Topaz: Book 8 of the Steel MC Montana Charter

by Michel Prince

  Grabbing her cell phone, she decided a call to Delaney was in order. Waiting for the other woman to answer it took three rings and she heard the sweet voice of one of her dearest friends. “Hello Topaz. How are you?”

  “Dell. It’s good to hear your voice. I miss you.”

  “It’s good to hear from you too, but I’ll be up soon enough. What’s going on up there in Montana?”

  “Nothing too exciting. I just had a thought, so I wanted to run it by you.” Topaz figured moving back to the New Mexico charter wouldn’t be a bad thing, getting meds for Nanna would have to stop, but otherwise one club was the same as another.

  “What’s your thought?” Dell asked.

  “I was thinking about coming back to New Mexico with you and Steel after Dreamer’s wedding. Do you have a place for me down there?”

  “Why in the hell would you want to move back Topaz? You have it made up there.”

  “It’s boring here. I want to come back where there’s more action,” Topaz lied.

  “Alright, Topaz what’s really going on up there?” Dell wasn’t buying her story and she knew it. “You live in the wildest small town in America. The last thing Turnabout Creek is…is boring.”

  “I don’t know. Just looking for a change. I didn’t really want to leave New Mexico. I only agreed to come to Montana to help Red. Everybody is happy here and I want to move back. That’s all.”

  “You stay put up there, Topaz. Red needs you to run those women. Not that I don’t want you back in New Mexico. I know the guys miss you.”

  “Sure they do. They probably forgot about me,” Topaz whined, throwing a pity party of one.

  “No way, they could never forget about you. Listen, I got to run, Steel needs me. But if you really want to come back, there’s always a place for you down here. Love you girl.”

  “Love you, too. Thanks Dell.” Topaz disconnected the call and set her cell phone down on her table. “Well it was a good idea,” she whispered to herself, then glanced at the clock.

  Her daydreaming and avoiding Onyx had to of passed the mail pick up time, now no matter when she gets to the post office it would be going out tomorrow. A bit defeated, she walked into her bathroom and started a bath. Too many thoughts and memories were stirring up depression. It wasn’t good for her to be feeling this way and she knew Zoe would keep everyone inline until she got back to the bar.

  Maybe a long shower would help her.

  Undressed, she stood, head pressed against the tile, cranked music and closed her eyes. Hoping the music could tamp down the nightmares always creeping in on the horizon.

  3

  With church at six o’clock, Onyx drove to the clubhouse. Most of the unattached men lived there, but so did the women. Convenience in all its forms. He chose to live with Hollywood and his Ol’ Lady, Free. In a way, it worked. He helped with renovations and had his own room as far from the couple as possible. Between Hollywood being the county’s Sheriff and Free working for the daycare center and dancing at the bar the home was empty more than it was full.

  Allowing for thoughts, contemplations and the occasional sleepover with one of the Hoez. He wasn’t sure if he actually wanted Topaz, but he’d like the option to try. There was no delusion as to why she practically ran in disgust when she saw him. Onyx had seen racism in all its glory over the years, but not with people who actually knew him. Time and experience trumps all rhetoric and rearing. No matter who it was or how Klanny they were raised, he could show them not all black men were ‘insert random racial belief’. Much like snowflakes, they looked alike until you got them under a microscope and learned what their special hatred was. Once he could find that with Topaz, he could help knock down her beliefs with the simple fact he wasn’t that random truth, and if he wasn’t maybe others weren’t either.

  Getting off the bike after he parked it, Onyx walked inside. They were just setting up for supper. Food was already on the counter behind the bar. It was more buffet style than cafeteria, but no matter the way they dished it out, the homemade food never disappointed and he was starving.

  Twisting his wrist, he glanced at his watch and saw it was only five thirty. He had plenty of time to eat before the meeting. Finding a plate, he walked to the small line of people that had accumulated. Bounty was standing in the line and with his Ol’ Lady Cream as if they hadn’t been together for months as she put out a large tin tray of what appeared to be some kind of hot dish.

  The men who’d found someone here were solid in their relationships. These two were cute together, playing with a relationship built on sarcasm and healing. Bounty leaned across the counter and clasped Cream by the arm before capturing her with a kiss.

  Onyx couldn’t resist, “Get a room you two. I like my food without a side of bodily fluids and not formed in the shape of Bounty’s ass.”

  “Mind your own damn business, Onyx.” Bounty growled.

  “Be nice Bounty. He’s your friend.” Cream slapped him lightly on the arm before moving quickly back to the kitchen.

  Bounty turned to him. “You need to find an Ol’ Lady Onyx, then you’ll know how it is.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll get myself tied down.” Onyx chuckled. “Wait… that might be for a different purpose.” Snatching a fork, he filled his plate with food and walked over to an empty table. Sitting, he started to eat when he felt a shadow over him. Looking up, he saw it was Bounty. “Sit down my friend.”

  Bounty sat across from him at the table.

  Cream followed with her plate full of food. “Can I join you guys? You’ve had your cooties shots right?”

  Bounty and Onyx both stood.

  Bounty pulled a chair out for her and let her sit before he helped her push the chair up to the table. “How are you feeling?”

  Onyx thought it was a weird question to ask his woman. But he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. He waited for her to answer.

  “I still have an upset stomach and I’ve been dizzy.”

  “You need to get a checkup at the clinic.” Bounty’s face had more than concern running across it.

  Cream smiled gently, “I’ll go tomorrow, just to make you happy, but you know I’ll feel better and have nothing to be seen for.”

  “And you’ve used that excuse for a week.”

  “It’s true,” she retorted then looked at Onyx. “Back me up, Onyx. Just like when a car is making noise, take it to the mechanic and it stops. You stand there looking like an idiot.”

  “It doesn’t make sense, I wonder what could be up with you?” Bounty took a bite of his food waiting for Cream to answer him.

  “Domesticity an allergen for you?” Onyx teased the former nomad.

  Not for a club, but for life. Cream had taken to the road for solace for a few years. The dark skinned beauty, with hair as wild and untamed as she was now sat, blissful if not a bit glowing in contrast to her saying she wasn’t well. Her blond, scruffy lover to her right. Not legal or bound yet, but they owned a home together and if Bounty helped her get past her demons, they might actually marry.

  “Yeah, no,” she replied raising an eyebrow and a butter knife to Onyx. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m tired and cranky. I just don’t feel good.” Cream stared at her plate of food, but didn’t take a bite of it. “Probably, need a few days of zoning out and sleeping late.”

  Onyx smiled, “Or maybe you’re pregnant.”

  Bounty kicked him under the table. “Don’t say that man. There’s no way.”

  “Didn’t realize you were staying chaste until Bounty drugged you and convinced a judge you really did say I do.”

  Cream laughed. “I don’t think so.”

  “Well, don’t hurt the messenger. I’ve seen the symptoms before in this place.” Onyx shrugged and glanced over to a few new moms navigating eating and a baby in their arms. He waited for one of them to say something to dispute him, but both Cream and Bounty remained quiet. Taking their own stock of the room. He took the hint and didn’t say anything el
se.

  When he noticed it was close to six o’clock he stood. “I got to get to church. You coming Bounty?”

  “Yeah, I’m with you.” Bounty stood then leaned down kissing Cream. “Love you babe.”

  “I might love you.” Cream squinted her eyes at him.

  Onyx hoped he hadn’t started a fight. “I didn’t mean anything—” Onyx began as they made their way to the second floor.

  “Cream needs a push to move forward,” Bounty commented. “She’s afraid of every step, even when she makes them. She tends to try to turn around and run.”

  “So, you are trying?” Onyx asked.

  “We’re not actively not trying,” Bounty replied. “After losing her nephew Kaden, she isn’t sure exactly when she is allowed to experience joy. Thank God, for Doc helping her through some of those issues.”

  A large conference room on the second floor they referred to as the chapel held all meetings. The large rectangular wood table was far from the Camelot Hollywood described when he pulled Onyx to Montana. There was a head for a reason and seats were assigned, though the room got tighter with every meeting, it seemed as prospects and newly patched members rotated from their patrol and bar duties into the meetings. When Onyx wasn’t on patrol, he had as seat next to Hollywood near the head. Bounty was a few chairs down.

  Red came in the room, silencing all around, before taking his seat and waiting for the stragglers. “Hack found three rescues in our territory. Any ideas on these rescues?” he asked.

  “I can go on one,” Onyx volunteered.

  “Okay, I think me and you can handle this one. We need to take a woman along with us. Any ideas?” Hack turned to Onyx.

  Onyx had an idea. He was bringing Mohammed to the mountain because if there wasn’t a switch in her attitude, he would transfer to the California charter for the Steels. He liked the club, the life and what they stood for. That didn’t mean he had to live walking on egg shells for something, he could only assume, he couldn’t control. The color of his skin. It was obvious from her first sharp inhale of fear when she saw him he hadn’t actually done anything to her personally. Which meant one of them had to go or like Bounty said about Cream… they had to face shit head on to grow. “Topaz has driven a van on quite a few rescues. She could go with us.”

  Red nodded. “She’s a good one. She has been on a few rescues in the past and done good by them.” Red leaned over to Hack and his computer. “What do you have for those guys?”

  “Only thing is it’s a woman and two kids. She’s in Canada.” Hack pointed at the screen. “My passport is still valid, Onyx?”

  “I’m good, might have a few too many Mexican stamps, but I still have open pages.”

  “We’ll double check with Topaz,” Hack said clicking on the links.

  Onyx leaned over and could see a picture of a woman and two kids on the screen. The Hard Road website made sure to gather as much information as possible to help in every rescue.

  Hack transferred the info on a legal pad, then slid it over to Onyx.

  Red pointed to the next one. “I can get Roadkill to drive a van for this one.”

  “Okay. So you, Roadkill and Baldy can handle this one. It’s a transfer. Single woman going to another state. She’s in Montana and needs to go to Nevada.”

  “We can have our Nevada charter meet us half way and do a transfer. Lynch is always up to help us,” Red announced. “I’ll line it all up.”

  “Okay, let’s send Cass, Bounty and Mountain to handle this one.” Hack had pulled up the third and final rescue. “Bounty, you mind bringing Cream to help with the woman.”

  Bounty glanced at Onyx.

  Onyx cocked his head to the side and smirked.

  “I know she’s like the fresh air, but um, how about Rose?” Bounty asked.

  “Rose is sixteen.” Hack’s eyes narrowed at the mere mention of his sister-in-law being in on a rescue.

  “But her birthday is—”

  Hack’s hand fisted.

  Bounty swallowed back his suggestion. “Zoe?” he offered.

  “Sounds good. I’m sure they’ll help out.” Red turned to Hollywood. “You’ll have to coordinate to stay around here to make sure everything runs smoothly while we’re out of town.”

  “Who’s going to watch Harlow?” Hack asked Red.

  “We’ll have my mom take care of her. We shouldn’t be gone more than a couple of days.” Red stood.

  Since the charter was formed, they linked up with the Hard Road, helping move the women around and away. Occasionally, the women stayed on and created a life. They may rescue a whole family, but they’ve never tried three at the same time. If they could handle all three, it would be a great way to show their support to the Hard Road.

  Red earned Onyx’s respect early. He seemed to want to help out as much as possible. Although California’s charter helped when asked, they didn’t in the way Montana did and that was part of what had him staying in the Big Sky Country, instead of the City of Angels. Sadly, the city needed more help with domestic violence that happened in overcrowded places.

  “Where’s Freaky and Shark?” Hollywood asked Red.

  “They’re on a gun run working with Nevada. They’ll be back at the end of the week. I say most of the officers will be gone, so I’m leaving the club up to those left behind. Do you think you can handle it?” Red asked the few remaining members.

  Ax, a new prospect who was allowed in the meeting answered, “We’ll be fine. There’s several of us here, so you have nothing to worry about.”

  “I’m trusting you all to keep the women and children safe,” Red announced. “We’ve been having a few problems around here, so stay in lockdown until we all return. That should minimize risk.”

  Onyx thought it was a little too severe, but he understood the precautions. With the meeting adjourned, Onyx dapped up Hollywood preparing to head home. Checking on if he needed to snag any supplies food wise for the house before he left.

  He caught sight of Bounty approaching Red. The conversation caused more than one smirk between the men and a good shake. A plan was being hatched since the clinic would have to be closed until Red came home.

  Without a direct reason to be in the clubhouse, nerves ran along Onyx’s flesh making him uncomfortable and he wanted to leave straight away. This wasn’t a way to live, maybe the run with Topaz would be tossing her into the deep end of the pool, and they could finally face the issues. He didn’t want to fuck her, he just didn’t want to feel like she’d seen his face in some serial killer documentary.

  Bounty patted him on the back. “Let’s go and have a beer.”

  “Sure,” Onyx said not wanting to be a whiny kid saying, Topaz is mean and go hide in his room. “I’m game. But tell me, you gonna make an honest woman out of Cream?”

  “Please, I’m the slutty one flipping through bride magazines and Cosmo trying to learn the tricks to get her to say yes.”

  Guess Onyx wasn’t the only one needing to toss a woman in the lake to learn to swim.

  At first, Topaz was excited she would be able to go on this trip with the members for a rescue. It wasn’t her first, but it was coming at a time when she needed a little space, and a good playlist as she made her way to Canada was just the ticket. They were set to leave right after breakfast. Initially, she was nervous about leaving Free and Porsche in charge at the bar, then she heard the club was on lockdown until at least two crews were back. Problem solved.

  As she waited in line for breakfast after coming downstairs from her room in the clubhouse, Topaz scanned the room as if it were a high school cafeteria and choosing the right table would somehow brand her for life. None of the other Hoez were around, so she too, sat at an empty table and waited for some of the girls to come in. Even the claimed women tended to find a spot next to the Hoez, instead of taking a chance of sitting at a table next to a single man.

  Someone bumped into her, making the spoon of scrambled eggs tumble back on her plate. Turning, she saw the d
ark figure of Onyx. “You big ox, watch where you’re going.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t see you.” Onyx smiled, his lips full and eyes dark, but somehow glimmering. “It’s easier when you have a pole to catch my eye.”

  “And now, I’m invisible,” she sneered, the words acidic in her throat even as they made their venomous way to her lips. “My pole on the other hand—”

  “Your pole work, more than the actual object,” Onyx rebuffed.

  “Look, it pissed her off,” Mountain said, one of the few men larger than Onyx with a thick beard and twice as thick arms. “Apologize.”

  “First off, it was an accident,” Onyx said. “Second, this is an A B conversation, so see your prospect ass out of it.”

  “Your patch doesn’t give you superiority.”

  “In fact,” Onyx said pointing to the word ENFORCER, like he had when he had a badge on his chest. “It does.”

  “Seriously, Onyx why do you do that?” Shark added.

  “Do what?” He shrugged and filled up his plate of food.

  She hated the fact that he looked exactly like her boyfriend from high school. Why couldn’t he grow a beard or get some nasty scar? Instead, he keeps his head shaven and jaw smooth. It really bothered her. Lord knows he sure didn’t act like Byron, at least he had that aspect of his existence to keep her at more than arm’s length.

  “Well you need to watch what the hell you’re doing.” Topaz finished filling her plate, walked over to an empty table and sat down.

  Onyx walked over and sat across from her. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Oh, I actually have a choice? Thought that patch made you mother superior up in here,” she snipped.

  “That was a dick move,” he admitted setting her back. “With Mountain, man’s good. I’ve been advocating to get him patched in, but then again, I don’t have the background ya’ll have with the Roadkillers.”

  “You have?” she questioned, now thinking she should have said no. Would he move on if she told him to take a flying leap? More and more, she’d began questioning the whole ranking and societal issues in the club. She may have been the trailer park queen in New Bend, but that wasn’t where she wanted to stay. A few weeks before her life spun out of control, she’d been given a full academic ride to the University of Arkansas where Byron was being recruited. She wanted to study anthropology and he would lead them to the SEC championship.