True North

by Beth D. Carter

  Givon blinked, coming out of his trance. What the fuck? North had been there. Fuck. When did he start subconsciously intertwining his future with North’s? Sure, he often teased his friend about taking care of him in their old age, but it had been just that—teasing.

  But the more he thought about it, the more the thought of sharing his home with his friend made sense. North lived at the MC clubhouse, in a very small efficiency room that held a double bed, a bathroom and a television. Comfortable maybe, but private? Most definitely not. His house was big enough for both of them to have their space.

  Although now that he thought about Allis between them, it was hard not to think of anything else. He was hard as a brick. Shit. Maybe Braden and Leo had had the best idea when they decided to share Merrie.

  He got out of his truck and headed up to his house. The sound of the door closing echoed in the scarcely decorated house. He’d put in just the bare minimum of furniture and there wasn’t any art on the walls—hell, not even a photograph. As he stood in the foyer, he realized how much he really craved his vision. He wondered what North would say about it or the part of living here.

  As he took a shower and let the hot water soothe his aching muscles, he really thought about what it would mean to have a roommate. To have North here. And the more he thought about it, the more it felt right.

  Chapter Seven

  As Givon turned off the engine to his work truck, he heard the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle engine. North was on the back of his bike and he turned from the main road into the hospital parking lot. His bandana was back in place around his head, peeking from under his helmet and he wore his cut, displaying the red stripe that belonged to the Red Wolves club.

  He got out of the cab and waited, knowing North saw him. Givon admired his friend’s bike, a Dark Custom Nightster. North had done some modifications to the ride and the engine rumbled like smooth silk. He wouldn’t admit it, but he liked bikes too, and had he not found the cop path, he might have joined North as a Wolves prospect.

  “How’s Nick?” Givon asked as North kicked out his stand and dismounted.

  North slid off his helmet, holding the bandana in place. “He’s in ICU but his prognosis is good.”

  “Glad to hear that.”

  “On your way to see Allis?”

  “Yeah,” he replied. “I found her would-be killer with a bullet in his brain.”

  “You fucking with me?”

  “Afraid not.”

  North processed that information for a moment and it was clear to see he came to the same conclusions he’d had. “Her stalker?”

  “Maybe. I’m going to have to take a trip and talk to this man, regardless if he’s tribal police or part of the Tribe.”

  “The Tribe? Holy shit.” North whistled. “I’ve heard of them. Fucking radicals. I’m going with you.”

  Givon’s eyebrows shot up. “You are, huh? I don’t see a deputy badge on your chest.”

  “Fuck you,” North groused. “When are you going?”

  “Tomorrow morning.”

  “All right.” North nodded. “Allis is going to need protection. I mean, when she gets out of here she’s going to need someone watching her.”

  “I know,” Givon replied. “I figured she can come home with me.”

  North shot his eyebrows up. “You’re working. No. Let her stay at the clubhouse—”

  “No fucking way,” Givon argued. “Whores stay at the clubhouse.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way,” North said, frowning. “At the clubhouse she’ll have eyes on her twenty-four seven.”

  “Yeah, lecherous eyes. No. She comes with me.”

  “Giv—”

  Givon held up his hand, halting North’s protest. “Why don’t you move in too?”

  North blinked, the expression on his face clearly one of surprise. “Excuse me?”

  “I began thinking about it last night and it just seems right,” Givon said. “I mean, the clubhouse can’t be comfortable. It’s made for short term use. It’s not a home.”

  “So this wouldn’t be a short term use? You’re offering me your home as my home?”

  Givon shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. “I thought it made sense. If it bothers you, forget it—”

  “No,” North hastily said. “I appreciate it, man. Really. And it would make sense, especially now if Allis goes with you. She needs protection and I can make sure she’s—you know, protected.”

  “Yeah,” Givon replied, now uncomfortable. He and North had been friends a long time but that didn’t necessarily make everything easy to discuss. Men were men, after all. But he had a big house with lots of land and most of the time it sat fallow because he was usually working, and when he wasn’t working, he was hanging out with North.

  North must have been thinking the same thing because slowly, he nodded. “Okay.”

  “Yes?”

  “Yes.”

  Givon smiled. “Great. You can mow the yard.”

  “Fuck you,” North said good-naturedly. “I’m not the bitch in this relationship.”

  “Hey now, I’m the one that works all day.”

  “I work!”

  “Not legitimately.”

  “Always gotta be something with you.”

  Givon grinned. “So you’ll mow the yard?”

  “Eh. Okay. I’ve got minions,” North replied, shrugging.

  “What a way to abuse your powers, dude. Oh, and on that note, go tell your minions to buy her some clothes.”

  North scoffed. “I’ll do that. I don’t want Nimrod to see what her panties look like.”

  “Good point.”

  They walked into the hospital and rode the elevator together to the third floor. As soon as the door dinged open, Givon saw Allis’s doctor standing next to the nurses’ station. Jack stood beside her door while Nimrod napped in the small waiting room off to the right.

  “Hey, Dr. Blake,” Givon called out, striding faster to reach him. North followed. “How’s Allis doing?”

  “She’s doing well,” the doctor said, looking him over then glancing quickly at North. “I want to keep her one more night for observation but providing she has someone at home helping her, she should be discharged tomorrow afternoon.”

  Relief slid through him and he saw the same emotion on North’s face. “That’s great.”

  “I take it you’ll be staying with her tonight as well? I heard about the incident. I can assure you nothing has ever happened like this before and I know the Director is demanding for security to be reevaluated.”

  Although he knew they didn’t have to worry about the abductor anymore, there was still the mystery of what happened to him, not to mention what the hell this had to do with Allis. He didn’t believe she was just some random target from a psycho.

  “You can assure the Director that I think this is a unique case,” he said. “Someone tried to kill her, so they knew we’d be bringing her here. And it’s not a big hospital.”

  “Do you want me to set up a cot in her room? It probably would be better than hunched over the bed.”

  “With a crick in the neck,” he added.

  “Actually, do you have two cots?” North asked.

  Dr. Blake gave him an odd look. “Yes.”

  “Great,” North replied and slapped Givon on the back before heading into her room.

  “Is everything all right?” Dr. Blake asked, frowning.

  “Just peachy,” Givon replied dryly.

  * * * *

  “Hello, sweetheart,” North replied, as he walked over to her bed and kissed her on the forehead.

  She smiled. “Good evening. I was wondering if you were coming back.”

  “Giv’s out there talking with your doctor,” he said, sticking his thumb toward the door. “We’re going to have cots set up in here tonight. How’re you doing?”

  “Okay. They took away my morphine.”

  “Boo,” he said with a smile.

  “Thank you for coming back
,” she said softly. “I know it’s not fun babysitting me.”

  “Are you kidding? I’ve had more excitement in the past two days than I’ve had in years.”

  “I wish you hadn’t.”

  “Ah, sweetheart, I’m sorry,” he said remorsefully. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “I know. It’s okay.” She gave a wry smile. “I understand.”

  Givon walked into the room and headed to the other side of her bed, grinning down at her.

  “You’re looking a lot better,” he replied. “Not quite so pale. How’s the pain?”

  “Okay,” she answered. “They took away my pain pump.”

  “Did you talk to Dr. Blake?”

  She nodded. “I don’t have anywhere to go, but I can’t afford to stay here. I don’t know how I’m going to afford this bill as it is. Can you recommend a cheap place to live?”

  “Yeah,” Givon said. “My place.”

  “What?”

  “I asked North to move in too,” he said. “It makes sense. My place is way too big for one person and I’m tired of hearing my own echoes in the house.”

  She looked back and forth between them. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

  “Hey,” North chided. “You’re not a burden. Stop thinking that.”

  “I don’t have any money—”

  “Neither does North,” Givon interrupted.

  “Hey,” North protested. “Sitting right here, asshole.”

  Allis giggled. “Once I can move around again, I can cook and clean.”

  “Deal,” Givon said and held out his hand. When Allis took it, he brought it up to his lips for a kiss upon her knuckles.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much for…everything. My life, my safety. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am.”

  “Grateful?” Givon muttered. “Yeah, great. Okay. I have a picture to show you. It’s graphic but I need you to identify a body.”

  Her lips parted on a shocked sigh. “A body?”

  “The man I believe is your abductor,” he said. “Will you be all right to handle it?”

  She took a deep breath and nodded.

  Givon thumbed through his album and found the snapshot of Michael Hiller. North held her hand as Givon turned the camera. Allis’s face went pale and she nodded jerkily.

  “That’s him,” she replied. “He’s dead?”

  Givon nodded. “Shot in the temple.”

  “Then…I’m free,” she whispered. “I don’t have to worry about him anymore?”

  He shared a quick, grim look with North. “I don’t know if it’s that easy, honey,” he said gently.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Someone killed him.” He spoke slowly, trying to paint the picture as clear as possible. “He abducted you, tried to cover his tracks twice and now someone targeted him, possibly for revenge—or possibly for him to keep his mouth shut. So the question is, who? Who wanted Michael Hiller dead?”

  “You think it could be my stalker, don’t you?”

  “Maybe. What’s his name?” he asked and saw fear blanket her face.

  “Why do you need to know that?”

  “Because I’ve got to question him.”

  “Then he’ll know where to find me,” she whispered.

  “North and I are going to protect you,” he assured you.

  “This is crazy.” Her head flopped back on the pillow. “Why can’t he just leave me alone? That’s all I wanted him and his Tribe to do.”

  “Who, Allis?”

  “Daniel Two Feathers.”

  North kissed the back of her hand. “Don’t worry about him anymore. Right now just concentrate on healing.”

  Allis glanced between both men. How the heck did she end up in this position? Depression warred with desire, leaving her reeling from a bad case of whiplash. Her life was…so messed up. Not that it had been all cupcakes and roses for the first twenty-four years. Her mother had uprooted them from Montana to live in Wyoming when she was ten, although to this day she still didn’t know why. All she knew was that her mother disappeared for days, leaving her to fend for herself. She’d learned how to work and to cook, basically took care of herself, which hadn’t left much time for anything or anyone. She’d been a loner, and alone, until she’d somehow managed to capture the attention of Daniel Two Feathers. He was an older man, and a powerful one among the Tribe, so she’d gone out with him on a date. But for all that he had going for him, the lack of chemistry had made her not accept a second date. She’d thought they had parted amicably.

  But Daniel didn’t like being turned down, especially from a half breed.

  Soon after, the harassing phone calls had started. She’d been fired from her long-held clerical job without any real reason. Then her cat had been murdered. Her life had changed after that and not just because of what had happened to Daniel. When all was said and done, she’d packed up and driven away that night because it was easier to run. Perhaps a small part of her believed the taunts, that she was absolutely worthless. Her mother had basically said the same thing the last time she’d seen her.

  And somehow, she’d jumped out of frying pan into a fire.

  As she glanced at both men again she pushed down the desire that always flashed through her body whenever she was around them. At first, it had confused her, then it had upset her, because she didn’t want to transfer her gratitude into lust. She didn’t want to be that kind of girl. She’d always been alone, had always taken care of things since her mother had been unable to.

  But now she faced something that was out of her hands—something she couldn’t work through or take care of herself. It went against everything inside her to lean on someone, but even moving almost crippled her with pain. She didn’t have a choice. She would just have to keep her wayward desire to herself and hope both men didn’t realize her foolish feelings.

  Chapter Eight

  The next morning, Givon pulled up to the police office of Daniel Two Feathers and cut the engine to his work truck. He shot North a dark look.

  “Play it cool, okay?”

  North shrugged, his fingers twitching, meaning that he was jonesing for a cigarette. Givon withheld his smirk. He should’ve bet how long the mighty Red Wolves President would last not smoking. He hopped out of the truck and headed inside. Daniel Two Feathers was Chief of Police in a town entirely made up of Shoshone, plus he was a tribal leader, so Givon prayed like hell North would behave.

  When he walked up to the receptionist, he pasted a benign smile on his face. The Native American woman smiled back at him, but her greeting died when her gaze landed past him. He knew she was seeing North in full motorcycle club regalia of leathers and chains.

  “I’m Sheriff Givon Halloran of Destiny,” he introduced himself. “I was wondering if I could have the chance to talk to Chief Two Feathers.”

  “Certainly,” she said. “Have a seat and I’ll let him know you’re here. There’s coffee on the credenza.”

  While North ambled over to the coffee, Givon looked around the room. He knew the real precinct was next door, where any offenders were taken, booked and jailed, but probably like Destiny, not too much happened within this town’s borders.

  The woman walked back out and smiled at him. “The chief will see you now.”

  Givon gave her a nod of thanks and headed into the back office, North remained on his heels sipping coffee out of a white Styrofoam cup. Daniel Two Feathers wasn’t at all what he was expecting. Instead of the tall, proud man he’d imagined, before him stood a hunched older man with a scar running down his face. Givon noticed he was blinded in the eye where the scar dissected—and that the wound was fresh. A sick feeling brewed in the pit of his stomach.

  “How may I help you?” Chief Two Feathers asked, as he eased down behind his desk. His ran a wary gaze over North from head to toe.

  “Thank you for meeting with us,” Givon said. “We’re investigating a homicide.”

  The chief raise
d his one good eyebrow and waited. Givon pulled out his phone and scrolled to the picture of Michael Hiller. He turned it around to show the chief. “This man was Michael Hiller and he was killed in Destiny yesterday.” He watched the chief’s expression carefully, but the man remained blank-faced. Givon continued, “Mr. Hiller had abducted a young woman from Durango a few days ago. She was found and taken to the hospital but he attempted a second hit on her life, after which, he was found shot in his vehicle.”

  “I’m not sure I understand. How does this man’s murder pertain to my town?”

  This was the part that was going to get interesting. “The woman he abducted and tried to kill was Allison Evening.”

  Givon hadn’t even finished saying her name when the Chief Two Feathers surged to his feet, anger and hatred spewing to the forefront. The scar on the man’s face twisted into an ugly caricature as he all but threw the phone back at Givon.

  “Did he manage to kill the little whore?”

  Givon’s hackles rose, but he knew he had to play it cool. He just hoped North didn’t do anything rash.

  “No,” Givon answered calmly. “Ms. Evening is still alive, although she is in protective custody.”

  “Too bad the little bitch didn’t die,” he seethed.

  North took a step toward him and Givon put up a hand. Without even looking at him, Givon knew the anger that sizzled in North’s blood was now boiling. It was easy to guess because all he himself wanted to do was punch the fucking chief in the face, but to give in would be tipping a hand he didn’t want played.

  “Do you have an alibi for yesterday?” he asked coldly.

  Chief Two Feathers narrowed his one good eye. “Sitting here, behind my desk, which my receptionist, Monica, and every person in the precinct can verify. So you think I killed this Michael Hiller? For what reason?”