by L. Wilder
When I pulled up in his driveway that day, he was in his workshop. As usual, he was covered in grease while he worked on his bike. Restoring old Harleys was his passion, and he’d spent every free minute he had out in his garage. For a twenty year old, he had a talent like no one I had ever known. He could take a piece of junk and turn it into a work of art in a matter of a few days.
“I was beginning to think you were going to blow me off again,” Gavin whispered under his breath, as he continued to disassemble the engine.
“Told you I’d be here. I had some things to take care of first.”
“Yeah…well, I’ve heard that before,” he grunted.
“You going to tell me what you wanted to talk about?” I asked as I walked over to the mini-refrigerator and got us both a beer. I twisted off the tops and placed one on the table next to him.
“Been thinking about a few things,” he said.
“This ought to be good,” I grumbled under my breath.
“Why do you do that? You know what… just forget it. I don’t need this shit from you right now. Just go,” he barked as he motioned towards the door.
“Just tell me what the hell you’ve been thinking about, Gavin.” I grabbed a wrench and started helping him remove the different screws that were corroded with rust and grime from the old engine.
He glared at me for a few seconds before he finally said, “I want to move to Tennessee.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” He’d caught me off guard. That was the last thing I expected to hear from him right now.
“I want to go prospect for the Devil Chasers.”
“Gavin,” I barked.
“Just hear me out before you fly off the handle. You told me that you didn’t want me prospecting for your club right now because of all the shit that’s going on. I get that, but I’ve heard you talk about Goliath and his club. You’ve said yourself that you liked being there. I’ve always wanted to have a place where I could work on bikes, and they’re known all over the country for the restorations they do. Prospecting for them makes sense,” he said sounding hopeful. “Besides, if I prospected at your club, I’d always be following under your shadow. I want a chance to make a name for myself… without all the bullshit.”
“It wouldn’t be like that, Gavin.”
“It would, and you know it. You’ve already made your mark on the club. I want to be able to do the same. Besides, being in Tennessee would also give me a chance to keep an eye on John Warren.”
“What makes you think they’ll even take you on? They don’t know a damn thing about you.”
“I was hoping that you’d talk to Goliath. Put in a good word for me.”
Fuck. I couldn’t believe what he was asking. The very thought of him prospecting for another club was difficult to digest, but one so far away made it impossible to comprehend. How the hell was I supposed help him leave? Deep down, I knew it was the perfect place for him to prospect, but the thought of losing him – my brother, the only link to my life before the club, was hard for me to accept. “You have to give me some time to think about this.”
“Fuck, Maverick! You need to stop thinking so damn much. Since we lost Hailey, you’ve been …” he started.
“We? What the fuck are you talking about?” I shouted, stepping closer to him. “We didn’t lose Hailey. I’m the one that loved her, and I’m the one that lost her. Hell, I’m the one that got fucked over by all of her damn lies!”
“You weren’t the only one who lost her, Maverick. You know I cared for her, too. More than you know.” His eyes flickered with a hurt that I didn’t quite understand.
“What are you trying to say here, Gavin?”
“I’m saying get your head out of your ass and realize that you weren’t the only one that got hurt by everything that happened with Hailey. It was hard on all of us to lose her, but it’s time to move on. You’re twenty-six years old, but you’re acting like your life is over,” he explained as he dropped his tools on the table. “It’s time for both of us to move on. Moving to Tennessee …”
“I said I’d think about it, Gavin. That’s all I’m willing to give you right now.”
We spent the next few hours working in the garage in silence. I thought about everything he said, and I honestly couldn’t find a reason for him not to go. Working with the Devil Chasers would be a great opportunity for him, and I knew they’d take care of him. I hated that it really was the best option for him. I wasn’t ready to let him go, but I couldn’t hold him back.
Once we’d finished disassembling the engine, I turned to him and said, “I’ll call Goliath in the morning and see what he thinks about you coming down.”
“Thanks, Maverick. I’ll do my best to make you proud…”
“Gavin, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t proud of you.”
I’ve talked to him several times since the day he packed his bags and left. He truly seemed happy. As hard as it was to admit, he was right. He was already making a name for himself in their garage, and I was proud of him for taking the risk. That didn’t mean I didn’t miss him.
Chapter 4
Henley
‡
WHEN I PULLED up at the convenience store, it was already almost midnight, and there were no other cars in the parking lot. Even with my shorts on, the heat of the night instantly brought a light sheen of sweat on my skin when I got out of my car. A chime rang out when I opened the store door, and the cashier briefly looked up from her magazine as she watched me walk inside. Once she’d acknowledged my presence with an unappreciative sneer, she looked back down at her magazine. When I reached into the refrigerator for my soda, the bite of the cold air from the freezer brought goosebumps to my skin. I quickly closed the door, and tried to shake off the chill by rubbing my hand up and down my arm.
I walked down each and every aisle looking for something decent to eat. When I couldn’t make up my mind, I just started filling my arms anything and everything that looked like it might curb my growing hunger. By the time I made it up to the counter, my hands were loaded with an embarrassing amount of drinks, chips, and chocolate.
“Did you find everything you need?” the lady asked without ever really looking up at me. She obviously wasn’t happy that I was interrupting her reading time.
“Yeah, I think so,” I told her as I looked around the store, feeling slightly ashamed at the enormous amount of junk food sitting in front of me.
After an excruciating amount of time, she finally said, “That’ll be $24.96.”
I swiped my debit card, and when the receipt printed, I quickly grabbed my heavy bag of goodies and headed out into the empty parking lot. As I walked towards my car and started to open the door, I heard a loud thud coming from the side of the store. At first I ignored it, but then I heard it again… louder. I knew I should have just gotten in my car and left, but my curiosity got the best of me. I threw my bag in the front seat and crept quietly over to the dark side of the building. I knew dumb shit like this was what got people into trouble, but I honestly hoped there’d be nothing to it. I just kept thinking that the sales clerk must have decided to pull herself away from her magazine long enough to take out the trash. Little did I know, I was wrong… terribly wrong.
As soon as I made it to the edge of the building, there was another loud crash followed by the sounds of feet scuffling against the concrete. I couldn’t see anything. It was just too damn dark. So I quietly stepped into the shadows, and waited for my eyes to adjust to the lack of light. Shit! Suddenly it wasn’t just noise as the sounds of a man’s grunts and anguished cries echoed along the wall of the building, making my heart nearly jump out of my chest. A feeling of terror washed over me as I realized someone was in trouble. I took one step closer, and my world instantly stopped moving. A man was standing with his back to me, and even though, I had no idea who he was, I instantly recognized his black vest with the dark red embroidery scrolled on the back. He was a member of the Satan’s Fury MC, and som
ething was wrong… very wrong.
I was turning to go for help when I heard, “We’re done playing games with you asshole.”
“Fuck you. I’m not telling you a goddamn thing.”
“Then your time is up, brother.” Two gunshots rang out and my heart stopped as I watched his head jerk back when the bullets slammed into his chest. As I watched his limp body drop to the ground, I felt like someone punched me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I couldn’t breathe… couldn’t move. I was absolutely frozen with fear. I looked behind me, praying for someone to be there – a car driving by or someone walking down the street; anyone to help me escape this nightmare, but there was no one. The darkness of the night engulfed me as I realized that I was completely alone, except for these monsters standing just a few feet away from me that had just killed a member of the Satan’s Fury club. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled against my skin as I listened to the dying man gasping for breath… then there was nothing, just deafening silence. He was lying dead just a few feet from me, and there was nothing I could do to help him. An overwhelming sense of panic surged through my body as I realized how bad this really was. A small whimper escaped my lips as my chest tightened, and my legs began to tremble beneath me.
I was about to completely lose it when I heard, “HEY!”
One of the men had spotted me; the sound of his voice startled me back to reality. Before I had time to think, a massive shadow began stalking towards me.
“I… uh… I… shit!” I screeched as I twirled around and raced towards my car. My legs felt like jelly as I ran, making me feel like I was moving in slow motion. Behind me, the sounds of boots hitting the pavement filled me with pure terror. I was freaking out. The footsteps were getting closer, and I just knew they were going to get me. I was going to die in the middle of a convenience store parking lot! I ran with everything I had and was relieved when I saw that my car door was still open. My entire body was shaking as I jumped inside and locked the doors. I started the engine, threw it in reverse, and stomped on the gas! I heard one of them hit the back of my car as I sped towards the main road. When I looked in my rear view mirror, two large men were standing under the light of the convenience store… staring at the back of my vehicle with pure rage in their eyes. They were after more blood… mine.
When they were finally out of sight, I reached down in my purse for my phone. I quickly dialed Cassidy’s number.
“Come on… come on. Answer the damn phone,” I shouted. After calling three times without an answer, I gave up. Everything that happened kept racing through my mind. I had to tell someone. Cassidy told me that the club didn’t do cops, but I didn’t know what else to do.
“This is 911. State your emergency,” the operator calmly said.
My hands were shaking, and I was finding it difficult to speak. I took a deep breath and said, “I just witnessed a shooting behind the S&K Quick Mart! There were these two guys, and they shot a man in the alley. I didn’t know what to do and … and… those men… oh my god, I… I think they saw me! They were…”
“Miss, I need you to try to calm down. I am sending an officer to that location now. I will need your name and a phone number where you can be reached,” she answered.
“My name is Henley Gray.” I stammered. I could barely tell the operator my phone number, my hands were shaking so badly that I could hardly hold on to the phone.
“Ma’am, as soon as the officers check the location of the shooting, they will call you to make a report. It shouldn’t take long. Please stay close to your phone. I’m sure they will want to talk to you.”
“Okay. I will. Thank you,” I told her.
As soon as I got home, I searched the house for Cassidy. When she wasn’t there, I tried calling her again. This time I left her a message, “Cassidy, I need you to call me. I saw something tonight. It was bad, and…” Without finishing, I hung up the phone. Those men had no idea who I was, and there was no reason for me to get all freaked out about it. I’d tell Cassidy what I saw when she got home and that would be the end of it. The club would take care of it.
I checked all the locks on the doors before curling up on the sofa, praying that my nerves would settle down, but being in this empty apartment wasn’t making it easy. My test was first thing in the morning, and I desperately needed to get some sleep. I was finally about to drift off when my telephone rang.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Henley Gray?” a deep, raspy voice asked.
“Yes?”
“This is Officer Ronnie Donaldson, from the Williamson County Police Department. I’m calling about the report you made of a shooting at the S&K on Park Street.”
“Yes, that was me. Did you catch them?”
“Ms. Gray, did you know that placing a false report is against the law,” he scolded with his voice deep and forceful.
“What? What are you talking about?” I asked defensively.
“We went to the location, and there was no sign of any disturbance. It’s the middle of the night, Ms. Gray. You wasted our time and the tax payers’ dollars.”
“That can’t be right. I saw them…. They shot him right in front of me! There had to be something… a body or blood?” I pleaded with him, trying to make him believe me.
“There was nothing. I don’t know what to tell you, Ms. Gray. We didn’t find anything. If there really was a shooting, they did one hell of a job of covering their tracks.”
“What am I supposed to do now?” I asked.
“We’ll go back and check things out again in the morning. I’ll contact you if we find anything,” he said flatly. From the sound of his voice, I could tell that he had no intention of going back. I was regretting calling them in the first place. Hopefully, the club would be able to figure out what the hell happened.
Chapter 5
Maverick
‡
MY PHONE HAD been ringing for several minutes, before I managed to pull off the road to answer it. When I looked at the screen and saw that it was Guardrail, I immediately became uneasy. He wouldn’t be calling so early in the morning unless there was something wrong. When he told me that Cotton had called us all in to meet at church, I knew without a doubt that something was off. It was in his voice… he sounded shaken, and it wasn’t like him at all. Guardrail had been VP of Satan’s Fury for as long as I could remember, and it took a lot to rattle him. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good.
When I drove through the gate, I was instantly overcome with a feeling of dread. The parking lot was filled with my brother’s bikes, but everything was still. No music from the bar, no talking or laughing… just an eerie silence that sent chills down my spine. As soon as I parked my bike, I headed straight for the meeting room. All of the brothers were sitting around the long oak table, their faces marked with grief. There were no words or expressions of greetings – this was not a typical call to church.
“Have a seat, Maverick,” Cotton ordered with a strained voice. “Been waiting on you to get started.”
As soon as I took my seat, I looked over to Guardrail, searching for some sign of what the hell was going on. His face was completely void of expression as he looked at the wall in front of him. Yeah, something was definitely wrong. My eyes wandered over to Stitch. His face was twisted with anguish, and the veins around his neck pulsed with rage. I could feel the anger vibrating off of him as he sat back in his chair with his fists clenched tight. He was the club Enforcer, and at 6’9”, he was not a man you wanted to tangle with. The hell that man was capable of inflicting would humble anyone. He’d never backed down from anything, and he had the scars to prove it, leaving no doubt how he got his road name. Looking at him, I could see the fury literally rolling off of him. Whoever had fucked up, Stitch was going to make them pay.
The tension in the room crackled around us as Cotton said, “As some of you already know, we lost one of our own last night.”
Stitch slammed his fist down on the table as he growled,
“Someone was trying to send us a message with Skidrow’s death. Whoever the hell it was, they can consider the message fucking received!”
“There’s no doubt that they were trying to make a statement. One of the prospects found him this morning out by the main gate… tossed out like trash by the side of the road,” Cotton continued. Anger flashed through his eyes as he proceeded to explain everything that had happened. “His patch had been removed, and any sign of Satan’s Fury on his body had been burned.”
“Who do you think did this?” I asked, still trying to make sense of everything he’d just said. They hadn’t just killed one of our brothers… they had insulted our club to the highest degree by desecrating any and all signs of our club’s name on Skidrow’s body.
“Tony’s old crew wouldn’t have the balls to do something like this. It had to be someone else,” Guardrail scowled, as he looked over to me.
“I want every man on this. I want to know where he was… who he’s been talking to. Hell, I want to know what he had for dinner last night. Any fucking thing that might help us find out who did this.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. It would only be a matter of time before we were able to track down the motherfuckers that did this. Our club had eyes and ears in places no one would ever expect. Whoever had done this had fucked with the wrong club.
“All of you know that Maverick has more than proven himself as an invaluable asset to the club over the past few years. He’d give his life for anyone of you, and I’m naming him as Sergeant of Arms. Everyone in agreement say, Aye,” Cotton motioned. Before I had time to protest, the room filled with chants of approval. Fuck.
“Done. Maverick, get with Big Mike. See what you two can find out and get back to me within the hour.” Mike was the best hacker in the club, and if there was anything that might help us, he’d be the one to find it.
“You got it,” I answered.
