I glance into the rear-view and see bikes coming up behind us fast, motors revving and roaring pass. They pass us without incident, but they are all glaring, the Vengeful Demons. I don’t see Calibar in the group, so maybe he’s still hiding out, but I know that Elle has noticed their cuts because she’s clenching my waist for dear life. We make it back to the clubhouse and I take her in to Michelle and call a quick meeting before we head for the airport.
In church I tell the men what I saw, and how Calibar wasn’t with them. “How are we coming on locating him?” I ask Virus.
“Well, we know he’s not anywhere close. Our St Louis chapter spotted him heading to the airport, but by the time they got turned around and inside they had lost him. They kept a lookout heading out of the airport and he never passed them. Best bet is he flew,” Virus replies adding, “Colt checked in with the prospects and they are almost there.”
“Out of the country if he knows what’s good for him,” Justice states twisting his fist into his giant palm.
“Just in case, keep your eyes peeled, while we’re at it, see who’s leading the VD without Chains and his goons around and what their intentions are for the future of their club. I don’t want any trouble out of them,” I tell my men.
“Any other new business?” I ask and then continue when there isn’t any, “We’ve got a bid in on the Riverboat Casino that’s up for sale. We sign the papers on the restaurant in Devil’s Backbone tomorrow morning. How’s everything going in the finance department?” I ask Lucky, our treasurer.
“Everything’s gucci on this end. Dispensaries are making a killing now that weed is legal. I saw people waiting in line for 4 hours the other day! The diner and the donut shop are even making more profits. Great move getting those places last year a few miles down the road. Everybody needs munchies,” he laughs and inhales a hit.
“Please don’t ever say gucci again,” Winchester says, smacking Lucky upside the head with his good arm and grabs the joint from him and takes a hit.
“I second that,” says Ruger, “but it probably wouldn’t hurt to hire a couple new waitresses and an extra cook. It really has been picking up lately”.
“I’ll get Lyric on it. How’s the club been?” I ask Remington.
“Going good there too. Lyric is interviewing some girls right now in fact,” he says looking at the time on his phone, “if you’re good I need to get over there and supervise.”
“You just want to see what kind of new tail you have to choose from,” I reply and dismiss church seeing we have to leave ourselves in a few minutes.
Remington
I pull up to the club that’s divided, entering on the “strip” side and stroll in. I can see Lyric is about to pull her hair out with this group. I walk up to her sitting on the stage and nudge her shoulder with mine, “rough day?” I ask.
“Are you kidding me, look at these girls, not one of them has any class. Look at this name,” and she hands me one of the applications and I shake my head and laugh, handing it back.
“Ratchet? Is Ratchet here?” she asks in frustration.
“It’s Rachette, pronounced Rah-Shay,” a dirty blonde speaks up and steps forward.
“Girl, don’t even play, your momma named you Ratchet… Ra-chet. I can’t even deal with this, I’m done Remi, they are all yours,” she says shoving the stack of applications at me and heading to the back.
I try to grab them all without dropping any and tell them, “Um, why don’t you girls take a break, go get a drink on me,” and I motion for them to head to the bar. Most of them hustle to the bar for a free drink.
I walk into the office in the back and before I can say a word Lyric has her hand up in a stop sign, “Don’t, I’m not going back out there. I’ve been studying my ass off, taking way more summer classes than I can probably handle just so I can graduate early. I don’t have time for this bullshit, Rem.”
I slide around the desk and with all my charm touch the back of my fingers to her cheek, she’s not buying it and turns her head.
“Don’t even try it, Rem, it’s not going to work this time,” Lyric protests.
“Lyric, nobody can pick the right quality of girls like you. You know what kind of girls we’d probably end up with if I did it,” I try pouring on the charm and brush her hair back and nibble on her beautiful brown lobe. At first I hear a hrmph, but then she moves her head so I have more access to her neck.
“They sent you because they know I have a weakness for you and that long hair didn’t they,” she asks.
“Baby, I volunteered,” I moan into her ear and I can almost hear her purr. She rises out of her chair and melts into my arms and we kiss, her hands buried and pulling in my long, thick black hair. “You’re gonna do the hiring for me right, babe” I take a little lick and whisper into the side of her neck.
She shivers and quietly breathes out, “Uh huh,” when I spin her around and smack her on the ass and say “thanks doll” pushing that sweet ass towards the door. Oh, is she mad!
“Remington Neroni! One of these days!” she huffs and stomps towards the stage and picks up the stack of applications again.
“One of these days is right,” I say only to myself as I’m walking out of the club and back to my bike.
Elle
Benelli and Ruger are taking us to the airport to drop off mom and pick up Zen. I hate to see my mom leave, but I can’t wait for my bestie to get here. I feel like a part of me has been missing since she left.
I had heard my father say that mom was now Ruger’s before he died. I don’t get it, he was never in our lives and now he’s “giving” mom to another man. Like mom would ever go for something like that. I mean, he’s very attractive for an older guy and I do see how he looks at her. There is something there, at least for him. They do get along and joke around but that’s easy to do with mom, she’s amazing. I never understood why she’s never gotten serious with anyone my entire life. She’s dated over the years, but nothing serious. She just told me she’ll be with the one when she “feels” it. I just figured she never got over my dad, which breaks my heart because she has so much love to give someone. I look over and see Ruger and mom talking and smiling at each other. Who knows, maybe he’s the one she’ll feel that spark with. Too bad she’s going back home.
We get to the airport and wait for the boarding call. Mom gives a quick hug to Benelli and tells him to take care of her girl. She then gives Ruger a longer one and tells him thanks for everything. Finally, it’s my turn, and she gives me a tight hug and then with her hands on my cheeks she tells me, “Oh, baby girl, you will get through this. I promise you. Let Benelli in, he’s a good man and you can trust him.” With that, she gives me a kiss on the cheek and boards the plane.
We end up going to the airport bar and wait until it’s time for Zen’s plane to get here. We have to wait a couple hours so we people watch and have some beers. We make up stories of where they are going and why and I’m getting a little tipsy so they’re getting a little more outlandish. “That guy, see that guy with the stripey suit, yeah you, I see you and you’re going to meet your lover self. He’s going to Tuscaloosa to see his Latin lovah.” I then begin to sing that dang Soulja Boy tiktok of “Hey, you there, I see you over there.”
“Okay girlie, you’re officially cut off,” Benelli laughs and shrugs his shoulders at the guy holding her empty beer up for him to see.
“You know what you are? You are cute, you know that, right? You are F I N E fine with your bad self,” I tell him. Okay, maybe I’m a little more than tipsy.
“I hate to say this but we need to get to the terminal with her,” Ruger tells Benelli, looking at the time, “neither of us know what this chick looks like and she won’t know us either.”
“This is what she looks like,” I say, shoving my phone in Benelli’s face, “she’s my bestest friend ever.”
“Jesus, she didn’t have that much to drink. Did she mix it with those pills the doc gave her?” Ruger asks his son.
<
br /> “I don’t know dad, why don’t you ask Michelle,” he says trying to keep me heading in the right direction.
“ZEEENNNNNN!” I call out and take off running like a raging lunatic towards her. She runs into my open arms and laughs, hugging me back.
“Looks like she’s been having a good time,” Zen tells the men and shakes each of their hands and introduces herself.
“Yeah, but I bet she feels it in the morning,” Benelli says.
“I know what you can feel,” I drawl out my palm sliding down his face, thinking I am being way sexier than the reality.
“O kay, let’s get this party girl home,” Zen tells them, grabbing her bags off of the carousel only to have them taken away from her by Ruger.
By the time we get back to Benelli’s house to drop us all off before I pass out, Ruger confirms to them that yes, I did take an anxiety pill before leaving for the airport per Michelle’s text. Benelli carries me upstairs and pours me into my bed and tells Zen to just crash here with me for the night. He takes off my shoes and tucks me in clothes and all and kisses me on the forehead, but I grab him and pull him in for the biggest, most passionate kiss I can muster in my drunken state. I don’t know whose eyes were bigger, his or Zen’s but I pass out before I can begin to guess.
I wake the next morning with the worst hangover I’ve ever had in my life. I roll over and look at my overly happy hippy best friend that’s smiling at me over a big cup of coffee. I groan in agony and grab my head. “What did I do? I don’t even remember picking you up at the airport, and that was early in the afternoon. Did we spend ANY time together?” I ask as she hands me a big glass of water and some Excedrin Migraine.
“Your man dropped these off for you,” she tells me in a slight giggle, meaning the pills and water. “You were pretty drunk at the airport, you passed out right after he put you in bed and you kissed him.”
“I did NOT!” I am asking more than I’m telling in horror. “What did he do?”
“You did! Well, needless to say, he was as shocked as I was, but I think I saw a cocky grin as he was leaving,” she tells me.
“What about you? What did you do all evening? I’m sorry about that by the way” I say as I steal her coffee and the toast she was munching on for myself but Zen and I are good that way, we understand that we aren’t always going to be the perfect host or spot on friend. Sometimes we don’t have to talk at all and we are just… good.
“Well, after you passed out, I went downstairs and hung out with Benelli. What a house, by the way,” she says and I interrupt with “I know right,” before letting her continue. “Some of the guys came over and hung out, Remington, Justice, Virus, Lucky and Phoenix. They ordered pizza and we just ate and talked and holy shit Elle, these men are fine as hell! You got Remi with his long black hair and tribal tattoo on his arm and shoulder, Justice is this giant, muscular mass of dark yumminess, Virus and his colorful tats and that V shaped body that’s all broad shoulders, mmmmmmm. Virus has this sexy CSI nerdiness about him. You know how they start out all cute and geeky, but by the end of the series you have a lady boner for them? Oh, and there’s Phoenix, he’s got this funny side but also this tortured, broody side all thick and juicy Gemini,” she’s wiping the corner of her mouth like she just finished swallowing.
“And there is no question in my mind which one you have an eye for,” I laugh. “You never were one for the pretty boys or the jocks.”
“I can’t help it, I like my men with some meat with their muscle. I only want one bone poking me when we’re spooning… or forking. He rode me on his bike out to the clubhouse last night,” she pauses her story as she closes my mouth with her hand, “Yes, he gave me a ride and no, not that kind of ride. He was just showing me around and to meet some of the other club members.”
“Mhmmmm, I bet Phoenix could show you all kinds of things,” I say.
“What is it with this club, anyway?” she asks me in all seriousness.
“What do you mean?” I ask in concern.
“They are all good looking. Like every man, woman and child in this club. Not one ogre in the bunch. Seriously, do they check you out before they let you in and if you’re homely you can’t join? I feel like I’m in some MC romance book, alternate universe shit where they have every shape and size you could desire and they are all beautiful.”
I laugh at her comment, “I mean you do have a point, I’ve been here a couple weeks almost and I haven’t seen an ogre yet and I’ve even seen hundreds of them! Maybe we’re dreaming?” and I give her a little pinch.
“Owww, dang Elle.” And she swipes me with a pillow.
“Just checking,” I laugh and jump off the bed before she can get even. “Hey, I’m going to hop in the shower,” I call back to her. “We can figure out what we’re doing for the day when I get out.”
I’m in the shower scrubbing away, happy to have my friend here when someone steps in the shower with me. I stiffen and I turn my head and scream. Benelli jumps, startled also, dropping the towel half in, half out of the water. I look at him and he’s looking at me but still standing there. Finally, I yell, “Get OUT!!” and he backs out of the shower apologizing. I may have kissed him last night, which I don’t remember, but he better not think… but then I think. I think about those men and the car hood and I just stand there for what must be a long time because the water is now cold and Zen comes in and leads me out, wrapping me in a big, warm, out of dryer towel.
CHAPTER NINE
Colt
Toxey, Mac and I left to search for Calibar and the trail sent us towards St. Louis, Missouri. Kind of stupid on his part considering we have a chapter there. The Vengeful Demons were evil as they come but brains never were their forte. We lost his trail close to the airport so I’m betting he left the country. I would much rather I kill the bastard, but if he did leave, we will have to wait till Virus gets me another lead. In the meantime, we are going to stay with the Unfortunate Souls- St. Louis chapter and go see my little sister Pistol at STLCOP, St Louis College of Pharmacy.
We need to really get to know Mac and Toxey before we make them patched members. I asked Toxey to go with me and MacGyver immediately volunteered too. That’s a big check mark in his favor. We head to the clubhouse to get settled in before we go see sis at her sorority. I have got to make sure I keep these two in line with all the college girls.
We are greeted outside by Lerch, the club president, “Colt, good to see ya man,” the massively tall man says as he shakes my hand and pulls me into a bro hug, “who’ve you go with ya?”
“This is MacGyver and Toxey, two of our prospects. Thought I’d bring them with me and see if they’re patch worthy,” I tell Lerch and he shakes their hands as well.
“Well, let’s get in there and get a drink and then get you guys settled,” Lerch tells us.
We go into his clubhouse and go straight to the bar where one of the girls serves us up beers. We walk over to one of the tables and take a seat. This branch is a little wilder than ours with far more scantily clad girls running around. A couple of them come over to the table and are trying to be all up on Toxey and Mac, but they completely ignore them. Eventually, they take the hint and are all over me. “I appreciate it ladies but we’re here on business. Party time is going to have to wait,” I inform them. I like the fact my men aren’t giving in to these girls and taking their job seriously, they have a good head on their shoulders, another check in their favor.
Lerch and I fill each other in on what we know and when we are done with our beers, he’s taking us to some rooms, “Sorry guys, we only have two empty ones. Two of you are going to make it sharing.”
“No problem, we’re low on the totem pole, we can bunk together,” Toxey tells him. We get our packs in our two rooms and head out to go visit Pistol.
We arrive at her sorority house on our bikes and she’s running out and jumps in my arms wrapping her legs around me, “Colt! What are you doing here! I can’t believe you’re here!” says my brown-
eyed, chestnut haired sister.
“I couldn’t go to St Louis without seeing my favorite sister,” I tell her placing her down.
“Your only sister,” she elbows me in the ribs.
“Oh hey, this is Toxey and Mac, two of our prospects,” I point towards the two men and they step forward reaching out their hands to shake but my sister tells them how it is.
“Well, if you’re an Unfortunate Soul, your family, give me a hug,” Pistol says as she grabs each and hugs them. I look over and see the two men look at my sister and then smile at each other. Great, that’s all I need is to lose two good prospects fighting over my kid sister. Yeah, she’s too pretty for her own good, but I don’t need them fighting over her. I decide to just observe and see how this plays out. We’re only going to be in town one maybe two days tops before we either head back to New Freedom or travel on if we get a good lead on the guy we’re looking for.
We decide to take her, and her roommate, Mia, to get pizza and catch up. Mia keeps calling her Amari, which is so foreign to me since I’ve only ever called her Pistol. The five of us are having a great time and so far there is no rivalry or weirdness between the two men, so I decide I have nothing to worry about. Mia is definitely the tamer of the two girls, she’s definitely someone I’d like to get to know better. She’s got an outstanding personality, funny, seems to have her head on straight. I have a sneaking feeling my sister has gone buck ass wild away at college. It was hard for me to get away with anything in a small town full of eyes reporting back to mom and dad; I am sure it was even harder for her being a girl. They decide to go out bar hopping tonight and I’m just not up for it, but I tell Mac and Toxey to tag along to keep an eye out and don’t get wasted. I’m just going to head back to the club and see what the plan is. I give my sis an enormous hug and tell her we may be heading out in the morning and to not get my men in any trouble. She laughs and promises to be good, yeah right.
Benelli's Elle: Unfortunate Souls MC Book One Page 8
