Finn

by Jessie Cooke

  “I’ll bet.” Finn didn’t mention how Punk had been given an executive spot in the club with no background check, thanks to his connection to Beck. He was sure that was most of what Beck was pissed about. He almost chuckled as he thought, maybe now there was hope for him. “I’ll let you know what the lawyer says.” Finn went into the office and took out his cell phone. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he called his lawyer. It took ten minutes to get him on the phone, but when he finally answered, the news was better than he’d hoped for.

  “Finn! So sorry I wasn’t at the jail this morning to talk to you before they cut you loose. It’s been a nightmare in the office today and I have court in an hour. But here’s the deal. The DA didn’t file charges. Not only that, he’s not taking it to the grand jury either. He’s not seeking indictment at all. They’ve got to be thinking that doing that will hurt their chances of getting a conviction down the line if they come up with more evidence. But for now, you’re free and clear.”

  “Fucking awesome! Thanks so much!”

  “No problem, I didn’t really do anything. Don’t tell Jace that, though, until after he pays my bill.”

  Finn laughed. “And what about the assault charges?”

  “They dropped those too. O’Hare is gone so there’s just no point. That, I did have to strong-arm them over a bit, which was ridiculous because they knew I was right.”

  “Man, thanks a million.”

  “Anytime, and by that I don’t mean go out and get into more trouble. Your new little club is on the radar now, and not in a good way.”

  “Got it.” Finn hung up with the attorney and called Caitlin next.

  “Finn? You’re out of jail!” She sounded so excited that his heart leapt. He couldn’t remember anyone ever being that excited over him in his life.

  “Yes, ma’am, and guess what? All charges dropped.”

  “Fantastic! I’m so happy. When can I see you?”

  “I’m at the shop. Let me check in with Jace again and see what he’s got going on for me today. Are you able to leave the house?”

  “Able and oh so ready! My mother, God love her, is driving me insane! My brother will be here tomorrow, thank God. He handles her so much better than I do.”

  “Want me to pick you up?”

  “Um...maybe not,” she said. Finn smiled. She talked tough about her family, but he knew it was hard for her to outright defy them. It was just one more thing to respect her for, as far as he was concerned.

  “Okay, how about I shoot you a text when I finish here and you meet me at my place?”

  “I can’t wait!”

  “Me too, love.” He hung up and started back out to see Jace. A piece of paper on the fax machine caught his eye as he walked by. It had his name on it. He stopped and looked at it. It looked like some kind of bank statement. He picked it up and his jaw nearly hit the floor. It was a money transfer into his name into a tax-free bank trust, from an account in the Cayman Islands. There was the name of a business on the account that Finn didn’t recognize, G.E. Inc. Underneath that was an amount and it was a hell of a lot of money, high six figures, more money than Finn would make working in ten years. His hand was shaking as he carried it out to where Jace was still welding. He stopped the torch again and this time when he flipped up the hood, his eyes went to the paper in Finn’s hand. Finn asked, “Did you see this?”

  Jace shook his head. “I don’t know. What is it?”

  “It was on the fax machine.” He handed the paper to Jace and his president’s eyes widened when he looked at it.

  “Damn. Granite?”

  “Must be. When Beck spoke to him, did he say where he was, or when he was coming back?”

  Finn listened with mixed emotions as Jace recounted their last conversation with his father. Granite had chosen to abandon him again, to save himself. Finn didn’t know why that would surprise him, considering the way his father had lived his life up to this point. It still hurt, and it pissed him off, and at the same time he was relieved in a way. He never really knew what to do with that relationship, and now he wouldn’t have to worry about it. He did, however, know what he wanted to do with all that money.

  When Jace finished talking he said, “I’m sorry, Snake. Some people just can’t do the parent thing.”

  Finn nodded. “I get it, and nothing for you to be sorry for; I’ll be okay. You got work for me to do today?”

  Jace smiled and shook his head. “I think you earned at least one day off. By the way, what the fuck happened to your face?”

  “Your buddy Newell Jamison happened to it. Apparently he doesn’t like white Scottish boys.” Jace looked like he was trying to keep a straight face.

  “Did you tell him who you were?”

  “Nah, I didn’t know who he was until he told me his name on my way out. Fucker throws a hell of a punch.”

  “He should, he was on his way once to becoming a professional fighter. Got in a fight in a bar, trying to help a white boy.” Jace didn’t say who the white boy was, but by his smile and the look on his face, Finn guessed it was him. “He did some serious damage and acquired some felony charges that kept him from going pro. He moved out here and opened a gym in Bullseye about ten years ago, and started an MC, the Black Warriors.”

  “Yeah, Bubba was gonna join that.”

  Jace threw his head back and laughed. The boss rarely opened up and laughed like that. Maybe it’s why they kept Bubba around, for comic relief. “Yeah, he told me about that. Anyway, I guess recently he was locked up on a gun charge. I told him to look out for you while you were there...forgot to mention you were ‘Scottish.’”

  Finn laughed. “It’s cool. I got in a few good licks. Hey, Jace, who’s the contractor working on the clubhouse?”

  “Arizona Elite Contracting was doing it. They’re fucking around with the permits, though. At first, I thought it was the county but I found out a few days ago that the contractor was the one that didn’t file the right paperwork. I was so pissed I fired him. Looking for a new one, but already put out so much money on the other asshole, we might have to wait a bit to get it started back up. Why?”

  “Want me to talk to Caitlin’s uncle and see what kind of deal he can give us?”

  “I thought Caitlin’s family hated you?”

  “They do.”

  Jace laughed again. “Well then, ask away.” Finn wasn’t going to just ask...he was going to walk in there with a butt-load of money up front. Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone. Maybe Jace and Beck would feel paid back for all they’d done for him, and maybe Caitlin’s uncle wouldn’t hate him...as much. It was worth a shot anyway. He had no use for all that money. He was a simple man who wanted a simple life with a woman who loved him. He went outside and found his bike parked in the lot. He was ready to start the next chapter of his life...Finn McGregor’s life. Once and for all Ian Parker was truly dead.

  27

  Caitlin was waiting for Finn in front of his apartment when he got there. She almost knocked him over, jumping into his arms, and after hugging him for a few seconds, she pulled back, looked up at his face, and said, “Oh my God! Who did that to you?”

  “Some dude in jail; it’s not a big deal, love.”

  “Not a big deal? You have two black eyes and your nose is swollen, and...”

  “I’m still pretty, though, right?”

  She giggled. “Yeah, and still humble, I see.”

  He pulled her in close and lowered his mouth down to hers. He’d been craving a kiss forever. Their lips met and hers were soft and hot and she parted them for him. His tongue delved inside, tasting, exploring, and caressing until he had to reluctantly release her and take a breath. She had her head tipped back and her eyes closed. With a little smile playing at her sexy lips she said, “Wow...amazing.”

  “Yeah, it was,” Finn agreed. “Damn, love, I missed you.”

  “I missed you more,” she said, opening her eyes.

  “Doubtful.”

  “Let’
s go inside and I’ll prove to you just how much I missed you.”

  Finn took her hand and unlocked his apartment door. The smell of rotten garbage and food hit him like a ton of bricks. “Shit...I haven’t been here in a while...”

  Caitlin was making a face, like she was trying not to breathe. “Let’s go to my uncle’s house--nobody’s home.”

  Finn raised both eyebrows. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “Yeah, they won’t be home for hours.”

  “I could get us a hotel room...”

  “No, please. That would just feel...cheap, I guess. It’s okay, really.” Finn wasn’t afraid of Caitlin’s uncle, and definitely not her mother, but he didn’t want to give them any more ammunition to use against her. His cock was half hard already, though. He wanted her so badly that he’d be willing to do her in the car. “Come on, we’ll take my car.” That made him feel a little better. At least if they came home early, his bike wouldn’t be parked outside.

  “Can I drive?” he asked.

  “Okay...why?”

  “I want to show you something on the way. It’s something you should see, since you’re new to Phoenix.”

  “Okay.” Finn took the keys and opened the passenger door for Caitlin. Once he was inside, he got on the highway headed toward Tucson. Caitlin raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest. Finn put on the radio and they quietly listened to music as he drove. After about half an hour of driving toward the mountains Caitlin said, “Um...where are we going, exactly?”

  “Trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay then, we’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  Caitlin sat back and looked like she was relaxed until she saw the sign for Apache Junction. She didn’t say anything but cleared her throat. Finn chuckled and said, “Almost there.” He was fibbing, a little. The drive to where he was taking her took another forty-five minutes. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she was mad, but along the way the scenery seemed to catch her attention out the window and every so often, like a wide-eyed child, she would say, “Oh, look at that! Oh, that’s so pretty! Did you see the size of that house?” Finn just smiled and listened to her. He turned down the radio, realizing that the sounds of her being excited and happy were more music to his ears than what was coming out of the speakers.

  The closer they got to their destination, the more excited she got about the scenery, especially when he drove into Tortilla Flat. It was one of the first places he’d gone when he got to Arizona. Wolf had actually told him about it, and he’d read up on the history. Not being from the US originally, the idea of the Old West and the gold rush always fascinated him. “What is this place?” Caitlin asked.

  “This, love, is Tortilla Flat. It is an authentic remnant of an Old West town.” The town was nestled in the midst of the Tonto National Forest, in the Superstition Mountain Range. “It was a stagecoach station along the Apache Trail in 1904 and since then this town has survived fires and floods and unbelievable heat waves. You want to take a walk with me?” Finn wanted to rip her clothes off and fuck her then and there...but he was beginning to understand that if he wanted something more with Caitlin than he’d ever had before, he was going to have to act like it. That meant taking her out, and on trips, and just having fun together. The other kind of fun would come along with that too...he hoped. He told his cock to chill...not that it ever really listened to him...and he parked the car. The excited look on Caitlin’s face was enough to make him glad he’d brought here there.

  “I’d love to!” she said. He got out and before he could go open her door, she was out of the car and staring up the little boardwalk of the old town like she wanted to skip down it. Finn smiled and took her hand and they walked over to where the boardwalk started. They passed the saloon and restaurant and Finn asked her if she was hungry or thirsty. “No...but oh, look at the seats!” They could see into the bar and what she was so excited about were the real saddles that served as bar stools. Behind that the wall was papered in dollar bills.

  “They’re cool,” he said. “Those dollars on the wall are real. They’re from visitors all over the world.”

  “Oh! I have a dollar!” He laughed and guided her inside. He picked up a black Sharpie off the bar and handed it to her.

  “You have to sign it.” She wrote something on it and then as she used one of the pushpins to attach it to the wall, Finn’s heart swelled. She had written, “Finn and Caitlin were here, representing the Phoenix Skulls.”

  From the restaurant they continued down the boardwalk until they came to the ice cream shop. Caitlin gave in there and let him buy her a lemon gelato. While she ate it, they wandered around the gift shop and every time she seemed to like something, he tried to buy it for her. The only thing she’d let him spend his money on was a souvenir penny that she got to flatten out with the logo for the town, in a press contraption, for fifty cents. She seemed as happy as if he’d bought her a diamond necklace.

  On their way out, they stopped and read the story of the town’s history. They say it was discovered in the early 1500s by the Spanish...a ship captain who was taken prisoner by the Indians in Texas and then escaped and made it as far as Mexico, wandering through Arizona along his way. Once he was in Mexico it was said that he told stories of the “Seven Cities of Cibola--Cities of Gold.” That was the catalyst for explorers and prospectors to flock to Arizona. The Jesuits came to the southwest in the 1700s and were said to amass a fortune in gold, which they buried in various places, including the Superstition Mountains, where Tortilla Flats was located, just before being deported by the King of Spain. Treasure hunters were still looking for that gold all these years later. There were more legends attached to the mountains, but that was the one that Finn liked the best. He liked to stand and look around at the breathtaking views and imagine that the sun was glinting off all that gold.

  They spent a good few hours there and when it was time to leave he said, “Maybe we should get that room now?”

  Caitlin looked at the time and smiled. “Maybe,” she said.

  Finn couldn’t drive fast enough down the mountain and back to the city. Once back in Phoenix, he drove almost aimlessly, not willing to rent a “by the hour” room for Caitlin. Finally she was the one that said, “This place up on the right is fine.” It was a Best Western and from the looks of it, decent. The rooms were located outside too, so Caitlin wouldn’t be embarrassed that they had no luggage. Finn was surprised at himself. He’d never been so concerned about anyone else’s feelings in his life. Maybe he was growing up, or maybe he was just figuring out what it was like, to be in love. That thought, surprisingly, didn’t even scare him. It excited him and made him think of Dorothy and poor old Barney. Maybe Caitlin was his future, his “fifty-two years.” If she was, he could only hope that when he finally went, she was as sad to see him go as Dorothy had been over her old man.

  He parked the car and Caitlin waited outside while he rented the room. It was upstairs and she looked as nervous as if this was their first date. He supposed it sort of was. He’d been such an asshole the first time, it didn’t really count, and the second time they thought they were dying.

  He let them into the little room, and that was as far as his willpower got him. He pulled her into his arms and this time while he kissed her, his hands roamed her body, feeling every inch that he could get to. When he ran his hands over the bandage that still covered her wound he stopped. “Am I going to hurt you, Caitlin? Is it too soon?”

  “No, I’m okay, I promise.”

  “You’ll tell me to stop if it’s not?”

  “I promise.”

  Finn wanted her so badly, but he didn’t want to hurt her. He was gentle as he began to try to undress her. Finally with a giggle Caitlin said, “We’ll be here all night at this rate. You want me to take them off?”

  “Dear God, please.” Still giggling, she started to strip. Finn did too, watching her in fascination at the same time, each time a piece of clothing was peeled away a
nd a piece of her body was revealed. She stripped down to a pair of black see-through panties and a black bra. Shaking his head, he went over and slid his hands around behind her to unhook the bra as he said, “So fucking beautiful.” He released her bra and as she shook it off, he took one of her little breasts in his hand, kneading it and rolling the nipple between his fingers. She sighed and a look of lust filled her eyes. He had a fire burning in his gut and it felt like it would consume him. He wanted to touch and taste every inch of her. “Lie down on the bed, love, on your belly.”

  She cocked an eyebrow at the request but did as he asked. Finn still had his boxers on, containing the monster within, for now. Once she was on the bed with her arms folded under her head and her body exposed to him, all but the strip still covered by the sheer panties, Finn went to the end of the bed. He put his hands on her muscular calves and ran them down to her feet. He caressed first one and then the other of her tiny, sexy little feet and then ran his hands back up, this time stopping at her thighs. He spent some time sitting between her legs, massaging the soft skin there, going up just high enough to cause her to gasp, but not touching anything between her legs. When he finished with her thighs, he put his hands on her hips and let his thumbs slip underneath the elastic of her panties. He ran his hands back and forth from the small of her back to the sides of her hips, caressing and massaging as she moaned softly. The sounds of her pleasure turned him on even more and he couldn’t resist a little flex of his hips, to rub his erection into the space between her legs. She moaned loudly, and he said, “God, you turn me on.”

  Breathlessly she said, “I’m glad, although I’m not sure why.”

  “Shush,” he told her. “Nobody says anything about you here except how amazing you are...not even you.” She giggled, nervously. His hands ran up her back to her shoulders and he massaged the small muscles there, loving how soft and supple her skin was. He leaned down and pressed his lips to one of her shoulders and then in a crisscross pattern, he kissed his way across them, down her spine and back up again. Caitlin was arching herself into the bed and Finn was imagining how wet her pussy must be by then. He didn’t have to imagine for long because before he finished his kisses, she lifted her butt all the way up and pressed it back into him. The moisture from her pussy had seeped through her thin panties and she let it slide across his bare skin. He wanted to rip the panties off and fuck her...but he wanted this to last too...he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer, but he wasn’t finished playing yet.