Preacher pulled out a paper and sat it on top, “The records are up-to-date on every ride we have done for the charities Black Hawk contributes to. We have two we schedule every year, the funds we make go a long way in helping these groups. The Boys Ranch and the Girls Ranch provide an opportunity for kids who have lost their way to get on the right track again. When the one for the Boys Ranch is held, it is only the men who participate in the ride. The Girls Ranch ride includes the women of the club because they run that one, but since most of the ol’ ladies don’t ride their own bikes, the Black Hawk men join in on it. We expect the same turnout and fund goal for this year.” Preacher looked over at Flyboy.
Flyboy, the VP, was the only one who didn’t open the file in front of him and thank God, the fucker was full and had to be a couple inches thick. We’d be in Church till next week if he went over each.
“The newest thing is filed and ready to be operational if the plants Cruz told us about meet the specifications. I made several calls to the government and I got it approved that Boss and Turk can continue to grow marijuana for medicinal purposes. We had to jump through a few hoops, call in a few markers but it went through. There are a few guidelines that will have to be followed and Boss and Turk have those. We should be in compliance within two months.
“I have all the paperwork ready with the changes that are required for the Black Hawk Corp and its subsidiaries. The forms just need to be notarized and filed in the courts by an attorney. That finishes my part, Prez.” Flyboy looked over at Stroker who stood and then looked at me and slid his eyes over the others. It was time for us I guess.
“Crusher, Speed, Coast, Devil, Flirt, and Jag sit in front us today for not informing the club of an issue until it was partially settled. With that being said, I would like to cover a little of what these members have done for this club. They have never failed to support any member who needed something taken care or just someone to talk with. From putting a roof on the garage, to repairing Soft Tails every other weekend when it would get trashed inside from fights. In that aspect they have been the perfect members.
“Now as a dad to one of these gentleman, I would like to speak to this club. Me and the gentlemen beside me, including the empty chair to represent Cutter, raised these six, but not alone. They were raised within Black Hawk, with every member playing a part. And at times, they were thorns in the same members’ sides with the mischief that young boys can get into. We celebrated achievements with them, we even cried as a club when they were given the choice to leave so they could experience the world to see if this is where they wanted to be, and they took it. Not one member voiced their concern as each year passed by and they continued to stay away making their homes elsewhere.
“They came back one by one to Black Hawk and as their parents we had hopes they would take over this club in time after learning how the inner dealings of it worked.” Stroker stopped and picked up the glass of water in front of him and took a drink.
I don’t know how the others felt about what Stroker was saying, but the quiver in his voice that I picked up on, shook me. It was like a father pleading his son’s case before a jury. For a brief second the thought of what I would do without this club had me sick to my stomach. This was home and no matter where I was sent in the military, Black Hawk was the one thing I knew that would still be here when I came back. Stroker looked out at the members again.
“As parents we wanted them to succeed and hoped they took our teachings to heart and could run Black Hawk like us. Speed in his short time back filled Cutter’s position already. Son, know your dad is here in spirit participating in this.” Stroker turned to the others who stood, putting each of them shoulder to shoulder. I imagine as young men in the military they were intimidating.
“What they have done is surpass us at every turn. From the young men who left for their own adventures in life to the men who sit in front of us now—they have proven they are ready to take Black Hawk over and keep it thriving into the future. So as President of Black Hawk and my last order of business and with the unanimous member votes—I turn this club over to my son, Russell “Crusher” Davis, Black Hawk’s new president and his fellow leaders. May their reign be as enjoyable as ours.” Stroker smiled and held out the patch to me. I stood and walked to him, taking the patch in my hand and looking down at it.
To say I was speechless would be an understatement, I looked over my shoulder at my friends and smiled. In a way, we had spent our entire lives preparing for this moment. I looked back at Stroker, it couldn’t have been easy on him or the other dads to deal with six boys and yet, they’d done it, not once complaining. I couldn’t have picked a better dad even if I had been giving the choice. I grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug, I owed this man a lot and I loved him.
No one had yet spoken or made a sound. Stroker stepped back after I released him. “Well, Prez, you might want to have the others hand their patches over and then maybe end this meeting so we can have a drink and attend that celebration cookout the women are putting together.”
I turned to the other dads whose grins split their faces. “Enjoy retirement, gentlemen, and know your legacy is in good hands.” Preacher, Romeo, Cruz, and Flyboy held out the patches for their sons to take from them. The exchange was made and I faced the club as the Prez for the first time.
“We’d like to thank you for your trust, your loyalty, and most important, your friendships. Now let’s end this meeting and fucking celebrate.” The men stood and the club exploded with noise. We were hugged and slapped on the back so many times I would have sworn something was going to get knocked loose inside me.
“Holy shit, when that started I thought we were done,” Jag walked up beside me. We’d finally gotten a break in the congratulations. Our dads joined the other members in a toast for all their years taking care of them. Each of us would talk with our dad later, that would be the father/son private moment on what took place today.
“I know, thought you were right and we pissed them off. Was worried there a second that we were getting kicked out.” I shook my head. They’d pulled off a good one. None of us had had a clue.
“That shit was so fucked up.” Coast walked up to join me and Jag. Speed, Flirt, and Devil walked toward us.
“Did you ever think this day was actually going to come? I thought for sure they would drag it out,” Flirt said.
“Me too,” Devil said.
“You don’t know how close I came to ripping my fuckin’ patch off when that shit started. Only thing kept me from doing was the respect for them,” Speed said.
We talked with members, and shook hands until the only ones left in Soft Tails was the five dads and us. At the bar, shots were poured and a toast for the future and the shots were thrown back. Stroker’s phone rang just as we set the shot glasses back on the bar.
It couldn’t be good, and I sure as fuck hoped it wasn’t the sheriff calling because someone wrecked. But while he listened to the caller his eyes met mine.
“Yeah, we are still here. Got it covered, Sue. Uh huh, stay in your house. We will be there in less than five. Don’t do anything to let on you know.” Stroker disconnect the call.
“Stone and his buddy are in town. They are held up in Sami’s old place,” he paused and my stomach dropped.
No fucking way, I left her in bed. She was going to help Sami so there was no way she was there.
“Sue was leaving for the cookout while Carly was arriving. They spoke for a few minutes and Carly went in and Sue left for the clubhouse.
“Sue had gotten halfway to the club and remembered the potato salad. When she went back and as she walked to the kitchen, she noticed two men entering in the house. Crusher, Carly is in the house with them.”
Fuuuck! I was going to need to focus if I was going to get to her. I just got her, no way I was going to lose her now.
“I going to kill that fucker with my bare hands!” Speed yelled.
The others moved in. “We need
a plan of action. And, Dad, I hope you have the keys on you.” Soft Tails was club owned and all our businesses had a few surprises in the structure because you never knew when you would need something.
Cruz stepped around the bar and with the key in hand he stuck it in the lock that was hidden by a small picture on the wall. When he turned it, the wall of booze slid off to the side and the guns were displayed.
We talked about how we would handle this while we got what we needed from the wall and the ammo to go with.
Speed even called Wild Bill, told him we were going after Stone and the man, Jacks. They talked for a minutes and Speed hung up.
“Wild Bill’s men are on their way down for pick up. Said he’d appreciate it if they were alive but would understand if they weren’t. You going to be alright to do this, brother?” Speed waited for my reply.
“You bet your ass. Let’s go get my woman.” I didn’t wait for any responses, I turned and headed toward the door.
Chapter Seventeen
Carly
The man that stood in the kitchen that I hadn’t seen in over five years had aged. Grey had taken over most of his brown hair. His face was ruddy and his eyes were sunken with circles around them. Evidently being on the run had taken its toll. His body looked in no better shape, he lost the muscles he once had in abundance, his clothes hung on the smaller frame.
At one time I might have cowed in front of him but now, not so much. I’d grown up, came into my own and left everything to do with him behind me.
“Got nothing to say, little girl?” When he opened his mouth to talk, his teeth showed the years of drinking and of tweaking.
“Yeah, I got shit to say. You made the wrong move today. You always boasted how smart you are. That no one could get anything over on you. Your ass was stupid then and what little you might have had, by the looks of you, you drank that away,” I said it before that my mouth was going to get me in a shit ton of trouble as he moved toward me and slapped me across my face. The shit stung but I wouldn’t let him have even that on me.
“You watch your goddamn mouth. You look like that cunt of a mother when I met her. And you aren’t no better either. I’ve seen you, you fucking the biker from Black Hawk. You think he’s going to make you his ol’ lady because you spread your legs. Your mother tried for years to get that fucker to make her his, and all he did was keep knocking her up. Took the one kid from her so she ran so he couldn’t get you. He knew she was pregnant, he just didn’t want you. Hell, no one did.
“Now get your scrawny ass into the living room. Wild Bill always did like you and since I couldn’t get to the princess and that little heathen, you are the next best thing. Killing you will be just as good as them. Black Hawk will mourn and so will Haven, leaving both of the clubs weak. But what I’m counting on is they’ll blame each other and while they are fighting, the few men still loyal to me will set about taking Haven. That damn club was meant to be mine.”
Jacks grabbed my arm and when he shoved me in the chair, his hand moved over my breast and he squeezed. “Gonna have a little fun with you before I kill you.” He stepped back and I kicked my leg out, catching his knee and causing it to buckle under him. He stood and backhanded my other cheek with such force my head jerked to the side.
“Quit fucking around, Jacks, and look for shit we can pawn. Going to need some cash when it’s time to move on Haven.”
“Haven is going to take you down and I can only imagine what Shock and Freak will think up for you.”
“Shut the fuck up. You don’t know dick. Those fuckers couldn’t find me in almost six years,” he sneered.
“Wrong there too, asswipe. They will come for you. The only reason they didn’t find you before, is because they didn’t lift the right rock.” They had to be getting out of Church. Crusher would go to the cookout and Sami would tell him where I was. Or even Sue would. I just had to buy some time.
“Go in the kitchen and see if you can find a towel and some tape. Her ass needs gagged.” He walked over and stood in front of me and Jacks headed toward the kitchen. He took the back of his hand and ran it down my cheek. “You look like her, I think I might join Jacks in the fun, see if you fuck like her. I’ll give the cunt that, she was game for anything. Promise her a tweak and I could line guys up, charge them twenty dollars, and Clarice would fuck and suck. Made good money on her in her younger days. Hell, maybe I should just take you and put you to work making me some money. What ya think?” I would not let this asshole get to me.
“I think you are a sick fucker who has penis envy. Don’t forget I’ve seen your dick, it’s small.” Just as he reared back to slap me again, crashes echoed through the house. I heard Jacks’s screams of pain as Stone grabbed my arm and yanked me up in front of him as Speed walked in the now busted front door.
“Hey, little sis. Heard you needed some help.” Speed smiled and winked at me, then frowned as he moved closer. “You hit her, motherfucker? I’ll be sure to tell Wild Bill that info, see what his boys can do for you. You might be going back alone if your buddy bleeds out. Well, I guess either way really, just depends if he is breathing when they load him up.” Coast came into view and moved to stand beside Speed, blood splattered over the front of his shirt.
“One down. Goddamn that son-of-a-bitch is good,” Coast said as he looked around, I presumed taking in the situation. And what the fuck was up with being so nonchalant while I got a fucking gun jammed in my back and Stone’s nasty arm around my neck half choking me.
“Don’t move any closer you pricks or I will killer her.” I swear bikers are all freakin’ nuts as Speed moved over to the chair and plopped down like he was there for a damn visit.
“Why don’t we have a little chat before we kill you?” What the hell? A chat? And where is Crusher?
“What, you want to chat, how about how I killed your dumbass daddy, boy? Or do you want to know how easy your mother died?” The blue in Speed’s eyes darkened as he stood at the mention of Cutter.
“Got your attention now, don’t I? Clarice was easy. Little extra in her needle and she didn’t even last long enough to enjoy the high. Now Cutter, well, I hadn’t planned to kill him. I was just going to share the information Clarice had told me about Carly being Cutter’s kid, for a price that is. Kept that information when she told me. I’d already raised the brat as mine. Then the whore gets mad one night when I won’t give her a hit. Throws a hissy fit and blurts out she was going to leave me, take her daughter to her real father, that he would give her money and she would buy her own shit.” Speed said nothing but Coast moved closer while Stone was busy spewing his shit.
“So you killed Clarice, that supposed to scare us? Or do you think that shit is going to upset me. I didn’t know the bitch.” Speed’s eyes never left Stone, he just kept getting him to talk. I noticed that Stone moved us every time Speed or Coast shifted.
“Now Cutter, I needed money, Cutter had it. Creeper snuck on the property at Black Hawk and left the note for Cutter. We knew he would head to town, if for nothing else, just to see what I was up to. Waited for the bastard on the road, he came around the corner, and we were sitting, lined across the road and he lost control. He hit pretty hard but it didn’t kill him. I did lean down and tell him about Carly. I would have let him live but he spat in my face, so it was easy just to grab his neck and with a twist, it was done.” God I lived with this man, called him dad, and he spoke of killing like you would talk about what was for dinner.
Stone shifted to get us out of both men’s reach again. Coast took a big step to the side, putting him in arm’s reach of us. Stone moved the gun from my back to point it at Coast, Speed tore me out of Stone’s grip and dropped us to the ground and I heard glass break, then Stone screamed and fell to the ground, blood pouring from the hole in his shoulder.
“You okay?” Speed asked as he pulled us to our feet. I looked over at Stone as Coast was securing him. The room filled with men in seconds after Stone’s scream, but none of them was Crusher.
I didn’t know how to feel: disappointed, hurt, I couldn’t pick one.
“I’m fine, they just slapped me a couple time because I was giving them shit,” I said as arms wrapped around me from behind.
“No, not you, baby.” I turned at the voice and found myself in Crusher’s arms.
“It was you, you shot Stone through the window. Speed and Coast aren’t crazy, they were just corralling him so he would move where you could see him.”
“Now, baby, I wouldn’t go that far.” He kissed the top of my head, then looked at me. “What are you doing here anyway? You should have been at Black Hawk. You shouldn’t even be driving.” Good Lord, how my life had changed. I patted his chest and that’s when I saw it.
“You have a president patch pinned on you.”
“Baby, they usually give you a patch when you become the president,” Crusher said and moved us out of the way as they brought a gagged Jacks out of the kitchen to sit him beside Stone.
“Did the dads really step down, Crusher? Sami said you guys were supposed to take over but no one thought they would actually do it.” Crusher started toward the front door, he moved us outside while Speed and Coast were talking into phones and Devil was patching Jacks and Stone to keep them from bleeding on everything.
“The dads turned it all over, that’s why we were still there when the call came in from Sue. She had to come back to her house because she forgot something for the cookout and saw the men come in. That’s where I was at, Carly, at Sue’s house watching through the scope on my rifle, waiting to get my shots off. Wild Bill’s guys are on their way to pick these two up. And I am taking you home.” He led me to my truck. “You okay to drive, baby?” I kissed his lips.
“The others will wait for Haven and fix the doors while they are waiting. Let’s get you home. We have a cookout to go to but I want to love on my woman because I had the shit scared out of me today.” He leaned down and rested his forehead to mine.
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