by Vera Quinn
“Sweetheart, we want to help you through this. You look like you may could use some more friends and we live close. Who knows, we may be neighbors already. Where in Tyler do you live?” Lil is already working her magic with Katie. I can see in her face she has relaxed some.
“I live on MLK in a little garage apartment. It’s small, but it’s mine. It’s all I can afford right now. It’s a like a studio.” That’s not good and I see the disapproval on both Lil and Captain’s faces.
“Do you live alone? That’s not a real safe part of town for such a young person.” Lil is trying to stay calm, but I can see it isn’t working.
“What do you mean for a young person? It’s not safe for any woman by herself. Young lady, do you have a security system or at least good locks?” Now Captain is getting pissed.
“No. I can’t afford a security system. I keep a bat close at night and the locks are adequate for my needs. I’ve never had any trouble. I keep to myself. I don’t really own anything worth stealing.” Katie looks a little embarrassed.
“Darling, I’m not worried about your things being stolen. I’m worried for your safety. Is it okay if I have one of my brothers go over and check it out and bring you some things?” I can see the brothers will be visiting her place today, even if she doesn’t agree.
“That would be very kind of you. Are you sure they won’t mind? At the top of the stairs, on the ledge of the railing there is a potted plant, and, in the dirt, my spare key is hidden.” How original. “It’s a fake plant, but it’s real dirt, so it’s easy to find the key.” Easy for anyone. Katie is too innocent for her own good. “Do you know how much damage was done to my truck? It’s the only means of transportation I have. It’s not much to look at, but she always starts for me.” She’s going to get more unwelcome news.
“I was told it was pretty bad, but I will have it checked out for you.” Captain already knows it’s in bad shape. He has already decided she will be part of our family or he would have just told her.
I’m watching, but not really contributing to the conversation. I am observing Katie to see if she is trying to play Lil and Captain. I see no deception. She doesn’t look like she is trying to milk it. There’s a slight knock at the door and I take the few steps to open it. Con steps in with his hands full of fast food bags.
“Con, thank you. My stomach was starting to growl. Katie are you hungry?” Lil is trying to put Katie at ease.
“It’s all very nice of you, but I can eat whatever they bring me in. I don’t want to take your food. I’m sure mine will be here soon.” That’s not working for me. She’s going to eat our food.
“You can eat our food and we aren’t taking no for an answer. I can’t believe you would rather put hospital food in your stomach, instead of this delicious smelling food. So, I don’t want to hear anything else. You look like you could afford to gain some weight. So, you will eat.” Katie looks at me like I have grown a second head.
“I’m fine, so I’ll wait.” Katie is being stubborn.
“Katie, I have no patience for stubborn women. You will eat, even if I need to feed you. We take care of our women.” Where the hell did that come from? She’s not mine or ours. I do get a smile out of it, but it’s not a good smile, more like a sarcastic smile.
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not one of your women. I’m not being stubborn. I just like to pay my own way, and even though all of you have been so kind to me, I really don’t know you. I appreciate all the help you are trying to give me, but I have no way of repaying you and I have to stand on my own two feet.” Katie is going to be stubborn. Captain, Con, and I all look at each other. Lil takes control.
“We just want to help. Please eat with us. Next time we will ask first, but we don’t want to waste this food. Con bought way too much for us. So please eat.” This is the way Lil always gets her way. She gives you no way to say no without being rude. She knows exactly what she’s doing.
“Okay, if you’re sure, I can do that. Thank you.” Lil hands her a salad and a sandwich.
We eat in silence. Each of us looking, but not knowing exactly what to say. Con is the first one finished.
“I’ll be getting back to the clubhouse. I’ll be back tomorrow first thing.” Sure, he will, if he doesn’t party too much tonight.
“Con, I want you to go to Katie’s apartment and bring her some things tomorrow when you come. I’ll text you the address. I’m going to have Lizard go by there tonight to check the security. Also, go by Brown’s ranch and let him know Katie won’t be there for a few days. Do you know where it’s at? Out on old Jacksonville highway.” Captain knows that we know where it’s at.
“I could just call Mr. Brown if I could borrow a phone. I guess mine was lost in my truck.” Katie is most definitely worried about that job.
“It’s okay, Katie. This is best taken care of in person. That way Con can update him on how you are.” Captain is never this calm with us.
Just as Con is getting ready to leave there is a knock at the door. We all look at each other and Katie says, “Come in.” Con is right beside the door, so he opens it to see a DPS officer holding papers. He gives Captain, Con, and I a look of disapproval and walks in.
“Ms. Walton?” Like he doesn’t know exactly who she is.
“Yes, Sir. Are you here about my truck?” Katie is eager to get the update.
“Yes. I also need to get a statement of anything you can tell me about the accident.” This room has suddenly become too small. I always try to stay on the right side of the law, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. Captain has cleaned up our club mostly, but that doesn’t mean if someone steps out of line we won’t get our own retribution. About that time Captain’s cell goes off with a text alert.
“We are just going to step outside and talk while the officer is here. Katie, Lil is here if you need her.” With that Captain, Con, and I step outside the door.
As soon as the door is closed behind us Captain flips open his phone to read the text. “Shine, you’ll be returning to check out Katie’s apartment with Lizard. It looks like Katie really is alone. Dad deceased four years. Mom deceased. Grandmother deceased. She has been enrolled in school this semester only and works. No criminal record. It’s like she lives a ghost life. She has a checking account with eighty-nine dollars and sixteen cents in it and a savings account with two hundred-thirty-one dollars in it. No credit to speak of. She’s lived in the same place for two years and worked at the same place for two and a half years. Only vehicle she has registered in her name is the 1994 truck. Lil is right. This girl needs our help and she is going to get it.” Captain flips his phone closed. “Shine go back with Con. I can handle this. Help Lizard. Con, go to Brown’s and explain and let that jackass know he is doing the club a favor by holding her job. I’ll figure out later if she’s going back. Okay. Get to it. She’s under our protection now. Let everyone know. I’ll call a meeting when we get home, so we can get an official vote.” Looks like we just got a new family member. I won’t mind getting to know this one, at all.
“This should be interesting.” We haven’t had anything but club girls around for a long time. Lil is the only old lady at the club. Looks like she has company now, and we have a princess.
Chapter Four
Captain
When I step back into the room the DPS officer is leaving and Katie is noticeably upset. She has tears in her eyes. I know he told her about her truck. Lil is trying to comfort her, but it is not doing much good.
“It’ll be okay, Katie. We’ll figure it all out.” Lil has climbed up in the bed with Katie and is holding her.
“I can take the city bus to school, but I don’t know what I will do about work. I knew this was too good to be true. Every time I get ahead something happens.” Lil is eyeing me, and I know she is going to dive in head first to help this girl.
“Katie, I am going to ask you to trust me.” Lil is now looking straight into Katie’s eyes. “I have a business proposition for you that
it will help us both. Can you trust me?”
“I really don’t know you but for some reason I have a good feeling about you.” Lil shakes her head at that.
“That’s a start. I need someone to help me around my house. Not just for housework, but I rescue animals. You said you work on a horse ranch, so you must like animals.
“Anytime I know about animals needing a home, I take them in. Some get adopted, eventually, but if not, they always have a home with us on our farm. If I have help, I can take in more. We have plenty of room for a lot more animals, but I can only take care of so many. With your help we can expand.
“We could pay you a wage and keep insurance for you and add some vacation time. There’s a room above our barn that we could turn into an apartment. You could live there as part of your benefits package. We have plenty of vehicles and you could use one to get to school until you save to buy one. How can you say no to that?”
Lil has a big grin on her face. She is thinking on her feet, but it seems like a promising idea for Katie to check it out. “Please think about it. You win, I win, the animals win, and you still stand on your own two feet without asking for help.” Katie looks unsure, but I can see she wants to believe it’s possible.
“Young lady, the arrangement would help me out too. I am always wanting to take my woman away for the weekend to have some alone time, but she’s too damn worried about those animals. The pets are her babies and she won’t leave them if she doesn’t have someone she can trust.” I know she trust the boys with them, but she says they don’t love them like she does.
“Can I think about it for just a little while. My head is still fuzzy and I can’t afford to make a wrong decision. Once I leave my apartment I would have nowhere to live if it didn’t work out, also, I don’t have a truck to live in now, so it would not be good.” Katie is smart to at least think it out, but I did not miss the part she said about living in her truck. Katie hasn’t had it easy.
“You can think it over Katie, but you are coming home with us one way or another. I have a truck you can use to get to school. But you can bet your sweet ass we are helping you.” I’ve said it and it is the way it will be. I’ve been the President of the Demented Revengers MC for going on twenty years and I don’t take no for an answer.
“Mr. Duncan I--” I cut her off real fast.
“Captain is the name, sweetheart. Mr. Duncan sounds too old for me.” I smile at her to take the edge off.
“Okay. Captain. I just want to think it over tonight. I will need to give Mr. Brown and the guy I rent the apartment from notice. It’s only right. They both took a chance on me when they didn’t have to.” I can see she is considerate and tries to do the right thing. I like it. I respect that.
“Okay, it is settled. You think on it, but you are definitely staying with us until you are better.” Lil knows I will get my way, but she is trying to sooth it over.
“Agreed.” Katie will agree to it all. I noticed the way she relaxed when she realized she’s not alone any more. I feel my phone vibrating with a text coming in.
“I’m stepping outside for a few minutes.” Both the women nod their heads and I go out to the hall. I look at the time and I know Shine has had time to get to Tyler, so it must be him. I flip my phone out.
Shine: Apartment is barely as big as a box. Hardly anything in it. Looks like she owns nothing. Locks are shit. Didn’t need a key to get in. Lucky she wasn’t killed in her sleep. All she had to eat is noodles and peanut butter.
Me: Clean it out. Get the brothers on converting barn storage room into small apartment. Give notice to landlord. Don’t take no for an answer.
Shine: Good. Don’t want her staying here. I wouldn’t live here. Where do I store her things?
Me: Personal stuff and any electronics in our spare room. Everything else garage.
Shine: It’ll take a week to convert with everyone helping.
Me: Just do it.
With that I disconnect. No, this girl is not going back there. She will adjust to us.
Chapter Five
Katie
I thought about what Lillian proposed yesterday. It sounded too good to be true. If the apartment comes with my job, then that is money I can save. So even if they pay me less I can still get by. I love working with any animals and helping rescue them is a bonus. It just seems way too good to be true.
What if they are doing it because they feel sorry for me. I want no one’s pity. I’d rather sleep in the streets. I know I really have no choice if I want to stay in school and keep a job. I’ll just eat more noodles and save every penny. That way if it doesn’t work out I can at least buy a bicycle to ride where I need to go. I can do this. I hate to depend on anyone, but that’s what I get for not being more careful. I’ve talked myself into it, when the door opens and Lillian, Captain, and I think his name is Shine, walks in.
“Morning, Sunshine. Today you get a new home.” Captain seems awfully cheery.
“Now Jethro, you know we have to wait on her to agree.” But she is smiling.
“Mr. and Mrs. Duncan, I would like to take you up on the job and place to live, if it is still available.” I look away from them. I know it is what they want, but it still feels like a hand out.
“About time you use that pretty head. I took all your stuff to their house last night. I did bring you a bag. Your landlord said you didn’t have a lease, so you are good. Your rent isn’t due for a few more weeks and he said he’d rent it again before then. He’s keeping the fifty- dollar deposit though, something about cleaning fee, but that place was spotless. I just wasn’t arguing over fifty bucks. If you need it, I’ll just give it to you.”
These people don’t let no grass grow under their feet. Shine must not realize I can eat two weeks, sometimes three, on fifty dollars, but it is okay. It’s fair.
“Okay.” I just want out of here.
“Okay, you want it back or okay, it’s okay?” Could he be any more confusing? I look closely at him and he is a very sexy man. He has sandy blond hair with a day or so growth on his face, and the most piercing green eyes. I notice he has full kissable lips which are turned up in a smile right now. He knows I am checking him out.
“Okay, that is fine. That is fair, since I am moving out without notice.” Why is Shine trying to get a rise out of me? “I just want out of here. If they don’t discharge me soon, I will just walk out. No sense in running a bill up higher f I’m just sore, and I can do rest somewhere else.” I swear Shine just growled.
“Don’t worry about the bill, just relax. They’ll be here soon, sweetheart.” Lillian is trying to calm me down. I’m not used to doing nothing or lying in bed, and Shine gets on my last nerve with his bossiness. I am saved from anymore of his input by Dr. Gray and the nurse coming through the door.
“Ms. Walton, you are getting sprung today. I heard you made a couple of laps around the nurse’s station last night and you ate most of your dinner. You can stay for breakfast if you want, but there is a diner up the road with better eggs.” He is smiling today.
“I am giving you my instructions on what to do if you get blurry vision, pass out, or severe nausea. Stay off work at least four days. Your ribs are bruised and I’m sure the discomfort will keep you sidelined. Now let me hear your lungs one more time and then Nurse Kirby will get you out of here and on your way.”
I don’t even have time to ask a question when his stethoscope is on my back. “Deep breath and blow it out. Again. Well, it sounds good. Follow up with your primary care giver and you might want to send for a copy of these records, since you don’t live here, so your doctor will have them available. Anything else?” I grab a hold of his jacket. He’s going so fast I’m afraid he’ll be out the door before I can ask him my only question.
“Can I go back to school on Monday?” It’s not like I would really stay out anyway.
“Yes. Just nothing real strenuous for a few days. No heavy book bags. Your body will tell you what you shouldn’t do.” With that he is
gone.
“I’ll be back in about thirty minutes with your discharge papers, but I will take the IV out now, so you can get dressed.” She takes my IV out, then she is gone.
“If you two will step outside, I will help Katie get dressed.” Lillian looks at Captain and Shine expectantly. Captain rises and kisses Lillian on top of the head. He really loves her, and it shows in everything he does. Grammy is the only one I can ever remember loving me.
“We’ll be right outside.” Shine is looking at me when he says it and then he does something that surprises me. He moves over and takes my hand and kisses it. Softly. It is so out of place for the big giant, but sweet. I can’t help but smile at him. Then him and Captain are gone.
Chapter Six
Shine
“What the hell, Shine?” I knew this was coming, but I don’t give a damn. Cap said she was hands off as in sex, not as in claiming.
“I want her. I want her as mine. She needs me.” Makes perfect sense to me.
“We’re all going to help her. She has us now. You don’t need to do this. You are not what she needs. You stick your cock in anything with a hole. Do you think you can change that? She doesn’t come off as the kind of girl up for that. I don’t even know if she knows what a motorcycle club is, and I doubt she’s even been on a bike. Not your type at all.”
Cap don’t get it. She’s under my skin. I saw the way she lives. She always wants to do the right thing. She’s tough and it shows by how she has survived, but she has a sweetness and innocence about her. She has brought out the protectiveness in me. I’ve never had sweet, and I want it more than anything right now. I don’t just want her, I need her.
“I don’t have a choice. I’m going to take care of her and I’m going to claim her, and I hope I have your support in that. She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet, but she will.” Cap is shaking his head.