by M. Merin
Bree
Flint is holding me, staring down at me like he’s just figured something out. I lean into his arms, needing the comfort I’ve missed for so long; yet somehow the way he’s holding me now has changed.
It’s no longer like he wants to possess me, but, I don’t know, more like he needs me more than anything in the world.
I try not to give into the insecure part of myself. The part I’ve tried to bury over and over again, I fight the part of myself that has always wanted to run from anyone who wanted to hold me. Instead of giving into my fear, I do what I’ve only done one other time in my life. I hold on.
“This is my home,” I say, looking between the three bikers. “What will these assholes do next?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Gunner starts. “You’re packing a bag and moving to Flint’s.”
“Should have just fucking stayed there,” Flint mumbles and Vice laughs.
“Yeah, that’s a great idea.” I shoot back. “Cause if they broke into your lawyer’s office they’ll know where your house is anyway.”
“No,” Flint speaks up. “I only use a PO Box address with him. But still, we were all staying there; so I want you to move to the clubhouse and I’m gonna have a Probie or two camped out here. Vice, get one inside, one outside. Nothing obvious. They come in with the drinking crowd and shift around.”
Flint finishes giving his orders before he looks into my eyes again.
“You’re getting out of here, it isn’t safe.” He says, knowing I’m going to argue.
“It’s my home, I’m not leaving,” I state.
“I need you to be safe.”
“I have a gun,” I look to Gunner for help. “I can handle my own shit.”
“They butchered a rabbit and threatened to skin Ragn…” He starts before my wail cuts him off.
“You said he’d be safe where you took him! You said to trust you!” I storm towards him, ready to take on a giant.
He catches my wrists and Flint’s arm slips around my waist, pulling me back against his body.
“How about we bring you to Jasper and Emma’s?” Flint whispers in my ear. “We’ll get probies out there to protect you and deal with this. I thought of having you be very well protected bait here, but really, Doll; I want you and Ragnar safe. I know you can’t lose him.”
“Let me get some things.” I concede. Because the thought of losing Ragnar is too painful to stand.
“Um, Bree?” Vice finally speaks up. “That handgun you’re going to bring with you? You registered it in this state, right?”
“Yep, all up to date.” I wink at him and see Gunner’s smirk out of the corner of my eye.
Chapter 16
Emma
My first, second, and third impressions of Gunner have been thrown so out of whack since he and Jasper first plucked me from the side of a highway, I’m a little on edge around him for no good reason.
He doesn’t smell like cigarettes anymore. He’s more interested in his business than he is women and booze. Actually, from what I’ve heard, he hasn’t touched a woman in a long time; but mostly, and somewhat creepily; he watches Jasper and me closely.
Ever since our wedding, it’s like he’s trying to learn how to…well, I don’t know. He watches how Jasper touches me in public, how we speak to each other, how we dance at the clubhouse. It’s like our relationship is some Animal Channel show that needs to be evaluated.
But then he brings me a dog and a woman within 3 hours, making sure I know they’re Flints’. One look at this woman tells me she knows she’s more than some man’s “woman”.
A lesson Gunner hasn’t learned yet, even after studying Jas and me like he does.
“I don’t actually belong to anyone,” Bree laughs up at me once Gunner leaves. After I explained that the twins would be down for a few hours, she showed a single-minded interested in rubbing her dog’s belly.
“Gunner’s still evolving. There must be someone out there who can show him how to think of and treat a woman.” I laugh.
Bree looks up at me like I’m missing a piece of some puzzle, but just nods before she refocuses on her dog and asks about my children.
Well, how’s a new mother to shut up once given that topic?
Jasper
Fuck.
I knew Flint had investments all around town, but he doesn’t talk about that shit and I let it be. Especially now.
Em and I have barely slept since the twins were born. And even when they are sleeping, we just love to watch them do that too.
I spend most the night coordinating lookouts for the businesses that have been hit and security for my home, Rusty’s Bar, and Flint’s house. I finally get home to find a stranger feeding one of my babies on the couch, with a dog at her feet.
“Bree?” I confirm, not having met her yet. I can’t keep the grin off my face; I’ve known Flint most of my life and with one look at her, I understand why he’s suddenly lost his cool.
“Jasper, I hope?” She smiles back at me, continuing at my nod. “I hope Emma won’t be upset with me? I heard this little guy fussing and having seen the formula earlier, I just thought I’d let her sleep.”
“Are you kidding? She’ll love you for it.” I softly laugh back, as I cross to the kitchen sink to wash my hands. “We’re both pretty sleep deprived right now. But I wouldn’t mind finishing that up – before he forgets who his old man is?”
Sitting in the recliner, she easily moves to hand him over. “Looks like you have some experience here?” I observe.
“Oh, just lots of babysitting and nieces / nephews…” She starts but is cut off by the light sound of Ruth fussing. “Let me just go grab her, alright?” She quickly runs off and I’m wondering how pissed Flint would be if I tried to keep her here. At least for the next year.
“Jasper, there’s only one diaper left in there.” She says in a low voice as she reenters the room with my daughter.
“I have more in my truck. So, will you move in with us?” I startle a laugh out of her while I’m gently burping Christopher. “I’m serious. I love Emma and I love these two, but I had no idea what we were in for!”
“Most parents don’t, you two will figure it out.” She says kindly; holding Ruth in one arm and mixing a bottle of formula with her other arm. I mean, it’s like she’s a baby Ninja.
“You gonna stick it out with Flint?” I ask next, getting a raised eyebrow from her.
“I should probably discuss that with him first, don’t ya think?” She counters.
“For better or worse, he’s the closest thing I ever had to a father. He’s not perfect, and he has a lot of miles on him but he is a good man. I’ve never seen him chase a woman before and I’ve never seen him like this. Like how happy he’s been since he met you.”
“Happy?” She arches her eyebrow again but keeps her eyes on Ruth. “Are we sure that’s the right word?”
“Well, you sure as hell don’t bore him.” I smile at her when she finally meets my eyes.
Emma appears as I open my mouth to continue.
“Oh my God!” She smiles and walks straight over to Bree. “I slept almost four and a half straight hours! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“Not a problem! I couldn’t sleep…” Bree starts.
“Hey, I helped!” I cut in, needing some love from my woman. The two of them exchange a smile before Em crosses over to me.
“I’m sure you did, Jas.” She sits on the arm of my chair and wraps her arms around my neck; leaning in she whispers in my ear. “Do you think we can keep her?”
Flint
It’s been a quiet night and after making one last circle through town; I head to Jasper’s house, needing to see Bree. It’s three AM but the lights are all on and Emma pulls open the door as I start up the steps.
“Everything alright?” She quietly asks before giving me a kiss on the cheek.
“So far.” I glance around to see Bree and Jasper each holding one of the twins.
“We�
��re having a baby party. Sorry, we don’t have another one for you to hold, maybe next year?” Jasper deadpans.
“Bite your tongue!” Emma groans. “My God, I can’t imagine dealing with more diapers and less sleep right now!”
“Emma, promise you’ll call me anytime you need a hand?” Bree volunteers, making me groan. “I mean for afternoons out or date nights, we’ll just work it around the bar schedule.”
“Thank you, and some of the other Ol’ Ladies have offered, I just don’t know most very well and they have their kids to worry about also.” Emma looks longingly at Bree. “Jasper is stretched thin between here and the MC…”
“Hey, I told you, I’ll be here as much as I can!” Jas looks hurt at Emma’s comment.
“I know, and you do so much, but you’re as exhausted as I am and that isn’t fair.” Emma crosses back to him and Bree quietly leaves the room with one of the babies.
I follow her, letting Jas and Em talk.
I stand in the doorway to the bedroom across from the master and watch Bree put Ruth down.
“I have four grandkids, fifth on the way,” I share and she up and smiles at me. “Maybe you can come with me to meet them next time I go?”
“On your bike?” She looks up at me.
“We can ship your clothes down, so we aren’t riding too heavy, but it’s a beautiful trip.” I know I’m jumping the gun here. We haven’t talked about us yet but I need her to understand, all my thoughts of her are long term.
Pulling her into the guest bedroom, I simply stand there holding her for a few moments.
“I’d like that, but maybe we should go on a date first?” She smirks up at me.
“FINALLY. She sees the light!” I nearly shout, but she quickly covers my mouth so I won’t wake the babies. Still laughing we move towards the bed. “I’m exhausted tonight, can I stay with you? Just hold you, Doll?”
She nods and does that crazy maneuver women have where they remove their bras without taking off their tops. Slipping out of my cut, I sit down to remove my boots before I lay beside her; holding her tight.
“I missed you, Flint.” She murmurs. Her eyes were half-mast but suddenly open wide. “Wait! Is Flint your first name?”
“Uh-huh. My dad was a fan of the book and figured it sounded like a road name too.” I smile into her hair, remembering her Louis L’Amour comment the day we met. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for being the second Flint you’ve fallen in love with.”
*
I wake before Bree the next morning and head out to the Great Room, finding Jasper and Emma feeding one baby and changing the other.
“This is weird,” Jasper says before nodding at the coffee pot.
“What, we lived in the same clubhouse for years? Feel like I changed all your diapers at some point.” I respond after a swallow of the bitter brew, getting a laugh out of Emma.
“We didn’t get to updates last night,” Jasper changes the subject after a moment. “What’s the latest?”
“Jessup confirmed that my file had been removed from his office. His assistant hadn’t gotten around to the K’s yet, so he had no clue. He was wetting his pants last night. Insists that the police didn’t get any usable prints from his office. The rest of the client files will be audited by tonight and he promised not to go to Michaels if I was the only one; he has to otherwise.”
“Maybe Michaels would be useful? There are legitimate business owners who are being hurt?” Comes Bree’s voice from the hallway entrance, her arms crossed.
“I get that, Bree. I get that, but someone’s trying awfully fucking hard to get my attention here and I have to figure out the endgame before I’ll involve the Sheriff. And cutting up squirrels and shit? That’s like Grade A psycho material right there…” I pour her a cup of coffee as a peace offering.
“Jas, I still need to get to the clubhouse today.” Emma interrupts. “Betsy and I need to meet up about the budget and some parties coming up.”
“And I have work tonight,” Bree reminds me. Jas and I share a look between us.
“Can Betsy come out here? Wouldn’t that be easier?” I ask and Jasper exhales.
“Is that okay, Darlin’?” He asks Emma. “Or are you getting stir crazy? I know we have your check-up in town tomorrow…”
“Here is actually easier for me, I just didn’t know about inviting her over? Oh, Bree, have you met, um, I mean you know about the Girlies, right?” Emma suddenly looks panicked. Looking between me, Bree, and Jasper.
“I know,” Bree answers, turning to me. “Just so I’m not blindsided, Flint, did you screw her?”
“No,” I answer honestly, hating to confess this to Bree, let alone in front of Emma. “I did get a bit drunk not long after she rolled in four years ago, she, um, used her hand on me. I saw her in the daylight the next morning; I mean she’s probably 25 now. Last time I went to any of them, they’re just too fucking young.”
I never know what to expect from Bree and she doesn’t disappoint. As I’m trying to shrug off the shame I feel making that confession, she smiles and moves into my arms. Dodging my beard, she leans up to my ear and whispers that she loves me.
I growl and hold her face in my hands as I kiss her thoroughly.
“You’re it for me now,” I whisper back into her ear. “Got that?”
“Get a fucking room, my kids are out here!” Jasper laughs as Bree gives me that look. Emma laughs, but I notice she’s giving him her version of that look, also.
Chapter 17
Sheriff Michaels
Getting in this morning, I’m a bit surprised reading the log from the night before. Not often that “vagrants” get picked up around here so I tell Kennelly to hold off on releasing them. With all the issues around here lately, figure it’s worth looking into so I pull their IDs and that’s when things get interesting.
I’ve had one official murder in my jurisdiction in the five years I’ve been in office. Not that I’m stupid enough to think that murders haven’t been committed around here during that time. I was on the force for ten years before this office came open, my mentor and predecessor sat my ass down early on and told me the facts of this job.
The fucking MC rules the area, those of us with badges just put a pretty face on why we have little to no crime around here. Our best bet is to ignore them, or like the old Sheriff did, invest where they do.
The one gun-related murder in this area in the last five years was Rusty’s bar-back. I’d been in there and seen Bree on several nights, I’d seen her out walking her dog, and then really got a sense of her when she stormed into my office the first time Kennelly gave her a ticket for having her dog off-leash in an empty park.
I looked into her and knew her background. I had called my Navy buddy in Chicago, he’s a cop there now; I’d had her husband’s case file two months before Reynaldo’s brother came hunting her. That the cops never followed any leads in Chicago confirmed what my gut told me; she may have killed a man, but she sure as fuck didn’t kill an innocent man.
Randy was no innocent, so I kept the investigation superficial and will just have to sleep with that. Her eyes when I told her the case was closed eased me a bit. She may be a murderess but it weighs on her in a way that I don’t believe it will ever be repeated; more than any prison sentence could.
Her need to avenge her husband was a surprising turn-on for me, but Flint was there first; besides, I don’t want the women in town talking about me.
Now, I just have to figure out if our caged guests have a beef with Flint. They’ve been hitting the businesses he has a share in pretty hard.
*
Of the three kids in my jail cells, I could only track down 2 IDs; the third swears he’s 18, but he’s my weak link so I just nod along and get him to an interview room and get him a bagel from the break room.
I sit there watching him eat, letting him get comfortable.
“Been up from Utah long?” I ask before he takes his last bite. He immediately nods.
“Couple months,” He says without thinking then realizes that he wasn’t supposed to be admitting to anything.
“You wet your bed?” I throw out next, angering him. “That’s what they say about psychos that torture and skin defenseless animals.”
“I never fucking did anything lik…”
“Then which one of your buddies down there did?” I sit and watch him, he’s looking everywhere but at me. “You? You I peg for the rocks through the lady’s windows. Fingerprints are due back later today actually.” I lie my ass off.
“I wore…Fuck. Shit man,” Kid’s face is getting all red and he looks like he’s gonna cry now.
“I need to call your parents in here?”
“I don’t have any, and I’m eighteen. I told you that.” He insists, but I just sit there silently again. A few minutes later, he’s had all he can take of that. “What are you going to do with me? I didn’t kill no animals, I swear.”
“Flint Kelly.” I say, looking for his reaction. And there it is…I smile to myself. “Why don’t you come for a ride with me.”
“Uh, you letting us go?” For some reason, he looks like he wants to stay here now.
“Nah, your buddies are going to enjoy the cells a bit longer. Come on now.” I lead the way out and secure him in the back of my truck.
Bree
“How long have you and Jasper been together?” I ask Emma as we fold the laundry together.
“We met last fall. Went to the courthouse with Flint to make it official right after Christmas.” She smiles at the memory. “Betsy and Amy put together a party for us the next day.”
“Is Amy another Girlie?” I ask.
“Sorry, I forgot you haven’t met everyone – I’m just going to blame all lapses on new-mother-brain, alright?” She smiles and I see how easy Emma is to like. “Amy is Wrench’s Ol’ Lady, they have three kids. She’s really sweet, actually, Betsy is also; some of the other Girlies? Not so much.”