpacks off. The kid walks around the building with us following and I’m shocked. There has to be thirty fuckin’ kids here. Taylor points to a picnic table and we dump our bags. Water, juices, granola bars and fruit hit the table and the kids are on them. Jessie pulls grinders and his knife. He starts cutting them and Eliza helps. There isn’t enough for everyone, but they make it stretch. The kid that seems to be in charge calls younger kids up to eat first. A Brother from Connecticut says he’ll be right back and I know he’s going for more.
We sit with a group of older kids and Eliza tells them about the program Lily is working on. They’re skeptical, but listen. The kid that’s in charge is Drake. He wants to know more. Taylor tells him what he knows and how the kids can stay safe. Drake asks about Jason and if he’s in the program.
“No. I lived in care, but was adopted by the bikers. My sister didn’t have it like that. She lived here for a short time. Doesn’t talk much. Seems stupid, but she’s smart.” A kid looks away and Jason’s eyes narrow. Fuck.
His gun is out and he’s pointing it at the kid. Jesusmaryandjoseph! I stand in front of his gun. “He fuckin’ raped her Sheila!”
The Drake kid tackles the one Jason is aiming to shoot. Jason relaxes when Drake beats the shit out of the kid. He’s screaming the whole time, but not one kid helps the fuckin’ little rapist. Drake looks at two bigger kids and tells them to get the kid away from them. He looks at Jason. “I didn’t know. She didn’t talk, then she was just gone. Everyone knew to leave her alone. Is she okay?”
“No, she’s not fuckin’ okay! He raped her after her stepfather did. She’s fuckin’ broke!”
The Drake kid looks at him. “Why didn’t you take care of her? You left her to the streets.” His voice is calm and quiet.
Jason jumps, but Taylor catches him. “He didn’t know he had a sister, Drake. He found out three days ago.”
Drake drops his chin. “Sorry man. I try to keep them safe, but fuckin’ bad keeps getting in. I didn’t know.”
Taylor lets go of Jason and tells him to sit. “You can’t keep everyone safe, that’s the point, we can help.”
“How do we know you won’t turn us all in? There are some good fuckin’ reasons for some of us to be shot of our so called homes.”
Jason stands up. “Look, we’re fuckin’ bikers. We do what we can to make life better in and around our Brotherhood. It isn’t perfect, it isn’t always easy, but we work for good. Turning you in is the last fuckin’ thing bikers would do. Lily’s program gives you plenty of places to call your parents if that’s what you need to get to peace with yourself. We took over the PD so we don’t get hit with their fuckin’ bullshit all the time. There is a home, guidance, and medical open to you if you take the step. We aren’t asking you to believe in us. Believe in yourself enough to take the hand and get you to safe. All we are saying here is that the Brotherhood is throwing you our protection.”
“You’re in the Brotherhood?” a kid asks Eliza.
Taylor laughs. “Eliza and Sheila are HS. That’s High Security. We have four teams. They are the best of the best, don’t fuck with them or they just may shoot you. Jason is right. We’re offering a chance for you to do something besides sit here waiting until you’re legal. If you steal; stop now. If hurting people is your thing, stay the fuck here. If you rape or hurt someone in a sexual fashion, do not show in our towns – we may kill you. We are fuckin’ bikers doing good, but we deal our own justice – our way. There isn’t a Brother in the Club that would protect pussies that hurt people. You can come with us, or stay, your choice.”
Drake nods. “Give us a minute.”
The Connecticut Brother drops a bag of sandwiches. “We’ll be looking around,” Jessie says. I turn away smiling. No one will say a word to that. He wasn’t smiling when he said it and no one fucks with Jessie when he’s not smiling.
The house is huge. Jason grabs my arm; Judy must have thrown him pictures like Dakota. He recognizes this room. I take his hand and walk behind Jessie. He talks to Brantley who’s watching from the body cam. It’s fuckin’ sad the way they lived. We come across a baby and Taylor is swearing. I pick the girl up and smile at her. She looks to be about a year old. Living in this shit hole is no longer an option now that I know she’s here. Eliza looks at me and I know she’s thinking the same thing.
Drake calls us back out. I still have the little girl in my arms and I’m surprised when he takes her. “My niece. My sister is into drugs and took off. She was having a nap when you pulled up.”
Taylor doesn’t give a shit. “Give her a better life Brother. This isn’t the place for a fuckin’ baby.”
Drake looks at the kids; I notice there are less than before. “We’ll take your hand if you guarantee not turning the rest in.”
A Connecticut Brother steps forward. “We ain’t the cops. We’ll give a hand here. We can get you electricity and help with jobs.”
Drake smiles. “That would be good. You look for Ralphy here. He’s staying to help with the rest.” He pulls a tall boy forward.
Ralphy takes the Brother aside and Jessie calls Dakota in. Taylor looks at the kids. “You get to ride in style. Get your shit. We’ll meet you at the Women’s Center. We should make it before Lily and Anita are done explaining the program. We’ll get you to the house so you can meet the RA and we know you’re good. Yeah?”
They all look up at the helicopter. Drake moves with the little girl. He nods smiling. The kids run in the house and are out the front before the second chopper lands. We laugh walking to the bikes. Jessie talks to the Connecticut Brothers then swings his finger. We watch Drake take the girl and a couple of bags on the second chopper. He looks back and throws chin to Ralphy. Taylor laughs. Jessie tells Brantley to call Anita for the baby and gives sizes for the kids. He surprises me with his count and knowledge of sizes. Eliza looks at me smiling, I shake my head and follow Jessie and Taylor.
Jason stays quiet riding behind us. I can’t believe he’d pull his gun on a kid, but now I know why he was acting weird. Knowing Jason, the kid doesn’t have long to run. He’s a techie, but a techie raised in the Brotherhood and not one Brother would get pissed at him for what I know he’s going to try to do. Tiny would be proud of him.
Back at the yard we make a line in front of the Women’s Center. The town’s people give us room and no shit.
The kids are in the meeting room. Anita has a smiling, clean, baby girl attached to her hip making me smile. The kids look a little nervous, but Drake smiles when Taylor and Jessie walk in. “Glad this wasn’t just a bullshit ride.”
I look at Lily when she laughs. “I don’t blame you Drake. I’d wonder too if I wasn’t part of the Brotherhood.”
“You too?” We laugh at his shocked expression.
“She’s Prez’s old lady,” Jessie tells him.
Drake relaxes. “I know you won’t turn us in.”
Lily laughs shaking her head no. “Anyone that wants to cal
l their parents can do so at any time. We have counsellors that can help with that transition. The point of the program is to keep you safe while you make that transition or help you get to a job and place of your own. We have a tutor that can help anyone wanting to graduate and plenty of Brothers willing to help out or just take you fishing.”
They laugh and I think about how serious they looked when we first met. The smiles look good on them, but make them look younger.
Vinny comes in smiling. “Rides are here.” I hit Jessie and point back. He nods and gets everyone out front.
Lily comes out and Jessie tells her no. She’s pissed stomping back in the building, I look at Eliza and laugh, she’s a trip. Everyone gets on a bike but Taylor, he gets in an SUV with Drake and we all follow him to the house with the kids riding bitch.
For two hours, dozens of bikers stay to help get everything straight for the house. Drake gets a crib in his room and watches with tears in his eyes as the Brothers open toys for Stella, his niece. Dakota shows telling the RA to watch out for two boys. One looks fairly young, maybe fifteen and I think about Jason. He’s just getting to seventeen, but is so much older. All of our kids are. The Brotherhood is good at teaching responsibility. Nancy and Tiny drove it home for me, but I was already older when they adopted us. These kids won’t get what I did, but they’ll get more than most. With the Brothers helping, that’s a fighting chance. The older boy that Dakota wants watched, watches everything then closes himself off in his room. He’s got a roommate that is happy with his new home and the attention from the Brothers.
I look at Eliza as we finish getting the girls settled on the second floor. We point out the cameras and make sure they understand no boys are allowed up the stairs. Two look relieved and I make a mental note to have Lily watch these two. Clean sheets and running water are big here. We walk down the stairs just as the RA calls everyone for a meeting about the rules. The bikers make it out quickly. We all read them and don’t need to hear them again. I know Drake got them at the Center and agreed with them; that’s half the battle.
Enforcer: Book Four (Princes of Prophecy) Page 3
