Minus

by Jack Davenport

  I just nodded. I didn’t have enough breath to speak.

  While one hand worked my clit, his other rolled my nipple into a tight bud and he slammed into me, building yet another orgasm. He slapped my pussy, once... then again... and my body shook.

  “Come, baby,” he whispered, and I let go.

  Jase held me tight as we caught our breath and I closed my eyes unable to focus. “Holy... oh, my... I’m...”

  He kissed my shoulder. “Fuckin’ beautiful, baby.”

  I rolled to face him and stroked his cheek. “I’m liking your definition of making things up to me.”

  Jase laughed, kissing me gently. “Good. There’s plenty more where that came from.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  He climbed off the bed and headed to the bathroom, returning with a warm washcloth and cleaning me up.

  Slipping back under the covers, he pulled me onto his chest. “You need to sleep?”

  I shook my head. “I’m actually really wired. Want to watch a movie?”

  “Yeah, baby, we can do that.”

  * * *

  The next morning, we drove about forty-five minutes out of town, to the Double H Ranch. This was the home of Duke and Pearl, whom I knew very little about, other than they knew my uncle, and that Minus had lived with them for a while. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, becoming more beautiful with every mile closer to the ranch.

  “This is gorgeous,” I said as we pulled off the main highway, and onto a long private road.

  “Wait ’til you see the property itself,” Minus said. “Not to mention the house. Pearl’s always got the place decked out like she’s getting it ready for the cover of ‘Fancy Ranch Monthly’ or something.”

  “Really? That’s not what I’d pictured for a couple of ranchers,” I said.

  “Why’s that?” Minus asked.

  “I don’t know, I guess I’ve just never spent any time around people that live out in rural areas. I’m a city girl. All I have to base my expectations on is what I’ve seen in movies and on TV. Even Kim and Knight who own property in Portland... it’s still really close to the city, so it just doesn’t register with me, I guess.”

  He grinned. “I suppose those stereotypes exist for a reason, but most of the ranchers I’ve met around here have serious money, and run high-tech operations. These aren’t guys that sit on rickety porches, holding shotguns with straw hangin’ outta their mouths.”

  “What are Duke and Pearl like?”

  “They’re the best. The most loving people I know, and they are going to adore you.”

  We continued down the road, passing underneath a large HH Ranch sign.

  “What does the HH stand for?” I asked.

  “I’ve never been able to get Duke to tell me.

  “Oooh, a mystery.”

  Probably not. I think Duke just likes fuckin’ with me. Pearl says is stands for, ‘Healing Hugs.’” Minus chuckled. “But I somehow doubt it.”

  “She sounds sweet,” I said, as Minus parked.

  “You should be prepared before we get out. They’re probably gonna make a big deal out of you being here.”

  “I’ll prepare myself,” I said smiling, as we exited the car.

  No sooner had we closed the doors, I heard a loud crack echo through the forest walls.

  “Get down!” Minus yelled. After what felt like an eternity to process what he was saying, a second shot rang out, whizzing directly over our heads.

  “Cricket! Get the fuck down!”

  I dropped to the ground, tearing my jeans and skinning my left knee as I did. I flattened my body and wriggled under the car.

  “Whoever you are, you’d better get the fuck off my property, because the next one will be more than a warnin’ shot!” a voice called out.

  This is some warm welcome.

  “It’s Minus, you crazy old bastard! Hold your fire!”

  The shooting stopped, and after a few moments of silence, a voice called out.

  “Minus? Is that really you?”

  “That’s what I just said, Duke!” Minus replied. “Now, will you please put the rifle away before you shoot someone; and by someone, I mean me or my guest, Cricket Wallace?”

  “Cricket’s with you? Where? I can’t see anybody,” Duke called back.

  “That’s because we’re on the ground Duke. You know, on account of all the shooting. I’m gonna stand up, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t put any unnecessary holes in me.” Minus said, before rising and coming over to my side of the car.

  “Lemme help you up. Are you okay?” he asked, while looking me over.

  “I just hurt my knee a little. I’ll live.”

  I heard footsteps crunching rapidly down the gravel driveway and looked up to see a man in a white beard and overalls, trotting towards us, holding a hunting rifle.

  “Sorry, Minus. I didn’t recognize the car, and wasn’t expecting you,” he said, out of breath.

  “Jesus, Duke. What’s with the display of firepower?”

  “We’ve got guys growing pot on our land, Minus. I’ve been finding plants everywhere out in the woods.”

  “Since when?”

  “I guess it’s been around five months now. It’s harvest time, so I’ve seen more people around lately, and I chase ’em off whenever I do. Every time I find a plant, I pull it up, but I can’t keep up. Strange cars and trucks have been pullin’ up day and night.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Minus asked.

  “Because it’s my goddamned ranch and I’ll chase those punks off myself. Plus, I didn’t want to bother you. I know you’ve got business in town to tend to.”

  “Bullshit. You, Pearl, and the ranch come first. You call me next time you have a problem. In the meantime, I’m gonna make sure this little unsanctioned grow is taken care of, and that you’re compensated for your trouble by these assholes.”

  Duke nodded at Minus, then smiled wide at me. “Well, ain’t you the prettiest little thing! Sorry if I gave you a fright.”

  “That’s okay,” I said extending my hand. “Hi, I’m Cricket.”

  “Oh, we know all about you ’round here,” Duke said grinning at Minus.

  “Is that so?” I asked.

  “Mr. Sunshine here moped all around the ranch for six months when he first got here on account’a you.” He leaned close to me. “There’s only one kinda sick that can make a man act like that. Woman sick,” he said dramatically.

  “Woman sick, huh?” I asked.

  Minus, grinned sheepishly. “Alright, Duke, I think that’s about enough of that,” he said.

  “Yes, ma’am, and Minus here had it bad,” he continued, ignoring Minus. “All we heard about was Cricket this and Cricket that, that is when he wasn’t bitching about how much of a prick Cutter is.” He turned to Minus. “How is Cutter, by the way?”

  “Yeah, about that,” Minus said sternly.

  “My sweet Lord, look at your knee,” Duke said, ignoring Minus.

  “It’s nothing. Just a scrape. I’ll be okay,” I said, trying my best not to think about the bits of gravel that I’d have to pick out of my stinging flesh.

  “We’d better get you inside so we can have Pearl take a look at that and get you patched up. She’s likely gonna read me the riot act for this one.”

  “I can keep a secret if you can,” I said, as we walked up the front steps.

  “I can, but not from Pearl. The woman’s got a gift for sniffing out my bullshit from a mile away,” he said, smiling.

  An elderly woman with rosy cheeks, and perfectly styled hair met us at the front door as soon as we reached it. She wore a beautifully tailored lemon-yellow dress, and her ensemble was complete with high heels and a string of pearls.

  “I heard gunshots. Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “Everything’s fine, I thought it was those damned squatters come for their wacky tobacky, but it’s worse.”

  “Minus! What a surprise, it’s so nice to see you,�
� she sang out in delight before hugging him. “And who is this stunning young woman you’ve brought with you?”

  “Pearl, I’d like to introduce you to Miss Cricket Wallace.”

  Before I could react, I found myself in Pearl’s arms. She smelled like a freshly baked apple pie, and her hug was a warm and sweet one.

  “I’m so glad y’all are here,” she said before finally breaking the embrace, taking a step back to face me. “You are even more beautiful than Minus described you.”

  Before I could react to that bit of information, Pearl squeaked, “Oh, my! You’re bleeding, dear.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing. I tripped outside, it’s no big deal. I just need a wet paper towel and a bandage, and I’ll be fine,” I said.

  “Nonsense, you come with me to the first-aid room and I’ll take care of everything.”

  “First-aid room?” I asked.

  “It’s better if you don’t argue with her or put up any kind of fight,” Duke said. “She looks sweet... but she’s a mean woman and she always gets her way.”

  “Daryl Urias Kavanaugh, if I find out you had something to do with this, you’re gonna find out just how mean I can be... and not in the good way.”

  Pearl gently took me by the elbow and led us out of the room.

  “Come on, dear, we’ll stop off in the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee,” she said.

  “Can I help with anything?” I asked.

  “Well, aren’t you just the sweetest thing? Let’s go get to know each other, and talk about these horrible men.”

  Minus

  The moment the ladies left the room, Duke turned to me. “Buy you a drink?”

  “It’s a little early, isn’t it?” I replied.

  “Yup. That’s what the coffee’s for, but that ain’t ready yet, so we’ll just have to make due,” he said smiling.

  “Well, when you put it that way. Two fingers over ice, please.”

  We walked to Duke’s den and I took a seat on the sofa as he poured our drinks.

  “I take it from the fact that you and Cricket were smiling, despite having just experienced gunplay, that you two are on good terms again?” he asked.

  “For now, I guess,” I replied, still unsure of where we stood.

  “Well, son, the way I see it, us men are always floatin’ around in some sort of state of grace when it comes to women. I suppose, the trick is to extend the periods in between those times they’re hoppin’ mad at us.”

  “To grace periods,” I said, and raised my glass. I took a sip and allowed myself a moment of peace and pleasure before digging back in with Duke. “Let me ask you a question,” I said.

  Duke nodded. “Fire away.”

  “In all the time I’ve been here, you never thought to mention that you knew Cutter?”

  “You never asked,” Duke said plainly.

  “We’ve had a hundred conversations about the man, and you never once brought up a story from your past, or said, ‘one thing about Cutter is...,’ or anything! You’d just tell me some old story about a Greek fisherman, or quote Beckett.”

  “Well, I don’t know what you’d call that, son, but where I come from, that right there is a conversation.”

  “So, the fact that you’re affiliated with the Saints goes beyond Savannah, not to mention leads all the way back to Cutter, simply never came up?”

  “Look, Minus, you’d take a load off your mind about your president, and I’d try to give you a little perspective about the situation. Maybe show you a few examples of how other folks throughout history had dealt with similar predicaments.”

  “Why never mention you knew him?”

  “I suppose it never seemed relevant,” he replied. “Your relationship with Cutter is very different than mine. He sent you here for you to work on you, not for me to talk about him. You get me?”

  “Not entirely, being as I never recall enrolling in a self-help ranch program. You’ll have to forgive me, if the fact that y’all have been playing with me like some goddamned chess piece is still a bit unsettling to me.”

  “Aw, grow the fuck up, boy. Cutter saw something in you, so he sent you to me so’s I could see if he was right. It’s as plain as that. I may never have patched in with the Saints, but I rode with them for years as a friend back in the day. This place has always served as a safe haven for any Saint that needed a place to lay low, and from time-to-time, Cutter’s called on me for a favor. If he saw potential in someone, he’d sometimes send ’em up my way. I’d work ’em hard, try to knock a few lessons into their heads, and send ’em back home when I felt it was time.”

  “Our hero is sent to Dagobah to receive further training,” I muttered softly.

  “I’m old, but my hearing is just fine. Besides, Cutter’s no Obi-Wan, and I sure as shit ain’t no Yoda,” Cutter snapped back.

  I looked at him, shocked.

  “What? I’ve got a fuckin’ DVD player,” Duke said, before continuing. “Look, Minus, you’ve got to understand something. Just because we’re old dogs, don’t mean we’re completely out of touch, and I ain’t just talkin’ about movies, ya understand?” Duke looked at me with a softness in his eyes.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Cutter may be a tough bastard, but he loves his club. He probably loves it more than anything, so if he’s askin’ you to run it, you can bet he’s given it plenty of thought.”

  “So, you know about what’s goin’ on?” I asked.

  “Cutter filled me in. I didn’t know you’d be comin’ back so soon, though,” he replied.

  “We’ve run into some trouble with a local club, and I had to get outta town as quickly, and silently, as possible.”

  “If you’re having local trouble, what are you doing here, and why all the cloak and dagger?”

  “We appear to have some holes in our security. These pricks have been a step ahead of us everywhere we go lately.”

  “Your leaks tech or personnel related?” Duke asked.

  “I’m not sure yet, so I didn’t want to take any chances with this.” I pulled Cutter’s ledger from my duffel and set in on the coffee table in front of us.

  Duke glanced at the leather-bound book and then looked back at me blankly. “Thanks, Minus, but I’ve already got a Bible, and I can’t say I spend much time readin’ that one.”

  “You know it’s never too late to pursue that dream of being a standup comic.”

  He grinned. “Duke the Cable Guy’s gotta a ring to it, doesn’t it?”

  “Sure, your catch phrase would be ‘Get ‘r done or I’ll put a boot in your fuckin’ ass.’”

  “Perfect, we’ll call Carnegie Hall as soon as we’re done with this,” he said picking up the book. “Now, what the hell am I lookin’ at?”

  “A ledger containing current club financials, business contacts, and laundering sources.”

  “Jesus, Minus. There a specific reason such a hot item is currently in my home?”

  “I had to get it as far away from home as possible and I couldn’t think of a better place than your safe. I plan on talking to Zaius about posting a couple of patches here until all of this blows over. I’m going to need you to get some more of the younger guys around here up to speed. I’ll need all the allies on my side I can get both in Savannah and Portland.”

  “So, does that mean you’re gonna do it? You’re taking over when Cutter retires?”

  “I was hoping to get your advice on that,” I admitted.

  “What the hell can I say at this point? You either think it’s the right thing to do, and you take the position, or you don’t, and Cutter finds someone else to become President.”

  “What do you mean, ‘someone else’?” I asked.

  Oddly enough, the thought had never occurred to me, as to who might become President should I turn Cutter down.

  “The club has to have a president, and if it’s not you, it’ll be someone else.”

  “What if it was me?” I asked.

  “Then we’d have our work cut
out for us, wouldn’t we?”

  * * *

  Cricket

  After putting a pot of coffee on to brew, Pearl led me to the back of the gigantic ranch house, where she pushed on a wall panel and a door popped open.

  “Oh, my word, you have a Scooby Doo door?” I breathed out.

  Pearl chuckled. “I’ve never heard them called that, but that’s what I’m calling them from now on.”

  “Them? There are more than just this one?”

  “I have six Scooby Doo doors. Never know when we gotta hide a Saint from a sinner.”

  I followed Pearl into the ‘first-aid’ room and tried to keep my mouth from dropping open. This was a glorified hospital room, complete with lights, a rolling IV bag stand, and an official hospital bed. Pearl patted the mattress and smiled. “Hop on up, honey.”

  I sat up on the end of the bed and Pearl leaned down and frowned. “I’m gonna need you to get those jeans off, so I can dress it,” she said. “You feel comfortable with that?”

  “Is the door locked?”

  “Yeah, honey, it’s locked.”

  I nodded and pushed my jeans down past my knee. “I love your dress, Pearl.”

  She grinned. “Thank you. Duke loves me in dresses, so I’ve worn one every day since we started going steady.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded while she tended to my knee. “Yep. I’ve pretty much worn the same thing, since our first date. A pretty dress, heels... and no panties.”

  I choked on a laugh, so surprised she’d offered up that unnecessary piece of information.

  “It’s important you please your man,” she continued.

  “Isn’t it important he please you, too?” I asked.

  “Of course, honey. If you’re with a good man, he will. And, if you’re with the right man, he’ll please you without you asking.” She washed her hands and pulled on gloves. “They risk their lives, you know.”

  “I know,” I said quietly.

  “Some men’ll go to hell and back for their woman. You find a man like that, you don’t let him go.”

  “Did Duke go to hell and back for you?”

  “On more than a couple of occasions.” She met my eyes. “Minus has done the same for you.”

  “I’m not sure―”

  “Honey child, that boy has loved you for as long as I’ve known him. He ain’t never looked at another woman like he looks at you, and since I love him like a son, I hope you won’t take that for granted.”