by L. Wilder
When I pulled through the gate, I saw that Murphy was already busy checking the trailers. I parked, then walked over to give him a hand. “Hey, brother. What do you need me to do?”
“You can start bringing the crates over so we can get them loaded.” He motioned his hand towards the clubhouse garage. “Shadow and Riggs are already inside.”
“Will do.”
I walked over to the garage, and when I stepped inside, I found Riggs and Shadow stacking the crates onto the dollies. “Murphy is ready to start loading.”
“Good timing.” Shadow glanced over his shoulder as he said, “Give us a hand with the rest.”
I nodded, then walked over and got to work. In no time, all the crates were loaded into the hidden compartments of the horse trailers. Once everything was secured, Rider and Hyde led the horses inside the trailers. We’d brought them over from Gus’s place, and like all the times before, we used them to conceal the hidden compartments even more than they already were. As soon as they were settled inside, we were set to roll out right on time. Gus came over, and after he checked everything one last time, he gave the nod. “All right, boys. Looks good. Remember to keep your head in the game and no fuck ups.”
“You got it, Prez.”
Murphy motioned over to the rest of us, and we started loading up. I got in the SUV with him and Shadow, while Gauge, Blaze, and Hyde drove with Riggs. With both trailers hitched behind us, we started towards Mobile to meet up with Ronin. It was still hours before sunrise, so it was no surprise that the ride there was quiet. It took some time for us to shake that early morning haze, but by the time we arrived at the dock, we were ready to get the job done. After we parked, Murphy got out of the SUV to check in with Ronin. It was then that I noticed all the Coast Guard boats monitoring the port. I looked over to Shadow. “You seeing this shit?”
“Hard to fucking miss. What the hell is Ronin thinking?”
“No way we’re going to be able to get this shit loaded without someone seeing us.”
Shadow opened his door. “We need to see what the fuck is going on.”
I followed him over to Murphy and Ronin. Shadow wasn’t a man who fucked around, especially when it came to matters of the club, so I wasn’t surprised when he charged up to Ronin and pointed out to the water. “What the fuck, man? Thought you were gonna handle this shit.”
“Like I was telling Murphy, I’ve got it taken care of.”
“Oh really?” I knew it was Murphy’s job, as sergeant-at-arms, to deal with Ronin and the exchange, but the situation was making it difficult for me to get a grip on my frustration. “’Cause from where I’m standing, I don’t see you handling a damn thing!”
“You’ll see.”
“What the fuck? You need to get to talking and tell us what the fuck is going on, or there’s gonna be all kinds of hell to pay.”
“I get that you’re pissed about all this, and I am too,” Ronin tried to explain, “but right now you’re all just gonna have to trust me. I need you to get back in your trucks and hold tight for a minute.”
“Fine,” Murphy bit out, then glanced back over his shoulder as we headed towards the SUVs. “You’ve got five minutes.”
Once we’d gotten back in the truck, Shadow looked over to Murphy and said, “I don’t know about this, Murph. Last thing we need is the fucking Coast Guard on our ass.”
Just as Murphy was about to respond, a thunderous roar shook the SUV, and our attention was quickly drawn out to the water. About a mile and a half out, there was a massive ball of flames engulfing a boat. I was completely blown away as I watched the smoke billow into the sky. “What the fuck was that?”
“That would be Ronin.”
“He blew up a fucking boat?”
“Apparently so.”
I looked back over to the water and watched the Coast Guard immediately change course and head towards the fire and wreckage. Once they were mostly out of sight, Ronin motioned over to us, and we knew it was time to move. Murphy got out first, and as soon as he was certain all was clear, he gave us the nod. We immediately rushed to the trailers. I could hear the others talking about the explosion as we waited for Rider and Hyde to move the horses out of the trailers. After they’d gotten them sorted, Shadow barked, “Move it, boys. We don’t have much time on our hands.”
Without hesitating, I went into the first trailer and unlocked the hidden compartment. Once we had them all unloaded and the crates stacked on the dollies, we moved to the second trailer. I was busy unlocking the main compartment when I heard Gauge say, “It’s official. Ronin is my fucking hero.”
“I gotta admit”—Gunner chuckled—“that was pretty fucking smart.”
“Yeah, but wouldn’t it have been easier to just change ports?” Riggs asked, sounding concerned.
I put the lock in my pocket, and when I stepped out of the way, Gauge reached in and started pulling out the crates. A smirk crossed his face as he looked over to Riggs and said, “Maybe, but what’s the fun in that.”
“None of this shit is about being fun, brother,” Blaze barked. “He can’t blow up a goddamn boat every time we need to make an exchange.”
“He’s aware,” Murphy told him.
“Good. Now, let’s get this shit done.”
Not wasting any time, we stacked the remainder of the crates and pushed the dollies down to Ronin’s boat, a souped-up seventy-foot yacht, and took them below deck, hiding them beneath the storage compartments. Once they were all loaded, we got the horses back in the trailers, and in no time, we were on our way back to Memphis. We hadn’t been riding long when Murphy announced, “We need to stop to fuel up and grab something to eat.”
“Usual spot?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
I nodded, then sent a message to Gauge, letting them know that we’d be taking the next exit. Not long after, we were pulling up to the diner where we’d stopped many times before and parked. As we headed towards the entrance, I heard Rider say, “I still can’t believe he blew up a fucking boat.”
“You’re just jealous that you didn’t think of it.” Gauge taunted him.
“Maybe just a little.”
They continued back and forth into the diner. Once we were seated, they carried on with their banter even as we placed our orders. While waiting for the server to return, we talked about everything from the run to work in the garage. Our food had just been brought over to the table when I overheard Murphy say, “Yeah, we gotta be careful when we get them together. You never know what those women will come up with.”
“You got that right.” Rider shook his head. “I still can’t believe they actually wanted to float the fucking Buffalo.”
“It had to be the beer talking,” Gunner replied with a chuckle. “Once one of them saw a fucking water moccasin, it would’ve been all over.”
“Yeah, that or a fucking tree in the river. Nothing worse than getting caught up in one of those damn things,” Rider grumbled.
“I don’t know,” I told them both as I took a bite of my burger. “The right day with a cooler full of beer, some good tunes, and sweet lookin’ women in bikinis, and a man could have a damn good time.”
Blaze glanced over at me with a smile. “The man’s got a point.”
“Maybe, but he’d need to find him an ol’ lady before that can happen.” Hyde snickered.
“He’ll find one soon enough.” Blaze gave me a wink. “Maybe sooner than you think.”
Hyde’s smile quickly faded as he asked, “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, brother.” Blaze smirked as he picked up his burger. “Nothing at all.”
“Can I get you guys anything else?” the waitress asked, bringing an end to Blaze and Hyde’s conversation.
“Nope. We’re all good.”
After we finished eating, Shadow paid the check, and everyone headed back out to the trucks. After we checked the horses and fueled up, we started back towards Memphis. We were following behind Rigg
s and had just crossed the state line into Mississippi when one of the back tires on their trailer blew, causing it to sway dangerously across the white line. Murphy followed behind Riggs as he eased over to the shoulder and stopped. We all got out to lend a hand and to check on the horses while Shadow pulled out the spare and jack. Just as Shadow started to crank the jack, our attention was drawn to the flashing lights behind us. Dread washed over me as I watched the state trooper get out of his car and start over to us. “You boys okay?”
“Yes, sir. Just trying to get this flat changed so we can be on our way,” Blaze answered.
“Hmmm.” The cop clicked his tongue as he glanced around the trailer. Maybe it was his snarled-up nose or the hillbilly sideburns he was sporting, but there something about the guy that gave me an uneasy feeling. I knew we didn’t have anything to worry about. We’d already unloaded the weapons, but I still didn’t like the fact that he was snooping around our shit. If their expressions were any indication, I’d say my brothers felt the same way. “You boys been down to a rodeo or something?”
“No, sir. No rodeo this time.” Blaze motioned over to the horses as he told him, “We just bought these beauties for the ranch.”
“That right?” Clearly suspicious, the cop stepped over to Blaze and asked, “You got a bill of sale for ’em?”
“Yes, sir. We sure do,” Riggs nodded as he started towards the front of the truck. “I’ll grab them for you.”
Riggs had just opened the door when the cop said, “That’s all right, son. Don’t worry about it.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, It’s fine.” He glanced down at Shadow as he asked, “You need a hand with that?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Well, all right then. I’ll let you boys get to it. I’m gonna stay until you get the flat taken care of.” The officer gave us a quick wave, then walked over to his patrol car and sat there with his flashers on. Knowing he couldn’t hear me, I looked over to Riggs and asked, “You actually got a bill of sale for the horses?”
“Fuck no. I was just calling his bluff.” Riggs shook his head. “That guy was a real fucking asshole.”
“Don’t disagree with you there.” I shook my head. “But then, most cops are.”
As soon as the flat was replaced, the cop pulled off, and then we got back on the road. We were all relieved when we finally pulled through the gates of the clubhouse.
Everyone was busy unloading when Alyssa pulled up to the gate. She spoke to the prospect on guard, then sped over to us. The second she got out of the car, I knew something was wrong. She was still wearing her work clothes, and even in the dark, I could tell that her eyes were puffy from crying. My chest tightened as I listened to her voice tremble when she called out to Hyde. “Clay!”
“Alyssa?” He rushed over her as he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I saw him,” she cried. “He’s here.”
6
Alyssa
“What the fuck are you talking about, Lyssa?”
I couldn’t say the words. I was too upset, crying too hard. I hated that Lucas could still get to me after all these years, but there was little I could do to stop it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to pull myself together. My hands were shaking as I struggled to breathe.
“Are you sure it was him?”
“Yes, it was ... h-him,” I stammered, biting back my tears. “I’m sure of it.”
The vein in his neck started to pulse and his face grew red as he growled, “Tell me what happened!”
I wasn’t surprised by his reaction. Since we were kids, Clay had always had a short fuse, especially when it came to me. He did his best to look after me and my mother, and since my father died, he’d become even more protective. I didn’t want to rattle him any more than I already had, so I inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. Once I’d gathered myself a little, I explained, “I was leaving work ... about to get in my car, and that’s when I saw him.”
“Where was he?”
“In the parking lot.” I thought back to the moment I’d recognized Lucas’s smug face and how he was laughing while he talked to the man and woman walking next to him. He seemed like he didn’t have a care in the world, whereas I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under my feet. “He was going into the Peabody with some other people.”
“And you’re sure it was him?”
“Yes. There’s no doubt in my mind.” I wiped the tears from my face. “That guy’s face has been burned into my memory. There’s no way I would ever mistake him for someone else.”
“Goddamn it.” I could almost feel the anger radiating off him as he paced back and forth. “I thought you were done with this motherfucker.”
In hopes of calming him down, I stepped over to Clay and said, “Maybe tonight was just a one-time thing. Maybe he was just visiting friends or something, and he’ll be leaving soon.”
“Goddamn it!” He raised his fist and slammed it into my car, denting the hood. “I should’ve killed him when I had the fucking chance!”
“Clay … Stop!” I threw my hands up in the air. “This isn’t helping anything.”
“What do you want from me here?”
“Not this!” I motioned my hand towards the huge dent in my hood. “This isn’t helping anything.”
“I just got carried away.”
I opened the door and got inside, then snapped, “I shouldn’t have come.”
“Wait, Lyssa. I’m sorry. I’ll fix your hood first thing tomorrow.”
“Just forget it.”
I don’t know why I’d gotten so angry with my brother. He was just trying to look out for me and had let his emotions get the best of him. I should’ve accepted his apology, but I was just too worked up. I slammed the car door shut, then sped out of the clubhouse parking lot. By the time I got to my house, my anger at Clay had dissipated; instead, my fear had returned. Once I was inside, I locked all the doors, then turned on every light in the house. Deep down, I knew I was being crazy. Lucas didn’t know where I lived, and it was doubtful he had any idea that I was even in the city limits, but seeing him tonight in that parking lot rattled me, bringing back all those feelings of helplessness I’d tried so hard to overcome. I went into the kitchen and took out a bottle of wine from the fridge. After I poured myself a large glass, I went to my room and changed into my sleep shorts and an oversized hoodie. I’d just crawled on top of my bed when my phone chimed with a text message.
Beckett:
Are you okay?
Me:
No, not really.
Beckett:
I’ll be there in ten.
I should’ve told him not to come. I was a complete mess and hated the idea of him seeing me this way, but I didn’t want to be alone. I picked up my glass of wine and finished it off, then went to the kitchen for another—and then another. I was just starting to feel the effects when I heard a knock at the door. Beckett was standing on my porch wearing a pair of worn jeans and a dark t-shirt along with his cut. He hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and his eyes looked tired, which made the fact that he’d come to see me at such a late hour even more thoughtful. I could hear the concern in his voice as he said, “Hey, how ya making it?”
“I’ve been better.”
“I see that.” As soon as he stepped inside and took a quick glance around, the concerned expression on his face only grew more intense when he noticed that every light in my house was on. Once I’d locked the door, he turned to me and said, “I heard you talking to Clay.”
“Yeah.” I walked over and sat down on the sofa. “I figured that’s why you messaged me.”
“You wanna tell me about what happened?”
“No.” I took big sip of my wine. “I’d really rather not talk about it.”
“Then we won’t.”
He took off his cut, then sat down next to me and didn’t say anything more. For the first time since I’d seen Lucas in the parking lot of the Peabody, I fe
lt like I could actually breathe. Almost an hour had passed when I looked over to him and said, “Thank you, Beckett.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m exactly where I want to be.”
I didn’t know what it was about him that made me feel so safe. This big, badass biker guy lived in a world that I’d never truly understood, but his strength and calm nature made me feel protected, like nothing—not even Lucas Brant—could hurt me. I curled up next to him, and it wasn’t long before I dozed off. I had no idea how long I’d been sleeping when I felt myself being lifted up and carried down the hall to my room. Beckett carefully lowered me down onto the bed, and as he pulled the covers over me, I looked up at him and said, “Please don’t go.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Lyssa. I’ll be on the sofa if you need me.”
“Okay.”
He turned out the lights, and I watched as he walked out into the hallway. Knowing that he was just in the next room, I was able to fall right back to sleep. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to keep me asleep. It was almost three when I woke up in a panic. There was no way I’d be able to go back to sleep, so I got out of bed and started towards the kitchen to make myself something to eat. I noticed that the TV was on in the living room and figured Beckett had nodded off until I heard him ask, “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I leaned into the room. “I was just going to grab a bite to eat. Can I get you anything?”
“No.” He held up a bag of chips. “I’m good.”
“Okay.” I pulled out a bag of Oreos and poured myself a glass of milk, then went back into the living room. “Mind if I join you?”