“You are so like your mother!” he says.
“What? I’m not doing anything,” I protest.
“You get that same faraway look as your momma when you start overthinking. Tell me I’m wrong?” he says, tapping his fingers on the counter.
“Your wrong,” I say and try to make a joke of it but he gives me a knowing look, “Okay, okay, I do, sometimes, take after my mom.”
“Everything is going to work out just like it’s supposed to,” he says and kisses me on the cheek, “now get out of here and start your future!”
“Thanks, Christopher. Take care of mom, okay?” I ask.
“I always do,” he says, and with that I get back in my car and head down the road.
I’m jamming to all kinds of music from pop, to heavy metal rap to oldies. I love pretty much all music. The wind blowing through my hair, shades on, damn this is so exciting! I make a quick stop around lunchtime to fill up both my tank and my stomach and give mom a call.
“Hey baby girl! Where are you now?” mom asks.
“I just stopped in Albuquerque and I’m getting ready to go into a little Mexican place to eat,” I tell her.
“Wow, you’re making pretty good time. Call me when you stop for the night. I have to hop off here, I’m in the middle of something,” mom tells me and hangs up. I’d bet money that she’s giving the lawyer the sculpture, along with the boot. It’s not like my mom is a serial dater by any means. She may meet a guy once a year, if that even. The majority of them I’ve never met because they never make it past the first date. Hell, I didn’t even know she dated at all until I got older and kept pressuring her to meet someone.
I make a couple of stops here and there, not paying any attention, and miss my exit. I’m pretty far out of my way before I realize and stop and stretch in Shreveport, Louisiana. Of course, taking pics of Riverboat Casinos on the Red River. I check out the RW Norton Art Gallery. I was raised in an artist’s world and it’s in me. This place is a whole different world from where I’m from. It’s like everything got greener the further I got away from home. I pick up some food and I check in to the hotel and give mom a call.
“I was starting to worry about you. It’s pretty late,” mom tells me.
“I know mom, but I just wanted to get as far as I could before I got a hotel. I missed an exit and ended up in Shreveport.” I tell her.
“Shreveport!” mom shrieks.
We have a longer conversation this time, mostly her wondering why I got so far off my route, but I told her that sometimes missing exits are the right way to travel. Afterward, I hop in the shower and settle into bed. I’ve went nowhere “alone” like this. I feel like I’m officially adulting now. I am snuggled up in bed loading the pics from my camera I’d taken today on to my laptop while eating some amazing Jambalaya and Boudin Balls. Once I’m stuffed, I realize how beat I am and before I know it, I’m asleep.
I wake up and decide my route. With a quick stop to get Beignets at a place called Another Broken Egg Cafe because, well, you have to. No more out of the way adventures for me, I need to make a straight shot. But how could I not take the long way and try some Cajun food? Now I must stop in Memphis and take a tour, but that’s on the way and Groupon had a hell of a deal. I load my things back up, call mom and tell her I’ll probably not call her when I get to Memphis since it’s not too far and that I’ll just call her when I get to dad’s place. Mom isn’t too keen on the idea, but she tells me okay.
On the road, one of my mom’s favorite songs comes on. I get lost in the music of Uncle Kracker singing “Drift Away.” Cranking it up, I sing along with it. I think about mom holding me and dancing me around the kitchen as she sings. Did this song reminded her of my dad? The lyrics hit me a little differently this time.
Memphis is really cool. I listened to Blues and Jazz. I saw Sun Studio and even watched them make guitars at the Gibson Beale Street Showcase. My mouth was watering, smelling the amazing barbecue. The smoky taste, the dry rub and tangy sauce was to die for. I spent way too much time taking snapshots, going on tours and generally losing track of time.
I love taking pictures, though. It’s my passion. From landscapes to interesting places, and the faces. That’s what I love the most. Capturing a face in a moment of time, ahhhh bliss. I feel like I see into someone’s soul and get a secret piece of them that is hidden from the world. Whether it be a smile and a twinkle in the eyes of an elderly couple still in love or the wrinkles and crow’s feet that show how much a person smiled in their life, it’s a story to me. I imagine their lives in the pictures I take.
I get back on the road a lot later than I had wanted. In fact, it had already gotten dark, which is late for summertime. I only have a little over 3 hours to go, but that’s going to put it at around midnight. I was stressing over pulling up to meet my father and introducing myself at that late of an hour and completely forgot to call my mom since breakfast.
“Dammit, Elle, focus!” I tell myself. I have always tended to get distracted. Kind of how I ventured off into Louisiana to start with. I took a wrong exit because I forgot to turn my GPS back on when I left Albuquerque and just went with it. When I saw I was heading toward Cajun food, it was get upset or go with it. My stomach said go with it because let’s be honest, I can eat.
I love food, I can’t help it. Mom and I would watch cooking shows or save pins on Pinterest of cool recipes, and on Sundays we would spend the day together in the kitchen. We would whip up so much food we had leftovers for the rest of the week. When I got into high school and college, our house was the place to go for all my friends. They may eat Ramen all week in their dorm rooms in Phoenix, but on Sundays they all knew they were going to eat well.
My best friend Harlow would even come over early that day to help. We all call her Zen because she is our group’s Hippie Child. All peace and love. Long, blonde hair with carefree waves and curls. A boho style in her clothes. She has this inner light about her. When you are around her, you automatically feel a calmness come over you. That’s not saying she hasn’t had her share of tragedy, believe me, she has. But she came out of it a better, stronger person. Not me. I’m more the flame. The loud one that loves to laugh. If you need strength, you come to me. I’m the friend that makes you feel like a powerful woman when I’m done with my pep talks. Where Zen gives you peace and calm, I give you the roar. However, she has gotten better at it with her degree. Somehow she just knows which you need and flat out gives it to you. Sometimes, it’s a hug and to cry with you, sometimes it’s a kick in the ass. She’s the yin to my yang. Give me my black eye liner, my torn blue jean shorts, and my scrunchie, give her an embroidered peasant blouse and her flip-flops. God, I miss that girl! If you were stressed about anything, she’s your go to girl. Unfortunately, she’s spending the summer in India getting more enlightened or she would be on this trip with me no doubt.
I look down at the clock. No wonder I’m so exhausted, it’s One AM and I’ve passed the bigger part of Devil’s Backbone, but I can’t go one more mile. Maybe I can find a place to stop and get a hotel and a bite to eat. I’ll just get some rest and a fresh start and find my dad in the morning. That makes way more sense than walking to his door at this hour and saying, “Hi, you don’t know me but I’m Elle Burrow, you know, Michelle Burrow? Yep, I’m your daughter.” Yeah, that would make a great first impression.
CHAPTER TWO
Elle
Several stops for gas, bathroom, food and directions later from leaving home I end up in Devil’s Backbone, one state over but not far from New Freedom. Completely exhausted from driving and unable to go any further there is only one place open… a little dive bar and grill on the outskirts of town called The Old Rusty Barn Bar and Grill. It looks a little shady but there is nothing else around and hopefully they will let me in for a quick bite and directions to the nearest hotel.
Straightening my clothes, trying to calm my wild, windblown hair I head in trying to seem more confident than I really am. When I get
in I’m spotted by a dark complected, thick make-upped waitress with black hair and big blonde chunks and a stacked body for her age. “What brings a young girl like you in here?” the name tag of Lilith asks me.
“I realize I’m not too far from New Freedom, but I can’t drive any more. I’m starving and I could really use a Dr. Pepper. I think it’s a bar and grill. Is your kitchen still open?” I meekly plead.
“Sure sweetie, it’s okay, it’s dead in here, anyway. Let me go back in the kitchen and see what I can come up with.” Lilith slides me the Dr. Pepper and heads into the kitchen. She isn’t gone long at all and brings back two plates of sandwiches and chips. “I hope you don’t mind if I eat with you. I haven’t had dinner yet, and I haven’t met a stranger in forever. Besides, you look like you could use some company.”
“Yeah, that would be great! Thanks for the food too. I really appreciate it,” I reply.
“It’s no trouble at all. So what are you doing in these parts?” she asks.
“Well, it’s a long story but my mom, Michelle, fell for this man… my father, 22 years ago and she got pregnant with me. He never learned about me. She was just here visiting a friend, you understand, and she didn’t find out she was pregnant with me until she was back home. She was too afraid to tell him. Soooo, here I am, traveling to New Freedom to see him. I’m hoping he accepts me and let’s me get to know him before finding a new job in my field. I want to get to know him.” Why did I just tell her all that?
“Well, if he’s from New Freedom, it’s a small town, maybe I know him. What do you know about him? Do you have a picture or a name?” she inquires.
“Here’s a picture of him and my mom, it’s kind of worn. His name is Jonathon Samuel Holmes.”
“I know EXACTLY who that is sweetie. I should have seen it before. You have the same eyes. We all know him as Reaper,” Lilith says entirely too syrupy.
I look at her alarmed. “My dad goes by Reaper?” What was I thinking looking for my biker dad? Why did I just expect him to be this awesome TV dad kind of guy? With a name like Reaper he probably kills people for looking at him wrong,” all these thoughts running quickly through my over-active brain.
“He’s a good man and a friend,” Lilith quickly tells me when she notices the panic in my eyes. “Here’s what I’m going to do. There aren’t any hotels around here but I will take you back to the clubhouse. You can stay with me…”
But I stop her, “Oh that is so sweet but I couldn’t put you out like that, you just met me.”
“Let me finish girlie. As I’ve said, there aren’t any hotels close and I’m friends with your dad. You come stay with me at the clubhouse and we will get you two all introduced first thing in the morning,” she pours on the charm as much as she can without making herself sick, “We haven’t had one single person since you came in, let me close up and we can head there in a few.”
I throw my arms around Lilith because let’s be real, her idea is way better than anything I can think of, “Seriously? Oh my God, I can’t thank you enough!”
“No need to thank me Dearie. Just seeing the look on his face will be thanks enough,” she tells me.
We head out and lock up the bar as the waitress says, “Why don’t you grab what you will need for tonight and leave your car here and you can ride with me? You and your dad can come get it in the morning?”
I hesitate but Lilith is being so nice putting me up and introducing me to my dad. They are in the same club it seems. Against my better judgment of following in my own car I grab a few things and climb in Lilith’s truck.
We pull up to the clubhouse and Lilith tells me to sit in the truck for a second while she runs in telling me sometimes they can be pretty wild and doesn’t want me to have to see anything I shouldn’t.
Lilith
I'm thinking this is just the opportunity to get back in good with my old man Chains. Chains has been in the trafficking business for a few years now, but it’s not as easy to come up with girls and people not noticing someone missing. I pour on the charm.
When she hands me the picture I look at it and immediately notice the Unfortunate Souls cut. “Oh this just gets better and better” my mind brewing up a plan. I had plans of drugging this girl and delivering her to Chains, the president of the Vengeful Demons, and my man, but I have plotted up something even easier and more brilliant. I picture myself twisting an evil handlebar mustache and smile to myself. This girl is the president of the rival Unfortunate Souls daughter, and delivering her on a silver platter will have to make Chains take me back after our fight.
I con the girl into leaving her car here and we head to the Vengeful Demons clubhouse. When I go in first, I spot Chains leaned back in a recliner. He’s a rough looking guy at 6’3” and weighing in at 300lbs. He has a long scar down the side of his face. He got that from Ruger's old lady, I think her name was Barbie or something. He got even with that bitch though. His long graying hair and beard looking rough and unkempt, but what do I care. You can still tell that he was somewhat handsome in his youth. He’s dangerous with a dark arrogance about him and that's what I like. I strut over to him as suggestively as I can, “Hey Chains baby, you know why you should forgive me and take me back?” but when I enter the room fully and walk around the recliner to him I see he’s getting a blow job by a club girl and I am livid. I want to jerk her head up and drag her outside but I've got to keep my eye on the prize here.
The brown headed club girl was finishing taking in the explosion of Chains’ cum as he pulls her back off of his cock. She is wiping her mouth and getting off her knees and walking away quickly when he answers me, “Jesus Lils, only you can ruin a blow job. It’s not happening but I’ll bite, why?”
“What would you say if I helped you not only get a pretty young thing to sell off, but you could get back at Unfortunate Souls at the same time?” I say proud of my brilliant idea.
Chains jumps out of the recliner and grabs my arm jerking me towards him, “What the fuck did you do now woman? If you grabbed one of their girls all hell’s gonna break loose in here and it’s going to be on you, you fucking cunt!” He is seething with anger. The spit hitting my face as he yells.
“Wait, wait just listen,” I plead as I am backed up against a wall. A hand around my throat now, “ It’s Reaper’s long lost daughter. He doesn’t even know about her yet. She thinks I’m going to introduce them in the morning.”
“Reaper doesn’t know about her? He has no idea she exists? And you’re telling me she came with you willingly and is sitting out in the truck?’ he asks.
“Yeah, she even has a picture of her mom and Reaper she carries around,” I say.
“Okay, get her in here, I’ll play it up until we can lock her in a room and plan this shit out,” Chains says.
I shuffle quickly outside to get Elle, “Ok, it’s all clear. The only one in there right now is my old man Chains.”
“Seriously, thank you again. I can’t believe I get to see my dad!!” she tells me thankfully.
Elle
As we walk in Chains is ending a conversation with someone on the phone. “There she is, Reaper’s only child. Damn he’s going to be surprised. And look at you all sweet and pretty,” he says as he takes my hand and spins me around.
Chains is making me nervous. Just the way he said that last part and he looks so rough and creepy. A scar goes down the side of his face disappearing into his scruffy, long beard. The smell of strong liquor, pot and something that died on his breath. Lilith is noticing my nervousness and jumps in, “Well, come on sweet girl. Let’s show you to your room for the night.”
She leads me down a long hall with Chains following. They open a door and we head down a staircase.
“We have a room all set up downstairs for guests. It will be nice and quiet down there. The boys should be here soon and they can get pretty rowdy.”
They open another door at the bottom of the stairs “there you go” and I step in and I’m looking around confused, “I can
’t seem to find the light switch.” Just then Chains shoves me hard into the room and I hit the rough concrete floor and he slams the door, I can hear someone locking it.
I start screaming and banging on the door, “What’s going on? Why are you doing this? Please no!”
What have I gotten myself into? I’m smart enough to know that screaming and banging for long on that door is going to get me nowhere and just make me weak. Think, Elle, think. They have all my belongings and I don’t have my phone. The last time I talked to my mom was around 7:30 am. I didn’t call her this afternoon because I was so excited about seeing Memphis and then was running behind after. Damn, wasn’t that a joke now. I know my mom, after missing two of my check-in’s mom is already freaking out. Hopefully, she’s so worried she calls the police and they are looking for my car. Of course, the last time I spoke to mom I was in Shreveport, Louisiana checking out of a hotel.
I start to feel around this dark, dank, room and touch a small table and lamp. Fumbling around I turn on the switch and check out my surroundings. There’s an old twin bed with messy, well-used sheets. I groan just imaging what’s all over them. A wooden chair at the table with the lamp. No food, no weapons, no bathroom. I spot a dirty, plastic trash can. I guess that’s my new toilet, ugh, I think out loud. I spot a broken ink pen with sharp jagged edges on the floor under the table so I crawl down and grab it. I’ve never been in the position where I had to defend myself and I doubt that would be enough to stop either of them but maybe if I can get in a good shot I can run. I’m assuming they won’t be in until morning so I hold the pen for dear life and curl up into a ball on the filthy bed and try to get some sleep.
The next morning I wake to hear steps coming down the stairs and the key wiggling in the lock. I wake in a daze not knowing where I am at first but it doesn’t take me but a moment to remember what happened and my surroundings. “Holy crap, this is it! Just breathe Elle,” I tell myself trying to steady my racing heart. I continue to lie still and try and act like I am still asleep. I’m trying to slow my breathing and just take small breaths as someone sleeping would be doing.
Benelli's Elle: Unfortunate Souls MC Book One Page 2
