Free Bird

by Amelia Oliver

  35

  SVEN

  “Maven’s coming,” I sigh, not sure how to express this. “I feel…ashamed. Ashamed this is the life she’s in, that any of them are in this. Dornan, I always wanted a son to carry my legacy on and now being President of the club, it means so much more than that. When I promised Owen that Maven would take over for him, I never thought so many of the guys would pressure me into making her legit. Make me force her to do more than she was. Now her hands have to get dirty, for the club. I can’t change something from the way it’s always been just because she’s a chick.”

  Missy comes up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and dropping a kiss on my shoulder.

  “Whether we want to admit it or not, Maven’s been trained her whole life for this. She’s strong and loyal, smart, unattached to anyone not in the club. She’ll do anything you ask and she’ll go into any situation because you have confidence in her.” She stops and moves around my body, looking up at me while my hands instantly move to caress her soft face. “I know this goes without saying, but I want to hear the words from you.”

  “I’ll protect her with my life,” I state. “So, will Dornan and Smokey.”

  Her head leans into my chest. “Your heart’s racing,” she comments.

  “I’ve got a gorgeous girl in my arms.”

  She gives me a snort and a squeeze with her arms.

  “Nothing to worry about,” I add, before kissing her and leaving for the club.

  It’s early morning and we have to be on the road in the next half-hour to meet the truck where we want the shit to go down. When I get to the clubhouse, I seek Maven out. She’s in her office at the auto body shop. I sit across from her desk with my cup of coffee and we go over the plan for today. It’s hard for me to face this reality, knowing that putting her in this situation could potentially lead her to trouble or worse, but I couldn’t ignore my brother’s adamancy about Maven taking his place. I told her that her stint as V.P. would be brief, just until we found the right person to take over. She knew it was a lie. We had Dornan and Joey and Smokey, all men who could take the position of V.P. But it wasn’t that. It was Owen wanting his name and bloodline to remain in the club. It’s a hard thing to explain, the not wanting to let Ivan down, even though he was dead now. Owen already harbored feelings of disappointment about letting me step in as President and if this was the last thing I could do for him, Maven was going to be in the club. Missy was right; she’s been groomed and raised for this and I know she can do it. Doesn’t make it any easier though.

  Dornan comes to get us not too long after and we meet in the clubhouse parking lot. We have to ride out to the desert and strong arm a semi-truck of cargo. Well, we don’t have to, but we’re going to. We thought we’d have an extra week to steal it but Chilly heard over the wire that it was being boxed up and ready to leave for Columbia this morning. Grabbing my guns and ammo, I slide my pair of .45 caliber handguns into my chest holders and grab the piece of thick leather crafted into a belt of sorts. Maven gathers the shotgun and slides onto the bike behind me. I know she wasn’t happy when this suggestion was mentioned because she doesn’t want to ride bitch. But once she heard the plan, understood the logistics, she was willing to compromise.

  Using the belt, she straps onto me, her back to my back and I wait for her signal that she’s secured and ready. We don’t normally wear helmets when we ride, but we are today, more as a way to hide our faces. Only Maven, Dornan and Smokey and I are riding out, with Maven and me leading the way and my heart begins to slowly pick up its rhythm. I always think about Missy on runs, but ever since Dornan and Joey joined, and now Maven, they’re all I think about. With Joey in the military and not here, my attention is focused mainly on Maven, and I know Dornan’s is too, as he follows directly behind us.

  When we hit the desert, I know from Chilly’s information, the truck should only be a few miles ahead, I floor it, taking off ahead of the other two and leaving them in my dust. We only ride for a few more minutes before I see the truck approaching and I reach back to tap Maven’s leg. A few cars are on the long stretch of road, but thankfully not many. When the truck is more visible, I slow and check for traffic before pulling a U-turn. My speed is slow but fast enough that the truck won’t slam into us. I can’t see anything, the sun combined with the desert dust makes visibility nil.

  I don’t feel Maven move or hear the shotgun being engaged, just the shots when she fires and the impact on the truck. Swerving into the oncoming traffic lane, I let the truck speed by and stay beside it until we’re parallel with the back. With precision and years of knowing my bike, I get us close enough so that Maven can reach the handle above us and pull herself up. She’s discarded the rifle and the leather band and easily is attached to the truck. I slow and pull back behind the truck, which is still barreling ahead even with the front and middle wheels blown out. She slides across toward the large metal locks holding the tall doors closed and the truck begins to swerve in an attempt to knock her off, but she pauses and holds on until it stops. My nerves are at a hundred as I watch her. Getting under the lock, she pushes it up and releases it, the door opposite of her swinging open and again she holds onto the truck to keep from falling off. I pivot my bike to see how close we are to the others and give Maven the signal to hold on.

  Shots fire as someone in the trailer walks toward the door, aiming his handgun at me. Pulling my piece out from my chest strap, I fire back, but he just gets closer. Once his arm is out the back door, Maven grabs it, pulling him out and sending him tumbling onto the road. I have to swerve not to hit him. Finally, Maven gets inside the truck and does as we discussed, she holds onto something as I slow my pace and let the truck go ahead. I see Dornan and Smokey on either side of the road, bikes parked as they roll out the spike strip. The truck rolls over it, the tires blowing and the most horrendous noise follows. Smoke and dust fill the air and I see nothing. Racing toward the scene, I hear the gunshots and concern is heavy in my chest. At the same time, I get off my bike, Rocket and Chain are pulling up in the van and Boo-Boo is flinging the back doors open. Then Smokey appears with his arms full of weapons, tossing them haphazardly into the back. There’s yelling and commotion, but it’s all too hard to see and I just want to make sure my son and Maven are okay. Walking closer, the truck comes into view and there they are, Maven shoving all the guns toward the back as Dornan grabs them.

  We clear the truck just as the dust settles and get the van loaded. Maven gets on the back of my bike as the van takes off, Dornan and Smokey returning to their bikes as we take off. The clubhouse will be too hot to go to, since I can hear the sirens in the distance, so we head to Galaxy Field and stay there until night falls. We unload the guns in the underground bunker and wait out the sunset. I don’t know if Maven’s just jacked with adrenaline still or what, but she’s clearly not herself. It hurts me, no, it fucking guts me that I’ve allowed her to cross over. When Smokey and Dornan go outside to smoke some pot, I take the opportunity to check-in with her. Putting my hands on her shoulders, I look at her as her eyes remain downcast.

  “You did great today,” I tell her.

  She nods but still won’t look at me.

  “I’m sorry,” I add. With furrowed brows, her eyes meet mine.

  I know she doesn’t understand and words can’t explain how I feel or what I’ve just let happen, but I am sorry. Before we can get into all that, I pull her into me and hug her. Once she pulls away and turns her back on me, I get the hint that she wants to be alone, so I leave her and head outside to the boys.

  “She okay?” Dornan asks.

  “She will be,” I nod and I stand beside him as we look out into the desert. “You should go talk to her,” I suggest.

  “Nah,” he replies, giving a subtle shake of his head, I see from the corner of my eye. “I’ll give her some space, she just needs time. I know she can handle it, just will take a little while,” he adds.

  I look over at him, a swell of pride fill
ing me, because my son has turned into a man, a man I helped make and mold.

  “I love you, Son.”

  Dornan looks over at me, “I love you too, Dad.”

  “Damn, ya’ll are makin me jealous,” Smokey says behind us as he walks up with his arms outstretched and both Dornan and I laugh at him. “No love for me?” he questions.

  We both shake our heads and shortly after head back into Plantain.

  36

  MISSY

  I know it’s not a life Maven wanted but she’s good at it all, and I know she’s become a vital part of the club. Still, Dornan’s pining after her and I just want to sit them both down and tell her for him, since he seems too scared to. But she’s still dating that married asshole, Brayden. Since over the years I’ve stopped worrying about taking on everyone else’s shit and minding my business, I decide to let nature take its course.

  It makes me happy to know Dornan confides in Sven. To know that the relationship Sven didn’t have with his own father fueled his need and want to be an amazing dad and he has become that. That and the fact that Sven is just the best person ever. He’s been a dad to a lot of these guys, the guys in the MC. By offering our house for his friends early on, and taking in some of the younger guys like Smokey as time went on, he has created a large family for us to have over for Sunday dinners. He made our house one everyone knew they could come to if they needed, and I loved him even more for that.

  A new girl has started working at the auto body shop- Skye- and we’ve become fast friends. She reminds me of Shine, Gwen and me when we were younger, during the times when we just lived and had fun. She radiates happiness and an easy-going nature I try to feed off. I feel like with her and Maven, I can attempt to be the mother I failed to be with Kendall, but I consider both women friends.

  I’d say this is when things in our lives began to change again. Sunday dinner was like any other, except that a few companion MC members were coming over. I’d never seen Brayden not in the clubhouse, and didn’t recognize him at first until Sven greeted him by name. Then, I noticed a blonde female and multiple children come in behind him. My thoughts scrambled. I knew he was married, knew he had a kid from what Maven told me. He had the balls to bring them here? Instantly, I begin to worry. Should I call Maven and tell her he’s here with his family? Dornan’s not here yet and I can’t get a moment alone with Sven to ask him.

  When we sit down for dinner, neither Maven nor Dornan have come yet and I think maybe we’re in the clear. I sit there and can’t help but stare at Brayden. What a fucking dick. He really has no shame, not one ounce and I want to call him out in front of his wife so badly. Sven can tell I’m seething and probably knows my intentions, so he keeps the conversation going.

  The front screen door squeals open and claps shut, then heavy boots on the wood floor signal it’s Dornan before he enters the dining room, coming to me and kissing the top of my head.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he says. Even though he’s behind me, I can tell the moment he registers the scene in front of him.

  “Dornan, what’s up man?” Brayden asks.

  Dornan grunts and begins for the kitchen. “Anyone need anything?” he asks.

  “Beer,” Smokey says over the conversations.

  “Excuse me,” I announce and get up to follow Dornan.

  “What the fuck?” Dornan says in a lowered tone as I enter the kitchen.

  “I don’t know what to do. Is Maven coming? Should we call her and tell her not to come?”

  “Fuck,” Dornan sighs, and I can tell his mind is racing.

  I know he thinks he needs to protect her, but then I think that her seeing Brayden here with his wife just might kick her ass into gear to end things.

  “Hi,” Maven’s voice comes from the dining room as Dornan and I walk back in.

  She’s standing there, frozen and confused. She masks it well, but I see it and I know Dornan does too. Brayden doesn’t even seem phased and I want Maven to go off on his ass, but instead, she turns and heads down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door shut. I didn’t realize I was going after her until Dornan’s strong hand on my arm stops me.

  “No, let them get it done,” Dornan says as he watches Brayden follow her.

  I consoled her that night and the days following. She was heart-broken and angry. I just wanted to make it better and I had a feeling that now Dornan would finally tell her he loved her and knew he would make her the happiest she’d ever been.

  Not too long after, Maven finally confided in me that she was in love with Dornan. Relief and elation hit me like a sledge hammer, that my boy was finally going to have the love of this woman and that she was never going to be loved more than she would be by him. Everything happened so fast. Life went from Maven and Dornan becoming a thing, to us gathered around my dining room table as Sven described to Maven what happened to Shine, a day I’d been dreading for years. My fear was Maven would never forgive us from keeping the truth from her and I’d lose her like I lost Kendall. One more thing I could blame myself for. But she wasn’t mad. She was confused, but I think relieved to know the truth, that Shine had loved her and hadn’t abandoned her. I finally got to show Maven photos and tell her stories, things I hadn’t looked at or thought about in years and it felt like Shine was right there with us, laughing and crying as I recounted all the memories.

  “If she couldn’t be here, I’m glad you were. I know that’s what she would’ve wanted for me. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and taking care of me like I was your own. You’ll never know how thankful I am for that,” she told me, holding my hands and making everything I’d done for her over the years finally feel right.

  Then, it was all gone.

  The night Sven told me Maven and Dornan left, that they were on the run, I nearly lost my mind. Of course, I held it in. Listening to his words, with little to no details, just that they left and he didn’t know when they’d come back. I felt I lost my children and I instantly felt like I was mourning that loss.

  A knock at the door the next morning had me unexpectedly hurrying toward it, thinking that it might be Maven and Dornan. Then why would they knock and not just come in? So, as I opened the door, I knew it wouldn’t be them; however, I’m still annoyed when I see it’s a man in a suit. Justice.

  “Agent Tanner,” I greet.

  “Oh, my reputation precedes me,” he smiles.

  “Don’t get too excited. When you come to a small town and start shit, everyone finds out who that person is pretty quick.” I smile back.

  “Do you mind if I come in?” he asks.

  “Only if you don’t mind me not offering you a drink,” I reply, moving aside and outstretching my arm behind me.

  Removing his sunglasses as he walks in, he gives me a look and I can see why Maven was attracted to him initially. He’s cute in that cop kind of way, the way where he thinks he’s totally amazing and any woman would be honored to date him. I follow as he looks around and moves into the front room, scanning framed photos on the shelves and other trinkets I’ve collected over the years.

  “This Kendall?” he asks. “I didn’t have any photos of her for your folder other than a recent driver’s license.”

  “Well, you can’t have that one,” I state.

  Turning, he gives me another smile and I sit on the couch against the wall.

  “Things are pretty strained between her and the MC life you live. At least, that’s the impression I got when she hung up on me. She and Dornan close?”

  “They’re related. That’s as close as you can be to someone, isn’t it?”

  “Do you have an address for her?”

  “I thought you saw her license?”

  “That was the wrong address and state, so I assume someone in the MC took care of that for her. That the same person who makes the phone calls the two of you make untraceable?”

  “My daughter’s a grown woman. Where she lives and if she talks to her brother is her business.”

  He gives
me a look, like he thinks if he keeps digging, he’ll reach me. Sitting down on the couch beside me, I watch him open a folder and read it over.

  “You were close with Maven’s mom. I mean, you weren’t related, but close,” he says, giving me a teasing grin and I want to smack it off his lips.

  I give him the same smile, recalling my pageant grin I used when I really wanted to say fuck it and walk off stage.

  “You know,” he says, waggling his index finger. “I swear, you look just like this old pageant queen from Mississippi.”

  “Old?” I bark out with an arch of a brow.

  “Sorry,” he amends. “I mean from a few decades ago,” he pauses, flipping through papers in his folder and pulling out a single sheet and turning it to face me.

  It’s the WANTED poster from so many years ago that had composite sketches of Jasper and me.

  “I’m insulted that you’d accuse me of ever looking like that,” I scoff, because at the time I was on drugs and looked like a dirty ragamuffin. “Besides, I’ve never been to Mississippi,” I add confidently, since now my southern accent was barely there.

  “We know that’s Jasper, a member of Warrior of the Gods-”

  “Ex-member,” I interrupt and correct.

  “Right. Nobody knows where he is. Do you?”

  “No idea.”

  “It’s funny because, when agents were here looking for Jasper and you- I mean, Faye Hamilton,” he says with a wink. “Tippy Derringer, was the only one who confirmed this Faye person lived right here in Plantain and she was supposed to sit down for a full interview, never showed…No one’s seen her since. Same with Faye. No one’s heard from her in years,” he adds, giving me a look of bullshit concern.

  I hadn’t known that. I remember coming back from rehab, going to the diner not too long after and not seeing her there. Sven told me she ran off with someone and now I realize she didn’t run off but was probably taken out.