by Liz K. Lorde
After informing Gates, we headed up to the front desk.
I gave Carl my best smile, “Hey there Hemlocke,” I purred, “still in the same room?”
Carl returned with a wry smirk, “Can’t divulge that information,” they teased, “although…” they put a finger on their chin and looked up towards the ceiling, “maybe if you could name the first track on my demo, I might be able to be persuaded. Can’t say for sure.”
Hunter’s eyes slid between us, a stiff, short laugh rumbling from his chest. He must have thought that we were both beyond weird and functionally stupid.
“I don’t know,” I teased, “this seems really unprofessional of you.”
“Babe,” they said, nodding their head from left to right, “if professional is what they want,” the phone beside them began to ring, “then they need to start paying me professionally. Same room as before, next time you don’t come in here gushing to tell me how much you loved it,” Carl slid over in their chair to the phone, “I will use lethal force. Trust. ”
I just rolled my eyes and thanked them, “Try not to let the people ruin your spectacular mood.”
“I’ll try,” Carl replied, “oh, and some dude was looking for you, by the way.”
“Me?” I said, “here?”
“Yeah.”
“What’d he look like, what did he want?” It confounded me that someone would be actively looking for me here, I hadn’t heard that someone was trying to reach me at my office.
“Looked real professional,” Carl explained, the phone still ringing, “I was kind of swamped at the time though, so he buzzed off real quick. Bald headed, wore a suit.”
“I see, well thanks I guess.” Professional was not a word that I’d come to know in the recent weeks. I didn’t have the time to bother myself with strangers.
***
When we got up to mom’s room, I was waiting for Hunter to come inside – he was standing out in the hall with the door still open as I looked at him. “Are you coming?” I asked, and then turned to my mother, “he’s just a little nervous to get his balls busted is all.”
Mom weakly laughed at that, and Hunter grumbled something in protest before walking on through and shutting the door. Mom announce, “So this is the man I’ve been hearing so much about.”
Hunter gave her his best smile and glided over to her, extending a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he started.
“Am I wearing a suit to you?” She asked, making a come hither motion, “give me a hug, give me a hug.”
“Heh, sorry,” Hunter coiled his arms around my mother’s neck and gave her a tight squeeze. “Hunter by the way.”
“Oh, Hunter’s a strong one. Definitely not a walking pretzel like that other one,” she beamed with happiness, looking towards me, “see dear? Hugs are always better than handshakes.” With warmth pressing against my chest, I sidled over to the other end of my mom’s bed and stood beside her. Hunter pulled over a chair and rested his arms on his knees.
Her eyes shifted to Hunter, “Don’t suppose you have any old men without wedding bands in that club of yours Jessica’s mentioned,” Mom asked playfully.
A smile walked along Hunter’s face, “’Fraid not, ma’am.”
“Oh please,” she wave a hand absently, something I was painfully aware that we shared, “call me Beatrice and nothing but.”
“Are you sure?” Hunter asked with a grin, “everything about me’s not so proper, might do me some good trying to act right.”
She winced in pain, but quickly tried to brush it off as nothing. My heart dipped for her. “You’re going to have your hands full with this one, Blue Jay.”
Hunter’s face colored itself pensive, “Blue—“
I cut him off, “That’s a story for another time,” surely I could bribe my mother to save me the embarrassment of that story.
Mom reached for her glass of water and drank it long and deep, “Nonsense,” she cleared her throat, “if anything now could be the last and only time!” I heard the pain rise in her voice, the sad sharp edges coming out, her face darkening. The mood of the room shifted in an instant. I looked over to Hunter with worry in my eye and in my heart, sliding my gaze down to my mother.
“Mom…” I said, and things seemed to go in slow motion when she fought against quiet sobs. She must have been so tired of fighting, so drained with the constant battle that raged inside. I didn’t know how she did it, or how anyone could – all I knew is that she never deserved an ounce of it, and that if there was a God above, he was a cruel and senseless creature.
“I’m sorry,” she quietly announced as I put my hand on her shoulder, rubbing it in circles. “I don’t mean to drag you two down, I’m happy for you Jessie. I really am.”
Hunter brought himself from his chair and over to her side, placing his hand on her other shoulder. “Jess clued me in on what’s going on,” he brought his fingers ever so gently to her chin and turned her head so that she would face him, before returning his hand to mom’s shoulder. He gave her that serious look that made my heart clutch, “I will get your treatment paid for.”
I straightened out my spine, “We,” I added.
His eyes slid over to me, making my body instantly dizzy with that smoldering gaze, “We’re here to give you hope, and love—“
“And hugs,” I mentioned, trying to lighten the mood.
“But mostly I’m here to hear lots of embarrassing stories,” he grinned like the Cheshire cat, “so seriously, start remembering cause when we get you out of here, and we get your strength back, I expect to know them all like the back of my hand.”
Beatrice’s eyes welled with tears, and my heart broke with waves of joy and sorrow.
36
Hunter
The car rolled smoothly down the street as we moved towards Jessica’s apartment. I had to admit, if it came down to cars, I didn’t doubt she was more capable than me.
“So what’s this plan B you were mentioning,” she glanced over at me, her brow raising in question.
“Club business, sweetheart,” I tilted my head and flashed my teeth, “sorry.”
“Club business, is your business, which is in turn, my business,” she argued with a kind of rhythmic cadence, looking between me and the road. “Plus it’s my mother so don’t try and play big, mysterious hero. I want to know.”
I hummed something deep from my throat and looked her way, my eyes crawling over her breasts and down to her perfect waist. I sent a hand over to her thigh and rubbed, “Thought you liked it when I played hero.”
She shuddered at my touch and readjusted her grip on the steering wheel, “You’re not going to distract me.”
“Think I’m already winning in that department.”
“Hunter,” she gave me a brief, serious gaze.
I returned the look, “There’s a deal going down,” I explained, “ a big one with this local gang.”
“Which?”
“Niners. It’s going down soon, and I’m sure of it. Intel is solid.”
Jessica chewed on the information for a spell, “Sounds dangerous.”
“Could be. They’ll be packing heat,” I made a gun turned sideways with my hand, “but this ain’t our first rodeo.”
Jessica’s lips curled into that special smile she only let me see, looking my way for a moment, her eyes glinting with lust, “Oh I’m sure. I know all about your rodeo experience.”
“Find a spot to pull over and I’ll remind you,” I teased.
It was subtle, but I could just make out the sound of her sucking in a tight breath. She bit down on her lip and tried to find her focus. “I want in.”
My heart dipped in my chest. Did I hear her right? “What?” I asked stupidly, digging myself further into the seat of the car than I thought possible, facing her. “No.”
“You heard me,” she insisted, “I. Want. In. I want to be a part of this and I should be, this is important to me – if there’s anything—“
“Le
t me stop you right there,” I stuck out a hand in a gesture, the heat rolling through me now. If anything ever happened to you, no. I couldn’t take that. “You know how to use a gun?” I wasn’t expecting an answer, “no. I’m not putting you at risk like that.”
“So it’s okay for you to risk your life,” she argued, flicking on her blinker and banging out a left in a tight, quick and controlled motion. “You’re saying that I have nothing to offer, that’s what you’re getting at.”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” my gut twisted with a sick heat, “you’re one of the brightest people I know. Smartest girl for sure.”
“Uh-huh,” she cut me down with the way she spied me. “So there will be guns.”
“There’ll be killing,” my voice was firm, “and you didn’t answer. I mean,” I shook my head, “it’s not on the table for discussion anyway.”
“I’ve been to a gun range.”
“That’s not the same,” I told her, “it’s not even close.”
“I’m not saying I want to be with you, you know,” I could hear the nervousness in her voice, if talking about it was enough to get her to sweat, doing the deed wouldn’t be in her. “You know, killing people,” the words came out in a tight strain as we neared her apartment, “I can drive. I could keep lookout. Something.”
I didn’t say anything for a bit, wanting to properly consider what she was saying – even if my gut was screaming at me that even entertaining the thought was total fucking madness. “You know your way around a car,” I admitted in more of a grumble than anything, looking out the window as we passed by a series of perfect little homes.
“Yeah,” she boasted, “damn right I do. You guys are going to need someone you can trust behind the wheel, and if I’m going to be in this with you – then I’m going to be in it with you.”
“Usually have Lex at the wheel,” the words left my lips as though I were remind myself more so than informing her.
Jess made another turn and before I knew it the sun was setting and we were in the driveway of her apartment. She killed the engine and unhooked her belt, placing a hand on my thigh and pulling me back into the moment, casting a grave look, “Please,” she said, and it scared me how badly I wanted to give in. “Let me be a part of what’s happening.”
I eyed her for a good long while, my chest rising in a breath, my jaw working slow, “Alright,” I conceded against my better judgment, “you drive. But you hang on to every word I say, and you have someone with you at all times. If you have any doubt, I’m cutting you out of it. End of story.” I unhooked my belt and we sat in the car for a few seconds, squirming around in our seats and then looking to one another. “You weren’t going to take no for an answer, were you?”
“Not even a little,” she graced me with the showing of her teeth and then fiddled with the handle of her door before finally it groaned in opening. I did the same and we shut the doors. “You be my Clyde, and I’ll be your Bonnie,” she winked, and I couldn’t be sure if it was an arrow of love or an arrow worry that struck me.
***
With hands already tangled up in her wild orange tresses, I breathed Jessica in like her scent was what kept me bound to this world. The kisses I placed on her neck reckless and hungry, I loved feeling the way she squirmed and pressed against me; my hands trailed up past her midsection and beneath her shirt. I slipped her bra down a couple of inches, exposing her luscious tits and grabbing handfuls for every hot second.
“Hunter…” she moaned, and then crashed her lips against mine, trying to suck the breath right out of me – her hand searching with a great need for my already stiff cock.
I was burning up with the thought of being inside of her, feeling her lips clamp against the hardness of my shaft – to feel her nails dig in my back as I pump into her.
We fucked twice that night, and I cooked her my special breakfast-for-dinner with creamy Alfredo – and when all was said and done, we climbed into her bed with the dog at our feet, listening to each other’s heartbeat as we slipped away into one last night of peace.
37
Hunter
It’d been a couple of nights since Jessica had told me that she wanted in, and I’d made sure to have her practice riding around in the SUV. This morning I got the call on my burner from Franklin, and for better or worse…
Tonight’s the night.
Sidling over to the bar, I sat down and brought up two fingers at Mozz and flicked them towards my person. Half a minute later and I had a nice pint in front of me. Pooh Bear and Tommy were sitting on either side of me, and Jameson was to the side of Tommy. All the others were down at the clubhouse on Caulhoon getting ready, arming up to the teeth.
If it went as smooth as we needed it to go, as smooth as Jessica needed it to go, the Niners would be on their asses or possibly even stamped out completely. Putting an end to those scum suckers was a nice thought, but a better one would be seeing a happy Jessica and a healthy Beatrice.
Pooh Bear tilted his head my way, “You sure Lex shouldn’t drive, brother?”
Sipped my beer and shook my head, “Lex is good,” I started, “Jessica’s better. You haven’t seen her race. Trust, brother. She’s a demon without wings.”
“Or a tail,” he added.
Jameson exhaled a short breath through his nose, “Demons do not have tails or horns,” he said all-knowingly, leaning forward to look at me with that customary too-happy grin. “You would know that, if you ever read a book in your life, Brian.”
Pooh Bear’s forehead wrinkled up as he stared at Jameson.
“Well…” Jameson began to backpedal, “some of them do.” The VP was a bit of a character, and rarely one to lose his cool. He’d been through a real trip to hell, way worse than the detour that I took as a kid – sometimes I’d think on it, not for too long of course, but just long enough to feel for the man, to remember that there’s always someone whose got it worse off than you. You’d get a pass for missing it, the quiet hints that his eyes drop – the consistent, big ol’ grins that he loves to give. Pain wasn’t a contest, and it didn’t invalidate anyone’s suffering, but looking back, with a dose of clarity, I’d an alright upbringing – at least in the grand scale of fucked-up-ness.
P Bear and me threw our hands up into the air and groaned, nearly at the same time. Tommy just sipped his fireball whiskey.
“But,” Jameson put up a hand, trying to cut over our noises, “but most of them, appear human. Those are the ones that you have to be careful of. The subtle beasts. The danger lurking beneath the face of the water, unseen and felt; waiting for the perfect moment.”
I chugged down my beer and swept a hand through my hair, extending my arms behind the necks of Tommy and Pooh, saying to Jameson: “Subtle beasts we do not make,” I pressed the two against me, a smile walking along the lines of my face, “we’re all just simple men, VP. Simple men. Simple pleasures. Right boys?” I squeezed even tighter, chuckling to myself as they physically and verbally protested.
Jameson’s tone did not inflect in such a way that I thought he intended it, but his next words sent an icy knife up my core. “Simple men make simple mistakes.”
I got up from my stool and slapped down a fiver before cracking my neck and stretching a bit, the old leather of my worn jacket creaking with each motion. I then jogged to the door, looking over my shoulder and whistling at Pooh, “Come on PB, let’s have a smoke.”
Pooh Bear turned in his seat to face me and I could catch a glimpse of his teeth before he stood up, checked the still frozen tips of his hair and swaggered on over to me.
***
When our black chariot towards destruction arrived, my heart slowly lurched into my throat. I couldn’t see Jess through the tinted windows, but I knew she was there. I shouldn’t have agreed to let her be a part of this. Somewhere, some scattered thought poised that it was Brad who was to blame – he could have told me no. Still, Jess knew her way around a car as much as she did a man.
Pooh Bear fl
icked the roach of his cigarette to the curb and hopped in the back. I caught a glimpse of all my brothers packed in there, all smiles and laughs.
This was when we felt our most alive. Our most connected to what we were put on this planet to do.
Jameson and Tommy made their way around and to the back as well. I was the last to enter, taking my spot in the front passenger seat which Brad had promised to me, since he thought it was so adorable how me and Jess looked together. Heh, or Blue Jay I should say. Couldn’t ever coax that sweet crone to give up the origins to that one, but it held my curiosity.
Jumping in I shut the door and was immediately greeted by a series of whoops and whistles and name callings about my and Jess’s pairing. Fuckers, didn’t see me busting there balls about that shit – I silently promised myself that one day, one day I’d get them all good.
Jessica pulled down her shades and I felt the heat drop to my balls like a molten weight. She was wearing just a white tank, no bra as I could see her perky nipples plain as damn day, causing my cock to stir even more. “Hey superstar,” she purred, and then turned around to face the men, “think it’s time to raise some HELL?”
The car erupted with enthusiastic hollers and claps, as well as rattling anything that they could get their hands on. It was a good thing that Lex wasn’t driving though, I could see it clearly, with the way his pupils were dilated and how energetic he looked; he wasn’t going into this one clean.
Jess threw the vehicle into drive and gave me that sexy smirk before pushing up her shades. She was wearing a simple pair of skinny jeans, painted black and pulled tightly against her – I could only imagine how amazing her heart-shaped ass would look from a proper view. She also wore two belts fashioned criss-cross against one another, both studded like armored teeth.
When we reached Ryker’s Shipyard, it was like witnessing something that wasn’t meant to be observed. You could feel it in the air. The small district had been a hub of activity years before I was ever born or had even moved here, or at least that’s what Brad told me that the locals had told him. But the high-stakes rollers, with their money and their influence, were able to funnel their business into a port eight miles south from here – claiming that Rykers was a thing of the past and that Applegate had need for a bigger shipping facility.
