Hounds Ascend

by Erika Blount

  When they pulled into the parking lot of The Patio, the best barbecue joint in Mississippi, or so they said, Cass parked next to a line of bikes. There was a space roped off for motorcycle parking near the front entrance.

  Lilly could hear the band playing when Cass killed the bike. They were playing a cover of Wild Thing by Tone Loc.

  Cass hung his helmet on one of the handlebars and Lilly’s on the other.

  “Ready?” he asked, seeming more concerned than usual.

  “Of course.” Lilly gave him a smile of reassurance and took his hand as he led her through the packed restaurant. If it could even be considered a restaurant. Everything was outside under a large patio. With a metal roof, no walls and a concrete floor with a multitude of tables and chairs for seating. The great thing about April in the south was the unpredictability of the temperature. The weather was beautiful during the day, but after the sun went down, the temperature dropped a bit and it cooled off.

  Toward the back of the patio, Lilly spotted that familiar cut. A Hound from Oklahoma sat with his back to them, with Clayton on the other side of him and Linc in between the two. The men were laughing and cutting up when Lilly and Cass approached. Clayton’s eyes lit up when he saw them.

  “It’s ‘bout damn time y’all showed up.” Clayton stood up to greet them, pulling Lilly into a hug first then Cass.

  Lilly was almost taken aback by his friendly demeanor, only because she wasn’t sure what to expect from him.

  “Hey, old man.” Cass patted his father on the back mid-hug.

  “Easy, son. I ain’t old. I’m seasoned.”

  Cass pulled a chair out for Lilly next to Clayton, then took a seat between her and the other Oklahoma Hound. He has dark black hair and looks to be of Native American descent. His chocolate brown eyes are full of life and humor.

  “Lilly, this is Brock. He was like an uncle to me when I was growing up. The cool uncle that lets you get away with literally anything.”

  “Nice to meet you, Lilly.”

  “You too.”

  The only thing that made Lilly believe he was in a motorcycle club was the fact that he wore a cut. Other than that, everything about this man said loving grandfather that took his grandkids fishing every weekend and had never been into trouble a day in his life.

  Lilly was slowly learning that looks could be deceiving, though. That, and she was a terrible judge of people. She made a mental note to question her judgement on everything from here on out.

  Linc was grinning like a pig eating shit, listening to the stories that Clayton and Brock were telling. Clayton was talking about when he was prospecting and how different shit was back then than it is now, gaining an eye roll from Cass.

  “Can I get y’all something?”

  Lilly turned her head to find a short, chubby brunette with a nametag that stated her name was Sandy, standing next to her.

  “I’ll take a sweet tea, no lemon and…” Lilly trailed off. She hadn’t even looked at the menu.

  “Can we have the pulled pork platter? The family sized one with four sides for the table.” Clayton to the rescue with his order.

  “And another sweet tea…no lemon,” Cass said, before the waitress waltzed off toward what Lilly could only assume was the kitchen. It was the only part of this place that had walls and a door.

  “We were waiting on y’all to get here before we ordered.”

  “Thank you. So, what brings yall into town?” Cass asked, directing his question more toward Clayton than Brock.

  “Same as you, I suppose. Heard the Highway Sinners were having a big shindig and since they are a brother club of ours, then it’s only right for us to show our faces.”

  “Fair enough.”

  The waitress returned to their table with Lilly and Cass’s teas and a refill of whatever Clayton had been drinking. She set them down, then scurried back off to the kitchen.

  “So, Lilly. What made a pretty girl like you get hooked up with an outlaw like Cass?” Clayton asked, eyeing her curiously.

  Lilly almost choked on the sip of tea she was drinking. She coughed and put her hand to her mouth. “Sorry, excuse me.” She cleared her throat then proceeded.

  “I guess I just like to live on the wilder side of things in life,” she said smugly, setting her glass down.

  Clayton’s serious façade fell away and was replaced by a deep chuckle. “Yeah, you’d have to in order to fit in around here.”

  “What about you? What drew you to be an outlaw?” she retorted.

  “Oh, you know. Prep school was too boring, so I decided to be everything they taught me not to be.”

  Lilly laughed at his light demeanor.

  “Alright, Clayton. Quit flirting with my girl,” Cass chimed in.

  “What? I ain’t flirting. We just having a friendly conversation.”

  “Mm-hmm. I know how friendly you are.”

  Lilly was laughing at their exchange. They sounded like two high school boys.

  “Friendly I am? Hmmph.”

  “Reminds me of when Cass was a kid. He never met a damn stranger and you couldn’t shut him up.” That was the first time Brock engaged in the conversation they were having. He looked as if he had gone back to whatever instance he was referring to. He had a smile on his face as he continued.

  “I had only seen him around club for the longest time, but the first time I saw him out in public around other people, it amazed me. Around us, he grew up with us, so we weren’t strangers. I never expected him to act that way with just any Joe Blow off the street, but damn was I wrong.”

  Cass hung his head, his fingers intertwined and resting on his forehead. From the looks of it, he had heard this story a thousand times and it wasn’t one he cared to hear again, but didn’t have much of a choice.

  “He couldn’t have been any older than four when we took a club ride to the county fair. It was a family thing, so Clayton brought Cass. We were walking around the fair, letting the kids ride rides and eat fried everything when this lady walked toward us. She wasn’t just any lady, either. She was gorgeous. Long blonde hair, rocking body in daisy dukes and cut off tank top.

  “Cass walks up to her, smacks her on the ass and tells her to meet him at the clubhouse later. She couldn’t even be mad at him because he was so serious it was priceless.”

  Brock finished his story through bouts of laughter at the memory. Lilly was laughing as she looked at Cass, astonished. Not much has changed.

  “So, you’re telling me he’s been social and in control since he was four?” she asked.

  “Yep. No changing this one, doll. He’s carved in stone.” Brock lay his hand on Cass’s shoulder, shaking him gently. This was the quietest Lilly had ever seen Cass around other people. Normally, being around people, he was in his element. But this? Something about him almost bowed down to these men. It was admirable. He respected the hell out of the two men sitting at that table, that much was evident.

  Their waitress returned with two massive platters of food and a stack of paper plates, napkins and utensils. “Y’all enjoy.”

  She set their trays down on the table and walked off.

  Brock eyed her as she walked away. “Could’ve at least refilled our damn drinks,” he mumbled, more to himself. He didn’t seem like the type to cause a scene or complain.

  Clayton passed out plates with napkins and utensils before everyone filled their plates and the chatter at the table died down as they began eating. Lilly understood why The Patio was the best place in south Mississippi to get barbecue when she tasted theirs. The pulled pork was the best pulled pork she’d ever tasted. There was something different going on with the barbecue sauce that was unlike any other.

  Everyone dug in, stuffing their faces with the delicious food. Linc had been quiet since Lilly and Cass had shown up, listening and watching more than interacting. Which was a good thing since Cass always said a good prospect has two eyes, two ears and no mouth.

  “You three got anything planned to
night?” Clayton asked, bringing a napkin to his mouth and wiping the excess barbecue sauce that threatened to drip from his mustache.

  “Nope. Our only plans were to meet you for dinner. After that, we were going to wing it.” Cass shrugged his shoulders when Clayton shot him a questioning look.

  “Good. We’re going to the pool hall down the street, then.”

  “It’s been a while since we’ve shot, old man.” Cass’s eyes danced with amusement. Lilly was missing something, but she was certain Cass was taunting his father.

  “How long?” Lilly asked, the words out of her mouth before she could stop them. Curiosity was getting the best of her. How long had it been since they’d been around one another?

  “Five years. That’s a long trip for an old man,” Clayton teased.

  Cass chuckled. “Oh, horse shit. You could make that trip with your eyes closed. Unless…I mean unless you really are getting old.”

  “Watch it. Old people don’t fight, they shoot.”

  Cass put his hands up in surrender, his smile mirroring the one on Clayton’s face. Now that Lilly was looking at them both from almost the same angle, she could see the resemblance. They had the same hairline and color, but Clayton’s had a little more salt than pepper. Their eyes were identical, and they had the same mouth.

  They both had an intriguing sense of humor, too. Lilly realized that their “bickering” wasn’t bickering at all. That was normal. That was their way of picking at each other.

  Something Lilly noticed that was odd to her was the fact that Cass was always in control, but whenever Clayton said something, it was law. That’s what they were doing, and Cass didn’t question it or contest it. It clicked in her head, then. That’s where Cass got it from, no doubt.

  “Did you teach Cass how to shoot pool?” Lilly asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

  A sly smirk crossed Clayton’s face. “I don’t know. Cass, did I?” he asked.

  Cass huffed. “Yeah, eventually. After he kicked my ass constantly for about three years. He taught me before I was a teenager.”

  “No wonder you stomped my ass on the table.”

  “You shoot?” Clayton raised a curious brow at Lilly.

  “Kinda. I try sometimes.” She shrugged.

  “She’s actually not a bad shot.” Cass beamed with pride like Lilly was the trophy he’d just brought home to show his dad from a competitive sport.

  “Then I can’t wait to see her shoot.”

  Clayton looked around the table and his gaze fell on Linc. “Linc, what’s got you so quiet?”

  “Nothing at all. I’m just listening.”

  Brock and Clayton shared a look of…understanding? Lilly wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, they seemed to be on the same page about it. Looked like a good thing to her, too, which made her happy for Linc. She could tell he wanted a position in this club more than anything and the fact that two old-timers just shared a look like that about a prospect had to mean he was doing something right.

  “I think you’re gonna do just fine here, boy,” Clayton said.

  He chuckled before taking another bite of his food. The table got quiet as they finished their meal. Lilly felt a hand on her leg and she looked up to lock eyes with Cass. He smirked at her before turning his attention back to his food without removing his hand. It was a simple gesture, but Lilly found it cute and it gave her butterflies.

  Once they were done and the waitress had cleared the table, Clayton paid the bill and they were on the road toward the Sinners’ clubhouse to hang out for a little while and ask about a good place to shoot pool.

  “Long time no see,” Micah greeted them when they walked through the door.

  It looked different today. Cleaner. Less stripper-filled. There were a few guys around that Lilly could see, but for the most part, it was pretty laid back. Clayton, Cass, Brock, and Micah disappeared down the hall. Micah was saying something about a book he wanted to show them. Lilly had learned quick that if the men were talking, you stayed out of ear shot and minded your own business. Too many ol’ ladies didn’t understand that concept, but to Lilly it made sense. It was their business, and she stayed out of it.

  The Sinners’ clubhouse was smaller than theirs in Baton Rouge. The bar was set up in a horse-shoe shape with a set of double doors behind it, leading to what Lilly assumed was the kitchen. The double doors opened, and Raven emerged. From the glimpse Lilly caught, she’d have to say she was right. It was definitely a kitchen. Counter tops filled with trays of food were behind the doors, and Raven was carrying a pot of something that smelled delicious.

  “Hey!” Raven exclaimed, almost dropping the pot in her hands.

  “Hello, darlin’.” Lilly tried not to laugh at Raven’s excitement.

  Raven set the pot down on the bar and ran over to wrap Lilly in a hug. Lilly embraced her and stumbled a bit when the force in Raven’s hug nearly knocked her over. She let out a laugh, pulling back to kiss Raven on the cheek.

  “Are you hungry?” Raven asked, walking back behind the bar.

  “Oh, god no. We just came from dinner at The Patio.”

  “Then I know you’re definitely not hungry! Their food there is so delish!”

  “Hey, do you need help carrying anything?” Lilly asked, noticing that Raven was also trying to grab something from behind bar.

  “Actually, if you could carry this tray,” Raven held up a tray of finger sandwiches and Lilly swiftly grabbed it from her.

  “I’d be happy to,” Lilly beamed, following behind Raven who had started down the hallway that the guys had disappeared down.

  The hallway was wide, the walls filled with pictures of the club members. Most photos were signed and framed and from the black and white color and the clothing style, they weren’t new photos. Lilly didn’t recognize any of the men in the photos until they were nearly at the end of the hallway. The final few were of the guys that are here now.

  From the looks of it, they were pretty recent too. Lilly followed Raven through a door that opened up into what looked similar to a pool hall. There were multiple pool tables scattered throughout, the floor was a generic carpet that most pool halls hosted, and instead of a liquor bar off to the side, there was an island filled with food, plates, and utensils.

  Lilly was starting to understand that this was their version of a game room. She wondered if the clubhouse in Baton Rouge had a game room. She’d been so agitated that she had to be stuck there that she’d barely left her room in the two weeks she was there. She didn’t know what all the Baton Rouge clubhouse entailed and now she was silently kicking herself in the ass for not exploring it.

  Around the island, she found Cass, Micah, and Clayton talking and pointing to something in front of them. They were standing on the far side of it, facing the door that Lilly and Raven had just walked through. Almost in unison, the three of them looked up at the women approaching them.

  Cass’s signature smile lit up his face as his eyes connected with Lilly’s. For a moment, they were the only two in the room. Lilly felt his eyes on her, down to her core, scorching a trail from her neck to her waist and back up again. It wasn’t until she almost tripped over a chair that she swore wasn’t there before she walked by it that she remembered they weren’t alone.

  That earned her a chuckle from the three of them, Cass’s eyes apologetic as he fought to contain the amusement on his face. Lilly felt her cheeks redden as all eyes were focused on her now. Even Raven had stopped and turned to see what had the guys’ attention.

  “Watch out for those chairs, they tend to jump out at you,” Clayton teased.

  “I saw that! Damn things.” Lilly shook her head in joking disapproval, earning her a smile from Cass.

  Raven set the pot down on the table, barely leaving enough room for the sandwich tray. She took it from Lilly and started rearranging the table to better accommodate the array of snacks. The pot she had carried was now in front of Lilly and she saw that it was filled with a cheese dip.

&
nbsp; While she was observing the rest of the table, a hand grabbed her arm. She followed it to find Cass standing next to her.

  “Hi,” he beamed.

  “Hi,” she said, her voice sweet and soft.

  “Come here often?” The one line he used all the time still made her smile widen every time he asked.

  “Nope. Not here.” She smiled.

  “How about over there?” He pointed to the pool tables.

  “Nope. Not over there either, but I have come on a pool table before.” She nudged him lightly with her elbow. Cass slid his tongue across his bottom lip before pulling it back in his mouth.

  “Mmm, yes you have.”

  “Speaking of pool tables…” Lilly trailed off, a grin on her face at the defeated expression on Cass’s.

  “About that. We were talking to Micah and he said the best pool tables in town are right here and they’re free.”

  “Sounds perfect to me. Let’s flip for the break.”

  “No, no, no. How about we lag for the break?” he asked, his eyebrows arched.

  Lilly looked at him, confusion etched on her face. “What’s that?”

  “It’s where we both take a cue ball and shoot it down the table. Whoever can make it bounce off that rail and roll back toward them, getting as close to the rail they shot from without hitting it, wins. Look, I’ll show you,” he said, already in route to grab a cue off the wall.

  He got down to shoot, aimed the cue ball straight at the rail opposite him, and shot. The ball rolled at a low to average speed as it connected with the rail and began rolling back toward him. It stopped at the third diamond from the rail he started with.

  “See, if you would’ve shot and your ball would’ve gotten closer to the rail than mine, then you break, and I rack. Get it?” he asked.

  Lilly’s gears were turning in her head, wondering how she was going to beat him at his own game. She shook her head yes in understanding and grabbed another cue ball from a nearby table.

  She walked to the wall and pulled the heaviest cue they had down and met Cass at the head of the pool table. Before she laid down on the cue to shoot, she kissed Cass on the cheek.